J.C. Watts: “the time is right for us to replace an outdated Depression-era law that was written in 1937. Instead of being rewritten…”

“the time is right for us to replace an outdated Depression-era law that was written in 1937. Instead of being rewritten to reflect modern housing needs and the challenges associated with public housing entities, the 1937 Housing Act had only been given quick legislative fixes which have resulted in regulation based on regulation placing local housing authorities in a stranglehold, unable to address problems at the community level. The Great Society programs of the last 30 years, although well intentioned, only exacerbate the downward spiral of our low-income communities. By allowing government to replace the institutions that give structure and order to our neighborhoods, the Great Society programs have fractured these communities and placed unnecessary obstacles in the way of faith, family, work, and community. Big government is part of the problem--not the solution. We need to promote an infrastructure where solutions to these prolems can come from epople who have the same zip code as the people they are helping. H.R. 2406, the United States Housing Act of 1996, does this.”