Schakowsky Statement on Transportation, HUD Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. (June 29, 2012) — Today, Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement after House passage of HR 5972, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act:
"Today, the House passed H.R. 5972, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, over my strong objection. Our country needs adequate funding to meet our transportation and housing needs. Unfortunately, this legislation fails to meet that objective.
H.R. 5972 removes funding for the TIGER Grant program, which provides needed investment in innovative, multi-modal transportation projects. The bill also does not provide funding for high speed rail grants, which are essential for projects connecting our cities and reducing traffic congestion.
I am extremely concerned about the bill's failure to address America's housing needs. The bill completely eliminates funding for the Choice Neighborhoods program, which supports essential revitalization projects for low-income housing facilities and economic development for underserved neighborhoods. The bill's failure to adequately fund Homeless Assistance Grants would cause 25,000 current beneficiaries to lose housing support, and the funding level appropriated for Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, and Public Housing would result in 30,000 families losing their assistance.
We don't have to make those devastating cuts to get our fiscal house in order. Instead, we can ask the wealthiest Americans to contribute a little more and ask corporations to pay their fair share. We should work to ensure that every person in this country has a chance at the American Dream, not undercut those who have suffered most from an economic crisis beyond their control. These harmful cuts set our country on the wrong course, and I cannot support them or the overall bill....
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Adjoa Adofo, (202) 225-2111