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{
    "localId": "1133426",
    "label": "9/12/75 - Washington Press Club",
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{
    "id": "1133426",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133426",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "9/12/75 - Washington Press Club",
    "description": "This file contains material relating to Pruitt - Igoe Project, Community Development Act.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133426",
    "collections": [
        "Carla A. Hills Speeches",
        "Speeches"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Conservation",
        "Consumption (Economics)",
        "Credit",
        "Housing",
        "Local government",
        "Rent subsidies",
        "Urban policy"
    ],
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        "logicalDate": "1975-09-12",
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        "year": 1975
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{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0305/656148/1133426.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 1, folder \"9/12/75 - Washington Press Club\" of\nthe Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nd\nFINAL II 2\nWASHINGTON PRESS CLUB\nSEPTEMBER 12, 1975\nYou ARE AWARE, I'M SURE -- SINCE MY CRITICS DURING\nMY SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS KEPT LETTING THE BIG\nSECRET OUT OF THE BAG -- THAT I'M NOT WHAT IS KNOWN AS\nA \"HOUSING EXPERT\".\nTHAT'S FAIR ENOUGH -- BECAUSE IT RELIEVES ME OF ANY\nPRESSURE TO FOLLOW THE PLANS MAPPED OUT BY SOME OF THE\n\"BIG HOUSING THINKERS\" WHO HELPED GET US TO WHERE WE ARE\nTODAY.\nBUT, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OF AN \"EXPERT\" TO KNOW THAT\nHOUSING PRODUCTION IS IN THE CELLAR AND OUR CITIES ARE\nSTRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL.\nTHE COMPLAINTS ROLL IN FROM SUPPLIERS, BUILDERS,\nPLANNERS, HOUSEHOLDERS AND THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD A HOUSE.\nDESPITE THE BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS POURED OVER\nTHE PAST DECADE INTO THE IDEAL OF \"PROVIDING A DECENT HOME\nAND LIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY\", 16 MILLION\nHOUSEHOLDS IN THIS NATION ARE OFFICIALLY CLASSED AS. \"THE\nHOUSING POOR\".\nGERALD R.\nFORD LIBRARY\n-2-\nWHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHO WOULD EVEN WANT TO BE\nAT HUD AT A TIME LIKE THIS?\nWELL, I WOULD!\nYes, WE HAVE PROBLEMS, LOTS OF THEM. AND, SOME OF\nTHEM ARE AGONIZING, BUT WE FACE A CHALLENGE THAT IS WORTHY\nOF ALL OF OUR ENERGY, CREATIVITY AND HORSE SENSE,\nAs A PRELUDE TO YOUR QUESTIONS, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT\nTO KNOW HOW THIS \"NON-HOUSING EXPERT\" HAS SET HUD's PRIORITIES\nFOR TACKLING SOME OF THESE TOUGH PROBLEMS,\nFIRST, AND HIGH ON MY LIST, IS THE JOB OF HELPING TO\nPRESERVE AND RECYCLE OUR CITIES. WE MUST COMBAT THE NOTION\nTHAT THE BEST WAY TO COPE WITH A WORN-OUT CITY NEIGHBORHOOD\nIS TO THROW IT AWAY AND BUILD A NEW ONE A LITTLER FURTHER OUT,\nDID YOU KNOW THAT BACK IN THE 50's, THE \"EXPERTS\" REFUSED\nTO INSURE MORTGAGES IN GEORGETOWN?\nFORD LIBRARY\n&\n0720\n-3-\nTHE WIZARDS OF HOUSING SAID THAT OLDE GEORGETOWN HAD\nTAKEN THE FINAL COUNT, AND IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON,\nGEORGETOWN WAS NOT ALONE!\nFOR YEARS -- IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY -- PRIVATE\nAND PUBLIC MONEY LITERALLY UNDERWROTE THE SUBURBAN SPRAWL.\nTODAY, THAT RING UPON RING OF SUBURBS AROUND OUR CENTER\nCITIES HAS CONSUMED MILLIONS OF SQUARE MILES OF OPEN SPACE\n-- WHILE ENCOURAGING THE WASTE OF INVALUABLE URBAN RESOURCES.\nTHE WASTE WAS NOT JUST IN UNCOUNTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS\n-- BUT IN THE HUMANITIES AS WELL,\nFOR EXAMPLE, IN NEW YORK CITY ALONE, 35,000 UNITS OF\nHOUSING WERE ABANDONED LAST YEAR.\n\"THERE IS DARKNESS AND DECAY IN THE HOUSE\" -- SAID\nEDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON -- \"THEY HAVE ALL GONE AWAY. THERE\nIS NOTHING LEFT TO SAY.\"\nFORD\n-4-\nWELL, I INTEND TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.\nAN ABANDONED HOUSE ISN'T JUST AN OLD DERELICT DOWN BY\nTHE RAILROAD IN AN EDWARD HOPPER LANDSCAPE,\nABANDONED WITH THAT HOUSE ARE A PART OF ALL OF THE\nTHINGS THAT MADE IT LIVE.\nMUNDANE THINGS -- LIKE WATER AND SEWAGE LINES, ROADS\nAND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND UTILITIES,\nVITAL THINGS -- LIKE THEATERS, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES,\nAND PRECIOUS PIECES OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT\nGIVE THE CITY MAJESTY,\nA TIGHTER ECONOMY, A SCARCITY OF ENERGY, AND CHANGING\nDEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS NOW DEMAND US TO USE ALL THE INGENUITY\nWE CAN SUMMON TO PRESERVE AND RECYCLE THESE ASSETS,\nOUR STUDIES CONCLUDE STATISTICALLY WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE\nCONCLUDED INTELLIGENTLY MORE THAN A DECADE AGO: THAT IT IS\nFAR LESS COSTLY TO RECYCLE A CITY THAN TO BUILD A SUBURB,\nFORD\n-5-\nIN FACT, AN URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CAN CONSUME\nABOUT 50 PERCENT LESS OF EVERYTHING -- LAND -- CAPITAL --\nENERGY -- AND, AT THE SAME TIME, CREATE HALF AS MUCH AIR\nPOLLUTION.\nFORTUITOUSLY, THE OLD POLICIES OF WASTE NOT ONLY COLLIDE\nWITH SKINNIER POCKET-BOOKS, BUT ALSO COLLIDE WITH RECENT\nCHANGES IN THE WAY AMERICA LIVES. THERE HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE\nINCREASE IN ADULT-ORIENTED HOUSEHOLDS. SINGLES, YOUNG\nMARRIEDS, CHILDLESS COUPLES AND ELDERLY ACCOUNT FOR 82 PERCENT\nOF THE NATION'S NET POPULATION GAIN BETWEEN 1970 AND 1973.\nTHERE IS A GROWING NEED FOR LOW AND MODERATE COST HOUSING\nACCESSIBLE TO JOBS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND FOR NEARBY\nSHOPPING FACILITIES, ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL AMENITIES.\nWE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE NEEDS, AND IN so DOING\nWE CAN BREATHE LIFE INTO OUR CITIES.\nFORD\n-6-\nWE HAVE JUST CELEBRATED THE FIRST BIRTHDAY OF THE\nHOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AcT OF 1974.\nAT THE SIGNING CEREMONY LAST AUGUST, PRESIDENT FORD\nCALLED IT A \"LANDMARK\", AND SENATOR JOHN SPARKMAN -- WHO\nTHEN CHAIRED THE BANKING AND CURRENCY COMMITTEE, CALLED IT\nTHE MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY LEGISLATION SINCE THE HOUSING\nAct OF 1949.\nAND, IT IS,\nFOR THE FIRST TIME THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING\nRENTAL SUBSIDIES -- $1.6 BILLION THIS YEAR -- TO HELP HOUSE\nOUR LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES IN EXISTING AND SUBSTANTIALLY\nREHABILITATED UNITS, AS WELL AS NEW, GIVING PREFERENCE WHERE\nTHERE IS AN ECONOMIC MIX.\nFOR THE FIRST TIME THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES DIRECT HOW,\nWHEN, AND WHERE FEDERAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS ARE\nSPENT -- MORE THAN $8 BILLION OVER 3 YEARS -- $2.6 BILLION\nOVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR.\n-7-\nGONE IS THE OLD GAME OF GRANTSMANSHIP. HUD NOW\nDISTRIBUTES FUNDS ON THE BASIS OF OBJECTIVE DATA OF POVERTY,\nHOUSING OVERCROWDING AND POPULATION, IT PERMITS THE LOCAL\nRECIPIENTS TO CREATE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS\nTHAT DIRECTLY ADDRESS THEIR REALISTIC LOCAL NEEDS,\nTHE INVIGORATING THING ABOUT THIS NEW APPROACH IS THAT\nIT IS WORKING. OUR FIRST YEAR WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT\nFUNDS SEEMS TO SHOW UNMISTAKABLY THAT IF THE FEDERAL\nGOVERNMENT KEEPS ITS HEAVY HAND OUT OF LOCAL DECISION-MAKING,\nTHE CITIES ARE UP TO THE TASK.\nCLEARLY THE NEW SCHEME HAS THE BLESSING OF THE RECIPIENTS.\nSEVENTY-EIGHT PERCENT HAVE TOLD US THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT\nGRANTS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO\nLOCAL PROBLEMS, EIGHTY PERCENT WELCOMED THE SHARP REDUCTION\nIN THE RED TAPE WHICH USED TO ATTEND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE,\nBUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE SEE THAT MORE THAN 66 PERCENT\nOF HUD's GRANTS HAVE BEEN USED TO PRESERVE DECLINING AND\nBLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC SERVICES\nNECESSARY TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS,\n-8-\nI DON'T THINK YOU CAN ACHIEVE VERY MUCH UNLESS YOU\nTRY NEW THINGS, So, WE ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH METHODS TO\nENCOURAGE RECYCLING OF INNER-CITY RESOURCES. FOR EXAMPLE,\nHUD IS MOVING AHEAD WITH AN URBAN HOMESTEADING DEMONSTRATION\nTO SEE WHETHER A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE\nEFFORT CAN REVERSE THE DECLINE OF AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD.\nHUD WILL PROVIDE THIS YEAR $5 MILLION WORTH OF SECRETARY-\nHELD HOUSES PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION IN REHABILITATION\nLOANS. BUT THE COMMUNITIES WILL DEVELOP THE HOMESTEADING\nPLANS, AND I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.\nALSO, HUD HAS PUT INTO ACTION A PROPERTY DISPOSITION\nPROGRAM, WHEREBY CITIES CAN RECEIVE, AT NO COST, HUD-HELD\nPROPERTIES. THIS IS ANOTHER EXPERIMENT IN PROVIDING A\nRESOURCE FOR INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY USE.\nWE ARE MAKING SUBSTANTIAL EFFORTS TO COORDINATE OUR\nPROPERTY TECHNIQUES MORE CAREFULLY WITH THE COMMUNITY\nDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF THE LOCALITY,\n-9-\nWE ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH LEASE-PURCHASE AGREEMENTS\nWHEREBY LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES CAN LEASE HUD-OWNED PROPERTIES\nWITH A SUBSEQUENT OPPORTUNITY TO ASSUME HOMEOWNERSHIP,\nWE HAVE SOUGHT TO ACT AS A CLEARINGHOUSE TO ASSIST LOCAL\nCOMMUNITIES IN THEIR PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES. IN LATE SPRING\nWE PUBLISHED A NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION CATALOGUE. THE\nCATALOGUE DESCRIBES 100 OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL\nPRESERVATION INITIATIVES WHICH CITIES HAVE DEVELOPED. I HAVE\nSENT EVERY MAYOR, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE CONFERENCE OF MAYORS,\nA COPY,\nWE HAVE SCHEDULED A SERIES OF 10 REGIONAL PRESERVATION\nSTRATEGY WORKSHOPS TO OFFER LOCAL COMMUNITIES ADVICE ON\nCONSTRUCTING WORKABLE APPROACHES TO URBAN PRESERVATION.\nWE ARE TRULY FOCUSING ON URBAN PRESERVATION AS NEVER\nBEFORE,\nMy SECOND PRIORITY -- NOT IN RANK, ONLY IN PRESENTATION\n-- IS TO PROVIDE BETTER SHELTER FOR OUR LOWER-INCOME CITIZENS,\n-10-\nIN THE PAST WE HAVE RELIED ON THE BUILDING OF NEW PROJECTS\nTO HOUSE THE POOR. Too OFTEN, THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY IN\nTHE GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDIZED PROJECTS COMPOUNDED THE PROBLEMS OF\nTHE TENANTS AND SIMPLY CREATED NEW GHETTO SLUMS FOR OLD ONES.\nTHE TRAGEDY OF THE PRUITT-IGOE PROJECT IN ST. LOUIS ILLUSTRATES\nTHE POINT.\nDURING THE PAST 90 DAYS WE HAVE STARTED OUR NEW RENTAL\nSUBSIDY PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWS OUR LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES TO FIND\nDECENT STRUCTURES OF THEIR CHOOSING AND AT A RENTAL THEY CAN\nAFFORD.\nTHE SUBSIDY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 25\nPERCENT OF A RECIPIENT'S INCOME AND THE COST OF HIS HOUSING,\nUNLIKE ITS PREDECESSORS, THIS RENTAL SUBSIDY IS OPEN-ENDED,\nAND, COVERS THE GAP BETWEEN THE POOR FAMILY'S INCOME AND THE\nSKYROCKETING COSTS OF HOUSING, WE HAVE SEEN TOO MANY HOUSING\nPROJECTS WITH FIXED GOVERNMENT-INTEREST SUBSIDIES INCAPABLE OF\nSURVIVING THE RECENT RAPID RISE IN OPERATING EXPENSES. THE NEW\nOPEN-ENDED SUBSIDY AVOIDS THIS SERIOUS PITFALL,\nTHE RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM MAXIMIZES THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR\nA LOWER-INCOME FAMILY TO FIND THE HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN\nWHICH IT WANTS TO LIVE.\n-11-\nAND, I AM COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS MARKET CHOICE\nIN REALITY EXISTS. WITH THE EXISTING HOUSING, WE REQUIRE\nTHE LOCAL AGENCY WHICH ADMINISTERS OUR RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM\nTO HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND OUTREACH PLAN, TO ENCOURAGE\nTHE PARTICIPATION OF LANDLORDS OUTSIDE ESSENTIALLY LOW INCOME\nOR MINORITY AREAS, AND TO ASSIST THE TENANT IN SECURING\nHOUSING IN SUCH AREAS,\nWE ARE SENSITIVE TO THE PROBLEMS OF RACIAL AND ECONOMIC\nIMPACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION SUBSIDIZED BY\nOUR RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM. OUR SITE-SELECTION CRITERIA ARE\nINTENDED TO AVOID AGGRAVATING HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF LOW\nINCOME OR MINORITY FAMILIES INSIDE OUR CITIES,\nIN MANY URBAN AREAS THE ISSUE OF INTEGRATION CAN BE DEALT\nWITH ONLY ON A METROPOLITAN-WIDE BASIS, Too OFTEN, IN THE\nPAST, OUR APPROACH TO RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION HAS BEEN TO\nCREATE NEW BUT SMALLER GHETTOS IN THE SUBURBS RATHER THAN TRUE\nECONOMIC INTEGRATION. THE 1974 AcT GIVES US TEETH TO BITE\nINTO THE PROBLEM OF METROPOLITAN SEGREGATION,\n-12-\nCOMMUNITIES WANTING OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS\nMUST SHOW HOW THEY WILL USE THOSE FUNDS TO MEET THE NEEDS\nOF LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.\nONE PARAMOUNT NEED THEY MUST ADDRESS IS THAT OF LOWER-\nINCOME WORKERS WHO CAN BE \"EXPECTED TO RESIDE\" IN THE\nCOMMUNITY. RECENTLY, HUD ISSUED A DIRECTIVE TO ITS FIELD\nOFFICES INTERPRETING THIS REQUIREMENT. A LOCAL COMMUNITY\nMUST NOW ADDRESS A PROPORTION OF THE HOUSING NEEDS OF ITS\nLOWER-INCOME WORKERS WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.\nTHUS, A FAMILY CAN APPLY FOR RENTAL HELP IN A SUBURBAN\nCOMMUNITY IN WHICH IT WORKS BUT DOES NOT YET RESIDE, THE\nSUBURBAN COMMUNITIES WHICH ENJOY THE TAX BENEFITS OF\nEMPLOYMENT CENTERS MUST CARRY A PORTION OF SOCIAL AND FISCAL\nBURDENS OF PROVIDING HOUSING FOR THEIR LOWER-INCOME WORKERS,\nI WANT HUD TO ASSIST 400,000 RENTAL FAMILIES THIS FISCAL\nYEAR,\n-13-\nMy THIRD PRIORITY -- AGAIN, NOT NECESSARILY IN RANK --\nIS TO ENSURE A MORE REALISTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP\nFOR THOSE WHO WANT IT. THAT REQUIRES GREATER AVAILABILITY\nOF MORTGAGE MONEY TO MR. HOMEOWNER.\nTHE CURRENT CRISIS IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY ILLUSTRATES\nTHE \"FEAST OR FAMINE\" CYCLES WHICH PLAGUE IT.\nOVER THE PAST 20 MONTHS HUD HAS OFFERED $15.5 BILLION\nTO PURCHASE OVER 500,000 MORTGAGES BEARING INTEREST RATES\nLOWER THAN THOSE OFFERED IN THE MARKET, TODAY, WE GUARANTEE\n7-1/2 PERCENT MORTGAGES WHEREAS THE MARKET IS AT 9 PERCENT.\nMODEST AS THIS INTEREST SUBSIDY MAY SEEM, IT HAS\nCOMPENSATED, TO A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE, FOR THE RAPIDLY\nRISING COSTS OF HOME FINANCING WHICH CLOSE THE DOOR ON\nHOMEOWNERSHIP, THERE HAS BEEN A 40 PERCENT IMPROVEMENT\nIN THE LEVEL OF HOUSING STARTS SINCE THE FIRST OF THIS YEAR.\n-14-\nI REALIZE THAT TEMPORARY INTEREST SUBSIDIES DO NOT\nSOLVE THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM OF ENSURING A SUPPLY OF MORTGAGE\nMONEY. So, WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO INCREASE THE ATTRACTIVNESS\nOF MORTGAGE INVESTMENT.\nFOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A CO-INSURANCE PROGRAM\nWITH MORTGAGE LENDERS, EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW FORMS OF DEBT\nINSTRUMENTS, AND SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ATTRACT\nMONEY INTO THE MORTGAGE MARKET.\nMy FOURTH PRIORITY IS TO PROVIDE GREATER CONSUMER\nPROTECTION FOR HOME OWNERS AND BUYERS, WE ARE SEEKING\nLEGISLATION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY\nFOR CONSUMER AND REGULATORY FUNCTIONS AT HUD.\nHUD HAS BEEN GIVEN INCREASING REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITIES,\nAND I AM ALL FOR IT, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR\nPROMULGATING MOBILE HOMES SAFETY AND DURABILITY STANDARDS,\nAS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING THE REAL ESTATE SETTLEMENTS PROCEDURE\nAcT, AND THE INTERSTATE LAND SALES AcT. LEGISLATION HAS BEEN\nINTRODUCED TO GIVE HUD REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE\nCONDOMINIUM MARKET,\n-15-\nI BELIEVE WE CAN -- AND MUST -- DO MORE TO ENSURE\nCONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN HOUSING, I SEE OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE\nIN PERFORMING OUR ROLE OF CONSUMER PROTECTOR WITHOUT so\nENCUMBERING THE HOUSING INDUSTRY WITH REGULATIONS THAT THERE\nWILL BE NO CONSUMERS TO PROTECT.\nTHESE ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS. THERE ARE OTHERS. HUD\nMUST USE ALL ITS ENERGIES TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY WITH\nWHICH WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES. AND, WE MUST HAVE BETTER DATA\nUPON WHICH TO DECIDE THE TOUGH POLICY QUESTIONS WE FACE,\nYES, WE HAVE PROBLEMS,\nYou DON'T HAVE TIME TO HEAR HOW MANY,\nBUT, I REPEAT.\nHUD IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN THIS CHALLENGING ERA."
}