On Monday, June 9, 2014, the House will begin consideration of H.R. 4745, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, under a rule. H.R. 4745 was introduced on May 27, 2014 by Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA), Chairman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The bill was marked up and reported out of the House Appropriations Committee, as amended, on May 21, 2014, by a vote of 28-21.[1]
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[1] http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=380760
H.R. 4745 funds the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other related agencies. This legislation provides $52 billion in discretionary funding, $1.2 billion above fiscal year 2014, and $7.8 billion below the President’s budget request. “However, given the reduction in offsets caused by a decline in Federal Housing Administration receipts, the program level within the bill is more accurately $1.8 billion below the current level.”[1]
The major provisions of the bill are as follows:
Title I – Department of Transportation:
The Committee recommends a total of $17.1 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Transportation, which is $727.3 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level, and $5.8 billion below the President’s request. Funding for the Department of Transportation includes the following agencies and programs:
Title II and Title III – Department of Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies:
The Committee recommends a total of $40.3 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is $767 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level, and $2 billion below the President’s request. Funding for HUD includes:
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[1] Id.
[2] See House Report 113-464, p. 15.
[3] http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=379006
[4] Note: “Programs included within the federal-aid highways program are financed from the Highway Trust Fund. The federal-aid highways program is funded by contract authority, and liquidating cash appropriations are subsequently provided to fund outlays resulting from obligations incurred under contract authority…because the structure of the federal-aid highways program for fiscal year 2015 is unknown at this time due to lack of authorizing legislation, the Committee includes no detailed summaries of particular programs.” See House Report 113-464, p. 31.
[5] http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=379006
Based on CBO scoring, the bill provides $52 billion in discretionary budget authority.
1) Rep. Blackburn (R-TN) Amendment #1 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. Each amount made available by this Act is hereby reduced by 1 percent.
2) Rep. Poe (R-TX) Amendment #2 – Page 52, strike lines 13 through 21. This amendment strikes Section 165 of the bill, which prevents any of the funding in this Act from being used for light or heavy rail projects for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas if the proposed projected is constructed or planned to be constructed on Richmond Avenue west of South Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas.
3) Rep. Walberg (R-MI) Amendment #3 – Page 10, strike lines 12 through 14. This amendment strikes Section 102 of the bill, which allows the Secretary of Transportation or a designee to engage in activities with States and State legislators to consider proposals related to the reduction of motorcycle fatalities.
4) Rep. Waters (D-CA) Amendment #4 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. 4. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to require the relocation, or to carry out any required relocation, of any asset management positions of the Office of Multifamily Housing of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
5) Rep. Royce (R-CA) Amendment #5 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. —. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for the Housing Trust Fund established under section 1338 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568).
6) Rep. Castor (D-FL) Amendment #6 – Page 70, line 16, after the first dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $3,500,000).” Page 70, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $3,500,00).” Page 71, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $3,500,000).” This amendment reduces funding for Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by $3.5 million dollars and redirects it to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Field Policy and Management.
7) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #7 – Page 112, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $150,000).” This amendment increases by $150,000 the funding available for the Secretary of HUD to create and promote translated materials that support the assistance of persons with limited English proficiency in utilizing the services of HUD.
8) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #8 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. —. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to make bonus awards to contractors for work on projects that are behind schedule or over budget.
9) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #9 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. —. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to enter into a contract with any offeror or any of its principals if the offeror certifies, as required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that the offeror or any of its principals—
(1) within a three-year peiod preceding this offer has been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against it for: commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State, or local) contract or subcontract; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutues relating to the submission of offers; or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, violating Federal criminal tax laws, or receiving stolen property; or
(2) are presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally of civilly charged by a governmental entity with, commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (1); or
(3) within a three-year period preceding this offer, has been notified of any delinquent Federal taxes in an amount that exceeds $3,000 for which the liability remains unsatisfied.
10) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #10 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. —. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to authorize, approve, implement, or assist in any ways a toll on any segment of Interstate 4 in the State of Florida.
11) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #11 – Page 52, strike lines 13-21. This amendment strikes Section 165 of the bill, which prevents any of the funding in this Act from being used for light or heavy rail projects for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas if the proposed projected is constructed or planned to be constructed on Richmond Avenue west of South Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas.
12) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #12 – Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $1,000,000).” Page 36, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” This amendment would reduce the funding available for the motor carrier safety assistance program and redirect it toward border enforcement grants.
13) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #13 – Page 70, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $4,000,000).” Page 71, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $4,000,000)”. Page 73, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000).” Page 80, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000).” Page 80, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000).” This amendment would reduce funding for the Chief Information Officer of HUD by $2 million and redirect it toward administrative and other expenses of public housing agencies in administering the section 8 tenant-based rental assistance program.
14) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #14 – Page 70, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” Page 71, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” Page 114, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $1,000,000).” Page 114, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000).” Page 80, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $1,000,000).” This amendment would increase funding for the Office of Field Policy and Management by $1 million by redirecting funds away from the HUD Information Technology Fund. This amendment would also increase the amount of funds available until September 30, 2016 by $2 million and reduce general funding for public housing by $1 million.
15) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #15 – Page 70, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $4,000,000).” Page 71, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $4,000,000)”. Page 73, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000)”. Page 82, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $2,000,000)”. This amendment would reduce funding for the Office of the Chief Information Officer of HUD by $4 million, and redirect $2 million toward tenant-based rental assistance for Public and Indian Housing. The amendment would also redirect $2 million toward incremental rental voucher assistance for use through a supported housing program administered in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs as authorized in the United States Housing Act of 1937.
16) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #16 – Page 70, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $2,000,000).” Page 71, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $2,000,000).” Page 80, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” This amendment reduces funding for the Office of the Chief Information Officer of HUD by $2 million and increases the amount available to the Secretary to allocate public housing agencies that need additional funds to administer section 8 programs by $1 million.
17) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #17 – Page 72, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $1,000,000).” Page 73, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” Page 82, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $1,000,000).” This amendment reduces the amount of funding available for salaries and expenses of the Office of Policy Development and Research by $1 million and redirects it toward tenant-based rental assistance for Public and Indian Housing.
18) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #18 – Page 85, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $500,000).” Page 86, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert “(increased by $500,000).” Page 114, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $500,000)”. Page 114, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert “(reduced by $500,000).” This amendment increases funding for the Jobs-Plus Pilot initiative by $500,000, and reduces funding for HUD Information Technology Fund by $500,000.
19) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #19 – Page 106, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $2,000,000).’’ Page 140, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $2,000,000).’’ This amendment increases funding for Housing Counseling Assistance by $2 million and reduces funding for the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General by $2 million.
20) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #20 – Page 111, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $1,000,000).’’ Page 140, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $1,000,000).’’ This amendment would increase funding for HUD Policy and Development research by $1 million and reduce funding for the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General by $1 million.
21) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #21 – Page 113, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $2,000,000).’’ Page 140, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $2,000,000).’’ This amendment would increase funding for the Lead Hazard Reduction Program by $2 million and decrease funding for the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General by $2 million.
22) Rep. Jackson Lee (D-TX) Amendment #22 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act under the heading ‘‘Federal Transit Administration—Transit Formula Grants’’ may be used in contravention of section 5309 of title 49, United States Code.
23) Rep. Cassidy (R-LA) Amendment #23 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to promulgate or enforce rules, orders, or consent agreements or to fund approved projects under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant program unless the Department of Transportation implements the recommendations provided in the preliminary report of the Government Accountability Office number GAO–14–628R TIGER Grants.
24) Rep. Conyers (D-MI) Amendment #24 – Page 99, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $2,000,000).’’ This amendment increases the funding made available for the national homeless data analysis project by $2 million.
25) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #25 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to authorize, approve, implement, or assist in any way a toll on existing free lanes on any segment of Interstate 4 in the State of Florida.
26) Rep. Grayson (D-FL) Amendment #26 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide a per-passenger subsidy in excess of $250 under the Essential Air Service program.
27) Rep. Gohmert (R-TX) Amendment #27 – Page 85, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $7,100,000).’’ Page 87, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $17,600,000).’’ Page 156, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $24,700,000).’’ The amendment reduces funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund Program by $7.1 million and the Public Housing Operating Fund by $17.6 million. The amendment redirects this funding to the spending reduction account.
28) Rep. Gingrey (R-GA) Amendment #28 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide mortgage insurance under title II of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) for any mortgage on a 1- to 4-family dwelling to be used as the principal residence of a mortgagor who provides only an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) for identification.
29) Rep. Gingrey (R-GA) Amendment #29 – At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay a Federal employee for any period of time during which such employee is using official time under section 7131 of title 5, United States Code.
30) Rep. Lee (D-CA) Amendment #30 – Page 112, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(increased by $10,000,000).’’ Page 114, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $10,000,000).’’ Page 114, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ‘‘(reduced by $10,000,000).’’ The amendment increases funding for contracts and grants for fair housing activities by $10 million and reduces funding available for the Information Technology Fund by $10 million.
31) Rep. Lowenthal (D-CA) Amendment #31 – Page 156, after line 10, insert the following: SEC. ll. Unobligated funds made available to a State in fiscal year 2010 for the Interstate Maintenance Discretionary program under section 118(c) of title 23, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Public Law 112–141), may be made available, at that State’s request, to the State for any project eligible under section 133(b) of such title.
32) Rep. Bass (D-CA) Amendment #32 – At the end of the bill before the short title, insert the following: SEC. ll. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used by the Secretary of the Federal Transit Administration to implement, administer, or enforce section 18.36(c)(2) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, for construction hiring purposes.
For questions or further information contact the GOP Conference at 5-5107.