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Case Number: 2016-0532-F FOIA MAR KER This is not a textual record. Th is used as an administrative marker by the C non Presidential Library Staff. Folder Title: Community Reinvestment Act (ACORN) Staff Office-Individual: Public Liaison-Herman, Alexis Original OA/ID Number: CF 218 Row: Section: Shelf: P sition: Stack: 21 5 10 1 V MEMORANDUM OF CALL Previous editions usable TO: AMH YOU WERE CALLED BY- YOU WERE VISITED BY- Putty McHugh OF (Organization) X PLEASE PHONE FTS AUTOVON 61699 WILL CALL AGAIN IS WAITING TO SEE YOU RETURNED YOUR CALL WISHES AN APPOINTMENT MESSAGE Mack got a call/ memo from Acorn & sent a copy to AMH. He would like guidence. will be in today after 1:30. RECEIVED BY DATE TIME MW 4/19 10:01 50363-111 NSN 7540-00-634-4018 OPTIONAL FORM 363 (Rev. 1-94) *U.S. G.P.O.:1994-300-891/00003 Prescribed by GSA Zach Polett 501-376-3952 14/12/95 @11:21 AM 31/4 DATE: Wednesday, April 12. 1995 MEMO FAX TO: Mack McLarty, White House Mack: Here's the memo you requested. FAX: Talk to you next week. (202) 456-2215,99031 Zach FROM: Zach Polett PAGES: 4 Ap 13195 Alexis - CAN'L R I Need your guidse 0- This matter. PI. C.tr d let 's descuss How do Thank we should respond to 3ALL'S request? That - and MACK has I 1wl appt Today 4/19 ur This person. He's called to ask for your Guidance. Mack's # 62000 clett 501-376-3952 4/12/95 11:22 AM 2/4 MEMORANDUM ACORN 523 W 15th St Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 376-7151 (501) 376-3952 (FAX) DATE: April 12, 1995 TO: Mack McLarty FROM: Zach Polett RE: Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) -- A Proposal for ACORN to Conduct an Event with President Clinton in Support of CRA The Community Reinvestment Act, a measure which President Clinton has long championed as a vehicle for rebuilding inner-city neighborhoods, is currently under serious attack. We are writing to suggest a plan for working jointly with the White House to preserve this important law. The Threat Two weeks ago bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate that would gut CRA, S. 650 (Shelby-Mack), and HR 1362 (Bereuter). Ominously, the bills were co-sponsored by the Chairmen of the Senate and House Banking Committees. Both bills would, under the guise of "regulatory relief", eliminate more than 90% of all banks from the purview of the Community Reinvestment Act -- by exempting entirely from CRA the 88% of all banks that have assets under $250 million, and by providing a "safe harbor" for the 95% of the banking industry that receives satisfactory or better CRA ratings. These proposals would, if enacted into law, put an end to the dramatic progress that community groups and banks have made over the past 15 years in generating reinvestment in low and moderate income communities. And, as study after study has 501-376-3952 04/12/95 11:22 AM 3/4 onstrated (including 3 lengthy and detailed analysis in April 17, 1995 issue of US News and World Report), by the banking industry remains a serious problem. entum is currently building for quick action in Congress. D'Amato has indicated that he will be holding on CRA at the end of April, and moving to mark-up thereafter. particularly concerned that the banking industry and allies in Congress are planning to attach anti-CRA to broader measures that have the support of the inistration, such as Glass-Steagal reform. We think it is al that a message be sent to members of the Banking mittees that attaching an anti-CRA measure to Glass- will jeopardize the latter measure. Proposal to the President would like the President to join ACORN in a public event etime during the next month to six weeks to call attention threat to CRA, to celebrate CRA's successes, and to a message to Congress that the White House will not measures to gut the CRA. have two types of events in mind. First, the President join us on a visit to the homes of first-time eowners who received their mortgages as a direct result of Community Reinvestment Act. In 15 cities ACORN has hed CRA agreements with banks which have produced :gages for several thousand new homeowners, and we can arrange visits with some of these families. ond, the President could attend one of the Bank Fairs ACORN sponsors in most cities across the country, and this forum to deliver a speech in support of CRA. In events ACORN and the banks with whom we have CRA ements sponsor a full day's worth of workshops, classes, information occoions on homebuying and the mortgage for potential new first-time homebuyers. These Bank 501-376-3952 4/12/95 11:23 AM 4/4 Fairs are well-attended, popular events: our Phildalphia Bank Fair, for example, scheduled for Saturday, May 6, will probably draw over 10,000 participants. We have a number of Bank Fairs scheduled over the next six weeks, in Chicago, St. Paul, and other cities as well as Philadelphia. We would of course be happy to work with the President's schedulers to organize one of these events at a place and time that works best for the White House. Thanks for your help on this. We will be in touch. If you or scheduling need any further information, please call me in Little Rock at (501) 376-7151. 04/12/95 13:57 001/001 Welfare Reform Daily Talking Points Wednesday, April 12, 1995 REINVENTING CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT From the start, the Clinton Administration has insisted on stronger child support enforcement in welfare reform, recognizing that unpaid child support is a major reason many people go on welfare in the first place. And we're pleased that the House finally included all the tough measures we've been calling for -- including license revocation -- in its welfare bill. But while Congress continues to debate, the Clinton Administration is already taking action. This week, Secretary Shalala announced the launch of a new initiative to improve performance and service in our nation's child support enforcement program - - another way in which we're working with the states to create real, lasting reform of the welfare system. Reinventing government. HHS is now working with thirty state and local child support programs to find new ways to increase paternity establishment and child support collections from parents who fail to pay. An Associated Press article on the program quotes Nancy Ebb of the Children's Defense Fund as saying that this initiative is an "important and appropriate rethinking of what the federal government can do to help states out in this area." Laboratories of reform. Many states are already finding new ways to enforce parental responsibility to give children the support they need. Missouri, for example, is working with communities to increase paternity establishment by enlisting the support of government agencies, schools, churches and local groups. And lowa is centralizing its operation to review and adjust the amounts of child support orders. This project will also employ AFDC and JOBS recipients for training and staffing -- another way to help people move from welfare to work. Another proven tool. As the Chicago Tribune reported this week, the state of Maine has already proven that license revocation programs can significantly increase child support payments - and "Maine is inspiring imitation nationwide." Nineteen states now have license revocation programs in place -- and they work. In the nine states with collection statistics, the threat of license revocation alone has raised nearly $35 million. The strongest possible message. As the President said in last week's radio address, "The welfare reform plan 1 sent to Congress last year included the toughest possible child support enforcement. And now the Speaker and his colleagues in the House have taken our child support measures and put them into their bill -- including our plan to ask states to deny drivers' licenses and professional licenses to deadbeat parents." We're committed to working with Congress and the states to send the strongest possible message that parents cannot walk away from the children they bring into this world. Zach Polett 501-376-3952 14/12/95 011:21 AM 31/4 DATE: Wednesday, April 12. 1995 MEMO FAX TO: Mack McLarty, White House Mack: Here's the memo you requested. FAX: (202) 456-2215,99031 Talk to you next week. Zach FROM: Zach Polett APR I 4 1995 PAGES: 4 Ap 13195 Alexis - CANIL R I Need your guidas 02 This matter. Pl. C.In d /et 's descuss How do Thank we should respond to 3ACL'S request? That - med / need your guidance on this matter. PI. can (we)-let's I 1wl discuss. How dolyou) think we should respond to Zack's request? Thanx- Mad Zach Polett 501-376-3952 4/12/95 011:22 AM 2/4 MEMORANDUM ACORN 523 W 15th St Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 376-7151 (501) 376-3952 (FAX) DATE: April 12, 1995 TO: Mack McLarty FROM: Zach Polett RE: Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) -- A Proposal for ACORN to Conduct an Event with President Clinton in Support of CRA The Community Reinvestment Act, a measure which President Clinton has long championed as a vehicle for rebuilding inner-city neighborhoods, is currently under serious attack. We are writing to suggest a plan for working jointly with the White House to preserve this important law. The Threat Two weeks ago bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate that would gut CRA, S. 650 (Shelby-Mack), and HR 1362 (Bereuter). Ominously, the bills were co-sponsored by the Chairmen of the Senate and House Banking Committees. Both bills would, under the guise of "regulatory relief", eliminate more than 90% of all banks from the purview of the Community Reinvestment Act -- by exempting entirely from CRA the 88% of all banks that have assets under $250 million, and by providing a "safe harbor" for the 95% of the banking industry that receives satisfactory or better CRA ratings. These proposals would, if enacted into law, put an end to the dramatic progress that community groups and banks have made over the past 15 years in generating reinvestment in low and moderate income communities. And, as study after study has Zach Polett 501-376-3952 4/12/95 11:22 AM 3/4 demonstrated (including a lengthy and detailed analysis in the April 17, 1995 issue of US News and World Report), redlining by the banking industry remains a serious problem. Momentum is currently building for quick action in Congress. Chairman D'Amato has indicated that he will be holding hearings on CRA at the end of April, and moving to mark-up soon thereafter. We are particularly concerned that the banking industry and their allies in Congress are planning to attach anti-CRA logislation to broader measures that have the support of the Administration, such as Glass-Steagal reform. We think it is crucial that a message be sent to members of the Banking Committees that attaching an anti-CRA measure to Glass- Steagal will jeopardize the latter measure. Our Proposal to the President We would like the President to join ACORN in a public event sometime during the next month to six weeks to call attention to the threat to CRA, to celebrate CRA's successes, and to send a message to Congress that the White House will not support measures to gut the CRA. We have two types of events in mind. First, the President could join us on a visit to the homes of first-time homeowners who received their mortgages as a direct result of the Community Reinvestment Act. In 15 cities ACORN has reached CRA agreements with banks which have produced mortgages for several thousand new homeowners, and we can easily arrange visits with some of these families. Second, the President could attend one of the Bank Fairs which ACORN sponsors in most cities across the country, and use this forum to deliver a speech in support of CRA. In these events ACORN and the banks with whom we have CRA agreements sponsor a full day's worth of workshops, classes, and information occoions on homebuying and the mortgage process for potential new first-time homebuyers. These Bank Zach Polett 501-376-3952 4/12/95 11:23 AM 4/4 Fairs are well-attended, popular events: our Phildalphia Bank Fair, for example, scheduled for Saturday, May 6, will probably draw over 10,000 participants. We have a number of Bank Fairs scheduled over the next six weeks, in Chicago, St. Paul, and other cities as well as Philadelphia. We would of course be happy to work with the President's schedulers to organize one of these events at a place and time that works best for the White House. Thanks for your help on this. We will be in touch. If you or scheduling need any further information, please call me in Little Rock at (501) 376-7151. 04/12/95 13:57 001/001 Welfare Reform Daily Talking Points Wednesday, April 12, 1995 REINVENTING CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT From the start, the Clinton Administration has insisted on stronger child support enforcement in welfare reform, recognizing that unpaid child support is a major reason many people go on welfare in the first place. And we're pleased that the House finally included all the tough measures we've been calling for -- including license revocation -- in its welfare bill. But while Congress continues to debate, the Clinton Administration is already taking action. This week, Secretary Shalala announced the launch of a new initiative to improve performance and service in our nation's child support enforcement program -- another way in which we're working with the states to create real, lasting reform of the welfare system. Reinventing government. HHS is now working with thirty state and local child support programs to find new ways to increase paternity establishment and child support collections from parents who fail to pay. An Associated Press article on the program quotes Nancy Ebb of the Children's Defense Fund as saying that this initiative is an "important and appropriate rethinking of what the federal government can do to help states out in this area." Laboratories of reform. Many states are already finding new ways to enforce parental responsibility -- to give children the support they need. Missouri, for example, is working with communities to increase paternity establishment by enlisting the support of government agencies, schools, churches and local groups. And lowa is centralizing its operation to review and adjust the amounts of child support orders. This project will also employ AFDC and JOBS recipients for training and staffing -- another way to help people move from welfare to work. Another proven tool. As the Chicago Tribune reported this week, the state of Maine has already proven that license revocation programs can significantly increase child support payments - and "Maine is inspiring imitation nationwide." Nineteen states now have license revocation programs in place -- and they work. In the nine states with collection statistics, the threat of license revocation alone has raised nearly $35 million. The strongest possible message. As the President said in last week's radio address, "The welfare reform plan 1 sent to Congress last year included the toughest possible child support enforcement. And now the Speaker and his colleagues in the House have taken our child support measures and put them into their bill -- including our plan to ask states to deny drivers' licenses and professional licenses to deadbeat parents." We're committed to working with Congress and the states to send the strongest possible message that parents cannot walk away from the children they bring into this world.