On July 2, the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) Campaign sent a letter to Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI), Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) to thank them for protecting the NHTF in the Senate THUD FY16 spending bill. Unlike the House proposal, the Senate bill does not have provisions to direct all NHTF resources into the HOME program in FY16 nor to prohibit funding from any source for the NHTF.
The letter also urges Congress to work to reverse the sequester caps for discretionary spending that have severely restricted appropriators’ ability to advance bills that adequately fund federal programs.
NLIHC President and CEO Sheila Crowley states, “We are mindful of the fact that the Subcommittee was under severe constraints, which unfortunately is inherent in all appropriations work since the enactment of the Budget Control Act (BCA) and the advent of sequestration. We urge Congress to reverse the sequestration cuts put in place by the BCA and enact legislation similar to the FY14 and FY15 Murray-Ryan Bipartisan Budget Act. If such legislation is passed, we look forward to working with you in the coming months to ensure HUD programs have the funds they need to continue to serve some of the poorest and most vulnerable families in the nation.”
The letter is at http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/NLIHC_Thank-You-Letter_NHTF-THUD-Appropriations_070215.pdf