Statement : State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Ranking Member of the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Appropriations Committee's markup of the fiscal year 2024 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's markup of the fiscal year 2024 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill:

Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Ranking Member of the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's markup of the fiscal year 2024 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill.

"There is much to learn about the needs of Tribal communities – not only related to basic housing and infrastructure – but how the lack of modern and resilient housing and transportation systems impact the lives of Native Americans."

This Subcommittee has increased funding for the FAA over the past several years, and in a year where we hope to see a FAA reauthorization passed through Congress, it is critical we continue to provide critical investments. It is our duty to continue to help the FAA modernize its air traffic control system, improve efficiency, transition legacy equipment into modern platforms, and develop a highly skilled workforce.

These cuts would be devastating. The safety of our communities and our transportation infrastructure depends on strong investments which, in a bipartisan way, we have been able to do in the last two years—in 2022 and 2023. They should continue to move in that direction.

What the annual spending bill can do is provide the steady investment our nation needs to move beyond a state of good repair for our transit networks and ensure these networks are as safe, resilient, and as efficient as possible. In essence, it gets us closer to closing the funding gap, leverages other public and private resources, and helps put shovels in the ground.

"More funding and greater flexibility is critical to preserving and expanding our affordable housing and sustaining our communities. The alternative is taking a step back on the progress we have made to address homelessness, safety, and community revitalization."