|
Washington
–
The
Senate
has
overwhelmingly
passed
the
Housing
Opportunity
Through
Modernization
Act
(HOTMA),
a
bill
introduced
by
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC),
Robert
Menendez
(D-NJ) and
colleagues
that
focuses
on
instituting
federal
reforms
that
will
improve
families’
access
to
high-opportunity
areas
and
quality
of
life
while
cutting
overall
program
costs.
Senator
Scott
said
that
it
was
a
privilege
to
be
a
part
of
this
initiative,
which
also
works to
combat
homelessness
and
help
our
nation’s
veterans,
and
that
it
will
benefit the
communities
which
need
it
most.
“Americans
want
action,
they
want
to
see
their
elected
officials
working
on
programs
and
reforms
that
will
improve
their
neighborhoods and lead
towards
a
future
filled
with
opportunity,”
Sen.
Scott
said.
“Our
bill
transcends
party
lines,
and
is
a
perfect
demonstration
of
the
good
that
can
happen
when
we
put
our
political
views
aside
and
we
focus
on
a
common
goal.”
The
bill’s
specific
details
include
expanding
access
to
higher
opportunity
areas
by
allowing
recipients
to
use
housing
vouchers
to
move
to
areas
with
less
poverty
and
less
crime.
It
will
also
minimize
homelessness
by
creating
more
vacancies
in
“project-based”
housing,
and
will
strengthen
work
incentives
by
delaying
rent
increases
for
tenants
who
start
employment
or
whose
earnings
rise
because
they
get
better
paying
jobs.
In
the
Senate,
this
legislation
was
a
bipartisan
effort
between
Senators
Tim
Scott
(R-SC),
Robert
Menendez
(D-NJ),
Chris
Coons
(D-DE), and Roy
Blunt
(R-MO).
It
is
now
headed
to
the
President’s
desk
to
be
signed
into
law.
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