Congressional Record, Senate, March 8, 2022: Page S1062
Summary
Page S1062 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for March 8, 2022, in interleaved columns. S. 3788, a bill to address the homelessness and housing crises and move toward the goal of a home for all Americans, is referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Mr. Padilla speaks in support of the Housing Act, saying there is a need for more dedicated Federal funding for affordable housing and for inclusive, transit-oriented housing. The page also carries whereas clauses of a resolution on engagement with Africa, citing strategic competition with the People's Republic of China and Russia.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, March 8, 2022: Page S1062.”
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S1062 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
S. 3788. A bill to address the home- production side, there is a need for pace with the rapid transformation and de-
lessness and housing crises, to move to- more dedicated funding for affordable mographic shifts in Africa and to ensure that
ward the goal of providing for a home housing from the Federal Government. the United States understands and responds
to the dynamism and ambitions of its Afri-
for all Americans, and for other pur- There is also missing middle housing can partners;
poses; to the Committee on Banking, for families, especially people of color. Whereas successive United States’ Presi-
Housing, and Urban Affairs. And there is not enough housing near dential administrations and Congress have
Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise transit. That is why my bill focuses on identified strategic competition with the
to speak in support of the Housing Act supporting inclusive, transit-oriented People’s Republic of China, the Russian Fed-
for All Act of 2022, which I introduced development. When I talked to re- eration, and other malign actors as a threat
today. searchers about keeping families to the national security priorities of the
The homelessness and housing crises United States that requires building and
housed, one main point they made is maintaining networks of bilateral and multi-
have worsened in recent years. As of that we don’t have enough data on lateral partners and allies, including coun-
January 2020, more than 580,000 individ- renters and evictions, and that is why tries in Africa;
uals in the country, disproportionately I wanted to include a section of the bill Whereas the People’s Republic of China,
people of color, were experiencing on data—so we can make evidence- the European Union, India, Japan, the Rus-
homelessness. Rates of unsheltered based policies. Right now, the cost to sian Federation, and Turkey, among others,
homelessness have increased over the build low-income housing in California have held high-level summits with African
last few years, and people experiencing leaders to discuss policy priorities and deep-
is very high because of land and mate-
unsheltered homelessness have a mor- en economic, political, and security partner-
rial costs as well as the fragmented ships;
tality rate four to nine times higher way that funding gets doled out in Whereas, during August 4 through 6, 2014,
than that of the general public. A lack California. That is why I included a President Barack Obama hosted the first and
of affordable housing and housing as- section to provide technical assistance only United States-Africa Leaders Summit
sistance programs have contributed to for localities navigating Federal and (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘2014
homelessness. There is a shortage of 6.8 State housing funding sources. Summit’’) in Washington, D.C., with African
million affordable rental homes in the The COVID–19 pandemic has under- leaders representing 50 countries, the Afri-
United States. Even before the pan- can Union Commission, and various private
scored the need for affordable, safe, and
demic, one in four renters spent half of sector and civil society leaders under the
supportive housing for people experi- theme ‘‘Investing in the Next Generation’’;
their monthly income on rent, and encing homelessness. Because of the Whereas the 2014 Summit provided a forum
nearly a million tenants were evicted pandemic, many lost their housing, for African leaders to engage in frank ex-
each year. I believe every person has a while others struggled to make rent for changes with the Government of the United
right to housing. the first time. Some didn’t know where States and congressional leaders, business
That is why I am proud to introduce to turn as shelters faced capacity lim- executives, and members of civil society re-
this bill, which represents a com- its and food banks saw overwhelming garding—
prehensive approach to tackling hous- (1) development and economic challenges;
demand. These hardships were espe- (2) trade, investment, and economic co-
ing and homelessness. If enacted, it cially prevalent for those who had al- operation;
would invest in and align Federal re- ready been marginalized—including (3) democracy, human rights, and govern-
sources to support those experiencing communities of color, low-income com- ance; and
housing instability. To address the munities, and those with disabilities. (4) peace and regional security;
homelessness and housing crises, we Whereas, on February 5, 2021, at the 34th
As we begin to recover from the pan- Ordinary Session of the African Union As-
must invest in policies that support demic, it is our job to rebuild a more sembly, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., out-
strong, sustainable, inclusive commu- inclusive and equitable world for all. A lined the vision of his administration for a
nities and ensure quality affordable just recovery includes expanding af- United States-Africa partnership to
homes for all. fordable housing options to provide strengthen relationships and build on mu-
Specifically, this bill will address the people with a sense of stability. It also tual interests and respect with the govern-
affordable housing shortage by invest- means respecting the dignity and sup- ments, people (including people of the Afri-
ing in the housing trust fund, the Sec- porting the health of all community can Diaspora), and regional multilateral in-
tion 202 Supportive Housing for the El- stitutions of Africa;
members. Affordable housing is essen- Whereas, on November 19, 2021, during a
derly Program, Section 811 Supportive tial infrastructure. Every person de-
Housing for Persons with Disabilities speech to the Economic Community of West
serves dignity, security, and space of African States in Abuja, Nigeria, Secretary
Program, and the HOME Program. It their own. of State Antony Blinken announced that the
establishes a Commission to focus on I want to thank Representatives LIEU United States would host a second United
racial equity in housing and homeless- and CARBAJAL for introducing this bill States-Africa Leaders Summit ‘‘to drive the
ness. with me, and I hope our colleagues will kind of high-level diplomacy and engage-
It will address homelessness by in- join us in support of this solution to ment that can transform relationships and
vesting in housing choice vouchers our housing and homelessness crises.
make effective cooperation possible’’; and
project-based rental assistance, emer- Whereas a well-organized and resourced
f second United States-Africa Leaders Sum-
gency solutions grants, and contin-
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS mit, with an established mechanism for con-
uums of care. It will create grant pro-
tinuity and follow-up, will create a platform
grams to strengthen mobile crisis upon which the United States and African
intervention teams; to support hotel
---
partners can better structure United States-
and motel conversions to permanent SENATE RESOLUTION 538—EX- Africa relationships, deliver on commit-
supportive housing with services; to PRESSING SUPPORT FOR A SEC- ments, solve problems, and work together as
aid libraries in supporting persons ex- OND UNITED STATES-AFRICA partners on areas of mutual interest: Now,
periencing homelessness; and to pro- LEADERS SUMMIT AS AN IMPOR- therefore, be it
vide people living in vehicles with a TANT OPPORTUNITY TO Resolved, That the Senate—
STRENGTHEN TIES BETWEEN (1) supports the administration of Presi-
safe place to park overnight and facili- dent Joseph R. Biden, Jr., hosting a second
tate a transition to stable housing. THE UNITED STATES AND AFRI-
United States-Africa Leaders Summit (re-
And it commissions a report on the CAN PARTNERS AND BUILD ON
ferred to in this resolution as the ‘‘Summit’’)
connection between evictions and AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST as a vital opportunity to strengthen ties be-
emergency rental assistance during the Mr. RISCH (for himself and Mr. DUR- tween the United States and African part-
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
pandemic, so we can make smarter pol- BIN) submitted the following resolu- ners;
icy moving forward. tion; which was referred to the Com- (2) underscores the importance of bipar-
When I have traveled around the tisan, bicameral congressional participation
mittee on Foreign Relations:
in the Summit;
State—from LA County to Inland Em- S. RES. 538 (3) commits to working with the heads of
pire, to Fresno, to San Diego, to San Whereas meaningful and consistent high- state, civil society, private sector, and the
Francisco—to get a sense of the needs level multilateral engagement between the African Diaspora to build stronger ties with
for housing in different communities, United States and Africa is necessary for the the United States and pursue mutual inter-
some key elements stood out. On the foreign policy of the United States to keep ests; and
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