Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2010

TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010 -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 27, 2009)

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Transportation-HUD Appropriations Act of 2010. This bipartisan bill appropriates a total of $123.1 billion to fund the transportation, infrastructure, housing assistance and development and transportation security priorities of the American people. The bill includes urgently needed federal funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for which the entire Washington area delegation has long advocated.

WMATA plays a major role in supporting the federal government. By some accounts, as many as 50 percent of peak hour riders are federal employees or contractors. Last year, Congress authorized $1.5 billion in dedicated Federal funding over 10 years for capital improvements and preventive maintenance. The legislation required the local jurisdictions to amend the WMATA compact to commit to providing matching funding, create an office of Inspector General, and enable the appointment of Federal representation on the WMATA Board. In late June, the delegation introduced companion resolutions to ratify the compact amendments.

The tragic derailment on June 22nd highlighted the importance of securing a stable and dedicated funding source for Metro modernization efforts. This bill makes the first installment of Congress' 10-year $1.5 billion commitment by providing $150 million in new funding for grants to WMATA for the DC Metro to address safety deficiencies and to help maintain and expand the capital's subway system. This $150 million will help WMATA make urgent safety improvements and I thank Chairman Olver for his attention to this critical need.

The bill also includes $4 billion for high-speed passenger rail projects, $10.5 billion for mass transit, $41.1 billion for highways, and $47 billion for the Housing and Urban Development Department.

HUD oversees the administration of many of the nation's housing assistance programs including many important community-development programs like the Community Development Block Grants program which will receive $4.2 billion under the bill. The bill also provides $151 million for grants under the Economic Development Initiative to finance targeted economic investments, and $18 million for the Neighborhood Initiative Program to improve blighted or distressed areas in our neighborhoods.

The bill appropriates $1.9 billion for HUD homeless-assistance programs and $8.7 billion for the Section 8 program. This program is used by local housing authorities to provide rental subsidies to landlords who rent to low-income families.

Additionally, as more Americans turn to public transit, the bill invests $10.48 billion in the Federal Transit Administration, including $1.83 billion for new construction and $8.34 billion for formula grants to improve existing systems.

This bill makes critical transportation investments that will put Americans to work while also helping repair crumbling highways and bridges, improve public transit, and modernize air travel. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the bill.

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