Hon. Michael G. Oxley: “I rise in support of H.R. 4--the ``Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003.'' The Committee on…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 4--the ``Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003.'' The Committee on Financial Services approves H.R. 4's State flexibility authority that would cut across jurisdictional lines, both statutory and regulatory, to allow States and/or local governments to conduct demonstration projects to integrate Federal programs and funds. Under the plan, entities, such as the public housing authority, and the local and State governments would petition a Federal review board for this broadened waiver, with the appropriate Secretary exercising veto authority over the plan. An example of this waiver could be a child-care center and a local public housing agency jointly petitioning the Federal Review Board to waive the regulations and requirements of their applicable programs to achieve a certain purpose. H.R. 4 will knock down firewalls and bureaucratic obstacles that many housing organizations complain about when attempting to blend programs from different agencies. This proposal is an opportunity to allow some demonstration programs to see different ways of tackling the problem of service delivery, poverty, and a permanent underclass that should have the opportunity to move beyond public housing and homeless shelters to fully integrate in the private sector through rental and homeownership opportunities.”