House Appropriations Committee Advances Final Appropriations Bills

The House Appropriations Committee recently approved a fiscal 2023 funding bill that covers the Department of Transportation and HUD. This was the last of 12 annual government funding bills to pass out of the committee this year and its passage capped off weeks of partisan battles over how the government should be funded. The Transportation-HUD funding bill approved in committee greenlit more than $90 billion in funding, up 12 percent from the previous year, with a $9 billion boost for the housing agency. Democrats said the investment would, in part, expand Housing Choice Vouchers to more than 140,000 individuals and families, as well as provide billions for affordable and public housing. Specifically, the bill would provide $62.7 billion for HUD programs and activities, $9 billion more than the FY 2022 enacted level and $1.1 billion above President Biden’s FY 2023 budget request.

The bill includes $14.9 billion for project-based rental assistance, an increase of $1 billion above the FY 2022 enacted level. This amount includes $375 million for contract administration. The bill also includes $983 million across HUD programs to improve energy and water efficiency and increase resiliency in public and low-income housing. The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to release its spending bills in the coming weeks.

Here are the House committee-passed funding levels for key programs:

• $31 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, an increase of $3.6 billion from FY 2022. The bill also includes $1.1 billion for new vouchers, enough to assist an estimated 140,000 additional households;
• $3.6 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, $391 million more than the FY 2022 enacted level and $28 million above the president’s FY 2023 budget request;
• $1.2 billion for Housing for the Elderly, an increase of $167 million above the FY 2022 enacted level and $234 million above the president’s budget request;
• $600 million for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS, an increase of $150 million above the FY 2022 enacted level and $145 million above the president’s budget request.
• $415 million for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, level with FY 2022 and $15 million above the president’s budget request.
• $400 million for Housing for Persons with Disabilities, an increase of $48 million above the FY 2022 enacted level and $112 million above the president’s budget request;
• $86 million for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, in line with the president’s budget request; and
• $70 million for housing counseling, $13 million above the FY 2022 enacted level and level with the president’s budget request.