At one time, the housing community expected Republicans to kill public housing with vouchers, vouchers and more vouchers. But we all have matured in our thought and in our policy. We need a continuum because, among other reasons, vouchers don't work in every market. So we have arrived at a point where we must support vouchers but at the same time preserve public housing because it is the only option for some families. As I mentioned, our nation has a huge investment in public housing.
Housing is the second largest discretionary program.
By far the largest investment is in the Northeast, and by virtue of its age this stock is going to require a substantial additional investment to make it safe, clean and accessible - to make sure public housing provides a place for families to live in dignity, not an opportunity for society to warehouse the poor. And I know many of my majority colleagues feel the same way. It is a Republican priority to restore in conference as much as possible to the operating subsidy account and the modernization account in the public housing budget - to restore some flexibility and greater creativity in achieving the housing mix America needs in the next millennium. We will advocate for higher levels of public housing funding and press for discussion on ideas such as peer review of Public Housing Authorities. Meanwhile it is prudent to remember as context that it is the Republican Congress last year who funded the largest single increase in the public housing modernization account.