Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 3.djvu/815

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PUBLIC LAW 105-276—OCT. 21, 1998 112 STAT. 2645 (B) by striking "(16)" and inserting "(17)"; (6) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (15) as paragraphs (12) through (16), respectively; and (7) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraph: "(11) describe the manner in which the plan of the jurisdiction will help address the needs of public housing;". SEC. 584. USE OF AMERICAN PRODUCTS. 42 USC 1437 (a) PURCHASE OF AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT AND PROD- UCTS. —It is the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American made. (b) NOTICE REQUIREMENT.—In providing financial assistance to, or entering into any contract with, any entity using funds made available in this Act, the head of each Federal agency, to the greatest extent practicable, shall provide to such entity a notice describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the Congress. (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— This section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 585. GAO STUDY ON HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COSTS. 42 USC 1437 (a) STUDY.— The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study that provides an objective and independent accounting and analysis of the full cost to the Federal Government, public housing agencies, State and local governments, and other entities, per assisted household, of the Federal assisted housing programs, taking into account the qualitative differences among Federal assisted housing programs in accordance with applicable standards of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (b) CONTENTS. — The study under this section shall— (1) analyze the full cost to the Federal Government, public housing agencies, State and local governments, and other parties, per assisted household, of the Federal assisted housing programs, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and shall conduct the analysis on a nationwide and regional basis and in a manner such that accurate per unit cost comparisons may be made between Federal assisted housing programs, including grants, direct subsidies, tax concessions. Federal mortgage insurance liability, periodic renovation and rehabilitation, and modernization costs, demolition costs, and other ancillary costs such as security; and (2) measure and evaluate qualitative differences among Federal assisted housing programs in accordance with applicable standards of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (c) PROHIBITION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.— In conducting the study under this section and reporting under subsection (e), the Comptroller General may not make any recommendations regarding Federal housing policy. (d) FEDERAL ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAMS.—For purposes of this section, the term "Federal assisted housing programs" means— (1) the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937, except that the study under this section shall differentiate between and compare the development and construction of new public housing and the assistance of existing public housing structures;