Womack Remarks at Budget Hearing on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Today, I welcome the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Honorable Scott Turner. Mr. Secretary, thank you for being here to discuss HUD’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request. I also want to thank you for your visit to Northwest Arkansas in April. It was great to have you on-the-ground to see the impact of HUD programs in my district.
It is this Committee’s responsibility to complete our work on time. I believe we can achieve this goal, and I am pleased that, under Chairman Cole’s leadership, we have already begun marking up our 12 appropriations bills for FY26.
At the same time, it is our expectation that the Departments under our jurisdiction spend the funds consistently with the way we appropriate them. We appreciate your partnership as you continue to fully implement the funds Congress made available to HUD for FY25.
HUD’s request for new budget authority in FY26 is $33.2 billion, a $35.5 billion decrease from the FY25 enacted level. HUD also uses mortgage guarantee fees from the Federal Housing Administration and Government National Mortgage Association to offset its spending.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates $6.9 billion in offsetting receipts for FY26. This is about $1.5 billion less in receipts from FY25. Regardless of what the Administration sent over in its budget request, the CBO score is what we must live with, which means we are in an even deeper hole than the President’s Budget suggests.
To state the obvious: this is a significant reduction in discretionary budget authority for the Department.
Mr. Secretary, as you heard in April, many Arkansans in my district are struggling to afford the rising cost of housing. Of course, this is not unique to Northwest Arkansas. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found that 31% of American households were cost burdened due to rising housing costs in 2023, including 27% of households with a mortgage and 50% of households that rent.
This is why HUD’s impact is felt in every district. Through its rental assistance programs, HUD ensures that the poor, veterans, the elderly, and those with disabilities can live with dignity. It provides economic development dollars for local governments. It helps fight home-based hazards and provides a hand-up for communities recovering from disasters.
Because of your Department’s important mission, Secretary Turner, I am deeply concerned about the deep cuts the Administration’s budget makes to HUD. These proposed cuts would radically affect HUD’s mission and operations.
I am interested in hearing how a $26.7 billion reduction to HUD’s rental assistance programs will help HUD serve our Nation’s most vulnerable. Your proposal is light on details on how the formula for your proposed “State Rental Assistance Program” will ultimately work.
I am also curious how HUD will support community development in low- and moderate-income communities when some of its most important and popular programs—like Community Development Block Grants—have been zeroed out.
These programmatic changes need to go through the authorizing committees, particularly the proposals to block grant assistance to the states and the dramatic changes to how we combat homelessness in America. These ambitious proposals require an “all-in” effort. I welcome ongoing dialogue with our authorizing colleagues.
HUD’s programs should work better for the American people. You and I have discussed how there is fat to cut at HUD. But if we cut too deep and too fast, HUD’s programs will not serve the communities you and I want to help.
I look forward to learning about your goals for HUD for this upcoming fiscal year and beyond. This subcommittee stands ready to work with you to better serve all Americans as we write this year’s THUD bill.
I now recognize our Ranking Member, the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Clyburn, for his opening statement.
