The Serrano Report, Vol. VI, #22

On Capitol Hill

Serrano Meets with Bronx Students

This week, Congressman Serrano met in Washington with two groups of high school students from the Bronx. On Tuesday, he met with Bronx students in the World Vision Youth Empowerment Program and one student who was particpating in the Junior Statesman Foundation. On Thursday, he met with participants in the South Bronx Job Corps, a program that helps high school students graduate or attain their GEDs while also gaining work experience. The students were in Washington for their annual lobbying day. "It is always a pleasure to meet young, hard-working students from the Bronx," said Serrano. "I am glad that they have the opportunity to come to Washington to see how our government works, and I am proud to have these students representing the Bronx."

House passes Transportation HUD Bill

On Thursday, by a vote of 256 to 168, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3288, the fiscal year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act. The bill includes investments in key housing and community development initiatives that will provide critical repairs to public housing units, grants for housing and services for the homeless, as well as additional affordable housing units for the elderly and disabled. The bill also provides 2.1 million vouchers for rental assistance as well as housing counseling assistance for families in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The transportation section of the bill supports public transit agencies around the country and gives a significant boost in funding to Amtrak.

Congressman Serrano has been a long-time advocate for much needed repairs to deteriorating and underfunded public housing developments in New York City. "I am pleased with the steps that this bill takes to ensure that additional federal funds are dedicated to provide for maintenance and expanded affordable housing options for residents," said Serrano. "This bill provides many important services in both the housing and transportation sectors to the people of the South Bronx and I look forward to its ultimate success."

When the Senate completes its version of this legislation, the final conference report, agreed to by the House and the Senate, will need to be passed on the floor of the House and the Senate and signed by the President.

House Passes Labor, Health and Human Services Bill

On Friday, the House passed H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. This legislation makes critical investments in our nation’s healthcare system, provides resources to help schools meet the needs of our nation’s students, and appropriates federal dollars for job training to help workers weather the current economic downturn.

“I am pleased to have voted in support of H.R. 3293,” Congressman Serrano said after the vote. “This legislation provides increases in funding to many important programs that are vital to low-income communities across our nation, it helps students afford higher education ,and strengthens our nation’s safety-net programs that help those individuals that are currently unemployed. I am particularly pleased that H.R. 3293 also repeals the twenty-year federal ban on syringe exchange. This is a welcomed step in the right direction towards ensuring that evidence-based programs receive federal support to address the health needs of our citizens.”

The House passed the bill by a vote of 264-153 and it will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

In the Bronx

Serrano Calls on Fannie Mae to Protect Bronx Tenants

On Monday, Congressman Serrano and Senator Charles Schumer called on Fannie Mae to work with the City of New York to ensure that the tenants of 19 severely distressed buildings in the Bronx are no longer neglected.  The buildings’ former owner, a real estate company called Ocelot Capital Group, abandoned the properties approximately one year ago when they could no longer afford to pay the mortgages.  Since then, the Ocelot buildings have fallen into severe disrepair, which has required the City of New York to make $1million in “emergency repairs” in recent months.  

Fannie Mae, which is shorthand for the Federal National Mortgage Assocation, is a government-sponsored entity which purchases and guarantees residential mortgages.  Fannie Mae  purchased the Ocelot mortgages in 2007 and had planned to sell the portfolio this summer through a website called DebtX that auctions distressed housing.  Together, Serrano and Schumer argued that an online public auction was not in the best interests of the tenants, and called on Fannie Mae to work with the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development to find responsible owners for the Ocelot buildings.

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