November 20, 2007 (LPAC)--On Nov. 19, Johnstown and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania joined the parade of U.S. cities demanding of Congress that it act, now, to save homeowners from millions of foreclosures and social chaos, and save banks from being shut down by the mortgage-meltdown losses. The City Councils of both cities voted to support and join the state legislature's H.R. 418, calling on Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation to introduce the Homeowners and Bank Protection Act (HBPA), initiated by Lyndon LaRouche Political Action Committee.

The Johnstown resolution, passed unanimously by a vote of 7-0, had been motivated to the Council by a focused LPAC representative. It reads:

WHEREAS Pennsylvania House Resolution 418 is a bipartisan resolution introduced October 2, 2007 to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which calls on the U.S. Congress to take emergency action to protect homeowners and banks by enacting a Homeowners and Banks Protection Act; and

WHEREAS said Act would establish a Federal agency to place Federal and State chartered banks under protection, freezing all existing home mortgages for a period of time, adjusting mortgage values to fair prices, restructuring existing mortgages at appropriate interest rates and writing off speculative debt obligations of mortgage-backed securities, financial derivatives, and other forms of financial pyramid schemes that have brought the banking system to the point of bankruptcy; and

WHEREAS said Act would also declare a moratorium on all home foreclosures for the duration of the transitional period, allowing families to retain their homes and authorize governors of several states to assume the administrative responsibilities for implementing the program; and

WHEREAS said Act would benefit the Citizens of New Castle and protect their assets during this period of financial unrest that is leading to home foreclosures in record numbers; NOW, WHEREAS, said Act would benefit the Citizens of Johnstown and protect their assets during this period of financial unrest that is leading to home foreclosures in record numbers.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, that the Johnstown City Council and the Administration urges our Federal Officials to support the measures suggested in Pennsylvania House Resolution 418.

The vote was certified on November 20.