October 25, 2005
“It is rare that this House considers housing bills and it is shameful, especially given those left homeless by Katrina, that our bipartisan efforts to support increased homeownership and wealth-building through the creation of an affordable housing trust fund have fallen victim to the right wing’s ongoing assault on democracy and programs designed to help the poor, elderly and disabled,” said Lee.
The legislation was designed to reform the GSEs in an attempt to better regulate and offer “safety and soundness” in the capital market. It would also dedicate 3.5 percent profits from GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac towards establishing an affordable housing fund to create a housing construction program.
While Lee has long been a champion of affordable housing in Congress, she voted against the bill because of the late addition of a controversial Republican amendment to prohibit non-profits that build most of the affordable housing from engaging in non partisan voter registration, get-out-the-vote and other non-partisan election activities.
“The bill that I supported coming out of committee, a product that struck a fair balance between regulatory oversight and the GSEs housing mission and goals, is turned on its head and gutted by the undemocratic managers’ amendment that is being pushed by Republican ideologues here today,” said Lee. “This Republican gag amendment is not only extreme and undemocratic, it is possibly unconstitutional. It gags non-partisan speech and civic engagement and participation in our most fundamental of democratic activities.”
The managers’ amendment passed, 210-205, on a mostly party-line vote. The bill was approved with the amendment by a vote of 331-90.
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Barbara Lee Blasts GOP Democracy Gag Amendment
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) spoke out in favor of affordable housing and condemned Republican efforts to disenfranchise low income communities by banning non-partisan election activities conducted by non-profits receiving affordable housing funds during debate over a bill to reform Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs).“It is rare that this House considers housing bills and it is shameful, especially given those left homeless by Katrina, that our bipartisan efforts to support increased homeownership and wealth-building through the creation of an affordable housing trust fund have fallen victim to the right wing’s ongoing assault on democracy and programs designed to help the poor, elderly and disabled,” said Lee.
The legislation was designed to reform the GSEs in an attempt to better regulate and offer “safety and soundness” in the capital market. It would also dedicate 3.5 percent profits from GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac towards establishing an affordable housing fund to create a housing construction program.
While Lee has long been a champion of affordable housing in Congress, she voted against the bill because of the late addition of a controversial Republican amendment to prohibit non-profits that build most of the affordable housing from engaging in non partisan voter registration, get-out-the-vote and other non-partisan election activities.
“The bill that I supported coming out of committee, a product that struck a fair balance between regulatory oversight and the GSEs housing mission and goals, is turned on its head and gutted by the undemocratic managers’ amendment that is being pushed by Republican ideologues here today,” said Lee. “This Republican gag amendment is not only extreme and undemocratic, it is possibly unconstitutional. It gags non-partisan speech and civic engagement and participation in our most fundamental of democratic activities.”
The managers’ amendment passed, 210-205, on a mostly party-line vote. The bill was approved with the amendment by a vote of 331-90.