Bill Lee: “unlike the Collins amendment that just passed with broad support, my amendment would actually do something with respect…”

“unlike the Collins amendment that just passed with broad support, my amendment would actually do something with respect to affirmatively furthering the fair housing rule. Specifically, it would defund this rule and ultimately force the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to the GAO in a way that does not undermine local control or increase costs on already stretched thin local housing agencies. My colleagues who oppose this amendment have given a number of examples of local governments being newly connected to make better governing decisions, but my amendment in no way stops local governments from continuing to do that. All my amendment does--the only thing it does--is to prevent the Federal Government from forcing local governments to comply with a costly and unnecessary new data collection program, and it does so in order to protect local autonomy. I therefore encourage each of my colleagues to support this amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.”