There was no multifamily housing-related activity in Congress this week. The Senate was not in session. The House focused on the $82 billion FY 2005 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations conference bill (HR 1268) to fund ongoing military operations, anti-terrorism activities, and tsunami relief efforts.
On May 11, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on H.R. 1999, the “State and Local Housing Flexibility Act of 2005.” HR 1999 was introduced by Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) as the companion bill to S. 771, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO). Each of these bills includes the Bush Administration’s proposed Flexible Voucher Program. An interesting question at this hearing will be whether Secretary Jackson will once again allege that landlords are being overpaid in the voucher program. During an exchange with Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) in his recent appearance before the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing and Transportation, Secretary Jackson commented, “Prices landlords are getting for these vouchers are exorbitant.”