Over Congress’ summer recess, U.S. Representatives submitted nearly one hundred amendments to the FY-2018 Transportation-HUD appropriations legislation (HR 3354). Before the amendments can be considered by the House Appropriations Committee they must first be approved “in order” by the House Rules Committee.  On September 5, the Rules Committee approved “in order” several amendments of interest to the affordable housing community. Highlights include:

  • Dan Kildee, D-Mich., that would increase by $100 million funding for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, offset by a reduction of $100 million to Federal Aviation Administration operations, Air Traffic Organization.
  • Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would increase funding by $35 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America), offset by reductions of $47 million to the executive offices of the Housing and Urban Development Department, including $4 million to the Office of the Chief Operations Officer; $8 million to the Office of the General Counsel; $33 million to the Office of Administration; $2 million to the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer; and $475,000 to the Office of Strategic Planning and Management.
  • Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., that would decrease by $177 million funding for Public and Indian Housing Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program, excluding veterans, elderly and the disabled. The funds would go to the Spending Reduction Account.
  • Nydia M. Velazquez, D-N.Y., Jose E. Serrano, D-N.Y., and three other Democratic members, that would increase by $2 million funding for the Housing and Urban Development Department’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund, offset by a reduction of $2 million to HUD’s Information Technology Fund.
  • Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., that would increase funding by $10 million for the Community Development Block Grants, offset by a reduction of $10 million to the public housing operating fund.
  • Steve Knight, R-Calif., that would increase by $100 million funding for the Community Development Fund, offset by a reduction of $100 million to the Transportation Department’s Information Technology Fund.
  • Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., that would increase by $5 million funding for Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing program, offset by a reduction of  $5 million to administrative contract expenses of the Federal Housing Administration.
  • Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., that would decrease by $266 million funding for the Project-Based Rental Assistance Housing Program.  The funds would go to the Spending Reduction Account.
  • Soto, that would increase funding by $2.5 million for housing for the elderly, offset by a reduction of $2.5 million to Policy Development and Research, Research and Technology.
  • Steve King, R-Iowa, Perry and one other Republican member, that would prohibit funds from being used to implement, administer or enforce the prevailing wage requirements known as the Davis-Bacon Act.
  • Grothman, that would reduce funding for the Housing and Urban Development Department by 2%.