[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 117 (Thursday, August 2, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5987-S5988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED:
  S. 3513. A bill to promote the development of local strategies to 
coordinate use of assistance under sections 8 and 9 of the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 with public and private resources, to enable 
eligible families to achieve economic independence and self-
sufficiency, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I introduce the Family Self-
Sufficiency Act.
  The Family Self Sufficiency, FSS, program is an existing employment 
and savings incentive initiative for families that have section 8 
vouchers or live in public housing. The FSS program provides two key 
tools for its participants: first, it provides access to the resources 
and training that help participants pursue employment opportunities and 
meet financial goals, and second, it encourages FSS families to save by 
establishing an interest-bearing escrow account for them. Upon 
graduation from the FSS program, the family can use these savings to 
pay for job-related expenses, such as the purchase or maintenance of a 
car or for additional workforce training.
  My legislation seeks to enhance the FSS program by streamlining the 
administration of this program, by broadening the supportive services 
that can be provided to a participant, and by extending the FSS program 
to tenants who live in privately-owned properties with project-based 
assistance.
  First, to streamline the FSS program, my bill would combine the two 
separate FSS programs into one. Currently, HUD operates one FSS program 
for those families being served by the Housing Choice Voucher Program 
and another for those families being served by the Public Housing 
program, even though the core purpose of each FSS program, to increase 
economic independence and self-sufficiency, is the same for both. As a 
result, Public Housing Agencies, PHAs, have to operate essentially two 
programs to achieve the same goal. With my bill, PHAs would be relieved 
of this unnecessary burden.
  Second, my legislation broadens the scope of the supportive services 
that may be offered to include attainment

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of a GED, education in pursuit of a post-secondary degree or 
certification, and training in financial literacy. Providing families 
in need with affordable rental housing is critical, but coupling it 
with the support and services to help families get ahead is more 
effective. This legislation makes it easier for FSS participants to 
obtain the training necessary to secure employment and the education to 
make prudent financial decisions to better safeguard their earnings.
  Lastly, this bill opens up the FSS program to families who live in 
privately-owned properties subsidized with project-based rental 
assistance. It shouldn't matter what kind of housing assistance a 
family gets, and families seeking to achieve self-sufficiency shouldn't 
be held back by this sort of technicality.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which will help give those 
receiving housing assistance a better chance to build their skills and 
achieve economic independence.
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