On Monday, I offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2015 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill, which would reduce funding for the Section 8 voucher program by 10 percent. This amendment would save taxpayers $2.9 billion annually.
The Section 8 voucher program, which was intended to provide temporary assistance for struggling Americans, has become a way of life for far too many. And, many of our communities, like Cincinnati, are struggling to deal with the program’s unintended consequences. The program is in need of serious reform. To reduce dependency, we should establish time limits, with exceptions for the elderly or disabled. To maintain proper upkeep, landlords of these properties should be held accountable to local communities, and not be allowed to hide behind Washington regulations. To make the program safer for neighbors and participants, we should prohibit felons and sex offenders.
These are just a few of the reforms that should be made before we spend another dime on the program.
