White House Takes Stand Against Rural Housing Bill

The White House issued a Statement on Administration Policy (SAP) on June 25 in opposition to H.R. 2410, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2014. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cites “harmful cuts in rural economic development” as one of the numerous reasons that the President’s “senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”While the bill would attempt to meet the President’s funding request for the Section 521 Rural Rental Assistance Program, other Rural Housing Service programs would be underfunded in H.R. 2410. The Administration also criticizes Congress for not appointing conferees to agree on a budget resolution for FY14. Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) has urged her Republican counterparts to agree to conference the House and Senate Resolutions. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has reportedly identified Democratic members to participate in a conference when it is scheduled. “Prior to consideration of appropriations bills the Congress should complete an appropriate framework for all the appropriations bills that supports our recovery and enables sufficient investments…for our economy to compete in the future,” writes OMB in the SAP. View the SAP: http://1.usa.gov/11Ll5wX