June 10, 2014

Congresswoman Lee Celebrates Passage of Her Amendment to Increase Funds to Prevent Housing Discrimination

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Contact: Katherine Jolly, (510)-763-0370
 

Washington, D.C. –Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee celebrated the passage of her amendment to the Transportation Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations bill to increase funding to the Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP), which helps prevent housing discrimination. The amendment was co-sponsored by Congressman Al Green (D-TX).

“I am pleased that we were able to increase funding to fight housing discrimination,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee.  “Safe access to quality housing is a basic human right and housing discrimination in any form cannot be tolerated.  While these additional funds help mitigate cuts to FHIP, funding levels remain unacceptably low and I will keep fighting for resources to ensure all Americans have equal access to housing.”

The amendment increased funding for HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program by $10 million.  FHIP provides competitive grants to private, non-profit entities for critical education and enforcement services to prevent housing discrimination based on race, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, familial status, and other factors.

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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, as well as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), where she serves as the Co-Chair of the CPC Peace and Security Task Force.