Yesterday, the full Senate Appropriations Committee approved its Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Appropriations subcommittee’s FY19 appropriations bill. The legislation provides $71.4 billion in discretionary spending for the U.S. Departments of Transportation (USDOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other related agencies through the end of September 2019 and is $1.1 billion above FY18 enacted levels.
At a glance, the Senate bill:
- Allocates $400 million less in total discretionary spending to HUD and USDOT than the House THUD Appropriations bill approved last month ($71.8 billion). However, this is still over $1 billion more than FY18 enacted appropriations.
- Provides $900 million more for USDOT and $1.2 billion less for HUD than the House legislation. However, it provides $2.9 billion more for USDOT and $1.8 billion more for HUD than FY18 enacted levels.
- Maintains funding for key housing, community planning and development, transit, and infrastructure programs—including BUILD (formerly TIGER), Capital Investment Grants, Community Development Block Grants, and the HOME program.
The Senate’s THUD bill suggests a bright future for our nation’s housing, transportation, infrastructure, and community development programs. Thanks to the tireless efforts of LOCUS members, allies, and key Congressional champions, we have been able to protect at-risk funding streams and continue securing increased HUD and USDOT funding in the next fiscal.
As the appropriations process heads to conference, LOCUS will continue working to ensure that the final legislation supports, expands, and creates long-term, innovative programs and incentives that build economically and socially vibrant neighborhoods and communities.
For a side-by-side allocations analysis of the House and Senate THUD FY19 appropriations bills, see the chart below. Green text indicates at or above FY18 enacted levels.
Read Transportation for America’s official statement in response to and top-line analysis of the Senate THUD legislation here.
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| Housing and Urban Development Appropriations | |||
| Discretionary Programs | FY18 Enacted | FY19 House | FY19 Senate |
| (Total) | $42.7 billion | $43.6 billion | $44.5 billion |
| Tenant and Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers | $33.5 billion | $18.5 billion | $34.5 billion |
| Public housing | $7.5 billion | $7.3 billion | $7.5 billion |
| Housing for the Elderly | $678 million | $632 million | $678 million |
| Housing for Persons with Disabilities | $154 million | $154 million | $154 million |
| Community Development Block Grant formula program | $3.3 billion | $3.3 billion | $3.3 billion |
| Homeless Assistance Grants | $2.5 billion | $3 billion | $2.6 billion |
| HOME program | $1.4 billion | $1.2 billion | $1.4 billion |
| Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program | $375 million | $393 million | $375 million |
| HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers | $40 million | $100 million | $40 million |
| Family unification vouchers | $20 million | Not available | $20 million |
| Preventing Lead Hazards | $230 million | $230 million | $260 million |
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Transportation |
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| Discretionary Programs | FY18 Enacted | FY19 House | FY19 Senate |
| (Total) | $23.7 billion | $27.8 billion | $26.6 billion |
| BUILD (formerly known as TIGER) | $1.5 billion | $750 million | $1 billion |
| Federal Railroad Administration | $3.1 billion | $3.2 billion | $2.8 billion |
| Federal Transit Administration | $13.5 billion | $13.6 billion | $13.5 billion |
| Capital Investment Grants | $2.6 billion | $2.6 billion | $2.6 billion |
| Transit Infrastructure Grants | $766 million | $800 million | $800 million |
| Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) | $593 million | $300 million | $255 million |
Up next, Congressional lawmakers will reconcile the differences between the two existing versions of the THUD appropriations legislation in conference. Follow this blog for real-time legislative updates and stay tuned for a sign-on letter outlining key principles for members of Congress to address in the final version of the appropriations bill.
Photo Credit: woodleywonderwork via Flickr