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

Correspondence
June 6, 1991

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

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Impact area
- Economic Justice
Topic
- Environmental Justice
Matter
- Matthews & People United for a Better Oakland v. Coye/Kizer
Case
- Matthews & People United for a Better Oakland v. Coye/Kizer
U.S. state
- California
Collection
- Case Files
Taxonomy
Identifier
- 31439beb-5d40-f011-b4cb-7c1e5267c7b6

Cite this item

Case Files, Matthews v. Kizer Hardbacks. Correspondence from Ryan to Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition Members Re: Letter Writing Campaign, 1991. 31439beb-5d40-f011-b4cb-7c1e5267c7b6. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/f8947ecc-4f22-4f18-bd1d-c745a234e8a9/correspondence-from-ryan-to-lead-poisoning-prevention-coalition-members-re-letter-writing-campaign. Accessed November 23, 2025.

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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

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

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