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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated that
debate on H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act
of 2010, will begin in the Senate as early as Tuesday, June 8. The
version of this bill that passed the House on May 28 includes
initial funding for the National Housing Trust Fund, as well as
important provisions regarding the Low Income Housing Tax Credit
program.
However, the Senate bill will be subject to amendment, so it is
crucial that Senators hear from us that the NHTF and other housing
provisions remain in any final bill. There will be objections about
the bill's contribution to the federal deficit. Some Senators are
advocating that Medicaid payments to the states and the extension of
health insurance for the unemployed, which were dropped in the
House, be added back. Still other Senators want to negotiate less of
a tax increase on venture capitalists and hedge fund managers than
is in the House bill.
The housing provisions in H.R. 4213 are among those that are
offset by the tax increases in the bill that close loopholes and
increase tax equity.
Please call the Congressional switchboard toll-free at
877-210-5351 TODAY, ask for each of your
Senators' offices in turn, and relay the following message:
As the Senate considers H.R. 4213 this week, provisions
affecting housing for people with low incomes must remain in the
bill. These are $1.065 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund,
the extension of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) exchange
program, and the extension of the placed-in-service date of LIHTCs
for the Gulf Coast. Please let Senator (NAME) know the importance of
these programs to the lowest income families in our communities.
You can also remind your Senators of the large number of
organizations from each state that have signed the NHTF
letter of
support. Individual letters to Senators
are at http://www.nhtf.org/template/page.cfm?id=259,
and more will be posted throughout the day. Other materials that may
be helpful, including the ad that appeared in the Roll Call
newspaper and an estimate of how much NHTF funding each state will
receive, are posted at www.nhtf.org under
the heading "Materials for NHTF Visits and Calls."
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALLS!
WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
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