Transportation, Housing And Urban Development, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is a pro-veteran amendment that would prohibit HUD funds from going toward enforcing regulations against a veteran's preference in HUD financing or HUD-financed housing that is built on a VA campus or is using a VA-enhanced use lease.

This issue came to light in the Third District of Ohio because of a conflict between HUD rules and regulations and VA rules and regulations. In Dayton, Ohio, the St. Mary's Neighborhood Development Corporation has been attempting for several years to construct senior housing on the campus of the Dayton VA Medical Center.

St. Mary's was able to obtain an enhanced-use lease from the VA to construct the housing on the Dayton VA campus. They were also able to obtain HUD section 202 funding that would allow for the financing of the construction for low-income senior housing. So we have VA providing the land and HUD providing funding, both VA and HUD agreeing that this would be an excellent project to help us respond to homeless veterans, to provide low-income housing for veterans, and also to respond to the needs of seniors in the community.

However, HUD has previously asserted that St. Mary's may not be able to use these critical dollars if the VA lease requires a specific preference for veterans to occupy the proposed facility on the VA grounds. HUD has prohibited a preference given to veterans housing in this facility on the Dayton VA campus. The VA rules and regulations require that the VA assert and request a preference for that housing to be built on their campus.

This amendment seeks to solve this issue by prohibiting funds in the bill to allow HUD to enforce their restriction against a preference for veterans. This is good for seniors, and this is good for veterans.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TURNER. Thank you, Mr. LaTourette. I appreciate you yielding time to me.

Wilmington, Ohio, is in my congressional district, and it has seen a number of challenges over recent years. Of course, all across the country we are all experiencing the economic downturn, but specifically, in Wilmington, Ohio, they are experiencing the closure of DHL's North American hub, which was located there. The closure of DHL's operations will result in the loss of approximately 8,000 jobs, mainly in Clinton and Highland Counties in my district.

As a result, the Ohio delegation has sought increased Federal assistance to help the community as they recover from this economic emergency. The Ohio delegation has been successful in acquiring Federal dollars to help retrain former DHL employees and also help to create an economic development plan to move the community forward with possession of the Wilmington Airpark. Additionally, I have sought congressional earmarked funding for Wilmington projects which are needed, especially given their special economic circumstances.

The 91-year-old Murphy Theatre in Wilmington, Ohio, is both a local landmark and a community center that still hosts a wide range of events. The Murphy Theatre, which opened in 1918, was placed on the National Register in 1982, and the Murphy Theatre soon became the actual, as well as symbolic, heart of the downtown. The Murphy even hosted a John Philip Sousa concert. Today the Murphy Theatre hosts an average of 35 events a year, serving approximately 6,000 adults and 4,000 children.

Funding for this project will provide critical infrastructure assistance to ensure the viability of this local landmark. In addition to air conditioning and heating replacement, the Murphy Theatre needs roof repair, new auditorium seating, and interior plasterwork repairs from damage sustained from the leaky roof.

Wilmington hasn't the funds to perform even basic repairs to stabilize the condition of this American landmark. This funding request is vital to protect a historic treasure and also to ensure that it continues to meet strong local demand as a community center for entertainment and town activities.

Mr. Chair, I submit for the Record copies of letters in support of the project from David Raizk, the mayor of Wilmington; Randy Riley, a Clinton County commissioner; and Donny Mongold, the president of the Murphy board of trustees.

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