Republican right-wing road trip takes transportation funding on a detour

The House Appropriations Committee has released the Fiscal Year 2025 bill for the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and it’s a disastrous retreat from progress. Cloaked in rhetoric about fiscal discipline and economic growth, this bill is nothing short of a Trojan horse aimed at dismantling vital programs and initiatives that serve the most vulnerable Americans.

Subcommittee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) proudly proclaims, “Focusing DOT and HUD programs on vital infrastructure, transportation safety, and housing needs while protecting taxpayer dollars is my top priority for the FY25 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.” However, behind this veneer of responsibility lies a brutal slash-and-burn approach to funding that betrays his constituents and Americans at large.

Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) adds, “Economic growth and development, quality of life, and transportation safety are pillars of the legislation before us.” Yet, this bill undermines these very pillars by gutting essential programs, endangering both public safety and the economic security of countless families.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $90.400 billion, slashing $7.084 billion from the previous year. This 7.3% cut is not just a reduction in numbers but a direct assault on the wellbeing of Americans, particularly those who are already struggling.

Underfunding Safety and Sustainability

The bill ruthlessly reduces funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including a $2.044 billion cut from DOT grant programs and a $937 million cut from HUD grant programs. This is a 36% and 44% reduction, respectively, compared to FY24 levels, at a time when the nation’s infrastructure is in desperate need of investment and the housing crisis is worsening.

In a blatant disregard for the planet’s future, the bill rejects funding for climate and equity initiatives. Despite the escalating costs of climate destruction, it eliminates over $430 million in unauthorized Biden Administration initiatives, including critical programs like DOT Thriving Communities and HUD Green New Deal public housing.

This bill slashes the HOME program by 60%, translating to thousands of affordable homes that will not be built or rehabilitated. It eliminates eviction prevention measures and programs like Yes, In My Backyard and Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, which are vital for affordable housing and community revitalization.

The bill decimates Amtrak funding by more than 12%, stripping over $300 million in investments from the Northeast Corridor and the National Network. This will force Amtrak to make devastating cuts in service and jobs, undermining the economy of the $6 trillion Northeast Corridor region and making commutes longer and more frustrating for millions of Americans.

Laced with ideological riders, the bill prohibits DOT and HUD from implementing equity action plans, training on critical race theory, and executing climate change initiatives. It maintains systemic injustices by preventing congestion pricing in NYC, barring speed-limiting devices for trucks, and obstructing fuel economy standards.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) rightly condemns the bill, emphasizing the dire need for investments that lower housing and transportation costs. “Instead, this bill will raise costs for struggling American families and make it harder to build, sustain, and connect affordable, thriving communities,” she asserts.

The Fiscal Year 2025 bill is a regressive step backward, masquerading as fiscal prudence. It is a stark reminder that true leadership means investing in people, infrastructure, and the planet, not dismantling the progress we’ve fought hard to achieve. The American people deserve better, and it’s time for the House Appropriations Committee to stop playing politics with our future.