Action Alerts

October 24, 2006

Action Needed!!

Urge Your Members of Congress to Support the Public Housing and Section 8 Voucher Provisions
in the Senate Version of the FY 2007 HUD Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5576)

Dear NHC Member:

We need your assistance in generating support among your members of Congress for the Senate’s public housing and Section 8 voucher provisions in the final House-Senate compromise version of the FY 2007 HUD appropriations bill (H.R. 5576).

When Congress returns from its recess for the November elections, it is expected that they will complete the remaining FY 2007 appropriations bills, including reaching a final compromise on the HUD appropriations bill. Over the next few weeks, staffers are likely to begin informal negotiations of the final compromise bill. With only a few weeks remaining, it is important that your members of Congress voice their concerns about the housing and community development provisions and funding levels in the HUD appropriations bills to the leaders of the Appropriations Committees, as well as to the Congressional leadership.

Talking points are available on the differences between the House and the Senate bills for public housing and Section 8 vouchers. To influence this process, we are asking you to weigh in with your members of Congress by either calling them or sending a letter expressing your support for the Senate bill’s public housing and Section 8 voucher provisions in the final HUD appropriations bill (H.R. 5576). (See sample letter)

Ask your Representatives to contact House HUD Subcommittee Chairman Knollenberg (R-MI) and Ranking Member Olver (D-MA) to urge support of these Senate positions. Ask your Senators to contact Senate HUD Subcommittee Chairman Bond (R-MO) and Ranking member Murray (D-WA) to show their support for including these provisions in the final HUD appropriations bill. It is particularly important to make this call if your members of Congress are on the House or Senate Appropriations Committees.

For those NHC members that are following public housing asset-management issues closely, please also consider asking your Representatives to sign-on to the letter being circulated in the House by Representative Brian Higgins (D-NY) that supports the Senate’s asset management-related appropriations provisions – this letter will be sent to House Appropriations Committee members. The deadline for Representatives to sign-on to the letter is today, October 24!

For fax numbers or email addresses, access your representative’s web page at www.house.gov and your senator’s web page at www.senate.gov. To reach your members of Congress by telephone, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your member’s office and ask to speak with staff person covering housing appropriations.

Thank you for your help with this!

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