Ranking Member Clyburn Remarks: FY27 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Markup

-- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery -- 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Throughout this country, families are struggling to make ends meet. Whether it is rising rents, a shrinking job market, or increasing costs at the gas pump – 76 percent of Americans see the cost of living as their biggest economic concern. 

In my home state of South Carolina, 46 percent of likely voters identified “inflation and cost of living” as their biggest concern. 

Yet, the bill before us proposes to eliminate all investments for eviction-prevention and shortchanges HUD’s homeless assistance grants by more than $256 million. 

This comes at a time when more than 771,000 people are experiencing homelessness across America and 75 percent of low-income renters spend more than half of their income on rent.

Despite a shortage of more than 7 million housing units, the bill eliminates programs that cut red tape, and guts new affordable housing production by 60 percent. 

By cutting Housing Counseling assistance in half, this bill also limits opportunities for families to build wealth and achieve the dream of homeownership. 

These programs not only help ensure working families and seniors remain homeowners, but that they continue to contribute to a stable and thriving housing economy.

As if Americans are not already struggling to access a home they can afford, the bill cuts support for local organizations at the frontlines of Fair Housing enforcement by 64 percent. 

It is people with disabilities, who account for 55 percent of individuals filing discrimination claims, that will bear the brunt of these decisions. 

Although this bill rejects many of the harmful policy riders that would weaken transportation safety it does not come without trade-offs. 

For transportation, this bill would practically eliminate public transit and bus service improvement projects; zero out investments for Amtrak; and, take $7.9 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” gimmick to make up for a woefully inadequate allocation. 

Democrats have shown they are willing to compromise in these areas, but it cannot be at the expense of programs important to our constituents. 

Let’s be honest about what’s really happening here. 

For months, Republicans have allowed the President to wage war overseas, which the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Budget Model estimates is costing the American people roughly $800 million to $1 billion per day. 

Meanwhile experts at the Harvard Kennedy School project this illegal war could increase the deficit by atleast one trillion dollars over the next decade.

Let us not forget that just last year Republicans already increased the deficit by trillions of dollars over the next decade through tax cuts for billionaires and big businesses when they passed their “Big Ugly Bill”. 

Mr. Chairman, I understand the challenges ahead of you. 

My hope is that we can get to a place where we can put politics aside and do that which is necessary to make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for all – unfortunately, this bill fails to meet that goal.

I urge my colleagues to vote “no” on this bill. Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.