Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2015
Floor Speech
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I have said so many times that this has taken a tremendous amount of work and team effort and good will to get us to the place at which we are today. I want to thank all of our cosponsors. It really has been a heavy lift, and I can tell you how appreciative I am.
It has been so wonderful working with Mr. Pearce. He has just been levelheaded and calm all the way. Of course, with regard to Mr. Cole, Mr. Heck, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Young, we have all worked so closely together for 2 years to craft this bipartisan legislation.
I need to also recognize the leadership role of our ranking member, Ms. Waters. She has had a few concerns, but she has been engaging and constructive.
The National Congress of American Indians, the National American Indian Housing Council, and many individual tribes from all across the country have provided comments, education, and energy every step of the way.
I think that this legislation, Mr. Speaker, honors the trust relationship of the United States Government, and it respects tribal sovereignty of the nations of the First People, but I don't want to make short shrift of the concerns that have been raised.
For example, I wish we could have provided more funding, given the dire need. However, this legislation is the product of a truly bipartisan process. It is not that all of us agree 100 percent on every provision, but we keep talking, and we keep working, and we have done that until we have come up with a bill that may not be perfect but that serves the people for whom it is intended, and it is very good for tribal communities.
The need for affordable housing in Indian Country just cannot be understated. Some of the poorest and most remote communities in this country are Native American communities.
In fact, the three poorest communities in the United States of America are Native American. NAHASDA provides tribal governments the ability to provide safe and affordable housing to tribal communities that is consistent with their status as sovereigns.
A few improvements that I would like to highlight are that it expedites certain Federal approvals. It makes all native people eligible for NAHASDA funds. It preserves provisions protecting Cherokee Freedmen.
Expediting approval ends administrative duplication and delays, approval which is essential due to unique timing and building challenges on reservations.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am so happy that the Hawaiian and Alaskan contingencies have commented on this. I think it is important that this bill include all native people.
I am so happy that the Senate is now working on a version of NAHASDA that is similar, and I hope that we will all be able to quickly reconcile our differences and get a reauthorization to the President's desk. I look forward to him signing H.R. 360 into law.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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