Correspondence from Ryan to Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition Members Re: Letter Writing Campaign

    ALLIANCE TO END CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING 

® Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning: The First Comprehensive National Conference $ October 7-8, 1991 # Washington, D.C. # 

Board of Directors 

Herbert L. Needleman M.D. 
Chairman 

Cushing N. Dolbeare 

Edward B. Fort Ph. D. 

Teresa Heinz 

Richard |. Jackson M.D. 

Seymour Kety M.D. 

Philip J. Landrigan M.D. 

Audrey R. McMahon 

Frank Oski M.D. 

Charles E. Peck 

Stephanie Pollack Esq. 

David P. Rall M.D. 

Cecil Sheps M.D. 

Ellen Silbergeld Ph.D. 

Bailus Walker, |r. Ph. D. 

Executive Director 

Don Ryan 

The problem 

is so well defined, 

so neatly packaged, 

with both causes 

and cures known, 

that if we don't 

eliminate this social 

crime, our society 

deserves all the 

disasters that have 

been forecast for it. 

— Rene Dubos 

June 6, 1991 

TO: Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition Members, 
State and Local Advocates, and Kindred Organizations 

FROM: Don Ryan 

LEGISLATIVE ALERT. We need your HELP in writing Members 
of the House Banking Committee urging them to reject two 
amendments which would create loopholes in the Community 
Reinvestment Act. 

Although this "banking and finance" issue might seem a bit 
removed from childhood lead poisoning, the legislative 
change being contemplated bears directly on the availabil- 
ity of funds for low-income housing improvements. Any 
serious effort to tackle lead hazards in low-income hous- 
ing would be seriously set back by this kind of tightening 
of credit in inner city neighborhoods. This is also an 
opportunity for health and environmental advocates con- 
cerned about childhood lead poisoning to stand shoulder to 
shoulder with low-income housing advocates and demonstrate 
the importance and effectiveness of working together. 

On Wednesday, June 19, the full House Banking Committee, 
chaired by Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-TX) is scheduled to 
markup H.R. 1505 and consider striking two "reform" amend- 
ments included by Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) which would 
excuse 80 percent of U.S. banks from the Community Rein- 
vestment Act's requirements to reserve a small share of 
funds for investment in poorer neighborhoods. 

A draft of a letter is enclosed which includes the key 
points to be covered. Also enclosed is a list of the 
Banking Committee members and the names and phone numbers 
of their key staff. Please write as many as you can, with 
special attention to Members from your state or district 
-- as well as Chairman Gonzalez. Phone calls are also 
effective in getting the message across. 

Please send the Alliance copies of your letters. 

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. We'll keep you posted on this and 
other issues. 

Dow [Spo 
® 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. ® Suite 100 ® Washington, D.C. 20003 ® 202-543-1147 # FAX 202-543-4466 ® 

 



  

Date 

Honorable 
U. S. House of Representatives 
Washington, D. C. 20515 

  

Dear Representative : 
  

I am writing to urge you to vote to strike the "Kanjorski 

amendments," which seriously weaken the Community Rein- 

vestment Act, when the Banking Committee marks up H.R. 
1505, now scheduled for Wednesday, June 19. 

As you are well aware, the Community Reinvestment Act was 

passed for the specific purpose of requiring banks to 

reserve a small share of funds for investment in housing 

in low-income neighborhoods. This legislation recognized 

the serious shortage of funds available for upgrading 

housing in older neighborhoods and effectively attacked 

the persistent problem of "red-lining." In addition to 

the housing and shelter needs recognized at the time the 

Community Reinvestment Act was passed, there is now anoth- 

er extremely compelling reason to increase the availabili- 

ty of these funds -- lead paint poisoning. 

In the past few months both EPA and HHS have identified 

lead poisoning as "the No. 1 environmental health hazard 

to U.S. children." We now know that lead-based paint in 

older housing is the primary cause of lead poisoning, 

which affects one out of six U.S. children -- over three 

million children nationwide. Low level lead poisoning 

causes IQ reductions, reading and learning disabilities, 

hyperactivity, and behavior problems =-- and affects over 

half of young children in many poor neighborhoods. 

The need to confront and prevent our national epidemic of 

childhood lead poisoning is one more good reason to pre- 

serve -- and expand -- community reinvestment funds. The 

Kanjorski amendments, being billed as a banking "reform" 

measure, would exempt 80 percent of the banks in the 

country from community reinvestment requirements. This is 

not reform -- this is a giant step backward. 

Please vote to strike the Kanjorski amendments. 

Sincerely, 

 



U.S. House of Representatives, 102nd Congress, First Session   

Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs 
Note: Members are listed by Seniority 

Member 

DEMOCRATS 

Gonzalez (Chairman) 

Annunzio 

Neal, Stephen L. 

Hubbard 

LaFalce 

Oakar 

Vento 

Barnard 

Schumer 

Frank 

Exrdreich 

Carper 

Torres 

Kleczka 

Kanjorski 

Patterson 

Kennedy 

Flake 

Mfume 

Hoagland 

Neal, Richard Ss. 

Luken 

Waters 

Weiss 

Slattery 

Ackerman 

REPUBLICANS 

Wylie(Ranking Minority) 

Leach 

McCollum 

.Roukema 

Bereuter 

Ridge 

Roth 

McCandless 

Baker 

Stearns 

Gillmor 

Paxon 

Duncan 

Campbell 

Hancock 

Riggs 

Nussle 

Armey 
Thomas 

Sanders (INDEPENDENT) 

State 

  

Banking Assistant 

Kelsay Meek/Jake Lewis 

Curt Prins 
John Hardage 

Mary Martha Fortney 

Jean Roslanowick 

Earl Rieger 

Larry Romans 

Jeff Tassey ! 

Courtney Ward/Peter Cohen 

Joe Martin 

Bill Phillips 

Susan Frank 

Albert Jacquez 

Brian Doherty 

Mike Radway 

Kathy Russell 

Shawn Maher 

Gloria Bryant 
Tammy Hawley 

Nancy Nagle 

Kathleen Sullivan 

Valerie Vann Dopp 

Bill Zavarello 

Jan Shinpoch 

Bob Sevigny 

Naomi Nixon 

Tim Aiken 

Lydia Morris 

Randy Farmer 

Howard Bauleke 

Carol Cayo 

Tony Coje 

Gary Parker 

James Geoffrey 

Vince Morelli 

Anita Bedelis 

Charles Zogby 

Ed Rice 

Bill Binzel 

Duane Duncan 

Pam Stilson 

Mike Deagle 

David Marventano 

Jim Coon 

John Sellers 

Duncan Haggert 

Jason Conger 

Rich Meade 

Brian Gunderson 

Chris Spooner 

John Franco 

Office Phone 

(Area code 202) 

225-0347 

226-3280 

225-2071 

225-2828 

- 225-5821 

226-7515 

225-6631 

225-4101 

225-6616 

225-5931 

225-4921 

225-4165 

225-5256 

225-4572 

225-6511 

225-6030 

225-5111 

225-3461 

225-4741 

225-4155 

225-5601 

225-2216 

225-2201 

225-6611 

225-7751 

225-3671 

225-4376 

225-5676 

225-5635 

225-6601 

225-2601 

225-7502 

225-0004 

225-2176 

225-4465 

226-7850 

225-5406 

225-5665 

225-5330 

225-3901 

225-5744 

225-6405 

225-5265 

225-5435 

225-5411 

225-6536 

225-3311 

225-2911 

225-7772 

225-2311 

225-4115