Klobuchar: “So many families across this country are being forced to make difficult decisions about how they will make this month's payment to stay in their homes. We need to take action now.”

Watch video of Klobuchar’s remarks here

WASHINGTON — On the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called on her colleagues to take action now to protect renters and homeowners from eviction and foreclosure. As Klobuchar noted in her remarks, “The pandemic, as we know, has widened longstanding racial disparities in housing. We had a 30 percent gap in Black and white homeownership rates before the pandemic due to discriminatory practices and it’s only made it worse.”

Transcript of remarks as delivered below and video available HERE.

As I speak today so many families across this country are being forced to make difficult decisions about how they will make this month's payment to stay in their homes. Even before the pandemic began almost one-fourth of all renters or 11 million households were forced to pay more than half of their incomes toward housing - half of their income. And according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, more than half a million people experienced homelessness on a given night before the pandemic. And that has just gotten worse. That's why I am a strong supporter of Senator Brown's Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act which will provide $100 billion in emergency funding. I’m also proud to support Senator Reed's bill as well as the work of Senator Menendez. 

The pandemic, as we know, has widened long standing racial disparities in housing. We had a 30 percent gap in Black and white homeownership rates before the pandemic due to discriminatory practices and it’s only made it worse. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, a leader, a good friend, has repeatedly reminded us this means investing in programs like section 8 housing, which still remains unavailable to so many families. 

Yes, we need to address the shortage of affordable housing. We need to take action now. I thank my colleagues. We have an opportunity, the fourth of July is the beginning of July, but by the end of July, we had better have gotten something done and that means help for state and local governments, that means funding for elections, that means making sure that we are responding to the crisis in housing.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

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