Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the bill and, in particular, its provisions to help families obtain affordable housing with Section 8 vouchers and to help people with HIV/AIDS to secure housing with the assistance of the HOPWA program.

I want to thank the chairman for including $300 million in this bill for Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS, the highest funding level ever for this program; and for providing $403 million more than current funding for the Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program. For years, we have had to fight for every nickel of funding and offer amendments for modest increases. It is a true pleasure to be working with a Chairman who better understands the needs of the American people and who is able to dedicate resources to areas of great need.

Rising housing costs and stagnating incomes have created serious housing affordability problems for growing numbers of low-income families. Years of Republican budget cuts have seriously damaged our public housing stock and forced thousands of people onto waiting lists for assistance. The list in NY grew so long that they stopped accepting applications. They have only recently announced their intention to reopen it, and they have been inundated by qualified people seeking help. To reduce the number of low-income families with severe housing affordability problems, it is critical that Congress increase Section 8 funding and resume funding for incremental vouchers, which I am pleased this bill does. The section 8 housing voucher program provides safe affordable housing to approximately 2 million American families in urban and rural communities in every State across our country. These vouchers are often the only resource for low-income families confronted by our Nation's affordable housing crisis.

In the past, my colleague Representative Velázquez and I, often with the support of Chairman Frank, have offered amendments that have passed with bipartisan support to increase the Section 8 program. We were successful in passing amendments in 2003, 2005, and 2006 to increase funding so that more families would be able to obtain affordable housing. While we can always do more and clearly there are still many unmet needs, I am pleased by the increases in today's bill.

HOPWA is the only Federal housing program that specifically provides cities and states with the resources to address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS. Americans living with HIV/AIDS are often forced to choose between expensive drug treatments and necessities such as housing. According to the National AIDS Housing Network, rates of new HIV diagnoses among the homeless are 16 times the rate in the general population, and HIV/AIDS death rates are five to seven times higher. People with AIDS who are homeless are more likely to be uninsured, use an emergency room, and be admitted to a hospital.

Inadequate housing is not only a barrier to treatment, but also puts people with HIV/AIDS at risk of premature death from exposure to other diseases, poor nutrition, stress and lack of medical care. Tragically, at any given time, one-third to one-half of all Americans with HIV/AIDS are either homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless.

There is a desperate need for HIV/AIDS housing, and HOPWA answers this need. By providing suitable, reasonably-priced housing, HOPWA enables cities and states to design and provide community-based, cost-effective housing for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. It provides maximum flexibility so that states and communities can implement strategies that respond to local housing needs and shortfalls. In addition, the administrative costs of the program are capped, ensuring the money goes directly to serving people with HIV/AIDS.

Providing supportive housing is crucial to the well-being of thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS, and is a cost-effective approach to the AIDS housing crisis. Again, I thank the Chairman for supporting HOPWA and Section 8.