Congresswoman Sutton Speaks in Support of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act

On October 3, 2008, Addie Polk, a 90 year old woman from Akron, Ohio in my district shot herself because her home was in foreclosure.

Ms. Polk fell behind on her mortgage payments and could not bear to lose the home that she lived in for nearly 40 years.

Fortunately, Ms. Polk survived and her home was saved.

But Ms. Polk is not alone. Millions of homeowners across the country are finding it more difficult to keep up with their payments.

Homeowners are struggling for many reasons. Many have lost their jobs.

And you're right when you say Americans don't want welfare, they want jobs. Which is why we passed the Recovery Act just a couple of weeks ago.

Some have lost their homes because of healthcare costs another issue that our President and this Congress is set to take action on.

And some deceived into signing a predatory loan. Another issue that we are acting on.

And some did get in over their heads, when they should not have.

But regardless of the cause, the crisis is real. And it is real not only for homeowners like Addie Polk, who are losing their homes, it is real for our communities and it is real for our country and we have an interest and a responsibility to do better in dealing with the challenge.

Today the House will vote on the "Helping Families Save Their Homes Act."

This bill provides homeowners with options to refinance into mortgages that they can afford and it will help countless families stay in their homes.

This is not the end, this is just one step in tackling the housing challenge that we face as a nation.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this crucial legislation because Americans, like Addie Polk and so many others out there deserve more than feeling so desperate as to shoot themselves after living in a home for almost 40 years, for fear of losing it.