The U.S. House of Representatives voted on February 8 to enact another continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the federal government through March 11 and buy lawmakers extra time to enact an already overdue federal spending package for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The Senate is expected to pass the measure early this week, before the current CR expires on February 18. (CRs extend funding for federal programs at the level enacted the previous fiscal year.) Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL), House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX) announced on February 9 they had reached a bipartisan agreement on a “framework” for the FY22 appropriations bill. Details of the agreement have yet to be released, but topline funding in the framework will likely reflect the demand of Republicans for parity – that is, roughly equal funding increases for defense and non-defense programs.
Congressional appropriators have been locked in a stalemate over topline funding for FY22, with Democrats pushing for significant increases in social spending programs and Republicans insisting such spending receive no more funding than defense spending. Some Senate Republicans have also been pushing for a full-year CR, which would extend FY21 funding levels for the entirety of FY22. Yet a full-year CR would have disastrous consequences for affordable housing and community development programs. Because the costs of housing and development rise every year, funding must be increased every year to maintain the current level of services and the current number of households being served. Fortunately, the framework agreement suggests the threat of a full-year CR is diminishing.
The FY22 spending bill presents Congress with an opportunity to move the nation towards universal, stable, and affordable homes for all by making significant investments in affordable housing, including by expanding the Housing Choice Vouchers program to an additional 125,000 households with low incomes. The House spending bill would provide HUD programs with almost $7 billion more than was provided in fiscal year 2021 and guarantee significant funding increases for nearly all HUD programs, including an expansion of rental assistance through the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program to an additional 125,000 households. The Senate proposal, however, would provide HUD with over $1 billion less than the House proposal and would not include any major expansion of rental assistance.
Take Action!
Advocates should continue to urge members of Congress to enact a final spending bill that provides the most possible funding for affordable housing and community development programs and that includes the House proposal to expand rental assistance to an additional 125,000 households.
Contact your members of Congress today and urge them to enact an FY22 spending bill that contains the major expansion of housing vouchers included in the House bill.