Van Hollen Statement on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
Washington,
Jun 29, 2012 -
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill funds some of our nation’s most critical priorities – vital infrastructure that provides important foundations for our communities and our economy and create millions of jobs here at home, as well as important support for affordable housing.
These are precisely the investments that we should be making to spur economic recovery and repair and build roads, bridges, and transit systems. Unfortunately, because of the House Majority’s decision to ignore the Budget Control Act of last summer and further reduce allocations, this bill represents a nearly $4 billion cut from last year’s funding level. Therefore, the bill shortchanges programs like Capital Investment Grants for subway and commuter rail systems, and totally eliminates TIGER grants, a highly in-demand program to fund national infrastructure priorities, and Sustainable Communities, which helps federal agencies coordinate investments and make strategic decisions to maximize the benefits to our economy.
I appreciate that this bill tries to make the best of a bad situation, protecting several important transportation, housing, and community programs. I am particularly pleased that the bill includes the full $150 million in dedicated federal funds for WMATA, which will be matched by local jurisdictions and help make safety improvements to our nation’s subway, and I thank the House for voting in a bipartisan manner to defeat an amendment that would have stripped these vital funds.
I also am pleased that this bill increases funding for Community Development Block Grants, housing for Veterans, the HOME program, and Housing Counseling Assistance, and makes needed investments to bring Amtrak to a state of good repair.
However, we can and should do better. Just last August, we had a bipartisan agreement setting appropriate spending levels for the year – levels that already represented a cut in these vital programs. By reneging on that deal and slashing funding even further, House Republicans have chosen to shortchange vital national priorities, including those infrastructure investments that can put Americans back to work. This is the wrong decision, and I cannot support this bill.
Congressman Chris Van Hollen
