Student Aid Reward Act of 2007

I thank the gentlelady.

I rise in support of H. Res. 1010. As a cosponsor of my neighbor and colleague Mr. Donnelly's resolution, I appreciate his leadership.

I very much appreciate Chairman Frank's backing this and Congressman Capito, and others, because this is an important resolution to recognize the importance of manufactured housing, particularly in the third week of June as the Manufactured Housing Week.

As you've already heard, manufactured housing is a largely underappreciated segment of our Nation's housing industry, even though it uniquely provides both high-quality and affordable housing for millions of Americans.

Companies in my district are numerous across northern--and particularly north central--Indiana--the center of the recreational vehicles industry, as well as manufactured housing. Fairmont in Nappanee, Four Seasons in Middlebury, Patriot in Elkhart, as well as Liberty in Goshen. Forest River has the Hart Homes. We have Coachman. Fleetwood has a huge facility just south of Fort Wayne in Decatur, Schulte Homes. And I could go on with a list. Up to 4,000 jobs in the Third Congressional District in Indiana are related to manufactured housing directly.

Most Americans do not understand how far this housing industry has developed, and the industry suffers from many unfair stereotypes. No longer is manufactured housing the domain of so-called trailer parks on the outskirts of town. In fact, many Americans, even in the typical leafy subdivisions, share a fence with a manufactured home and they don't even know it. For example,

this one from Liberty Homes shows the island kitchen. You see them with vaulted ceilings, four- and five-bedroom homes only for 20, 30, $40,000 less than a site-built home.

For example, a beautiful two-story deluxe 2,000-square-foot multisectional home in my district can sell for just over $100,000, as I said, 10 to 35 percent less than a site-built home. They also gain in energy efficiency. The quality of manufactured homes was shown by the fact that on the gulf coast, among those that best withstood the high winds of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were manufactured homes. Indeed, in some neighborhoods, manufactured homes were the only ones left standing after the storms blew through.

Given manufactured housing's dual strength in both superior price and quality, we need to recognize and salute this industry. It is a frustrating time in housing as we look at the those who took advantage in the financing end of people's ability to repay or overvalued the homes. But we need to make sure that low- and middle-income people who are striving for better housing can still have access to affordable housing, and manufactured housing is a critical part of that.

We have also seen much alarm in nonscientific facts relating to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is in the wood. It is not in any particular kind of housing. It's on this House floor. It's in these seats. It's in the Speaker's podium. The question is the size and scale of the unit because formaldehyde is a repellant and an adhesive. And we need to have scientific facts. The fact is that all homes contain wood. It has nothing to do with any particular category. And many thousands of people can have their jobs endangered because of nonscientific political bashing of particular categories. Manufactured housing, in fact, has the same characteristics in this regard as traditional site- built housing.

We also need to make sure that as we look at down payment requirements, and how we deal with very difficult subjects as we go into the housing market, that we understand that manufactured homes, in fact, have the same appreciation as site-built homes. It is just often because they are more affordable, the individuals may not have the same income mix. And we need to figure out a way to make sure that people have access to good quality housing, and that is the American Dream.

I thank the thousands of workers in my district, Mr. Donnelly's district and across this entire Nation who are providing affordable housing so people can live the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1010) recognizing the importance of manufactured housing in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Today, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1010, a resolution honoring the importance of manufactured housing to our country.

As we celebrate homeownership during the month of June, we also honor the third week of this month as Manufactured Housing Month, recognizing that manufactured homes offer hardworking American families the option to purchase quality homes at an affordable price.

This $8 billion a year industry provides jobs for people not only in the Second District of Indiana, but throughout our country. More than 18 million people live in over 10.5 million homes. I have seen firsthand in my district how these homes have continued a tradition of quality and safe construction over the years. They present a high- quality, affordable housing option for all families.

Mr. Speaker, manufactured housing has come a long way over the years, and often people cannot tell the difference between a modular home and a site-built home. Manufactured homes have a factory production process which provides technological advantages, value, and customization options for consumers seeking quality housing and sustainable homeownership.

Additionally, manufactured homes are built to a national standard under the HUD Code, which governs the construction, the engineering, the quality, safety, and systems performance. The HUD Code supports innovation, consumer safety, efficiency, and quality while preserving manufactured housing's affordability and its customization.

We have all witnessed the ongoing turmoil in the housing market, and I believe it is essential that we look to affordable manufactured housing as a viable solution to this problem.

Creating affordable homeownership is one of the fundamental building blocks of our society, and it plays a fundamental role in achieving the American Dream. It helps to provide families with economic security and build strong communities.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution today and pass House Resolution 1010.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may need to the cochair of the Manufactured Housing Caucus, Mr. Etheridge of North Carolina.

I want to thank my good friend, Mr. Souder, from the district right next to me. We work together on so many issues. I also thank Mrs. Capito.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1010, which recognizes the importance of manufactured housing in the United States.

Manufactured housing plays an important role in meeting this country's housing needs and is an important source of quality, affordable housing, including both homeownership and rental housing. In recent years, manufactured housing placements accounted for more than one-quarter of all new housing starts.

Despite the country's overall drop in home prices, the need for quality, affordable housing has never been greater. Because it is an important source of affordable housing, manufactured housing should be viewed as a critical part of the solution to the ongoing troubles in our housing market.

Today's manufactured homes can deliver quality dwellings and at prices ranging from 10 to 35 percent less per square foot than conventional site-built homes. These savings allow more and more Americans to own their own home or access affordable rental housing units.

The manufactured housing industry has evolved in the last decade to deliver a better quality, more affordable product. The affordability of manufactured housing is mainly attributable to the efficiency of the factory process. The controlled environment and assembly-line techniques remove many of the problems of the site-built sector, such as poor weather, theft, vandalism, and damage to building products and materials stored onsite. Also, factory employees are trained, scheduled, and managed by one employer as opposed to the system of contracted labor on a site-built sector.

As a Congress, we must do all we can do encourage affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for all Americans. Today's manufactured housing industry helps build communities and supports innovation, consumer safety, efficiency, and quality while preserving the affordability and customization of its housing units.

The legislation before us recognizes and fully supports the goals and ideals of Manufactured Housing Week, and I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Indiana (Mr. Souder).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney).

I yield back the balance of my time and urge passage of the bill.

I thank my friend, Congressman Donnelly, for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H. Res. 1010, recognizing the importance of manufactured housing in the United States.

Unfortunately, far too many homeowners are facing difficulties during this current National Homeownership Month. Housing prices are dropping, home sales are stagnating, and thousands of families are facing the prospect of foreclosure.

Manufactured housing can provide a sustainable and affordable housing alternative. Instead of being trapped in exotic mortgages with high interest rates, many Americans can choose cost-effective manufactured housing. This sector of the housing market has also experienced an evolution in the types and quality of homes that they build, offering a wide array of designs that can fit the needs of more families.

In addition, Congress has passed legislation that provides tax credits for the builders of these homes to meet energy efficiency standards. These Energy Star labeled homes are more energy efficient and can provide savings in the face of rising energy costs.

Manufactured housing can be a critical component in achieving two of HUD's most important priorities, providing increased affordable housing, and reducing dependencies on subsidized housing.

In addition, as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I also recognize the importance that manufactured housing can play in the wake of a natural disaster. Manufactured housing can provide a quick, safe, and efficient way to house these victims and provide families with shelters as they put their lives back together.

Owning a home is a large part of the American Dream. I support this resolution as well as the goals and ideals of Manufactured Housing Week. I urge my colleagues to vote for the passage of H.R. 1010.

I thank the gentlelady. I thank my good friend, Mr. Donnelly, and Chairman Frank.

Manufactured housing, as has been said, plays a vital role in meeting the needs of families to get affordable, attractive and safe housing throughout our country. There are some 18 million Americans that live in manufactured housing in America. And as the gentleman from Indiana just said, the quality and the attractions just get better every day. It is an important source of quality affordable housing, and it helps new entry-level buyers as well as retirees trying to downsize on both ends of the housing spectrum, whether getting in for the first time or they're living perhaps in the last home that they will own.

It is a responsible means of homeownership that can play a major role in the solution to America's affordable housing problem. The average price of today's manufactured housing hovers somewhere around $48,000, and in a challenging mortgage market where fewer and fewer people have access to credit, this is one way to solve the problem that many homeowners have.

There are lots of homeowners today throughout America that are losing their homes in foreclosure. And yet because of the affordable nature of manufactured housing, they have not seen a dramatic rise in most places as we have in some communities in the rate of foreclosure throughout the country. Manufactured housing is an important component of the solution for affordability and access to the American Dream for every American.

June is designated as the National Home Ownership Month. One of the great choices Americans have is for quality manufactured housing. Again, I thank the sponsor of the bill.