Report Card

First Annual Congressional Report Card has been revised!

Lautenberg, Menendez, Andrews, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne and Sires
ranked as very supportive!

2008 Honor Roll

Members who were ranked as Very Supportive (A/B)

Sen. Frank Lautenberg
Sen. Robert Menendez
Rep. Rob Andrews
Rep. Frank Pallone
Rep. Bill Pascrell
Rep. Donald Payne
Rep. Albio Sires

Members who were ranked as Supportive (B-)

Rep. Michael Ferguson
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen
Rep. Rush Holt
Rep. Frank LoBiondo
Rep. Jim Saxton
Rep. Chris Smith
Rep. Steve Rothman

Members who were ranked as Not Supportive (F)

Rep. Scott Garrett

Click on the icon to read a PDF version of the First Annual Congressional Report Card!

The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness is pleased to present this First Annual Congressional Report Card. This Report Card will allow all of us to know how our two Senators and thirteen members of the House of Representatives voted on key issues related to ending homelessness in New Jersey. The ratings are based on six key issues which include both votes and sign on letters on key issues. Because we believe that it takes more than voting for these issues, we gave extra credit to legislators who went beyond voting and championed our issues. This report card reflects revisions since the original publication. To review the changes click here.

To view a table of how each member voted click here. The report indicates the votes and actions each member supported in the section in which each legislator is profiled. To view a PDF version of the full Report Card click here.

What were the issues that were used for the Report Card?

SEVRA: The Section Eight Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA) is a proposal to reform and vastly improve our Section 8 program. In the House, H.R. 1851 passed the House in July 2007 and a Y marks those Members who voted for the bill. In the Senate, SEVRA legislation was introduced by Senator Dodd (S. 2684), but is unlikely to be considered before Congress adjourns. For the Senators, a Y marks co-sponsorship of the bill.

New Section 8 Vouchers (Chabot Amendment): The SEVRA legislation includes an authorization of 100,000 new Section 8 vouchers. During House consideration of H.R. 1851, Representative Chabot (R-OH) offered an amendment to strike the new vouchers from the bill. A Y marks those members who correctly opposed the Chabot amendment.

CDBG Funding Letter: The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is one of our nation’s largest and most important tools for community development. Distributed by formula to states and localities, CDBG grants provide communities with local control in deciding how to spend funds to meet housing and development needs for its low-income residents. The President’s 2009 budget proposed a deep cut to CDBG, and a letter in the House and Senate called on Appropriators to reject this cut and instead increase funding to $4.1 billion. A Y indicates the Member signed the letter to appropriators requesting increased CDBG funding.

McKinney Funding Letter: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program is our country’s largest and most important federal program to combat homelessness. Although the program has received the support of the Administration through proposed funding increases, the President’s proposed increase of only $50 million over the Fiscal Year 2008 amount would not allow communities to build as much new permanent housing as it had the previous year. Letters circulated by Senators Reed (D-RI) and Martinez (R-FL) in the Senate and by Reps. Davis (R-KY) and Moore (D-WI) in the House, requested that appropriators increase funding from $1.636 (proposed by the President) to $2 billion in fiscal year 2009. A Y indicates the member signed the letter to appropriators.

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