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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

NCIL Members: Fight for Independent Living by Advocating Funding for Housing Programs

People Over Profit 2011 protest signAn Update from the NCIL Housing Subcommittee

The NCIL Housing Subcommittee would like every NCIL member to advocate with their Representative and Senators on funding for housing programs. Right now, many housing programs are in serious danger of seeing their funding cut, even under the best case scenario! The Center on Budget & Policy Priorities estimates that between 125,000 to 185,000 housing vouchers could be lost. They estimate that “Congress will need to provide $17.7 billion for voucher renewals (and at least $1.69 billion to cover the costs of program administration) in 2014.” And that is just one program.

It is important that advocates ask for an end to sequestration, full funding of housing programs, and reform of the mortgage interest deduction program. Members of the Budget Conference Committee are listed below. If your Representative or Senator serves on the Budget Conference Committee, please make a point of urging that person to support housing programs.

The Budget Conference Committee has a deadline of December 13 to produce a report on the 2014 budget.

Keep in mind that the 2014 budget began on October 1, and we are already well into the 2014 fiscal year. Any further cuts would be compressed into the remaining months, as they were in the 2013 fiscal year. Two good resources for learning more are the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities

Budget Conference Committee

House:

  • Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
  • Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
  • Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)
  • Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)
  • Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)
  • Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
  • Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)

Senate:

  • Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
  • Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
  • Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
  • Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
  • Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
  • Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
  • Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
  • Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
  • Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
  • Sen. Angus King (I-ME)
  • Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
  • Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA)
  • Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY)
  • Sen. Michael Crapo (R-ID)
  • Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
  • Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
  • Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA)
  • Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
  • Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
  • Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)