Glenn Grothman: “This amendment would increase and decrease the Section 8 housing program to call for a U.S. Government Accountability…”

“This amendment would increase and decrease the Section 8 housing program to call for a U.S. Government Accountability Office study on: first, the marital demographics of HUD- administered housing program beneficiaries; Second, the existence and effects of any marriage penalties for means-tested housing benefits administered by HUD--in here, we are getting not only the Section 8 but also the 42 credits and that sort of housing-- Third, any recommendations and policy solutions for reducing marriage penalties within the HUD-administered programs. In the last 80 years in this country, we have had what I believe are means-tested programs. The practical effect is to discourage marriage and, in particular, discourage men from getting involved in their children's families. I remember touring a low-income housing project about 5 years ago, and the woman who was administering it, who was a crackerjack girl, really tremendous job, but she pointed out one of her major goals is to make sure she had no men in any of the housing units. I can believe that a lot of those men, since they weren't husbands, were maybe causing trouble, maybe doing drugs. It brought home the fact that right now an effect, and sometimes goal, of low-income housing projects is to keep men away from their families. This is, of course, only one. I am highlighting the housing programs because we are dealing with HUD right now. It is, of course, true of all sorts of other income- transfer programs as well.…”