Senate Proceeding 05-05-09 on May 5th, 2009 :: 4:02:40 to 4:10:39
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4:02:32 to 4:02:53( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: very diligently over the last several years to deal with the issue of property disposition. we have established over many, many decades now certain priorities to properties. included in that are very low priority agencies that provide

4:02:40 to 4:10:39( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jack Reed

4:02:54 to 4:03:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: shelter for homeless people. prior to these, in my recollection of the distribution of the properties, was the rights of state and local governments to buy property at a discounted price. madam president, as governor, you probably considered this option many times. it's my understanding that this underlying bill would exempt a

4:03:15 to 4:03:37( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: number of the properties from federal property act provisions that would allow, in fact, state and local governments are reasonable, particularly now given the budget pressures at local governments. but in addition, this is a -- a very wide-ranging pilot program and a five-year program that i

4:03:38 to 4:04:00( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: think could, indeed, encompass every bit of property that is held in surplus by the united states it is far from a pilot program. what are talking about is a true pilot program. a limited number of properties to -- to validate and -- and really legitimize the approach that senator coburn and others are suggesting.

4:04:01 to 4:04:21( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: i know the senator has worked very diligently, very sincerely with colleagues on this, on both sides of the aisle. but this represents a version -- an early version, i believe, that has since, at least in terms of discussion with others, has been changed swhavment but

4:04:22 to 4:04:44( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: but -- somewhat. but one point i want to make with respect to the underlying amendment that's important, we are not intending to deal with the issue of property distribution which cuts across the entire spectrum of federal properties. practically every agency of the federal government. that encompasses not only the rights, and very limited rights, of homeless groups to acquire property but fundamentally t rights of state and local

4:04:45 to 4:05:07( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: communities to acquire this surplus property. in fact, for many state and local communities, this program is a major source of economic development. i would, again, looking at the president, who was the governor of the state o pease r force base was surplus property which is now a dynamic economic development to, my

4:05:08 to 4:05:28( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: guess again, was obtained by the?? state, probably using at least in part some of these powers. all of that would be altered in this pilot program that would gi managers wide discretion to dispose of property. and, again, it's a pilot program but it's so long-term and

4:05:29 to 4:05:52( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: relatively five years, it's not exactly a short-term, let's do an experiment, evaluate it and see what can be done. our legislation, the underlying amendment, is the result of many, many years of bipartisan effort to deal with the issue of homelessness.

4:05:53 to 4:06:18( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: not the disposition property t. would, i think, represent -- property. it would, i think, represent an extraordinary improvement in the current system. it's more efficient. it consolidates applications. it gives flexibility to local communities. and it deals with the problem that i think is equally compelling for the children of today. countless thousands -- thousands -- of children who

4:06:20 to 4:06:42( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: don't have a home. we have to take prudent steps and i wish looking back some of my colleagues had decided more prudent in t policies turning a surplus in 2001 into a huge deficit in 2008-2009. so the ability to look ahead is not exclusive to one side.

4:06:43 to 4:07:04( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: but the legislate that we have proposed, i have proposed, along with senator bond, republics a reauthorization of mckinney-vento which will give the states better tools to deal with a current c of countless families without homes. my concern is not only with the

4:07:05 to 4:07:26( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: breadth of this its foc on one part of a much more complicated puzzle but also the fact that it could seriously jeopardize, i think, the passage of what is, i think, important legislation: the mckinney-vento reauthorization. i do believe because of the

4:07:27 to 4:07:47( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: senator's efforts and his sincere and energetic and consistent advocacy of this, this issue is resonating on both sides, both our colleagues in the house and the senate. but i would be extraordinarily, not only disappointed but we miss an opportunity to reform the

4:07:48 to 4:08:08( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: we worked with the senator last congress. we had bipartisan sup senator we had, in fact, the endorsement of president bush and the housing and but it fails because this

4:08:09 to 4:08:30( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: legislation, was embroiled in controversy of property disposition every agency of the federal government. not h.u.d., department of defense, deparent of agriculture, the interior department. i think if we were going to do something this comprehensive let's not

4:08:31 to 4:08:51( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: homelessness initiative as, sort of, the wedge or fulcrum or lever but step back, work collectively and collaboratively and pass legislation that will apply across the board and do so in a principled and practical way. i also note as the senator alluded to that at an

4:08:52 to 4:09:12( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: appropriate moment there wil a point of order raised against the legislation. but i would hope that, again, we could move through this proposed second-degree amendment, pass the underlying amendment but not, in fact, not forget but redouble our efforts to approach

4:09:13 to 4:09:33( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: this in a comprehensive way, in a way that i know many colleagu, not only senator coburn but senator corker are interested in having reform in the way we dispose of property. i am position to say personally that

4:09:34 to 4:09:54( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: i think if we do this, we have to take into consideration the equities of all the parties. this is not just homelessness groups that get advantage but about state and local governments and the way we established over many, many years, the disposition of federal property. can it bepproved?

4:09:55 to 4:10:16( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: yes, it k should we approve it? yes, we but to essentially target the homelessness population as, sort of the lever for the change is, i think, the wrong approach. so i would athe appropriate manager will raise a point of order.

4:10:17 to 4:10:38( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: with that, i would yield floor. i do have another amendment which i would like to duly u call up but know the senator from oklahoma is here. mr. coburn: i appreciate senator reed's understanding of our effort.

4:10:39 to 4:10:40( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: but the question arises: we have