Representative Phil English Plays Political Games Instead of Helping Pennsylvania's Homeowners 

Representative Phil English joined Republican efforts yesterday and today to grind the House of Representatives to a halt to block its work on critically important legislation to address the mortgage crisis.  House Republicans used a series of stalling tactics and procedural votes to block passage of a landmark and comprehensive approach to addressing the national mortgage crisis that has devastated our economy and caused 27,749 families in Pennsylvania to lose their homes.

Middle class families worried about their keeping their homes deserve more from Representative Phil English than partisan tantrums," said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "Wasting taxpayers dollars to engage in political theater is further proof that Representative English is more concerned with playing partisan games than fixing our economy and helping Pennsylvania's homeowners avoid foreclosure."

Background:

• So far, Republican stall tactics resulted in 18 procedural motions over the past two days, preempting regularly scheduled business. Wednesday's procedural votes to stall the House's work:

§         Vote #1 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll267.xml [1]

§         Vote #2 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll270.xml [2]

§         Vote #3 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll271.xml [3]

§         Vote #4 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll272.xml [4]

§         Vote #5 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll273.xml [5]

§         Vote #6 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll275.xml [6]

§         Vote #7 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll276.xml [7]

§         Vote #8 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll278.xml [8]

§         Vote #9 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll279.xml [9]

§         Vote #10 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll280.xml [10]

§         Vote #11: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll282.xml [11]

§         Vote #12 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll284.xml [12]

§         Vote #13 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll285.xml [13]

§         Vote #14 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll286.xml [14]

§         Vote #15 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll288.xml [15]

§         Vote #16 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll290.xml [16]

§         Vote #17 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll291.xml [17]

§         Vote #18 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll292.xml [18]

• The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act (HR 3221) will expand the authority of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to provide struggling homeowners facing foreclosure, with an opportunity to renegotiate their mortgages.

• According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 27,749 homes in Pennsylvania are currently in foreclosure.

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For Immediate Release, May 8, 2008

CONTACT: Jennifer Crider & Doug Thornell (202) 485-3440