[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 183 (Monday, November 6, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5427-H5462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1915
  TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 838 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for further consideration of the bill, H.R. 
4820.
  Will the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez) kindly take the Chair.

                              {time}  1916


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 4820) making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, 
with Mr. Gimenez (Acting Chair) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose earlier today, 
all time for general debate pursuant to House Resolution 838 had 
expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule.
  The bill shall be considered as read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4820

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Departments of 
     Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
     related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     2024, and for other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

                        Office of the Secretary

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary, 
     $176,859,000 to remain available until September 30, 2025:  
     Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $3,569,000 shall be available for the immediate Office 
     of the Secretary;

[[Page H5428]]

       (2) $1,277,000 shall be available for the immediate Office 
     of the Deputy Secretary;
       (3) $28,089,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     General Counsel;
       (4) $22,769,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, of which 
     $7,300,000 is for the Office for Multimodal Freight 
     Infrastructure and Policy;
       (5) $21,026,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs;
       (6) $3,968,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs;
       (7) $41,399,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Administration;
       (8) $2,093,000 shall be available for the Office of Public 
     Affairs and Public Engagement;
       (9) $2,312,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Executive Secretariat;
       (10) $15,533,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response;
       (11) $33,195,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Chief Information Officer; and
       (12) $1,629,000 shall be available for the Office of Tribal 
     Government Affairs:
       Provided further, That the Secretary of Transportation 
     (referred to in this title as the ``Secretary'') is 
     authorized to transfer funds appropriated for any office of 
     the Office of the Secretary to any other office of the Office 
     of the Secretary:  Provided further, That no appropriation 
     for any office shall be increased or decreased by more than 7 
     percent by all such transfers:  Provided further, That notice 
     of any change in funding greater than 7 percent shall be 
     submitted for approval to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations:  Provided further, That not to exceed $10,000 
     shall be for allocation within the Department for official 
     reception and representation expenses as the Secretary may 
     determine:  Provided further, That notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, there may be credited to this appropriation 
     up to $2,500,000 in funds received in user fees.

                        research and technology

       For necessary expenses related to the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, $41,713,000, 
     of which $30,259,000 shall remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That there may be credited to this appropriation, 
     to be available until expended, funds received from States, 
     counties, municipalities, other public authorities, and 
     private sources for expenses incurred for training:  Provided 
     further, That any reference in law, regulation, judicial 
     proceedings, or elsewhere to the Research and Innovative 
     Technology Administration shall continue to be deemed to be a 
     reference to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
     Research and Technology of the Department of Transportation.

     national surface transportation and innovative finance bureau

       For necessary expenses of the National Surface 
     Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau as authorized by 
     49 U.S.C. 116, $10,550,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That the Secretary may collect and spend 
     fees, as authorized by title 23, United States Code, to cover 
     the costs of services of expert firms, including counsel, in 
     the field of municipal and project finance to assist in the 
     underwriting and servicing of Federal credit instruments and 
     all or a portion of the costs to the Federal Government of 
     servicing such credit instruments:  Provided further, That 
     such fees are available until expended to pay for such costs: 
      Provided further, That such amounts are in addition to other 
     amounts made available for such purposes and are not subject 
     to any obligation limitation or the limitation on 
     administrative expenses under section 608 of title 23, United 
     States Code.

       railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program

       The Secretary is authorized to issue direct loans and loan 
     guarantees pursuant to chapter 224 of title 49, United States 
     Code, and such authority shall exist as long as any such 
     direct loan or loan guarantee is outstanding.

                      financial management capital

       For necessary expenses for upgrading and enhancing the 
     Department of Transportation's financial systems and re-
     engineering business processes, $5,000,000, to remain 
     available through September 30, 2025.

                       cyber security initiatives

       For necessary expenses for cyber security initiatives, 
     including necessary upgrades to network and information 
     technology infrastructure, improvement of identity management 
     and authentication capabilities, securing and protecting 
     data, implementation of Federal cyber security initiatives, 
     and implementation of enhanced security controls on agency 
     computers and mobile devices, $49,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2025.

                         office of civil rights

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights, 
     $14,800,000.

           transportation planning, research, and development

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses for conducting transportation 
     planning, research, systems development, development 
     activities, and making grants, $25,017,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That of such amount, 
     $8,517,000 shall be for necessary expenses of the Interagency 
     Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center (IIPIC):  
     Provided further, That there may be transferred to this 
     appropriation, to remain available until expended, amounts 
     transferred from other Federal agencies for expenses incurred 
     under this heading for IIPIC activities not related to 
     transportation infrastructure:  Provided further, That the 
     tools and analysis developed by the IIPIC shall be available 
     to other Federal agencies for the permitting and review of 
     major infrastructure projects not related to transportation 
     only to the extent that other Federal agencies provide 
     funding to the Department in accordance with the preceding 
     proviso.

                          working capital fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses for operating costs and capital 
     outlays of the Working Capital Fund, not to exceed 
     $522,165,000, shall be paid from appropriations made 
     available to the Department of Transportation:  Provided, 
     That such services shall be provided on a competitive basis 
     to entities within the Department of Transportation:  
     Provided further, That the limitation in the preceding 
     proviso on operating expenses shall not apply to entities 
     external to the Department of Transportation or for funds 
     provided in Public Law 117-58:  Provided further, That no 
     funds made available by this Act to an agency of the 
     Department shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund 
     without majority approval of the Working Capital Fund 
     Steering Committee and approval of the Secretary:  Provided 
     further, That no assessments may be levied against any 
     program, budget activity, subactivity, or project funded by 
     this Act unless notice of such assessments and the basis 
     therefor are presented to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations and are approved by such Committees.

       small and disadvantaged business utilization and outreach

       For necessary expenses for small and disadvantaged business 
     utilization and outreach activities, $5,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2025:  Provided, That 
     notwithstanding section 332 of title 49, United States Code, 
     such amounts may be used for business opportunities related 
     to any mode of transportation:  Provided further, That 
     appropriations made available under this heading shall be 
     available for any purpose consistent with prior year 
     appropriations that were made available under the heading 
     ``Office of the Secretary--Minority Business Resource Center 
     Program''.

                        payments to air carriers

                    (airport and airway trust fund)

       In addition to funds made available from any other source 
     to carry out the essential air service program under sections 
     41731 through 41742 of title 49, United States Code, 
     $348,554,000, to be derived from the Airport and Airway Trust 
     Fund, to remain available until expended:  Provided, That in 
     determining between or among carriers competing to provide 
     service to a community, the Secretary may consider the 
     relative subsidy requirements of the carriers:  Provided 
     further, That basic essential air service minimum 
     requirements shall not include the 15-passenger capacity 
     requirement under section 41732(b)(3) of title 49, United 
     States Code:  Provided further, That amounts authorized to be 
     distributed for the essential air service program under 
     section 41742(b) of title 49, United States Code, shall be 
     made available immediately from amounts otherwise provided to 
     the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration:  
     Provided further, That the Administrator may reimburse such 
     amounts from fees credited to the account established under 
     section 45303 of title 49, United States Code:  Provided 
     further, That, notwithstanding section 41733 of title 49, 
     United States Code, for fiscal year 2024, the requirements 
     established under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 
     41731(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, and the subsidy 
     cap established by section 332 of the Department of 
     Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, 
     shall not apply to maintain eligibility under section 41731 
     of title 49, United States Code.

  administrative provisions--office of the secretary of transportation

                    (including rescission of funds)

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 101.  None of the funds made available by this Act to 
     the Department of Transportation may be obligated for the 
     Office of the Secretary of Transportation to approve 
     assessments or reimbursable agreements pertaining to funds 
     appropriated to the operating administrations in this Act, 
     except for activities underway on the date of enactment of 
     this Act, unless such assessments or agreements have 
     completed the normal reprogramming process for congressional 
     notification.
       Sec. 102.  The Secretary shall post on the web site of the 
     Department of Transportation a schedule of all meetings of 
     the Council on Credit and Finance, including the agenda for 
     each meeting, and require the Council on Credit and Finance 
     to record the decisions and actions of each meeting.
       Sec. 103.  In addition to authority provided by section 327 
     of title 49, United States Code, the Department's Working 
     Capital Fund is authorized to provide partial or full 
     payments in advance and accept subsequent reimbursements from 
     all Federal agencies from available funds for transit benefit 
     distribution services that are necessary to carry out the 
     Federal transit pass transportation fringe benefit program 
     under Executive Order No. 13150 and section 3049 of

[[Page H5429]]

     SAFETEA-LU (5 U.S.C. 7905 note):  Provided, That the 
     Department shall maintain a reasonable operating reserve in 
     the Working Capital Fund, to be expended in advance to 
     provide uninterrupted transit benefits to Government 
     employees:  Provided further, That such reserve shall not 
     exceed 1 month of benefits payable and may be used only for 
     the purpose of providing for the continuation of transit 
     benefits:  Provided further, That the Working Capital Fund 
     shall be fully reimbursed by each customer agency from 
     available funds for the actual cost of the transit benefit.
       Sec. 104.  Receipts collected in the Department's Working 
     Capital Fund, as authorized by section 327 of title 49, 
     United States Code, for unused transit and van pool benefits, 
     in an amount not to exceed 10 percent of fiscal year 2024 
     collections, shall be available until expended in the 
     Department's Working Capital Fund to provide contractual 
     services in support of section 189 of this Act:  Provided, 
     That obligations in fiscal year 2024 of such collections 
     shall not exceed $1,000,000.
       Sec. 105.  None of the funds in this title may be obligated 
     or expended for retention or senior executive bonuses for an 
     employee of the Department of Transportation without the 
     prior written approval of the Assistant Secretary for 
     Administration.
       Sec. 106.  In addition to authority provided by section 327 
     of title 49, United States Code, the Department's 
     Administrative Working Capital Fund is hereby authorized to 
     transfer information technology equipment, software, and 
     systems from Departmental sources or other entities and 
     collect and maintain a reserve at rates which will return 
     full cost of transferred assets.
       Sec. 107.  None of the funds provided in this Act to the 
     Department of Transportation may be used to provide credit 
     assistance unless not less than 3 days before any application 
     approval to provide credit assistance under sections 603 and 
     604 of title 23, United States Code, the Secretary provides 
     notification in writing to the following committees: the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations; the Committee 
     on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Banking, 
     Housing and Urban Affairs of the Senate; and the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives:  Provided, That such notification shall 
     include, but not be limited to, the name of the project 
     sponsor; a description of the project; whether credit 
     assistance will be provided as a direct loan, loan guarantee, 
     or line of credit; and the amount of credit assistance.
       Sec. 108.  Of the unobligated balances from amounts made 
     available for ``Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement 
     Financing Program'' in title I of division L of the 
     Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103), 
     $8,948,237.30 is hereby permanently rescinded.
       Sec. 109.  With respect to amounts provided under the 
     heading ``National Infrastructure Investments'' in title VIII 
     of division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
     (Public Law 117-58) for fiscal year 2024 to carry out section 
     6702 of title 49, United States Code, the set aside for 
     historically disadvantaged communities or areas of persistent 
     poverty under subsection (f)(2) of such section shall be 
     treated as not less than 5 percent for fiscal year 2024.
       Sec. 109A.  The Secretary of Transportation may transfer 
     amounts awarded to a Federally recognized Tribe under a 
     funding agreement entered into under part 29 of title 49, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, from the Department of 
     Transportation's Operating Administrations to the Office of 
     Tribal Government Affairs: Provided, That any amounts 
     retroceded or reassumed under such part may be transferred 
     back to the appropriate Operating Administration.

                    Federal Aviation Administration

                               operations

                    (airport and airway trust fund)

       For necessary expenses of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, not otherwise provided for, including 
     operations and research activities related to commercial 
     space transportation, administrative expenses for research 
     and development, establishment of air navigation facilities, 
     the operation (including leasing) and maintenance of 
     aircraft, subsidizing the cost of aeronautical charts and 
     maps sold to the public, the lease or purchase of passenger 
     motor vehicles for replacement only, $12,729,627,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2025, of which 
     $8,740,627,000 to be derived from the Airport and Airway 
     Trust Fund:  Provided, That of the amounts made available 
     under this heading--
       (1) not less than $1,745,532,000 shall be available for 
     aviation safety activities;
       (2) $9,439,068,000 shall be available for air traffic 
     organization activities;
       (3) $47,018,000 shall be available for commercial space 
     transportation activities;
       (4) $949,376,000 shall be available for finance and 
     management activities;
       (5) $70,097,000 shall be available for NextGen and 
     operations planning activities;
       (6) $163,951,000 shall be available for security and 
     hazardous materials safety activities; and
       (7) $314,585,000 shall be available for staff offices:
       Provided further, That not to exceed 5 percent of any 
     budget activity, except for aviation safety budget activity, 
     may be transferred to any budget activity under this heading: 
      Provided further, That no transfer may increase or decrease 
     any appropriation under this heading by more than 5 percent:  
     Provided further, That any transfer in excess of 5 percent 
     shall be treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 
     405 of this Act and shall not be available for obligation or 
     expenditure except in compliance with the procedures set 
     forth in that section:  Provided further, That not later than 
     60 days after the submission of the budget request, the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
     transmit to Congress an annual update to the report submitted 
     to Congress in December 2004 pursuant to section 221 of the 
     Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 
     40101 note):  Provided further, That the amounts made 
     available under this heading shall be reduced by $100,000 for 
     each day after 60 days after the submission of the budget 
     request that such report has not been transmitted to 
     Congress:  Provided further, That not later than 60 days 
     after the submission of the budget request, the Administrator 
     shall transmit to Congress a companion report that describes 
     a comprehensive strategy for staffing, hiring, and training 
     flight standards and aircraft certification staff in a format 
     similar to the one utilized for the controller staffing plan, 
     including stated attrition estimates and numerical hiring 
     goals by fiscal year:  Provided further, That the amounts 
     made available under this heading shall be reduced by 
     $100,000 for each day after the date that is 60 days after 
     the submission of the budget request that such report has not 
     been submitted to Congress:  Provided further, That funds may 
     be used to enter into a grant agreement with a nonprofit 
     standard-setting organization to assist in the development of 
     aviation safety standards:  Provided further, That none of 
     the funds made available by this Act shall be available for 
     new applicants for the second career training program:  
     Provided further, That none of the funds made available by 
     this Act shall be available for the Federal Aviation 
     Administration to finalize or implement any regulation that 
     would promulgate new aviation user fees not specifically 
     authorized by law after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act:  Provided further, That there may be credited to this 
     appropriation, as offsetting collections, funds received from 
     States, counties, municipalities, foreign authorities, other 
     public authorities, and private sources for expenses incurred 
     in the provision of agency services, including receipts for 
     the maintenance and operation of air navigation facilities, 
     and for issuance, renewal or modification of certificates, 
     including airman, aircraft, and repair station certificates, 
     or for tests related thereto, or for processing major repair 
     or alteration forms:  Provided further, That of the amounts 
     made available under this heading, not less than $194,000,000 
     shall be used to fund direct operations of the current air 
     traffic control towers in the contract tower program, 
     including the contract tower cost share program, and any 
     airport that is currently qualified or that will qualify for 
     the program during the fiscal year:  Provided further, That 
     none of the funds made available by this Act for aeronautical 
     charting and cartography are available for activities 
     conducted by, or coordinated through, the Working Capital 
     Fund:  Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated 
     or otherwise made available by this Act or any other Act may 
     be used to eliminate the Contract Weather Observers program 
     at any airport.

                        facilities and equipment

                    (airport and airway trust fund)

       For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, for 
     acquisition, establishment, technical support services, 
     improvement by contract or purchase, and hire of national 
     airspace systems and experimental facilities and equipment, 
     as authorized under part A of subtitle VII of title 49, 
     United States Code, including initial acquisition of 
     necessary sites by lease or grant; engineering and service 
     testing, including construction of test facilities and 
     acquisition of necessary sites by lease or grant; 
     construction and furnishing of quarters and related 
     accommodations for officers and employees of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration stationed at remote localities where 
     such accommodations are not available; and the purchase, 
     lease, or transfer of aircraft from funds made available 
     under this heading, including aircraft for aviation 
     regulation and certification; to be derived from the Airport 
     and Airway Trust Fund, $2,972,949,000, of which $617,020,000 
     is for personnel and related expenses and shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2025; $2,330,929,000 shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2026; and $25,000,000 
     shall remain available until expended:  Provided, That there 
     may be credited to this appropriation funds received from 
     States, counties, municipalities, other public authorities, 
     and private sources, for expenses incurred in the 
     establishment, improvement, and modernization of national 
     airspace systems:  Provided further, That not later than 60 
     days after submission of the budget request, the Secretary of 
     Transportation shall transmit to the Congress an investment 
     plan for the Federal Aviation Administration which includes 
     funding for each budget line item for fiscal years 2025 
     through 2029, with total funding for each year of the plan 
     constrained to the funding targets for those years as 
     estimated and approved by the Office of Management and 
     Budget:  Provided further, That section 405 of this Act shall 
     apply to amounts made available under this heading in title 
     VIII of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (division 
     J of Public Law 117-58).

[[Page H5430]]

  


                 research, engineering, and development

                    (airport and airway trust fund)

       For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, for 
     research, engineering, and development, as authorized under 
     part A of subtitle VII of title 49, United States Code, 
     including construction of experimental facilities and 
     acquisition of necessary sites by lease or grant, 
     $196,050,000, to be derived from the Airport and Airway Trust 
     Fund and to remain available until September 30, 2026:  
     Provided, That there may be credited to this appropriation as 
     offsetting collections, funds received from States, counties, 
     municipalities, other public authorities, and private 
     sources, which shall be available for expenses incurred for 
     research, engineering, and development:  Provided further, 
     That amounts made available under this heading shall be used 
     in accordance with the Report accompanying this Act:  
     Provided further, That not to exceed 10 percent of any 
     funding level specified under this heading in the Report 
     accompanying this Act may be transferred to any other funding 
     level specified under this heading in the Report accompanying 
     this Act:  Provided further, That no transfer may increase or 
     decrease any funding level by more than 10 percent:  Provided 
     further, That any transfer in excess of 10 percent shall be 
     treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 405 of this 
     Act and shall not be available for obligation or expenditure 
     except in compliance with the procedures set forth in that 
     section:  Provided further, That any activity carried out 
     using funds made available under this heading for counter-
     unmanned aerial systems research, testing, and evaluation may 
     be carried out notwithstanding section 46502 of title 49, 
     United States Code, or sections 32, 1030, or 1367 and 
     chapters 119 and 206 of title 18 of such code.

                       grants-in-aid for airports

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                    (airport and airway trust fund)

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For liquidation of obligations incurred for grants-in-aid 
     for airport planning and development, and noise compatibility 
     planning and programs as authorized under subchapter I of 
     chapter 471 and subchapter I of chapter 475 of title 49, 
     United States Code, and under other law authorizing such 
     obligations; for procurement, installation, and commissioning 
     of runway incursion prevention devices and systems at 
     airports of such title; for grants authorized under section 
     41743 of title 49, United States Code; and for inspection 
     activities and administration of airport safety programs, 
     including those related to airport operating certificates 
     under section 44706 of title 49, United States Code, 
     $3,350,000,000, to be derived from the Airport and Airway 
     Trust Fund and to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That none of the amounts made available under this heading 
     shall be available for the planning or execution of programs 
     the obligations for which are in excess of $3,350,000,000, in 
     fiscal year 2024, notwithstanding section 47117(g) of title 
     49, United States Code:  Provided further, That none of the 
     amounts made available under this heading shall be available 
     for the replacement of baggage conveyor systems, 
     reconfiguration of terminal baggage areas, or other airport 
     improvements that are necessary to install bulk explosive 
     detection systems:  Provided further, That notwithstanding 
     section 47109(a) of title 49, United States Code, the 
     Government's share of allowable project costs under paragraph 
     (2) of such section for subgrants or paragraph (3) of such 
     section shall be 95 percent for a project at other than a 
     large or medium hub airport that is a successive phase of a 
     multi-phased construction project for which the project 
     sponsor received a grant in fiscal year 2011 for the 
     construction project:  Provided further, That notwithstanding 
     any other provision of law, of amounts limited under this 
     heading, not less than $157,475,000 shall be available for 
     administration, $15,000,000 shall be available for the 
     Airport Cooperative Research Program, $41,801,000 shall be 
     available for Airport Technology Research, and $10,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended, shall be available and 
     transferred to ``Office of the Secretary, Salaries and 
     Expenses'' to carry out the Small Community Air Service 
     Development Program:  Provided further, That in addition to 
     airports eligible under section 41743 of title 49, United 
     States Code, such program may include the participation of an 
     airport that serves a community or consortium that is not 
     larger than a small hub airport, according to FAA hub 
     classifications effective at the time the Office of the 
     Secretary issues a request for proposals.

                       grants-in-aid for airports

       For an additional amount for ``Grants-In-Aid for 
     Airports'', to enable the Secretary of Transportation to make 
     grants for projects as authorized by subchapter 1 of chapter 
     471 and subchapter 1 of chapter 475 of title 49, United 
     States Code, $303,921,257 to remain available through 
     September 30, 2026:  Provided, That amounts made available 
     under this heading shall be derived from the general fund, 
     and such funds shall not be subject to apportionment 
     formulas, special apportionment categories, or minimum 
     percentages under chapter 471 of title 49, United States 
     Code:  Provided further, That the sums appropriated under 
     this heading shall be made available for the purposes, and in 
     amounts, specified for Community Project Funding in the table 
     entitled ``Community Project Funding'' included in the Report 
     accompanying this Act.

       administrative provisions--federal aviation administration

       Sec. 110.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to compensate in excess of 600 technical staff-years 
     under the federally funded research and development center 
     contract between the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
     Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development during 
     fiscal year 2024.
       Sec. 111.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be used to pursue or adopt guidelines or regulations 
     requiring airport sponsors to provide to the Federal Aviation 
     Administration without cost building construction, 
     maintenance, utilities and expenses, or space in airport 
     sponsor-owned buildings for services relating to air traffic 
     control, air navigation, or weather reporting:  Provided, 
     That the prohibition on the use of funds in this section does 
     not apply to negotiations between the agency and airport 
     sponsors to achieve agreement on ``below-market'' rates for 
     these items or to grant assurances that require airport 
     sponsors to provide land without cost to the Federal Aviation 
     Administration for air traffic control facilities.
       Sec. 112.  The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration may reimburse amounts made available to 
     satisfy section 41742(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, 
     from fees credited under section 45303 of title 49, United 
     States Code, and any amount remaining in such account at the 
     close of any fiscal year may be made available to satisfy 
     section 41742(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, for the 
     subsequent fiscal year.
       Sec. 113.  Amounts collected under section 40113(e) of 
     title 49, United States Code, shall be credited to the 
     appropriation current at the time of collection, to be merged 
     with and available for the same purposes as such 
     appropriation.
       Sec. 114.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be available for paying premium pay under section 
     5546(a) of title 5, United States Code, to any Federal 
     Aviation Administration employee unless such employee 
     actually performed work during the time corresponding to such 
     premium pay.
       Sec. 115.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be obligated or expended for an employee of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration to purchase a store gift card or gift 
     certificate through use of a Government-issued credit card.
       Sec. 116.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none 
     of the funds made available under this Act or any prior Act 
     may be used to implement or to continue to implement any 
     limitation on the ability of any owner or operator of a 
     private aircraft to obtain, upon a request to the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, a 
     blocking of that owner's or operator's aircraft registration 
     number, Mode S transponder code, flight identification, call 
     sign, or similar identifying information from any ground 
     based display to the public that would allow the real-time or 
     near real-time flight tracking of that aircraft's movements, 
     except data made available to a Government agency, for the 
     noncommercial flights of that owner or operator.
       Sec. 117.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be available for salaries and expenses of more than 
     nine political and Presidential appointees in the Federal 
     Aviation Administration.
       Sec. 118.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to increase fees pursuant to section 44721 of title 
     49, United States Code, until the Federal Aviation 
     Administration provides to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations a report that justifies all fees related to 
     aeronautical navigation products and explains how such fees 
     are consistent with Executive Order No. 13642.
       Sec. 119.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to close a regional operations center of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration or reduce its services unless the 
     Administrator notifies the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations not less than 90 full business days in 
     advance.
       Sec. 119A.  None of the funds made available by or limited 
     by this Act may be used to change weight restrictions or 
     prior permission rules at Teterboro airport in Teterboro, New 
     Jersey.
       Sec. 119B.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration to withhold from consideration and approval 
     any new application for participation in the Contract Tower 
     Program, or for reevaluation of Cost-share Program 
     participants so long as the Federal Aviation Administration 
     has received an application from the airport, and so long as 
     the Administrator determines such tower is eligible using the 
     factors set forth in Federal Aviation Administration 
     published establishment criteria.
       Sec. 119C.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to open, close, redesignate as a lesser office, 
     or reorganize a regional office, the aeronautical center, or 
     the technical center unless the Administrator submits a 
     request for the reprogramming of funds under section 405 of 
     this Act.
       Sec. 119D.  The Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrative Services Franchise Fund may be reimbursed 
     after performance or paid in advance from funds available to 
     the Federal Aviation Administration and other Federal 
     agencies for which the Fund performs services.

[[Page H5431]]

       Sec. 119E.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available to the FAA may be used to carry out the FAA's 
     obligations under section 44502(e) of title 49, United States 
     Code, unless the eligible air traffic system or equipment to 
     be transferred to the FAA under section 44502(e) of title 49, 
     United States Code, was purchased by the transferor airport--
       (1) during the period of time beginning on October 5, 2018 
     and ending on December 31, 2021; or
       (2) on or after January 1, 2022 for transferor airports 
     located in a non-contiguous States.
       Sec. 119F.  Of the funds provided under the heading 
     ``Grants-in-aid for Airports'', up to $3,500,000 shall be for 
     necessary expenses, including an independent verification 
     regime, to provide reimbursement to airport sponsors that do 
     not provide gateway operations and providers of general 
     aviation ground support services, or other aviation tenants, 
     located at those airports closed during a temporary flight 
     restriction (TFR) for any residence of the President that is 
     designated or identified to be secured by the United States 
     Secret Service, and for direct and incremental financial 
     losses incurred while such airports are closed solely due to 
     the actions of the Federal Government:  Provided, That no 
     funds shall be obligated or distributed to airport sponsors 
     that do not provide gateway operations and providers of 
     general aviation ground support services until an independent 
     audit is completed:  Provided further, That losses incurred 
     as a result of violations of law, or through fault or 
     negligence, of such operators and service providers or of 
     third parties (including airports) are not eligible for 
     reimbursements:  Provided further, That obligation and 
     expenditure of funds are conditional upon full release of the 
     United States Government for all claims for financial losses 
     resulting from such actions.

                     Federal Highway Administration

                 limitation on administrative expenses

                          (highway trust fund)

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Not to exceed $483,551,671 together with advances and 
     reimbursements received by the Federal Highway 
     Administration, shall be obligated for necessary expenses for 
     administration and operation of the Federal Highway 
     Administration:  Provided, That in addition, $3,248,000 shall 
     be transferred to the Appalachian Regional Commission in 
     accordance with section 104(a) of title 23, United States 
     Code.

                          federal-aid highways

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       Funds available for the implementation or execution of 
     authorized Federal-aid highway and highway safety 
     construction programs shall not exceed total obligations of 
     $60,095,782,888 for fiscal year 2024:  Provided, That the 
     limitation on obligations under this heading shall only apply 
     to contract authority authorized from the Highway Trust Fund 
     (other than the Mass Transit Account), unless otherwise 
     specified in law.

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For the payment of obligations incurred in carrying out 
     authorized Federal-aid highway and highway safety 
     construction programs, $60,834,782,888 shall be derived from 
     the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account), 
     to remain available until expended.

                    highway infrastructure programs

                     (including transfer of funds)

       There is hereby appropriated to the Secretary 
     $1,361,627,349:  Provided, That the funds made available 
     under this heading shall be derived from the general fund, 
     shall be in addition to any funds provided for fiscal year 
     2024 in this or any other Act for: (1) ``Federal-aid 
     Highways'' under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code; 
     or (2) activities eligible under the Tribal Transportation 
     Program under section 202 of such title, and shall not affect 
     the distribution or amount of funds provided in any other 
     Act:  Provided further, That section 11101(e) of Public Law 
     117-58 shall apply to funds made available under this 
     heading:  Provided further, That amounts made available under 
     this heading shall be available until September 30, 2027, and 
     shall not be subject to any limitation on obligations for 
     Federal-aid highways or highway safety construction programs 
     set forth in any Act making annual appropriations:  Provided 
     further, That of the sums made available under this heading--
       (1) $1,211,627,349 shall be for the purposes, and in the 
     amounts, specified for Community Project Funding in the table 
     entitled ``Community Project Funding'' included in the Report 
     accompanying this Act:  Provided, That, except as otherwise 
     provided under this heading, the funds made available under 
     this paragraph shall be administered as if apportioned under 
     chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code:  Provided further, 
     That funds made available under this paragraph that are used 
     for Tribal projects shall be administered as if allocated 
     under chapter 2 of title 23, United States Code, except that 
     the set-asides described in subparagraph (C) of section 
     202(b)(3) of title 23, United States Code, and subsections 
     (a)(6), (c), and (e) of section 202 of such title, and 
     section 1123(h)(1) of MAP-21 (as amended by Public Law 117-
     58), shall not apply to such funds; and
       (2) $150,000,000 shall be available for activities eligible 
     under the Tribal Transportation Program, as described in 
     section 202 of title 23, United States Code:  Provided, That, 
     except as otherwise provided under this heading, the funds 
     made available under this paragraph shall be administered as 
     if allocated under chapter 2 of title 23, United States Code: 
      Provided further, That the set-asides described in 
     subparagraph (C) of section 202(b)(3) of title 23, United 
     States Code, and subsections (a)(6), (c), (d), and (e) of 
     section 202 of such title shall not apply to funds made 
     available under this paragraph:  Provided further, That the 
     set-aside described in section 1123(h)(1) of MAP-21 (as 
     amended by Public Law 117-58), shall not apply to such funds.

       administrative provisions--federal highway administration

                    (including rescission of funds)

       Sec. 120. (a) For fiscal year 2024, the Secretary of 
     Transportation shall--
       (1) not distribute from the obligation limitation for 
     Federal-aid highways--
       (A) amounts authorized for administrative expenses and 
     programs by section 104(a) of title 23, United States Code; 
     and
       (B) amounts authorized for the Bureau of Transportation 
     Statistics;
       (2) not distribute an amount from the obligation limitation 
     for Federal-aid highways that is equal to the unobligated 
     balance of amounts--
       (A) made available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
     the Mass Transit Account) for Federal-aid highway and highway 
     safety construction programs for previous fiscal years the 
     funds for which are allocated by the Secretary (or 
     apportioned by the Secretary under section 202 or 204 of 
     title 23, United States Code); and
       (B) for which obligation limitation was provided in a 
     previous fiscal year;
       (3) determine the proportion that--
       (A) the obligation limitation for Federal-aid highways, 
     less the aggregate of amounts not distributed under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection; bears to
       (B) the total of the sums authorized to be appropriated for 
     the Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction 
     programs (other than sums authorized to be appropriated for 
     provisions of law described in paragraphs (1) through (11) of 
     subsection (b) and sums authorized to be appropriated for 
     section 119 of title 23, United States Code, equal to the 
     amount referred to in subsection (b)(12) for such fiscal 
     year), less the aggregate of the amounts not distributed 
     under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection;
       (4) distribute the obligation limitation for Federal-aid 
     highways, less the aggregate amounts not distributed under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2), for each of the programs (other than 
     programs to which paragraph (1) applies) that are allocated 
     by the Secretary under authorized Federal-aid highway and 
     highway safety construction programs, or apportioned by the 
     Secretary under section 202 or 204 of title 23, United States 
     Code, by multiplying--
       (A) the proportion determined under paragraph (3); by
       (B) the amounts authorized to be appropriated for each such 
     program for such fiscal year; and
       (5) distribute the obligation limitation for Federal-aid 
     highways, less the aggregate amounts not distributed under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2) and the amounts distributed under 
     paragraph (4), for Federal-aid highway and highway safety 
     construction programs that are apportioned by the Secretary 
     under title 23, United States Code (other than the amounts 
     apportioned for the National Highway Performance Program in 
     section 119 of title 23, United States Code, that are exempt 
     from the limitation under subsection (b)(12) and the amounts 
     apportioned under sections 202 and 204 of that title) in the 
     proportion that--
       (A) amounts authorized to be appropriated for the programs 
     that are apportioned under title 23, United States Code, to 
     each State for such fiscal year; bears to
       (B) the total of the amounts authorized to be appropriated 
     for the programs that are apportioned under title 23, United 
     States Code, to all States for such fiscal year.
       (b) Exceptions From Obligation Limitation.--The obligation 
     limitation for Federal-aid highways shall not apply to 
     obligations under or for--
       (1) section 125 of title 23, United States Code;
       (2) section 147 of the Surface Transportation Assistance 
     Act of 1978 (23 U.S.C. 144 note; 92 Stat. 2714);
       (3) section 9 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1981 (95 
     Stat. 1701);
       (4) subsections (b) and (j) of section 131 of the Surface 
     Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (96 Stat. 2119);
       (5) subsections (b) and (c) of section 149 of the Surface 
     Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 
     (101 Stat. 198);
       (6) sections 1103 through 1108 of the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (105 Stat. 2027);
       (7) section 157 of title 23, United States Code (as in 
     effect on June 8, 1998);
       (8) section 105 of title 23, United States Code (as in 
     effect for fiscal years 1998 through 2004, but only in an 
     amount equal to $639,000,000 for each of those fiscal years);
       (9) Federal-aid highway programs for which obligation 
     authority was made available under the Transportation Equity 
     Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 107) or subsequent Acts 
     for multiple years or to remain available until expended, but 
     only to the extent that the obligation authority has not 
     lapsed or been used;

[[Page H5432]]

       (10) section 105 of title 23, United States Code (as in 
     effect for fiscal years 2005 through 2012, but only in an 
     amount equal to $639,000,000 for each of those fiscal years);
       (11) section 1603 of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 118 note; 119 
     Stat. 1248), to the extent that funds obligated in accordance 
     with that section were not subject to a limitation on 
     obligations at the time at which the funds were initially 
     made available for obligation; and
       (12) section 119 of title 23, United States Code (but, for 
     each of fiscal years 2013 through 2024, only in an amount 
     equal to $639,000,000).
       (c) Redistribution of Unused Obligation Authority.--
     Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary shall, after 
     August 1 of such fiscal year--
       (1) revise a distribution of the obligation limitation made 
     available under subsection (a) if an amount distributed 
     cannot be obligated during that fiscal year; and
       (2) redistribute sufficient amounts to those States able to 
     obligate amounts in addition to those previously distributed 
     during that fiscal year, giving priority to those States 
     having large unobligated balances of funds apportioned under 
     sections 144 (as in effect on the day before the date of 
     enactment of Public Law 112-141) and 104 of title 23, United 
     States Code.
       (d) Applicability of Obligation Limitations to 
     Transportation Research Programs.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     obligation limitation for Federal-aid highways shall apply to 
     contract authority for transportation research programs 
     carried out under--
       (A) chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code;
       (B) title VI of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
     Act; and
       (C) title III of division A of the Infrastructure 
     Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).
       (2) Exception.--Obligation authority made available under 
     paragraph (1) shall--
       (A) remain available for a period of 4 fiscal years; and
       (B) be in addition to the amount of any limitation imposed 
     on obligations for Federal-aid highway and highway safety 
     construction programs for future fiscal years.
       (e) Redistribution of Certain Authorized Funds.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     distribution of obligation limitation under subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall distribute to the States any funds 
     (excluding funds authorized for the program under section 202 
     of title 23, United States Code) that--
       (A) are authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal year 
     for Federal-aid highway programs; and
       (B) the Secretary determines will not be allocated to the 
     States (or will not be apportioned to the States under 
     section 204 of title 23, United States Code), and will not be 
     available for obligation, for such fiscal year because of the 
     imposition of any obligation limitation for such fiscal year.
       (2) Ratio.--Funds shall be distributed under paragraph (1) 
     in the same proportion as the distribution of obligation 
     authority under subsection (a)(5).
       (3) Availability.--Funds distributed to each State under 
     paragraph (1) shall be available for any purpose described in 
     section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code.
       Sec. 121.  Notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, funds received 
     by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from the sale of 
     data products, for necessary expenses incurred pursuant to 
     chapter 63 of title 49, United States Code, may be credited 
     to the Federal-aid highways account for the purpose of 
     reimbursing the Bureau for such expenses.
       Sec. 122.  Not less than 15 days prior to waiving, under 
     his or her statutory authority, any Buy America requirement 
     for Federal-aid highways projects, the Secretary of 
     Transportation shall make an informal public notice and 
     comment opportunity on the intent to issue such waiver and 
     the reasons therefor:  Provided, That the Secretary shall 
     post on a website any waivers granted under the Buy America 
     requirements.
       Sec. 123.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to make a grant for a project under section 117 of 
     title 23, United States Code, unless the Secretary, at least 
     60 days before making a grant under that section, provides 
     written notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations of the proposed grant, including an evaluation 
     and justification for the project and the amount of the 
     proposed grant award.
       Sec. 124. (a) A State or territory, as defined in section 
     165 of title 23, United States Code, may use for any project 
     eligible under section 133(b) of title 23 or section 165 of 
     title 23 and located within the boundary of the State or 
     territory any earmarked amount, and any associated obligation 
     limitation:  Provided, That the Department of Transportation 
     for the State or territory for which the earmarked amount was 
     originally designated or directed notifies the Secretary of 
     its intent to use its authority under this section and 
     submits an annual report to the Secretary identifying the 
     projects to which the funding would be applied. 
     Notwithstanding the original period of availability of funds 
     to be obligated under this section, such funds and associated 
     obligation limitation shall remain available for obligation 
     for a period of 3 fiscal years after the fiscal year in which 
     the Secretary is notified. The Federal share of the cost of a 
     project carried out with funds made available under this 
     section shall be the same as associated with the earmark.
       (b) In this section, the term ``earmarked amount'' means--
       (1) congressionally directed spending, as defined in rule 
     XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate, identified in a 
     prior law, report, or joint explanatory statement, which was 
     authorized to be appropriated or appropriated more than 10 
     fiscal years prior to the current fiscal year, and 
     administered by the Federal Highway Administration; or
       (2) a congressional earmark, as defined in rule XXI of the 
     Rules of the House of Representatives, identified in a prior 
     law, report, or joint explanatory statement, which was 
     authorized to be appropriated or appropriated more than 10 
     fiscal years prior to the current fiscal year, and 
     administered by the Federal Highway Administration.
       (c) The authority under subsection (a) may be exercised 
     only for those projects or activities that have obligated 
     less than 10 percent of the amount made available for 
     obligation as of October 1 of the current fiscal year, and 
     shall be applied to projects within the same general 
     geographic area within 25 miles for which the funding was 
     designated, except that a State or territory may apply such 
     authority to unexpended balances of funds from projects or 
     activities the State or territory certifies have been closed 
     and for which payments have been made under a final voucher.
       (d) The Secretary shall submit consolidated reports of the 
     information provided by the States and territories annually 
     to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
       Sec. 125. (a) Of the unallocated and unobligated balances 
     available to the Federal Highway Administration, the 
     following funds are hereby permanently cancelled, subject to 
     subsections (b) and (c), from the following accounts and 
     programs in the specified amounts:
       (1) $53,160,115 from funds available in the ``Surface 
     Transportation Priorities'' account (69 X 0538);
       (2) $1,839,130 from funds available in the ``Delta Regional 
     Transportation Development Program'' account (69 X 0551);
       (3) $11,814,580 from funds available in the ``Appalachian 
     Development Highway System'' account (69 X 0640);
       (4) $392,112 from funds available in the ``Bridge Capacity 
     Improvements'' account (69 X 8057);
       (5) $30,640,110 from funds available in the ``Miscellaneous 
     Highway Project'' account (69 X 8058); and
       (6) $7,063,307 from funds available in the ``Highway 
     Projects'' account (69 X 8382).
       (b) No amounts may be cancelled under subsection (a) from 
     any funds for which a State exercised its authority under 
     section 125 of division L of Public Law 114-113, section 422 
     of division K of Public Law 115-31, section 126 of division L 
     of Public Law 115-141, section 125 of division G of Public 
     Law 116-6, section 125 of division H of Public Law 116-94, 
     section 124 of division L of Public Law 116-260, section 124 
     of division L of Public Law 117-103, or section 124 of 
     division L of Public Law 117-328.
       (c) No amounts may be cancelled under subsection (a) from 
     any amounts that were designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on 
     the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.
       Sec. 126.  None of the funds made available by this or any 
     other Act may be used to finalize, implement, administer, or 
     enforce the proposed rule entitled ``National Performance 
     Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National 
     Highway System, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure'' published 
     by the Federal Highway Administration in the Federal Register 
     on July 15, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 42401) or successor 
     regulation.

              Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

              motor carrier safety operations and programs

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For payment of obligations incurred in the implementation, 
     execution and administration of motor carrier safety 
     operations and programs pursuant to section 31110 of title 
     49, United States Code, as amended by the Infrastructure 
     Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), $375,000,000, to 
     be derived from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass 
     Transit Account), together with advances and reimbursements 
     received by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 
     the sum of which shall remain available until expended:  
     Provided, That funds available for implementation, execution, 
     or administration of motor carrier safety operations and 
     programs authorized under title 49, United States Code, shall 
     not exceed total obligations of $375,000,000, for ``Motor 
     Carrier Safety Operations and Programs'' for fiscal year 
     2024, of which $14,073,000, to remain available for 
     obligation until September 30, 2026, is for the research and 
     technology program, and of which not less than $63,098,000, 
     to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2026, 
     is for development, modernization, enhancement, and continued 
     operation and maintenance of information technology and 
     information management.

                      motor carrier safety grants

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For payment of obligations incurred in carrying out 
     sections 31102, 31103, 31104, and

[[Page H5433]]

     31313 of title 49, United States Code, $516,300,000, to be 
     derived from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass 
     Transit Account) and to remain available until expended:  
     Provided, That funds available for the implementation or 
     execution of motor carrier safety programs shall not exceed 
     total obligations of $516,300,000 in fiscal year 2024 for 
     ``Motor Carrier Safety Grants'':  Provided further, That of 
     the amounts made available under this heading--
       (1) $406,500,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for the motor carrier safety 
     assistance program;
       (2) $43,500,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for the commercial driver's 
     license program implementation program;
       (3) $60,000,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for the high priority program;
       (4) $1,300,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for the commercial motor vehicle 
     operators grant program; and
       (5) $5,000,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for the commercial motor vehicle 
     enforcement training and support grant program.

 administrative provisions--federal motor carrier safety administration

       Sec. 130.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 
     shall send notice of section 385.308 of title 49, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, violations by certified mail, registered 
     mail, or another manner of delivery, which records the 
     receipt of the notice by the persons responsible for the 
     violations.
       Sec. 131.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act or any other Act may be used to 
     promulgate any rule or regulation to require vehicles with a 
     gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds operating in 
     interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting 
     device set to a maximum speed.
       Sec. 132.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act or any other Act may be used to require 
     the use of inward facing cameras as a condition for 
     participation in the apprenticeship pilot program under 
     section 23022 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
     (49 U.S.C. 31315 note).
       Sec. 133.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act or any other Act may be used to 
     implement a policy or regulation for the requirement that a 
     motor carrier register an apprenticeship program with the 
     Department of Labor, including registration under part 29 of 
     title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, in order to 
     participate in the apprenticeship pilot program under section 
     23022 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 
     U.S.C. 31315 note).
       Sec. 134.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available to the Department of Transportation by this Act or 
     any other Act may be obligated or expended to implement, 
     administer, or enforce the requirements of section 31137 of 
     title 49, United States Code, or any regulation issued by the 
     Secretary pursuant to such section, with respect to the use 
     of electronic logging devices by operators of commercial 
     motor vehicles, as defined in section 31132(1) of such title, 
     transporting livestock as defined in section 602 of the 
     Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 
     1471) or insects.

             National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

                        operations and research

       For expenses necessary to discharge the functions of the 
     Secretary, with respect to traffic and highway safety, 
     authorized under chapter 301 and part C of subtitle VI of 
     title 49, United States Code, $260,000,000, to remain 
     available through September 30, 2025.

                        operations and research

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For payment of obligations incurred in carrying out the 
     provisions of section 403 of title 23, United States Code, 
     including behavioral research on Automated Driving Systems 
     and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and improving consumer 
     responses to safety recalls, section 25024 of the 
     Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), 
     and chapter 303 of title 49, United States Code, 
     $201,200,000, to be derived from the Highway Trust Fund 
     (other than the Mass Transit Account) and to remain available 
     until expended:  Provided, That none of the funds in this Act 
     shall be available for the planning or execution of programs 
     the total obligations for which, in fiscal year 2024, are in 
     excess of $201,200,000:  Provided further, That of the sums 
     appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $194,000,000 shall be for programs authorized under 
     section 403 of title 23, United States Code, including 
     behavioral research on Automated Driving Systems and Advanced 
     Driver Assistance Systems and improving consumer responses to 
     safety recalls, and section 25024 of the Infrastructure 
     Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58); and
       (2) $7,200,000 shall be for the National Driver Register 
     authorized under chapter 303 of title 49, United States Code:
       Provided further, That within the $201,200,000 obligation 
     limitation for operations and research, $57,500,000 shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2025, and shall be in 
     addition to the amount of any limitation imposed on 
     obligations for future years:  Provided further, That amounts 
     for behavioral research on Automated Driving Systems and 
     Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and improving consumer 
     responses to safety recalls are in addition to any other 
     funds provided for those purposes for fiscal year 2024 in 
     this Act.

                     highway traffic safety grants

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For payment of obligations incurred in carrying out 
     provisions of sections 402, 404, and 405 of title 23, United 
     States Code, and grant administration expenses under chapter 
     4 of title 23, United States Code, to remain available until 
     expended, $813,300,800, to be derived from the Highway Trust 
     Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account):  Provided, That 
     none of the funds in this Act shall be available for the 
     planning or execution of programs for which the total 
     obligations in fiscal year 2024 are in excess of $813,300,800 
     for programs authorized under sections 402, 404, and 405 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and grant administration 
     expenses under chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code:  
     Provided further, That of the sums appropriated under this 
     heading--
       (1) $378,400,000 shall be for ``Highway Safety Programs'' 
     under section 402 of title 23, United States Code;
       (2) $353,500,000 shall be for ``National Priority Safety 
     Programs'' under section 405 of title 23, United States Code;
       (3) $40,300,000 shall be for the ``High Visibility 
     Enforcement Program'' under section 404 of title 23, United 
     States Code; and
       (4) $41,100,800 shall be for grant administrative expenses 
     under chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code:
       Provided further, That none of these funds shall be used 
     for construction, rehabilitation, or remodeling costs, or for 
     office furnishings and fixtures for State, local or private 
     buildings or structures:  Provided further, That not to 
     exceed $500,000 of the funds made available for ``National 
     Priority Safety Programs'' under section 405 of title 23, 
     United States Code, for ``Impaired Driving Countermeasures'' 
     (as described in subsection (d) of that section) shall be 
     available for technical assistance to the States:  Provided 
     further, That with respect to the ``Transfers'' provision 
     under section 405(a)(8) of title 23, United States Code, any 
     amounts transferred to increase the amounts made available 
     under section 402 shall include the obligation authority for 
     such amounts:  Provided further, That the Administrator shall 
     notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of 
     any exercise of the authority granted under the preceding 
     proviso or under section 405(a)(8) of title 23, United States 
     Code, within 5 days.

       administrative provision--national highway traffic safety 
                             administration

       Sec. 140.  The limitations on obligations for the programs 
     of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration set in 
     this Act shall not apply to obligations for which obligation 
     authority was made available in previous public laws but only 
     to the extent that the obligation authority has not lapsed or 
     been used.

                    Federal Railroad Administration

                         safety and operations

       For necessary expenses of the Federal Railroad 
     Administration, not otherwise provided for, $273,458,000, of 
     which $25,000,000 shall remain available until expended.

                   railroad research and development

       For necessary expenses for railroad research and 
     development, $44,000,000, to remain available until expended: 
      Provided, That of the amounts provided under this heading, 
     up to $3,000,000 shall be available pursuant to section 
     20108(d) of title 49, United States Code, for the 
     construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and 
     improvements at the Transportation Technology Center.

        consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements

       For necessary expenses related to Consolidated Rail 
     Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants, as authorized 
     by section 22907 of title 49, United States Code, 
     $258,464,439 to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That of the amounts made available under this heading in this 
     Act, $28,864,439 shall be made available for the purposes, 
     and in amounts, specified for Community Project Funding in 
     the table entitled ``Community Project Funding'' included in 
     the Report accompanying this Act:  Provided further, That 
     amounts made available for Community Project Funding under 
     this heading in this Act shall be available for railroad 
     project planning activities of projects otherwise eligible 
     under 22907(c):  Provided further, That requirements under 
     subsections (g) and (l) of section 22907 of title 49, United 
     States Code, shall not apply to the amounts made available 
     under this heading in this Act for Community Project Funding: 
      Provided further, That for amounts made available under this 
     heading in this Act, eligible recipients under section 
     22907(b)(7) of title 49, United States Code, shall include 
     any holding company of a Class II railroad or Class III 
     railroad (as those terms are defined in section 20102 of 
     title 49, United States Code):  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary may withhold up to 2 percent of the amounts made 
     available under this heading in this Act for the costs of 
     award and project management oversight of grants carried out 
     under title 49, United States Code.

[[Page H5434]]

  


     northeast corridor grants to the national railroad passenger 
                              corporation

       To enable the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to 
     the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for activities 
     associated with the Northeast Corridor as authorized by 
     section 22101(a) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
     Act (Public Law 117-58), $99,231,000, to remain available 
     until expended:  Provided, That the Secretary may retain up 
     to one-half of one percent of the amounts made available 
     under both this heading in this Act and the ``National 
     Network Grants to the National Railroad Passenger 
     Corporation'' heading in this Act to fund the costs of 
     project management and oversight of activities authorized by 
     section 22101(c) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
     Act (Public Law 117-58).

 national network grants to the national railroad passenger corporation

       To enable the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to 
     the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for activities 
     associated with the National Network as authorized by section 
     22101(b) of division B of the Infrastructure Investment and 
     Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), $776,376,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

       administrative provisions--federal railroad administration

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 150.  The amounts made available to the Secretary or 
     to the Federal Railroad Administration for the costs of 
     award, administration, and project management oversight of 
     financial assistance which are administered by the Federal 
     Railroad Administration, in this and prior Acts, may be 
     transferred to the Federal Railroad Administration's 
     ``Financial Assistance Oversight and Technical Assistance'' 
     account for the necessary expenses to support the award, 
     administration, project management oversight, and technical 
     assistance of financial assistance administered by the 
     Federal Railroad Administration, in the same manner as 
     appropriated for in this and prior Acts:  Provided, That this 
     section shall not apply to amounts that were previously 
     designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement 
     pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
       Sec. 151.  None of the funds made available to the National 
     Railroad Passenger Corporation may be used to fund any 
     overtime costs in excess of $35,000 for any individual 
     employee:  Provided, That the President of Amtrak may waive 
     the cap set in the preceding proviso for specific employees 
     when the President of Amtrak determines such a cap poses a 
     risk to the safety and operational efficiency of the system:  
     Provided further, That the President of Amtrak shall report 
     to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later 
     than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, a 
     summary of all overtime payments incurred by Amtrak for 2023 
     and the three prior calendar years:  Provided further, That 
     such summary shall include the total number of employees that 
     received waivers and the total overtime payments Amtrak paid 
     to employees receiving waivers for each month for 2023 and 
     for the three prior calendar years.
       Sec. 152.  None of the funds made available to the National 
     Railroad Passenger Corporation under the headings ``Northeast 
     Corridor Grants to the National Railroad Passenger 
     Corporation'' and ``National Network Grants to the National 
     Railroad Passenger Corporation'' may be used to reduce the 
     total number of Amtrak Police Department uniformed officers 
     patrolling on board passenger trains or at stations, 
     facilities or rights-of-way below the staffing level on May 
     1, 2019.
       Sec. 153.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available under this Act or any other Act may be provided to 
     the State of California for a high-speed rail corridor 
     development project that is the same or substantially similar 
     to the project that is the subject of Cooperative Agreement 
     No. FR-HSR-0118-12-01-01 entered into between the California 
     High-Speed Rail Authority and the Federal Railroad 
     Administration.

                     Federal Transit Administration

                         transit formula grants

                (liquidation of contract authorization)

                      (limitation on obligations)

                          (highway trust fund)

       For payment of obligations incurred in the Federal Public 
     Transportation Assistance Program in this account, and for 
     payment of obligations incurred in carrying out the 
     provisions of 49 U.S.C. 5305, 5307, 5310, 5311, 5312, 5314, 
     5318, 5329(e)(6), 5334, 5335, 5337, 5339, and 5340, as 
     amended by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 
     section 20005(b) of Public Law 112-141, and section 3006(b) 
     of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, 
     $13,990,000,000, to be derived from the Mass Transit Account 
     of the Highway Trust Fund and to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That funds available for the 
     implementation or execution of programs authorized under 49 
     U.S.C. 5305, 5307, 5310, 5311, 5312, 5314, 5318, 5329(e)(6), 
     5334, 5335, 5337, 5339, and 5340, as amended by the 
     Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, section 20005(b) of 
     Public Law 112-141, and section 3006(b) of the Fixing 
     America's Surface Transportation Act, shall not exceed total 
     obligations of $13,990,000,000 in fiscal year 2024.

                     transit infrastructure grants

       For an additional amount for Community Project Funding for 
     projects and activities eligible under chapter 53 of such 
     title, $130,828,124, to remain available until expended, for 
     the purposes, and in amounts, specified for Community Project 
     Funding in the table entitled ``Community Project Funding'' 
     included in the Report accompanying this Act:  Provided, That 
     unless otherwise specified, applicable requirements under 
     chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, shall apply to 
     amounts made available in this paragraph, except that the 
     Federal share of the costs for a project in this paragraph 
     shall be in an amount equal to 80 percent of the net costs of 
     the project, unless the Secretary approves a higher maximum 
     Federal share of the net costs of the project consistent with 
     administration of similar projects funded under chapter 53 of 
     title 49, United States Code:  Provided further, That amounts 
     made available under this heading in this Act shall be 
     derived from the general fund:  Provided further, That 
     amounts made available under this heading in this Act shall 
     not be subject to any limitation on obligations for transit 
     programs set forth in this or any other Act.

                   technical assistance and training

       For necessary expenses to carry out section 5314 of title 
     49, United States Code, $8,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025, of which $500,000 shall be for the 
     purpose of providing technical assistance and resources to 
     Federally Recognized Tribes through the National Rural 
     Transportation Assistance Program authorized under 
     5311(b)(3)(C) of title 49, United States Code:  Provided, 
     That the assistance provided under this heading does not 
     duplicate the activities of section 5312 of title 49, United 
     States Code:  Provided further, That amounts made available 
     under this heading are in addition to any other amounts made 
     available for such purposes:  Provided further, That amounts 
     made available under this heading shall not be subject to any 
     limitation on obligations set forth in this or any other Act.

                       capital investment grants

       For necessary expenses to carry out fixed guideway capital 
     investment grants under section 5309 of title 49, United 
     States Code, and section 3005(b) of the Fixing America's 
     Surface Transportation Act (Public Law 114-94), $392,204,000, 
     to remain available until expended, of which $388,281,960 
     shall be available for projects authorized under section 
     5309(d) of title 49, United States Code.

      grants to the washington metropolitan area transit authority

       For grants to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
     Authority as authorized under section 601 of division B of 
     the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 
     (Public Law 110-432), $150,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That the Secretary of Transportation 
     shall approve grants for capital and preventive maintenance 
     expenditures for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
     Authority only after receiving and reviewing a request for 
     each specific project:  Provided further, That the Secretary 
     shall determine that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
     Authority has placed the highest priority on those 
     investments that will improve the safety of the system before 
     approving such grants.

       administrative provisions--federal transit administration

       Sec. 160.  The limitations on obligations for the programs 
     of the Federal Transit Administration shall not apply to any 
     authority under 49 U.S.C. 5338, previously made available for 
     obligation, or to any other authority previously made 
     available for obligation.
       Sec. 161.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds appropriated or limited by this Act under the heading 
     ``Capital Investment Grants'' of the Federal Transit 
     Administration for projects specified in this Act not 
     obligated by September 30, 2027, and other recoveries, shall 
     be directed to projects eligible to use the funds for the 
     purposes for which they were originally provided.
       Sec. 162.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any 
     funds appropriated before October 1, 2023, under any section 
     of chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, that remain 
     available for expenditure, may be transferred to and 
     administered under the most recent appropriation heading for 
     any such section.
       Sec. 163.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     any other Act shall be used to adjust apportionments or 
     withhold funds from apportionments pursuant to section 
     9503(e)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 
     9503(e)(4)).

        Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

       The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation 
     is hereby authorized to make such expenditures, within the 
     limits of funds and borrowing authority available to the 
     Corporation, and in accord with law, and to make such 
     contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year 
     limitations, as provided by section 9104 of title 31, United 
     States Code, as may be necessary in carrying out the programs 
     set forth in the Corporation's budget for the current fiscal 
     year.

                       operations and maintenance

                    (harbor maintenance trust fund)

       For necessary expenses to conduct the operations, 
     maintenance, and capital infrastructure activities on 
     portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway owned, operated, and 
     maintained by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence

[[Page H5435]]

     Seaway Development Corporation, $40,288,000, to be derived 
     from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, pursuant to section 
     210 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 
     2238):  Provided, That of the amounts made available under 
     this heading, not less than $16,300,000 shall be for the 
     seaway infrastructure program.

                        Maritime Administration

                       maritime security program

                    (including rescission of funds)

       For necessary expenses to maintain and preserve a U.S.-flag 
     merchant fleet as authorized under chapter 531 of title 46, 
     United States Code, to serve the national security needs of 
     the United States, $318,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That of the unobligated balances from 
     prior year appropriations available under this heading, 
     $6,000,000 are hereby permanently rescinded.

                          cable security fleet

       For the cable security fleet program, as authorized under 
     chapter 532 of title 46, United States Code, $10,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

                        tanker security program

       For Tanker Security Fleet payments, as authorized under 
     section 53406 of title 46, United States Code, $60,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended: Provided, That funds 
     appropriated for the Tanker Security Fleet Program in the 
     Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-103) shall be 
     available as authorized under section 53406 of title 46, 
     United States Code, and for the Secretary to timely reimburse 
     each program participant up to $2,500,000 for each of its 
     vessels covered by an operating agreement under section 53403 
     of title 46, United States Code, for verifiable training and 
     other costs incurred to ensure that mariners on such vessels 
     are fully qualified to meet the specialized requirements to 
     serve on product tank vessels.

                        operations and training

       For necessary expenses of operations and training 
     activities authorized by law, $210,181,000:  Provided, That 
     of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $89,507,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2025, for the operations of the United States Merchant Marine 
     Academy;
       (2) $11,900,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     facilities maintenance and repair, and equipment, at the 
     United States Merchant Marine Academy;
       (3) $31,921,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     capital improvements at the United States Merchant Marine 
     Academy;
       (4) $6,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2025, for the Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance 
     program authorized under section 50307 of title 46, United 
     States Code; and
       (5) $10,000,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     the United States Marine Highway Program to make grants for 
     the purposes authorized under section 55601 of title 46, 
     United States Code:
       Provided further, That the Administrator of the Maritime 
     Administration shall transmit to the House and Senate 
     Committees on Appropriations the annual report on sexual 
     assault and sexual harassment at the United States Merchant 
     Marine Academy as required pursuant to section 3510 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2017 (46 
     U.S.C. 51318):  Provided further, That available balances 
     under this heading for the Short Sea Transportation Program 
     or America's Marine Highway Program (now known as the United 
     States Marine Highway Program) from prior year recoveries 
     shall be available to carry out activities authorized under 
     section 55601 of title 46, United States Code.

                   state maritime academy operations

       For necessary expenses of operations, support, and training 
     activities for State Maritime Academies, $56,400,000:  
     Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $22,000,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     maintenance, repair, and life extension of training ships at 
     the State Maritime Academies;
       (2) $19,200,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Program, including 
     funds for construction, planning, administration, and design 
     of school ships and, as determined by the Secretary, 
     necessary expenses to design, plan, construct infrastructure, 
     and purchase equipment necessary to berth such ships;
       (3) $2,400,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2028, for the Student Incentive Program;
       (4) $6,800,000 shall remain available until expended, for 
     training ship fuel assistance; and
       (5) $6,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2025, for direct payments for State Maritime Academies:
       Provided further, That the Administrator of the Maritime 
     Administration may use the funds made available under 
     paragraph (2) and the funds provided for shoreside 
     infrastructure improvements in Public Law 117-103 for the 
     purposes described in paragraph (2):  Provided further, That 
     such funds may be used to reimburse State Maritime Academies 
     for costs incurred prior to the date of enactment of this 
     Act: Provided further, That such funds shall be available for 
     reimbursement only for those costs incurred in compliance 
     with all applicable Federal law, including the National 
     Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 
     the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 300101 et 
     seq.).

                     assistance to small shipyards

       To make grants to qualified shipyards as authorized under 
     section 54101 of title 46, United States Code, $20,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended.

                             ship disposal

       For necessary expenses related to the disposal of obsolete 
     vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet of the Maritime 
     Administration, $6,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

          maritime guaranteed loan (title xi) program account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For administrative expenses to carry out the guaranteed 
     loan program, $3,000,000, which shall be transferred to and 
     merged with the appropriations for ``Maritime 
     Administration--Operations and Training''.

                port infrastructure development program

       To make grants to improve port facilities as authorized 
     under section 54301 of title 46, United States Code, 
     $69,727,566 to remain available until expended, for the 
     purposes, and in the amounts, specified for Community Project 
     Funding in the table entitled ``Community Project Funding'' 
     included in the Report accompanying this Act.

           administrative provisions--maritime administration

       Sec. 170.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     in addition to any existing authority, the Maritime 
     Administration is authorized to furnish utilities and 
     services and make necessary repairs in connection with any 
     lease, contract, or occupancy involving Government property 
     under control of the Maritime Administration:  Provided, That 
     payments received therefor shall be credited to the 
     appropriation charged with the cost thereof and shall remain 
     available until expended:  Provided further, That rental 
     payments under any such lease, contract, or occupancy for 
     items other than such utilities, services, or repairs shall 
     be deposited into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
       Sec. 171.  In addition to amounts otherwise made available 
     by this or any other Act, there is hereby appropriated 
     $6,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out 
     section 3546 of Public Law 117-263, Recapitalization of 
     National Defense Reserve Fleet.

         Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

                          operational expenses

       For necessary operational expenses of the Pipeline and 
     Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, $31,681,000, of 
     which $4,500,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2026.

                       hazardous materials safety

       For expenses necessary to discharge the hazardous materials 
     safety functions of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
     Safety Administration, $80,874,000; of which $14,070,000 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2026, of which 
     $1,000,000 shall be made available for carrying out section 
     5107(i) of title 49, United States Code:  Provided, That up 
     to $800,000 in fees collected under section 5108(g) of title 
     49, United States Code, shall be deposited in the general 
     fund of the Treasury as offsetting receipts:  Provided 
     further, That there may be credited to this appropriation, to 
     be available until expended, funds received from States, 
     counties, municipalities, other public authorities, and 
     private sources for expenses incurred for training, for 
     reports publication and dissemination, and for travel 
     expenses incurred in performance of hazardous materials 
     exemptions and approvals functions.

                            pipeline safety

                         (pipeline safety fund)

                    (oil spill liability trust fund)

       For expenses necessary to carry out a pipeline safety 
     program, as authorized by section 60107 of title 49, United 
     States Code, and to discharge the pipeline program 
     responsibilities of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (Public Law 
     101-380), $197,441,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2026, of which $30,000,000 shall be derived from the Oil 
     Spill Liability Trust Fund; of which $160,041,000 shall be 
     derived from the Pipeline Safety Fund; of which $400,000 
     shall be derived from the fees collected under section 60303 
     of title 49, United States Code, and deposited in the 
     Liquefied Natural Gas Siting Account for compliance reviews 
     of liquefied natural gas facilities; and of which $7,000,000 
     shall be derived from fees collected under section 60302 of 
     title 49, United States Code, and deposited in the 
     Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Account for 
     the purpose of carrying out section 60141 of title 49, United 
     States Code:  Provided, That not less than $1,058,000 of the 
     amounts made available under this heading shall be for the 
     One-Call State grant program:  Provided further, That any 
     amounts made available under this heading in this Act or in 
     prior Acts for research contracts, grants, cooperative 
     agreements or research other transactions agreements 
     (``OTAs'') shall require written notification to the House 
     and Senate Committees on Appropriations not less than 3 full 
     business days before such research contracts, grants, 
     cooperative agreements, or research OTAs are announced by the 
     Department of Transportation.

                     emergency preparedness grants

                      (limitation on obligations)

                     (emergency preparedness fund)

       For expenses necessary to carry out the Emergency 
     Preparedness Grants program,

[[Page H5436]]

     not more than $28,318,000 shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2026, from amounts made available by section 
     5116(h) and subsections (b) and (c) of section 5128 of title 
     49, United States Code:  Provided, That notwithstanding 
     section 5116(h)(4) of title 49, United States Code, not more 
     than 4 percent of the amounts made available from this 
     account shall be available to pay the administrative costs of 
     carrying out sections 5116, 5107(e), and 5108(g)(2) of title 
     49, United States Code:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) of section 5128 of 
     title 49, United States Code, and the limitation on 
     obligations provided under this heading, prior year 
     recoveries recognized in the current year shall be available 
     to develop and deliver hazardous materials emergency response 
     training for emergency responders, including response 
     activities for the transportation of crude oil, ethanol, 
     flammable liquids, and other hazardous commodities by rail, 
     consistent with National Fire Protection Association 
     standards, and to make such training available through an 
     electronic format:  Provided further, That the prior year 
     recoveries made available under this heading shall also be 
     available to carry out sections 5116(a)(1)(C), 5116(h), 
     5116(i), 5116(j), and 5107(e) of title 49, United States 
     Code.

                      Office of Inspector General

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     to carry out the provisions of section 404 of title 5, United 
     States Code, as amended, $121,001,000:  Provided, That the 
     Inspector General shall have all necessary authority, in 
     carrying out the duties specified in the Inspector General 
     Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), to investigate allegations 
     of fraud, including false statements to the government (18 
     U.S.C. 1001), by any person or entity that is subject to 
     regulation by the Department of Transportation: Provided 
     further, That the Inspector General shall have independent 
     authority over all personnel issues within this office.

            General Provisions--Department of Transportation

       Sec. 180. (a) During the current fiscal year, applicable 
     appropriations to the Department of Transportation shall be 
     available for maintenance and operation of aircraft; hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles and aircraft; purchase of liability 
     insurance for motor vehicles operating in foreign countries 
     on official department business; and uniforms or allowances 
     therefor, as authorized by sections 5901 and 5902 of title 5, 
     United States Code.
       (b) During the current fiscal year, applicable 
     appropriations to the Department and its operating 
     administrations shall be available for the purchase, 
     maintenance, operation, and deployment of unmanned aircraft 
     systems that advance the missions of the Department of 
     Transportation or an operating administration of the 
     Department of Transportation.
       (c) Any unmanned aircraft system purchased, procured, or 
     contracted for by the Department prior to the date of 
     enactment of this Act shall be deemed authorized by Congress 
     as if this provision was in effect when the system was 
     purchased, procured, or contracted for.
       Sec. 181.  Appropriations contained in this Act for the 
     Department of Transportation shall be available for services 
     as authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, 
     but at rates for individuals not to exceed the per diem rate 
     equivalent to the rate for an Executive Level IV.
       Sec. 182. (a) No recipient of amounts made available by 
     this Act shall disseminate personal information (as defined 
     in section 2725(3) of title 18, United States Code) obtained 
     by a State department of motor vehicles in connection with a 
     motor vehicle record as defined in section 2725(1) of title 
     18, United States Code, except as provided in section 2721 of 
     title 18, United States Code, for a use permitted under 
     section 2721 of title 18, United States Code.
       (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary shall not 
     withhold amounts made available by this Act for any grantee 
     if a State is in noncompliance with this provision.
       Sec. 183.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be available for salaries and expenses of more than 125 
     political and Presidential appointees in the Department of 
     Transportation:  Provided, That none of the personnel covered 
     by this provision may be assigned on temporary detail outside 
     the Department of Transportation.
       Sec. 184.  Funds received by the Federal Highway 
     Administration and Federal Railroad Administration from 
     States, counties, municipalities, other public authorities, 
     and private sources for expenses incurred for training may be 
     credited respectively to the Federal Highway Administration's 
     ``Federal-Aid Highways'' account and to the Federal Railroad 
     Administration's ``Safety and Operations'' account, except 
     for State rail safety inspectors participating in training 
     pursuant to section 20105 of title 49, United States Code.
       Sec. 185.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     in title VIII of division J of Public Law 117-58 to the 
     Department of Transportation may be used to make a loan, loan 
     guarantee, line of credit, letter of intent, federally funded 
     cooperative agreement, full funding grant agreement, or 
     discretionary grant unless the Secretary of Transportation 
     notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
     not less than 3 full business days before any project 
     competitively selected to receive any discretionary grant 
     award, letter of intent, loan commitment, loan guarantee 
     commitment, line of credit commitment, federally funded 
     cooperative agreement, or full funding grant agreement is 
     announced by the Department or its operating administrations: 
      Provided, That the Secretary of Transportation shall provide 
     the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations with a 
     comprehensive list of all such loans, loan guarantees, lines 
     of credit, letters of intent, federally funded cooperative 
     agreements, full funding grant agreements, and discretionary 
     grants prior to the notification required under the preceding 
     proviso:  Provided further, That the Secretary gives 
     concurrent notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations for any ``quick release'' of funds from the 
     emergency relief program:  Provided further, That no 
     notification shall involve funds that are not available for 
     obligation.
       Sec. 186.  Rebates, refunds, incentive payments, minor 
     fees, and other funds received by the Department of 
     Transportation from travel management centers, charge card 
     programs, the subleasing of building space, and miscellaneous 
     sources are to be credited to appropriations of the 
     Department of Transportation and allocated to organizational 
     units of the Department of Transportation using fair and 
     equitable criteria and such funds shall be available until 
     expended.
       Sec. 187.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if 
     any funds provided by or limited by this Act are subject to a 
     reprogramming action that requires notice to be provided to 
     the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, 
     transmission of such reprogramming notice shall be provided 
     solely to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, 
     and such reprogramming action shall be approved or denied 
     solely by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations:  
     Provided, That the Secretary of Transportation may provide 
     notice to other congressional committees of the action of the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on such 
     reprogramming but not sooner than 30 days after the date on 
     which the reprogramming action has been approved or denied by 
     the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
       Sec. 188.  Funds appropriated by this Act to the operating 
     administrations may be obligated for the Office of the 
     Secretary for the costs related to assessments or 
     reimbursable agreements only when such amounts are for the 
     costs of goods and services that are purchased to provide a 
     direct benefit to the applicable operating administration or 
     administrations.
       Sec. 189.  The Secretary of Transportation is authorized to 
     carry out a program that establishes uniform standards for 
     developing and supporting agency transit pass and transit 
     benefits authorized under section 7905 of title 5, United 
     States Code, including distribution of transit benefits by 
     various paper and electronic media.
       Sec. 190.  The Department of Transportation may use funds 
     provided by this Act, or any other Act, to assist a contract 
     under title 49 or 23 of the United States Code utilizing 
     geographic, economic, or any other hiring preference not 
     otherwise authorized by law, or to amend a rule, regulation, 
     policy or other measure that forbids a recipient of a Federal 
     Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration 
     grant from imposing such hiring preference on a contract or 
     construction project with which the Department of 
     Transportation is assisting, only if the grant recipient 
     certifies the following:
       (1) that except with respect to apprentices or trainees, a 
     pool of readily available but unemployed individuals 
     possessing the knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the 
     work that the contract requires resides in the jurisdiction;
       (2) that the grant recipient will include appropriate 
     provisions in its bid document ensuring that the contractor 
     does not displace any of its existing employees in order to 
     satisfy such hiring preference; and
       (3) that any increase in the cost of labor, training, or 
     delays resulting from the use of such hiring preference does 
     not delay or displace any transportation project in the 
     applicable Statewide Transportation Improvement Program or 
     Transportation Improvement Program.
       Sec. 191.  The Secretary of Transportation shall coordinate 
     with the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that best 
     practices for Industrial Control Systems Procurement are up-
     to-date and shall ensure that systems procured with funds 
     provided under this title were procured using such practices.
       Sec. 192.  None of the funds made available in this Act or 
     any other Act may be used to require information, criteria, 
     reporting requirements, or submissions with respect to any 
     grant program of the Department of Transportation in 
     accordance with an equity action plan, including the Equity 
     Action Plan of the Department of Transportation published in 
     January 2022.
       This title may be cited as the ``Department of 
     Transportation Appropriations Act, 2024''.

                                TITLE II

              DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

                     Management and Administration

                           executive offices

       For necessary salaries and expenses for Executive Offices, 
     which shall be comprised of the offices of the Secretary, 
     Deputy Secretary, Adjudicatory Services, Congressional

[[Page H5437]]

     and Intergovernmental Relations, Public Affairs, Small and 
     Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and the Center for Faith-
     Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, $18,699,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2025:  Provided, That not to 
     exceed $25,000 of the amount made available under this 
     heading shall be available to the Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development (referred to in this title as ``the 
     Secretary'') for official reception and representation 
     expenses as the Secretary may determine.

                     administrative support offices

       For necessary salaries and expenses for Administrative 
     Support Offices, $664,287,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025:  Provided, That of the sums appropriated 
     under this heading--
       (1) $90,380,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Chief Financial Officer;
       (2) $125,833,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     General Counsel, of which not less than $20,300,000 shall be 
     for the Departmental Enforcement Center;
       (3) $226,682,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Administration, of which not less than $4,680,000 may be for 
     modernization and deferred maintenance of the Weaver 
     Building;
       (4) $51,743,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Chief Human Capital Officer;
       (5) $28,137,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Chief Procurement Officer;
       (6) $66,130,000 shall be available for the Office of Field 
     Policy and Management;
       (7) $4,630,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity; and
       (8) $70,752,000 shall be available for the Office of the 
     Chief Information Officer:
       Provided further, That funds made available under this 
     heading may be used for necessary administrative and non-
     administrative expenses of the Department, not otherwise 
     provided for, including purchase of uniforms, or allowances 
     therefor, as authorized by sections 5901 and 5902 of title 5, 
     United States Code; hire of passenger motor vehicles; and 
     services as authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United 
     States Code:  Provided further, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, funds appropriated under this heading 
     may be used for advertising and promotional activities that 
     directly support program activities funded in this title.

                            program offices

       For necessary salaries and expenses for Program Offices, 
     $1,062,065,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025: 
      Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $280,117,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Public and Indian Housing;
       (2) $164,507,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Community Planning and Development;
       (3) $468,286,000 shall be available for the Office of 
     Housing, of which not less than $13,300,000 shall be for the 
     Office of Recapitalization;
       (4) $39,884,000 shall be available for the Office of Policy 
     Development and Research;
       (5) $98,081,000 shall be available for the Office of Fair 
     Housing and Equal Opportunity; and
       (6) $11,190,000 shall be available for the Office of Lead 
     Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.

                          working capital fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the working capital fund for the Department of Housing 
     and Urban Development (referred to in this paragraph as the 
     ``Fund''), pursuant, in part, to section 7(f) of the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 
     3535(f)), amounts transferred, including reimbursements 
     pursuant to section 7(f), to the Fund under this heading 
     shall be available only for Federal shared services used by 
     offices and agencies of the Department, and for any such 
     portion of any office or agency's information technology end-
     user devices and wireless support, printing, records 
     management, space renovation, furniture, or supply services 
     the Secretary has determined shall be provided through the 
     Fund, and the operational expenses of the Fund:  Provided, 
     That amounts within the Fund shall not be available to 
     provide services not specifically authorized under this 
     heading:  Provided further, That upon a determination by the 
     Secretary that any other service (or portion thereof) 
     authorized under this heading shall be provided through the 
     Fund, amounts made available in this title for salaries and 
     expenses under the headings ``Executive Offices'', 
     ``Administrative Support Offices'', ``Program Offices'', and 
     ``Government National Mortgage Association'', for such 
     services shall be transferred to the Fund, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary shall notify the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations of its plans for executing such transfers at 
     least 15 days in advance of such transfers.

                       Public and Indian Housing

                     tenant-based rental assistance

       For activities and assistance for the provision of tenant-
     based rental assistance authorized under the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) (in 
     this title ``the Act''), not otherwise provided for, 
     $27,131,600,000 to remain available until expended, which 
     shall be available on October 1, 2023 (in addition to the 
     $4,000,000,000 previously appropriated under this heading 
     that shall be available on October 1, 2023), and 
     $4,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, which 
     shall be available on October 1, 2024:  Provided, That of the 
     sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $27,374,554,000 shall be available for renewals of 
     expiring section 8 tenant-based annual contributions 
     contracts (including renewals of enhanced vouchers under any 
     provision of law authorizing such assistance under section 
     8(t) of the Act), including renewal of other special purpose 
     incremental vouchers:  Provided, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, from amounts provided under this 
     paragraph and any carryover, the Secretary for the calendar 
     year 2024 funding cycle shall provide renewal funding for 
     each public housing agency based on validated voucher 
     management system (VMS) leasing and cost data for the prior 
     calendar year and by applying an inflation factor as 
     established by the Secretary, by notice published in the 
     Federal Register, and by making any necessary adjustments for 
     the costs associated with the first-time renewal of vouchers 
     under this paragraph including tenant protection and Choice 
     Neighborhoods vouchers:  Provided further, That none of the 
     funds provided under this paragraph may be used to fund a 
     total number of unit months under lease which exceeds a 
     public housing agency's authorized level of units under 
     contract, except for public housing agencies participating in 
     the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration, which are instead 
     governed in accordance with the requirements of the MTW 
     demonstration program or their MTW agreements, if any:  
     Provided further, That the Secretary shall, to the extent 
     necessary to stay within the amount specified under this 
     paragraph (except as otherwise modified under this 
     paragraph), prorate each public housing agency's allocation 
     otherwise established pursuant to this paragraph:  Provided 
     further, That except as provided in the following provisos, 
     the entire amount specified under this paragraph (except as 
     otherwise modified under this paragraph) shall be obligated 
     to the public housing agencies based on the allocation and 
     pro rata method described above, and the Secretary shall 
     notify public housing agencies of their annual budget by the 
     latter of 60 days after enactment of this Act or March 1, 
     2024:  Provided further, That the Secretary may extend the 
     notification period with the prior written approval of the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations:  Provided 
     further, That public housing agencies participating in the 
     MTW demonstration shall be funded in accordance with the 
     requirements of the MTW demonstration program or their MTW 
     agreements, if any, and shall be subject to the same pro rata 
     adjustments under the preceding provisos:  Provided further, 
     That the Secretary may offset public housing agencies' 
     calendar year 2024 allocations based on the excess amounts of 
     public housing agencies' net restricted assets accounts, 
     including HUD-held programmatic reserves (in accordance with 
     VMS data in calendar year 2023 that is verifiable and 
     complete), as determined by the Secretary:  Provided further, 
     That public housing agencies participating in the MTW 
     demonstration shall also be subject to the offset, as 
     determined by the Secretary, excluding amounts subject to the 
     single fund budget authority provisions of their MTW 
     agreements, from the agencies' calendar year 2024 MTW funding 
     allocation:  Provided further, That the Secretary shall use 
     any offset referred to in the preceding two provisos 
     throughout the calendar year to prevent the termination of 
     rental assistance for families as the result of insufficient 
     funding, as determined by the Secretary, and to avoid or 
     reduce the proration of renewal funding allocations:  
     Provided further, That up to $100,000,000 shall be available 
     only--
       (A) for adjustments in the allocations for public housing 
     agencies, after application for an adjustment by a public 
     housing agency that experienced a significant increase, as 
     determined by the Secretary, in renewal costs of vouchers 
     resulting from unforeseen circumstances or from portability 
     under section 8(r) of the Act;
       (B) for vouchers that were not in use during the previous 
     12-month period in order to be available to meet a commitment 
     pursuant to section 8(o)(13) of the Act, or an adjustment for 
     a funding obligation not yet expended in the previous 
     calendar year for a MTW-eligible activity to develop 
     affordable housing for an agency added to the MTW 
     demonstration under the expansion authority provided in 
     section 239 of the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 
     (division L of Public Law 114-113);
       (C) for adjustments for costs associated with HUD-Veterans 
     Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers;
       (D) for public housing agencies that despite taking 
     reasonable cost savings measures, as determined by the 
     Secretary, would otherwise be required to terminate rental 
     assistance for families as a result of insufficient funding;
       (E) for adjustments in the allocations for public housing 
     agencies that--
       (i) are leasing a lower-than-average percentage of their 
     authorized vouchers,
       (ii) have low amounts of budget authority in their net 
     restricted assets accounts and HUD-held programmatic 
     reserves, relative to other agencies, and
       (iii) are not participating in the Moving to Work 
     demonstration, to enable such agencies to lease more 
     vouchers;
       (F) for withheld payments in accordance with section 
     8(o)(8)(A)(ii) of the Act for months in the previous calendar 
     year that were subsequently paid by the public housing

[[Page H5438]]

     agency after the agency's actual costs were validated; and
       (G) for public housing agencies that have experienced 
     increased costs or loss of units in an area for which the 
     President declared a disaster under title IV of the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5170 et seq.):
       Provided further, That the Secretary shall allocate amounts 
     under the preceding proviso based on need, as determined by 
     the Secretary;
       (2) $337,000,000 shall be available for section 8 rental 
     assistance for relocation and replacement of housing units 
     that are demolished or disposed of pursuant to section 18 of 
     the Act, conversion of section 23 projects to assistance 
     under section 8, relocation of witnesses (including victims 
     of violent crimes) in connection with efforts to combat crime 
     in public and assisted housing pursuant to a request from a 
     law enforcement or prosecution agency, enhanced vouchers 
     under any provision of law authorizing such assistance under 
     section 8(t) of the Act, Choice Neighborhood vouchers, 
     mandatory and voluntary conversions, and tenant protection 
     assistance including replacement and relocation assistance or 
     for project-based assistance to prevent the displacement of 
     unassisted elderly tenants currently residing in section 202 
     properties financed between 1959 and 1974 that are refinanced 
     pursuant to Public Law 106-569, as amended, or under the 
     authority as provided under this Act:  Provided, That when a 
     public housing development is submitted for demolition or 
     disposition under section 18 of the Act, the Secretary may 
     provide section 8 rental assistance when the units pose an 
     imminent health and safety risk to residents:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may provide section 8 rental 
     assistance from amounts made available under this paragraph 
     for units assisted under a project-based subsidy contract 
     funded under the ``Project-Based Rental Assistance'' heading 
     under this title where the owner has received a Notice of 
     Default and the units pose an imminent health and safety risk 
     to residents:  Provided further, That of the amounts made 
     available under this paragraph, no less than $5,000,000 may 
     be available to provide tenant protection assistance, not 
     otherwise provided under this paragraph, to residents 
     residing in low vacancy areas and who may have to pay rents 
     greater than 30 percent of household income, as the result of 
     (A) the maturity of a HUD-insured, HUD-held or section 202 
     loan that requires the permission of the Secretary prior to 
     loan prepayment; (B) the expiration of a rental assistance 
     contract for which the tenants are not eligible for enhanced 
     voucher or tenant protection assistance under existing law; 
     or (C) the expiration of affordability restrictions 
     accompanying a mortgage or preservation program administered 
     by the Secretary:  Provided further, That such tenant 
     protection assistance made available under the preceding 
     proviso may be provided under the authority of section 8(t) 
     or section 8(o)(13) of the Act:  Provided further, That any 
     tenant protection voucher made available from amounts under 
     this paragraph shall not be reissued by any public housing 
     agency, except the replacement vouchers as defined by the 
     Secretary by notice, when the initial family that received 
     any such voucher no longer receives such voucher, and the 
     authority for any public housing agency to issue any such 
     voucher shall cease to exist:  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary may only provide replacement vouchers for units 
     that were occupied within the previous 24 months that cease 
     to be available as assisted housing, subject only to the 
     availability of funds;
       (3) $2,734,046,000 shall be available for administrative 
     and other expenses of public housing agencies in 
     administering the section 8 tenant-based rental assistance 
     program, of which up to $30,000,000 shall be available to the 
     Secretary to allocate to public housing agencies that need 
     additional funds to administer their section 8 programs, 
     including fees associated with section 8 tenant protection 
     rental assistance, the administration of disaster related 
     vouchers, HUD-VASH vouchers, and other special purpose 
     incremental vouchers:  Provided, That no less than 
     $2,704,046,000 of the amount provided in this paragraph shall 
     be allocated to public housing agencies for the calendar year 
     2024 funding cycle based on section 8(q) of the Act (and 
     related appropriation Act provisions) as in effect 
     immediately before the enactment of the Quality Housing and 
     Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-276):  
     Provided further, That if the amounts made available under 
     this paragraph are insufficient to pay the amounts determined 
     under the preceding proviso, the Secretary may decrease the 
     amounts allocated to agencies by a uniform percentage 
     applicable to all agencies receiving funding under this 
     paragraph or may, to the extent necessary to provide full 
     payment of amounts determined under the preceding proviso, 
     utilize unobligated balances, including recaptures and 
     carryover, remaining from funds appropriated to the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development under this 
     heading from prior fiscal years, excluding special purpose 
     vouchers, notwithstanding the purposes for which such amounts 
     were appropriated:  Provided further, That all public housing 
     agencies participating in the MTW demonstration shall be 
     funded in accordance with the requirements of the MTW 
     demonstration program or their MTW agreements, if any, and 
     shall be subject to the same uniform percentage decrease as 
     under the preceding proviso:  Provided further, That amounts 
     provided under this paragraph shall be only for activities 
     related to the provision of tenant-based rental assistance 
     authorized under section 8, including related development 
     activities;
       (4) $686,000,000 shall be available for the renewal of 
     tenant-based assistance contracts under section 811 of the 
     Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
     8013), including necessary administrative expenses:  
     Provided, That administrative and other expenses of public 
     housing agencies in administering the special purpose 
     vouchers in this paragraph shall be funded under the same 
     terms and be subject to the same pro rata reduction as the 
     percent decrease for administrative and other expenses to 
     public housing agencies under paragraph (3) of this heading:  
     Provided further, That up to $10,000,000 shall be available 
     only--
       (A) for adjustments in the allocation for public housing 
     agencies, after applications for an adjustment by a public 
     housing agency that experienced a significant increase, as 
     determined by the Secretary, in Mainstream renewal costs 
     resulting from unforeseen circumstances; and
       (B) for public housing agencies that despite taking 
     reasonable cost savings measures, as determined by the 
     Secretary, would otherwise be required to terminate the 
     rental assistance for Mainstream families as a result of 
     insufficient funding:
       Provided further, That the Secretary shall allocate amounts 
     under the preceding proviso based on need, as determined by 
     the Secretary:  Provided further, That upon turnover, section 
     811 special purpose vouchers funded under this heading in 
     this or prior Acts, or under any other heading in prior Acts, 
     shall be provided to non-elderly persons with disabilities;
       (5) Of the amounts provided under paragraph (1), up to 
     $5,000,000 shall be available for rental assistance and 
     associated administrative fees for Tribal HUD-VASH to serve 
     Native American veterans that are homeless or at-risk of 
     homelessness living on or near a reservation or other Indian 
     areas:  Provided, That such amount shall be made available 
     for renewal grants to recipients that received assistance 
     under prior Acts under the Tribal HUD-VASH program:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall be authorized to specify 
     criteria for renewal grants, including data on the 
     utilization of assistance reported by grant recipients:  
     Provided further, That such assistance shall be administered 
     in accordance with program requirements under the Native 
     American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 
     1996 and modeled after the HUD-VASH program:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall be authorized to waive, or 
     specify alternative requirements for any provision of any 
     statute or regulation that the Secretary administers in 
     connection with the use of funds made available under this 
     paragraph (except for requirements related to fair housing, 
     nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment), 
     upon a finding by the Secretary that any such waivers or 
     alternative requirements are necessary for the effective 
     delivery and administration of such assistance:  Provided 
     further, That grant recipients shall report to the Secretary 
     on utilization of such rental assistance and other program 
     data, as prescribed by the Secretary:  Provided further, That 
     the Secretary may reallocate, as determined by the Secretary, 
     amounts returned or recaptured from awards under the Tribal 
     HUD-VASH program under prior Acts to existing recipients 
     under the Tribal HUD-VASH program; and
       (6) The Secretary shall separately track all special 
     purpose vouchers funded under this heading.

                        housing certificate fund

                        (including rescissions)

       Unobligated balances, including recaptures and carryover, 
     remaining from funds appropriated to the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development under this heading, the heading 
     ``Annual Contributions for Assisted Housing'' and the heading 
     ``Project-Based Rental Assistance'', for fiscal year 2024 and 
     prior years may be used for renewal of or amendments to 
     section 8 project-based contracts and for performance-based 
     contract administrators, notwithstanding the purposes for 
     which such funds were appropriated:  Provided, That any 
     obligated balances of contract authority from fiscal year 
     1974 and prior fiscal years that have been terminated shall 
     be rescinded:  Provided further, That amounts heretofore 
     recaptured, or recaptured during the current fiscal year, 
     from section 8 project-based contracts from source years 
     fiscal year 1975 through fiscal year 1987 are hereby 
     rescinded, and an amount of additional new budget authority, 
     equivalent to the amount rescinded is hereby appropriated, to 
     remain available until expended, for the purposes set forth 
     under this heading, in addition to amounts otherwise 
     available.

                          public housing fund

       For 2024 payments to public housing agencies for the 
     operation and management of public housing, as authorized by 
     section 9(e) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437g(e)) (the ``Act''), and to carry out capital and 
     management activities for public housing agencies, as 
     authorized under section 9(d) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1437g(d)), $8,363,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2027:  Provided, That of the sums appropriated 
     under this heading--
       (1) $5,103,000,000 shall be available for the Secretary to 
     allocate pursuant to the Operating Fund formula at part 990 
     of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, for 2024 payments;

[[Page H5439]]

       (2) $25,000,000 shall be available for the Secretary to 
     allocate pursuant to a need-based application process 
     notwithstanding section 203 of this title and not subject to 
     such Operating Fund formula to public housing agencies that 
     experience, or are at risk of, financial shortfalls, as 
     determined by the Secretary:  Provided, That after all such 
     shortfall needs are met, the Secretary may distribute any 
     remaining funds to all public housing agencies on a pro-rata 
     basis pursuant to such Operating Fund formula;
       (3) $3,180,000,000 shall be available for the Secretary to 
     allocate pursuant to the Capital Fund formula at section 
     905.400 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations:  Provided, 
     That for funds provided under this paragraph, the limitation 
     in section 9(g)(1) of the Act shall be 25 percent:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may waive the limitation in the 
     preceding proviso to allow public housing agencies to fund 
     activities authorized under section 9(e)(1)(C) of the Act:  
     Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify public 
     housing agencies requesting waivers under the preceding 
     proviso if the request is approved or denied within 14 days 
     of submitting the request:  Provided further, That from the 
     funds made available under this paragraph, the Secretary 
     shall provide bonus awards in fiscal year 2024 to public 
     housing agencies that are designated high performers:  
     Provided further, That the Department shall notify public 
     housing agencies of their formula allocation within 60 days 
     of enactment of this Act;
       (4) $40,000,000 shall be available for the Secretary to 
     make grants, notwithstanding section 203 of this title, to 
     public housing agencies for emergency capital needs, 
     including safety and security measures necessary to address 
     crime and drug-related activity, as well as needs resulting 
     from unforeseen or unpreventable emergencies and natural 
     disasters excluding Presidentially declared emergencies and 
     natural disasters under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
     Relief and Emergency Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) occurring 
     in fiscal year 2024:  Provided, That of the amount made 
     available under this paragraph, not less than $20,000,000 
     shall be for safety and security measures:  Provided further, 
     That in addition to the amount in the preceding proviso for 
     such safety and security measures, any amounts that remain 
     available, after all applications received on or before 
     September 30, 2025, for emergency capital needs have been 
     processed, shall be allocated to public housing agencies for 
     such safety and security measures; and
       (5) $15,000,000 shall be available to support the costs of 
     administrative and judicial receiverships and for competitive 
     grants to PHAs in receivership, designated troubled or 
     substandard, or otherwise at risk, as determined by the 
     Secretary, for costs associated with public housing asset 
     improvement, in addition to other amounts for that purpose 
     provided under any heading under this title:
       Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law or regulation, during fiscal year 2024, the Secretary 
     of Housing and Urban Development may not delegate to any 
     Department official other than the Deputy Secretary and the 
     Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing any 
     authority under paragraph (2) of section 9(j) of the Act 
     regarding the extension of the time periods under such 
     section: Provided further, That for purposes of such section 
     9(j), the term ``obligate'' means, with respect to amounts, 
     that the amounts are subject to a binding agreement that will 
     result in outlays, immediately or in the future.

        operational performance evaluation and risk assessments

       For the Department's inspection and assessment programs, 
     including travel, training, and program support contracts, 
     $51,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2027: 
     Provided, That unobligated balances, including recaptures and 
     carryover, remaining from funds appropriated under the 
     heading ``Public Housing Fund'' to support ongoing public 
     housing financial and physical assessment activities shall be 
     available for the purposes authorized under this heading in 
     addition to the purposes for which such funds originally were 
     appropriated.

                       self-sufficiency programs

       For activities and assistance related to Self-Sufficiency 
     Programs, to remain available until September 30, 2027, 
     $175,000,000:  Provided, That of the sums appropriated under 
     this heading--
       (1) $125,000,000 shall be available for the Family Self-
     Sufficiency program to support family self-sufficiency 
     coordinators under section 23 of the United States Housing 
     Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437u), to promote the development of 
     local strategies to coordinate the use of assistance under 
     sections 8 and 9 of such Act with public and private 
     resources, and enable eligible families to achieve economic 
     independence and self-sufficiency;
       (2) $35,000,000 shall be available for the Resident 
     Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency program to provide for 
     supportive services, service coordinators, and congregate 
     services as authorized by section 34 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437z-6) and the Native 
     American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 
     1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.):  Provided, That amounts made 
     available under this paragraph may be used to renew Resident 
     Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency program grants to allow the 
     public housing agency, or a new owner, to continue to serve 
     (or restart service to) residents of a project with 
     assistance converted from public housing to project-based 
     rental assistance under section 8 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) or assistance under 
     section 8(o)(13) of such Act under the heading ``Rental 
     Assistance Demonstration'' in the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-
     55), as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437f note); and
       (3) $15,000,000 shall be available for a Jobs-Plus 
     Initiative, modeled after the Jobs-Plus demonstration:  
     Provided, That funding provided under this paragraph shall be 
     available for competitive grants to partnerships between 
     public housing authorities, local workforce investment boards 
     established under section 107 of the Workforce Innovation and 
     Opportunity Act of 2014 (29 U.S.C. 3122), and other agencies 
     and organizations that provide support to help public housing 
     residents obtain employment and increase earnings:  Provided 
     further, That applicants must demonstrate the ability to 
     provide services to residents, partner with workforce 
     investment boards, and leverage service dollars:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may allow public housing agencies 
     to request exemptions from rent and income limitation 
     requirements under sections 3 and 6 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a, 1437d), as necessary to 
     implement the Jobs-Plus program, on such terms and conditions 
     as the Secretary may approve upon a finding by the Secretary 
     that any such waivers or alternative requirements are 
     necessary for the effective implementation of the Jobs-Plus 
     Initiative as a voluntary program for residents:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall publish by notice in the 
     Federal Register any waivers or alternative requirements 
     pursuant to the preceding proviso no later than 10 days 
     before the effective date of such notice.

                        native american programs

       For activities and assistance authorized under title I of 
     the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination 
     Act of 1996 (in this heading ``NAHASDA'') (25 U.S.C. 4111 et 
     seq.), title I of the Housing and Community Development Act 
     of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) with respect to Indian 
     tribes, and related training and technical assistance, 
     $1,344,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2028: 
      Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $1,110,000,000 shall be available for the Native 
     American Housing Block Grants program, as authorized under 
     title I of NAHASDA:  Provided, That, notwithstanding NAHASDA, 
     to determine the amount of the allocation under title I of 
     such Act for each Indian tribe, the Secretary shall apply the 
     formula under section 302 of such Act with the need component 
     based on single-race census data and with the need component 
     based on multi-race census data, and the amount of the 
     allocation for each Indian tribe shall be the greater of the 
     two resulting allocation amounts:  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary shall notify grantees of their formula allocation 
     not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act;
       (2) $150,000,000 shall be available for competitive grants 
     under the Native American Housing Block Grants program, as 
     authorized under title I of NAHASDA:  Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall obligate such amount for competitive grants 
     to eligible recipients authorized under NAHASDA that apply 
     for funds:  Provided further, That in awarding amounts made 
     available in this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider 
     need and administrative capacity, and shall give priority to 
     projects that will spur construction and rehabilitation of 
     housing:  Provided further, That any amounts transferred for 
     the necessary costs of administering and overseeing the 
     obligation and expenditure of such additional amounts in 
     prior Acts may also be used for the necessary costs of 
     administering and overseeing such additional amount;
       (3) $2,000,000 shall be available for the cost of 
     guaranteed notes and other obligations, as authorized by 
     title VI of NAHASDA:  Provided, That such costs, including 
     the cost of modifying such notes and other obligations, shall 
     be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act 
     of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a):  Provided further, That amounts made 
     available in this and prior Acts for the cost of such 
     guaranteed notes and other obligations that are unobligated, 
     including recaptures and carryover, shall be available to 
     subsidize the total principal amount of any notes and other 
     obligations, any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to 
     exceed $50,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025;
       (4) $75,000,000 shall be available for grants to Indian 
     tribes for carrying out the Indian Community Development 
     Block Grant program under title I of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1974, notwithstanding section 
     106(a)(1) of such Act, of which, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law (including section 203 of this Act), not 
     more than $5,000,000 may be used for emergencies that 
     constitute imminent threats to health and safety:  Provided, 
     That not to exceed 20 percent of any grant made with amounts 
     made available in this paragraph shall be expended for 
     planning and management development and administration; and
       (5) $7,000,000, in addition to amounts otherwise available 
     for such purpose, shall be available for providing training 
     and technical assistance to Indian tribes, Indian housing 
     authorities, and tribally designated housing entities, to 
     support the inspection of Indian housing units, for contract 
     expertise,

[[Page H5440]]

     and for training and technical assistance related to amounts 
     made available under this heading and other headings in this 
     Act for the needs of Native American families and Indian 
     country:  Provided, That of the amounts made available in 
     this paragraph, not less than $2,000,000 shall be for a 
     national organization as authorized under section 703 of 
     NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4212):  Provided further, That amounts 
     made available in this paragraph may be used, contracted, or 
     competed as determined by the Secretary:  Provided further, 
     That notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, United States 
     Code (commonly known as the Federal Grant and Cooperative 
     Agreements Act of 1977), the amounts made available in this 
     paragraph may be used by the Secretary to enter into 
     cooperative agreements with public and private organizations, 
     agencies, institutions, and other technical assistance 
     providers to support the administration of negotiated 
     rulemaking under section 106 of NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4116), the 
     administration of the allocation formula under section 302 of 
     NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4152), and the administration of 
     performance tracking and reporting under section 407 of 
     NAHASDA (25 U.S.C. 4167).

           indian housing loan guarantee fund program account

       For the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by section 
     184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 
     U.S.C. 1715z-13a), $1,500,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That such costs, including the cost of 
     modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a):  
     Provided further, That amounts made available in this and 
     prior Acts for the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by 
     section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
     1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a), that are unobligated, including 
     recaptures and carryover, shall be available to subsidize 
     total loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, 
     not to exceed $1,800,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025.

                  native hawaiian housing block grant

       For the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program, as 
     authorized under title VIII of the Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4221 
     et seq.), $22,300,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2028:  Provided, That notwithstanding section 812(b) of 
     such Act, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands may not 
     invest grant amounts made available under this heading in 
     investment securities and other obligations:  Provided 
     further, That amounts made available under this heading in 
     this and prior fiscal years may be used to provide rental 
     assistance to eligible Native Hawaiian families both on and 
     off the Hawaiian Home Lands, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law:  Provided further, That up to $1,000,000 of 
     the amounts made available under this heading shall be for 
     training and technical assistance related to amounts made 
     available under this heading and other headings in this Act 
     for the needs of Native Hawaiians and the Department of 
     Hawaiian Home Lands.

      native hawaiian housing loan guarantee fund program account

       New commitments to guarantee loans, as authorized by 
     section 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 
     1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13b), any part of which is to be 
     guaranteed, shall not exceed $21,000,000 in total loan 
     principal, to remain available until September 30, 2025:  
     Provided, That the Secretary may enter into commitments to 
     guarantee loans used for refinancing.

                   Community Planning and Development

              housing opportunities for persons with aids

       For carrying out the Housing Opportunities for Persons with 
     AIDS program, as authorized by the AIDS Housing Opportunity 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et seq.), $505,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2025, except that amounts 
     allocated pursuant to section 854(c)(5) of such Act shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2026:  Provided, That 
     the Secretary shall renew or replace all expiring contracts 
     for permanent supportive housing that initially were funded 
     under section 854(c)(5) of such Act from funds made available 
     under this heading in fiscal year 2010 and prior fiscal years 
     that meet all program requirements before awarding funds for 
     new contracts under such section:  Provided further, That the 
     process for submitting amendments and approving replacement 
     contracts shall be established by the Secretary in a notice:  
     Provided further, That the Department shall notify grantees 
     of their formula allocation within 60 days of enactment of 
     this Act.

                       community development fund

       For assistance to States and units of general local 
     government, and other entities, for economic and community 
     development activities, and other purposes, $5,554,267,912 to 
     remain available until September 30, 2027:  Provided, That of 
     the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $3,300,000,000 shall be available for carrying out the 
     community development block grant program under title I of 
     the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended 
     (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) (in this heading ``the Act''):  
     Provided, That not to exceed 20 percent of any grant made 
     with funds made available under this paragraph shall be 
     expended for planning and management development and 
     administration:  Provided further, That a metropolitan city, 
     urban county, unit of general local government, or insular 
     area that directly or indirectly receives funds under this 
     paragraph may not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer all or 
     any portion of such funds to another such entity in exchange 
     for any other funds, credits, or non-Federal considerations, 
     but shall use such funds for activities eligible under title 
     I of the Act:  Provided further, That notwithstanding section 
     105(e)(1) of the Act, no funds made available under this 
     paragraph may be provided to a for-profit entity for an 
     economic development project under section 105(a)(17) unless 
     such project has been evaluated and selected in accordance 
     with guidelines required under subsection (e)(2) of section 
     105;
       (2) $30,000,000 shall be available for activities 
     authorized under section 8071 of the SUPPORT for Patients and 
     Communities Act (Public Law 115-271):  Provided, That funds 
     allocated pursuant to this paragraph shall not adversely 
     affect the amount of any formula assistance received by a 
     State under paragraph (1) of this heading:  Provided further, 
     That the Secretary shall allocate the funds for such 
     activities based on the notice establishing the funding 
     formula published in 84 FR 16027 (April 17, 2019) except that 
     the formula shall use age-adjusted rates of drug overdose 
     deaths for 2021 based on data from the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention; and
       (3) $2,224,267,912 shall be available for grants for the 
     Economic Development Initiative (EDI) for the purposes 
     authorized under paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) of section 
     105(a) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)), and in amounts, 
     specified for Community Project Funding in the table entitled 
     ``Community Project Funding'' included in the Report 
     accompanying this Act:  Provided, That such grants for the 
     EDI shall be available for reimbursement of otherwise 
     eligible expenses incurred on or after the date of enactment 
     of this Act and prior to the date of grant execution:  
     Provided further, That none of the amounts made available 
     under this paragraph for grants for the EDI shall be used for 
     reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the date of 
     enactment of this Act:
       Provided further, That for amounts made available under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall notify grantees 
     of their formula allocation within 60 days of enactment of 
     this Act.

         community development loan guarantees program account

       Subject to section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a), during fiscal year 2024, commitments to 
     guarantee loans under section 108 of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5308), any part 
     of which is guaranteed, shall not exceed a total principal 
     amount of $300,000,000, notwithstanding any aggregate 
     limitation on outstanding obligations guaranteed in 
     subsection (k) of such section 108:  Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall collect fees from borrowers, notwithstanding 
     subsection (m) of such section 108, to result in a credit 
     subsidy cost of zero for guaranteeing such loans, and any 
     such fees shall be collected in accordance with section 
     502(7) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:  Provided 
     further, That such commitment authority funded by fees may be 
     used to guarantee, or make commitments to guarantee, notes or 
     other obligations issued by any State on behalf of non-
     entitlement communities in the State in accordance with the 
     requirements of such section 108:  Provided further, That any 
     State receiving such a guarantee or commitment under the 
     preceding proviso shall distribute all funds subject to such 
     guarantee to the units of general local government in non-
     entitlement areas that received the commitment.

                  home investment partnerships program

       For the HOME Investment Partnerships program, as authorized 
     under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 
     Housing Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 12721 et seq.), 
     $500,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2027:  
     Provided, That notwithstanding section 231(b) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 12771(b)), all unobligated balances remaining from 
     amounts recaptured pursuant to such section that remain 
     available until expended shall be combined with amounts made 
     available under this heading and allocated in accordance with 
     the formula under section 217(b)(1)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     12747(b)(1)(A)):  Provided further, That the Department shall 
     notify grantees of their formula allocations within 60 days 
     after enactment of this Act:  Provided further, That section 
     218(g) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 12748(g)) shall not apply with 
     respect to the right of a jurisdiction to draw funds from its 
     HOME Investment Trust Fund that otherwise expired or would 
     expire in any calendar year from 2018 through 2026 under that 
     section:  Provided further, That section 231(b) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 12771(b)) shall not apply to any uninvested funds 
     that otherwise were deducted or would be deducted from the 
     line of credit in the participating jurisdiction's HOME 
     Investment Trust Fund in any calendar year from 2018 through 
     2026 under that section.

   preservation and reinvestment initiative for community enhancement

       For competitive grants to preserve and revitalize 
     manufactured housing and eligible manufactured housing 
     communities (including pre-1976 mobile homes) under title I 
     of the Housing and Community Development

[[Page H5441]]

     Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), 
     $20,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025:  
     Provided, That recipients of grants provided with amounts 
     made available under this heading shall be States, units of 
     general local government, resident-owned manufactured housing 
     communities, cooperatives, nonprofit entities including 
     consortia of nonprofit entities, community development 
     financial institutions, Indian Tribes (as such term is 
     defined in section 4 of the Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) (25 
     U.S.C. 4103)), or other entities approved by the Secretary:  
     Provided further, That the Secretary shall reserve an amount 
     for Indian Tribes within such competition:  Provided further, 
     That the Secretary may approve entities for selection that 
     partner with one or several residents of such eligible 
     communities or that propose to implement a grant program that 
     would assist residents of such eligible communities:  
     Provided further, That eligible uses of such grants may 
     include infrastructure, planning, resident and community 
     services (including relocation assistance and eviction 
     prevention), resiliency activities, and providing other 
     assistance to residents or owners of manufactured homes, 
     which may include providing assistance for manufactured 
     housing land and site acquisition:  Provided further, That, 
     except as determined by the Secretary, participation in this 
     program shall not encumber the future transfer of title or 
     use of property by the residents, owners, or communities:  
     Provided further, That when selecting recipients, the 
     Secretary shall prioritize applications that primarily 
     benefit low- or moderately low-income residents and preserve 
     long-term housing affordability for residents of manufactured 
     housing or a manufactured housing community:  Provided 
     further, That eligible manufactured housing communities may 
     include those that are--
       (1) owned by the residents of the manufactured housing 
     community through a resident-controlled entity, as defined by 
     the Secretary; or
       (2) determined by the Secretary to be subject to binding 
     agreements that will preserve the community and maintain 
     affordability on a long-term basis:
       Provided further, That resiliency activities means the 
     reconstruction, repair, or replacement of manufactured 
     housing and manufactured housing communities to protect the 
     health and safety of manufactured housing residents and to 
     address weatherization and energy efficiency needs, except 
     that for pre-1976 mobile homes, funds made available under 
     this heading may be used only for replacement:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may waive or specify alternative 
     requirements for any provision of any statute or regulation 
     that the Secretary administers in connection with the use of 
     amounts made available under this heading (except for 
     requirements related to fair housing, nondiscrimination, 
     labor standards, and the environment), upon a finding that 
     such waiver or alternative requirement is necessary to 
     facilitate the use of such amounts.

        self-help and assisted homeownership opportunity program

       For the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity 
     Program, as authorized under section 11 of the Housing 
     Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 12805 
     note), and for related activities and assistance, 
     $60,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026:  
     Provided, That of the sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $10,000,000 shall be available for the Self-Help 
     Homeownership Opportunity Program as authorized under such 
     section 11;
       (2) $42,000,000 shall be available for the second, third, 
     and fourth capacity building entities specified in section 
     4(a) of the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 9816 
     note), of which not less than $5,000,000 shall be for rural 
     capacity building activities:  Provided, That for purposes of 
     awarding grants from amounts made available in this 
     paragraph, the Secretary may enter into multiyear agreements, 
     as appropriate, subject to the availability of annual 
     appropriations;
       (3) $7,000,000 shall be available for capacity building by 
     national rural housing organizations having experience 
     assessing national rural conditions and providing financing, 
     training, technical assistance, information, and research to 
     local nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Indian 
     Tribes serving high need rural communities; and
       (4) $1,000,000 shall be available for a program to 
     rehabilitate and modify the homes of disabled or low-income 
     veterans, as authorized under section 1079 of the Carl Levin 
     and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (38 U.S.C. 2101 note):  Provided, 
     That the issuance of a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the 
     amounts made available in this paragraph shall be completed 
     not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act and such 
     amounts shall be awarded not later than 180 days after such 
     issuance.

                       homeless assistance grants

       For assistance under title IV of the McKinney-Vento 
     Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360 et seq.), and for 
     related activities and assistance, $3,729,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2026:  Provided, That of the 
     sums appropriated under this heading--
       (1) $290,000,000 shall be available for the Emergency 
     Solutions Grants program authorized under subtitle B of such 
     title IV (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.):  Provided, That the 
     Department shall notify grantees of their formula allocation 
     from amounts allocated (which may represent initial or final 
     amounts allocated) for the Emergency Solutions Grant program 
     not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act;
       (2) $3,350,000,000 shall be available for the Continuum of 
     Care program authorized under subtitle C of such title IV (42 
     U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) and the Rural Housing Stability 
     Assistance programs authorized under subtitle D of such title 
     IV (42 U.S.C. 11408):  Provided, That the Secretary shall 
     prioritize funding under the Continuum of Care program to 
     continuums of care that have demonstrated a capacity to 
     reallocate funding from lower performing projects to higher 
     performing projects:  Provided further, That the Secretary 
     shall provide incentives to create projects that coordinate 
     with housing providers and healthcare organizations to 
     provide permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing 
     services:  Provided further, That the Secretary may establish 
     by notice an alternative maximum amount for administrative 
     costs related to the requirements described in sections 
     402(f)(1) and 402(f)(2) of subtitle A of such title IV or no 
     more than 5 percent or $50,000, whichever is greater, 
     notwithstanding the 3 percent limitation in section 
     423(a)(10) of such subtitle C:  Provided further, That of the 
     amounts made available for the Continuum of Care program 
     under this paragraph, not less than $52,000,000 shall be for 
     grants for new rapid re-housing projects and supportive 
     service projects providing coordinated entry, and for 
     eligible activities that the Secretary determines to be 
     critical in order to assist survivors of domestic violence, 
     dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking:  Provided 
     further, That amounts made available for the Continuum of 
     Care program under this paragraph and any remaining 
     unobligated balances under this heading in prior Acts may be 
     used to competitively or non-competitively renew or replace 
     grants for youth homeless demonstration projects under the 
     Continuum of Care program, notwithstanding any conflict with 
     the requirements of the Continuum of Care program;
       (3) $7,000,000 shall be available for the national homeless 
     data analysis project: Provided, That notwithstanding the 
     provisions of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreements 
     Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. 6301-6308), the amounts made available 
     under this paragraph and any remaining unobligated balances 
     under this heading for such purposes in prior Acts may be 
     used by the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements 
     with such entities as may be determined by the Secretary, 
     including public and private organizations, agencies, and 
     institutions; and
       (4) $82,000,000 shall be available to implement projects to 
     demonstrate how a comprehensive approach to serving homeless 
     youth, age 24 and under, in up to 25 communities with a 
     priority for communities with substantial rural populations 
     in up to eight locations, can dramatically reduce youth 
     homelessness:  Provided, That of the amount made available 
     under this paragraph, not less than $25,000,000 shall be for 
     youth homelessness system improvement grants to support 
     communities, including but not limited to the communities 
     assisted under the matter preceding this proviso, in 
     establishing and implementing a response system for youth 
     homelessness, or for improving their existing system:  
     Provided further, That of the amount made available under 
     this paragraph, up to $10,000,000 shall be to provide 
     technical assistance to communities, including but not 
     limited to the communities assisted in the preceding proviso 
     and the matter preceding such proviso, on improving system 
     responses to youth homelessness, and collection, analysis, 
     use, and reporting of data and performance measures under the 
     comprehensive approaches to serve homeless youth, in addition 
     to and in coordination with other technical assistance funds 
     provided under this title:  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary may use up to 10 percent of the amount made 
     available under the preceding proviso to build the capacity 
     of current technical assistance providers or to train new 
     technical assistance providers with verifiable prior 
     experience with systems and programs for youth experiencing 
     homelessness:
       Provided further, That youth aged 24 and under seeking 
     assistance under this heading shall not be required to 
     provide third party documentation to establish their 
     eligibility under subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of the 
     McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302) to 
     receive services:  Provided further, That unaccompanied youth 
     aged 24 and under or families headed by youth aged 24 and 
     under who are living in unsafe situations may be served by 
     youth-serving providers funded under this heading: Provided 
     further, That persons eligible under section 103(a)(5) of the 
     McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act may be served by any 
     project funded under this heading to provide both 
     transitional housing and rapid re-housing: Provided further, 
     That for all matching funds requirements applicable to funds 
     made available under this heading for this fiscal year and 
     prior fiscal years, a grantee may use (or could have used) as 
     a source of match funds other funds administered by the 
     Secretary and other Federal agencies unless there is (or was) 
     a specific statutory prohibition on any such use of any such 
     funds: Provided further, That none of the funds made 
     available under this heading shall be available to provide 
     funding for new projects, except for projects created through 
     reallocation, unless the Secretary determines that

[[Page H5442]]

     the continuum of care has demonstrated that projects are 
     evaluated and ranked based on the degree to which they 
     improve the continuum of care's system performance: Provided 
     further, That any unobligated amounts remaining from funds 
     made available under this heading in fiscal year 2012 and 
     prior years for project-based rental assistance for 
     rehabilitation projects with 10-year grant terms may be used 
     for purposes under this heading, notwithstanding the purposes 
     for which such funds were appropriated: Provided further, 
     That unobligated balances, including recaptures and 
     carryover, remaining from funds transferred to or 
     appropriated under this heading in fiscal year 2019 or prior 
     years, except for rental assistance amounts that were 
     recaptured and made available until expended, shall be 
     available for the current purposes authorized under this 
     heading in addition to the purposes for which such funds 
     originally were appropriated.

                            Housing Programs

                    project-based rental assistance

       For activities and assistance for the provision of project-
     based subsidy contracts under the United States Housing Act 
     of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) (``the Act''), not otherwise 
     provided for, $15,420,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, shall be available on October 1, 2023 (in addition 
     to the $400,000,000 previously appropriated under this 
     heading that became available October 1, 2023), and 
     $400,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be 
     available on October 1, 2024:  Provided, That the amounts 
     made available under this heading shall be available for 
     expiring or terminating section 8 project-based subsidy 
     contracts (including section 8 moderate rehabilitation 
     contracts), for amendments to section 8 project-based subsidy 
     contracts (including section 8 moderate rehabilitation 
     contracts), for contracts entered into pursuant to section 
     441 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
     11401), for renewal of section 8 contracts for units in 
     projects that are subject to approved plans of action under 
     the Emergency Low Income Housing Preservation Act of 1987 or 
     the Low-Income Housing Preservation and Resident 
     Homeownership Act of 1990, and for administrative and other 
     expenses associated with project-based activities and 
     assistance funded under this heading:  Provided further, That 
     of the total amounts provided under this heading, not to 
     exceed $448,000,000 shall be available for performance-based 
     contract administrators for section 8 project-based 
     assistance, for carrying out 42 U.S.C. 1437(f):  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may also use such amounts in the 
     preceding proviso for performance-based contract 
     administrators for the administration of: interest reduction 
     payments pursuant to section 236(a) of the National Housing 
     Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1(a)); rent supplement payments pursuant 
     to section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 
     1965 (12 U.S.C. 1701s); section 236(f)(2) rental assistance 
     payments (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1(f)(2)); project rental assistance 
     contracts for the elderly under section 202(c)(2) of the 
     Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); project rental 
     assistance contracts for supportive housing for persons with 
     disabilities under section 811(d)(2) of the Cranston-Gonzalez 
     National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013(d)(2)); 
     project assistance contracts pursuant to section 202(h) of 
     the Housing Act of 1959 (Public Law 86-372; 73 Stat. 667); 
     and loans under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 
     (Public Law 86-372; 73 Stat. 667):  Provided further, That 
     amounts recaptured under this heading, the heading ``Annual 
     Contributions for Assisted Housing'', or the heading 
     ``Housing Certificate Fund'', may be used for renewals of or 
     amendments to section 8 project-based contracts or for 
     performance-based contract administrators, notwithstanding 
     the purposes for which such amounts were appropriated:  
     Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, upon the request of the Secretary, project funds that 
     are held in residual receipts accounts for any project 
     subject to a section 8 project-based housing assistance 
     payments contract that authorizes the Department or a housing 
     finance agency to require that surplus project funds be 
     deposited in an interest-bearing residual receipts account 
     and that are in excess of an amount to be determined by the 
     Secretary, shall be remitted to the Department and deposited 
     in this account, to be available until expended:  Provided 
     further, That amounts deposited pursuant to the preceding 
     proviso shall be available in addition to the amount 
     otherwise provided by this heading for uses authorized under 
     this heading.

                        housing for the elderly

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For capital advances, including amendments to capital 
     advance contracts, for housing for the elderly, as authorized 
     by section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), 
     for project rental assistance for the elderly under section 
     202(c)(2) of such Act, including amendments to contracts for 
     such assistance and renewal of expiring contracts for such 
     assistance for up to a 5-year term, for senior preservation 
     rental assistance contracts, including renewals, as 
     authorized by section 811(e) of the American Homeownership 
     and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 (12 U.S.C. 1701q note), 
     and for supportive services associated with the housing, 
     $913,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2027:  
     Provided, That of the amount made available under this 
     heading, up to $112,000,000 shall be for service coordinators 
     and the continuation of existing congregate service grants 
     for residents of assisted housing projects:  Provided 
     further, That any funding for existing service coordinators 
     under the preceding proviso shall be provided within 120 days 
     of enactment of this Act:  Provided further, That the 
     Secretary may waive the provisions of section 202 governing 
     the terms and conditions of project rental assistance, except 
     that the initial contract term for such assistance shall not 
     exceed 5 years in duration:  Provided further, That upon 
     request of the Secretary, project funds that are held in 
     residual receipts accounts for any project subject to a 
     section 202 project rental assistance contract, and that upon 
     termination of such contract are in excess of an amount to be 
     determined by the Secretary, shall be remitted to the 
     Department and deposited in this account, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2027:  Provided further, That amounts 
     deposited in this account pursuant to the preceding proviso 
     shall be available, in addition to the amounts otherwise 
     provided by this heading, for the purposes authorized under 
     this heading:  Provided further, That unobligated balances, 
     including recaptures and carryover, remaining from funds 
     transferred to or appropriated under this heading shall be 
     available for the current purposes authorized under this 
     heading in addition to the purposes for which such funds 
     originally were appropriated:  Provided further, That of the 
     total amount made available under this heading, up to 
     $25,000,000 shall be used to expand the supply of 
     intergenerational dwelling units (as such term is defined in 
     section 202 of the Legacy Act of 2003 (12 U.S.C. 1701q note)) 
     for elderly caregivers raising children:  Provided further, 
     That for the purposes of the preceding proviso the Secretary 
     may waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any 
     provision of section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 
     U.S.C. 1701q) in order to facilitate the development of such 
     units, except for requirements related to fair housing, 
     nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment:  
     Provided further, That of the total amount made available 
     under this heading, up to $6,000,000 shall be used by the 
     Secretary to support preservation transactions of housing for 
     the elderly originally developed with a capital advance and 
     assisted by a project rental assistance contract under the 
     provisions of section 202(c) of the Housing Act of 1959.

                 housing for persons with disabilities

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For capital advances, including amendments to capital 
     advance contracts, for supportive housing for persons with 
     disabilities, as authorized by section 811 of the Cranston-
     Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), 
     for project rental assistance for supportive housing for 
     persons with disabilities under section 811(d)(2) of such 
     Act, for project assistance contracts pursuant to subsection 
     (h) of section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, as added by 
     section 205(a) of the Housing and Community Development 
     Amendments of 1978 (Public Law 95-557: 92 Stat. 2090), 
     including amendments to contracts for such assistance and 
     renewal of expiring contracts for such assistance for up to a 
     5-year term, for project rental assistance to State housing 
     finance agencies and other appropriate entities as authorized 
     under section 811(b)(3) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
     Affordable Housing Act, and for supportive services 
     associated with the housing for persons with disabilities as 
     authorized by section 811(b)(1) of such Act, $208,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2027:  Provided, That, 
     upon the request of the Secretary, project funds that are 
     held in residual receipts accounts for any project subject to 
     a section 811 project rental assistance contract, and that 
     upon termination of such contract are in excess of an amount 
     to be determined by the Secretary, shall be remitted to the 
     Department and deposited in this account, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2027:  Provided further, That amounts 
     deposited in this account pursuant to the preceding proviso 
     shall be available in addition to the amounts otherwise 
     provided by this heading for the purposes authorized under 
     this heading:  Provided further, That unobligated balances, 
     including recaptures and carryover, remaining from funds 
     transferred to or appropriated under this heading shall be 
     used for the current purposes authorized under this heading 
     in addition to the purposes for which such funds originally 
     were appropriated.

                     housing counseling assistance

       For contracts, grants, and other assistance excluding 
     loans, as authorized under section 106 of the Housing and 
     Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, $57,500,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2025, including up to 
     $4,500,000 for administrative contract services:  Provided, 
     That funds shall be used for providing counseling and advice 
     to tenants and homeowners, both current and prospective, with 
     respect to property maintenance, financial management or 
     literacy, and such other matters as may be appropriate to 
     assist them in improving their housing conditions, meeting 
     their financial needs, and fulfilling the responsibilities of 
     tenancy or homeownership; for program administration; and for 
     housing counselor training:  Provided further, That for 
     purposes of awarding grants from amounts provided under this 
     heading, the Secretary may enter into multiyear agreements, 
     as appropriate, subject to the availability of annual 
     appropriations.

[[Page H5443]]

  


            payment to manufactured housing fees trust fund

       For necessary expenses as authorized by the National 
     Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 
     1974 (42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.), up to $14,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended, of which $14,000,000 shall be 
     derived from the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund 
     (established under section 620(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     5419(e)):  Provided, That not to exceed the total amount 
     appropriated under this heading shall be available from the 
     general fund of the Treasury to the extent necessary to incur 
     obligations and make expenditures pending the receipt of 
     collections to the Fund pursuant to section 620 of such Act:  
     Provided further, That the amount made available under this 
     heading from the general fund shall be reduced as such 
     collections are received during fiscal year 2024 so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation from the 
     general fund estimated at zero, and fees pursuant to such 
     section 620 shall be modified as necessary to ensure such a 
     final fiscal year 2024 appropriation:  Provided further, That 
     for the dispute resolution and installation programs, the 
     Secretary may assess and collect fees from any program 
     participant:  Provided further, That such collections shall 
     be deposited into the Trust Fund, and the Secretary, as 
     provided herein, may use such collections, as well as fees 
     collected under section 620 of such Act, for necessary 
     expenses of such Act:  Provided further, That, 
     notwithstanding the requirements of section 620 of such Act, 
     the Secretary may carry out responsibilities of the Secretary 
     under such Act through the use of approved service providers 
     that are paid directly by the recipients of their services.

                     Federal Housing Administration

               mutual mortgage insurance program account

       New commitments to guarantee single family loans insured 
     under the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund shall not exceed 
     $400,000,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025:  Provided, That during fiscal year 2024, obligations to 
     make direct loans to carry out the purposes of section 204(g) 
     of the National Housing Act, as amended, shall not exceed 
     $1,000,000:  Provided further, That the foregoing amount in 
     the preceding proviso shall be for loans to nonprofit and 
     governmental entities in connection with sales of single 
     family real properties owned by the Secretary and formerly 
     insured under the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund:  Provided 
     further, That for administrative contract expenses of the 
     Federal Housing Administration, $150,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2025:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding the limitation in the first sentence of 
     section 255(g) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-
     20(g)), during fiscal year 2024 the Secretary may insure and 
     enter into new commitments to insure mortgages under section 
     255 of the National Housing Act only to the extent that the 
     net credit subsidy cost for such insurance does not exceed 
     zero.

                general and special risk program account

       New commitments to guarantee loans insured under the 
     General and Special Risk Insurance Funds, as authorized by 
     sections 238 and 519 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 
     1715z-3 and 1735c), shall not exceed $35,000,000,000 in total 
     loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2025:  Provided, That 
     during fiscal year 2024, gross obligations for the principal 
     amount of direct loans, as authorized by sections 204(g), 
     207(l), 238, and 519(a) of the National Housing Act, shall 
     not exceed $1,000,000, which shall be for loans to nonprofit 
     and governmental entities in connection with the sale of 
     single family real properties owned by the Secretary and 
     formerly insured under such Act.

                Government National Mortgage Association

guarantees of mortgage-backed securities loan guarantee program account

       New commitments to issue guarantees to carry out the 
     purposes of section 306 of the National Housing Act, as 
     amended (12 U.S.C. 1721(g)), shall not exceed 
     $550,000,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025:  Provided, That $51,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025, shall be for necessary salaries and 
     expenses of the Government National Mortgage Association:  
     Provided further, That receipts from Commitment and 
     Multiclass fees collected pursuant to title III of the 
     National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1716 et seq.) shall be 
     credited as offsetting collections to this account.

                    Policy Development and Research

                        research and technology

       For contracts, grants, and necessary expenses of programs 
     of research and studies relating to housing and urban 
     problems, not otherwise provided for, as authorized by title 
     V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 
     1701z-1 et seq.), including carrying out the functions of the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under section 
     1(a)(1)(i) of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1968, and for 
     technical assistance, $139,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025:  Provided, That with respect to amounts 
     made available under this heading, notwithstanding section 
     203 of this title, the Secretary may enter into cooperative 
     agreements with philanthropic entities, other Federal 
     agencies, State or local governments and their agencies, 
     Indian Tribes, tribally designated housing entities, or 
     colleges or universities for research projects:  Provided 
     further, That with respect to the preceding proviso, such 
     partners to the cooperative agreements shall contribute at 
     least a 50 percent match toward the cost of the project:  
     Provided further, That for non-competitive agreements entered 
     into in accordance with the preceding two provisos, the 
     Secretary shall comply with section 2(b) of the Federal 
     Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public 
     Law 109-282; 31 U.S.C. note) in lieu of compliance with 
     section 102(a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3545(a)(4)(C)) with 
     respect to documentation of award decisions:  Provided 
     further, That prior to obligation of technical assistance 
     funding, the Secretary shall submit a plan to the House and 
     Senate Committees on Appropriations on how the Secretary will 
     allocate funding for this activity at least 30 days prior to 
     obligation:  Provided further, That none of the funds 
     provided under this heading may be available for the doctoral 
     dissertation research grant program.

                   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

                        fair housing activities

       For contracts, grants, and other assistance, not otherwise 
     provided for, as authorized by title VIII of the Civil Rights 
     Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), and section 561 of the 
     Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 
     3616a), $85,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025:  Provided, That notwithstanding section 3302 of title 
     31, United States Code, the Secretary may assess and collect 
     fees to cover the costs of the Fair Housing Training Academy, 
     and may use such funds to develop online courses and provide 
     such training:  Provided further, That none of the funds made 
     available under this heading may be used to lobby the 
     executive or legislative branches of the Federal Government 
     in connection with a specific contract, grant, or loan:  
     Provided further, That of the funds made available under this 
     heading, $1,000,000 may be available to the Secretary for the 
     creation and promotion of translated materials and other 
     programs that support the assistance of persons with limited 
     English proficiency in utilizing the services provided by the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development.

            Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

                         lead hazard reduction

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the Lead Hazard Reduction Program, as authorized by 
     section 1011 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard 
     Reduction Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 4852), the Healthy Homes 
     Initiative, pursuant to sections 501 and 502 of the Housing 
     and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1 and 
     1701z-2), and for related activities and assistance, 
     $345,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026:  
     Provided, That the amounts made available under this heading 
     are provided as follows:
       (1) $200,000,000 shall be for the award of grants pursuant 
     to such section 1011, of which not less than $80,000,000 
     shall be provided to areas with the highest lead-based paint 
     abatement need.
       (2) $140,000,000 shall be for the Healthy Homes Initiative, 
     pursuant to sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban 
     Development Act of 1970, which shall include research, 
     studies, testing, and demonstration efforts, including 
     education and outreach concerning lead-based paint poisoning 
     and other housing-related diseases and hazards, and 
     mitigating housing-related health and safety hazards in 
     housing of low-income families, of which $10,000,000 shall be 
     for the establishment and implementation of a national pilot 
     program to facilitate new financing mechanisms to address 
     lead and other residential environmental stressors in low-
     income communities.
       (3) $3,000,000 shall be for the award of grants and 
     contracts for research pursuant to sections 1051 and 1052 of 
     the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 
     (42 U.S.C. 4854, 4854a).
       (4) Up to $2,000,000 in total of the amounts made available 
     under paragraphs (2) and (3) may be transferred to the 
     heading ``Research and Technology'' for the purposes of 
     conducting research and studies and for use in accordance 
     with the provisos under that heading for non-competitive 
     agreements.
       (5) $2,000,000 shall be for grants for a radon testing and 
     mitigation safety demonstration program (the radon 
     demonstration) in public housing:  Provided, That the testing 
     method, mitigation method, or action level used under the 
     radon demonstration shall be as specified by applicable State 
     or local law, if such law is more protective of human health 
     or the environment than the method or level specified by the 
     Secretary:
       Provided further, That for purposes of environmental 
     review, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 
     1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other provisions of law 
     that further the purposes of such Act, a grant under the 
     Healthy Homes Initiative, or the Lead Technical Studies 
     program, or other demonstrations or programs under this 
     heading or under prior appropriations Acts for such purposes 
     under this heading, or under the heading ``Housing for the 
     Elderly'' under prior Appropriations Acts, shall be 
     considered to be funds for a special project for purposes of 
     section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property 
     Disposition Reform Act of 1994:  Provided further, That each 
     applicant for a grant or cooperative agreement under this

[[Page H5444]]

     heading shall certify adequate capacity that is acceptable to 
     the Secretary to carry out the proposed use of funds pursuant 
     to a notice of funding opportunity:  Provided further, That 
     the Secretary shall conduct a demonstration to harmonize 
     income eligibility criteria for grants under this heading in 
     this and prior Acts with the income eligibility criteria of 
     certain other Federal programs: Provided further, That for 
     purposes of such demonstration, the Secretary may establish 
     income eligibility criteria for such grants using income 
     eligibility criteria of any program administered by the 
     Secretary, the Department of Energy weatherization assistance 
     program (42 U.S.C. 6851 et seq.), the Department of Health 
     and Human Services low income home energy assistance program 
     (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), and the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs supportive services for veteran families program (38 
     U.S.C. 2044):  Provided further, That amounts made available 
     under this heading, in this or prior appropriations Acts, 
     still remaining available, may be used for any purpose under 
     this heading notwithstanding the purpose for which such 
     amounts were appropriated if a program competition is 
     undersubscribed and there are other program competitions 
     under this heading that are oversubscribed.

                      Information Technology Fund

       For Department-wide and program-specific information 
     technology systems and infrastructure, $371,250,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2026: Provided, That not 
     more than 10 percent of the funds made available under this 
     heading for development, modernization, and enhancement may 
     be obligated until 90 days after the Secretary submits a plan 
     and quarterly reports in accordance with the requirements 
     stated in the Report accompanying this Act.

                      Office of Inspector General

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     Inspector General in carrying out the Inspector General Act 
     of 1978, as amended, $154,000,000:  Provided, That the 
     Inspector General shall have independent authority over all 
     personnel issues within this office.

    General Provisions--Department of Housing and Urban Development

                     (including transfer of funds)

                        (including rescissions)

       Sec. 201.  Fifty percent of the amounts of budget 
     authority, or in lieu thereof 50 percent of the cash amounts 
     associated with such budget authority, that are recaptured 
     from projects described in section 1012(a) of the Stewart B. 
     McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437f note) shall be rescinded or in the case of cash, 
     shall be remitted to the Treasury, and such amounts of budget 
     authority or cash recaptured and not rescinded or remitted to 
     the Treasury shall be used by State housing finance agencies 
     or local governments or local housing agencies with projects 
     approved by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     for which settlement occurred after January 1, 1992, in 
     accordance with such section. Notwithstanding the previous 
     sentence, the Secretary may award up to 15 percent of the 
     budget authority or cash recaptured and not rescinded or 
     remitted to the Treasury to provide project owners with 
     incentives to refinance their project at a lower interest 
     rate.
       Sec. 202.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used during fiscal year 2024 to investigate or prosecute 
     under the Fair Housing Act any otherwise lawful activity 
     engaged in by one or more persons, including the filing or 
     maintaining of a nonfrivolous legal action, that is engaged 
     in solely for the purpose of achieving or preventing action 
     by a Government official or entity, or a court of competent 
     jurisdiction.
       Sec. 203.  Except as explicitly provided in law, any grant, 
     cooperative agreement or other assistance made pursuant to 
     title II of this Act shall be made on a competitive basis and 
     in accordance with section 102 of the Department of Housing 
     and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3545).
       Sec. 204.  Funds of the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development subject to the Government Corporation Control Act 
     or section 402 of the Housing Act of 1950 shall be available, 
     without regard to the limitations on administrative expenses, 
     for legal services on a contract or fee basis, and for 
     utilizing and making payment for services and facilities of 
     the Federal National Mortgage Association, Government 
     National Mortgage Association, Federal Home Loan Mortgage 
     Corporation, Federal Financing Bank, Federal Reserve banks or 
     any member thereof, Federal Home Loan banks, and any insured 
     bank within the meaning of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
     Corporation Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1811-1).
       Sec. 205.  Unless otherwise provided for in this Act or 
     through a reprogramming of funds, no part of any 
     appropriation for the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development shall be available for any program, project or 
     activity in excess of amounts set forth in the budget 
     estimates submitted to Congress.
       Sec. 206.  Corporations and agencies of the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development which are subject to the 
     Government Corporation Control Act are hereby authorized to 
     make such expenditures, within the limits of funds and 
     borrowing authority available to each such corporation or 
     agency and in accordance with law, and to make such contracts 
     and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as 
     provided by section 104 of such Act as may be necessary in 
     carrying out the programs set forth in the budget for 2024 
     for such corporation or agency except as hereinafter 
     provided:  Provided, That collections of these corporations 
     and agencies may be used for new loan or mortgage purchase 
     commitments only to the extent expressly provided for in this 
     Act (unless such loans are in support of other forms of 
     assistance provided for in this or prior appropriations 
     Acts), except that this proviso shall not apply to the 
     mortgage insurance or guaranty operations of these 
     corporations, or where loans or mortgage purchases are 
     necessary to protect the financial interest of the United 
     States Government.
       Sec. 207.  The Secretary shall provide quarterly reports to 
     the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations regarding 
     all uncommitted, unobligated, recaptured and excess funds in 
     each program and activity within the jurisdiction of the 
     Department and shall submit additional, updated budget 
     information to these Committees upon request.
       Sec. 208.  None of the funds made available by this title 
     may be used for an audit of the Government National Mortgage 
     Association that makes applicable requirements under the 
     Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.).
       Sec. 209. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     subject to the conditions listed under this section, for 
     fiscal years 2024 and 2025, the Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development may authorize the transfer of some or all 
     project-based assistance, debt held or insured by the 
     Secretary and statutorily required low-income and very low-
     income use restrictions if any, associated with one or more 
     multifamily housing project or projects to another 
     multifamily housing project or projects.
       (b) Phased Transfers.--Transfers of project-based 
     assistance under this section may be done in phases to 
     accommodate the financing and other requirements related to 
     rehabilitating or constructing the project or projects to 
     which the assistance is transferred, to ensure that such 
     project or projects meet the standards under subsection (c).
       (c) The transfer authorized in subsection (a) is subject to 
     the following conditions:
       (1) Number and bedroom size of units.--
       (A) For occupied units in the transferring project: The 
     number of low-income and very low-income units and the 
     configuration (i.e., bedroom size) provided by the 
     transferring project shall be no less than when transferred 
     to the receiving project or projects and the net dollar 
     amount of Federal assistance provided to the transferring 
     project shall remain the same in the receiving project or 
     projects.
       (B) For unoccupied units in the transferring project: The 
     Secretary may authorize a reduction in the number of dwelling 
     units in the receiving project or projects to allow for a 
     reconfiguration of bedroom sizes to meet current market 
     demands, as determined by the Secretary and provided there is 
     no increase in the project-based assistance budget authority.
       (2) The transferring project shall, as determined by the 
     Secretary, be either physically obsolete or economically 
     nonviable, or be reasonably expected to become economically 
     nonviable when complying with State or Federal requirements 
     for community integration and reduced concentration of 
     individuals with disabilities.
       (3) The receiving project or projects shall meet or exceed 
     applicable physical standards established by the Secretary.
       (4) The owner or mortgagor of the transferring project 
     shall notify and consult with the tenants residing in the 
     transferring project and provide a certification of approval 
     by all appropriate local governmental officials.
       (5) The tenants of the transferring project who remain 
     eligible for assistance to be provided by the receiving 
     project or projects shall not be required to vacate their 
     units in the transferring project or projects until new units 
     in the receiving project are available for occupancy.
       (6) The Secretary determines that this transfer is in the 
     best interest of the tenants.
       (7) If either the transferring project or the receiving 
     project or projects meets the condition specified in 
     subsection (d)(2)(A), any lien on the receiving project 
     resulting from additional financing obtained by the owner 
     shall be subordinate to any FHA-insured mortgage lien 
     transferred to, or placed on, such project by the Secretary, 
     except that the Secretary may waive this requirement upon 
     determination that such a waiver is necessary to facilitate 
     the financing of acquisition, construction, and/or 
     rehabilitation of the receiving project or projects.
       (8) If the transferring project meets the requirements of 
     subsection (d)(2), the owner or mortgagor of the receiving 
     project or projects shall execute and record either a 
     continuation of the existing use agreement or a new use 
     agreement for the project where, in either case, any use 
     restrictions in such agreement are of no lesser duration than 
     the existing use restrictions.
       (9) The transfer does not increase the cost (as defined in 
     section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 
     661a)) of any FHA-insured mortgage, except to the extent that 
     appropriations are provided in advance for the amount of any 
     such increased cost.
       (d) For purposes of this section--
       (1) the terms ``low-income'' and ``very low-income'' shall 
     have the meanings provided by the statute and/or regulations 
     governing the program under which the project is insured or 
     assisted;

[[Page H5445]]

       (2) the term ``multifamily housing project'' means housing 
     that meets one of the following conditions--
       (A) housing that is subject to a mortgage insured under the 
     National Housing Act;
       (B) housing that has project-based assistance attached to 
     the structure including projects undergoing mark to market 
     debt restructuring under the Multifamily Assisted Housing 
     Reform and Affordability Housing Act;
       (C) housing that is assisted under section 202 of the 
     Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q);
       (D) housing that is assisted under section 202 of the 
     Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), as such section 
     existed before the enactment of the Cranston-Gonzales 
     National Affordable Housing Act;
       (E) housing that is assisted under section 811 of the 
     Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
     8013); or
       (F) housing or vacant land that is subject to a use 
     agreement;
       (3) the term ``project-based assistance'' means--
       (A) assistance provided under section 8(b) of the United 
     States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(b));
       (B) assistance for housing constructed or substantially 
     rehabilitated pursuant to assistance provided under section 
     8(b)(2) of such Act (as such section existed immediately 
     before October 1, 1983);
       (C) rent supplement payments under section 101 of the 
     Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965 (12 U.S.C. 1701s);
       (D) interest reduction payments under section 236 and/or 
     additional assistance payments under section 236(f)(2) of the 
     National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1);
       (E) assistance payments made under section 202(c)(2) of the 
     Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q(c)(2)); and
       (F) assistance payments made under section 811(d)(2) of the 
     Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
     8013(d)(2));
       (4) the term ``receiving project or projects'' means the 
     multifamily housing project or projects to which some or all 
     of the project-based assistance, debt, and statutorily 
     required low-income and very low-income use restrictions are 
     to be transferred;
       (5) the term ``transferring project'' means the multifamily 
     housing project which is transferring some or all of the 
     project-based assistance, debt, and the statutorily required 
     low-income and very low-income use restrictions to the 
     receiving project or projects; and
       (6) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Housing 
     and Urban Development.
       (e) Research Report.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
     evaluation of the transfer authority under this section, 
     including the effect of such transfers on the operational 
     efficiency, contract rents, physical and financial 
     conditions, and long-term preservation of the affected 
     properties.
       Sec. 210. (a) No assistance shall be provided under section 
     8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) 
     to any individual who--
       (1) is enrolled as a student at an institution of higher 
     education (as defined under section 102 of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002));
       (2) is under 24 years of age;
       (3) is not a veteran;
       (4) is unmarried;
       (5) does not have a dependent child;
       (6) is not a person with disabilities, as such term is 
     defined in section 3(b)(3)(E) of the United States Housing 
     Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(3)(E)) and was not receiving 
     assistance under such section 8 as of November 30, 2005;
       (7) is not a youth who left foster care at age 14 or older 
     and is at risk of becoming homeless; and
       (8) is not otherwise individually eligible, or has parents 
     who, individually or jointly, are not eligible, to receive 
     assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act 
     of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f).
       (b) For purposes of determining the eligibility of a person 
     to receive assistance under section 8 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), any financial 
     assistance (in excess of amounts received for tuition and any 
     other required fees and charges) that an individual receives 
     under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et 
     seq.), from private sources, or from an institution of higher 
     education (as defined under section 102 of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), shall be considered 
     income to that individual, except for a person over the age 
     of 23 with dependent children.
       Sec. 211.  The funds made available for Native Alaskans 
     under paragraph (1) under the heading ``Native American 
     Programs'' in title II of this Act shall be allocated to the 
     same Native Alaskan housing block grant recipients that 
     received funds in fiscal year 2005, and only such recipients 
     shall be eligible to apply for funds made available under 
     paragraph (2) of such heading.
       Sec. 212.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in 
     fiscal year 2024, in managing and disposing of any 
     multifamily property that is owned or has a mortgage held by 
     the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and during 
     the process of foreclosure on any property with a contract 
     for rental assistance payments under section 8 of the United 
     States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) or any other 
     Federal programs, the Secretary shall maintain any rental 
     assistance payments under section 8 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 and other programs that are attached to 
     any dwelling units in the property. To the extent the 
     Secretary determines, in consultation with the tenants and 
     the local government that such a multifamily property owned 
     or having a mortgage held by the Secretary is not feasible 
     for continued rental assistance payments under such section 8 
     or other programs, based on consideration of (1) the costs of 
     rehabilitating and operating the property and all available 
     Federal, State, and local resources, including rent 
     adjustments under section 524 of the Multifamily Assisted 
     Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (in this section 
     ``MAHRAA'') (42 U.S.C. 1437f note), and (2) environmental 
     conditions that cannot be remedied in a cost-effective 
     fashion, the Secretary may, in consultation with the tenants 
     of that property, contract for project-based rental 
     assistance payments with an owner or owners of other existing 
     housing properties, or provide other rental assistance. The 
     Secretary shall also take appropriate steps to ensure that 
     project-based contracts remain in effect prior to 
     foreclosure, subject to the exercise of contractual abatement 
     remedies to assist relocation of tenants for imminent major 
     threats to health and safety after written notice to and 
     informed consent of the affected tenants and use of other 
     available remedies, such as partial abatements or 
     receivership. After disposition of any multifamily property 
     described in this section, the contract and allowable rent 
     levels on such properties shall be subject to the 
     requirements under section 524 of MAHRAA.
       Sec. 213.  Public housing agencies that own and operate 400 
     or fewer public housing units may elect to be exempt from any 
     asset management requirement imposed by the Secretary in 
     connection with the operating fund rule:  Provided, That an 
     agency seeking a discontinuance of a reduction of subsidy 
     under the operating fund formula shall not be exempt from 
     asset management requirements.
       Sec. 214.  With respect to the use of amounts provided in 
     this Act and in future Acts for the operation, capital 
     improvement, and management of public housing as authorized 
     by sections 9(d) and 9(e) of the United States Housing Act of 
     1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437g(d),(e)), the Secretary shall not impose 
     any requirement or guideline relating to asset management 
     that restricts or limits in any way the use of capital funds 
     for central office costs pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of 
     section 9(g) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437g(g)(1), (2)):  Provided, That a public housing 
     agency may not use capital funds authorized under section 
     9(d) for activities that are eligible under section 9(e) for 
     assistance with amounts from the operating fund in excess of 
     the amounts permitted under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 
     9(g).
       Sec. 215.  No official or employee of the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development shall be designated as an 
     allotment holder unless the Office of the Chief Financial 
     Officer has determined that such allotment holder has 
     implemented an adequate system of funds control and has 
     received training in funds control procedures and directives. 
     The Chief Financial Officer shall ensure that there is a 
     trained allotment holder for each HUD appropriation under the 
     accounts ``Executive Offices'', ``Administrative Support 
     Offices'', ``Program Offices'', ``Government National 
     Mortgage Association--Guarantees of Mortgage-Backed 
     Securities Loan Guarantee Program Account'', and ``Office of 
     Inspector General'' within the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development.
       Sec. 216.  The Secretary shall, for fiscal year 2024, 
     notify the public through the Federal Register and other 
     means, as determined appropriate, of the issuance of a notice 
     of the availability of assistance or notice of funding 
     opportunity (NOFO) for any program or discretionary fund 
     administered by the Secretary that is to be competitively 
     awarded. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for 
     fiscal year 2024, the Secretary may make the NOFO available 
     only on the Internet at the appropriate Government website or 
     through other electronic media, as determined by the 
     Secretary.
       Sec. 217.  Payment of attorney fees in program-related 
     litigation shall be paid from the individual program office 
     and Office of General Counsel salaries and expenses 
     appropriations.
       Sec. 218.  The Secretary is authorized to transfer up to 10 
     percent or $5,000,000, whichever is less, of funds 
     appropriated for any office under the headings 
     ``Administrative Support Offices'', or ``Program Offices'', 
     to any other such office under such headings:  Provided, That 
     no appropriation for any such office under such headings 
     shall be increased or decreased by more than 10 percent or 
     $5,000,000, whichever is less, without prior written approval 
     of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations:  
     Provided further, That the Secretary shall provide 
     notification to such Committees 3 business days in advance of 
     any such transfers under this section up to 10 percent or 
     $5,000,000, whichever is less.
       Sec. 219. (a) Any entity receiving housing assistance 
     payments shall maintain decent, safe, and sanitary 
     conditions, as determined by the Secretary, and comply with 
     any standards under applicable State or local laws, rules, 
     ordinances, or regulations relating to the physical condition 
     of any property covered under a housing assistance payment 
     contract.
       (b) The Secretary shall take action under subsection (c) 
     when a multifamily housing project with a contract under 
     section 8 of the

[[Page H5446]]

     United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) or a 
     contract for similar project-based assistance--
       (1) receives a failing score under the Uniform Physical 
     Condition Standards (UPCS) or a successor standard; or
       (2) fails to certify in writing to the Secretary within 3 
     days that all Exigent Health and Safety deficiencies or those 
     deficiencies requiring correction within 24 hours identified 
     by the inspector at the project have been corrected.
       Such requirements shall apply to insured and noninsured 
     projects with assistance attached to the units under section 
     8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f), 
     but shall not apply to such units assisted under section 
     8(o)(13) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(13)) or to public 
     housing units assisted with capital or operating funds under 
     section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
     1437g).
       (c)(1) Within 15 days of the issuance of the Real Estate 
     Assessment Center (``REAC'') inspection, the Secretary shall 
     provide the owner with a Notice of Default with a specified 
     timetable, determined by the Secretary, for correcting all 
     deficiencies. The Secretary shall provide a copy of the 
     Notice of Default to the tenants, the local government, any 
     mortgagees, and any contract administrator. If the owner's 
     appeal results in a passing score, the Secretary may withdraw 
     the Notice of Default.
       (2) At the end of the time period for correcting all 
     deficiencies specified in the Notice of Default, if the owner 
     fails to fully correct such deficiencies, the Secretary may--
       (A) require immediate replacement of project management 
     with a management agent approved by the Secretary;
       (B) impose civil money penalties, which shall be used 
     solely for the purpose of supporting safe and sanitary 
     conditions at applicable properties, as designated by the 
     Secretary, with priority given to the tenants of the property 
     affected by the penalty;
       (C) abate the section 8 contract, including partial 
     abatement, as determined by the Secretary, until all 
     deficiencies have been corrected;
       (D) pursue transfer of the project to an owner, approved by 
     the Secretary under established procedures, who will be 
     obligated to promptly make all required repairs and to accept 
     renewal of the assistance contract if such renewal is 
     offered;
       (E) transfer the existing section 8 contract to another 
     project or projects and owner or owners;
       (F) pursue exclusionary sanctions, including suspensions or 
     debarments from Federal programs;
       (G) seek judicial appointment of a receiver to manage the 
     property and cure all project deficiencies or seek a judicial 
     order of specific performance requiring the owner to cure all 
     project deficiencies;
       (H) work with the owner, lender, or other related party to 
     stabilize the property in an attempt to preserve the property 
     through compliance, transfer of ownership, or an infusion of 
     capital provided by a third-party that requires time to 
     effectuate; or
       (I) take any other regulatory or contractual remedies 
     available as deemed necessary and appropriate by the 
     Secretary.
       (d) The Secretary shall take appropriate steps to ensure 
     that project-based contracts remain in effect, subject to the 
     exercise of contractual abatement remedies to assist 
     relocation of tenants for major threats to health and safety 
     after written notice to the affected tenants. To the extent 
     the Secretary determines, in consultation with the tenants 
     and the local government, that the property is not feasible 
     for continued rental assistance payments under such section 8 
     or other programs, based on consideration of--
       (1) the costs of rehabilitating and operating the property 
     and all available Federal, State, and local resources, 
     including rent adjustments under section 524 of the 
     Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 
     1997 (``MAHRAA''); and
       (2) environmental conditions that cannot be remedied in a 
     cost-effective fashion, the Secretary may contract for 
     project-based rental assistance payments with an owner or 
     owners of other existing housing properties, or provide other 
     rental assistance.
       (e) The Secretary shall report semi-annually on all 
     properties covered by this section that are assessed through 
     the Real Estate Assessment Center and have failing physical 
     inspection scores or have received an unsatisfactory 
     management and occupancy review within the past 36 months. 
     The report shall include--
       (1) identification of the enforcement actions being taken 
     to address such conditions, including imposition of civil 
     money penalties and termination of subsidies, and 
     identification of properties that have such conditions 
     multiple times;
       (2) identification of actions that the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development is taking to protect tenants of 
     such identified properties; and
       (3) any administrative or legislative recommendations to 
     further improve the living conditions at properties covered 
     under a housing assistance payment contract.
       The first report shall be submitted to the Senate and House 
     Committees on Appropriations not later than 30 days after the 
     enactment of this Act, and the second report shall be 
     submitted within 180 days of the transmittal of the first 
     report.
       Sec. 220.  None of the funds made available by this Act, or 
     any other Act, for purposes authorized under section 8 (only 
     with respect to the tenant-based rental assistance program) 
     and section 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437 et seq.), may be used by any public housing 
     agency for any amount of salary, including bonuses, for the 
     chief executive officer of which, or any other official or 
     employee of which, that exceeds the annual rate of basic pay 
     payable for a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
     at any time during any public housing agency fiscal year 
     2024.
       Sec. 221.  None of the funds made available by this Act and 
     provided to the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
     may be used to make a grant award unless the Secretary 
     notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
     not less than 3 full business days before any project, State, 
     locality, housing authority, Tribe, nonprofit organization, 
     or other entity selected to receive a grant award is 
     announced by the Department or its offices:  Provided, That 
     such notification shall list each grant award by State and 
     congressional district.
       Sec. 222.  None of the funds made available in this Act 
     shall be used by the Federal Housing Administration, the 
     Government National Mortgage Association, or the Department 
     of Housing and Urban Development to insure, securitize, or 
     establish a Federal guarantee of any mortgage or mortgage 
     backed security that refinances or otherwise replaces a 
     mortgage that has been subject to eminent domain condemnation 
     or seizure, by a State, municipality, or any other political 
     subdivision of a State.
       Sec. 223.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to terminate the status of a unit of general local 
     government as a metropolitan city (as defined in section 102 
     of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 
     U.S.C. 5302)) with respect to grants under section 106 of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 5306).
       Sec. 224.  Amounts made available by this Act that are 
     appropriated, allocated, advanced on a reimbursable basis, or 
     transferred to the Office of Policy Development and Research 
     of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and 
     functions thereof, for research, evaluation, or statistical 
     purposes, and that are unexpended at the time of completion 
     of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, may be 
     deobligated and shall immediately become available and may be 
     reobligated in that fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year 
     for the research, evaluation, or statistical purposes for 
     which the amounts are made available to that Office subject 
     to reprogramming requirements in section 405 of this Act.
       Sec. 225.  None of the funds provided in this Act or any 
     other Act may be used for awards, including performance, 
     special act, or spot, for any employee of the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development subject to administrative 
     discipline (including suspension from work), in this fiscal 
     year, but this prohibition shall not be effective prior to 
     the effective date of any such administrative discipline or 
     after any final decision over-turning such discipline.
       Sec. 226.  With respect to grant amounts awarded under the 
     heading ``Homeless Assistance Grants'' for fiscal years 2015 
     through 2024 for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program as 
     authorized under subtitle C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento 
     Homeless Assistance Act, costs paid by program income of 
     grant recipients may count toward meeting the recipient's 
     matching requirements, provided the costs are eligible CoC 
     costs that supplement the recipient's CoC program.
       Sec. 227. (a) From amounts made available under this title 
     under the heading ``Homeless Assistance Grants'', the 
     Secretary may award 1-year transition grants to recipients of 
     funds for activities under subtitle C of the McKinney-Vento 
     Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.) to 
     transition from one Continuum of Care program component to 
     another.
       (b) In order to be eligible to receive a transition grant, 
     the funding recipient must have the consent of the continuum 
     of care and meet standards determined by the Secretary.
       Sec. 228.  The Promise Zone designations and Promise Zone 
     Designation Agreements entered into pursuant to such 
     designations, made by the Secretary in prior fiscal years, 
     shall remain in effect in accordance with the terms and 
     conditions of such agreements.
       Sec. 229.  Any public housing agency designated as a Moving 
     to Work agency pursuant to section 239 of division L of 
     Public Law 114-113 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note; 129 Stat. 2897) 
     may, upon such designation, use funds (except for special 
     purpose funding, including special purpose vouchers) 
     previously allocated to any such public housing agency under 
     section 8 or 9 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, 
     including any reserve funds held by the public housing agency 
     or funds held by the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development, pursuant to the authority for use of section 8 
     or 9 funding provided under such section and section 204 of 
     title II of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing 
     and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations 
     Act, 1996 (Public Law 104-134; 110 Stat. 1321-28), 
     notwithstanding the purposes for which such funds were 
     appropriated.
       Sec. 230.  None of the amounts made available by this Act 
     may be used to prohibit any public housing agency under 
     receivership or the direction of a Federal monitor from 
     applying for, receiving, or using funds made available under 
     the heading ``Public Housing Fund'' for competitive grants to 
     evaluate and reduce lead-based paint hazards in this Act or 
     that remain available and not awarded from prior Acts, or be 
     used to prohibit a public housing agency from using such 
     funds

[[Page H5447]]

     to carry out any required work pursuant to a settlement 
     agreement, consent decree, voluntary agreement, or similar 
     document for a violation of the Lead Safe Housing or Lead 
     Disclosure Rules.
       Sec. 231.  None of the funds made available by this title 
     may be used to issue rules or guidance in contravention of 
     section 1210 of Public Law 115-254 (132 Stat. 3442) or 
     section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
     Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155).
       Sec. 232.  The language under the heading ``RENTAL 
     ASSISTANCE DEMONSTRATION'' in the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-
     55), as most recently amended by Public Law 117-103, is 
     further amended--
        (1) in the matter before the first proviso, by striking 
     ``and `Public Housing Operating Fund' '' and inserting ``, 
     `Public Housing Operating Fund' and `Public Housing Fund' '';
       (2) in the second proviso, by striking ``until September 
     30, 2024'' and inserting ``for fiscal year 2012 and 
     thereafter'';
       (3) by striking the fourth proviso and inserting the 
     following new provisos: ``Provided further, That at 
     properties with assistance under section 9 of the Act 
     requesting to partially convert such assistance, and where an 
     event under section 18 of the Act occurs that results in the 
     eligibility for tenant protection vouchers under section 8(o) 
     of the Act, the Secretary may convert the tenant protection 
     voucher assistance to assistance under a project-based 
     subsidy contract under section 8 of the Act, which shall be 
     eligible for renewal under section 524 of the Multifamily 
     Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997, or 
     assistance under section 8(o)(13) of the Act, but only if the 
     property meets any additional requirements established by the 
     Secretary to facilitate conversion: Provided further, That to 
     facilitate the conversion of assistance under the preceding 
     proviso, the Secretary may transfer an amount equal to the 
     total amount that would have been allocated for tenant 
     protection voucher assistance for properties that have 
     requested such conversions from amounts made available for 
     tenant protection voucher assistance under the heading 
     `Tenant-Based Rental Assistance' to the heading `Project-
     Based Rental Assistance': Provided further, That at 
     properties with assistance previously converted hereunder to 
     assistance under the heading `Project-Based Rental 
     Assistance,' which are also separately assisted under section 
     8(o)(13) of the Act, the Secretary may, with the consent of 
     the public housing agency and owner, terminate such project-
     based subsidy contracts and immediately enter into one new 
     project-based subsidy contract under section 8 of the Act, 
     which shall be eligible for renewal under section 524 of the 
     Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 
     1997, subject to the requirement that any residents assisted 
     under section 8(o)(13) of the Act at the time of such 
     termination of such project-based subsidy contract shall 
     retain all rights accrued under section 8(o)(13)(E) of the 
     Act under the new project-based subsidy contract and section 
     8(o)(13)(F)(iv) of the Act shall not apply: Provided further, 
     That to carry out the previous proviso, the Secretary may 
     transfer from the heading `Tenant-Based Rental Assistance' to 
     the heading `Project-Based Rental Assistance' an amount equal 
     to the amounts associated with such terminating contract 
     under section 8(o)(13) of the Act:'';
       (4) in the thirteenth proviso, as so reordered by the 
     preceding provisions of this section--
       (A) by inserting `` `Public Housing Fund', `Self-
     Sufficiency Programs', `Family Self-Sufficiency', `Housing 
     for the Elderly','' after `` `Public Housing Operating 
     Fund','' ;and
       (B) by inserting ``or the ongoing availability of services 
     for residents'' after ``effective conversion of assistance 
     under the demonstration'';
       (5) after the twenty-third proviso, as so reordered by the 
     preceding provisions of this section, by inserting the 
     following proviso: ``Provided further, That owners of 
     properties with a senior preservation rental assistance 
     contract under section 811 of the American Homeownership and 
     Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 (12 U.S.C. 1701q note), 
     shall be eligible, subject to requirements established by the 
     Secretary as necessary to facilitate the conversion of 
     assistance while maintaining the affordability period and the 
     designation of the property as serving elderly families, and 
     tenant consultation procedures, for conversion of assistance 
     available for such assistance contracts to assistance under a 
     long-term project-based subsidy contract under section 8 of 
     the Act'';
       (6) in the twenty-eighth proviso, as so reordered by the 
     preceding provisions of this section, by inserting ``, 
     section 811 of the American Homeownership and Economic 
     Opportunity Act of 2000,'' after ``Housing Act of 1959''; and
       (7) in the thirty-third proviso, as so reordered by the 
     preceding provisions of this section, by striking ``any 
     section 202 project rental assistance contract or section 811 
     project rental assistance contract conversions'' and 
     inserting ``the conversion of assistance from section 
     202(c)(2) of the Housing Act of 1959, section 811 of the 
     American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000, 
     or section 811(d)(2) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
     Affordable Housing Act''.
       Sec. 233.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement, administer, or enforce the proposed 
     rule entitled ``Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing'' 
     published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
     in the Federal Register on February 9, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 
     8516), or to direct a grantee to undertake specific changes 
     to existing zoning laws as a part of carrying out the interim 
     final rule entitled ``Restoring Affirmatively Furthering Fair 
     Housing Definitions and Certifications'' published by such 
     Department in the Federal Register on June 10, 2021 (86 Fed. 
     Reg. 30779).
       Sec. 234.  For fiscal year 2024, if the Secretary 
     determines or has determined, for any prior formula grant 
     allocation administered by the Secretary through the Offices 
     of Public and Indian Housing, Community Planning and 
     Development, or Housing, that a recipient received an 
     allocation greater than the amount such recipient should have 
     received for a formula allocation cycle pursuant to 
     applicable statutes and regulations, the Secretary may adjust 
     for any such funding error in the next applicable formula 
     allocation cycle by (a) offsetting each such recipient's 
     formula allocation (if eligible for a formula allocation in 
     the next applicable formula allocation cycle) by the amount 
     of any such funding error, and (b) reallocating any available 
     balances that are attributable to the offset to the recipient 
     or recipients that would have been allocated additional funds 
     in the formula allocation cycle in which any such error 
     occurred (if such recipient or recipients are eligible for a 
     formula allocation in the next applicable formula allocation 
     cycle) in an amount proportionate to such recipient's 
     eligibility under the next applicable formula allocation 
     cycle:  Provided, That all offsets and reallocations from 
     such available balances shall be recorded against funds 
     available for the next applicable formula allocation cycle:  
     Provided further, That the term ``next applicable formula 
     allocation cycle'' means the first formula allocation cycle 
     for a program that is reasonably available for correction 
     following such a Secretarial determination:  Provided 
     further, That if, upon request by a recipient and giving 
     consideration to all Federal resources available to the 
     recipient for the same grant purposes, the Secretary 
     determines that the offset in the next applicable formula 
     allocation cycle would critically impair the recipient's 
     ability to accomplish the purpose of the formula grant, the 
     Secretary may adjust for the funding error across two or more 
     formula allocation cycles.
       Sec. 235.  The Secretary may transfer from amounts made 
     available for salaries and expenses under all headings in 
     this title (excluding amounts made available under the 
     heading ``Office of Inspector General'') to the heading 
     ``Information Technology Fund'' for information technology 
     needs, including for additional development, modernization, 
     and enhancement, to remain available until September 30, 
     2026:  Provided, That the total amount of such transfers 
     shall not exceed $5,000,000:  Provided further, That this 
     transfer authority shall not be used to fund information 
     technology projects or activities that have known out-year 
     development, modernization, or enhancement costs in excess of 
     $500,000:  Provided further, That the Secretary shall provide 
     notification to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations no less than three business days in advance of 
     any such transfer.
       Sec. 236.  The Secretary shall comply with all process 
     requirements, including public notice and comment, when 
     seeking to revise any annual contributions contract.
       Sec. 237.  There is hereby established in the Treasury of 
     the United States a fund to be known as the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development Nonrecurring Expenses Fund (the 
     Fund): Provided, That unobligated balances of expired 
     discretionary funds appropriated in this or any succeeding 
     fiscal year from the General Fund of the Treasury to the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development by this or any 
     other Act may be transferred (not later than the end of the 
     fifth fiscal year after the last fiscal year for which such 
     funds are available for the purposes for which they were 
     appropriated) into the Fund: Provided further, That amounts 
     deposited in the Fund shall be available until expended, in 
     addition to such other funds as may be available for such 
     purposes, for capital needs of the Department, including 
     facilities infrastructure and information technology 
     infrastructure, subject to approval by the Office of 
     Management and Budget: Provided further, That amounts in the 
     Fund may be obligated only after the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     are notified at least 15 days in advance of the planned use 
     of funds.
       Sec. 238.  For the fiscal year 2024 allocation of amounts 
     under the Native American Housing Block Grants program, as 
     authorized under title I of Native American Housing and Self-
     Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4111 et seq.), the 
     number of qualifying low-income housing dwelling units under 
     section 302(b)(1) of such Act (25 U.S.C. 4152(b)(1)) shall 
     not be reduced due to the placement of a Native American 
     veteran assisted with amounts provided under the Tribal HUD-
     VASH Program within any such qualifying unit.
       Sec. 239. (a) Subsection (a) of section 184 of the Housing 
     and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-
     13a(a)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(a) Authority.--To provide access to sources of private 
     financing to Indian families, Indian housing authorities, and 
     Indian tribes, who otherwise could not acquire

[[Page H5448]]

     housing financing because of the unique legal status of 
     Indian lands and the unique nature of tribal economies; and 
     to expand homeownership opportunities to Indian families, 
     Indian housing authorities and Indian tribes on fee simple 
     lands, the Secretary may guarantee not to exceed 100 percent 
     of the unpaid principal and interest due on any loan eligible 
     under subsection (b) made to an Indian family, Indian housing 
     authority, or Indian tribe on trust land and fee simple 
     land.''.
       (b) Paragraph (2) of section 184(b) of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a(b)(2)) 
     is amended to read as follows:
       ``(2) Eligible housing.--The loan shall be used to 
     construct, acquire, refinance, or rehabilitate 1- to 4-family 
     dwellings that are standard housing.''.
       Sec. 240.  Section 105 of the Housing and Community 
     Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(i) Special Activities by Indian Tribes.--Indian tribes 
     receiving grants under section 106(a)(1) of this Act are 
     authorized to carry out activities described in subsection 
     (a)(15) of this section directly.''.
       Sec. 241.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used in contravention of existing Federal law regarding 
     non-citizen eligibility and ineligibility for occupancy in 
     federally assisted housing or for participation in and 
     assistance under federal housing programs, including section 
     214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 (42 
     U.S.C. 1436a) and title IV of the Personal Responsibility and 
     Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1601 et 
     seq.).
       Sec. 242.  Of the unobligated balances of amounts made 
     available under the heading ``Office of Lead Hazard Control 
     and Healthy Homes'' from prior Acts making appropriations for 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development, $564,200,000 
     are hereby permanently rescinded.
       Sec. 243.  None of the funds made available to the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development in this or prior 
     Acts may be used to issue a solicitation or accept bids on 
     any solicitation that is substantially equivalent to the 
     draft solicitation entitled ``Housing Assistance Payments 
     (HAP) Contract Support Services (HAPSS)'' posted to 
     www.Sam.gov on July 27, 2022.
       Sec. 244.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to provide Federal funds to a local jurisdiction that 
     refuses to comply with a request from the Department of 
     Homeland Security to provide advance notice of the scheduled 
     release date and time for a particular illegal alien in local 
     custody.
       This title may be cited as the ``Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2024''.

                               TITLE III

                            RELATED AGENCIES

                              Access Board

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Access Board, as authorized 
     by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
     792), $9,955,000.

                      Federal Maritime Commission

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Federal Maritime Commission 
     as authorized by section 46107 of title 46, United States 
     Code, including services as authorized by section 3109 of 
     title 5, United States Code; hire of passenger motor vehicles 
     as authorized by section 1343(b) of title 31, United States 
     Code; and uniforms or allowances therefor, as authorized by 
     sections 5901 and 5902 of title 5, United States Code, 
     $43,720,000, of which $2,000,000 shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2025:  Provided, That not to exceed $3,500 
     shall be for official reception and representation expenses.

                National Railroad Passenger Corporation

                      Office of Inspector General

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation to carry out 
     the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
     App. 3), $30,410,000:  Provided, That the Inspector General 
     shall have all necessary authority, in carrying out the 
     duties specified in such Act, to investigate allegations of 
     fraud, including false statements to the Government under 
     section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, by any person 
     or entity that is subject to regulation by the National 
     Railroad Passenger Corporation:  Provided further, That the 
     Inspector General may enter into contracts and other 
     arrangements for audits, studies, analyses, and other 
     services with public agencies and with private persons, 
     subject to the applicable laws and regulations that govern 
     the obtaining of such services within the National Railroad 
     Passenger Corporation:  Provided further, That the Inspector 
     General may select, appoint, and employ such officers and 
     employees as may be necessary for carrying out the functions, 
     powers, and duties of the Office of Inspector General, 
     subject to the applicable laws and regulations that govern 
     such selections, appointments, and employment within the 
     National Railroad Passenger Corporation:  Provided further, 
     That concurrent with the President's budget request for 
     fiscal year 2025, the Inspector General shall submit to the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a budget 
     request for fiscal year 2025 in similar format and substance 
     to budget requests submitted by executive agencies of the 
     Federal Government.

                  National Transportation Safety Board

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the National Transportation 
     Safety Board, including hire of passenger motor vehicles and 
     aircraft; services as authorized by section 3109 of title 5, 
     United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to 
     exceed the per diem rate equivalent to the rate for a GS-15; 
     uniforms, or allowances therefor, as authorized by sections 
     5901 and 5902 of title 5, United States Code, $145,000,000, 
     of which not to exceed $2,000 may be used for official 
     reception and representation expenses.

                 Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation

          payment to the neighborhood reinvestment corporation

       For payment to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation 
     for use in neighborhood reinvestment activities, as 
     authorized by the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 8101-8107), $172,000,000.

                      Surface Transportation Board

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Surface Transportation Board, 
     including services authorized by section 3109 of title 5, 
     United States Code, $48,184,000:  Provided, That, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, not to exceed 
     $1,250,000 from fees established by the Surface 
     Transportation Board shall be credited to this appropriation 
     as offsetting collections and used for necessary and 
     authorized expenses under this heading:  Provided further, 
     That the amounts made available under this heading from the 
     general fund shall be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis as 
     such offsetting collections are received during fiscal year 
     2024, to result in a final appropriation from the general 
     fund estimated at not more than $46,934,000.

           United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

                           operating expenses

       For necessary expenses, including payment of salaries, 
     authorized travel, hire of passenger motor vehicles, the 
     rental of conference rooms, and the employment of experts and 
     consultants under section 3109 of title 5, United States 
     Code, of the United States Interagency Council on 
     Homelessness in carrying out the functions pursuant to title 
     II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended, 
     $4,188,000.

                                TITLE IV

                      GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

                        (including rescissions)

       Sec. 401.  None of the funds in this Act shall be used for 
     the planning or execution of any program to pay the expenses 
     of, or otherwise compensate, non-Federal parties intervening 
     in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this Act.
       Sec. 402.  None of the funds appropriated in this Act shall 
     remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal 
     year, nor may any be transferred to other appropriations, 
     unless expressly so provided herein.
       Sec. 403.  The expenditure of any appropriation under this 
     Act for any consulting service through a procurement contract 
     pursuant to section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, 
     shall be limited to those contracts where such expenditures 
     are a matter of public record and available for public 
     inspection, except where otherwise provided under existing 
     law, or under existing Executive Order issued pursuant to 
     existing law.
       Sec. 404. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be obligated or expended for any employee training that--
       (1) does not meet identified needs for knowledge, skills, 
     and abilities bearing directly upon the performance of 
     official duties;
       (2) contains elements likely to induce high levels of 
     emotional response or psychological stress in some 
     participants;
       (3) does not require prior employee notification of the 
     content and methods to be used in the training and written 
     end of course evaluation;
       (4) contains any methods or content associated with 
     religious or quasi-religious belief systems or ``new age'' 
     belief systems as defined in Equal Employment Opportunity 
     Commission Notice N-915.022, dated September 2, 1988; or
       (5) is offensive to, or designed to change, participants' 
     personal values or lifestyle outside the workplace.
       (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit, restrict, or 
     otherwise preclude an agency from conducting training bearing 
     directly upon the performance of official duties.
       Sec. 405.  Except as otherwise provided in this Act, none 
     of the funds provided in this Act, provided by previous 
     appropriations Acts to the agencies or entities funded in 
     this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure 
     in fiscal year 2024, or provided from any accounts in the 
     Treasury derived by the collection of fees and available to 
     the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for 
     obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming of funds 
     that--
       (1) creates a new program;
       (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
       (3) increases funds or personnel for any program, project, 
     or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted by 
     the Congress;
       (4) proposes to use funds directed for a specific activity 
     by either the House or Senate Committees on Appropriations 
     for a different purpose;

[[Page H5449]]

       (5) augments existing programs, projects, or activities in 
     excess of $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less;
       (6) reduces existing programs, projects, or activities by 
     $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; or
       (7) creates, reorganizes, or restructures a branch, 
     division, office, bureau, board, commission, agency, 
     administration, or department different from the budget 
     justifications submitted to the Committees on Appropriations 
     or the table in the Report accompanying this Act, whichever 
     is more detailed, unless prior approval is received from the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations:
       Provided, That not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, each agency funded by this Act shall 
     submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     Senate and of the House of Representatives to establish the 
     baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer 
     authorities for the current fiscal year:  Provided further, 
     That the report shall include--
       (A) a table for each appropriation with a separate column 
     to display the prior year enacted level, the President's 
     budget request, adjustments made by Congress, adjustments due 
     to enacted rescissions, if appropriate, and the fiscal year 
     enacted level;
       (B) a delineation in the table for each appropriation and 
     its respective prior year enacted level by object class and 
     program, project, and activity as detailed in this Act, the 
     table in the Report accompanying this Act or in the budget 
     appendix for the respective appropriations whichever is more 
     detailed, and shall apply to all items for which a dollar 
     amount is specified and to all programs for which new budget 
     (obligational) authority is provided, as well as to 
     discretionary grants and discretionary grant allocations; and
       (C) an identification of items of special congressional 
     interest.
       Sec. 406.  Except as otherwise specifically provided by 
     law, not to exceed 50 percent of unobligated balances 
     remaining available at the end of fiscal year 2024 from 
     appropriations made available for salaries and expenses for 
     fiscal year 2024 in this Act, shall remain available through 
     September 30, 2025, for each such account for the purposes 
     authorized:  Provided, That a request shall be submitted to 
     the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations for 
     approval prior to the expenditure of such funds:  Provided 
     further, That these requests shall be made in compliance with 
     reprogramming guidelines under section 405 of this Act.
       Sec. 407.  No funds in this Act may be used to support any 
     Federal, State, or local projects that seek to use the power 
     of eminent domain, unless eminent domain is employed only for 
     a public use:  Provided, That for purposes of this section, 
     public use shall not be construed to include economic 
     development that primarily benefits private entities:  
     Provided further, That any use of funds for mass transit, 
     railroad, airport, seaport or highway projects, as well as 
     utility projects which benefit or serve the general public 
     (including energy-related, communication-related, water-
     related and wastewater-related infrastructure), other 
     structures designated for use by the general public or which 
     have other common-carrier or public-utility functions that 
     serve the general public and are subject to regulation and 
     oversight by the government, and projects for the removal of 
     an immediate threat to public health and safety or 
     brownfields as defined in the Small Business Liability Relief 
     and Brownfields Revitalization Act (Public Law 107-118) shall 
     be considered a public use for purposes of eminent domain.
       Sec. 408.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality 
     of the United States Government, except pursuant to a 
     transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this Act 
     or any other appropriations Act.
       Sec. 409.  No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may 
     be expended by an entity unless the entity agrees that in 
     expending the assistance the entity will comply with sections 
     2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1933 (41 U.S.C. 8301-8305, 
     popularly known as the ``Buy American Act'').
       Sec. 410.  No funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available under this Act shall be made available to any 
     person or entity that has been convicted of violating the Buy 
     American Act (41 U.S.C. 8301-8305).
       Sec. 411.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used for first-class airline accommodations in 
     contravention of sections 301-10.122 and 301-10.123 of title 
     41, Code of Federal Regulations.
       Sec. 412.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to send or otherwise pay for the attendance of more 
     than 50 employees of a single agency or department of the 
     United States Government, who are stationed in the United 
     States, at any single international conference unless the 
     relevant Secretary reports to the House and Senate Committees 
     on Appropriations at least 5 days in advance that such 
     attendance is important to the national interest:  Provided, 
     That for purposes of this section the term ``international 
     conference'' shall mean a conference occurring outside of the 
     United States attended by representatives of the United 
     States Government and of foreign governments, international 
     organizations, or nongovernmental organizations.
       Sec. 413.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available under this Act may be used by the Surface 
     Transportation Board to charge or collect any filing fee for 
     rate or practice complaints filed with the Board in an amount 
     in excess of the amount authorized for district court civil 
     suit filing fees under section 1914 of title 28, United 
     States Code.
       Sec. 414. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used to maintain or establish a computer network 
     unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and 
     exchanging of pornography.
       (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds 
     necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law 
     enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal 
     investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
       Sec. 415. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used to deny an Inspector General funded under this 
     Act timely access to any records, documents, or other 
     materials available to the department or agency over which 
     that Inspector General has responsibilities under the 
     Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or to prevent 
     or impede that Inspector General's access to such records, 
     documents, or other materials, under any provision of law, 
     except a provision of law that expressly refers to the 
     Inspector General and expressly limits the Inspector 
     General's right of access.
       (b) A department or agency covered by this section shall 
     provide its Inspector General with access to all such 
     records, documents, and other materials in a timely manner.
       (c) Each Inspector General shall ensure compliance with 
     statutory limitations on disclosure relevant to the 
     information provided by the establishment over which that 
     Inspector General has responsibilities under the Inspector 
     General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
       (d) Each Inspector General covered by this section shall 
     report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate within 5 calendar days any 
     failures to comply with this requirement.
       Sec. 416.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be used to pay award or incentive 
     fees for contractors whose performance has been judged to be 
     below satisfactory, behind schedule, over budget, or has 
     failed to meet the basic requirements of a contract, unless 
     the Agency determines that any such deviations are due to 
     unforeseeable events, government-driven scope changes, or are 
     not significant within the overall scope of the project and/
     or program unless such awards or incentive fees are 
     consistent with 16.401(e)(2) of the Federal Acquisition 
     Regulations.
       Sec. 417.  No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall be available to pay the salary for any person 
     filling a position, other than a temporary position, formerly 
     held by an employee who has left to enter the Armed Forces of 
     the United States and has satisfactorily completed his or her 
     period of active military or naval service, and has within 90 
     days after his or her release from such service or from 
     hospitalization continuing after discharge for a period of 
     not more than 1 year, made application for restoration to his 
     or her former position and has been certified by the Office 
     of Personnel Management as still qualified to perform the 
     duties of his or her former position and has not been 
     restored thereto.
       Sec. 418. (a) None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to approve a new foreign air carrier permit under 
     sections 41301 through 41305 of title 49, United States Code, 
     or exemption application under section 40109 of that title of 
     an air carrier already holding an air operators certificate 
     issued by a country that is party to the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-
     Norway Air Transport Agreement where such approval would 
     contravene United States law or Article 17 bis of the U.S.-
     E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement.
       (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit, restrict or 
     otherwise preclude the Secretary of Transportation from 
     granting a foreign air carrier permit or an exemption to such 
     an air carrier where such authorization is consistent with 
     the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement and 
     United States law.
       Sec. 419. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available under this Act may be used to operate, 
     procure, or enter into a contracting action related to 
     acquire unmanned aircraft systems, as defined under section 
     44801 of title 49, United States Code, manufactured by an 
     entity that is--
       (1) included on the Consolidated Screening List or Entity 
     List as designated by the Secretary of Commerce;
       (2) included in the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex 
     list by the Secretary of the Treasury;
       (3) included in the 1260H list by the Secretary of Defense;
       (4) domiciled in the People's Republic of China;
       (5) subject to influence or control by the government of 
     the People's Republic of China; or
       (6) a subsidiary or affiliate of an entity described in 
     paragraphs (1) through (5).
       (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to an operation, 
     procurement, or contracting action that--
       (1) is for purposes of counter-UAS testing, analysis, 
     training, or aviation safety testing and research; and
       (2) notification is provided in writing not later than 15 
     days after making an expenditure to such an operation, 
     procurement, or contracting action to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives

[[Page H5450]]

     and the Senate in a manner that identifies the unmanned 
     aircraft system and intended use of such system, provided 
     that such notification may include a classified annex, as 
     necessary.
       Sec. 420.  Of the unobligated balances available in Public 
     Law 117-169, $25,035,000,000 available under section 
     10301(1)(A)(ii) as of the date of the enactment of this Act 
     are permanently rescinded.
       Sec. 421.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to provide any education, training, or professional 
     development that utilizes, promotes, or teaches Critical Race 
     Theory, any concept associated with Critical Race Theory, or 
     that teaches or trains any idea or concept that condones an 
     individual being discriminated against or receiving adverse 
     or beneficial treatment based on race or sex, that condones 
     an individual feeling discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any 
     other form of psychological distress on account of that 
     individual's race or sex, as well as any idea or concept that 
     regards one race as inherently superior to another race, the 
     United States or its institutions as being systemically 
     racist or sexist, an individual as being inherently racist, 
     sexist, or oppressive by virtue of that individual's race or 
     sex, an individual's moral character as being necessarily 
     determined by race or sex, an individual as bearing 
     responsibility for actions committed in the past by other 
     members of the same race or sex, or meritocracy being racist, 
     sexist, or having been created by a particular race to 
     oppress another race.
       Sec. 422.  The Secretary of Transportation and the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall provide the 
     House and Senate Committees on Appropriations quarterly 
     written notification regarding the status of pending 
     congressional reports.
       Sec. 423.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to 
     establish, administer, or enforce any requirement to elevate 
     any structure that is newly constructed, substantially 
     repaired, or substantially improved and is located within the 
     areas impacted or distressed as a result of a major disaster 
     declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and 
     within a special flood hazard area for purposes of the 
     National Flood Insurance Program, to an elevation higher than 
     the elevation required by the Federal Emergency Management 
     Agency under the National Flood Insurance Program.
       Sec. 424.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 
     contravention of section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
     5155).
       Sec. 425.  With respect to a person who has received 
     Federal assistance for a major disaster or emergency under 
     the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) related to Major 
     Disaster Declarations for Disaster Number 4263 from March of 
     2016 or Disaster Number 4277 from August of 2016, none of the 
     funds under this or a prior Act shall be used to enforce an 
     income threshold to limit the eligibility of such recipient 
     from qualifying for a waiver of the general prohibition of 
     the duplication of benefits under section 312(b)(4) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5155(b)(4)) for assistance made available 
     under section 145(a) of division C of Public Law 114-223, 
     section 192(b) of division C of Public Law 114-223, or 
     section 421 of division K of Public Law 115-31.
       Sec. 426.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to facilitate new scheduled air transportation 
     originating from the United States if such flights would land 
     on, or pass through, property confiscated by the Cuban 
     Government, including property in which a minority interest 
     was confiscated, as the terms confiscated, by the Cuban 
     Government, and property are defined in paragraphs (4), (5), 
     and (12)(A), respectively, of section 4 of the Cuban Liberty 
     and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 
     6023 (4), (5), and 7 (12)(A)): Provided, That for this 
     section, new scheduled air transportation shall include any 
     flights not already regularly scheduled prior to May 2022.
       Sec. 427. (a) In the table of projects in the explanatory 
     statement referenced in section 417 of the Transportation, 
     Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 2022 (division L of Public Law 117-103) 
     the item relating to ``Midland Center for the Arts only for 
     structural improvements'' is deemed to be amended by striking 
     recipient ``City of Midland'' and inserting ``Midland Center 
     for the Arts.''
       (b) In the table of projects entitled ``Community Project 
     Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending'' included in the 
     explanatory statement that accompanied the Transportation, 
     Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 2023 (division L of Public Law 117-328)--
       (1) the item relating to ``River Road Homes Affordable 
     Housing Infrastructure'' is deemed to be amended by striking 
     recipient ``Town of Canaan'' and inserting ``Falls Village 
     Housing Trust Inc.''; and
       (2) the item relating to ``The Star Community Family Life 
     Center'' is deemed to be amended by striking recipient ``The 
     Star Community Family Life Center'' and inserting ``Morning 
     Star Baptist Life Center Five Star Program, Inc.''
       Sec. 428.  None of the funds made available in this Act or 
     any other Act may be used for any activities related to the 
     implementation of Priced Zones (Cordon Pricing) under the 
     Value Pricing Pilot Program or New York City's Central 
     Business District Tolling Program.
       Sec. 429.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     any other Act may be used for any program, project, or 
     activity associated with the collection of tolls on 
     Interstate Route 5 or Interstate Route 205 in the State of 
     Oregon.
       Sec. 430.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a 
     facility of a Department or agency funded by this Act other 
     than the flag of the United States; the flag of a State, 
     insular area, or the District of Columbia; the flag of a 
     Federally recognized Tribal entity; the official flag of the 
     Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development; the official flag of a U.S. Department or 
     agency; or the POW/MIA flag.
       Sec. 431. (a) IN GENERAL.--Notwithstanding section 7 of 
     title 1, United States Code, section 1738C of title 28, 
     United States Code, or any other provision of law, none of 
     the funds provided by this Act, or previous appropriations 
     Acts, shall be used in whole or in part to take any 
     discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially, 
     on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance 
     with a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, 
     that marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one 
     man and one woman.
       (b) DISCRIMINATORY ACTION DEFINED.--As used in subsection 
     (a), a discriminatory action means any action taken by the 
     Federal Government to--
       (1) alter in any way the Federal tax treatment of, or cause 
     any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, 
     delay, or revoke an exemption from taxation under section 
     501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of, any person 
     referred to in subsection (a);
       (2) disallow a deduction for Federal tax purposes of any 
     charitable contribution made to or by such person;
       (3) withhold, reduce the amount or funding for, exclude, 
     terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, any Federal 
     grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, 
     guarantee, loan, scholarship, license, certification, 
     accreditation, employment, or other similar position or 
     status from or to such person;
       (4) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny, any entitlement or benefit under a 
     Federal benefit program, including admission to, equal 
     treatment in, or eligibility for a degree from an educational 
     program, from or to such person; or
       (5) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny access or an entitlement to Federal 
     property, facilities, educational institutions, speech fora 
     (including traditional, limited, and nonpublic fora), or 
     charitable fundraising campaigns from or to such person.
       (c) ACCREDITATION; LICENSURE; CERTIFICATION.--The Federal 
     Government shall consider accredited, licensed, or certified 
     for purposes of Federal law any person that would be 
     accredited, licensed, or certified, respectively, for such 
     purposes but for a determination against such person wholly 
     or partially on the basis that the person speaks, or acts, in 
     accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral 
     conviction described in subsection (a).
       Sec. 432.  None of the funds made available by this title 
     may be used in contravention of section 642 of the Illegal 
     Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.
       Sec. 433. (a) IN GENERAL.--None of the funds made 
     available, limited, or otherwise affected by this Act shall 
     be used to approve or otherwise authorize the imposition of 
     any toll on any segment of highway or bridge located on the 
     Federal-aid system in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that--
       (1) as of the date of enactment of this Act, is not tolled;
       (2) is constructed with Federal assistance provided under 
     title 23, United States Code;
       (3) is constructed with Federal assistance provided under 
     section 141 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
       (4) is in actual operation as of the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (b) EXCEPTIONS.--
       (1) NUMBER OF TOLL LANES.--Subsection (a) shall not apply 
     to any segment of highway on the Federal-aid system described 
     in that subsection that, as of the date on which a toll is 
     imposed on the segment, will have the same number of nontoll 
     lanes as were in existence prior to that date.
       (2) HIGH-OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANES.--A high-occupancy vehicle 
     lane that is converted to a toll lane shall not be subject to 
     this section, and shall not be considered to be a non-toll 
     lane for purposes of determining whether a highway will have 
     fewer non-toll lanes than prior to the date of imposition of 
     the toll, if--
       (A) high-occupancy vehicles occupied by the number of 
     passengers specified by the entity operating the toll lane 
     may use the toll lane without paying a toll, unless otherwise 
     specified by the appropriate county, town, municipal or other 
     local government entity, or public toll road or transit 
     authority; or
       (B) each high-occupancy vehicle lane that was converted to 
     a toll lane was constructed as a temporary lane to be 
     replaced by a toll lane under a plan approved by the 
     appropriate county, town, municipal or other local government 
     entity, or public toll road or transit authority.

[[Page H5451]]

       Sec. 434.  Spending Reduction Account--The amount by which 
     the applicable allocation of new budget authority made by the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     under section 302(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
     exceeds the amount of proposed new budget authority is $0.
       This Act may be cited as the ``Transportation, Housing and 
     Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     2024''.

  The Acting CHAIR. All points of order against provisions in the bill 
are waived.
  No amendment to the bill shall be in order except those printed in 
part B of House Report 118-261, amendments en bloc described in section 
8 of House Resolution 838, and pro forma amendments described in 
section 9 of House Resolution 838.
  Each amendment printed in part B of House Report 118-261 may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, by the Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment except as provided by section 9 of House Resolution 838, and 
shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
  It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on 
Appropriations or her designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting 
of amendments printed in part B of House Report 118-261 not earlier 
disposed of. Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their 
respective designees, shall not be subject to amendment, except as 
provided by section 9 of House Resolution 838, and shall not be subject 
to a demand for division of the question.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for 
the purpose of debate.


        Amendments En Bloc No. 1 Offered by Mr. Cole of Oklahoma

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 838, I offer 
amendments en bloc.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc No. 1 consisting of amendment Nos. 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 
9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 26, 27, 28, 33, 35, 38, 39, 
41, and 42 printed in part B of House Report 118-261 offered by Mr. 
Cole of Oklahoma:


             AMENDMENT NO. 1 OFFERED BY MR. FALLON OF TEXAS

       Page 2, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 3, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 6, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 2 OFFERED BY MS. HAGEMAN OF WYOMING

       Page 2, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 3, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 19, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 4 OFFERED BY MR. PFLUGER OF TEXAS

       Page 4, line 13, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 118, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 119, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 7 OFFERED BY MR. ESPAILLAT OF NEW YORK

       Page 6, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


         AMENDMENT NO. 8 OFFERED BY MR. SWALWELL OF CALIFORNIA

       Page 14, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,745,532,000) (increased by 
     $1,745,532,000)''.


         AMENDMENT NO. 9 OFFERED BY MRS. RODGERS OF WASHINGTON

       Page 19, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $32,000,000) (decreased by $32,000,000)''.


         AMENDMENT NO. 10 OFFERED BY MR. SWALWELL OF CALIFORNIA

       Page 21, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 11 OFFERED BY MR. ALLRED OF TEXAS

       Page 30, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 12 OFFERED BY MS. JACKSON LEE OF TEXAS

       Page 53, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


        AMENDMENT NO. 14 OFFERED BY MR. GOTTHEIMER OF NEW JERSEY

       Page 53, line 16 after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 15 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 54, line 2, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $100,000,000) (increased by $100,000,000)''.


         AMENDMENT NO. 16 OFFERED BY MR. GARBARINO OF NEW YORK

       Page 55, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,160,769,000) (reduced by 
     $1,160,769,000)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 17 OFFERED BY MR. LAWLER OF NEW YORK

       Page 55, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,160,000,000) (decreased by 
     $1,160,000,000)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 18 OFFERED BY MR. LAWLER OF NEW YORK

       Page 55, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $416,000,000) (reduced by $416,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 19 OFFERED BY MR. MOLINARO OF NEW YORK

       Page 55, line 23, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $100,000,000) (increased by $100,000,000)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 21 OFFERED BY MS. CROCKETT OF TEXAS

       Page 59, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $130,828,124) (increased by $130,828,124)''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 26 OFFERED BY MS. MOORE OF WISCONSIN

       Page 80, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 120, line 4, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 120, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 121, line 15, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.


            AMENDMENT NO. 27 OFFERED BY MR. MAST OF FLORIDA

       Page 80, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $4,680,000)''.
       Page 81, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $4,680,000)''.
       Page 81, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $4,680,000)''.
       Page 118, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $4,680,000)''.
       Page 119, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $4,680,000)''.


          amendment no. 28 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Page 80, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     (``reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 81, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 82, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 82, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 131, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.


         amendment no. 33 offered by mr. espaillat of new york

       Page 98, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000) (reduced by $1,000,000)''.


            amendment no. 35 offered by mr. barr of kentucky

       Page 111, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $30,000,000)''.
       Page 112, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $30,000,000)''.
       Page 142, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $30,000,000)''.


            amendment no. 38 offered by mrs. beatty of ohio

       On page 114, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000,000) (reduced by 
     $1,000,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 39 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Page 120, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increase by $3,350,000,000) (reduce by $3,350,000,000)''.


          amendment no. 41 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Page 139, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increase by $345,000,000) (reduce by $345,000,000)''.


         amendment no. 42 offered by mr. espaillat of new york

        Page 139, line 25, after ``hazards,'' insert ``such as 
     fire hazards,''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), 
each will control 10 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bipartisan en bloc amendment 
which represents amendments from both sides of the aisle. The en bloc 
includes 25 noncontroversial amendments that reiterate our collective 
support

[[Page H5452]]

for the Nation's transportation and housing needs.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend Ranking Member Quigley and all 
Members who have worked with us on this en bloc, and I ask my 
colleagues to support the amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this en bloc amendment. This includes 
amendments from both parties and was crafted through consultation 
between the majority and the minority.
  This amendment supports critical infrastructure, safety, and housing 
programs to emphasize the importance of achieving robust investment.
  Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment, I urge its adoption, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), who is the chairman on the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my 
amendment to recognize Washington State University and celebrate the 
success of their ASCENT program. This program is the primary 
university-based education and research vehicle for the FAA, and it is 
laser focused on developing new and exciting technology we need to meet 
the challenges of the 21st century.
  By working with stakeholders and industry leaders, students and 
faculty at WSU are showing the world what is possible. Their research 
is revolutionizing the way we think about sustainable aviation fuel, 
and it is helping secure a cleaner future.
  Today, we have the opportunity to ensure the work continues. We can 
fully fund the ASCENT program and make sure America continues to lead 
the way to usher in a new era of innovation and win the future.
  Mr. Chairman, this program will help America keep its competitive 
edge, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member and 
chairman for their leadership.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple. It is amendment No. 26, and it 
would increase funds for the continuum of care grants under the 
McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance program by $1 million to help 
survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or 
stalking who are experiencing homelessness and provide them the 
resources they need to leave abusive and harmful situations.
  These grants provide local organizations, faith-based organizations, 
and Tribal entities with the funds necessary to help combat our 
Nation's homelessness crisis. Domestic violence shelters funded by the 
continuum of care grants are the first place survivors turn to in order 
to provide them with the opportunity to escape dangerous and abusive 
situations and ultimately helps to prevent the loss of life at the hand 
of abusers.
  In my own State we had a record number of domestic violence loss in 
2022 at a rate of one death every 3.8 days.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from Wisconsin.
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support 
this en bloc amendment.
  I would end with a question asked by Jenna Gormal: Will we invest in 
prevention measures, housing, economic, and racial equity, commonsense 
firearms regulations, body autonomy, or will we accept the deaths of 
our family and community members at the hands of domestic violence?
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast).
  Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, the amount of teleworking in Washington is 
astronomical. We all know post-pandemic it is nearly impossible to get 
an employee of a Federal agency on the phone because they are still 
working in their homes and not in the office.
  Perhaps some of the worst offenders are those at the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, HUD. According to a GAO study from July 
of this year, the occupancy rate of HUD's headquarters, the Robert C. 
Weaver Federal building, is roughly 9 percent occupancy. The building 
is just a stone's throw from here where we are sitting right now, and 
it is sitting basically empty.
  Why, then, I ask, are we proposing to spend $4.68 million to 
modernize a building that very few are using?
  I propose we do something else with that money. At the same time many 
of our Nation's veterans are living in untenable conditions, and they 
have lived with physical disabilities as a result of war. I am here 
today to argue that a better use of that $4.68 million is to support 
low-income veterans via the Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and 
Modification Pilot Program.
  This program provides awards through competitive grants to nonprofit 
organizations that provide nationwide or State programs that primarily 
serve low-income veterans. Once the grant is received, the veterans' 
homes receive modifications such as wheelchair ramps, widening door 
thresholds to accommodate mobility needs, shower bars, and things 
related to that.
  It is estimated that with the money that would be transferred there, 
they would be able to modify hundreds of more homes for these veterans.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman, and I thank the ranking member 
for making my amendment as a part of the en bloc package. I urge my 
colleagues to support the adoption of the en bloc package.

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Mrs. Beatty.)
  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Chairman, I thank Ranking Member Quigley for 
yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my en bloc amendment filed with my 
colleague, Congressman   John Garamendi, which highlights the 
importance of the HOME Investment Partnership program to meet 
affordable housing needs in the United States.
  For 30 years, Mr. Chair, HOME has proven to be one of the most 
effective locally driven tools to help States and communities address 
their most pressing housing challenges; whether that is new affordable 
housing construction, rehabilitation of existing buildings, homebuyer 
assistance, and tenant-based rental assistance, including veterans, as 
we approach Veterans Day, persons with disabilities, seniors, and 
persons experiencing homelessness.
  We cannot slash or cut these funds because we know slashing the funds 
for the HOME program from $1.7 million to $500 million--the lowest 
allocation since the program was established in 1992--at a time when 
the Nation, and as we all know in all districts, is facing an 
affordable housing crisis, with record lows in housing inventory and 
soaring rents and construction costs, slashing such an essential 
housing program by nearly 70 percent is unthinkable.
  Every American deserves access to safe and affordable housing, and 
every single one of my colleagues in this Chamber ought to support the 
HOME program to be fully funded to achieve that purpose.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I 
urge them to support the robust funding for the HOME program.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to gentleman from 
California (Mr. Garamendi).
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague Representative 
Beatty for her leadership.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment to highlight 
the importance of the HOME Investment Partnership Program in meeting 
the needs of working families across America.
  Hardworking Americans deserve to have a house, and they deserve to 
have a home. We face drastic shortages of affordable housing in 
California and in most every other part of America. Housing costs have 
skyrocketed significantly, outpacing incomes.
  This is why the President's budget rightfully included $1.8 billion 
for the HOME Investment Partnership Program. This funding will help 
construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing as well as 
providing

[[Page H5453]]

homeownership opportunities for working families. We must support the 
funding programs like HOME to ensure that every American has a home.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I support the en bloc amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's support. I also, 
obviously, support the en bloc amendment, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc offered 
by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).
  The en bloc amendments were agreed to.

                              {time}  1930


                 Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Lawler

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 4, line 13, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 54, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Lawler) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Chair, tonight, I rise to advocate for the passage of 
my amendment to the T-HUD bill, amendment No. 3, which would allocate 
an additional $10 million toward the DOT's Consolidated Rail 
Infrastructure and Safety Improvements account, otherwise known as 
CRISI.
  The CRISI program is designed to provide financial support for 
project development and infrastructure upgrades, including station 
improvements, improving rail system reliability, and grade crossing 
projects, to ensure efficient and safe rail service.
  CRISI also assists with the creation and improvement of grade 
crossing projects, something of critical importance to my constituents 
and others across the country.
  Nowhere is rail safety more important than in New York's 17th 
Congressional District, where hundreds of thousands of my constituents 
live within 5 miles of a train track or train station.
  Earlier this year, we saw the impacts of rail safety concerns when a 
sweeping brush fire was ignited near the train tracks in Rockland 
County. Thankfully, due to the efforts of our heroic first responders, 
no one was injured or killed, but the fire came awfully close to doing 
serious damage and causing potential loss of life, which is why it is 
so critical to ensure that CRISI is funded appropriately.
  Earlier this year, I sent a letter with dozens of my colleagues 
calling for the full funding of this program, and this amendment helps 
toward that goal.
  Rail safety is not something that should be shortchanged in funding, 
especially after the disasters we have seen nationwide, including in 
East Palestine, Ohio.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in reluctant opposition to this 
amendment because while I strongly support the Consolidated Rail 
Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Program, I do not support 
diverting resources that are also necessary to support the Department's 
investments in research and workforce development.
  The Office of the Secretary's Research and Technology program 
coordinates and collaborates with public and private partners to invest 
in research that will make our transportation system more safe, 
efficient, competitive, accessible, and sustainable.
  OST-R has already been cut by almost 15 percent in this bill, and 
another $10 million cut in research and these partnerships would be a 
major step backward.
  We simply cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. That said, it is good to see 
a colleague on the other side of the aisle recognize the importance of 
the CRISI program and the inadequacy of its current funding level, but 
let's also be frank with each other. The bill we are talking about here 
cuts the CRISI program by over $280 million. It is essentially cut in 
half. A $10 million increase in this amendment in the context of $280 
million in cuts isn't undoing so much damage.
  The larger issue here is that the majority chose to write the T-HUD 
bill to an allocation that does not adequately support the needs of the 
agencies and programs within the bill. My friends across the aisle need 
to stop wasting time and work with House Democrats to write spending 
bills in accordance with the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act.
  Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with my colleagues on the other 
side of the aisle to increase funding for the CRISI program once the 
majority increases the allocation of the T-HUD bill. Again, I support 
the intent of the increase of the CRISI program, but I do not support 
the offset.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), the chair of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise 
in support of his amendment.
  There is no question that the CRISI program is incredibly popular and 
improves the safety and efficiency of passenger and freight rail. It is 
the most in-demand program, and despite having over a billion dollars, 
we quite often get more requests.
  Mr. Chair, this is a very good and thoughtful request, and I am happy 
to support it.
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Chair, I think it is important, obviously, to 
increase support for safety improvements, given some of the incidents 
that we have seen across the country.
  Mr. Chair, in response to my colleague across the aisle, I don't 
think we would be in this situation if the prior Congress didn't 
increase spending by over $5 trillion in 2 years. In looking to find 
savings for the American taxpayer while making sure that these programs 
are funded to the degree that they need to be, I think it is important 
that we increase funding in this account by $10 million, and I 
encourage all of my colleagues to support that.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 5 Offered by Ms. Escobar

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         Page 5, line 5, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $10,550,000) (increased by $10,550,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Escobar) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, my amendment highlights the importance of the 
Thriving Communities Program within the Department of Transportation, 
which my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have struck funding 
for.
  The Biden-Harris administration launched the much-needed program in 
2022 to prepare State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to 
better access Federal funding for their communities. This program is 
intended to help provide technical assistance to underresourced and 
disadvantaged communities to help them identify, develop, and deliver 
on transportation, housing, and other much-needed community 
revitalization opportunities.
  It is unfortunate to see that my colleagues on the other side have 
eliminated this program, which helps communities in their own 
districts. Not only does the program provide technical assistance, but 
it also provides

[[Page H5454]]

grant and financial management support, predevelopment assistance, 
community engagement, planning, and project delivery support.
  With historical funding provided by the bipartisan infrastructure law 
and the Inflation Reduction Act, it has been a priority for the Biden-
Harris administration to ensure Federal investments that tackle 
climate, clean energy, and transportation initiatives are equitably 
distributed to economically disadvantaged communities as well as rural 
communities.
  In fact, many of the same colleagues who approve of slashing this 
funding have actually enjoyed and celebrated the projects built in 
their districts with this money.
  I represent El Paso, Texas, an economically disadvantaged community 
that would benefit from the Thriving Communities Program. By 
eliminating this program, communities like mine and many like it across 
the country will not have the needed resources or equal opportunity to 
access and benefit from available Federal funding for vital projects in 
their communities. Rural communities, especially, will suffer.
  As we all know, economically disadvantaged and rural communities 
across this country deserve programs like this because they know their 
needs but lack the needed resources to seek Federal funding.
  It is programs like the Thriving Communities Program that continue to 
help the most vulnerable access the historic Federal funding passed by 
the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Oklahoma is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, the Thriving Communities Program is duplicative 
to the technical assistance already provided by the DOT's Office of the 
Secretary.
  I recognize the burdens that rural, Tribal, and disadvantaged 
communities face in obtaining Federal grant funds, but a $25 million 
office focused on providing additional technical assistance is 
unnecessary.
  DOT should focus on simplifying the grant application process as 
opposed to a slush fund for additional grant consultants.
  I understand that this program has received a total of $50 million in 
funding over the last 2 years. However, even the Senate recognizes that 
this program does not need any more funding. They detail in their 
report that they are also not providing any funding for this program 
this year because the program still has $28 million in unused balances.
  I simply don't think it is necessary, and I urge the rejection of the 
amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Quigley).
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my colleague's 
amendment. The Thriving Communities Program facilitates the planning 
and development of community revitalization activities to ensure that 
underresourced and disadvantaged communities can access funding 
provided in the bipartisan infrastructure law.
  Many rural and Tribal communities that have suffered historic 
disinvestment lack the resources and capacity to successfully develop 
infrastructure projects and access critical Federal funding.
  The elimination of the Thriving Communities Program is just another 
example of my colleagues across the aisle turning their back on the 
very communities they represent.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly support my colleague's amendment.
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, eliminating this funding is reckless. It will 
make it harder for underserved and rural communities across the United 
States to access this much-needed Federal funding.
  We know that investment in infrastructure doesn't just help rebuild 
our country, but it also creates badly needed American jobs that help 
communities across America thrive. That is why I ask my colleagues to 
support this amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Escobar).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will 
be postponed.


                  Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 5, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $6,750,000)''.
       Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $6,750,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, this amendment reduces the funding level for 
the National Surface Transportation and Innovation Finance Bureau to 
the fiscal year 2022 level, saving $6.75 million.
  This office was created by the FAST Act solely to help entities apply 
for Federal subsidies for transportation projects. It has become so 
complicated, and there are so many different programs, that now we have 
to have an entity that navigates interested parties through it.
  In fiscal year 2022, this program was funded at $3.8 million. In this 
House bill, just 2 years later, it is funded at $10.55 million.
  Let's think about that. We are lending out so much money from the 
taxpayers that we need to use taxpayer dollars to create an office to 
assist people looking to take those loans.
  This office is supposed to streamline and improve the application 
process for DOT's credit assistance programs, according to the 
Department of Transportation website. These programs, which include 
TIFIA and RRIF credit assistance programs, have very favorable terms 
for the borrower. Unfortunately, they have unfavorable terms for the 
taxpayer.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1945

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment to 
cut funding for the Build America Bureau by more than half.
  The Build America Bureau supports transportation and infrastructure 
development projects by working closely with States, municipalities, 
and project sponsors to provide technical assistance on preplanning and 
project development. They help with applying for credit programs and 
cultivate public-private partnerships.
  This helps communities successfully develop projects and navigate 
available public and private financing opportunities which require 
significant capacity and expertise that can be a barrier for many 
small, rural, or otherwise disadvantaged communities looking to access 
capital.
  We should support programs that make it easier to build, and I urge 
my colleagues to reject this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, these programs, unfortunately, often finance 
projects that have little or no value to interstate commerce.
  This is the Federal Government. The Federal Government exists to do 
things that the State and local governments can't do, but yet the State 
and local governments can do these things. They just choose not to. I 
don't blame them. Why would they when the Federal Government will pay 
for them?
  I will give you some examples:

[[Page H5455]]

  It includes $606 million in TIFIA assistance to the Moynihan Train 
Hall project in New York City to relieve congestion at Penn Station.
  It includes $99 million in TIFIA assistance to the city of Bellevue, 
Washington, for 12 multimodal roadways to support the new Bel-Red 
neighborhood in the heart of the city. It is great for those cities. I 
am sure it is wonderful, but that project alone included 25,000 linear 
feet of sidewalk and 21,000 linear feet of dedicated and separate bike 
lanes, all within one city.
  They weren't crossing State lines. People in Pennsylvania are paying 
for the one in Washington, people in New Mexico, Florida. They are not 
there, though. They just get to pay for it.
  It also includes $908 million in TIFIA assistance to a regional rail 
project that only traverses through three counties in Texas.
  What region is that? I guess that is the Texas region, right? It is 
not the Southwest. I mean, it is technically, but this doesn't cross 
any State lines. There is no interstate nexus here. There is no reason 
for the Federal Government to be involved.
  I am sure these projects and many more funded by these programs are 
appreciated by the residents of these areas. I am absolutely certain of 
it. I am also sure that I am in the minority when I say there should be 
fewer of these programs to redistribute taxpayer-funded subsidies 
across the country. We simply can't afford them. We simply can't afford 
them.
  I know I am going to be a broken record, but we are going to hear the 
broken record of $33 trillion in debt and climbing every single day at 
exponential rates unseen before in history. At a bare minimum, instead 
of creating an increasing funding for an office to manage the web of 
bureaucracy of these subsidy programs, why don't we actually cut these 
programs, especially the duplicative ones?
  My colleague on the other side of the aisle says it exists to help 
them apply and successfully develop projects. I am sure it does. I am 
sure they develop the projects just to receive this money. That is why 
they do it, because this thing exists. Maybe the project wouldn't exist 
if it weren't for this first.
  He says it requires expertise. I am sure it does because it is 
complicated. It is so complicated that we have a bureau now just to 
navigate these things for grant recipients and would-be grant 
recipients and funding recipients. We can't afford this. We don't need 
this, and I urge adoption.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Kim).
  Mr. KIM of New Jersey. Mr. Chair, I rise today in concern over 
implications and consequences of what is before us with this bill. I 
rise in opposition to proposed cuts to Amtrak that will diminish the 
funding it needs to provide the service Americans rely on every day.
  I know how important Amtrak is because I am one of those Americans 
who rely on its service. I am one of 9.3 million Americans who used the 
Northeast Corridor in 2022 to get home, see family, or conduct 
business. In fact, I just rode the Amtrak train down today to be here 
at the Capitol to do the work of this country. I am one of nearly 23 
million Americans nationwide who have used Amtrak last year to bring 
our communities closer together and help create economic opportunities 
for working people.
  For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to 
recommit this bill back to committee and will insert this as text into 
the Record. If the House rules permit, I would have offered the motion 
with an important amendment to this bill.
  My amendment would increase the level of grants for the Northeast 
Corridor and National Network to match the fiscal year 2023 enacted 
level. In short, it would help make sure a critical program that 
millions rely on has the funding it needs to continue operating at the 
level the American people expect.
  Unfortunately, delivering for the American people is not a priority 
in this Republican budget. This budget guts Amtrak funding by 64 
percent. It guts funding for the Northeast Corridor by 92 percent, and 
it eliminates critical programs for rail safety at a time when we 
should be prioritizing safety for our workers and our communities.
  This Republican budget impacts my home State of New Jersey 
particularly hard. At a time when train derailments are costing lives, 
this budget would result in nearly 200 fewer safety inspections in my 
State of New Jersey alone. At a time when we should be investing in our 
infrastructure, New Jersey stands to lose nearly $173 million in 
funding for our transit and highway projects.

  New Jersey deserves better, and America deserves better. We can start 
to make this right for them by passing this MTR to provide the funding 
we need for programs that millions of Americans depend on.
  Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment.

       Mr. Kim of New Jersey moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4820 
     to the committee on Appropriations with the following 
     amendments.
         Page 55, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,160,769,000)''.
         Page 55, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $416,624,000)''

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 13 will 
not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 20 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 20 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         Page 55, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $776,376,000)''.
         Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $776,376,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, let's be clear. The gentleman who spoke just 
before me that just rode the train in from New Jersey today should have 
no problem with this amendment because it does nothing to the Northeast 
Corridor. However, what it does do, it cuts the over $776 million in 
funding for the National Network of the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation.
  I understand that the President has an affinity for passenger rail, 
especially Amtrak. Amtrak's 15-year vision released in 2021 mirrors 
that enthusiasm, plotting out an ambitious 39 new routes in the next 15 
years. The problem is, it can't be said enough here in Washington, we 
are out of money. We are borrowing money to pay these bills.
  The behemoth IIJA passed just a few years ago contained billions in 
funding directly for both the Northeast Corridor, which the good 
gentleman from New Jersey just talked about, but also the National 
Network.
  This doesn't include billions of dollars going to passenger rail 
grant and loan programs at DOT, many of which Amtrak has been and 
remains eligible for at this moment. It doesn't include it. This 
amounts to at least $4.4 billion for Amtrak across both accounts. They 
are already getting that, $4.4 billion per year, preauthorized, 
prepaid. Why in the world would we continue to pump money into a budget 
line item that will automatically get generous support for the next few 
years at least? Like I just said, $4.4 billion.
  Furthermore, this ignores that sucking chest wound of Amtrak's 
finances. Even before the pandemic, Amtrak's ticket revenue wasn't 
meeting its operating expenses; and now after the pandemic, numbers 
look even more grim. In FY22 Amtrak ran an astounding $886 million 
operating deficit, $806 million of which was from the National Network, 
easily the lion's share. We simply must stop the bleeding.
  While I didn't vote for the Biden blowout infrastructure bill, it did 
contain a supplemental appropriation of $3.2 billion per year for FY22 
through FY26 for Amtrak's National Network. They are already getting 
that $3.2 billion.

[[Page H5456]]

  This amendment simply cuts $776 million contained in this bill, the 
bill that we are trying to move today, this bill, from the National 
Network.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment and 
its extreme proposal to zero out the National Network grants. Amtrak's 
National Network trains carried 16.5 million people last year and 
provided the only intercity public transportation in many small rural 
communities.
  Without this grant, nearly all of Amtrak's service outside of the 
Boston-Washington Northeast Corridor--15 long-distance routes that are 
the only Amtrak service in 23 States, and 28 State-supported short-
distance routes funded through Amtrak State partnerships--would 
disappear. That would include the Texas Eagle from Chicago to Arkansas.
  How would I visit Mr. Womack or Mr. Hill in Arkansas without this, 
just to name a few?
  The funding in this committee bill is already woefully short of 
ensuring the National Network is safe, reliable, and on time. Funding 
for the National Network has already been cut by 35 percent, from $1.2 
billion to $776 million which, if enacted, would radically reduce or 
suspend service on rail lines across the country.
  It also cuts funding for the Amtrak workforce of more than 20,000 
employees, including almost 3,000 employees in the State of 
Pennsylvania.
  I support robust funding for Amtrak and its National Network so that 
we can have safe and reliable passenger rail service across the 
country. We need investments in rail, not these draconian cuts.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Chairman, we absolutely do need investments in passenger rail, 
but private companies won't do it because it loses money. Amtrak is 
happy to do it because it is not their money. It is our money. It is 
our taxpayers' money. They get up early in the morning while it is 
still dark out, pack their lunch, and head off to work so they can pay 
the taxes for an operation that lost $886 million in FY 2022--$886 
million.
  You know who lost their job when they lost $886 million of the 
taxpayers' hard-earned money? Nobody. Nobody lost their job. It doesn't 
matter.
  What happens is we came in and we are asking for more money. We 
already talked about the billions they are already getting, and this is 
adding insult to injury for everybody who has to pay for it.
  It is awesome to have rails that go across the country. It is one of 
the founding principles of our country, opening the West. However, it 
wasn't the government that did it. It was entrepreneurs. It was people 
who speculated and risked their capital. Then the people who rode the 
trains paid for them. However, people who aren't riding the trains are 
paying for them, and they don't have any more money.
  Do I want to see them close? I certainly don't. I don't want to see 
these lines ended and these services ended, but if we keep going, $33 
trillion, I don't know when the breaking point is, but everything is 
going to end at some point. We could learn a lesson, trim the waste, 
fix things that we can fix, so we can avoid everything stopping, but I 
guess we are going to head over the cliff.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  2000

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, let's dismiss the notion that we don't 
subsidize all other forms of transportation, especially air travel.
  If the private sector wants to take over air travel and pay for all 
parts of airports and everything that comes with it, then so be it, but 
that is not going to happen.
  The fact of the matter is there are many benefits from having a 
robust rail system that serves communities that would not otherwise 
have them.
  Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment and urge my colleagues to join me 
in doing so. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 22 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 22 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 59, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $130,828,124)''.
       Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $130,828,124)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment strikes over $130 million in 
transit infrastructure grants for the earmarks contained in this bill.
  Even though many of my colleagues have chosen to request earmarks, or 
using the current euphemism, community project funding, I remain 
opposed to the use of this funding for local projects.
  The corruptive and wasteful earmark process represents what I believe 
are the worst of our taxpayers' dollars being spent on projects that 
oftentimes have no Federal nexus whatsoever.
  Take some of the grant projects being funded in this bill using 
transit infrastructure grants:
  $1.05 million for the rehabilitation of the Baldwin Park Train 
Station in Baldwin Park, California. I am sure it is beautiful. I am 
sure the residents love it. People in Pennsylvania don't know where it 
is and don't want to pay for it.
  $790,000 for the West Anaheim zero-emission microtransit project. I 
am not even sure what that is. Maybe I would be sure if I was in West 
Anaheim, but I am in Pennsylvania. I am not planning on traveling there 
anytime soon, but apparently my tax dollars are.
  $850,000 for the City of Phoenix Valley Metro microtransit. The City 
of Phoenix is beautiful. I have been there. I haven't used the 
microtransit project, but I get to pay for it, and so do all my bosses.
  $850,000 for the Norwalk Transit System bus stop equity project in 
Norwalk, California. I am sure it is beautiful. I am not sure what the 
equity project is. I would rather not pay for it, and neither would the 
folks that sent me here. They don't want to pay for it either because 
they don't have any money, and neither does this government.
  Now, there is no doubt that some of the earmarks funded in this bill 
will benefit some folks around the country. However, again, many of 
them have no Federal nexus. State and local governments should be doing 
these things, not the Federal Government.
  I bet nearly all of them are already eligible for some form of 
Federal transit spending anyhow. They don't need an earmark, and they 
can compete like everybody else on that boondoggle. We don't need this 
boondoggle on top of that boondoggle.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, tomorrow I think I will join the boondoggle 
caucus just to find out everything that is going on with boondoggles 
everywhere.
  For the life of me, I can't understand why some of my Republican 
Members and friends across the aisle take offense at projects that 
increase safety on our roads while so many others support this and have 
earmarks--or however we want to describe or call them--

[[Page H5457]]

it really doesn't make that much difference.
  It is important to remember that these came under Republican guidance 
that required a Federal nexus under this year's rules.
  The committee project funding within this bill has gone through 
extensive vetting by Republican and Democratic offices before being 
submitted for review to the committee.
  Let's make that even clearer. Every single one of the 127 transit 
projects containing funding in this bill were submitted by a Republican 
or a Democratic Member of this body.
  Not only has each Member undertaken extensive vetting within their 
districts to identify the project as a priority, but the Department of 
Transportation has reviewed every single project and determined they 
are eligible.
  They are eligible based on guidance and requirements that our 
Republican colleagues determined, including Federal law and regulation.
  Those of you who are not aware, Republicans on the House 
Appropriations Committee already voted to strip funding away from three 
eligible projects simply because they benefit LGBTQ+ youth, seniors, 
and allies.
  We have seen this before. It is an overreach by Republican Members 
for otherwise eligible projects so that based on their own ideology, 
they can dictate how each individual Member should support their 
district and constituents who voted them into office.
  To my Republican colleagues who have funded transit projects in this 
bill, what will you tell your transit agencies who put the sweat and 
resources into submitting eligible projects for funding?
  I would mention the folks who did that: Mr. Garcia, Mr. LaHood, Mr. 
LaTurner, Mr. Moore, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Rose, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. 
Sessions, Mr. Valadao, and many, many more along those same lines.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I understand that it received guidance. It 
doesn't matter to me if it the received guidance.
  As a matter of fact, it seems to me based on the examples I gave you 
that the guidance is flawed, which is why I voted against this when we 
started this session and we crafted the rules. I voted against all of 
this because I knew this was going to happen.
  I don't cast any aspersions to Republicans or Democrats in this. I am 
not going to name any names. I am not mad at anybody here. I think it 
is bad for the whole country, and it is a bad way of doing business.
  As to the safety aspect, I guess when you don't have any real 
argument to make about the projects themselves and the alleged Federal 
nexus, you throw the old safety--like, of course, everybody on this 
side of the aisle, we want to be unsafe. We love to be unsafe. We want 
everybody to be unsafe just like we like to breathe dirty air and drink 
dirty water, and people somehow believe that. Nothing could be further 
from the truth.
  If the only way we can be safe is by bankrupting the country, I 
wonder how this country made it this far. We made it pretty far without 
bankrupting ourselves, but yet, we can make it no further.
  I guess that is what we are going to learn here with this process on 
this bill. Too much money. Too much borrowing. We can't afford it. No 
Federal nexus.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment, and I yield 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, a quick thought on earmarks. In general, a 
person doesn't like earmarks, but on the other hand, using the language 
that they often use, they don't want some nameless, faceless bureaucrat 
in D.C. making decisions on how their money is spent. It is one way or 
the other.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. 
Cole).
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I thank my friend for yielding.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to my good friend from Pennsylvania's 
amendment for a simple reason. Actually, I will start with where my 
friend, the ranking member, was.
  These decisions are too often made by faceless bureaucrats in 
Washington, D.C., and there ought to be an opportunity for Members to 
advocate.
  We all know the top lines are set long before any of these projects 
are awarded, so this doesn't add a single dime. It just allows Members 
to advocate under a structured process for things that they think will 
make a difference in the lives of their constituents.
  We are not spending one cent more than we would have spent. We are 
giving Members the opportunity to influence decisions that are 
important to them and their constituents.
  We do take our vetting responsibilities very seriously. These were 
vetted by the Republican Appropriations Committee and staffers in 
cooperation with our friends from the other side of the aisle, and we 
don't approve them all. About a third of these things never make it, 
and a lot of them don't get as much money as they ask for.
  This is a good tool, an important tool. Congress went without it for 
a decade and decided after that experience, we need it back.
  Overwhelming majorities in both conferences made that decision, not 
one or the other. We voted on this rule in our conference multiple 
times. The margin has gotten bigger every time.
  Mr. Chair, I urge defeat of the amendment.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The amendment was rejected.


                 Amendment No. 23 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 23 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $392,204,000)''.
       Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $392,204,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would strike the funds for 
the Capital Investment Grant Program.
  For the past decade, the Capital Investment Grant Program has led to 
the misallocation of funds to the most expensive projects without 
regard to the project's financial viability or expected ridership, 
which would seem to me to be kind of important.
  By overextending their resources in search of Federal grant funding, 
transit agencies fail to consider the impact this will have on their 
ability to provide existing services.
  While this was true before the pandemic, it is of particular concern 
in the post-pandemic environment. FDA data shows 2023 ridership came in 
a little over 50 percent of 2019 levels, so there is little need to 
build out additions to the transit system before we can ascertain the 
long-term impact of the pandemic and the interest in public 
transportation generally on ridership.
  People aren't riding, yet we are going to build more of this stuff. 
That seems, I don't know, a little counterintuitive to me.
  Congress now has provided in excess of $100 billion in annual and 
emergency spending to public transit agencies over the pandemic era 
period.
  There is a reason for that. We need to slow down and determine where 
future ridership is headed before we continue to throw good money after 
bad into capital projects we can't afford, are unnecessary, and will 
never be sustained.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to yet another anti-
mobility amendment to eliminate funding for transit capital investment 
grants.
  The bill already cuts transit infrastructure by 82 percent. The 
gentleman from Pennsylvania's previous amendment doubled down on that 
by eliminating Member-sponsored transit projects.

[[Page H5458]]

  The bipartisan infrastructure law authorized this program to receive 
$3 billion for fiscal year 2024. Instead of debating an amendment to 
get us closer to that amount, we are wasting our time reneging on yet 
another bipartisan agreement.
  This amendment would make it impossible for dozens of commuter rail 
and bus projects already in the pipeline for construction grants to 
move along in a timely manner. That includes the thousands of jobs 
supported by those projects. In fact, for every $1 invested in public 
transit, another $5 is leveraged.
  Today, there are 69 projects across the Nation seeking funding under 
this program, including such places as Huntsville, Alabama; 
Indianapolis, Indiana; Rochester, Minnesota; Columbus, Ohio; Salt Lake 
City, and Spokane, Washington.
  While we often focus on the local benefits, the need for increased 
mobility and access to job centers, medical care, and schools goes 
beyond any one district.
  Transit gets essential workers from home to the places many of us 
rely on: hospitals, stores, service delivery hubs, and schools, not 
only supporting thousands of jobs across the country but the local 
economies that rely on these workers.
  The American people are tired of seeing half complete construction 
projects on the side of the road and deserve the confidence of this 
body that their taxpayer dollars will result in real infrastructure 
benefits.
  Instead of cutting off funding for buses and subways and those 
employed by and relying on these transportation systems, we should be 
investing in these projects that give commuters more reliable service, 
lower congestion on the roads, and make it a little easier to breathe.
  I urge all my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, no one here is anti-mobility. We are anti-
bankruptcy. We want everybody to be able to go where they need to go 
when they need to go there.
  We can't afford these projects. The fact is the only way they can be 
done is if the Federal Government pays for them. It would probably be 
done no other way, which begs the question: If it is the only way they 
can be done, are they really affordable? Of course, they are not. It is 
how we ended up $33 trillion in debt, for things like this.
  Again, we are not opposed to anybody, any State, any locality 
investing in their community to do these things. The Federal Government 
simply doesn't have the money to do it anymore.
  The gentleman talks about the return on investment. Well, the return 
on investment doesn't come to these projects because if it did, they 
wouldn't be seeking all this money every single year.
  Return on investment doesn't come to the taxpayers. We just keep 
spending and spending and spending. Somebody in this place, somebody in 
this body, somebody in this town has to pick somewhere to start saving 
some money.
  We don't have any problem with the rest of everything we do picking 
the winners and losers, but there can never be any losers when it comes 
to funding in this place except for the taxpayer.
  They get to lose because no one cares about them. I am here to say I 
care about them. We have got to stop this.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2015

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, when President Eisenhower developed the 
Interstate Highway System after coming back from Europe in the Second 
World War, it wasn't brought to you by some corporate sponsor.
  It is a recognition that there are things that government does that 
have value. It accomplishes things the private sector can't or won't 
do, and that doesn't mean they shouldn't get done. It is the whole 
purpose of government.
  We recognize it at this time when we are trying to be economically 
competitive with the rest of the world that our economic competitors 
are outspending us on the critical ingredient leading to economic 
growth, which is, in large part, infrastructure. That is why the 
trucking industry, the rail industry, and so many others were pushing 
so hard to get that infrastructure bill done. It is why we have to do 
that to keep growing the economy, which drives jobs and, indeed, tax 
growth so we can pay for these things.
  If we don't, and the roads and our transit systems become pothole-
filled or inoperable, the economy will come to a standstill, as well.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The amendment was rejected.


                 Amendment No. 24 Offered by Mr. Ogles

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 24 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 61, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)(reduced by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, my amendment increases and decreases to 
emphasize the importance of restoring public safety and the rule of law 
on the D.C. Metro.
  While it primarily is focusing on crime on the Metro, I would be 
remiss if I failed to mention that law and order in our Nation's 
Capital has completely collapsed.
  Based on preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department, 
crime has increased 27 percent overall this year. More concerning, 
violent crime has increased by 40 percent. Compared to this time last 
year, the homicide rate is up 33 percent; robbery is up 69 percent; and 
motor vehicle theft is up by 101 percent.
  A month ago, one of our esteemed colleagues was carjacked, a fate 
that befalls too many people in the D.C. metro area. The fact that 
criminals are so brazen as to steal the car of a Member of Congress 
shows how far the situation has deteriorated.
  This sharp increase in the crime rate is directly attributable to the 
failed home rule policy that has empowered a leftist government to 
pursue its ideological agenda at the expense of the general welfare.
  Let me say it one more time: D.C. home rule is a complete and total 
failure.
  Mr. Chairman, all too often, criminals in this city receive a slap on 
the wrist. There are few places where crime is more noticeable than the 
D.C. metro area. From October 2022 to October 2023, crime has almost 
tripled.
  We should be ashamed. We have residents, colleagues, children, and 
tourists taking our Metro while visiting our city, and it is not safe. 
Safety is something that we should be able to guarantee on a federally 
funded transit system.
  From a 2-year period, 2020 to 2022, there were a total of six 
homicides on the Metro. This year, there have already been seven.
  Mr. Chairman, earlier this year, I introduced the Seat of Government 
Act, which would repeal the District of Columbia's home rule and 
restore control of D.C. to the Federal Government, where it belongs.
  Mr. Chair, I ask for the adoption of this amendment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 25 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 25 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 61, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $150,000,000)''.
       Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $150,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman

[[Page H5459]]

from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment strikes $150 million in 
grants from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, known 
as WMATA.
  This area that we are operating in, that we are speaking about, is 
full of highly educated professionals, many of whom work for the 
government or government contractors and associated jobs. Some of the 
surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia have some of the highest 
median incomes per county in the country. It is pretty affluent around 
here.
  Like many transit agencies, even before the pandemic, WMATA had an 
unsustainable budget outlook and operation, getting 53 percent of its 
budget through State and local subsidies--not through fares of all the 
well-to-do folks around the area riding, but through subsidies.
  If you were to run a business where you only made 47 percent of your 
budget in revenues, you would be out of business pretty darn quick.
  During the pandemic, most Federal agencies sent their workers home. 
Even so, WMATA received over $2 billion from pandemic-era legislation 
to keep it afloat. Nobody was riding because everybody was sent home, 
but this place sent them $2 billion to keep paying the bills when 
nobody was riding--only in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, only in 
America.
  We are now post-shutdown, and Federal workers are still not going to 
the office. A recent GAO report showed that 17 of the 24 Federal 
agencies surveyed used an average of 25 percent or less of their 
headquarters building capacity right here in Washington, D.C. That is 
75 percent of the space in these headquarters buildings around here 
that taxpayers are paying for with no benefit because 75 percent of it 
is empty. Not only are they paying for a building nobody is in, but 
they are paying for a transit system that is taking no one to work in 
these places.
  WMATA said that in May of this year, rail ridership reached only 50 
percent of pre-pandemic levels on weekends and 89 percent on weekends. 
Mr. Chairman, 50 percent of pre-pandemic is half. It just now reached 
half of pre-pandemic levels in May of this year.
  After Federal COVID relief for WMATA is exhausted, the Metro's budget 
deficit will be $750 million in fiscal year 2025 and $830 million in 
fiscal year 2026.
  When is it going to end? When?
  WMATA's leadership says that the deficit results from inflation, 
collective bargaining agreements, and, importantly, $288 million from 
decreased ridership.
  Well, I can't do anything about those things, but I can try to do 
something about the exorbitant amount of money we are losing, that the 
taxpayers are sending into this black hole and getting nothing for it.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose this amendment. This 
amendment would eliminate $150 million in Passenger Rail Investment and 
Improvement Act funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
Authority.
  This funding, which Congress has provided annually since 2008, 
supports much-needed high-priority capital and preventive maintenance 
projects, including rehabilitating crumbling rail station platforms, 
supporting first responder safety, repairing elevators and escalators, 
mitigating tunnel water leaks, and replacing aging and obsolete 
equipment on railcars.
  Hundreds of thousands of national capital region residents, visitors, 
and Federal Government employees rely on the Metro daily. Without this 
funding, there could be reductions in rail service and increased risk 
to the safety of riders, as well as increased road traffic emissions.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this reckless amendment.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, reckless? We just heard from the gentleman 
right before me about how dangerous it is to ride in the National 
Capital's transit system. People come here and it is dangerous to ride 
on the transit system of their Capital. That is reckless.
  This transit system is expecting to get this $150 million in grants, 
and they are still going to lose $750 million in 2025 and $830 million 
in 2026. They are still going to lose that even with the $150 million 
because they have no interest in trying to make this solvent.
  Why should they? They keep on getting bailed out by the good people 
from around the country who can't even go to their Nation's Capital and 
be sure that they won't be beaten up, robbed, or worse on the transit 
system. It is unacceptable. There ought to be some accountability. 
There ought to be any accountability.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I note that Mr. Connolly of Virginia plans 
to submit a statement to the Record opposing this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. 
Spanberger).
  Ms. SPANBERGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
  Tonight, I am speaking on behalf of thousands of Virginians who rely 
every single day on the Metro. They take it to work. They take it to 
school. They take it to see their families.
  This cut would hurt their commutes. This cut would eliminate funding 
for urgent capital projects, meaning it would impact the safety and 
reliability of the system. This cut would be a slight to the Federal 
workers, including those who work right here on Capitol Hill and those 
who rely on the Metro to get to their jobs so that they can keep our 
government functioning, our country safe, and our economy running.

  Historically, support for Metro's capital funding has not been 
hyperpartisan, and we should not change course right now. That is why I 
am proud to stand with members of the Maryland and Virginia delegations 
and my colleagues from the District of Columbia in pushing back against 
this senseless proposal.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this shouldn't be hyperpartisan. My friends 
on the other side of the aisle, I am sure they like taking the train. I 
am sure their constituents and their bosses do, as well. Having other 
people pay for it is an awesome circumstance. Everybody would want 
that.
  We all like things for free, but things aren't free. We have to pay 
for things in this country, and we are out of money, Mr. Chairman.
  It shouldn't be hyperpartisan, and it is not hyperpartisan. Those in 
this room would have you believe that, but there are people on both 
sides of the aisle who know that this thing is inefficient, wasteful, 
dangerous, and, yes, indeed, reckless.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  2030

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Ivey).
  Mr. IVEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the Perry 
amendment. This amendment would cut $150 million in Federal capital 
funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
  The Perry amendment would undermine a successful Federal-State-local 
partnership which provides Metro with $150 million in Federal funding 
for urgent capital projects. This funding is matched 100 percent with 
$150 million from Metro compact members, Virginia, Maryland, and 
Washington, D.C. The $300 million annual investment is critical to 
improving the safety and reliability of the system.
  Continued bipartisan support for America's transit agency will ensure 
WMATA progress on restoring aging infrastructure and maintaining a safe 
and reliable system for visitors from across the United States.
  This annual capital funding program was created by Republican 
Congressman Tom Davis as part of the Passenger Rail Investment and 
Improvement Act. This program has received

[[Page H5460]]

broad bipartisan support for more than a decade, and the bipartisan 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reauthorized the program until 
2030.
  Funding for the Federal Government's FY 2024 contribution to Metro is 
included in this bill on the House floor this week and was in the T-HUD 
bill that recently passed the Senate by a vote of 82-15.
  The funding enjoys such consistent and longstanding support in 
Congress because the Federal Government is both a stakeholder in the 
system and a chief beneficiary of this annual capital funding 
contribution.
  Metro is a $40 billion asset to the national capital region and is 
essential to the operation of the Federal Government. More than one-
third of all Metro stations are located on Federal property serving 
Federal facilities.
  Unlike other transportation networks in the Nation, the Metro system 
serves a distinct vital national security role for the Federal 
Government, providing transportation to the Pentagon, Homeland 
Security, and the FBI offices. Metro transports thousands of Federal 
employees to work each day, and that number is increasing as Metro 
helps Federal agencies increase in-person work.
  Metro recently saw its highest rate of Federal employee ridership 
since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman from Illinois has 
expired.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise as the designee of the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), and I move to strike the last word.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Hoyer), the distinguished ranking member of the Financial Services and 
General Government Subcommittee.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  This is America's subway. This is America's Metro. Millions of people 
from throughout this country come here and enjoy Metro's convenience 
while seeing the Federal Government, seeing their National Capital, and 
visiting all of us. That is why this is important to Congress, because 
it is America's subway. That is why, very frankly, Bill Lehman, many 
years ago, referred to it as America's subway and why the Federal 
Government would invest in its operations.
  I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. Obviously, a lot of 
people from my district ride Metro and come to work for the Federal 
Government, and thousands of Federal employees rely on it to get to 
their work serving the American people.
  Metro is especially crucial now when many of the Federal workers are 
returning to the office after the pandemic, which I heard in the Rules 
Committee we want them to do. I agree with that. Indeed, in just the 
last 2 months, Federal employee ridership has reached its highest point 
since the pandemic began.
  This is not just a local subway. This is the subway that all of our 
constituents use when they come to our city, the city of our Nation.
  We depend on Metro and Metro depends on us. That is why Congress 
pledged to invest $150 million in Metro capital improvements through 
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and why over the years we have 
invested in Metro's operations and well-being.
  We need to honor that historic commitment. This amendment would break 
that promise. This money is--I am sure one of my colleagues or maybe 
all of my colleagues have told--matched many times over, as you would 
expect, by the local governments, all the local governments, and 
Washington D.C., as I am sure its Representative, who does such an 
extraordinary job, Eleanor Holmes Norton, pointed out.
  I understand the author of this amendment wants to cut spending in 
many, many places. This is one that he has chosen, but I think it is a 
bad choice. I think that every Republican and every Democrat who 
invites his constituents or her constituents to come to Washington, who 
invites their employees to be here on time and for many hours of the 
day and night, to consider strongly opposing this amendment with an 
overwhelming vote, a bipartisan vote, because Metro has been a 
bipartisan effort.
  I have worked on Metro since I came here with Frank Wolf. Frank Wolf 
was a Republican from Virginia. We were essentially joined at the hip 
in fighting for Metro, not as a Republican Metro or Democratic Metro, 
but for the Nation's Metro.
  Reject this amendment. Keep our word and our investment in the subway 
that serves all of our citizens.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chair, I rise today to oppose Perry amendment No. 
25, which would zero out the federal government's annual dedicated 
funding contribution to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
Authority (WMATA), or the DC Metro as it is known.
  This amendment would eliminate a successful federal-state-local 
partnership which provides Metro with $150 million in federal funding 
for urgent capital projects.
  This funding is matched 100 percent with $150 million from Metro 
Compact members Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
  This annual capital funding program was created by Republican 
Representative Tom Davis.
  It was reauthorized in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act, through my legislation the Metro Accountability and 
Investment Act.
  And the funding was included in both the House and Senate T-HUD bills 
for FY2023.
  The funding enjoys such consistent and longstanding support in 
Congress because the federal government is both a stakeholder in the 
system and a chief beneficiary of this annual capital funding 
contribution.
  The federal government receives two seats on the Metro Board of 
Directors. Despite making no contributions to Metro's operating budget, 
the federal government is entitled to make decisions about the service, 
safety, and budget of Metro.
  Metro transports thousands of federal employees to work each day, and 
that number is increasing as Metro helps federal agencies increase in-
person work.
  Simply put, the federal government cannot function without Metro.
  Please join me in opposing this self-defeating amendment.
  Vote no on Perry Amendment No. 25.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 29 Offered by Mr. Grothman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 29 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         Page 81, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chair, this amendment would increase and decrease 
the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer at the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development to express concern regarding the 
inherently divisive nature of the Diversity Council and the associated 
race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation-based Affinity or 
Employee Resource Groups.
  Right now, HUD has several different employee affinity groups for 
different racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual orientations. These groups 
include Blacks in Government, for African American HUD employees; HUD 
AANHPI for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander; and HUD 
FedQ for LGBT employees.
  The so-called Diversity Council is reflective of this 
administration's drive

[[Page H5461]]

to divide America. In other words, we should go to work every day, and 
Hispanic employees should be in one room and talk about what they have 
in common and Black people should be in another room and talk about 
what they have in common, and the gay people should be in another room 
and talk about what they have in common. On the face of it, it is a 
little bit ridiculous. It is divisive by its nature, as is so much of 
the affirmative action mania that has taken over this country.
  A growing volume of research demonstrates that professional 
development programs and other trainings in DEI are abject failures.
  There was a piece in The New York Times, by author Jesse Singal, that 
compared different DEI interventions and noted: ``Racial affinity 
groups, a popular intervention in which participants are temporarily 
separated by race so they can talk about race, have perhaps proved even 
more problematic. They've sparked complaints, in places like 
Jacksonville, Florida, where a principal was temporarily reassigned 
after she attempted to separate White students from students of color. 
. . .''
  In any event, the purpose of the groups is to tell people: Because 
your great-grandfather or grandfather came from Cuba, we are going to 
put you with these other people and you are supposed to share something 
in common with these people. In other words, people are labeled as 
being different by their race or by their gender, which on the face of 
it is such a racist and sexist thing to do.
  I am not sure we should have a HUD, but if we are going to have a 
HUD, it should focus on its goals of providing housing or making sure 
we have affordable housing for the country, not setting aside groups of 
people who come from wildly different backgrounds and telling them 
because you are a Pacific Islander, or you are Hispanic, or you are 
Black you should think in a certain way.
  I talked to an employee who has to put up with one of these groups in 
private at a business. That is exactly what they are. They have some 
expert diversity person telling people that because you are Black, you 
should think such and such a way, or because your grandfather is from 
Cuba, you should think such and such a way, or because your grandmother 
is from Korea, you should think in such and such a way. It is just 
anti-American across the board.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, can I just point out the absurdity of where 
we are right now? Let's have two White guys talk about racial equality 
and equity, but here goes.
  Instead of focusing on investing in affordable housing and the safe, 
efficient transportation infrastructure that powers our economy, we are 
discussing several harmful anti-equality amendments that have no place 
in this bill and are frankly a distraction.
  The Diversity Council and related groups that my colleague objects to 
include several affinity employee resource groups that provide 
opportunities, resources, advocacy for fairness, and peer support for 
HUD employees that are part of historically marginalized and 
underrepresented groups such as people with disabilities, women, and 
veterans.
  We may not like the fact that those inequalities still exist, but 
they do. It does no one any good to hear no evil, see no evil, and 
speak no evil. The existence of these groups is not divisive. Instead, 
it promotes inclusion.
  I don't know why some of my Republican colleagues are so afraid of 
the word ``equity'' or why they would stand in the way of efforts to 
ensure that the needs of disabled, women, and veteran employees are met 
so they are all treated equally and fairly.
  It is and always will be a movement toward a more perfect union. 
There was never anything in the Constitution or the Declaration of 
Independence, or anything else you can go down the street and read in 
another building, that tells us that we will ever have this 
accomplished. Instead, it is easier to say it is divisive, it is not 
necessary, it denies truth, or it denies history. That in itself is 
destructive.
  This amendment is unnecessary. It is divisive, offensive, and a deep 
distraction. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chair, I would comment that I think the gentleman 
has kind of a bizarre view of the world and I don't think is accurately 
analyzing what America is today.
  E pluribus unum, out of many, one, is the way we view America.
  When they define members of these groups, if you are one-quarter 
American Indian or one-quarter Hispanic or one-quarter Black, you are 
considered part of a group. To think that these people all have 
something in common because of where their grandparents were born, 
maybe grandparents who have long since died, is a little bit offensive 
on its face.
  If you look at how different groups do in this country, by the way, 
frequently the most economically successful group today are Asian 
Americans from India, then from the Philippines. Cubans do better than 
the average American.
  Like I said, they are kind of bizarre. For the purpose of identifying 
people or setting aside these groups, you are going to have people 
classified by one grandparent, supposedly of color, even though nobody 
under the sun even knows what their ancestry is, is divisive on its 
face.

                              {time}  2045

  I believe the only reason people keep pushing this garbage is they 
want to divide America and they want to have people who are perfectly 
happy Americans walk around and being told that because your 
grandfather was Native American or because your grandfather was Korean, 
you know----
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 30 Offered by Mr. Brecheen

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 30 
printed in part B of House Report 118-261.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 82, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $25,181,000)''.
       Page 82, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $25,181,000)''.
       Page 203, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,181,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 838, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would reduce spending by 
bringing the Department of Housing and Urban Development's funding for 
the fair housing activities back to the fiscal year 2019 levels, which 
would be a cut of $19.7 million.
  Cutting funding back to pre-COVID 19 levels across the board for 
nondefense discretionary funding can right-size a discretionary budget 
that has grown 30 percent larger since the pandemic. We must return 
nondefense discretionary spending back to the 2019 spending levels if 
we are ever to have hope on the discretionary side of getting our 
fiscal house in order.
  To accomplish that for this program--this is a modest cut of 0.022 
percent of the total funding of this bill. I want to repeat that. It is 
a 0.022 percent cut, that is a cut of one-fifth of 1 percent.
  Allowing the data to speak for itself, according to HUD's own 
statistics, there were 11,741 housing discrimination complaints filed 
to the Department in 2022.
  According to HUD, in fiscal year 2022, there were 15 cases of housing 
discrimination that were referred to the Department of Justice, of 
those cases, 14

[[Page H5462]]

were closed out by DOJ, meaning there was only one case out of over 
11,000 that led to a charge of housing discrimination.
  While many housing discrimination complaints are settled, most cases 
are found to be without cause or closed entirely. According to the 
Congressional Research Service, 3 to 5 percent of the complaints lead 
to a formal charge, and between zero to 1 percent of complaints lead to 
a referral to the Department of Justice.
  Again, we need to get our fiscal house in order. We are rapidly 
approaching $34 trillion in debt. It is costing families, through 
devaluation of our dollar, $1,200 more per month to buy the exact same 
goods and services as compared to when our current President took 
office almost 3 years ago.
  The effects of that, we all know, with interest rate changes are 
causing housing problems for a multitude of people.
  The debt to GDP ratio is at our highest level since World War II. Our 
interest payments on the debt are about to cost more than defense 
spending, and that is within months to years ahead in short order.
  Autopilot, mandatory spending amounts to 70 percent of our government 
spending. This number is expected to skyrocket to 90 percent within the 
next 10 years. This out-of-control spending at some point has to come 
to an end, either by choice or it will happen to us by force.
  Mr. Chairman, I reiterate that this is incredibly small in terms of 
cuts--0.022 percent, one-fifth of 1 percent to the underlying bill. 
Let's return back to the 2019 fiscal year.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment slashes funding for the HUD 
office responsible for enforcement of fair housing law by 25 percent 
below fiscal year 2023, undermining basic civil rights protections that 
prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national 
origin, sex, age, disability, and familial status.
  This gutting of the office would result in the loss of an estimated 
150 personnel who work to enforce the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and 
other civil rights laws.
  In addition to improper investigation of fair housing complaints, the 
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity coordinates with the 
Department of Justice, trains fair housing practitioners, enforces VAWA 
protections, manages grants, conducts civil rights reviews of HUD 
investments, and develops policies that proactively advance housing 
equity.
  Mr. Chair, I have seen firsthand in Chicago how, for example, LGBTQ 
youth--who are over-represented in the homeless population--can face 
discrimination when attempting to access homeless shelters.
  HUD guidance has played a critical role in clarifying the 
responsibilities of housing providers and assisting them in how to best 
promote fair and equal access.
  Again, weakened civil rights enforcement hurts our most vulnerable 
constituents the most. In 2021, 54 percent of fair housing complaints 
nationwide were cases of discrimination on the basis of disability.
  Housing affordability is not the only crisis Americans face when 
seeking stable housing. Discrimination is a real challenge for people 
with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and Tribal communities, and other 
vulnerable populations.
  Instead of hollowing out meaningful implementation of civil rights 
protections, we should be taking every possible action to ensure 
Americans are not falling prey to loopholes and the lack of 
enforcement.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma 
will be postponed.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Brecheen) having assumed the chair, Mr. Gimenez, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4820) 
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, had come to no 
resolution thereon.

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