If upon the petition of any housing authority created under the laws of this Commonwealth and after a hearing, the county board finds that a tenant of a housing project of the housing authority who is a recipient of public assistance owes the authority rent, in an amount equal to or greater than three monthly rental payments, then the board shall notify the department to deduct an amount equal to one and one-third monthly rental payments from each monthly assistance payment and pay the amounts deducted to the housing authority until such time as all the rent owed is paid. The department shall make the deductions required by this section to the fullest extent not inconsistent with Federal statute or regulation and shall make every effort to obtain a waiver of any inconsistent Federal requirement. If the provisions of this section are held to be invalid by the court, then the remaining provisions of this act shall not be affected and shall be given the full force and effect of law.