Republican Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Funding Bill Makes Cost of Living Crisis Worse

Bill Makes It More Difficult for Americans to Secure and Remain in Affordable Housing, Cuts Amtrak and Other Critical Transportation Investments

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Republicans today released the draft fiscal year 2026 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. While Americans continue to struggle with the high cost of living, the bill makes it more expensive for Americans to keep a roof over their heads, commute to work and school, and have a chance at homeownership.

For 2026, the funding bill provides $89.9 billion, including $388 million to support maritime defense readiness programs at the Department of Transportation. After accounting for housing revenues, $96.8 billion is provided for federal transportation and housing programs, a cut of nearly $6 billion, or 6 percent, from 2025.

The legislation:

• Fails to lower the cost of living for Americans while threatening to damage our nation’s economy by making it more difficult for Americans to secure and remain in affordable housing and access homeownership by threatening to push nearly 415,000 low-income households off of assistance or face eviction.
• Increases congestion on roads, shrinks the workforce, and stalls supply chain networks and our economy by walking away from critical public-private investments that advance our transportation systems, keep our construction workers on the job, and grow American manufacturer and supplier businesses.
• Strips away housing protections for people with disabilities, veterans, and families with children, while adding costs and red tape for housing developers to expand affordable housing for American families. 

“The bill before us is responsible for upgrading our aging transportation infrastructure, addressing our nation's affordable housing and homelessness crises, bolstering our resiliency to natural disasters, and a changing climate. These allocations to address the nation’s transportation and housing needs are woefully inadequate and will be devastating to many communities throughout the country – especially in my home state of South Carolina,” Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06) said. “This bill fails to make honest investments to improve daily commutes, modernize our rail systems, and address the public housing backlogs that have plagued our nation for decades. The Republican majority must develop the means and muster the courage to do that which is necessary to make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for all – this bill fails to meet that goal.”

“President Trump and House Republicans are not laser focused on the cost-of-living crisis, and with their 2026Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development bill, Republicans are actually making it worse,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “The working class, the middle class, and vulnerable Americans are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, own a home, and commute to work and school in a way that is safe and affordable. House Republicans are completely missing this reality and just introduced a bill that strips away critical investments in housing and community development while cutting Amtrak and other critical transportation resources, putting more commuters on the road, and adding more delays getting to work. Republicans’ bill slows the shipment of products American families depend on, further threatening to raise prices at a time when President Trump’s tariffs are weakening the economy. This bill would have lasting, harmful consequences on the health and safety of our communities. House Republicans are making it more difficult for hardworking people to get by.”

A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill is here. A fact sheet is here. The text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked on the House Committee on Appropriations website.