Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment offered by Mr. Nadler:

Page 91, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert the following: ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

Page 105, lines 5 and 6, after each of the dollar amounts, insert the following: ``(reduced by $10,000,000)''.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment would increase the appropriation for the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS program, or HOPWA, by $10 million.

Frankly, this is a very modest amount. Earlier this year, more than 100 Members joined me and Representatives Ros-Lehtinen and Crowley in asking the Appropriations Committee for $424 million in HOPWA funding for fiscal year 2007.

I am relieved that the President finally asked for a $14 million increase over last year in HOPWA funding, and I am very grateful to Chairman Knollenberg and Ranking Member Olver for meeting his request and funding the program at this level.

But the sad truth is that this year's HOPWA level barely keeps up with inflation. Three years ago in 2004, HOPWA was funded at $295 million. That the program will see an increase in 2004 to 2007 of $5 million in 3 years is not enough even to meet inflation.

Housing needs have grown faster than inflation. Adequately meeting the housing needs of all those living with HIV and AIDS would take over $2 billion. Nationwide, thousands of people are now on waiting lists for HOPWA-funded housing, and with 91 percent of HOPWA recipients having family incomes of less than $1,000 per month, program recipients simply cannot afford the shortfall.

The costs associated with new AIDS treatments often force people to choose between essential medications to enable them to survive and the necessities such as housing. Without adequate HOPWA funding, AIDS patients will continue to flood our emergency rooms and our Medicaid rolls and will be forced to live on the streets.

This HOPWA funding does not simply get people with HIV and AIDS off of the streets. Recent studies have shown that housing in many cases equates directly to HIV prevention because people with housing are much more likely to know their HIV status and, therefore, less likely to transmit the disease to others. Improvements in housing status also lead to lower rates of high-risk behavior, such as intravenous drug use, which can lead to the spread of the disease.

HOPWA is an extremely fiscally sound program. It is locally controlled and provides maximum flexibility to States and communities to design approaches that best respond to local housing needs. In fiscal year 2006 alone, HOPWA funds will support the delivery of services to roughly 71,500 households in all 50 States.

I realize that, given the record deficits that we have, funding HOPWA at the $2 billion level it should have is not realistic. The financial constraints that we face put us in an unfortunate bind. There is much room for improvement.

I, again, thank the chairman and ranking member for the increase that they proposed, but given the scarce resources of this bill, a $10 million increase beyond that, which means we will have an increase by $5 million in 3 years, is I think more than warranted, and that is what this amendment is.

  
I am grateful for HOPWA's increase this year, but I urge a further increase of $10 million, so it is a net increase of $5 million in 3 years.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from New York is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the gentleman from New York if his intention is to withdraw the amendment, as we were led to believe.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I will withdraw the amendment if necessary.

Mr. SWEENEY. It is necessary.

Mr. NADLER. I regret to hear that, but I will withdraw the amendment.

Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the amendment is withdrawn.

There was no objection.