Political Quotes

“I rise in support with Senators Mack and D'Amato in introducing the Public Housing Reform and Responsibility Act of 1997. This legislation is substantially the same as S. 1260 which passed the Senate in the 104th Congress, but fell short of enactment in the waning days of that Congress. This legislation is a critical step to the needed reform of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as a major reform bill in its own right. This legislation consolidates the public housing and section 8 tenant-based assistance programs, and redirects the responsibility and authority for public housing and section 8 back to federally assisted residents, the public housing agencies, the localities, and the States. This bill also dovetails with many of the public housing reforms contained in the VA/HUD fiscal years 1996 and 1997 appropriations bills and reflects the need to provide streamlined programs and local responsibility as the most appropriate method to address local housing needs. I cannot emphasize enough the need to find a measured solution to the housing problems of this Nation and to HUD's overregulation of housing and community issues that are better addressed at the local level. This bill represents a complete overhaul of the public housing system and the section 8 tenant-based program and a move away from HUD's all too common one-size-fits-all mentality.”