Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page H3845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMUNITY ACTION MONTH
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to
recognize May as Community Action Month.
This year marks the 55th year since the Community Action Network was
established to help American families and communities overcome
obstacles to poverty. There are more than 1,000 Community Action
Agencies across the country that reach children and families in 99
percent of America's counties to help provide life-changing services
that create pathways out of poverty.
Every year, these agencies help tens of thousands of children and
youth with before- and after-school programs; more than 165,000
unemployed people get a job; almost 220,000 families find safe and
affordable housing; and about 6.5 million people, including seniors,
make their homes more energy efficient and lower their utility bills.
Earlier this spring, I was proud to introduce H.R. 1695, the
Community Services Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 2019, with
Congresswoman Betty McCollum.
This bill renews our Nation's commitment to reducing poverty through
locally driven, comprehensive approaches.
Madam Speaker, the Community Services Block Grant traces its roots
back more than 50 years ago to the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.
This act established local Community Action Agencies to help identify
why people were in poverty and how to address it using public and
private resources, a great public-private partnership.
These agencies act as a safety net for low-income individuals and
families. Even more importantly, they help create opportunities for
people to move from poverty to independence. That is the true measure
of success as we look at these Community Action Agencies.
The Community Services Block Grant is the only Federal program with
the explicit goal of reducing poverty, regardless of the cause.
Unfortunately, this program has not been reauthorized in more than 20
years.
Our bill makes important updates that will strengthen the Community
Services Block Grant and the network it supports, including:
A new federally administered Community Action Opioid Response Grant
that will enable Community Action Agencies to fill service gaps and
respond to unmet needs of low-income individuals, families, and
communities affected by the opioid or substance abuse crisis;
A provision requiring Federal approval of State applications and
plans, with provisions to allow direct Federal funding of local
agencies if a State plan fails to meet Federal requirements; and
A renewed commitment to streamlining the program's stated purpose to
reduce poverty through support for Community Action Agencies that
improve economic security for low-income individuals and families and
create new opportunities in the communities where they live.
This bill will help more than 15 million low-income Americans and
provide resources necessary to help lift individuals and families out
of poverty.
Madam Speaker, it is time to reauthorize the Community Services Block
Grant, and I urge all my colleagues to support this bill, especially
during Community Action Month.
____________________