UPDATE: House Passes Appropriations Bill with Severe Cuts to Housing Programs

Bill Contains Severe Cuts to Essential Housing Programs

UPDATE

On June 9, the House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 2577, their FY16 appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The final vote was 216 to 210 with opposition from both sides of the aisle. This bill redirects all funding dedicated to the National Housing Trust Fund, deeply cuts HOME and the Public Housing Capital Fund, and fails to renew all Housing Choice Vouchers. For a full description of how H.R. 2577 cuts housing programs, see the Memo to Members article from May 18 at http://bit.ly/1JN0eld.

Only three Democrats voted for H.R. 2577: Representatives Brad Ashford (NE), Henry Cuellar (TX), and Gwen Graham (FL). Six Democrats were absent for the vote: Alma Adams (NC), Xavier Becerra (CA), Tony Cárdenas (CA), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Peter DeFazio (OR), and Carolyn Maloney (NY).

Thirty-one Republicans voted in opposition, including both moderates and more conservative members. Some of the more conservative Representatives to oppose H.R. 2577 likely did so because they were concerned about too much investment in infrastructure within the bill. One Republican was absent for the vote: Stephen Fincher (TN). The 31 Republicans who voted against the bill were: Justin Amash (MI), Mo Brooks (AL), Ken Buck (CO), Earl Carter (GA), Barbara Comstock (VA), Ryan Costello (PA), Robert Dold (IL), Dan Donovan (NY), Michael Fitzpatrick (PA), Trent Franks (AZ), Chris Gibson (NY), Louie Gohmert (TX), Paul Gosar (AZ), Jody Hice (GA), Tim Huelskamp (KS), Walter Jones (NC), John Katko (NY), Peter King (NY), Doug Lamborn (CO), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Thomas Massie (KY), Tom McClintock (CA), Martha McSally (AZ), Patrick Meehan (PA), Joe Pitts (PA), Bill Posey (FL), John Ratcliffe (TX), Dana Rohrabacher (CA), Mark Sanford (SC), Jim Sensenbrenner (WI), and Christopher Smith (NJ).

AMENDMENTS PASSED ON TUESDAY

Here is a report on some key amendments to H.R. 2577 that were considered on June 9 and the Representatives who cast votes that crossed party lines.

Representative Paul Gosar (AZ) Amendment - Prohibits funds from being used by HUD to implement, enforce, or administer their proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule or Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Assessment Tool. – ADOPTED 229 – 193 

Democrats voting for: None

Republicans voting against: Mark Amodei (NV), Carlos Curbelo (FL), Rodney Davis (IL), Robert Dold (IL), Frank LoBiondo (NJ), Mark Meadows (NC), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Jim Sensenbrenner (WI), Glenn Thompson (PA), Fred Upton (MI), and Don Young (AK)

Representative Ted Yoho (FL) Amendment - Prohibits funds from being used by HUD to benefit undocumented noncitizens. – ADOPTED 244 – 181 

Democrats voting for: Henry Cuellar (TX), Daniel Lipinski (IL), Sean Maloney (NY), and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ)

Republicans voting against: Jeff Denham (CA), Robert Dold (IL), and Dave Reichert (WA)

Representative Garrett (NJ) Amendment - Prohibits funds from being used by HUD to implement or enforce the disparate impact standard of the Fair Housing Act. – ADOPTED 231 – 195

Democrats voting for: None

Republicans voting against: Charles Boustany, Jr. (LA), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Robert Dold (IL), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ), Chris Gibson (NY), Kay Granger (TX), John Katko (NY), David McKinley (WV), Scott Rigell (VA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Elise Stefanik (NY), Michael R. Turner (OH), and Fred Upton (MI)

TAKE ACTION

Advocates should call or email Representatives who opposed H.R. 2577 to thank them for standing up for housing programs. Please also contact your Representative if he or she supported the bill, and offer to provide additional information about the importance of affordable housing programs in your community.

View NLIHC’s budget chart at http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/FY16HUD-USDA_Budget-Chart_061115.pdf.  

CONTACT US

If you have questions or would like to provide updates about contact with your Members of Congress, please contact our Field Team at [email protected].

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT