Ranking Member Clyburn Statement at the Full Committee Markup of the 2026 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill

WASHINGTON — Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06), Ranking Member of the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the full committee markup of the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Womack, referring to each other as, “my good friend,” is a phrase we often, use in this body and often not seriously. But, through common human connections, shared values, and love of country, when I refer to you Chairman Womack, as my good friend, I really do mean it and I thank you for your enlightened leadership and stewardship of this subcommittee. 

I’d also like to thank Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, as well as our staffs that you have listed Mr. Chairman, headed by Christina Monroe on my side and Doug on your side, and other staff members of the majority for their hard work. 

And much of this is why I regret being unable to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, throughout this country, the American people are concerned about the cost of living and the economy. In fact, more than 771,000 people are experiencing homelessness and 75 percent of low-income renters spend more than half of their income on rent.

In my home state of South Carolina, nearly 57,000 low-income households – seniors, people with disabilities, working families – count on HUD’s rental assistance programs to help make ends meet. And nearly every district is faced with a housing crisis. 

I hope that we can agree that housing is a basic human need. Yet, the bill before us proposes to shortchange HUD’s rental assistance programs by more than $5 billion and eliminate all investments for eviction-prevention. 

This would mean hundreds of thousands of HUD-assisted households would face eviction, the majority of whom are elderly, disabled, or families with children. Given the dire need to lower the cost of living for Americans, this is unacceptable. 

Despite a housing shortage of more than 7 million units, this bill cuts housing construction and preservation programs by 46 percent, nearly half. 

This bill also gives HUD broad authority to increase rent costs, while cutting programs that help put residents on a path to self-sufficiency and wealth building by 31 percent. 

This bill ends grants to 10 HUD-certified housing counseling agencies in South Carolina, who, each year, educate and lead hundreds of homebuyers to successful homeownership.

Unfortunately, this bill makes it harder for our constituents to find places to live. The bill before us has largely adopted the President’s proposal to further gut fair housing enforcement, by cutting Fair Housing activities by 67 percent. 

As many of you know, before I came to this body I served for over 13 years on two predecessor bank boards that are now known today as Bank of America. I served on the audit committee, and I chaired the Community Reinvestment Act committee. And I can tell you that we at that bank admitted to the atrocities that we visited upon many people by redlining their communities and denying them fair housing. And we have been working in this body to overcome that.

But this bill takes us back to where we were back in that period of time.

Today, people with disabilities account for 53 percent of individuals filing discrimination claims at a time when less than five percent of America’s housing is accessible, and over 60 million Americans have a disability, including a disproportionate share of veterans, seniors, Black Americans and Tribal communities. 

But, Mr. Chairman, the harmful cuts in this bill extend far beyond housing. 

This bill also zeroes out investments for Amtrak, leaving little to no room for making the necessary infrastructure upgrades for passenger rail, guts public transit and bus projects, ignores the costly realities of climate change, and takes $4.4 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make up for a woefully inadequate allocation.

These transportation cuts are particularly shortsighted because they compound the housing and cost of living crisis. Access to safe, reliable, affordable transit is essential for connecting people to jobs, schools, and healthcare – the very things that help families achieve stability and self-sufficiency.

Now let’s be honest about what’s really happening here. Just weeks ago, Republicans passed their Big Ugly Bill, which will increase the deficit by trillions of dollars over the next decade through tax cuts for billionaires and big businesses. 

At the same time, in this appropriations process Republicans claim we must “responsibly” cut federal spending because of deficit concerns. But their definition of “responsible” is taking housing away from vulnerable Americans and kicking the can down the road on addressing the country’s growing housing shortage, homelessness crisis, and crumbling infrastructure – problems that will only get bigger and more expensive if we do nothing to address them now.

The funding tactics of robbing Peter to pay Paul have real-life consequences. 

It is the job of members on this subcommittee, to improve the day-to-day lives of Americans. Unfortunately, this bill is full of unrealistic gimmicks and will be devastating to many communities throughout the country – especially in my home state of South Carolina. 

Mr. Chairman, I understand the challenges you face. But I respectfully cannot support a bill that 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. So, I plead with my Republican friends, let’s work together to develop the means and muster the courage to do that which is necessary to make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for all. Unfortunately, this bill – as written – fails to meet that goal.

I urge a no vote and yield back the balance of my time.

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