Political Quotes

“I must rise today and voice my very strong opposition to this amendment. It is outrageous that this authorizing bill would be considered as part of this appropriations bill. Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate have been working to come to agreement on public housing legislation. To use this last-minute maneuver to undercut this process is the worst form of lawmaking. As a member of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services that considered this legislation, I know the significance of this bill for millions of low-income persons that live in public housing across this country. The amendment includes provisions that will undermine the basic mission of public housing, the provision of decent, safe and affordable housing for those who would not otherwise be able to secure it. The income-targeting provision will mean that 709,000 poor families over the next 10 years will not have access to public housing and the Section 8 certificate program. In an effort to diversify the income mix of public housing, we cannot allow a wholesale abdication of our responsibility to the poor. Provisions that would turn over control of the Federal public housing dollars to local municipalities would jeopardize the welfare of poor families. The requirement that residents of poor public housing work as a condition of residency is another of the punitive provisions of this legislation.”