Tribal Access to Homeless Assistance Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4029, the Tribal Eligibility for Homeless Assistance Grants Act of 2019.

According to a study from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness on Tribal lands often looks different from many other areas of the country. Tribal homelessness often results in overcrowding in housing that is already in short supply and rapidly aging and deteriorating.

Sadly, 16 percent of households in Tribal areas are overcrowded compared to just 2 percent nationally. These overcrowded conditions hide the problem of homelessness throughout these communities.

In 1996, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self- Determination Act was passed to give Tribes one larger and more flexible block grant to meet their housing needs. As a result, Tribes are ineligible for HUD's individual housing assistance programs.

H.R. 4029 would allow Tribal communities to be eligible to apply for and receive HUD's local Continuum of Care grants. Making Tribes eligible recipients for homeless assistance grants is a first step towards fixing Tribal housing issues and solving this hidden crisis of homelessness on Tribal lands.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the sponsors of H.R. 4029, Mr. Heck, and our former colleague, Mr. Duffy.

Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, Congresswoman Wagner, for yielding.

As the Representative of North Carolina's Ninth Congressional District, I am proud to represent 55,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe.

When I served in the North Carolina General Assembly, just before this special election in September, I cosponsored legislation clarifying North Carolina's recognition of the Lumbee.

It became law just in July.

H.R. 4029 would allow the Lumbee to apply directly for homeless assistance grants instead of having to rely on nonprofits or other governmental entities.

This commonsense proposal will empower the Lumbee to act directly to provide shelter and other services to their own members and will not cost the Federal Government one penny.

The Lumbee are in the best position to help their own Tribal members, and this bill will empower them to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4029.

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Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to support H.R. 4029, the Tribal Eligibility for Homeless Assistance Grants Act of 2019, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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