Committee markup results in partisan vote on amendments and legislation to fund housing resources and efforts to end homelessness. Editor’s note: This article is available for members only.
9/17/2021 11:00
The House Financial Services Committee voted on legislation after a markup this week to discuss funding for housing resources, including several amendments and disagreement on a renter’s assistance bill.
The Assistance to Renters and Landlords Act (H.R. 5196) from committee Chairwoman U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., “would expedite the delivery of emergency rental assistance provided by Congress through previous pandemic relief bills by removing barriers preventing tenants from receiving assistance and allowing landlords to directly apply for rental arrears after meeting certain requirements,” according to the markup memorandum.
Republican members of the committee offered amendments to address perceived shortcomings in the second Emergency Rental Assistance program authorization in March. Ranking Member U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., and Waters disagreed over the lack of bipartisanship in fixing the Emergency Rental Assistance Program after Waters implied Republicans were acting in bad faith with their amendments. The Republican amendments were defeated via recorded votes before the bill was reported favorably to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Additional takeaways from the markup include:
- Committee members offered several amendments to the Build Back Better Act, which provides investments in housing resources, such as affordable housing, down payment assistance and efforts to end homelessness. U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., offered an amendment to protect female entrepreneurs in Afghanistan who are vulnerable to retaliation under the Taliban. The amendment was proposed to make these entrepreneurs and the non-governmental organizations that support them eligible for Minority Business Development Agency grants made available by this bill to continue their businesses in the U.S. The amendment was voted down 24-30, despite comments the day before the markup that seemed to support adoption of the change.
“It is so important that we help these entrepreneurs in a bipartisan fashion,” Wagner said during the markup.
- The committee also discussed a budget reconciliation package to fund the housing programs. Waters offered an amendment, passed 30-24, for the reconciliation package and it was advanced to the House Committee on the Budget.
- The committee passed the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 2021 (H.R. 5195) by a 35-15 vote, with some Republicans joining the Democrats in their support. H.R. 5195, introduced by Waters, would provide a five-year reauthorization of Native American and Native Hawaiian housing programs. The bill includes several reforms to the programs, as well as a provision that would withhold funding from any tribe that illegally discriminates against descendants of Black Native American Freedmen in violation of 1866 treaty obligations.
ACA members can read more takeaways from the markup here.