Washington, D.C. – February 3, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX-15) delivered the following remarks when offering an amendment during consideration in the House Committee on Financial Services Budget Views and Estimates to expand affordable housing in rural communities:
“Today the Committee on Financial Services debated the Committee’s Budget Views and Estimates. I am proud that the amendment I presented was adopted.
“My amendment highlights the magnitude of challenges facing our rural communities, and the critical role of the federal government in expanding homeownership, building wealth, and providing opportunity to our most underserved Rural communities.
“Rural communities across our nation face serious challenges. For example, more than 88% of the nations “persistently poor” counties, defined as having at least a 20% poverty rate at each of the last four U.S. Censuses – are rural, including many of the communities found in my own district.
“Fortunately, our nation has federal rural housing programs that assist rural communities in accessing safe, decent, and affordable housing. For 60 years, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (“USDA”) rural housing programs have been effective tools in helping low-income, rural families attain homeownership and climb out of poverty.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Financial Services committee to address the unique challenges and needs of our rural constituents and to ensuring a brighter future for them all.”
This amendment was adopted, and it will be included in the official Committee on Financial Services FY 2017 Budget Views and Estimates.
