Committee Approves FY24 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill

WASHINGTON – Today, the Full Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2024 bill for the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 34 to 27.

 

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill provides a discretionary total of $90.243 billion, which is $8.633 billion (8.7%) below the President’s Budget Request. While the Subcommittee’s spending level is $2.91 billion above the Fiscal Year 2023 allocation, $7.6 billion in new funding is required to offset plummeting housing receipts, $3.6 billion is required to unravel the emergency spending Democrats used to pay for FY23 housing inflation, and another $1.8 billion is required to ensure eligible recipients of housing assistance do not lose their assistance due to inflation. In order to address these shortfalls and fund Republican priorities, the bill eliminates several programs and makes deep cuts to others, especially those that received large amounts in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
 
The Subcommittee’s total allocation—the real cost to the taxpayer—is $65.208 billion, with $25.035 billion offset through preventing the Democrats’ wasteful spending on IRS enforcement. This is 25% below the FY23 enacted level and 34% below the President’s Budget Request. The bill provides a non-defense discretionary total of $89.855 billion and a defense discretionary total of $388 million. This bill prioritizes highway, railway, and aviation safety while maintaining housing assistance for our nation’s most vulnerable.
 
Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill

• Reins in wasteful Washington spending and bureaucracy by:
  • Reducing funding by $8.35 billion across 19 grant programs:
    • Reduces funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT) grant programs by $6.616 billion, which is 59% below the FY23 enacted level.
    • Reduces funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant programs by $1.733 billion, which is 28% below the FY23 enacted level.
  • Rightsizing transportation infrastructure spending post-IIJA; and
  • Providing $4.619 billion to DOT discretionary grant programs, which is $6.616 billion (59%) below the FY23 enacted level. These amounts are exclusive of Community Project Funding.

• Prioritizes our nation’s transportation systems safety programs by:
  • Responsibly funding safety-related agencies and missions within the Modal Operating Administrations of the DOT.

• Maintains housing assistance for vulnerable Americans, including the elderly, disabled, and veterans by:
  • Providing full renewal for all currently-leased, tenant-based rental assistance vouchers, all project-based rental assistance contracts, and all housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities contracts; and
  • Providing full funding for homeless assistance grant programs.

 
A summary of the bill is available here.
 
During the markup, Committee Republicans rejected amendments offered by the Democrats that would have:

• Implemented unnecessary, burdensome housing requirements;
• Allowed funding for wasteful climate initiatives;
• Prohibited DOT speed limiter regulations on commercial motor vehicles;
• Provided funding for the failed California High Speed Rail project;
• Prohibited funding from implementing certain tolling projects in New York;
• Added onerous requirements to the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP);
• Promoted or advanced Critical Race Theory; and
• Funded unnecessary and polarizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

 
In addition, Republicans adopted the following amendments: 

• Cole (Manager’s Amendment) – makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote. 
• Cole (En Bloc) – prohibits the collection of certain tolls in Oregon, allows only approved flags to be flown over federal facilities, protects Americans against religious discrimination, reduces DOT Secretary’s reception and representation funds, strikes certain Community Project Funding projects, and reiterates funds cannot contravene section 642 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 32 to 26. 
• Reschenthaler – prohibits tolls on certain Pennsylvania federal highways and bridges.
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 32 to 28. 
• Clyde – prohibits federal funds for local jurisdictions that refuse to comply with a request from the Department of Homeland Security to provide advance notice of the scheduled release date and time of illegal aliens in local custody.
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 33 to 26. 

 
Chairwoman Kay Granger’s opening remarks are available here.
Subcommittee Chairman Cole’s opening remarks are available here.
 
Bill text, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.
A table of included Community Project Funding requests, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.

 
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