Democrats Reject Republican Amendments, Advance Bill to Waste Taxpayer Dollars on Ineffective Housing Programs

Cmte Financial Services (R)
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Democrats Reject Republican Amendments, Advance Bill to Waste Taxpayer Dollars on Ineffective Housing Programs
Progressives Once Again Ignore Necessary Emergency Rental Assistance Reforms

Today, Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee advanced their portion of the $3.6 trillion reconciliation monstrosity that will slow our economic recovery, kill jobs, and further drive up the cost of housing. In their rush to pass their tax-and-spending spree, Committee Democrats voted down 25 commonsense Republican amendments that would protect taxpayers, increase accountability, and target assistance to those who need it most.

Instead of working for the American people, Committee Democrats rejected:

Republican Leader Patrick McHenry’s (NC-10) amendment to include Republicans’ H.R. 3913, the Renter Protection Act, in the reconciliation package to fix the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs, make property owners whole, and remove the threat of eviction for renters across the country.
Republican Leader Patrick McHenry’s (NC-10) amendment to require ERA funds be used to pay off the rental debts of COVID-impacted tenants, to remove the threat of eviction and make mom-and-pop property owners whole, as Congress originally intended.
Subcommittee Republican Leader French Hill’s (AR-02) amendment to remove the additional, burdensome conditions placed on property owners in the Democrats’ bill, disincentivizing them to participate.
Subcommittee Republican Leader French Hill’s (AR-02) amendment to require that any tenant who receives a direct ERA payment for rent repayment actually use those funds to repay their rent.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Tom Emmer’s (MN-06) amendment to shift funding from wasteful and ineffective housing programs to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Treasury Inspectors General (IGs) to conduct necessary oversight of the programs in the Democrats’ bill.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Bill Huizenga’s (MI-02) amendment to ensure the Los Angeles and New York City Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), and others who have used taxpayer funds to break fair housing laws and engage in fraud, are not rewarded with additional federal funding in this bill.
Task Force Republican Leader Anthony Gonzalez’s (OH-16) amendment to prioritize new housing funds to long-term public housing residents to help them build equity.
Rep. William Timmons’ (SC-04) amendment to allow public housing tenants to withhold rent for unsafe conditions, just like residents of private market housing, until units are brought up to standard.
Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (NY-01) amendment to reduce the cost of flood insurance for every household in America by almost 20 percent and cover any future debts incurred from Hurricane Ida, instead of wasting money on other, ineffective housing programs.
Rep. John Rose’s (TN-06) amendment to use $10 billion to make homes at high risk of flooding safer by funding mitigation efforts through Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Flood Mitigation Assistance program.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Ann Wagner’s (MO-02) amendment to ensure our police officers and other first responders have access to the down payment assistance from this bill, while keeping out convicted violent felons.
Rep. Van Taylor’s (TX-03) amendment to protect taxpayers’ money from waste, fraud, and abuse by requiring applicants for funding to submit truthful information under penalty of perjury.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Andy Barr’s (AR-06) amendment to prevent Democrats from using the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) to subsidize the creation of “affordable” housing that accosts over $750,000 to produce.
Rep. Bill Posey’s (FL-08) amendment to require an audit of the HTF to ensure there is no waste, fraud, or abuse and allow funds to be recouped.
Task Force Republican Leader Anthony Gonzalez’s (OH-16) amendment to require the HUD Secretary to consult the VA Secretary on how best to reach veterans with the housing programs in Democrats’ bill.
Rep. Bryan Steil’s (WI-01) amendment to target down payment assistance to low- and middle-income households, ensuring taxpayer money does not subsidize wealthy, coastal elites.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Andy Barr’s (KY-06) amendment to restore the public’s online access to previously published taxpayer-funded reports on more effective ways to combat homelessness, which were removed by the Biden Administration because they don’t fit their progressive agenda.
Rep. John Rose’s (TN-06) amendment to require HUD to conduct in-person inspections of all Public Housing units, to ensure conditions are safe, decent, and sanitary.
Rep. John Rose’s (TN-06) amendment to force HUD to conduct environmental inspections of public housing developments, to protect tenants of Public Housing from toxic environmental conditions.
Subcommittee Republican Leader Bill Huizenga’s (MI-02) amendment to allow fully access to funds for HUD-approved Moving to Work housing agencies, which are innovating to produce better economic outcomes for residents.
Subcommittee Republican Leader French Hill’s (AR-02) amendment to prevent individuals that have previously owned homes from being able to qualify for new “first-time” homeowner down payment assistance funds.
Subcommittee Republican Leader French Hill’s (AR-02) amendment to prohibit recipients of down payment assistance under this legislation from combing those funds with other federal assistance programs, protecting families from getting into a mortgage they can’t afford.
Rep. Bill Posey’s (FL-08) amendment to cap the HTF’s administrative costs at 1% of its funding to ensure taxpayer money doesn’t subsidize the bloated federal bureaucracy.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s (GA-22) amendment to include FinTechs in the definition of specialty business centers for the purpose of business development grants.
Rep. John Rose’s (TN-06) amendment to reallocate $6 billion to fund COVID relief for the motorcoach industry.

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