The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Act by a vote of 217 to 214. The bill had previously passed the Senate with a 71 to 29 vote and will now be sent to the President for signature.
The legislation provides $102.9 billion in discretionary funding, which includes $388 million in defense spending and $102.5 billion for nondefense programs. The funding aims to address infrastructure improvements, aviation safety enhancements, and challenges related to housing availability and affordability.
Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, said, “It is critical that we make significant investments to modernize our air traffic control systems and improve our airports, roads, railways, bridges, and ports. We must also ensure that a greater supply of safe, affordable housing is available to communities throughout the country. This legislation directly addresses those needs by maintaining existing rental assistance for more than 4.6 million households and supporting programs aimed at tackling homelessness, especially for our nation's youth.”
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Chair of the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee, stated, “With the Senate passage of this bill, we are ensuring funds will be provided for our nation’s important needs instead of relying on another continuing resolution that would lock in funding levels and policies from the previous administration. Within our budget allocation, this Transportation, HUD Appropriations bill adjusts resources to meet the challenges we face today to ensure better air traffic safety, improve transportation infrastructure, build up our communities, and care for those most in need. A lot of hard work has gone into this bill, which has strong bipartisan support. I now look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law as soon as possible.”
Key allocations include $25.1 billion in discretionary budget authority for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and $77.3 billion for rental assistance through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which supports low-income families as well as seniors and people with disabilities.
Independent agencies will receive $424.7 million under this legislation. Specific allocations include $9.9 million for the Access Board; $40 million for the Federal Maritime Commission; $29.2 million for the Amtrak Inspector General; $145 million for the National Transportation Safety Board; $158 million for NeighborWorks; $40.8 million for the Surface Transportation Board; and $3 million for the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
The Senate Appropriations Committee manages federal government funding through legislation like this appropriations act while overseeing program spending according to its mandate from Congress (source). Its responsibilities include ensuring accountability in public money management (source), conducting hearings on spending proposals (source), contributing oversight on issues such as trade or government efficiency (source), and managing federal budgets since its establishment in 1867 (source). The committee draws authority from constitutional requirements that only allow funds to be drawn from the treasury through appropriations made by law (source). It has historically influenced federal policy by producing annual appropriations bills like this one (source).
