Congressman Al Green to Deliver Weekly CBC "Message To America"

(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) will deliver the weekly Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) "Message to America" radio address this Saturday, July 2, 2005. Congressman Al Green's remarks will address disparities facing the African American community, particularly housing disparities.

The CBC "Message to America" is distributed nationwide to the American Urban Radio Network's (AURN) affiliate stations.

WHO: Congressman Al Green (D-TX)
WHEN: Saturday, July 2, 2005; 12:06 p.m. EST
WHERE: American Urban Radio Network Affiliate Stations

Congressman Al Green is expected to deliver the following remarks:

"Good morning, America. This is Congressman Al Green, representing the Ninth Congressional District of Texas in the great city of Houston. I am honored to deliver this week's Message to America on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus.

"As we in Congress consider spending bills that will determine the course of this great nation over the upcoming fiscal year, I find the continuing inequalities that plague many Americans troubling:

• It is unacceptable that African Americans have a 10.6 percent unemployment rate which is double the national average;
• It is unacceptable that African Americans experience poverty rates that are almost twice the national average;
• It is unacceptable that only 49 percent of African Americans own homes compared to 69 percent nationwide, and;
• It is unacceptable that African Americans are twice as likely to be denied a mortgage and two times more likely to become recipients of predatory loans.

"The CBC's mission is to eliminate disparities facing the African-American community; one of the most pressing of which is housing discrimination.

"African Americans are two times more likely to be denied home loans and of those that are approved, more than 29 percent receive subprime loans.

"More recently, the CBC held a hearing that uncovered data which confirmed that African American and Hispanic borrowers are several times more likely as their non-minority counterparts to become recipients of higher cost loans.

"These sobering statistics don't fully convey or represent the true magnitude of our housing crisis - many in the minority community are faced with targeted practices, such as predatory lending and housing discrimination that continue to fuel disparities.

"Recently, I, along with Representatives Barbara Lee, Alcee Hastings, and Raul Grijalva, successfully offered my first piece of legislation that will provide an additional $7.7 million to combat housing discrimination. These funds will help educate consumers on the trappings of housing discrimination and provide resources to investigate such claims.

"This measure received strong bipartisan support, which gives me confidence that progress can be made through Congress to put an end to a practice that discriminates against people based on race, color, sexual orientation and ethnicity, as well as disability.

"Have no doubt that I, along with my colleagues in the CBC, will continue our fight to eradicate these glaring disparities and bring about positive change.

"Neither I nor the Congressional Black Caucus will rest until invidious disparities in all aspects of life are done away with, including, but not limited to, housing, employment, education, and discrimination.

"On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, this is Congressman Al Green of Houston, Texas. Thank you for listening."