The Office is responsible for coordinating Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations activities involving program offices to ensure the effective and accurate presentation of the Department's views. The Office cooperates with the Office of General Counsel and program offices in developing the Department's position on all relevant legislative matters.
The Office is responsible for coordinating the presentation of the Department's legislative and budget program to the Congress. It monitors and responds to the HUD-related activities of the Department's Congressional oversight, authorizing and appropriations committees. It is also the principal Departmental advocate before Congress for HUD's legislative initiatives and other legislative matters. In this regard, the Office is responsible for ensuring that all testimony and responses to Congressional inquiries are consistent with the Secretary's and the Administration's views. The Assistant Secretary also helps resolve differences with the Office of Management and Budget during the development of the Department's proposed budget and legislative program.
The Office provides functional supervision, and is ultimately responsible for, the Congressional relations activities of HUD's regional and field offices.
The Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations is the principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and senior staff with respect to legislative affairs, Congressional relations, and policy matters affecting Federal, state and local governments, and public and private interest groups.