Yesterday, the House passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2015 a bill that I voted against. I have serious concerns about the continued assault on programs that serve the most vulnerable among us. There has been a disturbing trend of underinvestment in programs and in our nation’s critical infrastructure.

Specifically, the bill included substantial cuts in:

•             TIGER grants

•             Low income housing

•             Public housing

•             Fair housing initiatives

Instead of focusing on making drastic cuts, we should be making the investments in our communities that give us significant returns. Funding transportation and housing initiatives has a positive cost-benefit ratio for our nation, providing a substantial financial gain over the long term. Cutting these programs is short-sighted policy that ends up harming our economic development because it limits the amount of people who can buy into the system.

The House Majority has continued to demonstrate a short-term approach to governing that chooses to abandon critical public needs like housing and infrastructure. I disagree with this approach. We are in this together as Americans and we must not accept policy that leaves people behind. I will continue to be a strong voice in the fight for policy that works for everyone.