Senate Committee Rejects Short-Funding Section 8

A Senate Appropriations Committee recently voted to increase Section 8 project-based funding for fiscal year 2013, contrary to the Obama administration's proposed budget. The committee voted to increase Section 8 project-based funding by $536 million more than the fiscal year 2012 level, which is roughly $1.1 billion more than the administration's budget request.

By voting to pass this increase, the committee rejected the administration's proposal to short-fund some Section 8 contracts. In rejecting the administration's proposal, Chair and Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Patty Murray and Susan Collins said, "The policy of short-funding contracts devised to keep the program within budget jeopardized the Department's credibility, created unnecessary administrative inefficiencies, and reduced investor confidence."