; Whereas the intent of Congress in passing the Fair Housing Act was broad and inclusive, to advance equal opportunity in housing and achieve racial integration for the benefit of all people in the United States; Whereas where one lives affects housing conditions, educational attainment, employment opportunities, access to healthcare, and home equity; Whereas the majority of Americans support neighborhood integration, and numerous studies have shown the universal benefits of residential integration; Whereas more than 4,000,000 violations of fair housing laws still occur each year against people of all protected classes, and testing of the enforcement of fair housing laws continues to uncover a high rate of discrimination in the rental, sales, mortgage lending, and insurance markets; Whereas less than 1 percent of violations of fair housing laws are reported each year; Whereas private, nonprofit, fair housing centers funded by Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) are the frontline in the effort to resolve housing discrimination and train local housing providers on how to comply with the Fair Housing Act; Whereas in 2015 approximately 27,900 housing discrimination complaints were filed, of which 19,600 complaints were filed with local private, nonprofit, fair housing centers; Whereas the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) funds fair housing grants annually on a non-competitive basis to State and local fair housing enforcement agencies which are used for complaint processing, administrative costs, special enforcement efforts, training and other projects designed to enhance the agency’s administration and enforcement of its fair housing law; Whereas fair housing education and enforcement play a pivotal role in increasing housing choice and minority homeownership and combating predatory lending; and Whereas the Fair Housing Act is an essential component of our Nation’s civil rights legislation: Now, therefore, be it