House Votes on HUD Amendments to FY18 Omnibus, Final Vote on Spending Package This Week

The House began debate of its FY18 omnibus spending package, which includes funding for affordable housing and community development investments at HUD and USDA, on September 6. Members worked through hundreds of amendments and plan to vote on passing the final package later this week. The House voted on several amendments to the spending bill that directly impact affordable housing and community development programs.

Because of very low spending limits set by Republican leaders, House appropriators were not able to provide the funding needed to maintain FY17 HUD program levels and to ensure that every household currently receiving housing assistance can remain in their homes.

While the House HUD spending bill does not propose funding cuts as deep as President Donald Trump’s budget request, it would significantly cut funding for critical affordable housing programs that provide lifelines for extremely low income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. NLIHC and others estimate that the bill would eliminate more than 140,000 housing vouchers that families are expected to use next year. Without housing assistance, families are at immediate risk of eviction and, in worst cases, homelessness.

For more details, see NLIHC’s updated budget chart and analysis of the bill.

Adopted Amendments

  • An amendment from Representative Steve Stivers (R-OH) to shift Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) funding designated for private nonprofit organizations toward state and local governments. Currently, nonprofits use FHIP funds to help enforce federal fair housing laws, and these organizations address 70% of all housing discrimination complaints nationwide. State and local agencies may participate in the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP). The amendment, which NLIHC opposed, was adopted by a voice vote.
  • An en bloc voting package, passed by a voice vote, that included:
    • An amendment offered by Representative Darren Soto (D-FL) to increase funding for the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly program by $2.5 million. The increase is offset by a $2.5 million reduction to HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research.
    • An amendment from Representatives Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), José Serrano (D-NY), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and Grace Meng (D-NY) to increase the public housing capital fund by $2 million. The funds would be offset by a $2 million reduction to HUD’s Information Technology (IT) Fund.
    • An amendment from Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) that would shift $10 million in funding from the public housing operating fund to CDBG. NLIHC opposed this amendment.
    • An amendment from Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) to increase funding for HOPWA by $19 million. The increase is offset by a $19 million reduction to HUD’s IT Fund.
    • An amendment from Representative Steve Knight (R-CA) to increase funding for CDBG by $100 million. The increase is offset by a $100 million reduction to HUD’s IT Fund.
    • An amendment from Representative Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) to increase funding for the Section 4 Capacity Building program by $5 million. The increase is offset by a $5 million reduction to funds initially set aside for FHA administrative contract expenses.
  • An amendment from Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT) and John Larson (D-CT) to provide CDBG funds to examine the application of grant funds to mitigate and remediate the effects of residential damage caused by defective concrete.
  • A sanctuary cities amendment from Representative Jason Smith (R-MO) that prohibits HUD funds from being used for a state or local government entity or official if that state, entity, or official prohibits, or in any way restricts, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 225-195.

Rejected Amendments

  • Three amendments offered by Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI) were rejected by a recorded vote. NLIHC opposed all three amendments as they would have substantially decreased funding for HUD programs.  
    • The first would have decreased funding for tenant-based rental assistance by more than $177 million. The amendment failed by a vote of 124-295.
    • The second amendment would have decreased funding for project-based rental assistance by $266 million. The amendment failed by a vote of 139-282.
    • The third would have reduced overall funding for HUD by 2%. The amendment failed by a vote of 140-280.
  • An amendment from Representative Jacky Rosen (D-NV) to increase funding for NeighborWorks America by $35 million, offset by reducing various other HUD accounts. The amendment failed by a vote of 200-220.
  • An amendment offered by Representatives Steve King (R-IA), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) that would have prohibited HUD funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce the Davis-Bacon Act and its prevailing wage requirements. The amendment failed by a vote of 180-241.

Withdrawn Amendments

  • Representative Dan Kildee (D-MI) withdrew an amendment that would have increased funding for the HOME program by $100 million and offset the increase by reducing FAA Operations/Air Traffic Control by the same amount. NLIHC supported this amendment when the House Rules Committee initially approved it for House floor debate.
  • Before the House Rules Committee began considering what amendments would be debated on the House floor, Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) withdrew a harmful amendment that would have prohibited HUD from implementing its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and making available its AFFH assessment tool, which provide states and local communities with the guidance and resources they need to better fulfill their decades-old legal obligation to promote housing choice.

Read the text of the amendments at: http://bit.ly/2gcuXCZ