Patrick Leahy: “Today I express my extreme disappointment with the administration's recent announcement on Fiscal Year 2004 Section 8…”

“Today I express my extreme disappointment with the administration's recent announcement on Fiscal Year 2004 Section 8 voucher renewals that threatens to end a long standing commitment to fully fund all Section 8 vouchers in use. Coupled with its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2005 that would slash funding for Section 8, the Bush administration has given the Nation's communities ample reason to be concerned about the future of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The Section 8 voucher program has been the cornerstone of Federal housing policy for nearly 30 years. The program provides the Nation's most vulnerable families with vouchers to help them cover the cost of modest apartments and homes in the private market. It serves more than 2 million families nationwide who are trying to make ends meet. In my home State of Vermont it helps nearly 6,000 households--more than 60 percent of them are elderly or disabled members and 24 percent of them are working families. Unfortunately the administration has chosen to shortchange the program in a way that will almost guarantee that the poorest of families lose their support.”