Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/2661

 PUBLIC LAW 109–136—DEC. 22, 2005

119 STAT. 2643

Public Law 109–136 109th Congress An Act To amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 and other Acts to improve housing programs for Indians.

Dec. 22, 2005 [H.R. 797]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Native American Housing Enhancement Act of 2005’’. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that— (1) there exist— (A) a unique relationship between the Government of the United States and the governments of Indian tribes; and (B) a unique Federal trust responsibility to Indian people; (2) Native Americans experience some of the worst housing conditions in the country, with— (A) 32.6 percent of Native homes being overcrowded; (B) 33 percent lacking adequate solid waste management systems; (C) 8 percent lacking a safe indoor water supply; and (D) approximately 90,000 Native families who are homeless or underhoused; (3) the poverty rate for Native Americans is twice that of the rest of the population of the United States; (4) the population growth of Native Americans that began in the latter part of the 20th century increased the need for Federal housing services; (5)(A) under the requirements of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.), members of Indian tribes are given preference for housing programs; (B) a primary purpose of the Act is to allow Indian tribes to leverage funds with other Federal and private funds; (C) the Department of Agriculture has been a significant funding source for housing for Indian tribes; (D) to allow assistance provided under the Act and assistance provided by the Secretary of Agriculture under other law to be combined to meet the severe housing needs of Indian tribes, the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.) should be amended to allow for the preference referred to in subparagraph (A) by granting an exemption from title VI of the Civil

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Native American Housing Enhancement Act of 2005. 25 USC 4101 note. 25 USC 4101 note.

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