Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Thank you, Chairman Womack, and thank you to Ranking Member Clyburn, Ranking Member DeLauro, and to all our members. 

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development measure before the subcommittee today responsibly funds our most critical transportation and housing needs while demonstrating fiscal responsibility. 

This measure ensures that our airways, railways and roads are safe and improves reliability for the traveling public and freight haulers. Substantial funding allocated for highways through the Highway Trust Fund also delivers a meaningful increase that strengthens our core infrastructure.

Thank you, Chairman Cole, for your remarks on this bill and for your leadership. This Committee is fulfilling its constitutional duty thanks to your dedication.

And thank you, Ranking Member DeLauro, for your leadership on this committee. I trust that the day is not far off when we will work together to negotiate these bills in good faith with the Senate and the White House so that we avoid a catastrophic shutdown or long-term CR. 

Ranking Member Clyburn, thank you for your honest and thoughtful engagement on the subcommittee, and for your friendship.  

I would like to thank the subcommittee staff for their work on this bill. Doug Disrud, Avery Pierson, Andrew Giacini, Nathan Silverstein, and Sofie Myers with the majority; and Christina Monroe, Jackie Kilroy, and Nora Faye with the minority. 

Thank you, Chairman Womack, Ranking Members Clyburn and DeLauro, and subcommittee members.

Today’s Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development measure is about building stronger, traveling safer, and supporting American communities.

This bill responsibly and effectively funds critical transportation and housing needs while safeguarding taxpayer dollars.

With targeted investments in surface infrastructure and a meaningful increase to Highway Trust Fund programs, everyone from the traveling public to freight haulers will benefit from more reliable systems and safer travel.

Enhanced resources for FAA facilities and equipment will modernize air traffic control, hire needed controllers, and accelerate the deployment of new technologies. The bill also advances innovation in aircraft certification, drone integration, and automated vehicle development.

The Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies will come to order.

Welcome to the subcommittee markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Welcome Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and Ranking Member Clyburn.

The bill we are considering today meets our Nation’s most critical transportation and housing needs while reducing excessive spending and regulatory burdens.

The discretionary allocation in the bill is $89.9 billion, $4.5 billion below the Fiscal Year 2025 level. This is a 5% reduction in spending, while cutting even deeper to accommodate $3.7 billion in member projects. When accounting for $1.5 billion in fewer housing receipts, actual spending is $6 billion below FY25.

We have carefully allocated resources to the most critical missions at DOT and HUD while implementing significant reforms.

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.