Hearing of the House Appropriations Committee - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

Hearing

Mr. Chairman, thank you for yielding. I want to congratulate you and Ranking Member Price, as
well as staff on both sides, for bringing forward the Fiscal Year 2016 appropriations bill for the
Departments of Transportation and Housing & Urban Development.

Funded at $55.27 billion, this bill supports key programs that will help ensure our airways and
highways remain accessible and safe, and our Nation's most vulnerable citizens have access to
affordable housing options. I'm proud this legislation strikes an appropriate balance by
prioritizing programs that provide critical services to the American public while taking a
targeted, thoughtful approach to reducing nonessential or inefficient programs.

We are all keenly aware of the important role transportation plays in our country's economy.

Once again, the Highway Trust Fund is expected to run into the red this summer, but I am
hopeful that a solution can be devised by our colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee. In the meantime, this bill ensures that surface program funding levels are consistent
with the authorized MAP-21 levels so that state and local agencies can plan their work, and work
their plan. I'm also pleased that this bill includes robust funding for the Federal Aviation
Administration to ensure that our airways are safe and to help increase efficiency and timeliness
for all air travelers. To this end, FAA Capital Programs funding is targeted to NextGen programs
promising the most immediate benefit.

The legislation provides ample support for initiatives that help provide access to affordable
housing and counseling services for those who need it most. The bill includes $19.91 billion in
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, which funds housing vouchers for low-income families, to
ensure that all families that are currently served by the program will continue to be served. For
Project Based Rental Assistance, the bill allocates $10.654 billion, which will pay for a full 12
months of contract liability. Finally, the bill fully funds all elderly and disabled contract renewals
to ensure that we maintain our commitment to our most vulnerable citizens.

We also support critical programs aimed at community planning and development. The bill
provides $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program that is utilized by
communities across the country to meet their unique community development needs. The Selfhelp
Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and the Section 4 Capacity Building
program are provided with $50 million in this bill. In my rural district, the so-called SHOP
program has allowed numerous low-income families to become homeowners by contributing
their own "sweat equity." In addition, the HOME Investment Partnership program is provided
with $900 million in this bill. This important investment offers communities the ability to design
and implement strategies tailored to their own needs and priorities. Many States and localities
often partner with nonprofit groups to help build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing.

I thank the two of you -- both new at the helm of this subcommittee -- for your work and your
partnership, and I support this legislation. I urge the subcommittee to promptly report this bill to
the full Committee. Thank you, and I yield back.

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