Date: 1987-06-30
Speaker: ST GERMAIN (democrat)
Chamber: H

TMr. Speaker. I am .pleased to rise in support of the conference .report on.HR. 558. This legislation provides a -response -to one of the most disturbing problems facing our Nation. Today we bringbefore the House a comprehensive approachone that encompasses the work and contributions .of five committees. This conference report authorizes the kinds of servicesand assistance desperately .needed by homeless people including housing. health care..and education. The incidenceof homelessness isanational tragedy. It is .the .manifestation of years of neglect and callous disregard for the plight .of ourNations poor. Itisthe direct result of: The dismantling of Federal lowincome housingprograms. The -scarcity of decent jobs and decent wages. The reductionIn funding for social services by all levels ofgovernment. and .The feminization of poverty which haslead to the most -rapidly growing segment of :the .homeless. homeless families with children. .particularlyin families -headed bywomen. While -some have -ignored this problem or -rationalized that .thehomelesswere homeless iby choice. the House of Representatives has led Federalefforts to respond. The first hear.ings to examine this. problemwereheld by the Subcommittee .on Housing and -Community Development. In 1983. the !Committee on Banking. Finance and Urban Affairs -reported the first -legislation to provide shelter for the . homeless. Time and timelagain we have received the support of this body for -our efforts. Regretta"bly the urgency we felt wasnot shared by .the other body or bylthe administration. Now. with a more cooperative Senate :and .a .new recog.nition of the problem in the .White House. we can -present :a coriference .report -with -confi.dence that Tit will tbe :signed by :the President. This could :not thave .happened without the tireless efforts of many :of -our icolleagues. HENRY GONZALEZ ihasused the IHousing .Subcommittee to brirg this tissue to the inational conscious. .BRUCE VENTO was the first lo introduce homelessassistance legiglationand is Athe architect of the major :shetter .program in this legislation. MARY ROSE OAKARhas championed the cause -of -transitional housing for families and thementally disdbled. And. mithout MIKE LOWRY!Seffortsto husband thislegislation through the legislative process. I doubt this.legislation..would be beforeustoday. The Banking Committee has ibeenfortunate .that we .have .always had bipartisan .support 4or -our .efforts tto -assist the homeless. CHALMERS WYLIE was a -cosponsor of .the .original homeless assistance bill in 1982 and his .constant support (demonstrates :that it is -compassion and not!partisanship Which motivates. his actions. Finally. I want to acknowledge the efforts of one last person.Whilewe were in conference with the Senate. .our tlate cdlleague Stewart .McKinney passed :away. For Stewart. the plight of ithe .homeless was imore than a .cause. it .was.a passion. :Stewart passionately believed in the Governments responsibility to :insure that -the -basic -necessities -of life and .indeed the .basic tnecessities of human dignity were available to all tpeQple. Sadly his -death -may have been hastened by his -efforts to dramatize the needs ofour fellow citizenswho do not have a safe and warm place -to .sleep. Out of ourrespect. gratitude and love for :our former :colleague. the cconferees have. entitled this legislation the ."Steward B. -McKinney .Homeless Assistance Act." I urge my colleagues to -acknowledge this most fitting trib.ute :and support -passage .of .this conference report. .0 1820