The House Budget Committee voted on Saturday, September 25 along party lines to advance the “Build Back Better Act,” a $3.5 trillion comprehensive infrastructure and economic recovery package, to the House Rules Committee in preparation for a full vote on the House floor. The full vote in the House could take place as soon as this week.
While Saturday’s vote was procedural and did not allow members to make any substantive changes to the bill text, the Rules Committee may make sweeping changes to the bill, including major cuts in funding. Any reduction to the “Build Back Better Act” could result in harmful cuts to the $327 billion proposed for affordable housing currently in the bill and put at risk the HoUSed campaign’s top priorities: $90 billion for rental assistance, $80 billion to preserve public housing, and $37 billion in the national Housing Trust Fund to build and preserve homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes.
Contact your senators and representatives and urge them to ensure that any reduction to the “Build Back Better Act” does not come at the expense of proven housing solutions for those with the greatest needs and to prioritize the highest level of funding possible for rental assistance, public housing, and the Housing Trust Fund.
Background
The House Financial Services Committee voted on September 14 to approve legislation to invest $327 billion in affordable housing through a $3.5 trillion “Build Back Better” reconciliation bill, which could pass in the Senate with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes required for other legislation. The bill was drafted by the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.
Before the bill is brought up for a vote on the House floor – potentially as soon as the coming week – congressional leaders must make changes to garner enough support among House and Senate moderates, who threaten to vote against the bill unless the overall size of the package is reduced. To enact the bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi can afford to lose only three votes from House Democrats, and every Senate Democrat must vote for the legislation.
The bill currently includes $327 billion in affordable housing investments, including robust funding for the HoUSed campaign’s top priorities:
- $90 billion for rental assistance, including $75 billion for Housing Choice Vouchers and $15 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance;
- $80 billion to preserve public housing; and
- $37 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund (as a set-aside within the HOME Investment Partnership Program). See NLIHC’s state-by-state estimate of this investment.
Read NLIHC’s full analysis of the legislation here.
It is critical that Congress use this once-in-a-generation opportunity to prioritize investing in decent, accessible, affordable housing for those with the greatest, clearest needs – people experiencing homelessness and people with the lowest incomes. If done right, investments in this bill could effectively end homelessness in the U.S.
Contact your senators and representatives and urge them to ensure that any cuts to the Build Back Better Act do not come at the expense of proven housing solutions for those with the greatest needs and to provide the highest possible funding levels for the HoUSed campaign’s top priorities.
Take Action
- Contact your senators and representatives and urge them to provide the highest funding possible for the HoUSed campaign’s priorities in Build Back Better Act. Educate your members of Congress on why investments in rental assistance, public housing, and the Housing Trust Fund are critical to your community.
- Join nearly 1,600 organizations nationwide by signing the HoUSed campaign letter. This letter is one of the most effective ways to show congressional leaders the broad support for the HoUSed campaign’s priorities for the infrastructure/economic recovery bill. Sign on to the letter here.
Thank you for your advocacy!