mr. chairman , i rise in opposition to this legislation . 
i support increasing oversight of fannie mae and freddie mac . 
it is a worthwhile goal , one that the recent scandals at these institutions and on wall street illustrate is sorely needed . 
and i support the creation of a budget-neutral affordable housing fund . 
indeed , that this kind of program should be created , given the proclivity of this republican house of gutting programs for the poor , is nothing short of miraculous . 
however , i can not support a program whose benefits come at the expense of the rights of nonprofit organizations . 
the provision in question would disqualify any nonprofit group that engages in voter participation activities , such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts , from applying for a grant under the affordable housing fund . 
this would apply even if the activities are non-partisan and even if they are paid for with non-federal monies . 
this provision would have a chilling effect on the constitutional speech and association rights of all nonprofits . 
how can the republicans , in good faith , claim to work with us on the reauthorization of the voting rights act , and turn around and tie the hands of those groups who are trying to incorporate the disenfranchised into the democratic process ? 
what 's worse , this provision is entirely superfluous . 
nonprofits are already prohibited from using federal funds to lobby . 
however , they are free to engage in lobbying and nonpartisan voter registration with non-federal dollars . 
this bill is a slap in the face to those groups who need this money most . 
what 's more , this restriction only applies to non-profit organizations , not any for-profit entities seeking grants from the fund . 
this bill also essentially bars non-profits whose mission extends beyond the provision of affordable housing . 
many organizations develop and manage effective affordable housing programs alongside programs that provide food , closing , counseling , and other health and social services . 
those who claim to work on behalf of the faith-based community should take a close look at this bill , and should watch this vote closely . 
by voting aye you are barring church groups from affordable housing funds if their primary mission goes beyond affordable housing . 
this is a typical piece of republican legislation . 
once again , my friends from across the aisle have poisoned legislation that would otherwise have received bipartisan support by picking on those who can least afford to defend themselves . 
i encourage my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill , and supporting the motion to recommit . 
we can and should do better . 
