GOP strikes provision giving housing preferences to convicted felons

By Michelle Malkin  •  January 17, 2008 04:27 PM

It is reassuring to see that there are some clear differences left between Democrats and Republicans. Today in the House, lawmakers voted on a bill reauthorizing a federal housing program. The Democrats wanted to give housing preferences to convicted felons, according to the House Republican leadership. The GOP wanted to strike that provision and grant the preference to troops instead:

Under current law, a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rule governs eligibility of criminals seeking federally-assisted public housing. Specifically, public housing authorities may not admit families with members:

-Who were evicted from federally assisted housing for drug-related criminal activity for three years following the date of eviction;
-Who are currently engaging in illegal drug use;
-Who have shown a pattern of illegal drug or alcohol use that may interfere with the health or safety of other public housing residents;
-Who are subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender program; or
-Who have ever been convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on public housing property.

H.R. 3524 would undermine HUD’s ability to enforce these rules and instead would extend a broad “Hard to House” preference to convicted felons – even those who were released from prison less than one year ago. The Republican proposal would strike this language and instead provide a similar preference to Armed Forces veterans.

The GOP amendment passed this afternoon:

House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after the House passed an amendment authored by Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) making sure America’s veterans are given a chance at securing adequate housing before preferences are extended to those who have violated our laws:

“If the majority is going to use this legislation to assign housing preferences to certain groups ahead of others, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to insist America’s veterans are put atop that list. Thankfully, we were able to pass an amendment on the floor today that will ensure just that – turning aside an effort by Democratic leaders to extend preferential treatment to criminal offenders at the expense of our nation’s veterans.

“Far too many men and women whose lives have been spent in service to this country find themselves today in need of public housing. At least with the passage of this amendment, these vets won’t have to stand in line behind criminal offenders – some, only months removed from prison – as they work with HUD and other agencies to secure an adequate housing arrangement.

“I want to thank Sam Graves for his hard work in helping craft and offer this amendment, and his strong and persistent leadership on behalf of veterans in our state and across the country.”

There were 28 Democrats who voted against the measure to put troops above convicted felons. Here they are:

Becerra
Castor
Clarke
Clay
Conyers
Davis (IL)
DeGette
Dingell
Ellison
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Honda
Johnson, E. B.
Kucinich
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McDermott
Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Richardson
Schakowsky
Slaughter
Stark
Thompson (MS)
Waters
Watson
Woolsey
Wynn