mr. chairman , i rise to tell my colleagues of the good bipartisan bill that was crafted by the financial services committee , by chairman oxley and by ranking member barney frank . 
the members of that committee crafted a bill that passed the committee on a vote of 65-5 that would finally create a tough new regulator for the federal housing gses and the federal home loan banks , something that was needed after some accounting missteps at the gses . 
at the same time , this bill also created a massive new federal housing trust fund , using a percentage of the profits of these housing gses to ensure a new stock of affordable housing in every section of this country and providing millions of families the opportunity of attaining the american dream of homeownership . 
but that is not the bill that is before us under this manager 's amendment . 
this bill went before the committee on rules where it was hijacked by the extremist wing of the republican party that holds a grip over the house of representatives . 
they added language to ban churches and other houses of worship the ability to tap into these funds if they take part in any type of nonpartisan voter activity , such as helping register people to vote or taking people to the polls . 
what this bill really is is an utter disregard for our constitution . 
this is not a gray area . 
this is a limitation on free speech . 
i am amazed that the same people who champion legislation by the gentleman from north carolina ( mr. jones ) xz4002092 known as the houses of worship free speech restoration act , which would allow churches and other houses of worship to discuss politics and endorse candidates from the pulpit without losing their tax-exempt status , will now be the same people who are stripping their churches from any of this funding to help their congregations . 
this bill could be the greatest housing construction legislation ever passed by congress and will help people in every district in america and benefit almost every church and house of worship in our country , but the far right wing is opposed to it . 
they are hypocritically opposed to it and so stuck in ideology that they refuse to debate this bill for the issue it is . 
like scared children , they tuck the provisions into the manager 's amendment and refuse any opportunity in the rule to strike it because they know they can not win . 
we are a religious country and we have many members of the cloth in congress , most of whom , i point out , are democrats , and the far right knows that their anti-religious language can not pass on the merits . 
that is why i regretfully ask all members of faith and all members who respect the independence of religion and the pulpit to oppose the manager 's amendment . 
as the gentleman from massachusetts ( mr. frank ) xz4001400 has stated , if the manager 's amendment is defeated , all of the good sections will be restored , such as targeting this aid to the hurricane-ravaged areas , in the motion to recommit . 
mr. chairman , stand up for your constituents , stand up for the american dream of homeownership , stand up for people of faith , and stand up to the far right wing extremists who are hijacking this bill for their own purposes . 
