[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20320-20322]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT OF 2007

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3018) to provide for payment of an administrative 
fee to public housing agencies to cover the costs of administering 
family self-sufficiency programs in connection with the housing choice 
voucher program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3018

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Family Self-Sufficiency Act 
     of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY 
                   PROGRAM COSTS.

       Subsection (h) of section 23 of the United States Housing 
     Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u(h)) is amended by striking 
     paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph:
       ``(1) Section 8 fees.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a fee 
     under section 8(q) for the costs incurred in administering 
     the self-sufficiency program under this section to assist 
     families receiving voucher assistance through section 8(o).
       ``(B) Eligibility for fee.--The fee shall provide funding 
     for family self-sufficiency coordinators as follows:
       ``(i) Base fee.--A public housing agency serving 25 or more 
     participants in the family self-sufficiency program under 
     this section shall receive a fee equal to the costs of 
     employing one full-time family self-sufficiency coordinator. 
     An agency serving fewer than 25 such participants shall 
     receive a prorated fee.
       ``(ii) Additional fee.--An agency that meets minimum 
     performance standards shall receive an additional fee 
     sufficient to cover the costs of employing a second family 
     self-sufficiency coordinator if the agency has 75 or more 
     participating families, and a third such coordinator if it 
     has 125 or more participating families.
       ``(iii) Previously funded agencies.--An agency that 
     received funding from the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development for more than three such coordinators in any of 
     fiscal years 1998 through 2007 shall receive funding for the 
     highest number of coordinators funded in a single fiscal year 
     during that period, provided they meet applicable size and 
     performance standards.
       ``(iv) Initial year.--For the first year in which a public 
     housing agency exercises its right to develop an family self-
     sufficiency program for its residents, it shall be entitled 
     to funding to cover the costs of up to one family self-
     sufficiency coordinator, based on the size specified in its 
     action plan for such program.
       ``(v) State and regional agencies.--For purposes of 
     calculating the family self-sufficiency portion of the 
     administrative fee under this subparagraph, each 
     administratively distinct part of a State or regional public 
     housing agency shall be treated as a separate agency.
       ``(vi) Determination of number of coordinators.--In 
     determining whether a public housing agency meets a specific 
     threshold for funding pursuant to this paragraph, the number 
     of participants being served by the agency in its family 
     self-sufficiency program shall be considered to be the 
     average number of families enrolled in such agency's program 
     during the course of the most recent fiscal year for which 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development has data.
       ``(C) Proration.--If insufficient funds are available in 
     any fiscal year to fund all of the coordinators authorized 
     under this section, the first priority shall be given to 
     funding one coordinator at each agency with an existing 
     family self-sufficiency program. The remaining funds shall be 
     prorated based on the number of remaining coordinators to 
     which each agency is entitled under this subparagraph.
       ``(D) Recapture.--Any fees allocated under this 
     subparagraph by the Secretary in a fiscal year that have not 
     been spent by the end of the subsequent fiscal year shall be 
     recaptured by the Secretary and shall be available for 
     providing additional fees pursuant to subparagraph (B)(ii).
       ``(E) Performance standards.--Within six months after the 
     date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall 
     publish a proposed rule specifying the performance standards 
     applicable to funding under clauses (ii) and (iii) of 
     subparagraph (B). Such standards shall include requirements 
     applicable to the leveraging of in-kind services and other 
     resources to support the goals of the family self-sufficiency 
     program.
       ``(F) Data collection.--Public housing agencies receiving 
     funding under this paragraph shall collect and report to the 
     Secretary, in such manner as the Secretary shall require, 
     information on the performance of their family self-
     sufficiency programs.
       ``(G) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall conduct a formal and 
     scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of well-run family 
     self-sufficiency programs, using random assignment of 
     participants to the extent practicable. Not later than the 
     expiration of the 4-year period beginning upon the enactment 
     of this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit an interim 
     evaluation report to the Congress. Not later than the 
     expiration of the 8-year period beginning upon such 
     enactment, the Secretary shall submit a final evaluation 
     report to the Congress. There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out the evaluation under 
     this subparagraph.
       ``(H) Incentives for innovation and high performance.--The 
     Secretary may reserve up to 10 percent of the amounts made 
     available for administrative fees under this paragraph to 
     provide support to or reward family self-sufficiency programs 
     that are particularly innovative or highly successful in 
     achieving the goals of the program.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) 
will each control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.


                             General Leave

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 3018.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I enthusiastically endorse for favorable consideration this bill 
authored by Mrs. Judy Biggert. This, Mr. Speaker, is much needed 
legislation to enhance and to improve a program that assists families 
who hold a section 8 housing voucher with the goal of leading to 
economic independence.
  Under the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, public housing agencies 
work with welfare agencies, schools and businesses to develop a program 
that gives participating Family Self-Sufficiency families the skills 
and experiences necessary for them to obtain employment that pays a 
living wage.
  Now, this is not an expensive program. In my State of Wisconsin, for 
example, eight public housing authorities have successfully competed 
for Family Self-Sufficiency Programs with awards ranging from $34,000 
up to only $47,000.

                              {time}  2215

  But while it is expensive, it's inexpensive. It is very successful.
  While my home public housing authorities in Milwaukee do not 
anticipate the section 8 family self-sufficiency programs, they do have 
a public housing family self-sufficiency program in its second year, 
which is very similar to the section 8 self-sufficiency program.
  They have linked in really creative way to a ``Make Your Money Talk'' 
program. It's a wealth-building program that is partnered with the 
Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation, and they have 39 
families enrolled.
  Based on prior outcomes, participants have used their savings 
generated from family self-sufficiency to start a business or purchase 
a home. One resident in particular, a resident of the Westlawn housing 
development, has started her own cleaning business that has become 
quite successful.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 20321]]


  Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentlelady for her comments, and I would 
yield myself time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the author of H.R. 3018, the Family Self-Sufficiency 
Act, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
  First, let me thank Congresswoman Waters for working with me to 
include the language of this bill in the section 8 reform bill, H.R. 
1851, the Section 8 Voucher Reform Bill Act of 2007, which the House 
passed on July 12 of last year by a vote of 333-83.
  Not to anyone's great surprise, the Senate has yet to take up this 
larger section 8 reform package. My hope is that the House will pass 
this bill today, and the Senate will, at a minimum, move this smaller 
but very important noncontroversial bill.
  The bill will strengthen the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, or FSS, 
and help more disadvantaged families gain independence from government 
assistance. The FSS is offered in connection with the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, section 8 Housing Choice Voucher 
Program. It provides homeownership counseling, job training, child 
care, education and other services to help individuals obtain work.
  Let me take just a minute to give you just one example of a Family 
Self-Sufficiency Program success story from my congressional district. 
Angela, a single mother of two from Willowbrook, Illinois, served 6 
years in the Navy. When she finished her service, she got a part-time 
job and, thanks to the GI Bill, enrolled as a full-time student. Yet 
she still struggled to make ends meet.
  In stepped the wonderful team at the DuPage Housing Authority. 
Through their Family Self-Sufficiency Program, they helped Angela with 
the rent for a dozen months, moving her and her two children from 
tenant-based rental assistance to the Housing Choice Voucher Program. 
During this time Angela was able to complete college and obtain a 
degree with a double degree in human resources management and 
psychology.
  The FSS program then connected Angela to a resume-writing class 
offered by the Illinois Employment Training Center. Within just 1 week 
of posting her new, polished resume, Angela secured three interviews 
and a new part-time job.
  This March, Angela secured full-time employment as a human resource 
assistant at the Edward Hines VA Hospital. Angela now earns twice the 
hourly wage she did when she started working with the FSS program. But 
the story doesn't end there.
  FSS also connected Angela with a financial planner who helped empower 
Angela with a little financial literacy to improve her budgeting and 
asset management skills. Today, Angela is working to prepare herself 
for homeownership, a long way to come from public housing.
  Now, Angela is also giving back. She is an active member of the FSS 
program in DuPage County, providing insights and suggestions to help 
keep the program relevant and effective for local participants.
  Even amidst record-high energy prices and other challenges facing our 
economy, there are bright stars like Angela who, with a little help, 
can successfully make ends meet, raise children, get an education, 
secure a job and achieve the dream of homeownership.
  What better way to help more of our neighbors in need than to support 
this bill today. It's a simple, bipartisan step that we can now take to 
ensure that a brief period of economic hardship doesn't turn into a 
lifetime of poverty and dependence for many of our Nation's most 
vulnerable families.
  It does so by addressing the lack of consistent Federal funding for 
administering FSS services. The bill establishes a minimum ratio of 
program coordinators to participants, with funding for one coordinator 
per housing authority, serving an annual average of 25 or more families 
enrolled in FSS, two coordinators for 75 or more families, and three 
coordinators for 125 or more families.
  It also requires HUD to establish and implement performance measures, 
collect data on FSS programs, evaluate their effectiveness, and report 
to Congress on its findings. Finally, the bill provides some funding 
flexibility to reward innovative and successful FSS programs.
  These are good, flexible programs that help put disadvantaged 
families on the path to independence. Public housing can be an 
important safety net, but it is not a permanent solution. Let's give 
these individuals all the support we can to help them stand on their 
own two feet.
  Before I conclude, I would like to thank John Day, president of the 
DuPage Housing Authority; Jeffrey Lubell, executive director of the 
Center for Housing Policy; and the folks at the American Association of 
Service Coordinators, the National Housing Conference, the New America 
Foundation, and the Corporation for Enterprise Development, for making 
this bill a reality.
  I would, of course, like to thank Angela for her courage and 
willingness to let me share her success story with all of you today.
  I would also like to thank the gentlelady from Wisconsin for managing 
this bill and all the hard work that she puts into the Financial 
Services Committee.
  With that, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I just want to tell you how 
moving the gentlelady's story was about Angela, and how encouraged she 
must be and others who benefit from this program.
  This is welfare reform done right, and I want to congratulate her on 
her compassion, for pushing this bill through.
  I certainly urge all of my colleagues to vote unanimously for this 
great bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as she 
might consume to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Granger).
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to get here in time to speak 
about an issue I feel very strongly about. I speak about the need to 
honor the Code Talkers. It was brought to my attention by my friend and 
constituent, Mr. Ben Tahmahkera, of Fort Worth, Texas. He is a proud 
Comanche himself and passionately articulated the important role of the 
Code Talkers contributed to our Nation during World War II.
  Mr. Tahmahkera came to me and pointed out that in July, 2001, 
President Bush honored the Navajo Code Talkers for their contribution 
to the United States Armed Forces as radio operators in World War II. 
Mr. Tahmahkera was very pleased to hear about the Navajo recognition, 
but he wanted to make sure the sacrifices of the Comanche Code Talkers 
and other Code Talkers were not forgotten either.
  Mr. Tahmahkera suggested that I learn more about Charles Chibitty, 
who at the time was the only surviving Comanche Code Talker.
  In January of 1941, Charles Chibitty enlisted in the United States 
Army and was assigned the Army's 4th Signal Company. Chibitty himself 
probably saved thousands of lives during the Normandy invasion alone, 
and he remembers, years after the battle, that he could clearly 
remember the messages he received and set out on D-day.
  On that day, he identified where our troops were, protected them from 
being fired on by our own troops and, in general, completely confused 
the Germans. Chibitty specifically remembers saying in code to our men, 
``Okay, we know where you are. Just keep on doing what you are doing.''
  The code that Chibitty used was never broken.
  For a long time, Germans believed it was just gibberish, and 
eventually the Germans sent spies to training grounds in Ft. Gordon and 
reservations in Oklahoma to try and crack the code. None of the spy 
missions were successful.
  After hearing the compelling story of the Comanche Code Talkers from 
Mr. Tahmahkera, I introduced a bill to award the Comanche Code Talkers 
the Congressional Gold Medal in December 2001 during the 107th 
Congress.

[[Page 20322]]

  I have worked to get these men an honor that is long overdue for the 
past several Congresses. After a lot of hard work and research by many 
different Members today, we are, at long last, honoring the Code 
Talkers who so nobly served our country during both World War I and 
World War II.
  My friend, Representative Dan Boren from Oklahoma, I appreciate his 
work and this Congress for bringing the bill to the floor.
  Like the Navajo Code Talkers who were recognized for services in 
2001, the Comanches, along with members of at least 15 other tribes, 
acted as Code Talkers in some capacity during both world wars. The Code 
Talkers were sent out on their own to provide communications on enemy 
locations and their strength.
  They sometimes spent 24 hours in headphones without sleep or food. 
Many of these men endured terrible conditions without protection from 
the enemy. The Code Talkers were able to send messages in their native 
dialect, a code an enemy could never track. Military commanders credit 
the Code Talkers with saving the lives of countless American soldiers 
and ultimately to the success of the United States in many battles.
  In my mind, the Native American Code Talkers are some of our Nation's 
greatest heroes. As my good friend, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon 
England said, ``The story of the Native American Code Talkers is one of 
the most inspiring chapters in America's march to victory in World War 
II. Their heroic and dramatic contributions were instrumental in 
driving back our enemies across the Pacific.''
  It's time for Congress to give the Native American Code Talkers the 
recognition they deserve for their contribution to U.S. victories in 
World War I and World War II.
  Charles Chibitty, a true American hero, was also a loyal friend. He 
once turned town a Medal of Honor because it did not include all the 
four signal companies who he considered his brothers.
  Chibitty said, I am glad that I am still here, but I miss my 
comrades. I know that my comrades that have already gone before me are 
listening and laughing right now. I know when I go up there someday, 
they will be there waiting for me.
  Today, at long last, we honor the late Charles Chibitty and all of 
his friends who served our country as their service Code Talkers during 
World War I and World War II.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4544.

                              {time}  2230

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3018.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________