Lazio and Kennedy are central figures in the House of Representatives in the debate over public housing reform. Lazio, a third term Republican from Long Island, is sponsor of H.R. 2, the House’s housing reform legislation. Since becoming chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity after the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress, Lazio has led efforts in that chamber to reform public and assisted housing programs. In addition to H.R. 2, Lazio is sponsor of a bill to consolidate and block grant federal homeless assistance programs and has been active in the reform of Section 8 multifamily housing.

His opponent in some of the committee and floor debates on housing reform has been the ranking minority member of the housing subcommittee, Representative Joseph Kennedy. As the ranking Democrat on the housing subcommittee, he has raised concerns on H.R. 2. During House floor action on the legislation, Kennedy offered a Democrat-supported housing reform bill as an alternative to the Lazio bill. He also offered an amendment to remove the Home Rule provision from the legislation. Both measures were voted down.

Kennedy, the eldest son of former Senator and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy was elected to his sixth term in 1996. His district represents part of Boston and its suburbs.

The legislators headline an agenda that includes a comprehensive overview of the pending housing bills and important HUD regulations. Refer to the PHADA Meetings room at http://www.phada.org/meeting.html for more on the conference.

PHADA Advocate (vol. 12, number 14, 8/4/97)