MAY 2023 EDITION of The Urban Voice featuring Steven Horsford
This spring has been a busy time for my work as your Congressman. I was honored to join our Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, on his first international trip as the highest-ranking Democrat in the House. We visited Ghana and Israel, meeting with their heads of state and government and political and community leaders. Meanwhile, back at the Capitol, we have fought against the Default on American Act, which takes funding for housing, nutrition, and other programs hostage in exchange for not defaulting on our nation’s debts. I also voted against the Children Deportation Act, which would reinstate Trump-era immigration regulations to hold children in cages and restart construction on the ineffective, wasteful border wall.
As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and someone who has the honor of representing a majority-minority district, I see first-hand the many issues that impact people of color across the 4th Congressional District of Nevada. Issues like healthcare, education, childcare, nutrition, and, yes, housing have similar themes across Black, Latino, and Asian communities.
That is why I was proud to host a regional Affordable Housing forum in Las Vegas. In southern Nevada, we have seen a seismic shift in the housing market – and many of our working families and veterans have been priced out as corporate speculators drove up the costs here. The Las Vegas metro region is quickly growing, and we continue to see a population growth rate outpacing many other areas. Over the last decade, our population has increased by 20%, with over 2.3 million people living in the Las Vegas metro area.
During the forum, I was joined by Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, the Chair of the CHC, and Ted Lieu, the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and Whip for CAPAC. My good friend and the distinguished Ranking Member of the House Financial Service Committee, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, also attended. And, of course, the distinguished Senior Senator of Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto.
We are also joined by many leaders from the federal Administration, state offices, and our local government entities engaged in the critical issue of affordable housing. Last year, I held a telephone town hall on housing in my district. What was clear from the call was that an affordable housing crisis was impacting all communities in my district and across the region.
That is why I introduced the HOME Act, H.R. 702. We want to ensure veterans can use their VA benefits. We want first-time home buyers to achieve the American dream after working hard to save up that down payment. The corporate speculators who come in and make a cash payment above the cost of the homes are artificially driving up the costs of homes in our community and pricing out those trying to buy with a traditional bank loan and other home-buying assistance.
Let me close by reminding everyone reading this to renew their passports early. Processing times have slowed, so most people must wait 10-13 weeks to receive their new passports. And many foreign countries do not allow people to enter if their passports expire within six months. So ensure you are renewing your passport with enough for your next trip. My office is available to help with any questions you may have. You can find more information at Travel.State.Gov.
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