Senate Report 115-268 - TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2019

[Senate Report 115-268]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

Calendar No. 445
115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 115-268

======================================================================

TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2019
_______

June 7, 2018.--Ordered to be printed

_______

Ms. Collins, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the
following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 3023]

The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 3023)
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation,
and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.

Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 2019

Total of bill as reported to the Senate................. $71,417,000,000
Amount of 2018 appropriations........................... 100,128,589,000
Amount of 2019 budget estimate.......................... 47,995,897,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
2018 appropriations................................ -28,711,589,000
2019 budget estimate................................ +23,421,103,000

C O N T E N T S

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Page
Overview and Summary of the Bill................................. 3
Program, Project, and Activity................................... 3
Reprogramming Guidelines......................................... 4
Congressional Budget Justifications.............................. 5
Guidance Documents............................................... 5
Transparency Requirement......................................... 6
Federally Funded Research........................................ 6
Title I: Department of Transportation:
Office of the Secretary...................................... 8
Federal Aviation Administration.............................. 22
Federal Highway Administration............................... 43
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.................. 50
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration............... 54
Federal Railroad Administration.............................. 59
Federal Transit Administration............................... 68
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation................ 76
Maritime Administration...................................... 77
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration....... 82
Office of Inspector General.................................. 85
General Provisions--Department of Transportation............. 86
Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development:
Management and Administration................................ 88
Administrative Support Offices............................... 89
Program Offices Salaries and Expenses........................ 91
Public and Indian Housing.................................... 96
Community Planning and Development........................... 108
Housing Programs............................................. 118
Federal Housing Administration............................... 125
Government National Mortgage Association..................... 127
Policy Development and Research.............................. 127
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity........................... 129
Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.............. 129
Information Technology Fund.................................. 132
Office of Inspector General.................................. 134
General Provisions--Department of Housing and Urban
Development................................................ 135
Title III: Independent Agencies:
Access Board................................................. 138
Federal Maritime Commission.................................. 139
National Railroad Passenger Corporation: Office of Inspector
General.................................................... 139
National Transportation Safety Board......................... 140
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation........................ 141
Surface Transportation Board................................. 142
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness............ 143
Title IV: General Provisions--This Act........................... 146
Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI, of the Standing Rules of
the
Senate......................................................... 148
Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI, of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 149
Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 150
Budgetary Impact of Bill......................................... 151
Comparative Statement of Budget Authority........................ 152

OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies appropriations bill provides funding for a
wide array of Federal programs, mostly in the Departments of
Transportation [DOT] and Housing and Urban Development [HUD].
The programs and activities supported by this bill include
significant responsibilities entrusted to the Federal
Government and its partners to protect human health and safety,
support a vibrant economy, and achieve policy objectives
strongly supported by the American people. These programs
include investments in road, transit, rail, maritime, pipeline,
aviation and airport infrastructure; the operation of the
Nation's air traffic control system; resources to support
community and economic development activities; and housing
assistance for those in need, including the homeless, elderly,
and disabled. The bill also provides funding for the Federal
Housing Administration and the Government National Mortgage
Association to continue their traditional roles of providing
access to affordable homeownership in the United States.
This bill makes possible the operation of the interstate
highway system, as well as the world's safest, most complex air
transportation system. This bill also includes funding for
competitive grants to communities to support transformative
transportation infrastructure projects of national or regional
importance. It ensures safe and sanitary housing for nearly 5
million low and extremely low-income families and individuals,
over half of whom are elderly and/or disabled. It provides
funding that is leading to the gradual elimination of
homelessness among veterans, youth, victims of domestic
violence, individuals and families.
The bill, as reported, provides the proper balance of
transportation, housing, and community development programs and
activities. It is consistent with the subcommittee's allocation
for fiscal year 2019. All accounts in the bill have been
closely examined to ensure that a sufficient level of funding
is provided to carry out the programs and activities of DOT,
HUD, and related agencies. Details on each of the accounts and
the Committee's justifications for the funding levels are
included in the report.

PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY

During fiscal year 2019, for the purposes of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law
99-177), as amended, with respect to appropriations contained
in the accompanying bill, the terms ``program, project, and
activity'' [PPA] shall mean any item for which a dollar amount
is contained in appropriations acts (including joint
resolutions providing continuing appropriations), accompanying
reports of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations,
or accompanying conference reports and joint explanatory
statements of the committee of conference. This definition
shall apply to all programs for which new budget (obligational)
authority is provided, as well as to discretionary grants and
discretionary grant allocations made through either bill or
report language.

REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES

The Committee includes a provision (section 405)
establishing the authority by which funding available to the
agencies funded by this act may be reprogrammed for other
purposes. The provision specifically requires the advanced
approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
of any proposal to reprogram funds that:
--creates a new program;
--eliminates a program, project, or activity [PPA];
--increases funds or personnel for any PPA for which funds
have been denied or restricted by the Congress;
--proposes to redirect funds that were directed in such
reports for a specific activity to a different purpose;
--augments an existing PPA in excess of $5,000,000 or 10
percent, whichever is less;
--reduces an existing PPA by $5,000,000 or 10 percent,
whichever is less; or
--creates, reorganizes, or restructures offices different
from the congressional budget justifications or the
table at the end of the Committee report, whichever is
more detailed.
The Committee retains the requirement that each agency
submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations not later than 60 days after enactment of this
act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming
and transfer authorities provided in this act. Specifically,
each agency should provide a table for each appropriation with
columns displaying the prior year enacted level; budget
request; adjustments made by Congress; adjustments for
rescissions, if appropriate; and the fiscal year enacted level.
The table shall delineate the appropriation and prior year
enacted level both by object class and by PPA, as well as
identify balances available for use under section 406 of the
bill. The report must also identify items of special
congressional interest.
The Committee expects the agencies and bureaus to submit
reprogramming requests in a timely manner and to provide a
thorough explanation of the proposed reallocations, including a
detailed justification of increases and reductions and the
specific impact the proposed changes will have on the budget
request for the following fiscal year. Except in emergency
situations, reprogramming requests should be submitted no later
than June 30.
The Committee expects each agency to manage its programs
and activities within the amounts appropriated by Congress. The
Committee reminds agencies that reprogramming requests should
be submitted only in the case of an unforeseeable emergency or
a situation that could not have been anticipated when
formulating the budget request for the current fiscal year.
Further, the Committee notes that when a Department or agency
submits a reprogramming or transfer request to the Committees
on Appropriations and does not receive identical responses from
the House and Senate, it is the responsibility of the
Department to reconcile the House and Senate differences before
proceeding, and if reconciliation is not possible, to consider
the request to reprogram funds unapproved.
The Committee would also like to clarify that this section
applies to the Department of Transportation's Working Capital
Fund, and that no funds may be obligated from such funds to
augment programs, projects or activities for which
appropriations have been specifically rejected by the Congress,
or to increase funds or personnel for any PPA above the amounts
appropriated by this act.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS

Budget justifications are the primary tool used by the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to evaluate the
resource requirements and fiscal needs of agencies. The
Committee is aware that the format and presentation of budget
materials is largely left to the agency within presentation
objectives set forth by the Office of Management and Budget
[OMB]. In fact, OMB Circular A-11, part 6 specifically states
that the ``agency should consult with your congressional
committees beforehand to ensure their awareness of your plans
to modify the format of agency budget documents.'' The
Committee expects that all agencies funded under this act will
heed this directive. The Committee expects all of the budget
justifications to provide the data needed to make appropriate
and meaningful funding decisions.
While the Committee values the inclusion of performance
data and presentations, it is important to ensure vital budget
information that the Committee needs is not lost. Therefore,
the Committee directs that justifications submitted with the
fiscal year 2020 budget request by agencies funded under this
act contain the customary level of detailed data and
explanatory statements to support the appropriations requests
at the level of detail contained in the funding table included
at the end of the report. Among other items, agencies shall
provide a detailed discussion of proposed new initiatives,
proposed changes in the agency's financial plan from prior year
enactment, and detailed data on all programs and comprehensive
information on any office or agency restructurings. At a
minimum, each agency must also provide adequate justification
for funding and staffing changes for each individual office and
materials that compare programs, projects, and activities that
are proposed for fiscal year 2020 to the fiscal year 2019
enacted level.
The Committee is aware that the analytical materials
required for review by the Committee are unique to each agency
in this act. Therefore, the Committee expects that each agency
will coordinate with the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations in advance on its planned presentation for its
budget justification materials in support of the fiscal year
2020 budget request.
The Committee directs each agency to include within its
budget justification a report on all efforts made to address
the duplication identified by the annual GAO reports along with
legal barriers preventing the agency's ability to further
reduce duplication and legislative recommendations, if
applicable.

GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS

The Committee remains concerned about the use of guidance
documents, or interpretive rules, to impose new requirements on
regulated entities even though such documents are not legally
binding. The Supreme Court has recognized there can be a fine
line between what should be issued as a regulation for purposes
of notice and comment rulemaking under the Administrative
Procedure Act and what can be issued as guidance. The Supreme
Court has also recognized that Federal agencies may sometimes
issue guidance to circumvent the notice and comment rulemaking
process. Legal scholars and multiple members of Congress have
also expressed concern about the use of guidance to avoid
rulemaking. Finally, the GAO found that if an agency
periodically reviews its guidance it can significantly reduce
unnecessary guidance. For example, after a sub-agency in the
Department of Labor reviewed its guidance to determine if it
was relevant and current, the sub-agency was able to reduce its
guidance by 85 percent. GAO also found that the dissemination
of guidance to the public can be improved.
The Committee recommends the Departments of Transportation
and Housing and Urban Development clearly label in a plain, and
prominent, manner that the agency's guidance documents are not
legally binding and may not be relied upon by the agency as
grounds for agency action. The Committee also recommends a
thorough explanation on an agency's guidance document about why
the agency believes it is appropriate to issue guidance about a
matter instead of proposing a regulation and what specific
statutory provisions or regulation(s) the guidance is
interpreting. The Committee further recommends this guidance be
updated every 2 years, with input solicited from the public, to
determine if it is duplicative, outdated, ineffective,
insufficient, or excessively burdensome and needs to be
modified, streamlined, or repealed. All guidance documents
should be in one place on agency websites as well as on the
relevant sub-agency web page. This guidance should be easily
accessible for the public to comment on and should be sent to
the Office of Management and Budget to determine if it is
significant.

TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT

The Committee is aware that agencies funded in this act use
resources for advertising purposes. The Committee directs the
agencies in this act to state within the text, audio, or video
used for new advertising purposes, including advertising/
posting on the Internet, that the advertisements are printed,
published, or produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer
expense. The agencies may exempt any such advertisements from
this requirement if it creates an ad- verse impact on safety or
impedes the ability of these agencies to carry out their
statutory authority.

FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH

The Committee urges the Department of Transportation and
the Department of Housing and Urban Development to
affirmatively determine, justified in writing made available on
a publically accessible website, that research grants or
agreements promote the progress of science in the United States
or will advance a national security or economic interest.

TITLE I

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Infrastructure.--The President's budget request once again
includes $200,000,000,000 in direct Federal funding to leverage
$1,500,000,000,000 in investment for our Nation's
infrastructure, but the administration has publically
acknowledged that its proposal is unlikely to be enacted this
year. The Committee fully supports the goal to improve our
Nation's infrastructure, but remains concerned with the
administration's policy objective to increase the financial
burden on State and local governments by raising their own
revenue as a means of meeting the goal.
The Committee reiterates its support for Federal investment
in infrastructure to facilitate the safe and efficient movement
of freight and people across the Nation. The Committee
recommendation continues increased funding levels provided in
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 for highway, airport,
transit, rail, maritime, and housing infrastructure, consistent
with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. However, the 2-year
budget agreement does not provide the long-term funding
structure necessary to maintain and improve our Nation's
transportation infrastructure. Therefore, the Committee
reiterates that increased funding levels from the general fund
for airport, highway, and transit programs that have
historically been funded from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund
and the Highway Trust Fund are provided to supplement, not to
supplant, traditional funding for these programs. The Committee
expects the Administration to work with relevant authorizing
committees to provide long-term sustainable funding for
infrastructure before the FAST Act expires at the end of fiscal
year 2020 to ensure a reauthorization bill is enacted on time.
Unfortunately, the administration's budget request simply
ignores the Highway Trust Fund and reflects a reduction of
$122,000,000,000 in highway and transit programs over the 10-
year budget window. The budget request offers no solutions to
sustaining the Highway Trust Fund and simply ignores the impact
of less investment on our transportation network. Therefore,
the Committee directs the Department to submit to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations a report on the impact of
the administration's fiscal year 2019 budget request on State
DOTs, transit agencies, and other entities that currently
receive funding from the Highway Trust Fund within 120 days of
enactment of this act. The Department is further directed to
include a future investment scenario in its next Conditions and
Performance report, as required by 23 U.S.C. 503(b)(8) and 49
U.S.C. 308(e), that also reflects funding levels consistent
with the administration's fiscal year 2019 budget request.

Office of the Secretary

Section 3 of the Department of Transportation Act of
October 15, 1966 (Public Law 89-670) provides for the
establishment of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation
[OST]. OST is comprised of the Secretary and the Deputy
Secretary immediate and support offices; the Office of the
General Counsel; the Office of the Under Secretary of
Transportation for Policy, including the offices of the
Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs and
the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy; four
Assistant Secretarial offices for Budget and Programs,
Governmental Affairs, Research and Technology, and
Administration; and the Offices of Public Affairs, the
Executive Secretariat, Intelligence, Security and Emergency
Response, and the Chief Information Officer. OST also includes
the Department's Office of Civil Rights and the Department's
Working Capital Fund.

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $112,813,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 113,842,000
Committee recommendation................................ 113,535,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation finances the costs of policy development
and central supervisory and coordinating functions necessary
for the overall planning and direction of the Department. It
covers the immediate secretarial offices as well as those of
the assistant secretaries, and the general counsel.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $113,535,000 for
salaries and expenses of OST, including $60,000 for reception
and representation expenses. The recommendation is $307,000
less than the budget request and $722,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. The accompanying bill stipulates that
none of the funding provided may be used for the position of
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.
The accompanying bill authorizes the Secretary to transfer
up to 5 percent of the funds from any office within the Office
of the Secretary to another. The Committee recommendation also
continues language that permits up to $2,500,000 of fees to be
credited to the Office of the Secretary for salaries and
expenses.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendation in comparison to the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level and the budget request:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year--
------------------------------------ Committee
2018 enacted 2019 estimate recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary................................... $3,001,000 ................ $3,001,000
Office of the Deputy Secretary............................ 1,040,000 ................ 1,040,000
Office of the General Counsel............................. 20,555,000 ................ 20,428,000
Office of the Under Secretary for Policy.................. 10,331,000 ................ 10,265,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. 14,019,000 ................ 14,019,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs 2,546,000 ................ 2,550,000
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration...... 29,356,000 ................ 29,244,000
Office of Public Affairs.................................. 2,142,000 ................ 2,142,000
Office of the Executive Secretariat....................... 1,760,000 ................ 1,835,000
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response.. 11,318,000 ................ 12,325,000
Office of the Chief Information Officer................... 16,745,000 ................ 16,686,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... 112,813,000 113,842,000 113,535,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Secretary of Transportation provides leadership and has
the primary responsibility to provide overall planning,
direction, and control of the Department.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,001,000 and 14 FTE for fiscal
year 2019 for the Immediate Office of the Secretary. The
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee is concerned with the increased number of
programmatic decisions that have been elevated to the Office of
the Secretary, leading to delays in funding and lack of
cohesive policies between the Department and the modes. The
Committee is particularly concerned with the slow pace of
awarding and obligating funding from competitive discretionary
programs appropriated in fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2018.
The Committee directs the Department to abide by both the will
and intent of Congress in all funding and policy decisions, and
to consult with the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations prior to issuing all notices of funding
opportunities.
Mobile Wireless Devices.--On December 14, 2016, the
Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket
No. DOT-OST-2014-0002-2829) regarding the use of mobile
wireless devices for voice calls on commercial aircraft. The
approval of voice communication over mobile wireless devices
during commercial airline flights would be problematic for many
of the nearly 2 million Americans who fly each day and
challenging for the airlines. The Committee is strongly
concerned with the duration of this rulemaking process, which
began more than 4 years ago, and directs the Department to
complete its rulemaking expeditiously and put in place a clear
rule that takes into account the full impact on consumers and
the commercial aviation industry.
Preclearance.--Improving the flow of passengers and traffic
between the United States and Canada is essential to the
economy of both nations. The Committee expects the FAA, FRA and
Amtrak to comply with the U.S.-Canada Agreement on Land, Rail,
Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance to facilitate air travel
and passenger rail service between United States and Canadian
cities. The Committee directs DOT agencies that have a role in
implementing preclearance operations on the four specific sites
announced by the United States and Canada on March 10, 2016, to
facilitate their preclearance facilities development as
expeditiously as possible. DOT will coordinate efforts between
the FAA, FRA, and Amtrak. The Committee notes that it
previously directed DOT to report on its progress on
preclearance and awaits this report.

IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Deputy Secretary has the primary responsibility of
assisting the Secretary in the overall planning and direction
of the Department.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $1,040,000 and 8 FTE for the
Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary, which is equal to the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the General Counsel provides legal services
to the Office of the Secretary, including the conduct of
aviation regulatory proceedings and aviation consumer
activities, and coordinates and reviews the legal work in the
chief counsels' offices of the operating administrations. The
General Counsel is the chief legal officer of the Department
and the final authority on all legal questions.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $20,428,000 and 111 FTE for
expenses of the Office of the General Counsel for fiscal year
2019. The recommended funding level is $127,000 less than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Baggage Fees.--Implementation of consumer protection
provisions in the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of
2016 remain unaddressed by the Department despite congressional
mandates and further directives by the Committee. Specifically,
the Department was mandated to promulgate final regulations to
require air carriers to refund fees for delayed baggage within
1 year of the date of enactment of the authorization bill,
which established an implementation deadline of July 16, 2017.
To that end, an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [ANPRM]
was issued on October 31, 2016 with comments due by November
30, 2016. Since then, no further action has been taken by the
Department. The failure to address this congressional mandate
is unacceptable and allows air carriers to continue to take
advantage of the traveling public with unreasonable fees on
baggage. The Committee, again, directs the Secretary to take
immediate action to implement this requirement.
Family Seating.--The FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act
of 2016 also required the Department to review and, if
appropriate, establish policies no later than July 16, 2017,
enabling children 13 years of age or under to be placed in a
seat adjacent to an accompanying family member over the age of
13 at no cost. The Department has stated that it has now
completed its review and has deferred to current airline family
seating policies. The Department has not, however, released a
copy of this review or otherwise publicly addressed the fact
that many airline policies still allow the separation of
children from adults in a travel party unless additional seat
selection fees are paid. The Committee, therefore, directs the
Department to provide a report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations on its review of family seating
policies and a justification for its decision to defer to
current airline seating policies within 60 days of enactment of
this act.
Consumer Protections.--The Committee also believes
consumers should have clear and accurate pricing information
when choosing among various air transportation options and air
carriers. Currently, fees for additional services can be
difficult to determine when searching for airfares, and, as a
result, consumers may be unable to understand the true cost of
travel when comparing prices. To that end, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 directed the Secretary to work in
collaboration with industry, consumers and other stakeholders
to establish guidelines that lead to air carriers, or any for
profit seller of commercial air transportation, displaying full
ticketing charges. Such ticketing charges should include seat
price, baggage fees, and optional flight insurance costs. These
ancillary charges should be clear to the consumer at the time
of initial search and the anticipated total charges fully
itemized and disclosed. The Committee emphasizes the importance
of addressing this directive in a timely manner and looks
forward to regular updates from the Department on its progress.

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Under Secretary for Policy is the chief policy officer
of the Department and is responsible for the analysis,
development, and review of policies and plans for domestic and
international transportation matters. The Office administers
the economic regulatory functions regarding the airline
industry and is responsible for international aviation
programs, the essential air service program, airline fitness
licensing, acquisitions, international route awards,
computerized reservation systems, and special investigations,
such as airline delays.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $10,265,000 and 62 FTE for the
Office of the Under Secretary for Policy. The recommended
funding level is $66,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level.
Agreements.--For more than 25 years, U.S. Open Skies
agreements have significantly benefited consumers, communities
and the U.S. economy and allowed America's passenger airlines
to achieve profitability on which America's all-cargo airlines
have established a world-leading position in the global market
for express delivery services. In 2015, the Department began an
interagency process to solicit public comments and evaluate
whether alleged foreign government subsidies received by some
international carriers violate respective Open Skies
agreements. Recognizing that in fiscal year 2018 the United
States reached understandings with certain countries, which
preserved Open Skies agreements and ensured appropriate
transparency, accountability, and enforcement of Open Skies
agreements, the Committee directs the Department to provide
updates to the Committee of any significant developments, or
actions by foreign parties that are inconsistent with the
agreements.
Smart Cities.--The Committee urges the Department to
incentivize both urban and rural communities to use advanced
data and intelligent transportation systems technologies to
improve their transportation network. Such technologies can be
used to reduce congestion, improve safety, provide access to
jobs, and improve connectivity. The Committee encourages the
Department to use existing competitive grant programs to
incentivize the ``smart cities'' concept through partnerships
that provide for the incorporation of innovative and
technological solutions in addressing local transportation
challenges.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR BUDGET AND PROGRAMS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs serves as
the Chief Financial Officer for the Department and provides
leadership on all financial management matters. The primary
responsibilities of this office include ensuring the
development and justification of the Department's annual budget
submissions for consideration by the Office of Management and
Budget and the Congress. The Office is also responsible for the
proper execution and accountability of these resources. In
addition, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the
Office of the Secretary is located within the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $14,019,000 and 56 FTE for the
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. The
recommended level is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs advises
the Secretary on all congressional and intergovernmental
activities and on all departmental legislative initiatives and
other relationships with Members of Congress. The Assistant
Secretary promotes effective communication with other Federal
agencies and regional Department officials, and with State and
local governments and national organizations for development of
departmental programs; and ensures that consumer preferences,
awareness, and needs are brought into the decision-making
process.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $2,550,000 and 17 FTE
for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental
Affairs. The recommended level is $4,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Administration is responsible
for establishing policies and procedures, setting guidelines,
working with the operating administrations to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of the Department in human
resource management, security and administrative management,
real and personal property management, and acquisition and
grants management.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $29,244,000 and 51 FTE for the
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration. The
recommended funding level is $112,000 less than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Director of Public Affairs is the principal advisor to
the Secretary and other senior departmental officials on public
affairs questions. The Office is responsible for managing the
Secretary's presence in the media, writing speeches and press
releases, and preparing the Secretary for public appearances.
The Office arranges media events and news conferences, and
responds to media inquiries on the Department's programs and
other transportation-related issues. It also provides
information to the Secretary on the opinions and reactions of
the public and news media on these programs and issues.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,142,000 and 15 FTE for the
Office of Public Affairs, which is equal to the fiscal year
2018 enacted level.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Executive Secretariat assists the Secretary and the
Deputy Secretary in carrying out their management functions and
responsibilities by controlling and coordinating internal and
external written materials.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $1,835,000 and 15 FTE for the
Executive Secretariat. The recommendation is $75,000 more than
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE, SECURITY, AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency
Response ensures the development, coordination, and execution
of plans and procedures for the Department to balance
transportation security requirements with the safety, mobility,
and economic needs of the Nation. The Office keeps the
Secretary and her advisors apprised of current developments and
long-range trends in international issues, including terrorism,
aviation, trade, transportation markets, and trade agreements.
The Office also advises the Department's leaders on policy
issues related to intelligence, threat information sharing,
national security strategies and national preparedness and
response planning.
To ensure the Department is able to respond to disasters,
the Office prepares for and coordinates the Department's
participation in national and regional exercises and training
for emergency personnel. The Office also administers the
Department's Continuity of Government and Continuity of
Operations programs and initiatives. Additionally, the Office
provides direct emergency response and recovery support through
the National Response Framework and operates the Department's
Crisis Management Center. The center monitors the Nation's
transportation system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is the
Department's focal point during emergencies.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $12,325,000 and 58 FTE for the
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response. The
recommendation is $1,007,000 more than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Chief Information Officer serves as the
principal advisor to the Secretary on matters involving
information technology, cybersecurity, privacy, and records
management.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $16,686,000 and 50 FTE for the
Office of the Chief Information Officer, which is $59,000 less
than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $23,465,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 6,971,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,471,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and
Technology has taken over the responsibilities previously held
by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration. The
responsibilities include coordinating, facilitating, and
reviewing the Department's research and development programs
and activities; and overseeing and providing direction to the
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Intelligent
Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, the University
Transportation Centers program, the Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center and the Transportation Safety
Institute.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,471,000 for
the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and
Technology, of which $2,218,000 shall be available through
September 30, 2021. This amount is $1,500,000 more than the
budget request and $14,994,000 less than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
University Transportation Centers [UTCs].--The Committee
continues to support UTCs, which are funded through the Federal
Highway Administration. Under the Committee recommendation,
UTCs will continue to receive the levels authorized under the
FAST Act. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 included
$15,000,000 in general fund appropriations to fully fund two
new UTCs for a 3-year period; therefore, the Committee
recommendation does not include any additional funding for
these new UTCs.
Autonomous Vehicle Research in Rural Areas.--The Committee
believes that autonomous vehicles have the potential to enhance
roadway safety and increase mobility options for all Americans,
but have additional challenges to overcome in order to bring
these benefits to rural Americans. Of the funds provided for
the UTCs, no less than $3,000,000 is for rural autonomous
vehicle and connected vehicle research to be conducted by
existing UTCs. Further, research should take into account
variations in rural infrastructure: such as unmapped, gravel,
and snow-covered roads; wildlife encounters; and other
situations unique to rural roads.
Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR].--The Committee
recognizes the importance of the SBIR program and its previous
success in commercialization from federally funded research and
development projects. The SBIR program encourages domestic
small business to engage in Federal research and development
and creates jobs in the smallest firms. The Committee directs
the Department to place an increased focus on awarding SBIR
awards to firms with fewer than 50 people.
Increasing Public Access to Federally Funded Research.--The
Committee commends the Department on issuing its Plan to
Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally Funded
Scientific Research Results on December 16, 2015. The Committee
urges the Department to continue its efforts towards full
implementation of the plan, and expects an update on progress
to be included in its fiscal year 2020 budget request.
Transportation Data Hub.--The Committee recommendation
includes $1,500,000 to establish a surface transportation and
maritime analytics partnership hub at an eligible institution
of higher education that focuses on making available large-
scale data and visualization tools related to transportation on
infrastructure, systems, and networks accessible to humans and
machines through the Internet of things [IoT], in order to
enable improved resilience, planning, investment and
operational decisions.

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,500,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 1,000,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides grants and credit assistance to State
and local governments, transit agencies, or a collaboration of
such entities for capital investments in surface transportation
infrastructure that will have a significant impact on the
Nation, a metropolitan area or a region. Eligible projects
include highways and bridges, public transportation, freight
and passenger rail, and port infrastructure. The Department
awards grants on a competitive basis; however, the Department
must ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and
an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and
rural communities and within the timeframes outlined in the
bill.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $1,000,000,000 for
grants and credit assistance for investment in significant
transportation projects, which is $500,000,000 less than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Of the total amount provided,
$15,000,000 is available for planning grants.
The National Infrastructure Investments program has become
integral to the economic success of communities throughout the
country for 10 years. The Committee is concerned with the
Department's use of this flexible and popular program to insert
controversial policies from the administration's infrastructure
proposal, which the administration has acknowledged will not be
enacted this year. These policies have not been agreed to or
voted on by Congress, and there is clear bipartisan opposition
to some of them.
In fiscal year 2018, the Committee explicitly prohibited
the Department from using Federal share as a selection criteria
in awarding projects and the Committee continues that
prohibition. Despite this prohibition, the Department chose to
use an applicant's ability to generate non-Federal revenue as
selection criteria in the most recent notice of funding
opportunity [NOFO], in defiance of the intent of Congress.
Favoring applicants that have recently generated non-Federal
revenue is detrimental to areas that have high State and local
gas tax levels. The NOFO also fails to recognize that
transportation agencies that apply for funding under this NOFO
are not able to raise revenue without enactment of a law by an
independent legislative body. Holding transportation agencies
responsible for raising revenue is unrealistic and detrimental
to this grant program. The Committee recommendation prohibits
the Department from using these criteria and directs the
Department to use selection criteria from the fiscal year 2016
NOFO.
Geographic Distribution.--The Committee continues to
believe that our Federal infrastructure programs must benefit
communities across the country. The Committee continues to
require the Secretary to award grants and credit assistance in
a manner that ensures an equitable geographic distribution of
funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of
urban and rural communities.

NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUREAU

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,987,000
Committee Recommendation................................ 2,987,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance
Bureau [Bureau] will administer and coordinate or consolidate
aspects of the Department's existing surface transportation
innovative finance programs as authorized in section 9001 of
the FAST Act, contingent upon advance approval by the
Committee.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,987,000 to establish and
fulfill the duties of the Bureau, as authorized in section 9001
of the FAST Act, which is equal to the budget request and
$13,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The
Committee directs the Bureau to report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations on streamlining the application
approval processes as required under 49 U.S.C. 116(d)(5) within
60 days of enactment of this act.
Financing for Transportation Oriented Development [TOD].--
The Committee recognizes the potential of TOD to facilitate
economic development, the construction of affordable housing,
and more livable and healthier communities within walking
distance of, or accessible to, public transit. Unfortunately,
the Department has administered programs where TOD is an
eligible activity with an impracticable, narrow definition of
TOD that leads to near universal rejection of applications for
Federal assistance. The Committee directs the Secretary to
encourage the use of the Department's financing programs for
TOD, where eligible, by issuing clear guidance and working with
applicants to ensure projects meet the congressional intent of
eligibility.
Financing Long-Term Capital Investment Projects at
Airports.--The Committee is interested in innovative financing
instruments that could accelerate funding for major capital
projects at airports, including modernization of landside
terminal facilities and connecting surface transportation
projects and airside capital investments that add capacity to
our increasingly congested airports. Innovative financing tools
like Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act
[TIFIA] are already used for many surface transportation
projects that facilitate access to and from airports, but the
Committee is aware of the Administration's proposal to increase
the eligibility of TIFIA financing for a wider range of airport
capital projects. The Committee directs the Secretary to
evaluate the benefits of increasing TIFIA eligibility to
airports, its potential benefits to airports of all sizes and
to identify regulatory, statutory, or other challenges to
broadening this financing tool to airports. The Committee
directs the FAA to evaluate the options for financing these
types of long-term capital investments and report its findings
and recommendations to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations no later than 120 days after enactment of this
act.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPITAL

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $6,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Financial Management Capital program is a multi-year
business transformation initiative to streamline and
standardize the financial systems and business processes across
the Department. The initiative includes upgrading and enhancing
the commercial software used for DOT's financial systems,
improving the cost and performance data provided to managers,
and instituting new accounting standards and mandates.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee is recommending $2,000,000 to complete the
Secretary's Financial Management Capital initiative, which is
equal to the budget request and $4,000,000 less than fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. Funds provided in fiscal year 2018
were sufficient to meet the Department's Data Act compliance
requirements for a 2 year period, therefor no additional funds
are provided for this activity in fiscal year 2019.

CYBER SECURITY INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $15,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 10,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 15,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Cyber Security Initiative is an effort to close
performance gaps in the Department's cybersecurity. The
initiative includes support for essential program enhancements,
infrastructure improvements and contractual resources to
enhance the security of the Department's computer network and
reduce the risk of security breaches.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $15,000,000 to
support the Secretary's Cyber Security Initiative, which is
$5,000,000 more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $9,500,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 9,470,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,470,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for advising the
Secretary on civil rights and equal employment opportunity
matters, formulating civil rights policies and procedures for
the operating administrations, investigating claims that small
businesses were denied certification or improperly certified as
disadvantaged business enterprises, overseeing the Department's
conduct of its civil rights responsibilities, and making final
determinations on civil rights complaints. In addition, the
Civil Rights Office is responsible for enforcing laws and
regulations which prohibit discrimination in federally operated
and federally assisted transportation programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a funding level of $9,470,000 for
the Office of Civil Rights. The recommendation is equal to the
budget request and $30,000 less than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $14,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 7,879,000
Committee recommendation................................ 7,879,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Secretary performs those research
activities and studies which can more effectively or
appropriately be conducted at the departmental level. This
research effort supports the planning, research, and
development activities needed to assist the Secretary in the
formulation of national transportation policies. The program is
carried out primarily through contracts with other Federal
agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit research
organizations, and private firms.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $7,897,000 for Transportation
Planning, Research, and Development, which is equal to the
budget request and $6,121,000 less than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level. The Committee directs the Secretary to dedicate
$1,000,000 to support the Interagency Infrastructure Permitting
Improvement Center.
The Committee directs the Secretary to provide a spend plan
and report detailing how the $5,500,000 provided in fiscal year
2018 for safety data and automated vehicle safety data
initiatives will improve our Nation's safety.

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

Limitation, 2018........................................ $202,245,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 203,883,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Working Capital Fund provides technical and
administrative services to the Department's operating
administrations and other Federal entities. The services are
centrally performed in the interest of economy and efficiency,
are funded through negotiated agreements with Department
operating administrations and other Federal customers, and are
billed on a fee-for-service basis to the maximum extent
possible.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation of $203,883,000 on
activities financed through the Working Capital Fund. The
recommended limit is $1,638,000 more than the limit enacted for
fiscal year 2018.
As in past years, the bill specifies that the limitation on
the Working Capital Fund shall apply only to the Department and
not to services provided for other entities. The Committee
directs services to be provided on a competitive basis to the
maximum extent possible.
The Committee notes that the ``transparency paper''
included in the justifications for fiscal year 2019 provides
essential information on total budgetary resources for the
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and the
Office of the Chief Information Officer, including the balance
of resources provided through the Working Capital Fund and
direct appropriations. Therefore, the Committee directs the
Department to update this ``transparency paper'' and include it
in the budget justifications for fiscal year 2020.

MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $500,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 249,000
Committee recommendation................................ 249,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Minority Business Resource Center of the Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Outreach
provides assistance in obtaining short-term working capital for
disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses. The
program enables qualified businesses to obtain loans at prime
interest rates for transportation-related projects.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $249,000 for
the Minority Business Resource Center. This funding level is
equal to the budget request and $251,000 less than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION AND OUTREACH

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,646,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 3,488,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,488,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides contractual support to assist
small, women-owned, Native American, and other disadvantaged
business firms in securing contracts and subcontracts for
transportation-related projects that involve Federal spending.
Separate funding is provided for these activities since this
program provides grants and contract assistance that serve
Department-wide goals and not just OST purposes.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,488,000 for grants and
contractual support, which is $1,158,000 less than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and equal to the budget request.

PAYMENTS TO AIR CARRIERS

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides funding for the Essential Air
Service [EAS] program, which was created to continue air
service to communities that had received federally mandated air
service prior to deregulation of commercial aviation in 1978.
The program currently provides subsidies to air carriers
serving small communities that meet certain criteria.
The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] collects user
fees that cover the air traffic control services the agency
provides to aircraft that neither take off from, nor land in,
the United States. These fees are commonly referred to as
``overflight fees'' and the receipts from the fees are used to
help finance the EAS program.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations Mandatory Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, 2018....................................... $155,000,000 $130,760,000 $285,760,000
Budget estimate, 2019..................................... 93,000,000 140,177,000 233,177,000
Committee recommendation.................................. 175,000,000 140,177,000 315,177,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $175,000,000
for the EAS program. This appropriation would be in addition to
an estimated $140,177,000 from overflight fees collected by the
FAA, allowing the Department to support a total program level
for EAS of $315,177,000. The Committee's recommendation for the
appropriation is $82,000,000 more than the budget request and
$20,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The
total program level under the Committee's recommendation is
$29,417,000 more than the total program level enacted for
fiscal year 2018.
Proximity to the Nearest Hub Airport.--The Committee
continues to include a provision that prohibits the Department
from entering into a new contract with an EAS community located
less than 40 miles from the nearest hub airport before the
Secretary has negotiated with the community over a local cost
share.
Aircraft Size Requirement.--The Committee continues to
include a provision that removes the requirement for 15-
passenger seat aircraft. This requirement adds to the cost of
the EAS program because the fleet of 15-passenger seat aircraft
continues to age and grow more difficult for airlines to
maintain. The Committee, however, expects that the Department
will use this flexibility judiciously. The Department should
use it for communities where historical passenger levels
indicate that smaller aircraft would still accommodate the
great majority of passengers, or for communities where viable
proposals for service are not available. The Committee does not
expect the Department to use this flexibility simply to lower
costs if a community can show regular enplanement levels that
would justify larger aircraft.
EAS Airports.--The Committee recognizes that seasonal
airports may need to operate beyond current dates and therefore
recommends that the Department utilize existing budget
authorities to ensure seasonal EAS airports are able to operate
when airport resources and weather permit.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

Section 101 prohibits the Office of the Secretary of
Transportation from obligating funds originally provided to a
modal administration in order to approve assessments or
reimbursable agreements, unless the Department follows the
regular process for the reprogramming of funds, including
congressional notification.
Section 102 requires the Secretary of Transportation to
post on the Internet a schedule of all Council on Credit and
Finance meetings, agendas, and meeting minutes.
Section 103 allows the Department of Transportation Working
Capital Fund to provide payments in advance to vendors for the
Federal transit pass fringe benefit program and to provide full
or partial payments to, and to accept reimbursements from,
Federal agencies for transit benefit distribution services.

Federal Aviation Administration

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for the
safe movement of civil aviation and the evolution of a national
system of airports. The Federal Government's regulatory role in
civil aviation began with the creation of an Aeronautics Branch
within the Department of Commerce pursuant to the Air Commerce
Act of 1926. This act instructed the agency to foster air
commerce; designate and establish airways; establish, operate,
and maintain aids to navigation; arrange for research and
development to improve such aids; issue airworthiness
certificates for aircraft and major aircraft components; and
investigate civil aviation accidents. In the Civil Aeronautics
Act of 1938, these activities were transferred to a new,
independent agency named the Civil Aeronautics Authority.
Congress streamlined regulatory oversight in 1957 with the
creation of two separate agencies, the Federal Aviation Agency
and the Civil Aeronautics Board. When DOT began its operations
in 1967, the Federal Aviation Agency was renamed the Federal
Aviation Administration [FAA] and became one of several modal
administrations within DOT. The Civil Aeronautics Board was
later phased out with enactment of the Airline Deregulation Act
of 1978, and ceased to exist in 1984. Responsibility for the
investigation of civil aviation accidents was given to the
National Transportation Safety Board in 1967. FAA's mission
expanded in 1995 with the transfer of the Office of Commercial
Space Transportation from the Office of the Secretary, and
decreased in December 2001 with the transfer of civil aviation
security activities to the Transportation Security
Administration.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The total recommended funding level for the FAA for fiscal
year 2019 amounts to $17,705,001,000 including new budget
authority and a limitation on the obligation of contract
authority. This funding level is $1,582,711,000 more than the
budget request and $295,679,000 less than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations for fiscal year 2019 in comparison to the
budget request and the fiscal year 2018 enacted level:

OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $10,211,754,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 9,931,312,000
Committee recommendation................................ 10,410,758,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides funds for the operation,
maintenance, communications, and logistical support of the air
traffic control and air navigation systems. It also covers
administrative and managerial costs for the FAA's regulatory,
international, commercial space, medical, research, engineering
and development programs, as well as policy oversight and
agency management functions. The Operations appropriation
includes the following major activities:
--the Air Traffic Organization which operates, on a 24-hour
daily basis, the national air traffic system, including
the establishment and maintenance of a national system
of aids to navigation, the development and distribution
of aeronautical charts and the administration of
acquisition, and research and development programs;
--the regulation and certification activities, including
establishment and surveillance of civil air regulations
to ensure safety and development of standards, rules
and regulations governing the physical fitness of
airmen, as well as the administration of an Aviation
Medical Research Program;
--the Office of Commercial Space Transportation; and
--headquarters and support offices.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $10,410,758,000 for FAA
Operations. This funding level is $479,446,000 more than the
budget request, and $199,004,000 more than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level. The Committee recommendation derives
$9,833,400,000 of the appropriation from the Airport and Airway
Trust Fund. The balance of the appropriation will be drawn from
the General Fund of the Treasury.
As in past years, the FAA is directed to report immediately
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the
event resources are insufficient to operate a safe and
effective air traffic control system.
The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendation in comparison to the budget estimate and fiscal
year 2018 enacted level:

FAA OPERATIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year--
------------------------------------ Committee
2018 enacted 2019 estimate recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air traffic organization.................................. $7,692,786,000 $7,495,690,000 $7,843,427,000
Aviation safety........................................... 1,310,000,000 1,276,255,000 1,334,377,000
Commercial space transportation........................... 22,587,000 21,578,000 24,981,000
Finance and Management.................................... 801,506,000 771,010,000 816,562,000
NextGen Operations and Planning........................... 60,000,000 58,536,000 61,796,000
Security and hazardous materials safety................... 112,622,000 105,558,000 114,312,000
Staff offices............................................. 212,253,000 202,685,000 215,303,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total............................................... 10,211,754,000 9,931,312,000 10,410,758,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Traffic Control Privatization.--The United States has
the largest, safest, most efficient and most complex air
traffic control system in the world, and the FAA should remain
a global leader with a singular and unified mission of safety.
The Committee does not support the administration's request to
transfer the FAA's air traffic functions to a not-for-profit,
independent, private corporation.
Funding Availability and Transfer Authority.--The bill
provides 2-year funding availability for the entire operations
account. This funding flexibility is provided to enhance
assurance of continuity of air traffic operations during the
annual transition from one fiscal year to the next. In
addition, the bill includes funding transfer authority of 5
percent among the activities in this account. This transfer
authority is provided to meet emerging requirements as FAA
works to accelerate the modernization of the Nation's air
traffic control system.
Contract Towers.--The Committee recommendation provides not
less than $168,000,000 for the contract tower program,
including the cost-share contract towers, which is $3,000,000
above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Contract towers serve
as vital public safety and economic development assets to
hundreds of communities. Municipalities depend on the contract
tower program to provide commercial and general aviation
services, jobs, and public safety, such as air ambulance
services. The Committee continues to express strong support for
the FAA contract tower program as a cost-effective and
efficient way to provide air traffic control services to
smaller airports across the country, as validated by numerous
audits by the DOT Office of Inspector General. In an effort to
increase air traffic safety benefits throughout the national
air transportation system, the Committee has provided dedicated
funding over the past few years to add qualified airports
annually to the program. For fiscal year 2019, the Committee
directs the FAA to continue to operate the 254 contract towers
currently in the program, including the contract tower cost
share program, as well as expeditiously add qualified eligible
airports. The FAA is directed to provide the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations with a plan for beginning
operations at qualified towers during the fiscal year and a
detailed report on the administrative and program management
expenses for the program since fiscal year 2013 not later than
90 days from enactment of this act.
Current law limits contributions by airports in the
contract tower cost share program to 20 percent of total costs.
The contract tower program continues to serve as a highly
successful model for cost-effective government and industry
partnerships in the aviation industry. The Committee expects
the agency to work collaboratively and in partnership with
airports and industry stakeholders on a fair and balanced
approach to the benefit-cost analysis that focuses on enhancing
air traffic safety and efficiency at appropriate airports.
The Committee also finds that some contract towers have
insufficient staffing and hours of operation. The Committee
suggests that the FAA collaborate with contract towers to
ensure sufficient staffing at small hub airports to ensure
adequate staffing at ground control and air traffic control
during scheduled air carrier operations.
Low Altitude Navigation.--In March 2017, the FAA issued the
RTCA's recommendations for the performance based navigation
[PBN] route system, which included a recommendation for the FAA
to design and implement a helicopter route system allowing
access to congested city centers and critical areas, such as
hospitals, to reduce minimum en route altitudes to be as low as
possible to avoid icing, and improve air traffic services for
instrument flight rules helicopters. In September 2017, the
United States Helicopter Safety Team [USHST] also issued a
helicopter safety enhancement on enabling the use of Vision
Systems Technologies to assist in recognizing and preventing
unplanned flight into degraded visibility conditions due to
weather and to increase safety during planned flight at night.
The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for the FAA to
research, design, test, and implement a Statewide low-level
helicopter route system, deploy low-level infrastructure
capabilities, and explore vision enhancing technologies as part
of a national demonstration project consistent with Continental
United States [CONUS] Low Altitude Recommendation number 31
from the RTCA report and Safety Enhancement number 91 from the
USHST.
Surface Weather Observation Policy.--The FAA currently
excludes hundreds of valid surface weather observation sites
that could improve safety for pilots flying under visual flight
rules [VFR] from the Weather Message Switching Center
Replacement [WMSCR]. These sites use Automated Weather
Observing System [AWOS] systems commissioned by the FAA which
provide adequate aviation weather reports that are not
currently visible to pilots. However, the FAA requires such
weather systems to be AWOS-III or better, in order to receive
at least three maintenance visits a year, and to have an
approved switching mechanism to WMSCR, preventing use of these
additional weather systems. The Committee directs the FAA to
find new or alternative means of providing additional weather
data, particularly for improving the safety of low-level
aviation.
Radar Approach Control.--The Committee finds that radar
approach control enhances aviation safety and efficiency for
regularly scheduled commercial airline service and recommends
that the FAA utilize existing budget authorities to promptly
provide radar to all FAA ``Type 4'' air traffic control towers.
Human Intervention Motivation Study.--The Committee
recognizes the effectiveness of the Human Intervention
Motivation Study and the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol
Program in mitigating drug and alcohol abuse through a peer
identification and intervention program. The Committee
recommends the FAA continue to prioritize this program and use
existing resources to support this program.
FAA Public Hearing.--The Committee remains concerned with
the proposed modifications to the Condor 1 and Condor 2
military operating areas and encourages the FAA to continue
working with its partner agencies by holding a public hearing
with representatives from the relevant Federal agencies in
western Maine upon completion of the Air National Guard's
environmental impact statement [EIS] and the record of
decision. The Committee recognizes that the Air National Guard,
as the lead agency under the NEPA process, has sought to meet
the minimum legal requirements for public participation and
comment. However, the Committee remains troubled with how the
authorization of low-altitude military training in the proposed
airspace would affect areas that significantly contribute to
the local economy and areas that are culturally and
environmentally sensitive. Furthermore, the Committee notes the
FAA is the only Federal agency that can modify special airspace
and that the FAA may adopt the Air National Guard's EIS in
whole, or in part, once the Final EIS has been issued. In
addition, the Committee directs the FAA to report to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to the issuance
of a record of decision regarding the modification of the
Condor 1 and Condor 2 military operations areas that includes a
summary of any public meeting and hearing and a list of the
comments, questions, and responses presented at these meetings
and hearings.
Landing Strips.--Backcountry landing strips on Federal
lands are important assets to the national aviation
infrastructure. The Committee directs the FAA to assist Federal
Land Managers, including but not limited to the Bureau of Land
Management, United States Forest Service, and National Park
Service, in charting airstrips located on Federal Lands that
are and may be useful for administrative, recreational, and
emergency purposes.
Contract Weather Observers.--The FAA's Contract Weather Ob-
server [CWO] program provides operationally significant weather
information and support to the entire aviation community. CWO
safety professionals observe and report operationally
significant weather conditions at airports across the country.
These trained specialists augment the Automated Surface
Observing System [ASOS], which detects and reports basic
weather information for aviation and forecasting. The Committee
continues to have serious concerns about the FAA's proposal to
eliminate the CWO program and rejects the budget request to
reduce the program.
Medical Kits.--The Committee directs the FAA to undertake a
rulemaking to evaluate and revise the regulations under part
121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, regarding the
emergency medical requirements, including the contents of the
first-aid kit, applicable to all certificate holders operating
passenger-carrying airplanes under that party. In conducting
this rulemaking, the Administrator should consider whether the
minimum contents of approved emergency medical kits, have
approved first-aid kits, have appropriate medications and
equipment to meet the emergency medical needs of children.
Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing.--The
Committee commends the FAA for the collaborative government-
industry Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing
[ASIAS] program whose mission is to proactively discover and
mitigate emerging safety issues, before they result in an
incident or accident. The Committee appreciates this
collaborative initiative that has resulted in the
implementation of safety enhancements. The Committee directs
the FAA to accelerate the ASIAS capabilities, including Fusion,
next generation of ASIAS architecture, and expanding General
Aviation safety elements and report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of the enactment
of this act.
Aviation Events.--The Committee directs the FAA to use
existing resources to provide air traffic control and safety
support services at major aviation events hosted annually for
the general aviation community. These services are paid for
using the aviation fuel tax excise collected from general
aviation users. The Committee directs the FAA to use
appropriate resources to maintain the safe and efficient
movement of aircraft based on projected airspace congestion at
major aviation events.
Contracting.--The Committee is concerned that while the FAA
surpasses government averages for key performance acquisition
metrics, the FAA has made limited progress in reducing the
number of no-bid or sole source contracts awarded. Consistent
with recommendations from the OIG report ZA-2016-065, the
Committee directs the FAA to establish and implement actions to
reduce the use of sole-source contracting, including the use of
performance measures. Further, the Committee directs the FAA to
provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations outlining these performance measures and
providing the number and percentage of contracts awarded
through the no-bid process, as well as the amount of those no-
bid contracts that meet OMB requirements for such contracts.
Noise and Community Outreach.--The Committee appreciates
the additional measures the FAA is taking to enhance outreach
to communities affected by new flightpaths; however, the
Committee believes the FAA should do more to be responsive to
community concerns. The Committee directs the FAA to improve
the development of flight procedures in ways that will give
fair consideration to public comment and reduce noise through
procedure modification and dispersion to reduce the impact on
local communities. The FAA should utilize state-of-the-art
technologies, metrics, and methodologies to measure actual
noise at ground level experienced in communities affected by
flight paths and not rely solely on computer modeling or other
theoretical measures. The FAA should give high priority to
evaluating where increased noise levels disrupts homes and
businesses, and threatens public health, and should provide
appropriate resources to regional offices to work with local
communities to meet this objective.
Commercial Space.--A record number of licensed commercial
launches took place in 2017 and U.S. space transportation is
likely to continue growing in both cadence and diversity of
launch capabilities. Reusable and new small expendable launch
vehicles will further reduce the cost of space launch and
spread the benefits of spaceflight to many more users. While
the Committee anticipates a reasonable expansion of the
workforce at the Office of Commercial Space Transportation
[AST] to meet increasing volume of license applications, it is
essential that AST significantly streamline its licensing
approach and regulations so that industry growth doesn't
necessitate one-for-one bureaucratic growth. The Committee also
believes that AST must fully and effectively execute its
statutory missions before allocating resources to non-statutory
interests. With this in mind, the Committee directs AST to
provide a briefing to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 60 days of enactment of this act on FTE
levels, hirings and separations, current vacancies, and job
functions of all personnel within AST. Further, the Committee
recommendation includes $2,000,000 for AST to accelerate space
transportation regulatory reform.
UAS Test Sites.--The Committee believes that the FAA should
allow commercial entities seeking to demonstrate or validate
technologies that the FAA considers essential to the safe
integration of UAS in the National Airspace System [NAS] at FAA
designated UAS test sites. The FAA should identify essential
integration technologies that could be demonstrated or
validated at a test site within 60 days of enactment of this
act and the Committee recommendation includes up to $3,000,000
in matching funds to qualified commercial entities where
feasible.
NextGen Advisory Committee.--The NextGen Advisory Committee
[NAC] includes a diverse membership of the aviation community,
including representatives from general aviation, commercial
aviation, labor organizations, airports, local community
representatives and the Federal Government. The Committee
believes that the current NAC membership includes an
appropriate mix of aviation stakeholders. The Committee
strongly believes that the NAC performs an important role in
setting priorities for the FAA's air traffic control
modernization efforts. It is a public-private partnership that
has encouraged collaboration between FAA and its industry
stakeholders to advance the development and deployment of new
technologies and automation systems. The Committee expects the
FAA to implement NAC recommendations and directs the FAA to
provide an update on the status of NAC recommendations to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Flight Standards.--The FAA's Flight Standards Service is
responsible for supporting the type certification, delivery,
and operation of new aircraft. These activities include the
review and approval of flight manuals, instructions for
continued airworthiness, and minimum equipment lists and
require consistent and timely coordination with the Flight
Standards policy and field offices, including the Aircraft
Evaluation Group and Flight Standards District Offices. To
better support the safety of the national aviation system and
advances in the aviation industry, the Committee directs the
FAA to review and improve the Flight Standards Service
regulatory process with a focus on ensuring consistency in the
interpretation and applications of regulatory and oversight
actions. Further, the FAA is directed to work in coordination
with the aviation industry and other regulatory partners to
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the certification
process, regulatory actions to support new aircraft, and
acceptance and validation of aviation products globally.
UAS Integration Pilot Program.--The Committee believes that
the DOT UAS Integration Pilot Program [IPP] could be a helpful
step enabling enhanced UAS operations and gathering data to
safely integrate those expanded operations into the NAS.
However, the Department failed to notify or consult with the
Committee prior to initiating its new pilot program and
identifying the necessary resources required to operationalize
the pilot program. The Committee directs the Department to
submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations on expected annual costs of the IPP prior to
including any additional rounds of agreements with state, local
and tribal governments. In addition, the Department is directed
to prioritize all Congressional mandates before diverting
resources toward any further expansion of the IPP.
Service animals.--The Committee encourages the Department
to implement regulations and policies that would define a
service animal as any animal that is individually trained to do
work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a
disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric,
intellectual, or other disability. For the safety of the flying
public, crew members, and trained service dogs, the Committee
expects DOT to work with stakeholders to limit the use of
animals on aircraft for emotional support, well-being, comfort,
or companionship.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,766,572,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,000,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Facilities and Equipment appropriation provides funding
for modernizing and improving air traffic control and airway
facilities, equipment, and systems. The appropriation also
finances major capital investments required by other agency
programs, experimental research and development facilities, and
other improvements to enhance the safety and capacity of the
National Airspace System [NAS]. The program aims to keep pace
with the increasing demands of aeronautical activity and remain
in accordance with the FAA comprehensive 5-year capital
investment plan [CIP].

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,000,000,000
for the Facilities and Equipment account of the FAA. The
recommended level is $233,428,000 more than the budget request
and $250,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Budget Activities Format.--The Committee directs that the
fiscal year 2020 budget request for the Facilities and
Equipment account conform to the same organizational structure
of budget activities as displayed below.
The following table shows the Committee's recommended
distribution of funds for each of the budget activities funded
by this appropriation and by resources provided under Grants-
in-Aid to Airports:

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year--
------------------------------------ Committee
2018 enacted 2019 estimate recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity 1--Engineering, Development, Test and Evaluation:
Advanced Technology Development and Prototyping....... $26,800,000 $33,000,000 $33,000,000
William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory 1,000,000 ................ ................
Improvement..........................................
William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory 23,000,000 21,000,000 21,000,000
Sustainment..........................................
William J. Hughes Technical Center Infrastructure 15,000,000 12,000,000 15,000,000
Sustainment..........................................
Separation Management Portfolio....................... 13,500,000 16,589,000 16,000,000
Traffic Flow Management Portfolio..................... 10,800,000 14,000,000 14,000,000
On Demand NAS Portfolio............................... 12,000,000 20,500,000 21,000,000
NAS Infrastructure Portfolio.......................... 17,500,000 13,500,000 20,000,000
NextGen Support Portfolio............................. 12,000,000 12,800,000 12,800,000
Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS]....................... 25,000,000 14,000,000 25,000,000
Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors, & 9,000,000 9,500,000 16,500,000
Demonstrations Portfolio.............................
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Activity 1.................................... 165,600,000 166,889,000 194,300,000

Activity 2--Air Traffic Control Facilities and Equipment:

a. En Route Programs:
En Route Automation Modernization [ERAM]--System 91,650,000 102,050,000 115,250,000
Enhancements and Tech Refresh........................
En Route Communications Gateway [ECG]................. 2,650,000 1,650,000 1,650,000
Next Generation Weather Radar [NEXRAD]--Provide....... 5,500,000 5,500,000 7,500,000
Air Route Traffic Control Center [ARTCC] & Combined 120,400,000 88,050,000 100,000,000
Control Facility [CCF] Building Improvements.........
Air Traffic Management [ATM].......................... 4,900,000 6,200,000 12,055,000
Air/Ground Communications Infrastructure.............. 9,750,000 10,541,000 8,750,000
Air Traffic Control En Route Radar Facilities 5,400,000 6,600,000 6,600,000
Improvements.........................................
Voice Switching and Control System [VSCS]............. 15,800,000 11,400,000 11,400,000
Oceanic Automation System............................. 34,950,000 17,500,000 23,100,000
Next Generation Very High Frequency Air/Ground 60,000,000 50,000,000 50,000,000
Communications [NEXCOM]..............................
System-Wide Information Management.................... 50,050,000 58,807,000 55,300,000
ADS-B NAS Wide Implementation......................... 150,300,000 123,748,000 139,150,000
Windshear Detection Service........................... 1,000,000 ................ ................
Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies..... 9,000,000 17,700,000 17,700,000
Time Based Flow Management Portfolio.................. 40,450,000 21,150,000 28,150,000
NextGen Weather Processors............................ 45,450,000 24,650,000 28,650,000
Airborne Collision Avoidance System X [ACASX]......... 7,700,000 7,700,000 7,700,000
Data Communications in Support of NG Air 294,100,000 113,850,000 118,902,000
Transportation System................................
Non-Continental United States [Non-CONUS] Automation.. 2,000,000 14,000,000 14,000,000
Reduced Oceanic Separation............................ 24,350,000 ................ 10,000,000
En Route Service Improvements......................... 3,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Commercial Space Integration.......................... 4,500,000 7,000,000 9,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal En Route Programs.......................... 982,900,000 689,096,000 765,857,000

b. Terminal Programs:
Airport Surface Detection Equipment--Model X [ASDE-X]. ................ ................ ................
Terminal Doppler Weather Radar [TDWR]--Provide........ 3,800,000 4,500,000 4,500,000
Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System 86,700,000 66,900,000 66,900,000
[STARS] (TAMR Phase 1)...............................
Terminal Automation Modernization/Replacement Program 66,100,000 9,012,000 8,000,000
(TAMR Phase 3).......................................
Terminal Automation Program........................... 8,493,000 8,500,000 8,500,000
Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities--Replace...... 58,118,000 19,200,000 19,200,000
ATCT/Terminal Radar Approach Control [TRACON] 91,800,000 95,850,000 105,000,000
Facilities--Improve..................................
Terminal Voice Switch Replacement [TVSR].............. 10,000,000 9,574,000 10,000,000
NAS Facilities OSHA and Environmental Standards 46,700,000 41,900,000 41,900,000
Compliance...........................................
Airport Surveillance Radar [ASR-9].................... 11,400,000 12,800,000 12,800,000
Terminal Digital Radar [ASR-11] Technology Refresh and 5,200,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Mobile Airport Surveillance Radar [MASR].............
Runway Status Lights.................................. 12,800,000 2,000,000 2,000,000
National Airspace System Voice System [NVS]........... 68,750,000 43,150,000 43,150,000
Integrated Display System [IDS]....................... 5,000,000 19,459,000 18,000,000
Remote Monitoring and Logging System [RMLS]........... 7,400,000 18,100,000 18,100,000
Mode S Service Life Extension Program [SLEP].......... 20,900,000 15,400,000 15,400,000
Terminal Flight Data Manager [TFDM]................... 90,350,000 119,250,000 119,250,000
National Air Space [NAS] Voice Recorder Program [NVRP] 5,000,000 14,000,000 14,000,000
Integrated Terminal Weather System [ITWS]............. 1,000,000 2,100,000 2,100,000
Performance Based Navigation & Metroplex Portfolio.... 20,000,000 20,000,000 20,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Terminal Programs.......................... 619,511,000 522,695,000 529,800,000

c. Flight Service Programs:
Aviation Surface Observation System [ASOS]............ 10,000,000 10,976,000 10,000,000
Future Flight Services Program........................ 14,039,000 10,100,000 10,100,000
Alaska Flight Service Facility Modernization [AFSFM].. 2,650,000 2,650,000 2,650,000
Weather Camera Program................................ 1,300,000 1,100,000 1,100,000
Juneau Airport Wind System [JAWS]--Technology Refresh. ................ 1,000,000 1,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Flight Service Programs.................... 27,989,000 25,826,000 24,850,000

d. Landing and Navigational Aids Program:
VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range [VOR] with Distance 17,000,000 15,000,000 15,000,000
Measuring Equipment [DME]............................
Instrument Landing System [ILS]--Establish............ 11,000,000 ................ 25,000,000
Wide Area Augmentation System [WAAS] for GPS.......... 110,300,000 96,320,000 96,320,000
Runway Visual Range [RVR] and Enhanced Low Visibility 4,000,000 ................ ................
Operations [ELVO]....................................
Approach Lighting System Improvement Program [ALSIP].. 3,000,000 ................ ................
Distance Measuring Equipment [DME].................... 3,000,000 ................ ................
Visual NAVAIDS--Establish/Expand...................... 2,000,000 ................ ................
Instrument Flight Procedures Automation [IFPA]........ 8,500,000 1,400,000 1,400,000
Navigation and Landing Aids--Service Life Extension 3,000,000 ................ ................
Program [SLEP].......................................
VASI Replacement--Replace with Precision Approach Path 5,000,000 ................ ................
Indicator............................................
Runway Safety Areas--Navigational Mitigation.......... 1,600,000 2,000,000 2,000,000
NAVAIDS Monitoring Equipment.......................... 2,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000
Legacy Navigation Aids Portfolio...................... ................ 42,372,000 31,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Landing and Navigational Aids Programs..... 170,400,000 160,092,000 173,720,000

e. Other ATC Facilities Programs:
Fuel Storage Tank Replacement and Management.......... 35,000,000 25,700,000 25,700,000
Unstaffed Infrastructure Sustainment.................. 41,000,000 51,050,000 51,050,000
Aircraft Related Equipment Program.................... 12,500,000 13,000,000 13,000,000
Airport Cable Loop Systems--Sustained Support......... 8,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000
Alaskan Satellite Telecommunications Infrastructure 20,900,000 16,300,000 16,300,000
[ASTI]...............................................
Facilities Decommissioning............................ 27,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000
Electrical Power Systems--Sustain/Support............. 125,000,000 140,834,000 145,700,000
Energy Management and Compliance [EMC]................ 2,400,000 2,400,000 2,400,000
Child Care Center Sustainment......................... 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure................. 30,000,000 6,700,000 40,000,000
Data Visualization, Analysis and Reporting System 5,500,000 4,500,000 4,500,000
[DVARS]..............................................
TDM-to-IP Migration................................... 39,000,000 3,000,000 38,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Other ATC Facilities Programs.............. 347,300,000 283,484,000 356,650,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Activity 2.................................... 2,148,100,000 1,681,193,000 1,850,877,000

Activity 3--Non-Air Traffic Control Facilities and
Equipment:

a. Support Equipment:
Hazardous Materials Management........................ 35,300,000 29,800,000 29,800,000
Aviation Safety Analysis System [ASAS]................ 12,000,000 18,899,000 18,700,000
Logistics Support Systems and Facilities [LSSF]....... 12,000,000 12,200,000 12,000,000
Facility Security Risk Management..................... 20,400,000 18,608,000 19,600,000
Information Security.................................. 25,700,000 16,000,000 18,000,000
System Approach for Safety Oversight [SASO]........... 25,800,000 25,400,000 25,400,000
Aviation Safety Knowledge Management Environment 4,000,000 6,000,000 6,000,000
[ASKME]..............................................
Aerospace Medical Equipment Needs [AMEN].............. 7,000,000 14,078,000 14,000,000
System Safety Management Portfolio.................... 16,200,000 14,700,000 14,200,000
National Test Equipment Program....................... 4,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000
Mobile Assets Management Program...................... 3,600,000 2,216,000 2,200,000
Aerospace Medicine Safety Information Systems [AMSIS]. 14,000,000 16,100,000 16,100,000
Tower Simulation System [TSS] Technology Refresh...... 3,000,000 500,000 500,000
Logistics Support Systems and Facilities [LSSF]....... ................ 7,100,000 7,100,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Support Equipment.......................... 178,000,000 186,601,000 188,600,000

b. Training, Equipment and Facilities:
Aeronautical Center Infrastructure Modernization...... 14,000,000 14,298,000 14,000,000
Distance Learning..................................... 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Training, Equipment and Facilities......... 15,000,000 15,298,000 15,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Activity 3.................................... 193,000,000 201,899,000 203,600,000

Activity 4--Facilities and Equipment Mission Support:

a. System Support and Services:
System Engineering and Development Support............ 35,700,000 38,000,000 39,700,000
Program Support Leases................................ 47,000,000 47,000,000 47,000,000
Logistics and Acquisition Support Services............ 11,000,000 11,000,000 12,500,000
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center Leases.............. 19,700,000 20,200,000 20,200,000
Transition Engineering Support........................ 24,900,000 17,000,000 22,000,000
Technical Support Services Contract [TSSC]............ 28,000,000 23,000,000 28,000,000
Resource Tracking Program [RTP]....................... 6,000,000 6,000,000 6,000,000
Center for Advanced Aviation System Development 57,000,000 57,000,000 57,000,000
[CAASD]..............................................
Aeronautical Information Management Program........... 15,000,000 6,819,000 5,000,000
Cross Agency NextGen Management....................... 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Activity 4.................................... 245,300,000 227,019,000 238,400,000

Activity 5--Personnel and Related Expenses:
Personnel and Related Expenses........................ 498,000,000 489,572,000 512,823,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total All Activities............................ 3,250,000,000 2,766,572,000 3,000,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability
[LAANC].--The Committee supports the safe integration of UAS
into the NAS and recognizes that LAANC for UAS operations in
controlled airspace is a necessary building block of Unmanned
Traffic Management [UTM]. LAANC is an important step forward by
replacing a 90-day manual review with a near-real time review
for commercial UAS operations in low altitude controlled
airspace that has been determined to be safe, and which grows
local economies in previously restricted airspace. LAANC
leverages significant industry investment by UAS service
suppliers and provides the FAA with critical data regarding UAS
operations, which is essential for integrating UAS in the NAS.
Failure to adequately fund LAANC and the LAANC program office
will stall the development of a nationwide UTM system.
Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes $7,300,000 in
Activity 1 funds to the LAANC program office.
Reduced Oceanic Separation.--The Committee recommendation
includes $10,000,000 for reduced oceanic separation to enable
reduced separation in oceanic traffic, enable new air routes to
increase airspace capacity, and reduce time for search and
rescue missions.
NextGen Weather Processor.--The Committee recognizes that
the NextGen Weather Processor [NWP] provides valuable and cost
effective weather information for air traffic management
decision making that will significantly improve national
aviation safety. The National Airspace System [NAS] will
benefit from the implementation of the NWP system, particularly
for managing airspace experiencing severe weather events which
have significant financial and loss of life consequences. The
Committee also recognizes that additional funding for NWP will
mitigate gaps in the NWP development plan and will allow the
FAA to maximize the cost efficiencies, as well as technical and
operational skills, inherent in the use of the existing
development team. To derive these benefits, the Committee
recommendation includes $28,650,000 for NWP, which will enable
the FAA to award contracts for the additional software releases
required to mitigate the 3-year gap between the completion of
the Work Package 1 software development and the start of the
Work Package 2 development that currently exists in the FAA
Capital Investment Plan [CIP].
Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors &
Demonstration Portfolio.--The Committee recommendation includes
an increase of $7,000,000 above the budget request to expand
the use of remote tower technology, which are a means to
enhance safety, reduce costs, and expand air traffic control
services, especially at lower activity airports. The FAA has a
pilot program underway to certify this technology for operation
in the NAS. Not later than 30 days after enactment of this act,
the Committee directs the FAA to expand the scope of the pilot
program to deploy remote tower systems to at least two new
airports in order to provide air traffic control services from
a single remote tower center. In selecting airports to
participate in this pilot program, the Committee further
directs the FAA to take into account the interest of the
airport sponsor and to give priority to airports that are
currently in the contract tower program that have aging towers
in need of replacement or are non-towered airports that are
viable candidates for the program.
Instrument Landing Systems.--The Committee recommendation
includes $25,000,000 for the procurement of the fourth
generation instrument landing systems [ILS].
Wide Area Augmentation System [WAAS].--The Committee
continues to be concerned that the FAA's WAAS ground based
infrastructure will not be ready to work with the new GPS III
constellation's dual frequency capability. The Committee
understands that WAAS DFO Segment 2 is not to begin acquisition
until 2019. The Committee also understands that these efforts
were to be accomplished in WAAS DFO Segment 2, which will
develop and implement the new algorithms and integrity
validation for the new dual frequency enhancement to this
safety-of-life application. To mitigate risk associated with
the GPS-III schedule delays, the Committee recommends that the
FAA expand WAAS DFO Segment 1 scope to begin modeling and
prototyping of the new algorithms using all available WAAS
development expertise. The Committee directs the FAA to provide
an update to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
on the status of this program within 90 days of enactment of
this act.
Legacy Navigation Aids Portfolio.--The Committee
recommendation includes $31,000,000 for legacy navigation aids
on and around the Nation's airports. The Committee
recommendation for legacy navigation aids portfolio does not
include funding for ILS, which is funded in a separate budget
line item.
Telecommunications Infrastructure.--The Committee
recommendation includes $40,000,000 for FAA telecommunications
infrastructure, which is $33,300,000 above the budget request.
The Committee directs the FAA to use a portion of this
additional funding, as well as the funds provided for this
budget line item in fiscal year 2018, to support the
replacement of obsolete infrastructure hardware and software to
mitigate new cyber threats, and increase capacity to support
planned NextGen services. The NAS Enterprise Security Gateway
[NESG] provides cybersecurity boundary protection for SWIM and
the NAS. This level of funding will complete the technical
refresh and capacity upgrade of the NESG platform, increase
infrastructure bandwidth required for near term NextGen
services, and address other obsolete network components.
Time Division Multiplexing [TDM]-to-Internet Protocol [IP]
Migration.--The Committee recommendation provides $38,000,000
for TDM-to-IP migration, which is $35,000,000 above the budget
request. Major commercial telecommunications carriers have
stated their intention to discontinue TDM-based services as
early as 2020. The potential impact to FAA is significant as
approximately 90 percent of air traffic telecommunications
services are TDM-based, including radar, navigation aids, and
weather instruments. While NextGen and other modernization
programs will field new technology with IP interfaces, most
legacy systems will continue with TDM access. Of the funds
provided in the Committee recommendation, $35,000,000 is to
fund the FAA TDM to IP program office to start addressing
legacy system interfaces that will not be replaced by NextGen
before 2022 using a combination of legacy system updates,
conversion devices and carrier ethernet migration. Where
feasible, the Committee encourages ethernet migration in order
to deliver maximum optimization of the telecommunications
infrastructure for near-term and future capacity demands.
Spectrum Efficient National Surveillance Radar.--The
Committee strongly recommends that the FAA, as the lead agency
in the emerging joint Spectrum Efficient National Surveillance
Radar [SENSR] initiative, continue supporting the decision to
vacate the 1300-1350 MHz band and provide 50 MHz of spectrum
for FCC auctions. The Committee also urges the FAA's full
commitment to the ultimate goal of the SENSR program, which is
the recapitalization of the entire domestic and U.S.
protectorate regions' radar infrastructure. Lastly, the
Committee urges the FAA to continue to ensure that the proceeds
from the Spectrum auction will be used to support the intended
SENSR vision of a combined set of DoD, DHS, FAA, and NOAA
missions.
Aging Facilities.--The Committee instructs FAA to work to
address aging and antiquated air traffic control facilities
that it leases from airport authorities to ensure they are
fully compliant with current building codes consistent with
being occupied by air traffic controllers. The Committee
recognizes that this, in many cases, may require the
construction of new air traffic facilities to replace existing
ones. The Committee instructs FAA to consider creative
financing options and to include consideration of long-term
cost recovery leases, when conditions warrant the construction
of new air traffic control towers.
Military Operations Areas.--The Committee finds that radar
and future NextGen systems capable of controlling airspace down
to 500 feet above ground level enhances aviation safety in
Military Operations Areas that overlay public use airports with
more than 5,000 operations per year. The Committee recommends
that the FAA utilize existing resources to promptly provide
radar or NextGen capability in such areas.

RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $188,926,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 74,406,000
Committee recommendation................................ 191,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Research, Engineering, and Development appropriation
provides funding for long-term research, engineering, and
development programs to improve the air traffic control system
by increasing its safety and capacity, as well as reducing the
environmental impacts of air traffic, as authorized by the
Airport and Airway Improvement Act and the Federal Aviation
Act, as amended. The programs are designed to meet the expected
air traffic demands of the future and to promote flight safety
through improvements in facilities, equipment, techniques, and
procedures to ensure that the system will safely and
efficiently handle future volumes of aircraft traffic.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $191,000,000 for the FAA's
Research, Engineering, and Development activities. The
recommended level of funding is $116,594,000 more than the
budget request and $2,074,000 more than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
A table showing the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, the
fiscal year 2019 budget estimate and the Committee
recommendation is as follows:

RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year--
------------------------------------ Committee
2018 enacted 2019 estimate recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Safety:
Fire Research & Safety................................ $7,200,000 $4,867,000 $7,200,000
Propulsion & Fuel Systems............................. 2,100,000 555,000 2,100,000
Advanced Materials/Structural Safety.................. 10,500,000 2,300,000 10,500,000
Aircraft Icing/Digital System Safety/Cyber Security... 9,253,000 7,684,000 9,253,000
Continued Air Worthiness.............................. 11,269,000 4,969,000 11,269,000
Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Research..... 1,570,000 ................ 1,570,000
Flightdeck/Maintenance/System Integration Human 7,305,000 5,052,000 7,305,000
Factors..............................................
Safety System Management/Terminal Area Safety......... 5,500,000 799,000 5,500,000
Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human Factors 5,800,000 1,436,000 5,800,000
Aeromedical Research.................................. 9,080,000 3,875,000 9,080,000
Weather Research...................................... 15,476,000 6,580,000 15,476,000
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research.................... 24,035,000 3,318,000 24,035,000
NextGen--Alternative Fuels for General Aviation....... 7,000,000 ................ 7,000,000
Commercial Space Transportation Safety................ 1,872,000 2,500,000 2,500,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Safety...................................... 117,960,000 43,935,000 118,588,000
=====================================================
Economic Competitiveness:
NextGen--Wake Turbulence.............................. 6,831,000 3,519,000 6,831,000
NextGen--Air Ground Integration....................... 6,757,000 1,336,000 6,757,000
NextGen--Weather Technology in the Cockpit............ 3,644,000 1,525,000 3,644,000
NextGen--Flight Data Exchange......................... ................ 1,035,000 1,035,000
NextGen--Information Security......................... 1,000,000 1,232,000 1,232,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Economic Competitiveness.................... 18,232,000 8,647,000 19,499,000
=====================================================
Environmental Sustainability:
Environment & Energy.................................. 18,013,000 11,588,000 18,013,000
NextGen Environmental Research--Aircraft Technologies, 29,174,000 7,578,000 29,174,000
Fuels and Metrics....................................
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Environmental Sustainability................ 47,187,000 19,166,000 47,187,000
=====================================================
Mission Support:
System Planning and Resource Management............... 2,135,000 1,480,000 2,135,000
WJHTC Lab Facilities.................................. 3,412,000 1,178,000 3,591,000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total Mission Support............................. 5,547,000 2,658,000 5,726,000
=====================================================
Total......................................... 188,926,000 74,406,000 191,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advanced Materials/Structural Safety.--The Committee
recommendation includes a total of $10,500,000 for advanced
materials/structural safety. With the emergence of additive
manufacturing processes, the Committee recognizes that advances
in the fabrication of complex structures has the potential to
transform aircraft and spacecraft. The Committee understands
the primary challenge in additive manufacturing for aerospace
applications is the certification of airworthiness of complex
processes used within the additive manufactured components. The
Committee, therefore, directs $6,000,000 of this funding to
advance the use of these new additive materials (both metallic
and non-metallic based additive processes) into the commercial
aviation industry, as well as additional funds to advance the
use of fiber reinforced composite materials into the commercial
aviation industry through the FAA Joint Advanced Materials and
Structures Center of Excellence.
Additive Manufactured Continued Airworthiness.--The
Committee recommendation includes $11,269,000 for continued air
worthiness. The Committee is encouraged by the potential impact
that stitched resin composites can have on the aviation
industry, and the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000
for FAA to work with public/private partners to evaluate the
material for airworthiness certification.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] Research--Center of
Excellence.--The Committee recognizes the valuable role of the
Center of Excellence in assisting the FAA in a host of research
challenges associated with the integration of UAS into the NAS.
The Committee recommendation includes $24,035,000 for UAS
research, equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and
$20,717,000 above the budget request. Of the funds provided for
UAS research, $12,035,000 is directed to support the expanded
role of the UAS Center of Excellence in areas of UAS research,
including cybersecurity, agricultural applications, beyond
visual line of sight technology, and studies of advanced
composites and other non-metallic engineering materials not
common to manned aircraft but utilized in UAS. Furthermore, the
Center of Excellence shall establish a UAS safety research
facility at the Center to study appropriate safety standards
for UAS and to develop and validate certification standards for
such systems. Of the total funding, $2,000,000 is for the
Center's role in transportation disaster preparedness and
response, partnering with institutions that have demonstrated
experience in damage assessment, collaboration with State
transportation agencies, and applied UAS field testing; and
$10,000,000 is to support UAS research activities at the FAA
technical center and other FAA facilities.
Alternative Fuels for General Aviation.--The Committee
recommendation includes $7,000,000 for research that supports
alternative fuels for general aviation. Funds are provided to
complete the testing and certification activities under the
current test program and support the current personnel required
for operations and equipment needs of the lab.
Environmental Sustainability.--The Committee recommendation
includes $47,187,000 for research related to environmental
sustainability, of which $18,013,000 is for ``Environment and
Energy'' and $29,174,000 is for ``Next Gen--Environmental
Research Aircraft Technologies, Fuels and Metrics''. The FAA is
directed to use the increase in funding for the Center of
Excellence, resulting in a total of $15,000,000 for the Center.
The Committee supports NextGen's five pillar strategy in
conducting research through the Center of Excellence, which
includes: (1) improved scientific knowledge and integrated
modeling; (2) new aircraft technologies; (3) sustainable
alternative aviation fuels; (4) air traffic management
modernization and operational improvements; and (5) policies,
environmental standards, and market-based measures. The
Committee is concerned with the removal of the sustainable
alternative aviation fuels pillar in the budget request and
directs the FAA to continue research on alternative fuels
following performance, economic, and environmental principals.
This sustained investment will lead to reducing emissions and
expanding alternative domestic energy sources that diversify
fuel supplies, contribute to price and supply stability, and
support economic development in rural communities. Further, the
Committee directs the FAA to utilize the comprehensive five
pillar strategy as outlined in the fiscal year 2018 budget
request.
Accelerating UAS Traffic Management.--The Committee
believes that creation of an UTM system is critical to the safe
integration in the NAS and for innovative uses of beyond visual
line of sight drone operations, such as package delivery,
infrastructure inspection, and precision agriculture. The
Committee is concerned that FAA is not acting with sufficient
urgency to meet its statutory obligations under section 2208 of
the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016, which
required the agency to develop a research plan for UTM
development and deployment. In executing section 2208, the
Committee encourages the FAA to coordinate the three programs
that serve as building blocks for the commercial development of
a UTM system: LAANC program, the UTM Pilot Program and the UAS
integration pilot program. The FAA should also coordinate with
state and local law enforcement agencies to test the prevention
of unsafe operations that could impact critical infrastructure
or personal safety. The Committee directs FAA to submit the
research plan no later than December 31, 2018, including
milestones for the deployment of a full-scale UTM network. This
work is essential to overall UTM development efforts, which
will allow industry and UAS service suppliers to build and
deploy a UTM network that advances the safety of our national
airspace.
Noise Health Effects Research.--The Committee supports
research at FAA's Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuel
and Environment, and the Aviation Sustainability Center
[ASCENT] on the impact of aviation noise on both sleep and
cardiovascular health. The Committee directs the FAA to
continue to prioritize this research, as many communities
across the country contend with an increased frequency of
passing aircraft on a daily basis. In addition, the Committee
directs the FAA to continue to evaluate alternative metrics to
the current day night level [DNL] 65 standard and other methods
to address community airplane noise concerns, including
cumulative noise impacts from increased frequency of flights.

GRANTS-IN-AID FOR AIRPORTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports pays for capital
improvements at the Nation's airports, including those
investments that emphasize capacity development, safety
improvements, and security needs. Other priority areas for
funding under this program include improvements to runway
safety areas that do not conform to FAA standards, investments
that are designed to reduce runway incursions, and aircraft
noise compatibility planning and programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of
$3,350,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports for fiscal year
2019. The recommended limitation on obligations is equal to the
enacted level for fiscal year 2018 and the budget request.
The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation
of $3,000,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports. The
recommended level is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level and the budget request. This appropriation is sufficient
to cover the liquidation of all obligations incurred pursuant
to the limitation on obligations set forward in the bill.
Administrative Expenses.--The Committee recommends
$112,600,000 to cover administrative expenses. This funding
level is equal to the budget request and $737,000 more than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Airport Cooperative Research.--The Committee recommends
$15,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative Research program. This
funding level is equal to the budget estimate and the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.
Airport Technology.--The Committee recommends $33,210,000
for Airport Technology Research. This funding level is $16,000
more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018
level.
Small Community Air Service Development Program [SCASDP].--
The Committee recommends $10,000,000. This funding level is
equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The budget request
included no funds for this program for fiscal year 2019.
Cost Share.--The agreement includes a provision that allows
small airports to continue contributing 5 percent of the total
cost for unfinished phased projects that were underway prior to
the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
Allocation of Resources.--The Committee recognizes many
States have short construction seasons due to inclement weather
and require certainty about airport grant allocations when
making planning decisions. FAA is encouraged to work
expeditiously to make entitlement and discretionary grant
allocations, in order to provide certainty to northern State
airports. The Committee also understands that certain physical
topography, environments, and circumstances prohibit certain
existing airports that are in critical need of expansion due to
their essential economic impact on their surrounding
communities from expanding, and as such are required to
physically relocate their premises. Therefore, the Committee
directs the FAA to ensure sufficient funding is available to
relocate these airports in a timely and expedited manner.
Policy and Procedure Concerning the Use of Airport
Revenue.--The Committee is aware of several self-help counties
that have enacted sales tax measures to fund local
transportation improvements. These sales tax measures are
difficult to enact and provide critical funding to address
local highway, transit, and other transportation requirements.
Several of these counties contain airports and have been
receiving funds raised on the sales tax associated with the
sale of aviation fuel.
In 2014, the FAA finalized a rule construing the term
``local taxes on aviation fuel'' to apply to all sales taxes
rather than specific excise taxes on aviation fuel. This change
in definition diverts funding away from projects outlined in
local sales tax measures, violating promises made to the voters
who approved these measures. According to the FAA rules, local
transportation sales taxes collected on the sale of aviation
fuel would have to be spent in accordance with FAA rules
governing such expenditures. The Policy and Procedure
Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue [Docket No. FAA-2013-
0988] is scheduled to be enforced by the end of December 2018.
Given the utility of sales tax measures to address local
transportation needs and reduce the burden on Federal spending,
the Committee encourages the Secretary to postpone the
enforcement of Docket No. FAA-2013-0988 and work with local
governments and the FAA to develop a path forward to allow the
use of local sales tax revenues generated on the sale of
aviation fuel to be used in a manner consistent with their
enactment.
State Airport Land Management.--Commercial activities, in
addition to regularly scheduled commercial air service, are
vital to the fiscal sustainability of commercial use airports.
The Committee directs the FAA to work with the Department of
Agriculture and States that own and operate airports on land
acquired from the Federal Government to identify land that is
not needed for airport development, and that can be developed
without negative impact to the airport, and to identify the
Federal agency that can allow the release of the unneeded land.
AIP Formula.--AIP formula funding for primary airports is
allocated based primarily on commercial enplanements. The
current definition of ``enplanements'' does not capture the
full range of airport activities. For example, certain primary
airports with more non-commercial flight activities such as
pilot training do not factor into the current enplanement
calculation. Therefore, the Committee directs the FAA to
consider the full range of flight activities (such as flight
training, air cargo, emergency response, pilot training etc.)
and associated metrics when considering AIP discretionary
grants.
Relocation.--The Committee directs the FAA to give greater
consideration to projects at public-use airports that will
relocate existing aviation runways, taxiways, aprons or other
airfield infrastructure that do not meet current FAA safety
standards related to runway/taxiway separation distances,
safety area and object-free area requirements, and obstruction
standards, especially in cases where the existing aviation
runway, taxiway, apron or other airfield infrastructure has
deteriorated such that it is at the end of its service life.
Furthermore, for such projects at public use airports that
would have a material impact on the safety of operations at
that airport and, the FAA shall not require the completion of a
cost-benefit analysis as long as that project is funded using
non-primary entitlement funding and no additional State
apportionment or discretionary funding from the FAA.
Airport Partnerships.--The Committee is aware of major
internet retailers and their logistics partners that have made
demands of airports to commit to capital improvements,
including AIP eligible projects, in order to compete to become
logistics hubs. However, AIP program funds should not be used
to solely subsidize individual corporations, who may chose not
to execute on such efforts despite airports and FAA regional
offices expending significant resources for planning. The FAA
should carefully scrutinize AIP projects to ensure they
represent genuine efforts to improve overall service and
capacity needs rather than demands from a single corporation.

GRANTS-IN-AID TO AIRPORTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,000,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 750,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $750,000,000 in
discretionary funding for additional grants for airport
infrastructure. The recommended level of funding is
$250,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and
$750,000,000 more than the budget request.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

Section 110 limits the number of technical staff years at
the Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development to no more
than 600 in fiscal year 2019.
Section 111 prohibits funds in this act from being used to
adopt guidelines or regulations requiring airport sponsors to
provide the FAA ``without cost'' buildings, maintenance, or
space for FAA services. The prohibition does not apply to
negotiations between the FAA and airport sponsors concerning
``below market'' rates for such services or to grant assurances
that require airport sponsors to provide land without cost to
the FAA for air traffic control facilities.
Section 112 permits the Administrator to reimburse FAA
appropriations for amounts made available for 49 U.S.C.
41742(a)(1) as fees are collected and credited under 49 U.S.C.
45303.
Section 113 allows funds received to reimburse the FAA for
providing technical assistance to foreign aviation authorities
to be credited to the Operations account.
Section 114 prohibits the FAA from paying Sunday premium
pay except in those cases where the individual actually worked
on a Sunday.
Section 115 prohibits the FAA from using funds provided in
the bill to purchase store gift cards or gift certificates
through a Government-issued credit card.
Section 116 requires approval from the Assistant Secretary
for Administration of the Department of Transportation for
retention bonuses for any FAA employee.
Section 117 requires that, upon request by a private owner
or operator of an aircraft, the Secretary block the display of
that owner or operator's aircraft registration number in the
Aircraft Situational Display to Industry program.
Section 118 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and
expenses of more than eight political and Presidential
appointees in the Federal Aviation Administration.
Section 119 requires the FAA to conduct public outreach and
provide justification to the Committee before increasing fees
under section 44721 of title 49, United States Code.
Section 119A requires the FAA to notify the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 90 days before
closing a regional operations center or reducing the services
it provides.
Section 119B prohibits funds from being used to change
weight restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro
Airport in New Jersey.
Section 119C prohibits funds from being used to withhold
from consideration and approval any new application for
participation in the Contract Tower Program, including
applications from Cost-share Program participants if the
Administrator determines such tower is eligible under the
criteria set forth in the Federal Aviation report,
Establishment and Discontinuance Criteria for Airport Traffic
Control Towers (FAA-APO-90-7).
Section 119D prohibits funds from limiting certification
activities unless the FAA documents noncompliance.
Section 119E requires the FAA to permit intermittent large
cargo air carriers to land in remote areas using a mix of
available meteorological weather reports, in place of National
Weather Service forecast reports where they do not provide
weather coverage.
Section 119F allows the transfer of funds from the
``Grants-in-Aid for Airports'' account to reimburse airports
impacted by temporary flight restrictions for any residence of
the President that is designated or identified to be secured by
the United States Secret Service, but only after an independent
audit.

Federal Highway Administration

program description

The principal mission of the Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA] is, in partnership with State and local governments, to
foster the development of a safe, efficient, and effective
highway and intermodal system nationwide including access to
and within national forests, national parks, Indian lands, and
other public lands.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level
of $49,307,596,000 is provided for the activities of the
Federal Highway Administration in fiscal year 2019. The
recommendation is $3,516,951,000 more than the budget request
and $1,809,384,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations:

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Limitation, 2018........................................ $442,692,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 449,692,000
Committee recommendation................................ 449,692,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This limitation on obligations provides for the salaries
and expenses of the Federal Highway Administration [FHWA] for
program management, direction, and coordination; engineering
guidance to Federal and State agencies; and advisory and
support services in field offices.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of
$446,444,304 for administrative expenses of the agency, and an
additional $3,248,000 for administrative expenses of the
Appalachian Regional Commission in accordance with section 104
of title 23, United States Code. The total limitation is equal
to the budget request and $7,000,000 more than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level.

FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018........................................ $44,234,212,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 45,268,596,000
Committee recommendation................................ 45,268,596,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-aid highway program provides financial support
to States and localities for the development, construction, and
repair of highways and bridges through grants. The program is
financed from the Highway Trust Fund and most of the funds are
distributed through apportionments and allocations to States.
Title 23 of the United States Code and other supporting
legislation provide authority for the various activities of the
FHWA. Funding is provided by contract authority, with program
levels established by annual limitations on obligations set in
appropriations acts.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends limiting fiscal year 2019
obligations to $45,268,596,000 which is equal to the budget
request and $1,034,384,000 more than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level for the Federal-aid highway program. In addition,
the bill includes a provision that allows the FHWA to collect
and spend fees in order to pay for the services of expert firms
in the field of municipal and project finance to assist the
agency in the provision of credit instruments.
Advanced Transportation Congestion Mitigation Technology
Deployment.--For several years, various elements of Connected,
Automated, Vehicles and Infrastructure Systems [CAVIS] have
been developed on a limited basis in controlled environments to
test systems for collision avoidance or signal preemption for
emergency vehicles such as Mcity in Ann Arbor, MI and the
Aberdeen Test Center. While such efforts in proving grounds and
test facilities are valuable, the full benefits of this
technology will be realized when integrated CAVIS are broadly
deployed into real-world environments. This could translate
into improved safety, mobility, and commerce for many
communities across the country. The Committee supports the
planned transition of this technology into real world settings
in partnership with Federal, State, and local agencies,
academic institutions, and the private sector. The Committee
strongly encourages DOT to include small and medium sized
communities in this plan, especially in States that have
developed State-supported, mobile platform traffic applications
for the public that could be integrated into CAVIS systems.
Autonomous Vehicles and Pavement Performance.--Researchers
have recently identified a potential problem where pavement
service life is reduced due to autonomous vehicle systems.
Automated systems have the potential to increase stress
concentrations on pavements by forcing vehicles to drive in
specific travel paths within the highway lanes, rather than the
more random driving paths by human drivers that distribute the
stresses over pavement on a more varied basis. The Committee
directs the Department to conduct highly automated vehicle
research and development to evaluate the impact of autonomous
vehicles, particularly commercial vehicles, on pavement
performance.
Regulations.--The Committee directs FHWA to identify
opportunities to eliminate unnecessary regulations and
streamline burdensome regulations to ensure FHWA is a good
steward of taxpayer resources that support the construction of
physical infrastructure. FHWA should identify areas where more
autonomy can be given to State, local, and Tribal
jurisdictions, which have an understanding of the needs and
challenges in building and maintaining infrastructure.
Timber Bridge Initiative.--The Committee recognizes that
the use of cross laminated timber and other forms of mass
timber can provide value in bridge structures. The benefits of
timber in bridge construction include reduced weight and cost-
effectiveness. When used to reinforce existing structures,
timber can upgrade live load capacity. The Committee notes with
appreciation that FHWA has worked successfully in partnership
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Products
Laboratory to research the benefits of timber in bridge
construction. The Committee urges the Department to renew this
work, as well as to use mass timber in demonstration projects,
and recommends continued collaboration with other Federal
agencies for deploying timber into the U.S. highway and bridge
system.
Regional Transportation Workforce Centers.--The Committee
notes that the workforce needs of the transportation sector
continue to evolve as new technology and construction practices
are developed. In many instances, the education curriculum has
not kept pace with civil engineering practices. The Committee
directs FHWA to provide resources to the Center for
Transportation Workforce Development to align education
workforce development efforts to support: the advancement of
environmental career paths within transportation, the
deployment and delivery of innovative transportation solutions
in rural areas, the planning for smart city and community
design in rural areas, and improved technology transfer.
Resilient Infrastructure.--The Committee directs the FHWA
to update guidance consistent with the DOT Inspector General
Report on Infrastructure Resilience for Emergency Relief
Projects, and further directs FHWA to advance best practices
and methods to consider resilience in all phases of highway
infrastructure decision making, including planning, design,
construction, maintenance, and operations. The Committee also
directs FHWA to consider the deployment of methods that have
proven effective in providing for a more resilient
infrastructure system, consistent with FHWA Order 5520, as part
of discretionary grants and loan programs.
Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure.--The Committee
recognizes the importance of bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure to the mobility and livability of communities.
The TIFIA program allows for innovative finance partnerships
between public, private and non-profit partners to improve
bicycle and pedestrian safety and access. The Committee directs
the Department to compile, analyze, and issue best practices
for innovative finance strategies to better inform state
agencies of available financing options through the
Department's existing programs.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices [MUTCD].--The
safe deployment of autonomous vehicles will require
modifications to various regulations and standards throughout
the Department to account for new functionalities and types of
interactions between humans and vehicles. As a result, the
Committee directs FHWA to publish a schedule for periodic
updates to the MUTCD for the safe use of our roadways by both
human drivers and automated vehicles.
Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives
[STSFA].--Section 6020 of the FAST Act required the Secretary
to create a grant program to design and test the functionality
and acceptance of alternative, user-based revenue mechanisms to
help maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.
Grantees are required to submit an annual report to the
Secretary on the objectives they were able to achieve and
lessons learned. From that information, the Secretary is
required to publically report on the progress of these
demonstration activities on a biennial basis.
A robust report compiling data and an analysis of the
demonstration projects would assist Congress in identifying
viable funding options for surface transportation programs in
the next reauthorization bill. Given that the fiscal 2017
grantees were not selected until October of 2017, they will not
be able to provide an annual report to the Secretary within the
Secretary's initial biennial reporting requirement. Therefore,
the Committee directs the biennial reporting requirement be
deferred until February 2019 in order to appropriately assess
the results of the fiscal year 2016 and 2017 demonstration
projects. As part of the biennial reporting requirement within
the funds provided under STSFA, the Secretary shall, at a
minimum, address: the findings on the design, acceptance, and
implementation of alternative revenue mechanisms;
interoperability, reliability, and ease of compliance; current
and future estimates of revenue potential, as well as
administrative costs; and, recommendations to Congress for
areas of additional research. This will provide Congress and
the public the benefit of a more comprehensive analysis of
these innovative financing strategies.
Permeable Pavements.--The Committee encourages the
Secretary to accelerate the research, demonstration, and
deployment of permeable pavements to achieve flood mitigation,
pollutant reduction, stormwater runoff reduction, and
environmental conservation. The Committee encourages the
Secretary to conduct a comprehensive life cycle cost analyses
of permeable pavements compared to non-permeable pavements and
a full-scale load testing to establish structural design
methods to enhance roadway stormwater mitigation and flood
reduction. The Secretary shall consider areas that have
received a Federal disaster declaration resulting from flooding
within the last three fiscal years when choosing locations for
such research, demonstration, and deployment. The Secretary
shall make the findings of this research available to States
and local jurisdictions.
Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System.--The
Committee supports research and deployment to capitalize on
investments in Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge
Systems and encourages the Secretary to complete cost studies
and to distribute these findings to State DOTs. Further, the
Department should consider Accelerated Innovation Deployment
Demonstration grants to: deploy innovations in geosynthetic-
reinforced abutments, segmental sound barriers, flooding scour
countermeasures, and address technical specifications for
segmental face durability and geosynthetics connections.
Timely Response.--While the Committee fully supports Buy
America requirements, there is concern about FHWA's lack of
action on Buy America waiver requests for products for which
there is no comparable product made in the United States.
Therefore, the Committee directs FHWA to review and respond to
Buy America waivers for which there is no comparable product
made in the United Sates within 60 days of the request being
submitted.
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure.--Section 1413 of the FAST
Act required the Secretary to designate national electric
vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling
corridors within 1 year from the date of enactment of this act.
Additionally, the Department was required to submit a report to
Congress identifying charging and fueling infrastructure
standardization needs in order to achieve standard strategic
deployment of charging stations in designated corridors by
2020. The Committee urges FHWA to proactively work with States
to ensure the deadlines are met and to address all reporting
requirements directed by Congress in the FAST Act.
Composites.--The Committee recognizes that composites have
many benefits for improved performance of bridge
superstructures and reinforcement components, as well as uses
in other places such as road signs and pedestrian bridges.
Composites also have wide-ranging proven characteristics that
include light weight, high-strength, corrosion resistance,
life-cycle cost benefits, and long-term durability that
translate to increased factors of safety for bridge engineering
designs. The Committee urges FHWA to promote projects that use
innovative materials, including composites, under the
Accelerated Innovation Deployment Grant Program aimed at
accelerating the use of innovation in infrastructure projects.
Dynamic Highway Message Signs.--In fiscal year 2017, the
Committee directed FHWA to survey States on their use of
dynamic highway message signs to improve traffic safety
behaviors and compliance with State safety laws. FHWA found
that more than 7,000 of these signs are installed on major
roads around the Nation, with as many as 116 million vehicles
passing them each day. These findings support the Committee's
belief that dynamic highway message signs can play a
significant role in cost-effective expansion of national
traffic safety initiatives such as ``Drive Sober or Get Pulled
Over'' and ``Click It or Ticket''. The Committee reiterates it
directive to FHWA to coordinate with NHTSA, State DOTs and
State highway safety offices to increase the use of such signs
to help save lives and prevent injuries, with a focus on
maximizing message exposure during the major national safety
emphasis periods.
The Committee also directs FHWA to coordinate with State
DOTs on options for flexibility in highway sign messaging to
address and combat local emergency priorities, such as the
epidemic of opioid abuse, which can lead to impaired driving. A
progress report on joint FHWA-NHTSA action should be provided
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120
days of enactment of this act.
Categorical Exclusions.--The Committee notes that the
purpose of categorical exclusions is to achieve cost savings
and speed projects to construction. The Committee directs FHWA
to work with stakeholders, including State DOTs, to determine
how best to minimize the bureaucratic burden of qualifying a
project as a CE.
Rubber Modified Asphalt Usage.--Within the amount provided
for research, the Committee directs the Secretary, through the
National Academy of Sciences, to conduct a study of rubber
modified asphalt technology and report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations not later than January 1, 2020.
This study shall address: technical and operational aspects of
using rubber modified asphalt; the types of asphalt
applications appropriate for rubber modification; performance,
longevity, and safety impacts of rubber modified asphalt; and
economics associated with its use.
Commercial Roads in the Appalachian Development Highway
System [ADHS].--The Committee recommendation does not include
the budget's proposed rescission of ADHS funding. Conversely,
the Committee encourages FHWA to work with relevant State DOTs
in Appalachia to promote construction and repair projects for
roads of critical commercial importance in the ADHS. Roads and
bridges throughout the ADHS are imperative for both local and
regional passenger and freight connectivity.

LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $44,973,212,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 46,007,596,000
Committee recommendation................................ 46,007,596,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-aid highway program is funded through contract
authority paid out of the Highway Trust Fund. Most forms of
budget authority provide the authority to enter into
obligations and then to liquidate those obligations. Put
another way, it allows a Federal agency to commit to spending
money on specified activities and then to actually spend that
money. In contrast, contract authority provides only the
authority to enter into obligations, but not the authority to
liquidate those obligations. The authority to liquidate
obligations--to actually spend the money committed with the
contract authority--must be provided separately. The authority
to liquidate obligations under the Federal-aid highway program
is provided under this heading. This liquidating authority
allows FHWA to follow through on commitments already allowed
under current law; it does not provide the authority to enter
into new commitments for Federal spending.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation
of $46,007,596,000. The recommended level is equal to the
budget request and $1,034,384,000 more than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level. This level of liquidating authority is
necessary to pay outstanding obligations from various highway
accounts pursuant to this and prior appropriations acts.

HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,525,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 3,300,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for Highway Infrastructure
Programs to improve highway safety and efficiency for all
Americans through general fund investments in addition to
levels authorized in the FAST Act.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,300,000,000 from the general
fund, of which $2,389,200,000 is for road and bridge projects
eligible under the surface transportation block grant program,
$15,800,000 is for the Puerto Rico highway program, $5,000,000
is for the territorial highway program, $90,000,000 is for the
railway-highway crossings program, and $800,000,000 is for a
national program to improve and replace bridges in poor
condition. Funding is available until September 30, 2022.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

Section 120 distributes obligation authority among Federal-
aid Highway programs.
Section 121 continues a provision that credits funds
received by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to the
Federal-aid highways account.
Section 122 provides requirements for any waiver of Buy
America requirements.
Section 123 requires congressional notification before the
Department provides credit assistance under the TIFIA program.
Section 124 requires 60-day notification for any grants for
a project under 23 U.S.C. 117 and requires these notifications
to be made within 180 days of enactment of this act.
Section 125 allows State DOTs to repurpose certain highway
project funding to be used within 50 miles of its original
designation.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration [FMCSA] was
established within the Department of Transportation by the
Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act [MCSIA] (Public Law 106-
159) in December 1999. Prior to this legislation, motor carrier
safety responsibilities were under the jurisdiction of the
Federal Highway Administration.
MCSIA, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users [SAFETEA-LU], the
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act [MAP-21], and
the Fixing America's Surface Transportation [FAST] Act provide
funding authorization for FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety
Operations and Programs and Motor Carrier Safety Grants.
FMCSA's mission is to promote safe commercial motor vehicle
and motor coach operations, as well as reduce the number and
severity of accidents. Agency resources and activities prevent
and mitigate commercial motor vehicle and motor coach accidents
through education, regulation, enforcement, stakeholder
training, technological innovation, and improved information
systems. FMCSA is also responsible for ensuring that all
commercial vehicles entering the United States along its
southern and northern borders comply with all Federal motor
carrier safety and hazardous materials regulations. To
accomplish these activities, FMCSA works with Federal, State,
and local enforcement agencies, the motor carrier industry,
highway safety organizations, and the public.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total level of $666,800,000 for
obligations and liquidations from the Highway Trust Fund. This
level is $1,000,000 more than the budget request and
$178,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018........................................ $283,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 284,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 284,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides the necessary resources to support
motor carrier safety program activities and maintain the
agency's administrative infrastructure. Funding supports
nationwide motor carrier safety and consumer enforcement
efforts, including Federal safety enforcement activities at the
United States-Mexico border to ensure that Mexican carriers
entering the United States are in compliance with FMCSA
regulations. Resources are also provided to fund motor carrier
regulatory development and implementation, information
management, research and technology, safety education and
outreach, and the 24-hour safety and consumer telephone
hotline.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and
authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract
authorization of $284,000,000 for FMCSA's Operations and
Programs. The recommendation is $1,000,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Of the
total limitation on obligations, $9,073,000 is for research and
technology and $34,824,000 is for information management.
Bus Lease and Interchange Rule.--In fiscal year 2018, the
Committee directed FMCSA to modify or remove the final rule
concerning the lease and interchange of passenger carrying
motor vehicles no later than December 1, 2018, and continues to
direct the agency to meet this deadline.
Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiters.--In response to a 2006
petition from a coalition of trucking industry and safety
advocates, NHTSA and FMCSA issued a joint proposed rule on
August 26, 2016 requiring speed limiter devices. The Committee
directs the agencies to fully and expeditiously address all
public comments. The final rule should address the impact of
creating speed differentials on highways and consider the costs
and benefits of applying the rule to existing heavy vehicles
that are equipped with speed limiting devices.
High-Risk Carriers.--In January 2016, FMCSA revised its
scoring and standards for the inspection of high-risk carriers
in response to a July 2014 Independent Review Team assessment
and section 5305 of the FAST Act. Under revised FMCSA
regulations, carriers identified as high risk must have a
compliance review conducted within 90 days. The Committee is
encouraged that the agency was able to achieve an 87 percent
high-risk carrier inspection rate in fiscal year 2016, compared
to 81 percent in fiscal year 2015. The Committee continues to
direct the agency to provide the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations with an updated report on its ability to meet
its requirements to evaluate high-risk carriers by April 15,
2020 for the preceding fiscal year for which inspection data is
available.
Natural Gas Vehicle Regulations.--The Committee recognizes
the significant growth and value in the market for natural gas
as a transportation fuel, and is aware that certain regulations
that address the safety of natural gas vehicles have not been
updated to keep pace with new developments and the advancement
of natural gas vehicles. Accordingly, the Department is
encouraged to develop new safety regulations and inspection
procedures for liquefied natural gas [LNG] fuel tanks and fuel
systems on commercial motor vehicles, and revise and harmonize
requirements for compressed natural gas [CNG] cylinders that
address the inspection of such cylinders. The Department is
also encouraged to work with industry and manufacturers to
clarify and address the ability of bus manufacturers to
continue to deploy buses that have roof-top mounted CNG
cylinders. In addition, as there are no Federal regulations
that prohibit the interstate movement of natural gas vehicles
as it relates to the fuel stored onboard for motive power, the
Secretary is encouraged to clarify through guidance that rules
restricting access to bridges and tunnels in the case of an
alternative fuel vehicle should not be any more restrictive
than those addressing gasoline and diesel fueled vehicles,
unless there is a determination of a significant risk to
safety.
Electronic Logging Devices.--The Committee appreciates the
Department's efforts in issuing guidance to clarify an
exemption from the Electronic Logging Device [ELD] mandate
related to a 150 air-mile radius exemption for agricultural
commodities. To address further concerns raised by drivers of
certain commodities, including cattle haulers, the Committee
directs the Department to consult with stakeholders, the
Department of Agriculture, and the House and Senate authorizing
committees on legislative solutions for drivers with unique
working conditions. The Department should take into
consideration the unique challenges associated with
transporting live animals and agricultural commodities, as well
as ensuring roadway safety. The Committee notes that the House
Committee on Appropriations reported a Transportation, Housing
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, 2019 bill that
prohibits funds from being used to enforce an electronic
logging device mandate for livestock or insects.
Definitions.--The Committee appreciates the guidance the
Department announced regarding ELD and Hours of Service
requirements related to the transportation of agricultural
commodities including livestock. However, the Committee is
concerned that the definition FMCSA uses for ``agricultural
commodity'' is outdated and does not include certain livestock
such as farm-raised, ornamental, and bait fish. The Committee
directs the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of
Agriculture, to work together on a definition of livestock
which includes farm-raised, ornamental and bait fish and that
is more consistent with current programs operating under the
Department of Agriculture.

MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018........................................ $561,800,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 381,800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 382,800,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides the necessary resources for Federal
grants to support State compliance, enforcement, and other
programs. Grants are also provided to States for enforcement
efforts at both the southern and northern borders to ensure
that all points of entry into the United States are fortified
with comprehensive safety measures; improvement of State
commercial driver's license [CDL] oversight activities to
prevent unqualified drivers from being issued CDLs; and the
Performance Registration Information Systems and Management
[PRISM] program, which links State motor vehicle registration
systems with carrier safety data in order to identify unsafe
commercial motor carriers.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and
authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract
authorization of $382,800,000 for motor carrier safety grants.
The recommended limitation is $179,000,000 less than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and $1,000,000 more than the budget
request. The Committee recommends a separate limitation on
obligations for each grant program funded under this account
with the funding allocation identified below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motor carrier safety assistance program [MCSAP]....... $304,300,000
High priority activities program...................... 44,000,000
Commercial motor vehicle operator grants program...... 2,000,000
Commercial driver's license program implementation 32,500,000
program..............................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

Section 130 subjects the funds in this act to section 350
of Public Law 107-87 in order to ensure the safety of all
cross-border long haul operations conducted by Mexican-
domiciled commercial carriers.
Section 131 requires FMCSA to send notice of 49 CFR 385.308
violations by certified mail, registered mail, or some other
manner of delivery that records receipt of the notice by the
persons responsible for violations.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA]
was established as a separate organizational entity in the
Department of Transportation in March of 1970 to administer
motor vehicle and highway safety programs. It was the successor
agency to the National Highway Safety Bureau, which was housed
in the Federal Highway Administration. NHTSA is responsible for
motor vehicle safety, highway safety behavioral programs, motor
vehicle information, and automobile fuel economy programs.
NHTSA's mission is to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic
losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. To accomplish
these goals, NHTSA establishes and enforces safety performance
standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment,
investigates safety defects in motor vehicles, and conducts
research on driver behavior and traffic safety. NHTSA provides
grants and technical assistance to State and local governments
to enable them to conduct effective local highway safety
programs. Together with State and local partners, NHTSA works
to reduce the threat of drunk, impaired, and distracted
driving, and to promote policies and de- vices with
demonstrated safety benefits including helmets, child safety
seats, airbags, and graduated license. NHTSA establishes and
ensures compliance with fuel economy standards, investigates
odometer fraud, establishes and enforces vehicle anti-theft
regulations, and provides consumer information on a variety of
motor vehicle safety topics.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $956,308,000, including both
budget authority and limitations on the obligation of contract
authority. This funding is $41,573,000 more than the
President's request and $9,104,000 more than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level. The following table summarizes Committee
recommendations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highway trust
General fund fund Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation 2018........................................ $200,575,000 $746,629,000 $947,204,000
Budget estimate, 2019..................................... 152,427,000 762,308,000 914,735,000
Committee recommendation.................................. 194,000,000 762,308,000 956,308,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

These programs support traffic safety programs and related
research, demonstrations, technical assistance, and national
leadership for highway safety programs conducted by State and
local governments, the private sector, universities, research
units, and various safety associations and organizations. These
highway safety programs emphasize alcohol and drug
countermeasures, vehicle occupant protection, traffic law
enforcement, emergency medical and trauma care systems, traffic
records and licensing, State and community traffic safety
evaluations, protection of motorcycle riders, pedestrian and
bicyclist safety, pupil transportation, distracted driving
prevention, young and older driver safety, and improved
accident investigation procedures.

OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highway trust
General fund fund Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2018........................... $189,075,000 $149,000,000 $338,075,000
Budget estimate, 2019..................................... 152,427,000 152,100,000 304,527,000
Committee recommendation.................................. 190,000,000 152,100,000 342,100,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee provides $342,100,000 for Operations and
Research, which is $37,573,000 more than the President's budget
request and $7,475,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. Of the total amount recommended for Operations and
Research, $190,000,000 is derived from the general fund and
$152,100,000 is derived from the Highway Trust Fund. For
vehicle safety research, the Committee recommendation includes
$25,000,000 for rulemakings, of which not less than $16,000,000
is for the new car assessment program, $33,000,000 for
enforcement, and $49,000,000 for research and analysis. For
highway safety research and development, the Committee
recommendation includes $61,782,000 for highway safety
programs, and $40,289,700 for the National Center for
Statistics and Analysis.
Autonomous Vehicles.--The Committee provided substantial,
multi-year investment for automated vehicle [AV] research and
demonstration in fiscal year 2018. The Committee expects
regular updates on implementation of the programs, research,
and projects, including coordinated activities between the
Department and the Department of Labor.
The Committee continues to recognize the rapid pace at
which AV technology is developing, and is interested in
validating the safety of new technology that would operate on
our Nation's roads at federally designated proving grounds. The
Committee encourages the Secretary to solicit applications and
designate additional proving grounds for testing, especially at
locations that can demonstrate the capacity to test on existing
facilities with an existing trained workforce. These new
proving grounds should have the ability to conduct research
independently or in conjunction with NHTSA's Vehicle Research
and Testing Center on passenger and commercial vehicles.
Crashworthiness Research.--The Committee recognizes the
importance that lightweight plastics and polymer composites
play in improving automotive structural safety, meeting
consumer demand for innovative vehicles, increasing fuel
efficiency, and supporting new U.S. highly skilled
manufacturing jobs. Using NHTSA program funds, NHTSA is
directed to focus on updating the countermeasures in its
frontal, side, rollover, front seatbacks and lower interior
impacts for children and small adults, and pedestrian
crashworthiness projects, with an emphasis on vehicle light
weighting in both traditional and autonomous vehicle structural
designs. NHTSA should leverage lessons learned from lightweight
materials research at the Department, the Department of Energy,
and by industry stakeholders in its development of safety-
centered approaches for future lightweight automotive design.
Impaired Driving.--The Committee remains concerned about
the increasing rates of impaired driving, particularly in
States that adopt measures to decriminalize marijuana. The use
of marijuana before or while driving is a critical public
safety issue and the Committee directed NHTSA in Senate Report
114-253 to conduct a study of marijuana-impaired driving. The
Committee recognizes the importance of impaired driving
countermeasures at the community level in protecting public
safety, and encourages NHTSA to expand its efforts with law
enforcement to increase awareness and use of Drug Recognition
Expert [DRE] and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement
[ARIDE] training, particularly in States that have adopted
recreational or medicinal marijuana laws. In order to further
efforts to provide law enforcement with advanced training and
skills to detect impaired driving, the Committee directs NHTSA
to provide States with flexibility to use impaired driving
countermeasures grant for DRE and ARIDE training.
Tire Efficiency.--The FAST Act includes three tire-related
provisions under section 24331, the ``Tire Efficiency, Safety,
and Registration Act of 2015'' or the ``TESR Act''. The
provisions will contribute significantly to consumer safety,
vehicle fuel economy and the competitiveness of the U.S. tire
manufacturing industry and deserve the Department's timely
attention and resources. The Committee expects that the
Secretary to expeditiously transmit the report on the
Department's schedule and status of three tire-related
provisions, as directed by Senate Report 115-138.
Truck Underride Safety Research.--NHTSA initiated a
rulemaking to improve truck underride safety in December of
2015. The Committee encourages NHTSA to finalize this
rulemaking and NHTSA shall consult with relevant experts and
stakeholders including researchers, engineers, the trucking
industry, and safety advocates, to facilitate the employment
and adoption of rear and side underride protection devices.
Drunk Driving Prevention.--NHTSA has partnered with leading
automobile manufacturers in the Automotive Coalition for
Traffic Safety on an ambitious research program to develop in-
vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving that is
publicly acceptable, unobtrusive for drivers below the legal
limit of .08 BAC, reliable, and relatively inexpensive. The
FAST Act provides $21,248,000 between fiscal years 2017 and
2020 for in-vehicle alcohol detection device research. The
Committee continues to strongly support this promising research
partnership, which has the potential to prevent thousands of
drunk-driving deaths annually. The Committee recommendation
includes $5,312,000 for continuation of this research in fiscal
year 2019.
Highway Fatalities.--The Committee is deeply concerned
about the recent increases in highway fatalities, which
increased by 8.4 percent in 2015 and another 5.6 percent in
2016. Preliminary estimates for 2017 show a slight decrease,
but the substantial fatality increases in 2015-2016 erased
reductions that had been achieved in prior years.
Strategies for zero highway deaths in the future and
efforts to accelerate the development of AVs are an important
part of NHTSA's mission, but they should not divert attention
from proven methods to address the immediate public health goal
to reduce highway fatalities and injuries. The Committee
believes that substantial gains in achieving this goal can be
realized in the coming years through a combination of
technology and a renewed emphasis on drunk, drug-impaired, and
distracted driving prevention, increased seat belt and child
safety seat use, as well as innovative tools to improve
motorcycle and pedestrian safety. The Committee is encouraged
by initiatives like Road to Zero, which is committed to a goal
of zero roadway fatalities by 2050. The Committee urges NHTSA
to continue programs that will achieve the goal of consistently
limiting highway fatalities.
Drunk Driving Fatalities.--Alcohol-impaired driving
fatalities increased 1.7 percent from 10,320 in 2015 to 10,497
in 2016. This total represents 28 percent of overall highway
fatalities, the lowest percentage since 1982 when this data
reporting began. The Committee continues to be concerned about
the rate of drunk driving fatalities on our highways and
encourages NHTSA to work with interested stakeholders,
particularly the law enforcement community, which is essential
to addressing drunk driving. The Committee continues to provide
substantial support for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
high-visibility enforcement campaigns and encourages engagement
with law enforcement to make the campaigns more pervasive and
effective.
Seat Belts.--There have been remarkable gains in the
national seat belt use rate, with the national average at 90
percent, an approximately 75 percent increase in 35 years. The
adoption of strong State seat belt use laws and high visibility
enforcement programs such as Click It or Ticket have been
instrumental in bringing about this major cultural shift. The
result is that more than 14,000 lives were saved in 2016 due to
seat belt use, but some States still lag in their belt use
rates. An estimated 50 percent of passenger vehicle occupant
fatalities are unbelted, and millions are not using the most
effective safety equipment in their vehicles. A technology
solution, such as enhanced belt use reminders for drivers and
passengers, might be useful to reach the goal of universal belt
use and save lives. The Committee therefore directs NHTSA to
provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of this act, on the
potential types and benefits of technology enhancements to
increase seat belt use and efforts by the agency and vehicle
manufacturers to increase belt use through technology.
Child Hyperthermia Prevention.--The Committee continues to
recognize the child safety crisis involving children left alone
in motor vehicles who succumb to hyperthermia, and has
favorably cited the awareness programs conducted by NHTSA. The
Committee directs NHTSA to continue and expand its public
education and outreach efforts on child hot car death
prevention through a public call to action encouraging public
messaging and involvement from a broad group of organizations,
government agencies, medical professionals and others who
regularly interact with parents and the public. The Committee
also directs NHTSA to provide updates on previously mandated
studies and outreach efforts, including findings on
effectiveness and statistics and trends on injuries and deaths
associated with hyperthermia.
Recall Component Parts.--Section 24116 of the FAST Act
requires auto manufacturers to provide component names,
descriptions, and part number information in recall reports
they file with NHTSA. However, there is no method for
businesses who recycle or repair automotive parts to look up
individual parts involved in a recall by Vehicle Identification
Number [VIN]. The Committee directs NHTSA to update the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on manufacturers'
compliance rates with the FAST Act mandate and to provide the
Committees with an analysis of what benefits could be achieved
through a searchable VIN database and the resources that would
be required to implement such a database within 120 days
enactment of this act.

HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018........................................ $597,629,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 610,208,000
Committee recommendation................................ 610,208,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The most recent surface transportation authorization, the
FAST Act, reauthorizes the section 402 State and community
formula grants, the high visibility enforcement grants, and the
consolidated National Priority Safety Program which consists of
occupant protection grants, State traffic safety information
grants, impaired driving countermeasures grants, distracted
driving grants, motorcycle safety grants, State graduated
driver license grants, and nonmotorized safety grants.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and
authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract
authorization of $610,208,000 for the highway traffic safety
grant programs funded under this heading. The recommended
limitation is equal to the budget estimate and $12,579,000
above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee continues to recommend prohibiting the use of
section 402 funds for construction, rehabilitation or
remodeling costs, or for office furnishings and fixtures for
State, local, or private buildings or structures.
The authorized funding for administrative expenses and for
each grant program is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highway Safety Programs (section 402)................. $270,400,000
National Priority Safety Programs (section 405)....... 283,000,000
High Visibility Enforcement Program................... 30,200,000
Administrative Expenses............................... 26,608,000
Total........................................... 610,208,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION

Section 140 makes available $130,000 of obligation
authority for section 402 of title 23 U.S.C. to pay for travel
and expenses for State management reviews and highway safety
staff core competency development training.
Section 141 exempts obligation authority, made available in
previous public laws, from limitations on obligations for the
current year.
Section 142 provides additional funding for highway safety
programs.

Federal Railroad Administration

The Federal Railroad Administration [FRA] became an
operating administration within the Department of
Transportation on April 1, 1967. It incorporated the Bureau of
Railroad Safety from the Interstate Commerce Commission, the
Office of High Speed Ground Transportation from the Department
of Commerce, and the Alaska Railroad from the Department of the
Interior. FRA is responsible for planning, developing, and
administering programs to achieve safe operating and mechanical
practices in the railroad industry. Grants to the National
Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak] and other financial
assistance programs to rehabilitate and improve the railroad
industry's physical infrastructure are also administered by the
Federal Railroad Administration.

SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $221,698,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 202,304,000
Committee recommendation................................ 221,698,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Safety and Operations account provides support for FRA
rail safety activities and all other administrative and
operating activities related to staff and programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recognizes the importance of taking a
holistic approach to improving railroad safety and supports a
comprehensive strategy of data-driven regulatory and inspection
efforts, proactive approaches to identify and mitigate risks,
and strategic capital investments in order to improve safety.
The Committee recommends $221,698,000 for Safety and
Operations for fiscal year 2019, which is $19,394,000 more than
the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The bill provides sufficient funding to administer FRA
programs, including safety inspection, the safe transportation
of energy products, the Confidential Close Call Program, the
national bridge system inventory, grant administration, the
Railroad Safety Information System, research and development
activities, and contract support. The Committee recommendation
continues to include $10,000,000 for staff and contractors to
aid and oversee Positive Train Control [PTC] implementation.
The Committee remains concerned with delays in hiring staff for
PTC oversight and expects the Secretary to hire staff up to the
appropriated levels.
Automated Track Inspection Program [ATIP].--ATIP provides
track geometry information, as well as other track-related
performance data, to assess compliance with FRA Track Safety
Standards. The data collected by ATIP is used by FRA inspectors
and railroads to ensure proper track maintenance and to assess
track safety trends within the industry. The Committee
recommendation includes $16,500,000 for ATIP and urges FRA to
continue to expand the use of ATIP vehicles to support the
inspection of routes transporting passengers and hazardous
materials like crude oil and energy products.
Positive Train Control.--On May 16, 2018, the Committee
held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of Rail Safety Programs''
to examine the status of PTC implementation and other rail
safety programs. Many railroads have made significant progress
and are on schedule to either meet the December 31, 2018,
deadline or qualify for an alternative schedule until December
31, 2020, but several railroads at risk of having to curtail or
cancel service. Congress has provided significant funding to
help railroads meet the deadline, but the Department has
unnecessarily delayed and complicated the release of this
funding. Funding for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and
Safety Improvements [CRISI] grant program for fiscal year 2017
was appropriated in May 2017, but the NOFO was not issued by
the Department until February 2018, a nine month delay. Awards
have yet to be made. For fiscal year 2018, the Department
issued a NOFO within two months of the date of enactment, but
only for $250,000,000 of the $592,547,000 appropriated. The
Committee specifically set aside a minimum of $250,000,000 for
PTC grants, but the Department's decision to bifurcate funding
into two separate NOFOs essentially prevents the remaining
funds from being used for PTC implementation in this fiscal
year. Given the widespread demand for PTC assistance among
commuter railroads, many of which are struggling to install
hardware and train employees by December 31, 2018, the
Department's decision is counterproductive. The Committee
recommendation includes deadlines for administering FRA's grant
programs to demonstrate the urgency of making these funds
available. In addition, not later than September 30, 2018, FRA
is directed to submit to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations a report providing: (1) a determination as to
status of all railroads meeting, or qualifying for an extension
of, the December 31, 2018, deadline for the implementation of
PTC, (2) an enforcement plan against railroads that do not
qualify for a PTC extension, (3) an assessment of the effects
on rail service for those railroads not expected to qualify for
an extension, and (4) a plan for conducting reviews under 49
U.S.C. 20157(a)(3) in compliance with applicable statutory time
limits.
Bench Test Equipment.--The Committee recognizes the crucial
role test equipment plays in rail safety and continues to
encourage FRA to adopt standardized Bench Test Equipment [BTE]
to replace numerous legacy and aging test and diagnostic
equipment. Standardization on proven performance verification
methods could provide increased safety for the traveling
public, shorter schedules for new technology deployments, such
as PTC or communications-based train control, reduce down time
related to faulty systems, and reduce or eliminate serious
accidents. Therefore, the Committee encourages DOT to work with
the private sector to perform an extended business case
analysis supporting standardized performance verification and
diagnostics for safety critical electronics systems. The study
should involve DOT and local transit authorities implementing
an interoperable open architecture BTE. Similar efforts have
proven successful in reducing overall cost while increasing
safety when sponsored by the FAA and the Department of Defense.

RAILROAD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $40,600,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 19,550,000
Committee recommendation................................ 40,600,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Railroad Research and Development program provides
science and technology support for FRA's rail safety rulemaking
and enforcement efforts. It also supports technological
advances in conventional and high-speed railroads, as well as
evaluations of the role of railroads in the Nation's
transportation system.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $40,600,000
for railroad Research and Development, which is $21,050,000
more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
Short Line Safety Institute.--Short line railroads operate
approximately 50,000 miles of track, which is one-third of the
national railroad network. They are an important feeder system
for the larger Class I railroads, helping connect local
communities to the national railroad network. There are 550
short line railroads operating in the United States, 73 of
which currently handle some volume of energy products. The
safety management system of short lines is extremely varied.
Many small railroads with limited personnel and limited
financial capital need additional resources to conduct
hazardous materials safety training and other operational
safety assessments. The Committee continues to support FRA's
efforts, in partnership with short line and regional railroads,
to build a stronger, more sustainable safety culture in this
segment of the rail industry. To date, several Class III
railroads, including those that transport crude oil, have
received safety culture assessments in order to improve
railroad safety culture. The Committee's recommendation
includes $2,500,000 to fund the Short Line Safety Institute and
its mission, including continued efforts to improve the safe
transportation of crude oil, other hazardous materials,
freight, and passenger rail.
Tank Car Research.--The Committee remains committed to rail
safety through significant investments in rail safety
personnel, research, grants, and oversight. The Committee's
recommendation includes sufficient funding to continue tank car
research activities related to the safe transportation of
energy products in partnership with other Federal agencies.
Research Partnerships with Universities.--The Committee's
recommendation includes up to $5,000,000 for partnerships with
qualified universities on research related to improving the
safety, capacity, and efficiency of the Nation's rail
infrastructure, including $1,000,000 for research on
intelligent railroad systems. This includes basic and applied
research related to rolling stock, operational reliability,
infrastructure, inspection technology, maintenance, energy
efficiency, the development of rail safety technologies, such
as positive train control, grade crossing safety improvements,
and derailment prevention, particularly for trains carrying
passengers and hazardous materials. Research conducted in
conjunction with FRA at universities should also be structured
to facilitate the education and training of the next generation
of professionals in rail engineering and transportation.

RAILROAD REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING PROGRAM

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing
[RRIF] program was established by Public Law 109-178 to provide
direct loans and loan guarantees to State and local
governments, Government-sponsored entities, and railroads.
Credit assistance under the program may be used for
rehabilitating or developing rail equipment and facilities.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation allows the credit risk premium
for RRIF loans to be eligible for grants under the National
Infrastructure Investments account.
RRIF Credit Risk Premium Repayment.--A requirement to
define ``cohorts'' in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018
if executed, would unintentionally result in a modification
cost for CRP repayment and, instead of being treated as a
reestimate, as defined by the Federal Credit Reform Act [FCRA],
such modification cost would require upfront budget authority
to execute. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 provided
a $25,000,000 appropriation for RRIF, but the intent of the
Committee was for those funds to be used for the cost of new
loans, not modification costs. The Committee recommendation
does not continue the 2018 requirement for an annual cohort
definition, and instead, DOT and OMB should establish a
definition of cohorts that is consistent with section 504(e) of
FCRA and RRIF statutory requirements. This recommendation, by
simply accelerating the timing of defining cohort, would not
change the definition from the underlying statute and
regulations, and would ensure that the $25,000,000 provided in
the 2018 Omnibus would be available for the cost of new RRIF
loans, while at the same time hopefully minimizing the length
of time the government retains possession of the CRP balances.

FEDERAL-STATE PARTNERSHIP FOR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 300,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair
Grant program provides support for capital projects that reduce
the state of good repair backlog with respect to qualified
railroad assets, as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24911.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $300,000,000 for the Federal-State
Partnership for State of Good Repair Grants [SOGR], which is
$300,000,000 more than the budget request and $50,000,000 more
than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The recommendation is
consistent with the level authorized under section 11103 of
Public Law 114-94. The Committee is aware of the growing
backlog of state of good repair and improvement needs on many
of the country's important passenger routes. The Committee is
dismayed by the lack of urgency demonstrated by the Department
in issuing the NOFO for SOGR funding appropriated in fiscal
years 2017 and 2018 to improve the safety and state of good
repair of the Nation's railroad system. The Committee directs
the Department to publish a NOFO consistent with the
eligibility guidelines from the FAST Act for all appropriated
funding for SOGR from fiscal years 2017, 2018 and 2019 within
30 days of the date of enactment of this act and to make awards
to eligible grantees within 180 days of the date of enactment
of this act.

CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $592,547,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 255,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety
Improvements [CRISI] Grants provide support for projects
authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24407(c).

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $255,000,000 for the CRISI Grants,
which is $255,000,000 more than the budget request and
$337,547,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. This
recommendation is consistent with the level authorized under
section 11102 of Public Law 114-94, of which 25 percent shall
be available for projects in rural areas. The Committee notes
that PTC-related implementation costs are eligible expenses and
directs the Department to prioritize these funds for railroads
most at risk of not meeting the PTC deadline. The Committee
recognizes the importance of improving the safety of rail
transportation, both freight and passenger, as well as
improving the safety of our entire transportation network.
The Committee directs the Department to release a NOFO that
encompasses the remaining fiscal year 2018 CRISI funds and the
fiscal year 2019 funds provided in this act within 30 days of
the enactment of this act and to clarify that these funds are
eligible for PTC-related expenses. Furthermore, the Department
is directed to make awards to eligible grantees using the
entirety of any remaining funds from fiscal year 2018 and the
funds provided in fiscal year 2019 within 120 days of enactment
of this act, to assist with implementation costs for railroads
that are behind schedule or that received extensions, as well
as ongoing maintenance costs for railroads that have systems
already in place, remain eligible for these funds.
The Committee encourages the Secretary to allow recipients
to use grant funds for eligible non-construction expenses, such
as the installation of onboard locomotive apparatuses, back
office server technology, and other core functionalities of
PTC. After obligation, the Secretary may reimburse recipients
for such expenses even if such expenses were incurred before
the completion of Federal environmental reviews conducted to
support the obligation, as permitted by law. Maintenance and
operations costs incurred after a PTC system is placed in
revenue service are not eligible.

RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $20,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 10,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Restoration and Enhancement Grant program provides
support for operating assistance and capital investments to
initiate, restore, or enhance intercity passenger rail service,
as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24408.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for Restoration and
Enhancement Grants, which is $10,000,000 more than the budget
request and $10,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The Committee expects non-Federal stakeholders to make
financial or in-kind contributions to projects receiving awards
under this program. The Committee directs the Department to
publish a NOFO for Restoration and Enhancement Grants within 30
days of enactment of this act and to make awards to eligible
grantees within 120 days of enactment of this act.

THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION [AMTRAK]

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,941,600,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 737,897,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,941,600,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak]
operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the
District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in
various capacities for several commuter rail agencies. Congress
created Amtrak in the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970
(Public Law 91-518) in response to private carriers' inability
to profitably operate intercity passenger rail service.
Thereafter, Amtrak assumed the common carrier obligations of
the private railroads in exchange for the right to priority
access to their tracks for incremental cost.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of
$1,941,600,000 for Amtrak, which is $1,203,703,000 more than
the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The Committee directs FRA to make a timely disbursement
of funds in accordance with the FAST Act to maximize the
Corporation's ability to efficiently manage its cash flow. Each
year, Amtrak is responsible for significant one-time cash
overflows at the beginning of the calendar year. In order to
help facilitate these payments, the Committee directs the FRA
to release adequate funding in the first quarter of the fiscal
year in order to efficiently manage Amtrak's financial
obligations in a timely manner.
Speed Limit Action Plans.--The Committee notes that section
11406 of the FAST Act required each railroad carrier providing
intercity or commuter rail service to survey its entire system
and identify each curve, bridge, or tunnel requiring a
reduction of more than 20 miles per hour from the approach
speed and to submit an action plan detailing steps the railroad
carrier would take to enhance safety at these locations. Based
on the timeline within the FAST Act, such plans were due to the
FRA by July 4, 2016, and FRA subsequently had 90 days to
approve or disapprove such plans. The Committee is concerned
that these speed limit action plans do not reflect new routes
or segments of track that railroad carriers have put into
service after the initial plan submissions. The Committee
remains concerned about the dangers of over-speed derailments
on routes where PTC is not fully implemented and in service.
The Committee directs Amtrak to complete and implement a speed
limit action plan, as defined in section 11406 of the FAST Act,
for each route on its network until such route has PTC fully
implemented and operational.
Improving Communication with Stakeholders.--The Committee
applauds Amtrak's efforts to make itself financially more
sustainable through a business-like approach to its operations.
However, the Committee is concerned that the Corporation is
failing to communicate adequately with the public prior to
making service changes that have significant impacts on its
ridership and the communities it serves. This past year, Amtrak
made a series of changes to longstanding policies governing
charter trains, special trains, station agents, and private
cars. Many of these changes were justified adjustments to
services that were costly or interfered with the operation of
Amtrak's regularly scheduled passenger trains. However, the
Committee is concerned that Amtrak unveiled these decisions
without giving members of the public time to react or register
their opinions.
Amtrak is, at times, one of the only operators available to
private and non-profit organizations that utilize charter
trains, special trains, and private trains, making its
cooperation and communication with those organizations critical
to their existence. In order to improve the transparency of
Amtrak's recent decisions, the Committee directs Amtrak to
report on the effects of its changes in policy to charter
trains, special trains, and private trains, including impacts
on on-time performance, operational efficiency, and revenue.
The information in the report should inform the Committee
whether these policies could be improved upon without
negatively impacting previously provided services. This report
shall be included within Amtrak's fiscal year 2020 budget
request and include metrics used to determine pricing for these
services.
The Committee encourages Amtrak to improve public outreach
and offer its stakeholders an opportunity to comment on
policies that affect services prior to finalizing any such
decisions. This consultation should include communication prior
to changing previous commitments made by Amtrak regarding
conditions of acceptance of Federal grant funding.
Amtrak Station Agents.--The Committee recognizes that while
the majority of Amtrak's ticket sales take place online, there
are still areas in the country lacking sufficient access to the
Internet, making online sales prohibitively difficult. Senior
residents and disadvantaged populations are less likely to have
a credit card or another means to purchase tickets remotely,
but rely on passenger rail for intercity connectivity,
particularly in communities without access to air travel.
Station agents can provide customer service, assistance, and
safety for passengers in those communities in ways that a
ticket kiosk simply cannot. The Committee directs Amtrak to
provide at least one station agent in every state where it
operates that had at least one station agent in fiscal year
2018, and reiterates its encouragement to improve public
outreach prior to making customer service changes.
Budget and Business Plan.--The Committee continues to
direct Amtrak to submit a business plan in accordance with
section 11203(b) of Public Law 114-94 for fiscal year 2019. The
Corporation shall continue to submit a budget request for
fiscal year 2020 to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations in similar format and substance to those
submitted by executive agencies of the Federal Government.
FRA Grant Administration and Report Streamlining.--The
Committee recognizes that Amtrak fields a myriad of grant
requirements from the FRA. The Committee is supportive of
robust oversight by the FRA; however, to the extent
practicable, the FRA is encouraged to work with Amtrak to
reduce duplication and streamline their reporting requirements.
Train Scheduling.--The Committee recognizes the role of
passenger rail as an alternative to airplane travel in certain
areas, especially for distances under 500 miles. However,
weekday Amtrak service between Washington and Boston contains a
striking gap between afternoon trains. On a typical afternoon,
there is over a six-hour gap between the Washington to Boston
Northeast Regional train that leaves around 4:00 p.m. and the
next train that leaves after 10:00 p.m. The Committee directs
the Department and Amtrak to evaluate options to address this
scheduling gap and report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 90 days of the enactment of this act.
Such options should contain no more than a two-hour gap between
trains between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. and
include cost estimates for each option.
Food and Beverage.--Since 2015, the Committee has required
Amtrak to report on its savings initiatives. The FAST Act
formalized this planning and implementation process providing
specific requirements to eliminate operating losses associated
with providing food and beverage services on board Amtrak
trains by 2020. The Committee urges Amtrak to continue to take
actions that would allow it to produce a net loss of zero on
its food and beverage services consistent with the FAST Act
deadline. The Committee directs Amtrak to provide a report to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than
120 days after enactment of this act comparing the actual
fiscal year 2018 savings with Amtrak projections.

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER
CORPORATION

The Committee recommends $650,000,000 for Northeast
Corridor Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes
no more than $5,000,000 for the use of the Northeast Corridor
Commission established under section 24905 of title 49, United
States Code.

NATIONAL NETWORK GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

The Committee recommends $1,291,600,000 for National
Network Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes
no more than $2,000,000 for use of the State-Supported Route
Committee established in the FAST Act and at least $50,000,000
shall be for installation of safety technology on certain
State-supported routes.
National Network Services.--Long-distance routes provide
much needed transportation access for 4.7 million riders in 325
communities in 40 States. Providing diversified transportation
options is important to the growth of the Nation's economy,
especially in rural areas where mobility options are limited.
Equally important are routes that provide service to rural
areas from urban areas along the Northeast Corridor. The budget
request includes a proposal to require States to contribute
substantially more funding for service on the National Network,
which would significantly curtail the Federal Government's
longstanding role in providing rail service to the vast
majority of States served by Amtrak. The administration's
request would shift significant shared and system-related costs
to the NEC and State-supported routes. The Committee
recommendation rejects this proposal and includes sufficient
funding for Amtrak to maintain rail service and connectivity on
the National Network.
On-Time Performance Study.--The Government Accountability
Office [GAO] is directed to issue a report that will include:
(1) a description of the processes used to collect and
calculate Amtrak on-time performance data and metrics; (2) a
description of the processes used to determine the causes of
on-time performance delays, such as signal delays, freight
train interference, or routing; and (3) an assessment of the
process used to coordinate between Amtrak and host railroads to
confirm and finalize on-time performance data and metrics. The
report may also include recommendations for improving the way
on-time performance data is collected and how communication
between Amtrak and host railroads regarding on-time performance
data collection can be improved.
The Committee directs the GAO to submit this report to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days
of enactment of this act.
Gulf Coast Rail Service.--Section 11304 of the FAST Act
required the Gulf Coast Working Group [GCWG], to evaluate all
options for restoring passenger rail service in the gulf coast
region, select a preferred option for service, develop an
inventory and cost estimate of capital projects to restore
service, and identify Federal and non-Federal funding to
restore service. The Committee is encouraged by progress the
GCWG is making to restore service between New Orleans,
Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama. The Committee recommendation
includes $10,000,000 in Restoration and Enhancement Grants for
operating assistance for projects that contribute to the
initiation or restoration of intercity passenger rail service.
The Committee expects non-Federal stakeholders to make
financial or in-kind contributions to projects receiving awards
under this program. In addition, the Committee directs FRA to
make the $500,000 previously appropriated available to the Gulf
Coast Working Group.
Passenger Rail in the Bakken Region.--The Committee
recognizes the importance of improving the financial viability
of Amtrak's Empire Builder and the growth in demand for
passenger rail service in the Bakken region and the northern
corridor. The Committee directs Amtrak to continue to work with
local officials, taking into account the results of the updated
Amtrak Empire Builder feasibility study, to address the
prospect of adding new passenger rail stops that generate
revenue and reduce operating costs of the Empire Builder and
other national network routes.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Section 150 limits overtime payments to employees at Amtrak
to $35,000 per employee. However, Amtrak's president may waive
this restriction for specific employees for safety or
operational efficiency reasons. If the cap is waived, Amtrak
must notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
within 30 days and specify the number of employees receiving
waivers and the total amount of overtime payments made to
employees receiving waivers.

Federal Transit Administration

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Transit Administration [FTA] was established as
a component of the Department of Transportation by
Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1968, effective July 1, 1968,
which transferred most of the functions and programs under the
Federal Transit Act of 1964, as amended (78 Stat. 302; 49
U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), from the Department of Housing and Urban
Development. The missions of the FTA are: to help develop
improved mass transportation systems and practices; to support
the inclusion of public transportation in community and
regional planning to support economic development; to provide
mobility for Americans who depend on transit for transportation
in both metropolitan and rural areas; to maximize the
productivity and efficiency of transportation systems; and to
provide assistance to State and local governments and agencies
in financing such services and systems.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level
of $13,513,672,000 is provided for FTA programs in fiscal year
2019. The recommendation is $2,395,110,000 more than the budget
request and $33,194,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highway trust
General fund fund Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation 2018........................................ $3,747,125,000 $9,733,353,407 $13,480,478,000
Budget estimate, 2019..................................... 1,179,182,000 9,939,380,030 11,118,562,030
Committee recommendation.................................. 3,436,448,000 9,939,380,030 13,513,672,030
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $113,165,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 111,742,000
Committee recommendation................................ 113,165,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Administrative expenses fund personnel, contract resources,
information technology, space management, travel, training, and
other administrative expenses necessary to carry out FTA's
mission to support, improve, and help ensure the safety of
public transportation systems.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $113,165,000 from the
general fund for the agency's salaries and administrative
expenses. The recommended level of funding is $1,423,000 more
than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
Project Management Oversight [PMO] Activities.--The
Committee directs FTA to continue to submit to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations the quarterly PMO reports
for each project with a full funding grant agreement.
Full Funding Grant Agreements [FFGAs].--Section 5309(k) of
title 49, U.S.C. requires that FTA notify the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations, as well as the House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 30 days before executing a
FFGA. In its notification to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations, the Committee directs FTA to submit the
following information: (1) a copy of the proposed FFGA; (2) the
total and annual Federal appropriations required for the
project; (3) the yearly and total Federal appropriations that
can be planned or anticipated for existing FFGAs for each
fiscal year through 2020; (4) a detailed analysis of annual
commitments for current and anticipated FFGAs against the
program authorization, by individual project; (5) a financial
analysis of the project's cost and sponsor's ability to finance
the project, which shall be conducted by an independent
examiner and which shall include an assessment of the capital
cost estimate and finance plan; (6) the source and security of
all public and private sector financing; (7) the project's
operating plan, which enumerates the project's future revenue
and ridership forecasts; and (8) a listing of all planned
contingencies and possible risks associated with the project.
The Committee also directs FTA to inform the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing 30 days before
approving schedule, scope, or budget changes to any FFGA.
Correspondence relating to all changes shall include any budget
revisions or pro- gram changes that materially alter the
project as originally stipulated in the FFGA, including any
proposed change in rail car procurement.
The Committee directs FTA to continue to provide a monthly
Capital Investment Grant program update to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations, detailing the status of each
project. This update should include anticipated milestone
schedules for advancing projects, especially those within 2
years of a proposed FFGA. It should also highlight and explain
any potential cost and schedule changes affecting projects.
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility.--In 2018, the
Committee directed the Coordinating Council on Access and
Mobility to develop a plan, and report to Congress within 180
days, with options to eliminate duplication, provide efficient
serve service for people in need, and increase coordination
between the various Federal departments operating programs for
the transportation-disadvantaged. The Committee maintains the
requirement and directs the Department to provide a status
update on the report.
Commuter Rail Service in States Neighboring Washington,
DC.--The Committee is concerned that transit service for
Federal workers in the Washington, DC area may become disrupted
for those living in nearby States if service is suspended or
terminated on lines relied upon by employees. The Committee
encourages FTA to work with States to help them maintain rail
service providing commuter access to Washington, DC.

FORMULA GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORITY)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obligation
limitation
(trust fund)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018.................................. $9,733,353,407
Budget estimate, 2019................................. 9,939,380,030
Committee recommendation.............................. 9,939,380,030
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Communities use Formula Grants funds for bus and railcar
purchases, facility repair and construction, maintenance, and
where eligible, planning and operating expenses. The Formula
Grants account includes funding for the following programs:
transit-oriented development; planning programs; urbanized area
formula grants; enhanced mobility for seniors and individuals
with disabilities; a pilot program for enhanced mobility;
formula grants for rural areas; public transportation
innovation; technical assistance and workforce development,
including a national transit institute; a bus testing facility;
the national transit database; state of good repairs grants;
bus and bus facilities formulas grants; and growing States and
high-density States formula grants. Set-asides from formula
funds are directed to a grant program for each State with rail
systems not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration to
meet the requirements for a State Safety Oversight program. The
account also provides funding to support passenger ferry
services and public transportation on Indian reservations.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends limiting obligations in the
transit formula and bus grants account in fiscal year 2019 to
$9,939,380,030. The recommendation is equal to the budget
request and $206,027,623 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The recommendation is also consistent with the currently
authorized level under the FAST Act. The Committee recommends
$9,900,000,000 in authority to liquidate contract
authorizations. This amount is sufficient to cover outstanding
obligations from this account. The following table displays the
distribution of obligation limitation among the program
categories of formula grants:

DISTRIBUTION OF OBLIGATION LIMITATION AMONG MAJOR CATEGORIES OF FORMULA GRANTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 2019
Formula grants (obligation -----------------------------------
limitation) Section number Fiscal year 2018 Administration Committee
proposal assumption
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transit Oriented Development....... 20005(b)............. $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000
Planning Programs.................. 5305................. 136,200,310 139,087,757 139,087,757
Urbanized Area Formula Grants...... 5307................. 4,726,907,174 4,827,117,606 4,827,117,606
Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and 5310................. 273,840,764 279,646,188 279,646,188
Individuals with Disabilities..
Pilot Program for Enhanced Mobility 3006(b).............. 3,250,000 3,500,000 3,500,000
Formula Grants for Rural Areas..... 5311................. 645,634,578 659,322,031 659,322,031
Public Transportation Innovation... 5312................. 28,000,000 28,000,000 28,000,000
Technical Assistance and Workforce 5314................. 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000
Development.
Bus Testing Facilities............. 5318................. 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000
National Transit Database.......... 5335................. 4,000,000 4,000,000 4,000,000
State of Good Repair Grants........ 5337................. 2,593,703,558 2,638,366,859 2,638,366,859
Bus and Bus Facilities Grants...... 5339................. 747,033,476 777,024,469 777,024,469
Growing States and High Density 5340................. 552,783,547 561,315,120 561,315,120
States.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total........................ ..................... 9,733,353,407 9,939,380,030 9,939,380,030
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program.--The Committee
continues to support the FAST Act's inclusion of competitive
grants in the buses and bus facilities grant program and
continues to encourage FTA to follow the guidance set forth in
the FAST Act when developing selection criteria for the
program. Consistent with section 3017 of the FAST Act, the age
and condition of buses, bus fleets, related equipment, and bus-
related facilities should be the primary consideration for
selection criteria.
Low-Emissions Transit in Non-Attainment Areas.--The
Committee directs FTA to partner with experienced transit
research consortia to research best practices for increasing
deployment of low-emissions public transportation in non-
attainment areas.
Improving Rural Transit Access.--The Committee continues to
recognize the importance of ensuring safe, private
transportation is made available for seniors and people who do
not drive, especially in small and rural communities where
distance and low population density make traditional mass
transportation difficult. The efficiencies of information
management can help to provide on-demand transportation
services and bring together underutilized private
transportation capacity through ride share, car share,
volunteer transport, and private community transport. The
Committee encourages FTA to consider innovative transportation
networks that leverage community volunteerism and private
resources in various forms to access underutilized private
transportation capacity to promote inclusive community mobility
and provide transportation for seniors and disadvantaged
populations in small and rural communities. Further, the
Committee supports increasing the capacity of consumers to plan
their travel safely, independently, and reliably through a
variety of techniques and tools.

TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $834,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 800,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for Transit Infrastructure
Grants to address targeted capital, operating, and state of
good repair needs for public transportation providers and
services across America.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an additional $800,000,000 in
transit infrastructure grants to remain available until
expended. Of the funds provided, $400,000,000 is available for
buses and bus facilities grants authorized under 49 U.S.C.
5339, of which $209,104,000 is provided for formula grants,
$161,446,000 is provided for competitive grants, and
$29,450,000 is provided for low or no emission grants. In
addition, $362,000,000 is available for state of good repair
grants authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5337, $30,000,000 is provided
for high density State apportionments authorized under 49
U.S.C. 5340(d), $2,000,000 is provided for the bus testing
facility authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5318, and $6,000,000 is
provided for bus testing facilities authorized under 49 U.S.C.
5312(h). The Committee recommendation includes funding from the
general fund, and the funding is not subject to any limitation
on obligations.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The FAST Act authorizes FTA to provide technical assistance
under section 5314 of title 49 for human resource and training
activities, and workforce development programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $5,000,000 for
technical assistance and training, of which up to $1,500,000
shall fund cooperative agreements between FTA and small-urban,
rural and tribal public transit recipients and organizations to
assist with applied innovation and capacity building. The
Committee recognizes the need among transit providers serving
small cities and rural communities for technical assistance to
help them take advantage of new technologies, including ride-
hailing applications, autonomous shuttles, and micro-transit
innovations, that are transforming how Americans use public
transportation. This funding will provide rural and small city
transit operators with hands-on technical assistance that will
assist with the adoption of these new tools.
The Committee expects funding under this heading to address
workforce development needs within the public transportation
industry, in addition to technical assistance and training to
increase mobility for people with disabilities and older
adults.

CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,644,960,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,000,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,552,687,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Under the Capital Investment Grants [CIG] program, FTA
provides grants to fund the building of new fixed guideway
systems or extensions and improvements to existing fixed
guideway systems. Eligible services include light rail, rapid
rail (heavy rail), commuter rail, and bus rapid transit. The
program includes funding for four categories of eligible
projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309, and section 3005(b)
of the FAST Act: New Starts, Small Starts, Core Capacity, and
the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program. New Starts are
projects with a Federal share under this section of at least
$100,000,000 or a total net capital cost of at least
$300,000,000. By comparison, Small Starts are projects with a
Federal share under this section of less than $100,000,000--and
total net capital cost less than $300,000,000. Core Capacity
projects are those that will expand capacity by at least 10
percent in existing fixed-guideway transit corridors that are
already at or above capacity, or are expected to be at or above
capacity within 5 years. The FAST Act authorizes eight projects
under the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program, consisting
of New Starts, Small Starts, or Core Capacity, that require no
more than a 25 percent Federal share and are supported, in
part, by a public private partnership.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,552,687,000 for capital
investment grants, which is $92,273,000 less than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level, and $1,552,687,000 more than the
request. The Committee recommendation includes $1,315,670,000
for new starts projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(d),
$543,500,000 for core capacity projects authorized under 49
U.S.C. 5309(e), $568,000,000 for small starts projects
authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(h) and $100,000,000 for
expedited project delivery for capital projects authorized
under section 3005(b) of the FAST Act.
Project Pipeline.--The Committee is concerned with
unnecessary delays for projects seeking advancement into
engineering or a grant agreement. These delays are costly for
local project sponsors and create uncertainty for transit
planners and providers across the country. The Committee
directs the Secretary to continue to advance eligible projects
into project development and engineering in the capital
investment grant evaluation, rating, and approval process
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5309 and section 3005(b) of the FAST Act
in all cases when projects meet the statutory criteria. The
Committee also directs the Secretary to provide notice to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of not less than
90 days prior to altering or rescinding any rule, circular or
guidance relating to the evaluation, rating and approval
process pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5309.
Program Implementation.--GAO recently evaluated FTA's
compliance with requirements included in MAP-21 and the FAST
Act. According to the report, FTA has failed to issue
regulations establishing the evaluation and rating process for
Core Capacity Improvement projects, has failed to establish a
program of interrelated projects that would allow for the
simultaneous development of more than one project within the
CIG program, and has failed to implement the Expedited Project
Delivery for Capital Investment Grants Pilot program. The
Committee is particularly concerned that FTA has no immediate
plans to address outstanding statutory provisions because the
Administration's budget request does not include any new CIG
projects. The Committee is dismayed that FTA is ignoring
statutory mandates in order to reflect a budget request that
has been consistently rejected by Congress and directs the
Department to implement the GAO recommendations within 60 days
of the date of enactment of this act.
Annual Report on Funding Recommendations.--The Committee
directs the Secretary to submit the fiscal year 2020 annual
report on funding recommendations required by 49 U.S.C.
5309(o), and directs the Secretary to maintain the Federal
Government funding commitments for all existing grant
agreements and identify all projects with a medium or higher
rating that anticipate requesting a grant agreement in fiscal
year 2020.

GRANTS TO THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $150,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 120,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 150,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides assistance to the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA]. The Federal Rail
Safety Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-432, title VI,
section 601) authorized DOT to make up to $150,000,000
available to WMATA annually for capital and preventive
maintenance for a 10-year period.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $150,000,000 for
grants to WMATA for capital and preventive maintenance
expenses, including pressing safety-related investments, which
is $30,000,000 more than the budget request and equal to the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level. These grants are in addition to
the Federal formula and competitive grant funding WMATA
receives and funding local jurisdictions have committed to
providing to WMATA. The Committee directs WMATA, the local
jurisdictions and FTA to continue to work with the authorizing
committees on the issue of an authorization extension and on
reforms necessary to ensure that any future Federal resources
will be used efficiently.
State of Good Repair.--While the Committee is encouraged by
the progress made through WMATA's SafeTrack program, the
Committee is concerned that WMATA has plans to conduct
additional track and station closures for extended periods of
time, particularly in areas that previously experienced
significant disruptions during SafeTrack. The Committee
appreciates WMATA's acceleration of renewal work, but is
concerned about the decrease in ridership and rising capital
needs and operating costs such service disruptions can cause.
Financial Management.--The bill directs the Secretary to
provide grants to WMATA only after receiving and reviewing a
request for each specific project to be funded under this
heading. The bill requires the Secretary to determine that
WMATA has placed the highest priority on funding projects that
will improve the safety of its public transit system before
approving these grants, using the recommendations and
directives of the NTSB and FTA as a guide. The Committee
encourages the Secretary and WMATA to consider efficiencies
that can be leveraged in the procurement of capital and
preventative maintenance expenses.
Wireless Service Extension.--The Committee reluctantly
provides another 1-year extension for the wireless service
requirement in the authorization statute. The Committee directs
WMATA to continue to provide the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations a quarterly report detailing its progress
installing wireless service. The Committee directs WMATA to
incorporate the installation of wireless infrastructure into
the anticipated track and station closures where feasible to
expedite provision of wireless service.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

Section 160 exempts authority previously made available for
programs of the FTA under section 5338 of title 49, United
States Code, from the obligation limitations in this act.
Section 161 allows funds appropriated before October 1,
2018, that remain available for expenditure to be transferred
to the most recent appropriation heading.
Section 162 rescinds unobligated amounts made available for
fiscal years 2005 or prior fiscal years to ``Transit Formula
Grants.''

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation [SLSDC]
is a wholly-owned Government corporation established by the
Saint Lawrence Seaway Act of May 13, 1954 (33 U.S.C. 981). The
Saint Lawrence Seaway [Seaway] is a vital transportation
corridor for the international movement of bulk commodities,
such as steel, iron, grain, and coal, serving the North
American region that makes up one-quarter of the United States
population and nearly one-half of the Canadian population.
SLSDC is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and
development of the United States' portion of the Seaway between
Montreal and Lake Erie.

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (HARBOR MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $40.000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 28,837,000
Committee recommendation................................ 36,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund [HMTF] was established by
the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-
662). Since 1987, the HMTF has supported the operations and
maintenance of commercial harbor projects maintained by the
Federal Government. Appropriations from the HMTF and revenues
from non-Federal sources finance the operation and maintenance
of those portions of the Seaway for which SLSDC is responsible.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $36,000,000 for the operations,
maintenance, and capital asset renewal activities of SLSDC, of
which not less than $16,000,000 is provided for capital asset
renewal activities. This amount is $7,163,000 greater than the
budget request and is $4,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018
enacted level.
The Committee directs SLSDC to continue to submit an annual
report to the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations,
not later than April 30, summarizing the activities of the
Asset Renewal Program during the immediate preceding fiscal
year.

Maritime Administration

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Administration [MARAD] is responsible for
programs authorized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as
amended (46 App. U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). MARAD is also
responsible for programs that strengthen the U.S. maritime
industry in support of the Nation's security and economic
needs. MARAD prioritizes the Department of Defense's [DoD] use
of ports and intermodal facilities during DoD mobilizations to
guarantee the smooth flow of military cargo through commercial
ports. MARAD manages the Maritime Security Program, the
Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement Program, and the Ready
Reserve Force, which assure DoD access to commercial and
strategic sealift and associated intermodal capacity. MARAD
also continues to address the disposal of obsolete ships in the
National Defense Reserve Fleet that are deemed a potential
environmental risk. Further, MARAD administers education and
training programs through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and
six State maritime schools that assist in providing skilled
merchant marine officers who are capable of serving defense and
commercial transportation needs. The Committee continues to
fund MARAD in its support of the United States as a maritime
Nation.

MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $300,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 214,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 300,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Security Program [MSP] provides resources to
maintain a U.S.-flag merchant fleet crewed by U.S. citizens to
serve both the commercial and national security needs of the
United States. The program provides direct payments to U.S.-
flag ship operators engaged in U.S. foreign trade.
Participating operators are required to keep the vessels in
active commercial service and provide intermodal sealift
support to DoD in times of war or national emergency.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $300,000,000
for the MSP. This amount is $86,000,000 above the budget
request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Once
again, the Committee rejects the Administration's short-sighted
proposal to cut funding for this program which would undermine
the cost-effective sustainment of troops serving overseas.

OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $513,642,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 452,428,000
Committee recommendation\1\............................. 149,442,000

\1\The Committee recommendation includes $340,200,000 for State Maritime
Academies in a separate account.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Operations and Training appropriation primarily funds
the salaries and expenses for MARAD headquarters and regional
staff in the administration and direction for all MARAD
programs. The account includes funding for the U.S. Merchant
Marine Academy, port and intermodal development, cargo
preference, international trade relations, deep-water port
licensing and administrative support costs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $149,442,000 for Operations and
Training. Of the total amount provided, $71,000,000 is for the
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy operations, $10,000,000 is for
capital improvements, $8,000,000 is for equipment, and
maintenance and repairs, and $60,442,000 is for MARAD
operations, which includes $7,000,000 for the Short Sea
Shipping program and $3,000,000 for environment and technology
grants. The Committee recommendation moves budget activities to
support the six State Maritime Academies into a separate
``State Maritime Academy Operations'' account, resulting in a
$340,200,000 re-allocation of resources for fiscal year 2019.
Short Sea Shipping Program.--The Committee recommendation
includes $7,000,000 for the Short Sea Shipping program,
commonly known as the Marine Highway program. Projects funded
by this grant program will help mitigate landside congestion,
encourage shipper utilization, improve port and landside
infrastructure, and develop marine transportation strategies by
State and local governments.
United States Merchant Marine Academy Spend Plan.--The
Committee directs the Secretary, in consultation with the
Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and
the Maritime Administrator, to complete a spend plan
anticipating Academy expenditures, and to provide this plan to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90
days of enactment of this act.
Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at the United States
Merchant Marine Academy.--The Committee remains concerned about
the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's efforts to combat sexual
assault and sexual harassment on campus and directs the Academy
to fill vacancies in the Sexual Assault Prevention Office
quickly as they arise. The Committee directs the Secretary to
provide the annual report required by section 3507 of Public
Law 110-417 to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations no later than January 12, 2020.
The Committee is disappointed to learn that the USMMA still
has yet to carry out all of the recommendations from its
corrective action plans. The Committee directs the USMMA to
fully implement the nearly 150 recommendations from past
studies, reports, and action plans using a risk-based
prioritized approach. The USMMA shall report back to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of
enactment of this Act on the USMMA's prioritized approach to
completing these recommendations and the status of all
recommendations. Further, the USMMA is directed to provide
updates to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on
the status of all recommendations every 180 days until all
recommendations are completed. The Committee further directs
the Maritime Administration to utilize the resources provided
to fully staff the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
Office and to meet all staffing and training needs at the USMMA
to continue to address sexual assault and sexual harassment. In
addition, the USMMA is directed to work to make resources, such
as a 24/7 hotline, available to Midshipmen while on Sea Year.
United States Merchant Marine Academy Capital Improvements
Plan [CIP].--The Committee directs the Administrator to provide
an annual report by March 31, 2019, on the current status of
the CIP. The report should include a list of all projects that
have received funding and all proposed projects that the
Academy intends to initiate within the next 5 years: cost
overruns and cost savings for each active project; specific
target dates for project completion; delays and the cause of
delays; schedule changes; up-to-date cost projections for each
project; and any other deviations from the previous year's CIP.
The Committee encourages the Academy to consider its ability to
sequence and manage contracts as it establishes its capital
priorities.
Environment and Compliance.--The Committee commends MARAD's
initiative to support the domestic maritime industry's efforts
to comply with emerging international and domestic
environmental regulatory requirements. The Committee directs
MARAD to notify the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations not less than 3 business days before any grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement is announced by the
Department or MARAD for the maritime environment and technology
assistance program as authorized by 46 U.S.C. 50307.
Small Shipyard Survey.--In the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2017, the Committee directed MARAD, in consultation with
the Army Corps of Engineers, to conduct a survey of the
dredging needs of small shipyards and to provide the results to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by June 2018.
The deadline for this submission of this survey is approaching,
and the Committee expects MARAD to provide the results within
the required timeframe.

STATE MARITIME ACADEMY OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018\1\.................................................
Budget estimate, 2019\2\................................................
Committee recommendation................................ $340,200,000

\1\The 2018 enacted level included $332,200,000 for State Maritime
Academics under the Operations and Training account.
\2\The President's Budget recommends $324,400,000 for State Maritime
Academies under the Operations and Training account.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for the six State Maritime
Academies [SMAs] to support the training and education of the
nation's marine transportation work force. Funding provided
supports financial assistance for the SMAs as well as upkeep,
maintenance and operation of the school's training ships.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $340,200,000
for State Maritime Academy Operations. Of the total amount,
$300,000,000 is for a new National Security Multi-Mission
Vessel, $6,000,000 is for direct payments to the SMAs,
$2,400,000 is for student incentive payments, $1,800,000 is for
fuel assistance payments, $22,000,000 is for school ship
maintenance and repair, and $8,000,000 is to support the cost
of sharing training ships among the SMAs.
National Security Multi-Mission Vessel [NSMV].--The
Committee continues to support MARAD's efforts to replace
school training ships for the State Maritime Academies [SMAs].
The Committee recommendation includes $300,000,000 for a second
new special purpose NSMV to replace school ships currently in
service. The Committee directs that vessels constructed using
funds from the NSMV Program be provided to the State Maritime
Academies based on the planned end-of-service-life of existing
training vessels, with the vessel with the shortest remaining
service life to be replaced first. For ships that have the same
end-of-service-life, preference shall be based on meeting
training capacity demands.
Ship-Sharing Assistance.--The Committee recognizes that
there is limited training ship capacity among the SMAs to
provide their cadets with the required training hours necessary
to graduate. Schools rely on one another to provide space on
available ships so that all cadets can meet their credentialing
requirements. Some SMAs lack ship capacity to meet the needs of
their student body, and as a result incur significant costs to
conduct training on other available ship platforms. For this
reason, the Committee recommendation includes $8,000,000 to
alleviate the operational and logistics burden on SMAs as they
work through their ship capacity challenges. While the
Committee recognizes that even cadets at SMAs that do have
training ships incur some expense to be able to train at sea,
the Committee also understands that SMAs without ships large
enough to meet their needs bear much greater costs, and
therefore provides additional funding for ship-sharing. The
Committee directs MARAD to work with the SMAs to determine how
to best allocate resources to ensure that all training needs
are met.

ASSISTANCE TO SMALL SHIPYARDS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

As authorized under section 54101 of title 46, the
Assistance to Small Shipyards program provides assistance in
the form of grants, loans, and loan guarantees to small
shipyards for capital improvements and training programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for
assistance to small shipyards. This level of funding is equal
to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, and $20,000,000 above
the President's request. Funding for this program is intended
to help small shipyards improve the efficiency of their
operations by providing funding for equipment and other
facility upgrades. The funding recommended by the Committee
will help improve the competitiveness of our Nation's small
shipyards, as well as workforce training and apprenticeships in
communities dependent upon maritime transportation.

SHIP DISPOSAL

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $116,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 30,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Ship Disposal account provides resources to dispose of
obsolete merchant-type vessels of 150,000 gross tons or more in
the National Defense Reserve Fleet [NDRF]. MARAD contracts with
domestic shipbreaking companies to dismantle these vessels in
accordance with guidelines established by the Environmental
Protection Agency.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for
MARAD's Ship Disposal program. This level of funding is
$111,000,000 below the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and
$25,000,000 below the budget request. The reduction in funding
is due to the non-recurring cost of the decommissioning of the
N/S Savannah.

MARITIME GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM (TITLE XI)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $30,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 3,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Guaranteed Loan program was established
pursuant to title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as
amended. The program provides for a full faith and credit
guarantee by the U.S. Government of debt obligations issued by:
(1) U.S. or foreign ship-owners for the purposes of financing
or refinancing either U.S.-flag vessels or eligible export
vessels constructed, reconstructed, or reconditioned in U.S.
shipyards; and (2) U.S. shipyards, for the purpose of financing
advanced shipbuilding technology of privately owned general
shipyard facilities located in the United States. Under the
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, appropriations to cover the
estimated costs of a project must be obtained prior to the
issuance of any approvals for title XI financing.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee provides an appropriation of $3,000,000 for
administrative expenses of the maritime guaranteed loan title
XI program. This level of funding is $3,000,000 above the
President's budget request and $27,000,000 below the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. The Committee rejects the budget
request to move Title XI to the Office of the Secretary.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--MARITIME ADMINISTRATION

Section 170 authorizes MARAD to furnish utilities and to
service and make repairs to any lease, contract, or occupancy
involving Government property under the control of MARAD.
Rental payments received pursuant to this provision shall be
credited to the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[PHMSA] was established within the Department of Transportation
on November 30, 2004, pursuant to the Norman Y. Mineta Research
and Special Programs Improvement Act (Public Law 108-426).
PHMSA is responsible for the Department's pipeline safety
program as well as its oversight of hazardous materials
transportation safety operations. The agency is dedicated to
safety, including the elimination of transportation-related
deaths and injuries associated with hazardous materials and
pipeline transportation, and to promoting transportation
solutions, which enhance communities and protect the
environment.

OPERATIONAL EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $23,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 23,710,000
Committee recommendation................................ 23,710,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for program support costs for
PHMSA, including policy development, civil rights, management,
administration, and other agency-wide expenses.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $23,710,000 for this account, of
which $1,500,000 shall be for Pipeline Safety Information
Grants to Communities. The Committee's recommendation is equal
to the budget request and $710,000 more than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level.
Comprehensive Oil Spill Response Plans.--Oil spill response
plans are intended to help carriers identify and deploy
response organizations to contain and remediate oil releases.
The plans require carriers to: identify a qualified individual
with full authority to implement removal actions; ensure by
contract or other means the availability of private personnel
and equipment to remove a worst case discharge; and describe
training, equipment testing, drills, and exercises. PHMSA
issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in order to expand the
applicability of comprehensive oil spill response plans to rail
carriers in July 2016. The Committee notes with severe
disappointment that, to date, despite additional resources
being provided by the Committee, PHMSA has repeatedly failed to
comply with explicit directions from this Committee. The
Committee directs PHMSA to issue a final rule to require
comprehensive oil spill response plans for rail carriers within
45 days of enactment of this act, and includes a fine for any
delays.
Tank Car Phaseout.--The FAST Act provides a schedule for
the phaseout of certain rail tank cars used to transport Class
3 flammable materials, and, in August 2016, PHMSA published a
final rule to codify these requirements. The FAST Act also
requires the Secretary to report on industry-wide progress with
modifying rail tank cars in order to comply with those
applicable deadlines. In September 2017, the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics reported that 9 percent of all tank
cars transporting Class 3 flammable liquids in 2016 met the new
requirements. The Committee encourages the Department to
continue to work with industry stakeholders to ensure progress
and to promote acceleration of the tank car phaseout process.
The Secretary is further directed to continue to comply with
this reporting requirement.
Unlocatable Pipe Research.--The Committee is encouraged by
PHMSA's ongoing efforts to address safety and damage prevention
issues surrounding unlocatable plastic pipe and the resultant
excavation hazards. In order to ensure the continued safe
transportation of natural gas and the reduction of pipeline
damage incidents, the Committee recommendation includes up to
$2,000,000 to continue to research, analyze, and encourage the
deployment of related technologies in this area.
Real-Time Emergency Response Information.--In January 2017,
PHMSA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to
require Class 1 railroads, which transport hazardous materials,
to generate accurate, real-time, and in an electronic format
train consist information that could be shared with emergency
responders and law enforcement personnel. The Committee notes
with disappointment that, to date, PHMSA has not fulfilled this
FAST Act mandate and directs the agency to move forward with a
final rule, which will ensure train consist information is
available to emergency responders directly.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $59,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 52,070,000
Committee recommendation................................ 58,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

PHMSA oversees the safety of more than 1 million hazardous
materials shipments daily within the United States, using risk
management principles and security threat assessments in order
to fully review and reduce the risks inherent in hazardous
materials transportation.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $58,000,000
for hazardous materials safety, of which $7,570,000 shall
remain available until September 30, 2021. The amount provided
is $5,930,000 more than the administration's budget request and
$1,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

PIPELINE SAFETY

(PIPELINE SAFETY FUND)

(OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $162,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 150,200,000
Committee recommendation................................ 165,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Pipeline Safety [OPS] promotes the safe,
reliable, and sound transportation of natural gas and hazardous
liquids through the Nation's more than 2.6 million miles of
privately-owned and operated pipeline.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The OPS has the important responsibility of ensuring the
safety and integrity of the pipelines, which run through every
community in our Nation. Efforts by Congress and the OPS to
invest in promising safety technologies, increase civil
penalties, and educate communities about the potential risks of
pipelines have resulted in a reduction in serious pipeline
incidents. It is essential that PHMSA continue to make strides
in protecting communities from pipeline failures and incidents.
To that end, the Committee recommends an appropriation of
$165,000,000 for the OPS, consistent with the PIPES Act. The
amount is $3,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level and $14,800,000 more than the budget request. Of the
funding provided, $23,000,000 shall be derived from the Oil
Spill Liability Trust Fund, $134,000,000 shall be derived from
the Pipeline Safety Fund, and $8,000,000 shall be derived from
the Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Account. Of
the funds recommended for research and development, up to
$2,000,000 shall be used for the Pipeline Safety Research
Competitive Academic Agreement Program [CAAP] to focus on near-
term solutions in order to improve the safety and reliability
of the Nation's pipeline transportation system.
Research and Development.--In developing its 5-year
interagency pipeline safety research and development program
plan, the Committee directs PHMSA to consult with stakeholder
groups and to use their input to select program proposals. In
order to ensure that a diverse set of stakeholders meaningfully
participates in the process, the Committee directs PHMSA to
identify additional notification methods that could encourage a
larger cross section of stakeholder participation as well as to
detail procedures for how to incorporate input from those
stakeholder groups into the program plan.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GRANTS

(EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND)

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $28,318,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 28,318,000
Committee recommendation................................ 28,318,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act
of 1990 [HMTUSA] (Public Law 101-615) requires PHMSA to: (1)
develop and implement a reimbursable emergency preparedness
grant program; (2) monitor public sector emergency response
training and planning, and provide technical assistance to
States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes; and (3)
develop and periodically update a mandatory training curriculum
for emergency responders.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $28,318,000 for emergency
preparedness grants. The Committee is pleased that PHMSA has
developed Web-based, off-the-shelf training materials that can
be used by emergency responders across the country. The
Committee encourages PHMSA to continue to enhance its training
curriculum for local emergency responders, including response
activities for crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids
transported by rail. The Committee also encourages PHMSA to
train public sector emergency response personnel in communities
on or near rail lines, which transport a significant volume of
high-risk energy commodities or toxic inhalation hazards. The
Committee continues a provision increasing the funding
available for administrative costs from 2 percent to 4 percent
in order to address the OIG's recommendations.

Office of Inspector General

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $92,152,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 91,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 92,600,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Inspector General Act of 1978 established the Office of
Inspector General [OIG] as an independent and objective
organization, with a mission to:
--conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to
the programs and operations of the Department;
--provide leadership and recommend policies designed to
promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the
administration of programs and operations;
--prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse; and
--keep the Secretary and Congress currently informed
regarding problems and deficiencies.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides $92,600,000 for
activities of the Office of the Inspector General, which is
$1,100,000 more than the President's budget request and
$448,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Audit Reports.--The Committee requests that the Inspector
General continue to provide copies of all audit reports to the
Committee immediately after they are issued, and to continue to
make the Committee aware immediately of any review that
recommends cancellation of, or modifications to, any major
acquisition project or grant, or which recommends significant
budgetary savings. The OIG is also directed to withhold from
public distribution for a period of 15 days any final audit or
investigative report which was requested by the House or Senate
Committees on Appropriations.
Unfair Business Practices.--The bill maintains language
that authorizes the OIG to investigate allegations of fraud and
unfair or deceptive practices and unfair methods of competition
by air carriers and ticket agents.

General Provisions--Department of Transportation

Section 180 allows funds for maintenance and operation of
aircraft; motor vehicles; liability insurance; uniforms; or
allowances, as authorized by law.
Section 181 limits appropriations for services authorized
by 5 U.S.C. 3109 not to exceed the rate for an executive level
IV.
Section 182 prohibits recipients of funds from
disseminating personal information obtained by State DMVs in
connection to motor vehicle records, with an exception.
Section 183 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and
expenses of more than 110 political and Presidential appointees
in the Department of Transportation.
Section 184 allows funds received by the Federal Highway
Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal
Railroad Administration from States, counties, municipalities,
other public authorities, and private sources for expenses
incurred for training may be credited to each agency's
respective accounts.
Section 185 prohibits the use of funds in this act to make
a grant or announce the intention to make a grant unless the
Secretary of Transportation notifies the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations at least 3 full business days
before making the grant or the announcement.
Section 186 allows rebates, refunds, incentive payments,
minor fees, and other funds received by the Department of
Transportation from travel management center, charge card
programs, subleasing of building space and miscellaneous
sources to be credited to appropriations of the Department of
Transportation.
Section 187 requires amounts from improper payments to a
third-party contractor that are lawfully recovered by the
Department of Transportation to be available to cover expenses
incurred in recovery of such payments.
Section 188 establishes requirements for reprogramming
actions by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Section 189 prohibits funds appropriated in this act to the
modal administrations from being obligated for the Office of
the Secretary for costs related to assessments or reimbursable
agreements unless the obligations are for services that provide
a direct benefit to the applicable modal administration.
Section 190 authorizes the Secretary 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.
Section 191 prohibits the use of funds for any geographic,
economic, or other hiring preference pilot program, regulation,
or policy unless certain requirements are met related to
availability of local labor, displacement of existing
employees, and delays in transportation plans.

TITLE II

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Management and Administration

The Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] was
established by the Housing and Urban Development Act (Public
Law 89-174), effective November 9, 1965. This Department is the
principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned
with the Nation's housing needs, fair housing opportunities,
and improving and developing communities.
Rural Areas.--The Committee urges the Secretary to enhance
its efforts to provide decent, affordable housing and to
promote economic development for rural Americans. When
designing programs and making funding decisions, the Secretary
shall take into consideration the unique conditions,
challenges, and scale of rural areas.
Appropriations Attorneys.--During consideration of the
fiscal year 2003 appropriations legislation, it became apparent
to the Committee that both the Committee and the Department
would be best served if the attorneys responsible for
appropriations matters were housed in the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer [OCFO]. Since that time, the Committee has
routinely received prompt, accurate, and reliable information
from the OCFO on various appropriations law matters. For fiscal
year 2019, the Committee continues to fund appropriations
attorneys in the OCFO and directs HUD to refer all
appropriations law issues to such attorneys within the OCFO.
Reprogramming and Congressional Notification.--The
Committee reiterates that the Department must secure the
approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
for the reprogramming of funds between programs, projects, and
activities within each account. Unless otherwise identified in
the bill or report, the most detailed allocation of funds
presented in the budget justifications is approved, with any
deviation from such approved allocation subject to the normal
reprogramming requirements. Except as specifically provided
otherwise, it is the intent of the Committee that all carryover
funds in the various accounts, including recaptures and de-
obligations, are subject to the normal reprogramming
requirements outlined under section 405. No change may be made
to any program, project, or activity if it is construed to be
new policy or a change in policy, without prior approval of the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Committee
notes its concern about the lack of awareness of section 405
among program offices, and directs the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer to develop and issue guidance to program
offices on their obligations under this authority. The
Committee also directs HUD to include a separate delineation of
any reprogramming of funds requiring approval in the operating
plan required by section 405 of this act. Finally, the
Committee shall be notified regarding reorganizations of
offices, programs or activities prior to the implementation of
such reorganizations. The Department is directed to submit, in
consultation with the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations, current and accurate organizational charts for
each office within the Department as part of the fiscal year
2020 congressional justifications. The Committee further
directs the Department to submit any staff realignments or
restructuring to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations 30 days prior to their implementation.
Assisting Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence.--The
Committee directs the Department to identify steps it has taken
to improve emergency transfers for HUD-assisted residents
fleeing domestic violence, statutory and regulatory barriers to
assisting victims of domestic violence that are seeking
emergency transfers from one HUD-assisted unit or project to
another HUD-assisted unit or project, and effective models for
facilitating emergency transfers across HUD's rental and
homeless assistance programs, and to submit a report to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days
of enactment of this act.

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $14,708,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 15,583,000
Committee recommendation................................ 14,898,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Executive Offices account provides the salaries and
expenses funding to support the Department's senior leadership
and other key functions, including the immediate offices of the
Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Congressional and
Intergovernmental Relations, Public Affairs, Adjudicatory
Services, the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives,
and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $14,898,000
for this account, which is $190,000 more than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level and $685,000 less than the budget request.
The Secretary is directed to submit a spend plan to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations that outlines how
budgetary resources will be distributed among the seven offices
funded under this heading.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OFFICES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $518,303,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 507,372,000
Committee recommendation................................ 556,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Administrative Support Offices [ASO] account is the
backbone of HUD's operations, and consists of several offices
that aim to work seamlessly to provide the leadership and
support services to ensure the Department performs its core
mission and is compliant with all legal, operational, and
financial guidelines. This account funds the salaries and
expenses of the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of
the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the Chief
Procurement Officer, the Office of Departmental Equal
Employment Opportunity, the Office of Field Policy and
Management, the Office of Business Transformation, the Office
of the Chief Human Capital Officer, the Office of
Administration, and the Office of the Chief Information
Officer.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $556,000,000
for this account, which is $37,697,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and $48,628,000 more than the budget
request.
Funds are made available as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Chief Financial Officer................. $76,600,000
Office of the General Counsel......................... 98,000,000
Office of Administration.............................. 213,300,000
Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer............. 40,200,000
Office of Field Policy and Management................. 54,000,000
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer............... 20,000,000
Office of Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity... 3,600,000
Office of Business Transformation..................... 4,300,000
Office of the Chief Information Officer............... 46,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hiring and Separation Report.--The Committee directs HUD's
Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Office of the
Human Capital Officer to submit quarterly reports to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on hiring and
separations by program office. This report shall include
position titles, location, associated FTE, and include the
Office of the Inspector General and Government National
Mortgage Association.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer.--The Committee
recommendation includes $76,600,000 for the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer. Of the amount provided, $25,000,000 is for
the financial transformation initiative to strengthen HUD's
fiscal capabilities and controls. In November 2017, the Office
of Inspector General released its annual audit of HUD's 2016
and 2017 financial statements where they identified nine
material weaknesses and six significant deficiencies. In
addition, financial policies, procedures, and documentation are
in need of updating, and in some cases require initial
development. These funds will begin the process of addressing
these substantial deficiencies, strengthening financial
controls, and improving governance at HUD. The Committee also
includes language directing HUD to submit an expenditure plan
for approval prior to obligating more than 10 percent of the
funds provided for this initiative and expects HUD engage in
frequent and transparent communication with the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations regarding this initiative.
Office of Administration.--The Committee recommendation
includes $213,300,000 for the Office of Administration. Of the
amount provided, up to $7,500,000 may be used to fully fund the
second phase of HUD's initiative to consolidate four
headquarters satellite offices into the Robert C. Weaver
Federal Building.
Office of Disaster and Emergency Management.--As part of
the National Disaster Recovery Framework, HUD fulfills the
Housing Recovery Support Function, which requires the
Department to coordinate recovery and preparedness activities
with Federal, State and local partners and to facilitate the
delivery of Federal funding to implement sustainable and
resilient housing solutions for disaster-affected areas. To
facilitate this work, HUD established an Office of Disaster and
Emergency Management, which is designed to comprehensively
address disaster preparedness, response, and recovery
management, including issues related to housing, economic
development, infrastructure, community planning, and capacity
building. However, very little has been done to fully
operationalize this office. As such, the Committee directs HUD
to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
on its efforts to operationalize this office within 30 days of
enactment of this act, in order to improve the overall
Departmental response to emergencies and disasters, including
preparedness and mitigation from future disasters.
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer.--The Committee
directs HUD to prioritize the hiring of staff for this office,
and directs HUD to inform the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act
regarding how it is implementing the Committee's hiring
direction.
Office of Field Policy and Management [OFPM].--The
Committee continues to include language directing HUD to
continue supporting the existing Promise Zone designations for
the length of their agreements. To realize the full potential
of these designations, the Committee directs OFPM to work with
designees to ensure the provision of any OMB-requested data for
an effective evaluation of the initiative.

Program Offices Salaries and Expenses

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $216,633,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 209,473,000
Committee recommendation................................ 222,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to
support staff in headquarters and in 43 field offices in the
Office of Public and Indian Housing [PIH]. PIH is charged with
ensuring the availability of safe, decent, and affordable
housing, creating opportunities for residents' self-sufficiency
and economic independence, and assuring the fiscal integrity of
all public housing agencies. The Office ensures that safe,
decent and affordable housing is available to Native American
families, creates economic opportunities for tribes and Indian
housing residents, assists tribes in the formulation of plans
and strategies for community development, and assures fiscal
integrity in the operation of its programs. The Office also
administers programs authorized in the Native American Housing
Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 [NAHASDA], which
provides housing assistance to Native Americans and Native
Hawaiians. PIH also manages the Housing Choice Voucher program,
in which tenant-based vouchers increase affordable housing
choices for low-income families. Tenant-based vouchers enable
families to lease safe, decent, and affordable privately owned
rental housing.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $222,000,000
for this account, which is $12,527,000 more than the budget
request and $5,367,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. Of the amounts provided, no less than $200,000 is for
travel related to the provision of training, technical
assistance, oversight and management of Indian housing.
Moving-to-Work.--The Committee recognizes HUD's need to
establish an effective evaluation, research, and program design
for the Moving-to-Work demonstration, which was expanded in
fiscal year 2016. However, the Committee is concerned that the
Department has not yet implemented the expansion and directs
the Department to issue an implementing notice for the first
Moving to Work expansion cohort not later than 60 days after
enactment of this act.
Regulatory Relief.--The Administration's budget includes
requests for waiver authority related to statutory and
regulatory requirements of the public housing and tenant-based
voucher programs. The Committee is supportive of efforts to
streamline program requirements, while also ensuring
appropriate oversight of these programs. However, waivers only
result in temporary administrative relief and are tailored to
reflect the specific needs of an individual PHA. While waivers
are a useful tool, if used as a replacement for a comprehensive
regulatory review, they only create complicated ad hoc
regulatory structures without eliminating unnecessary program-
wide requirements. Rather than include broad waiver authority,
the Committee has included language directing HUD to establish
a regulatory advisory committee for the purpose of undertaking
a comprehensive review of public housing and tenant-based
voucher regulations and to report back on these efforts to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this act. Additionally, the
Committee remains concerned about the growing demand placed on
small-and medium-sized PHAs, and agencies that only administer
a section 8 or section 9 program, and continues to urge HUD to
eliminate excessive paperwork and administrative requirements
and develop opportunities that achieve new efficiencies in
management and operations for small- and medium-sized PHAs.
Oversight of Public Housing Agency Receiverships.--The
Committee believes that effective management and oversight of
PHAs that are under HUD receivership requires technical and
programmatic expertise and directs that the Office of
Receivership Oversight [ORO] shall be the lead office for
managing and overseeing all public housing agencies under
administrative receivership. The Committee supports that, where
necessary, ORO's lead role may be supported by other germane
offices that are critical to the management and oversight of
section 8 and 9 programs, including the Office of Field Policy
and Management, and the Office of General Counsel.

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $107,554,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 105,906,000
Committee recommendation................................ 110,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding for
Community Planning and Development [CPD] staff in headquarters
and in 43 field offices. CPD's mission is to support successful
urban, suburban and rural communities by promoting integrated
approaches to community and economic development. CPD programs
also assist in the expansion of opportunities for low- and
moderate-income individuals and families in moving towards home
ownership. The Assistant Secretary for CPD administers formula
and competitive grant programs, as well as guaranteed loan
programs that help communities plan and finance their growth
and development. These programs also help communities increase
their capacity to govern and provide shelter and services for
homeless persons and other persons with special needs,
including person with HIV/AIDS.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $110,000,000
for the staffing within this office, which is $4,094,000 more
than the budget request and $2,446,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee directs HUD to prioritize the hiring and
backfilling of staff to support grant monitoring, as well as
the closeout of open audits and backlog of open grantees in
Region I.
New Housing in High Cost Metropolitan Areas.--The Committee
is concerned that a combination of income concentration and
housing supply constraints in high-productivity metropolitan
areas has created entry limits harmful to geographic and
economic mobility. Upward price pressure on rents resulting
from such conditions imposes a greater financial burden on
Federal taxpayers through rental assistance programs that
respond to market rents. The Committee directs the Department
to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
no later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this act,
identifying metropolitan areas where such conditions are most
prevalent and recommending best practices for localities and
states to help encourage the production of new housing stock in
high-cost metropolitan areas.

HOUSING

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $383,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 359,448,000
Committee recommendation................................ 390,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to
support staff in headquarters and in 52 field locations in the
Office of Housing. The Office of Housing is responsible for
implementing programs to assist projects for occupancy by very
low- and moderate-income households, to provide capital grants
to nonprofit sponsors for the development of housing for the
elderly and disabled, and to conduct several regulatory
functions. The Office also administers Federal Housing
Administration [FHA] programs. FHA administers HUD's mortgage
and loan insurance programs, which facilitate the financing of
new construction, rehabilitation or the purchase of existing
dwelling units. The Office also provides services to maintain
and preserve homeownership, especially for underserved
populations. This assistance allows lenders to make lower cost
financing available to more borrowers for home and home
improvement loans, and apartment, hospital, and nursing home
loans. FHA provides a vital link in addressing America's
homeownership and affordable housing needs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $390,000,000
for staffing in the Office of Housing, which is $30,552,000
more than the budget request and $7,000,000 more than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Rental Assistance Demonstration.--To ensure appropriate
oversight and processing of public housing, and other assisted-
housing properties, conversion to Section 8 rental assistance,
and improvements to tenant engagement and relocation efforts,
the Committee directs the Department to ensure the Office of
Recapitalization is funded at no less than $12,500,000. The
Committee further directs the Department to prioritize the
hiring of asset management staff in field offices. The
Department is directed to inform the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of
this act regarding how it is implementing the Committee's
hiring direction.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $24,065,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 25,366,000
Committee recommendation................................ 26,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to
support staff in headquarters and in 10 field locations in the
Office of Policy Development and Research [PD&R]. PD&R supports
the Department's efforts to help create cohesive, economically
healthy communities. PD&R is responsible for maintaining
current information on housing needs, market conditions, and
existing programs, as well as conducting research on priority
housing and community development issues. The office provides
reliable and objective data and analysis to help inform policy
decisions.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,000,000
for this account, which is $634,000 more than the budget
request and $1,935,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level. The Committee recommendation is sufficient to support
existing staffing levels, as well as the establishment of an
Office of Innovation.

FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $69,808,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 71,312,000
Committee recommendation................................ 71,500,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to
support staff in headquarters and in all regional offices in
the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity [FHEO]. FHEO
is responsible for investigating, resolving, and prosecuting
complaints of housing discrimination, as well as conducting
education and outreach activities to increase awareness of the
requirements of the Fair Housing Act. The Office also develops
and interprets fair housing policy, processes complaints,
performs compliance reviews, and provides oversight and
technical assistance to local housing authorities and community
development agencies regarding section 3 of the Housing and
Urban Development Act of 1968.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $71,500,000,
which is $188,000 more than the budget request and $1,692,000
more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL AND HEALTHY HOMES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $7,600,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 7,540,000
Committee recommendation................................ 7,800,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to
support the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
[OLHCHH] headquarters staff. OLHCHH administers and manages the
lead-based paint and healthy homes activities of the
Department, and is directly responsible for the administration
of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction program. The office
also develops lead-based paint regulations, guidelines, and
policies applicable to HUD programs, designs lead-based paint
and healthy homes training programs, administers lead-hazard
control and healthy homes grant programs, and implements the
lead and healthy homes research program.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,800,000 for
this account, which is $260,000 more than the budget request
and $200,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Working Capital Fund [WCF] promotes economy,
efficiency, and accountability. Amounts transferred to the Fund
are for Federal shared services used by offices and agencies of
the Department, and are derived from centralized Salaries and
Expenses accounts.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides the Secretary with
the authority to transfer amounts provided in this title for
salaries and expenses, except those for the Office of Inspector
General, to this account for the purpose of funding centralized
activities. The Department is required to centralize and fund
from this account any shared service agreements executed
between HUD and another Federal agency. For fiscal year 2019,
the Department is permitted to centralize and fund from this
account: financial management, procurement, travel, relocation,
human resources, printing, records management, space
renovation, furniture, and supply services. The Committee does
not expand the authority to include the proposed management
data initiative. The Committee expects that, prior to
exercising discretion to centrally fund an activity, the
Secretary shall have established transparent and reliable unit
cost accounting for the offices and agencies of the Department
that use the activity and shall have adequately trained staff
within each affected office and agency on resource planning and
accounting processes associated with the centralization of
funds to this account.
Prior to exercising its authority to transfer funds for
activities beyond what is required for shared service
agreements, the Committee expects HUD to establish a clear
execution plan for centralizing the additional activities and
to properly vet that plan with the House and Senate Committees
on Appropriations prior to transferring such funds into the
WCF. Financial management, procurement, travel, and relocation
costs for services provided to the Office of the Inspector
General are covered by the Office of the Chief Financial
Officer.
HUD shall include in its annual operating plan a detailed
outline of its plans for transferring budgetary resources to
the WCF in fiscal year 2019.

Public and Indian Housing

TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $22,015,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 20,549,749,000
Committee recommendation................................ 22,780,987,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for the Section 8 tenant-
based [voucher] program. Section 8 tenant-based housing
assistance is one of the principle appropriations for Federal
housing assistance, serving approximately 2.2 million families.
The program also funds incremental vouchers for tenants who
live in properties where the owner has decided to leave the
Section 8 program. The program also provides for the
replacement of units lost from the assisted housing inventory
through its tenant protection vouchers. Under these programs,
eligible low-income individuals and families pay 30 percent of
their adjusted income for rent, and the Federal Government is
responsible for the remainder of the rent, up to the fair
market rent or some other payment standard. This account also
provides funding for administrative fees for public housing
agencies [PHAs], mainstream vouchers, Housing and Urban
Development Veterans Supportive Housing [HUD-VASH] programs,
and other incremental vouchers for vulnerable populations.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of
$22,780,987,000 for fiscal year 2019, including $4,000,000,000
as an advance appropriation to be made available on October 1,
2019. This amount is $2,231,238,000 more than the budget
request and $765,987,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level.
Contract Renewals.--The Committee recommends
$20,520,000,000 for the renewal costs of Section 8 vouchers,
which is $1,771,251,000 more than the budget request and
$920,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Section 8 rental assistance program is a critical tool
that enables more than 2 million low-income individuals and
families to access safe, stable, and affordable housing in the
private market. In recognition of the Section 8 program's
central role in ensuring housing for vulnerable Americans, the
Committee recommendation and existing reserves will provide
sufficient resources to ensure that no current voucher holders
are put at risk of losing their housing assistance. It also
supports the first time renewal of incremental vouchers that
were funded in prior years, including HUD-VASH vouchers. The
Committee will continue to monitor leasing data to make sure
residents are protected.
Set-Aside for Special Circumstances.--The Committee is
concerned that the funding set-aside to allow for adjustments
to renewal funding allocations is insufficient to ensure that
all eligible categories are addressed; particularly renewal
adjustments for HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing [HUD-
VASH] vouchers. Therefore, the Committee recommendation
increases this set-aside from $75,000,000 to $100,000,000 and
directs the Department to ensure all special circumstances are
considered in its allocations to PHAs.
Tenant Protection Vouchers.--The Committee recommendation
includes $85,000,000 for tenant protection vouchers. These
vouchers are provided to public housing residents whose
buildings have health or safety issues, or whose projects are
being demolished. However, the largest share of these vouchers
is provided to tenants living in properties with expiring HUD
assistance who may face rent increases if their owners opt out
of HUD programs. In these instances, the vouchers ensure
continued affordability of tenants' housing.
The Committee is concerned that PHAs may not be meeting the
tenant relocation requirements set forth in 24 CFR 970.21 for
developments undergoing section 18 disposition actions. As
such, the Committee reminds the Department that 24 CFR
970.21(b) prohibits the disposition of a building until all
tenants residing in the building are relocated to decent, safe,
and sanitary housing. The Committee also notes that 24 CFR
970.21(d)(2) establishes a relocation timetable, which requires
that tenants be notified monthly of a relocation schedule, and
24 CFR 970.21(e)(1)(iii) establishes that PHAs are responsible
for providing each household displaced by section 18 actions
comparable housing. The Committee directs HUD to issue
clarifying guidance to PHAs on the statutory and regulatory
requirements regarding the period of availability for tenant
protection vouchers, as well as PHA's obligations under 24 CFR
970.21 and urges HUD to take appropriate action to ensure
residents who need decent, safe, and sanitary housing do not
face additional barriers.
Administrative Fees.--The Committee recommends
$1,956,987,000 for administrative fees. The Committee notes
that these funds are critical to the execution and success of
the voucher program. These funds are used for a diverse range
of activities and critical functions such as: property
inspections; case management, including tenant screening,
income recertification, and emergency transfers; landlord
outreach; issuing new vouchers upon program turnover; and
assisting tenants in locating housing.
The Committee is concerned that where there is a
significant fluctuation in local rental market conditions,
HUD's published fair market rents do not reflect the increased
need in rental subsidy and the associated operating costs. As a
result, some PHAs are conducting independent market surveys to
more accurately reflect local market conditions for HUD's
review and consideration. However, some rental market surveys
can be costly and an unviable option for PHAs that lack the
expertise and capacity. This is particularly true for smaller
PHAs in markets where the local fair market rents are outpacing
HUD's annual determination of FMRs. The Committee notes that
where there are opportunities to partner with universities or
other entities to conduct rent surveys, in some areas of the
country, this partnership is limited to one university for an
entire coastal region. While the Committee recognizes that such
surveys are an eligible administrative expense under the
Housing Choice Voucher program, it remains concerned about
reimbursement being a viable option for PHAs. As such, the
Office of Housing Choice Vouchers is directed to work with the
Office of Policy Development and Research to identify the
statutory, regulatory and cost barriers PHAs face in conducting
and receiving reimbursements for rent surveys, as well as
solutions to address delays in HUD's annual calculation of FMRs
for rental markets that are rapidly increasing in value, and to
provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of this act.
Section 811 Mainstream Vouchers.--The Committee
recommendation includes $154,000,000 to continue the rental
assistance and administrative costs of this program.
Tribal-VASH.--The Committee recommendation includes
$5,000,000 for the renewal of rental assistance and associated
administrative costs 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. The
Committee supports the intent behind this demonstration, but is
concerned that this program is underutilized. The Committee
notes that this undersubscription is not a reflection of a lack
of need for these critical housing resources on or near tribal
lands. However, it does raise concerns with program design and
implementation and if this approach can satisfactorily address
capacity challenges and the needs of all tribal areas. The
Committee encourages HUD to use its existing reallocation
authority where necessary to ensure these funds can be utilized
to the greatest extent possible. The Committee directs HUD to
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
within 120 days of enactment of this act on the status of the
demonstration, challenges of using a Section 8 model, and
possible alternative approaches to addressing the needs of
homeless veterans living on tribal lands including the use of
NAHASDA programs. The Committee further directs HUD to issue
clarifying guidance on how Tribal VASH can be paired and/or
leveraged with other program and funding sources in order to
improve the utilization of this assistance.
HUD-VASH.--The Committee again rejects the budget proposal
to prematurely end funding for new VASH vouchers and includes
$40,000,000 for this purpose. These vouchers have been critical
to reducing veterans' homelessness by 46 percent since 2010.
It is vital that all funds directed to this program are
accounted for and used efficiently. As such, the Committee
directs HUD to make public the basis for the need for
additional HUD-VASH funding and reasons for unused funds, which
should also include an evaluation the effectiveness of the
program and distribution of resources. The Committee continues
to encourage the Department to use existing authority to
recapture HUD-VASH voucher assistance from PHAs that
voluntarily declare that they no longer have a need for that
assistance, and reallocate it to PHAs with an identified need.
The Committee directs HUD to expedite this process, ensuring
that communities that have successfully ended veterans'
homelessness enable other communities to assist this
population. The Committee encourages the Department to
prioritize, as part of this reallocation, PHAs that project-
base a portion of their HUD-VASH vouchers.
Family Unification Program [FUP].--The Committee includes
$20,000,000 for new FUP vouchers. The Committee directs HUD to
prioritize the award of these new vouchers to PHAs that will
target them to youth and PHAs that have partnered with their
local public child welfare agency to provide youth referrals
for these vouchers. The Committee also continues language
permitting the Secretary to recapture voucher assistance from
PHAs that no longer have a need for that assistance, and
reallocate to it to PHAs with an identified need.

HOUSING CERTIFICATE FUND

(INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Until fiscal year 2005, the Housing Certificate Fund
provided funding for both the project-based and tenant-based
components of the Section 8 program. Project-based rental
assistance and tenant-based rental assistance are now
separately funded accounts. The Housing Certificate Fund
retains balances from previous years' appropriations.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has included language that will allow
unobligated balances from specific accounts to be used to renew
or amend project-based rental assistance contracts.

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,750,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 2,775,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for modernization and capital
needs of PHAs (except Tribally Designated Housing Entities),
including management improvements, resident relocation, and
homeownership activities.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,775,000,000
for the Public Housing Capital Fund, which is $2,775,000,000
more than the budget request and $25,000,000 more than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Of the amount made available under this account, up to
$35,000,000 is for supportive services for residents of public
housing under the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency
[ROSS] program, and $15,000,000 is for the Jobs-Plus
demonstration. The Committee also recommends up to $14,000,000
to support the ongoing financial and physical assessment
activities performed by the Real Estate Assessment Center
[REAC] and up to $1,000,000 for the cost of administrative and
judicial receiverships.
Safety and Security in Public Housing.--The Committee
directs at least $5,000,000 of the $25,000,000 recommended for
emergency capital needs be used for safety and security
measures in public housing. The Committee has included this
specific set-aside because there are PHAs facing safety and
security issues that rely on these funds to protect their
tenants. The Committee believes that the level of funding
recommended will support both repairs from disasters and safety
and security improvements. Therefore, the Committee directs the
Department to fund eligible safety and security projects with a
portion of these funds as quickly as possible. The Committee
continues language clarifying that unused funds from the
emergency set-aside shall be used to address safety and
security needs of PHAs and the residents who live in these
properties.
Quality Assurance of Physical Inspections.--The Committee
remains concerned about the physical quality of some HUD-
subsidized properties across the country, including incidences
of unaddressed or untimely responses to health-related hazards
in HUD-assisted housing. The Committee directs the Department
to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
30 days after enactment of this act, a report identifying how
funds provided for the Real Estate Assessment Center, including
any carryover balances, will be utilized during fiscal year
2019. The Committee also directs the Department to submit to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90
days of enactment of this act a report on Real Estate
Assessment Center [REAC] inspections of all HUD assisted and or
insured properties. This report shall include: the percentage
of all inspected properties that received a REAC-inspected
score of less than 65 since calendar year 2013; the number of
properties in which the most recent REAC-inspected score
represented a decline relative to the previous REAC score; a
list of the 10 metropolitan statistical areas with the lowest
average REAC-inspected scores for all inspected properties; and
a list of the 10 States with the lowest average REAC-inspected
scores for all inspected properties. The Committee encourages
the Department to work with the House and Senate authorizing
committees on enforcement actions, including civil monetary
penalties, that HUD can take to ensure PHAs and landlords
maintain the physical quality of HUD-assisted units.
The Committee continues to support efforts to quickly issue
tenant-protection vouchers to ensure affected residents are
expeditiously securing housing that meets HUD's decent, safe
and sanitary standards. The Committee reiterates that failure
to maintain the physical condition of HUD-assisted properties
results in a loss of critical affordable housing and tenant
protection vouchers are of questionable value to families that
encounter a lack of affordable housing in their communities. As
such, the Committee directs HUD to remind public housing
agencies of the importance of working in coordination with
state housing finance agencies and regional stakeholders to
identify opportunities for the preservation and expansion of
local affordable housing, particularly in areas where there is
a known low vacancy or where the PHA is pursuing a Section 18
demolishment or disposition action.
Lead-Based Paint.--In fiscal year 2017 the Committee
provided $25,000,000 to help PHAs address lead-based paint
hazards in public housing units, to ensure the physical
condition of units meet the criteria set forth in HUD's amended
blood lead level standards. This funding will be competitively
awarded to PHAs for lead inspections, risk assessments, interim
controls and abatements, and will provide greater protections
for children under the age of 6 living in public housing. Based
on the demand identified through the fiscal year 2017
competition, there is still a demand to address lead-based
paint hazards in public housing. As a result, the Committee
directs $25,000,000 from the funds provided to continue making
improvements to the public housing stock. The Committee
continues to expect the Department to work with PHAs to ensure
that the initiative reflects the unique needs of the industry
and strongly encourages HUD to work with PHAs, their
maintenance staff, and tenants to help ensure potential lead-
based paint risks are identified and addressed expeditiously.
Emergency Call Systems.--In 2014, HUD's Office of
Multifamily Housing [OMFH] issued guidance for emergency call
systems in elderly properties. This guidance was issued because
owners, sponsors, and stakeholder groups had reported
inconsistent guidance on which types of emergency call systems
are required for elderly Multifamily properties, with reports
that HUD staff had specifically instructed properties to
maintain pull-cord technology in elderly properties rather than
replacing this outdated technology with wireless or electronic
emergency call systems. While HUD's OMFH issued this guidance
in 2014, PIH has not issued similar guidance for public housing
properties. The Committee is concerned that this inconsistency
is creating unnecessary confusion for PHAs and stakeholders.
Therefore, the Committee directs PIH to issue clarifying
guidance regarding emergency call systems in PHA managed
multifamily properties within 90 of enactment of this act and
to update related REAC inspection protocols if so warranted.
The Department is directed to inform the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of
this act on actions it has taken in this regard.
Public Housing Receiverships.--The Committee is concerned
that HUD may be establishing deadlines to transition PHAs out
of receivership prior to the successful relocation of every
household that is subject to an involuntary relocation as a
result of health and safety conditions. As such, the Committee
directs HUD to ensure that, prior to a PHA exiting
receivership, there is a plan in place to ensure tenants that
are adversely affected by involuntary relocations are able to
secure decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Additionally, the
Committee directs the Department to report quarterly during
fiscal year 2019 to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations on the status of public housing agencies under
receivership, including factors that informed the receivership
such as physical and financial scores, deficiencies with
internal controls, and other information demonstrating why HUD
believes PHAs are unable to effectively oversee their business
operations. This report shall also include an identification of
funding resources and technical assistance provided to the PHA
for the purpose of transitioning out of receivership, and
future steps HUD will take to address deficiencies in an effort
to return the respective PHAs to local control.
Public Housing Disposition.--The Committee notes that while
it is important for HUD to undertake due diligence when
reviewing applications for public housing dispositions under
section 18 of the 1937 Housing Act, the HUD review process can
be unduly burdensome and lengthy. Such is likely the case for
those applications where a PHA is partnering with their State
Housing Finance Agency. The Committee directs HUD to review its
procedures and identify areas where streamlined review
processes may be appropriate in order to reduce the time it
takes to issue a final determination on applications, including
any statutory, regulatory, and capacity barriers, and to report
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180
days of enactment of this act.
Mobility and Relocation Specialists.--The Committee is
aware of reports that HUD is not providing sufficient oversight
of and continued access to mobility and relocation specialists
for public housing residents who are required to involuntarily
relocate from their current public housing unit, as a result of
health and safety conditions or the demolishment or disposition
of a public housing unit. The Committee directs HUD to take
appropriate action to ensure public housing residents being
relocated have access to mobility and relocation specialists
until their relocation to suitable replacement housing is
complete.
ConnectHome.--The ConnectHome initiative provides a
platform for collaboration among local governments, PHAs,
Internet service providers, philanthropic foundations,
nonprofit organizations and other relevant stakeholders to work
together to produce local solutions for narrowing the digital
divide in communities across the Nation served by HUD. The
Committee encourages the Department to continue to partner with
these entities to help identify ways residents living in public
housing can connect to broadband infrastructure through
technical assistance and digital literacy training, and to work
with its partners to take steps to expand the number of
participating communities.

PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,550,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 3,279,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,756,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for the payment of operating
subsidies to approximately 3,100 PHAs (except tribally
designated housing entities) with a total of approximately 1.2
million units under management in order to augment rent
payments by residents in order to provide sufficient revenues
to meet reasonable operating costs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,756,000,000
for the public housing operating fund, which is $1,477,000,000
more than the budget request and $206,000,000 more than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $150,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 100,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Choice Neighborhoods initiative provides competitive
grants to transform impoverished neighborhoods into
functioning, sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods with co-
location of appropriate services, schools, public assets,
transportation options, and access to jobs or job training.
Choice Neighborhoods grants fund the preservation,
rehabilitation, and transformation of public and HUD-assisted
housing, as well as their neighborhoods. Grantees include PHAs,
tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. For-
profit developers may also apply in partnership with another
eligible grantee. Grant funds can be used for resident and
community services, community development and affordable
housing activities in surrounding communities. Grantees
undertake comprehensive local planning with input from
residents and the community.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000
for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. This amount is
$50,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and
$100,000,000 more than the budget request. Of the total amount
provided, not less than $50,000,000 shall be awarded to
projects where PHAs are the lead applicant, and no more than
$5,000,000 may be used for planning, including planning and
action, grants. The Committee continues to direct the Secretary
to give priority consideration to grantees that have been
previously awarded planning grants when making implementation
grant awards. The Committee also directs HUD, when evaluating
applicants for Choice Neighborhoods Initiative implementation
grants, to take into account the capital needs of public
housing properties that previously received funding through the
HOPE VI program, but were not the target development of the
HOPE VI project. Choice Neighborhoods projects must continue to
meet the definition of ``severely distressed.''

FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $75,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 75,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 80,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Family Self-Sufficiency [FSS] program provides funding
to help Housing Choice Voucher, project-based Section 8, and
Public Housing residents achieve self-sufficiency and economic
independence. The FSS program is designed to provide service
coordination through community partnerships that link residents
with employment assistance, job training, child care,
transportation, financial literacy, and other supportive
services. The funding will be allocated through one competition
to eligible PHAs to support service coordinators who will serve
both public housing and vouchers residents.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $80,000,000
for the FSS program in fiscal year 2019. This amount is
$5,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, and
$5,000,000 more than the budget request.
The Committee strongly supports the FSS program, which
helps provide public housing and Section 8 residents with the
tools to improve their lives and achieve self-sufficiency. The
Committee notes the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory
Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which will
strengthen the FSS program by consolidating duplicative
programs, broadening supportive services, and giving local
entities flexibility to pursue innovative approaches. The
Committee notes that this act prioritizes the renewal of all
existing coordinators, subject to performance standards, and
encourages the participation of new coordinators once the
renewal need is met. As the program expands, the Committee
expects HUD to continue to hold webinars and trainings, and to
share best-practices for PHAs and property owners currently
operating and seeking to implement a new FSS program. Further,
the Committee strongly encourages the Department to continue
work with PHAs and property owners, including those converting
existing FSS programs through the Rental Assistance
Demonstration, to ensure they comply with reporting and other
program requirements.
Easing Barriers to Participation.--In order to facilitate
increased participation by target families, the Committee seeks
to reduce barriers to participation that can arise from
understaffed FSS programs or delays in family enrollment. For
the purposes of the NOFA for this program, the Committee
directs HUD to use PIC data from the 12-month period
immediately preceding the issuance of the NOFA when calculating
the number of new or additional FSS coordinators for which a
PHA is eligible to apply. The Committee further directs that
for new families enrolling in the FSS program in 2019, the
income and rent amounts to be used in the ``Program Contract of
Participation'' shall be taken from the amounts on the last
reexamination or interim determination before the family's
initial participation in the FSS program.

NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $755,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 600,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 755,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account funds the Indian Housing Block Grant Program,
as authorized under title I of the Native American Housing
Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 [NAHASDA]. This
program provides a funding allocation on a formula basis to
Indian Tribes and their tribally designated housing entities to
help address the housing needs within their communities. Under
this block grant, Indian Tribes use performance measures and
benchmarks that are consistent with the national goals of the
program, but can base these measures on the needs and
priorities established in their own Indian housing plan.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $755,000,000 for the
Indian Housing Block Grant [IHBG] and Title VI Loan Guarantee
programs, of which $646,000,000 is for IHBG formula grants,
$100,000,000 is for IHBG competitive grants, $7,000,000 is for
technical assistance, and $2,000,000 is for credit subsidy to
support a Title VI guaranteed loan level not to exceed
$17,761,989. The recommended level of funding is the same as
the amount provided in fiscal year 2018 and $155,000,000 more
than the budget request.
Competitive Grants.--IHBG is a vital resource for Tribal
governments to address the dire housing conditions in Indian
country, and access to affordable housing remains in a critical
State for many Tribes across the country. Native Americans
living in Tribal areas are nearly twice as likely to live in
poverty compared to the rest of the Nation. As a result, the
housing challenges on Tribal lands are daunting. According to
the American Housing Survey data for 2013, 16 percent of homes
on American Indian reservations and off-reservation trust land
are overcrowded, compared to 2 percent of households
nationwide. In addition to being overcrowded, 34 percent of
Native American housing units suffer from one or more physical
problems compared with only 7 percent for U.S. households, on
average. To assist Tribes with these daunting housing
challenges, the Committee recommendation includes $100,000,000
for competitive grants in addition to the formula funding.
Coordinated Environmental Reviews for Tribal Housing and
Related Infrastructure.--In fiscal year 2015, the Committee
directed HUD to collaborate with the Council on Environmental
Quality and affected Federal agencies, including the
Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Energy,
Health and Human Services, the Federal Highway Administration,
and the Environmental Protection Agency, to develop a
coordinated environmental review process to simplify Tribal
housing development and its related infrastructure needs. The
Committee expects HUD to continue to update the Committee on
the status and progress of these ongoing efforts.
Technical Assistance.--Limited capacity hinders the ability
of many Tribes to effectively address their housing needs. The
Committee recommendation includes $7,000,000 for technical
assistance needs in Indian country to support the IHBG program,
as well as other HUD programs, in order to meet the needs of
Native American families and Indian country. The Committee
expects HUD to use the technical assistance funding provided to
aid Tribes with capacity challenges, especially Tribes
receiving small grant awards. The funding should be used for
training, contract expertise, and other services necessary to
improve data collection, increase leveraging, and address other
needs identified by Tribes. The Committee also expects that
these technical assistance funds will be provided to
organizations with experience in providing technical assistance
that reflects the unique needs and culture of Native Americans.
Title VI Credit Subsidy Model.--The Title VI Loan Guarantee
program enables Tribes to leverage their block grant funds and
encourages private lenders to finance Tribal housing
development activities. While this program provides critical
financing to address housing needs on Tribal lands, the program
has suffered from an outdated credit subsidy model. The
Committee is pleased to learn that HUD and OMB have undertaken
an effort to improve the model and more accurately reflect the
cost to the Government of this program. These corrections will
likely result in the ability to do more lending at the same
appropriation level. The Committee strongly encourages HUD to
continue these efforts and hopes they will be reflected in the
fiscal year 2020 request.

INDIAN HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on
Program account guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018................ $1,000,000 $270,270,270
Budget estimate, 2019............... ................ ................
Committee recommendation............ 1,440,000 553,846,154
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides access to private financing for
Indian families, Indian Tribes, and their tribally designated
housing entities that otherwise could not acquire housing
financing because of the unique status of Indian trust land.
HUD continues to be the largest single source of financing for
housing in Tribal communities. This program makes it possible
to promote sustainable reservation communities by providing
access to financing for higher income Native Americans to
achieve homeownership within their Native communities. As
required by the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, this account
includes the subsidy costs associated with the loan guarantees
authorized under this program.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,440,000 in
program subsidies to support a loan level of $553,846,154. This
subsidy amount is $440,000 more than the fiscal year 2018
enacted subsidy level and $1,440,000 more than the budget
request.

NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 2,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Hawaiian Homelands Homeownership Act of 2000 created
the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program to provide
grants to the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
[DHHL] for housing and housing-related assistance, in order to
develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing for eligible
low-income Native Hawaiian families. As one of the United
States' indigenous people, Native Hawaiian people have a unique
relationship with the Federal Government.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,000,000 for
the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, which is equal
to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $2,000,000 more than
the budget request.
The Committee is extremely disappointed at DHHL's repeated
failure to meet acceptable performance targets for the
expenditure of federally appropriated funds, and its failure to
adjust program delivery models to meet the housing needs of
low-income Native Hawaiians. While the underlying state
constitutional mandate to return Native Hawaiians to the
Hawaiian homelands is and should always be the mission of the
organization, that does not in any way preclude DHHL from
developing affordable, multi-family rental housing for the
estimated 34,100 low-income Native Hawaiians who cannot afford
traditional or sweat equity homeownership opportunities. This
type of residential density will also allow for more efficient
use of infrastructure such as roads, sewer and water lines.
Further, DHHL is encouraged to also address the rehabilitation
of unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions of low-income
Kapuna housing on Hawaiian homelands for which there is also
great need.
The Committee directs HUD to ensure that the funds provided
are administered to maximize the provision of affordable
housing through the construction of high density, multi-family
affordable housing and rental units, as well as housing
counseling services and the rehabilitation of housing on Native
Hawaiian home lands that do not meet safe and sanitary housing
building standards.

Community Planning and Development

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $375,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 330,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 375,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS [HOPWA]
program provides States and localities with resources and
incentives to devise long-term, comprehensive strategies for
meeting the housing and supportive service needs of persons
living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
By statute, 90 percent of formula-appropriated funds are
distributed to qualifying States and metropolitan areas on the
basis of the number of living HIV and living AIDS cases, as
well as poverty and local housing cost factors. The remaining
10 percent of funds are awarded through a national competition,
with priority given to the renewal of funding for expiring
agreements consistent with appropriations act requirements.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $375,000,000
for the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS [HOPWA]
program. This level of funding is $45,000,000 more than the
budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee continues to include language requiring HUD to
allocate these funds in a manner that preserves existing HOPWA
programs, to the extent that those programs are determined to
be meeting the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,365,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 3,365,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act
of 1974, as amended, the Department is authorized to award
block grants to units of general local government and States
for the funding of local community development programs. A wide
range of physical, economic, and social development activities
are eligible with spending priorities determined at the local
level, but the law enumerates general objectives which the
block grants are designed to fulfill, including adequate
housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic
opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate
income. Grant recipients are required to use at least 70
percent of their block grant funds for activities that benefit
low- and moderate-income persons.
Funds are distributed to eligible recipients for community
development purposes utilizing the higher of two objective
formulas, one of which gives somewhat greater weight to the age
of housing stock. Of the funds appropriated, 70 percent are
distributed to entitlement communities and 30 percent are
distributed to nonentitlement communities after deducting
designated amounts for insular areas.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has provided $3,365,000,000 for Community
Development Block Grants [CDBG]. The recommended amount is
$3,365,000,000 above the budget request and equal to the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. CDBG funding provides States and
entitlement communities with resources that allow them to
undertake a wide range of community development activities,
including public infrastructure improvements, housing
rehabilitation and construction, job creation and retention,
and public services that primarily benefit low and moderate
income persons. The Committee strongly rejects the
administration's proposal to eliminate this critical
infrastructure program. Since 2005, CDBG has assisted nearly
1.5 million homeowners with services such as rehabilitation,
downpayment assistance, and lead abatement; it has helped
create or retain over 400,000 jobs; and has benefited over 45
million people through infrastructure improvements. Every
dollar of CDBG Federal investment leverages nearly four
additional dollars in non-CDBG funding. Urban and rural
communities rely on this funding to serve their most vulnerable
residents and where residents experience economic hardship.
This program is vital to our nation's downtown and neighborhood
revitalization efforts, and the Committee believes that every
effort must be made to protect this essential funding
mechanism. HUD's own fiscal year 2019 performance plan shows
that eliminating CDBG as well as HOME ultimately reduces the
number of housing units the Department expects to make healthy,
physically safe and lead-safe by two-thirds. This essential
resource for State and local governments lies at the heart of
HUD's community development mission and eliminating it would
have a real and significant negative impact on the lives of
millions of low and moderate income Americans.
The flexibility associated with CDBG enables State and
local governments to tailor solutions to effectively meet the
unique needs of their communities. The Committee notes the
importance of States and local grantees meeting the program's
three national objectives, as they utilize the program's
resources to address a wide range of community needs. As HUD
works with communities to determine eligible activities that
meet the national objective of benefiting low- and moderate-
income persons, the Committee encourages the Department to
extend flexibility for rural communities under 1,000 residents
to use alternate sources of data to establish Low-Moderate
Income Survey Data [LMISD] when American Community Survey [ACS]
data is considered by the CDBG applicant to be unreliable.
The Committee recommends $65,000,000 for grants to Indian
Tribes for essential economic and community development
activities, which is $65,000,000 above the budget request and
equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
To ensure the program remains flexible, but also
accountable and transparent, the Committee recommendation
continues provisions in bill language that prohibit any
community from selling its CDBG award to another community and
that any funding provided to a for-profit entity for an
economic development project funded under this act undergo
appropriate underwriting. The Committee has included these
provisions to address concerns raised about how program dollars
have been used and to mitigate risks associated with it.
Transitional Housing for Individuals Exiting Recovery.--The
Committee recognizes the importance of stable transitional
living environments for individuals in recovery from substance
abuse disorder, including opioid addiction. As such, the
Committee directs HUD to encourage community development block
grant recipients to provide funding to organizations that offer
transitional housing opportunities to those in recovery.
Assisting Communities Affected by Disasters.--The Committee
provided a historically large appropriation of $35,400,000,000
for rebuilding efforts in areas affected by 2017 disasters and
for additional mitigation activities in communities affected by
disasters occurring between 2015 and 2017. As of April 2018,
HUD had informally announced the allocation and the recipients
of this funding. The Committee notes, however, that because the
Department has not yet published the allocations for the
majority of this funding in the Federal Register, grantees
cannot submit their Allocation Plans to HUD for review and
resources cannot begin to flow to States and territories. Until
allocations are published, hard-hit communities, including
those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, will be
prevented from expeditiously distributing this critical long-
term recovery funding. In order to facilitate the timely
deployment of these resources, the Committee directs HUD to
publish all allocations and implementing notices in the Federal
Register no later than 30 days after the enactment of this act.
Additionally, the Department has been conditioning the
allocation of disaster recovery funds on the use of important
guidelines emphasizing durability and sustainability. These
pragmatic standards have helped communities affected by
disasters to recover quickly, build back stronger, and more
effectively prepare for future natural hazard events. The
Committee believes that this approach will be helpful in
reducing the need for future repair and recovery spending and
strongly encourages the Department not only to maintain these
standards for disaster assistance, but to work with communities
to extend this approach to other Community Development Block
Grant activities as well.
Procurement Standards for Disaster Grantees.-- CDBG
Disaster Recovery provides essential funding to States and
localities recovering from natural disasters. In prior
appropriations, Congress has directed HUD to provide thorough
oversight of the auditing and procurement procedures
implemented by grantees. In the Disaster Relief Appropriations
Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-2), and in subsequent disaster
recovery appropriations in fiscal years 2015, 2016, and 2017,
Congress specifically required HUD to certify that the
procurement processes employed by each grantee meet a standard
of proficiency. On March 5, 2013, HUD published Notice FR-5696-
N-01 clarifying that a proficient standard is one that is
equivalent to and in alignment with Federal procurement
standards. The Committee continues to believe that as long as
HUD provides consistent and rigorous oversight of the
procurement processes employed by State and local recipients,
an equivalent, though not identical procurement standard that
upholds the principles of fair and open competition can prevent
Federal dollars appropriated for disaster recovery from being
spent irresponsibly. The Committee agrees that this approach
provides maximum feasible deference to grantees, particularly
States and U.S. territories, which is consistent with the CDBG
program design. The Committee also notes its concern about the
timeliness of disbursement of disaster relief funds once
allocated to States and U.S. territories. The Committee expects
HUD to balance the integrity of procurement standards with
timely disbursement of resources and directs HUD to, as part of
its oversight of procurement standards, ensure the timeliness
of disbursements to subgrantees.
Partnerships Between Grantees and Project Resource
Providers.--The Committee strongly supports communities that
are facilitating partnerships between CDBG recipients and non-
profit organizations that provide tools, equipment, or other
resources to other nonprofit or volunteer organizations
assisting in the completion of community development,
revitalization, or rehabilitation projects authorized under the
CDBG program. The Committee directs HUD to provide clarifying
guidance to CDBG recipients about how they can facilitate these
partnerships and to issue a report by the end of fiscal year
2019 that identifies opportunities and challenges for Federal,
State, and local governments to partner with nonprofit
organizations to complete community development,
revitalization, and rehabilitation projects.
Addressing Blight and Abandoned Properties.--Blight and
abandoned properties have significant impacts on the health,
safety, and economic viability of the communities in which they
are located. When undertaken strategically, demolition of
abandoned properties can alleviate these harmful effects. The
Committee encourages the Department to work with its grantees
to identify effective solutions to addressing blight and
abandoned properties.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN GUARANTEES PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on
Program account guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018................ ................ $300,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019............... ................ ................
Committee recommendation............ ................ 300,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of
1974, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to issue Federal
loan guarantees of private market loans used by entitlement and
nonentitlement communities to cover the costs of acquiring real
property, rehabilitation of publicly owned real property,
housing rehabilitation, and other economic development
activities.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides a loan level
guarantee of $300,000,000 which is equal to the fiscal year
2018 enacted level and $300,000,000 above the budget request.
The Committee requires HUD to collect fees to offset credit
subsidy costs such that the program operates at a zero credit
subsidy cost.
This program enables CDBG recipients to use their CDBG
dollars to leverage financing for economic development
projects, community facilities, and housing rehabilitation
programs. Communities are allowed to borrow up to five times
their most recent CDBG allocation.

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,362,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 1,362,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title II of the National Affordable Housing Act, as
amended, authorizes the HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
This program provides assistance to States and local
governments for the purpose of expanding the supply and
affordability of housing to low-income and very low-income
people. Eligible activities include tenant-based rental
assistance, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable rental
and ownership housing, and housing construction. To participate
in the HOME program, State and local governments must develop a
comprehensive housing affordability strategy. There is a 25
percent matching requirement for participating jurisdictions,
which can be reduced or eliminated if they are experiencing
fiscal distress.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,362,000,000
for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This amount is
equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $1,362,000,000
more than the budget request.
Affordable Housing Needs.--HOME continues to play a crucial
role in the creation of new affordable housing and is more
critical than ever given the lack of affordable housing in
communities across the country. This past year, the program's
ability to leverage outside funding has far exceeded its
historical average: while in the past, a dollar of HOME money
has attracted an additional $4.32, this rose to an average
leveraged amount of $5.67 during fiscal year 2017. For rental
projects specifically, this amount was even higher, leveraging
$6.82 for every HOME dollar. The program's impressive ability
to attract private capital reflects the central importance it
plays in facilitating public-private housing development
partnerships. Given the Administration's avowed interest in
promoting cooperative efforts between the public and private
sectors to address the affordable housing crisis, it is unclear
how the elimination of HOME in the proposed budget helps to
promote this objective. The Committee supports innovative
projects that combine public and private capital, but
recognizes that without a public commitment to programs like
HOME, the private sector has little incentive to participate in
public-private affordable housing partnerships.
Reconciling Income Guidelines for Disabled Veterans.--There
are 3.9 million veterans with disabilities and 1.5 million
veterans living in poverty in the United States. However,
connecting veterans to affordable housing opportunities based
on their disability and/or income status can be difficult. Many
multifamily affordable housing developments are financed with a
combination of HOME funds and the Department of the Treasury's
Low Income Housing Tax Credits [LIHTC]. However, the income
guidelines for HUD's HOME program and the LIHTC vary, and
reconciling the two program's requirements can be challenging.
As such, the Committee urges the Department to work with the
Department of Treasury to examine ways to better align HUD and
LIHTC guidelines. The Committee encourages HUD to assess
potential changes to the income determination used for LIHTC to
ensure that disabled veterans are not excluded from projects.

self-help and assisted homeownership opportunity program

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $54,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 54,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity
Program provides funding for several programs, including the
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program [SHOP], which
assists low-income homebuyers who are willing to contribute
``sweat equity'' toward the construction of their houses. These
funds increase nonprofit organizations' ability to leverage
funds from other sources. This account also includes funding
for the Capacity Building for Community Development and
Affordable Housing Program, as well as assistance to rural
communities, as authorized under sections 6301 through 6305 of
Public Law 110-246. These programs assist in the development of
the capacity of nonprofit organizations to carry out community
development and affordable housing projects. This account also
provides funding for the rehabilitation and modification of the
homes of veterans, who are low-income or disabled, as
authorized by section 1079 of Public Law 113-291.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $54,000,000 for the Self-Help and
Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program, which is equal to
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $54,000,000 more than
the budget request. The Committee rejects the Administration's
proposal to eliminate this account. The Committee
recommendation includes $10,000,000 for SHOP, as authorized
under section 11 of the Housing Opportunity Program Extension
Act of 1996; $35,000,000 for capacity building, as authorized
by section 4(a) of the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993;
$5,000,000 to carry out capacity building activities in rural
communities; and $4,000,000 for a program to rehabilitate and
modify housing for veterans, who are low-income or disabled.
The Committee notes that funding for technical assistance is
being provided under the Office of Policy Development and
Research and directs that funds available for the Section 4
program be used solely for capacity building activities.
Funding for the Rural Capacity Building Program for
Community Development and Affordable Housing is intended for
truly national organizations. For the purposes of the National
Rural Capacity Building Notification of Funding Availability
[NOFA], the Committee directs HUD to define an eligible
national organization as ``a nonprofit entity, which has
ongoing experience in rural housing, including experience
working with rural housing organizations, local governments,
and Indian tribes, as evidenced by past and continuing work in
one or more States in eight or more of HUD's Federal regions.''
Assistance for Low-Income and Disabled Veterans.--The
Committee is pleased that HUD recently published a NOFA for the
Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program.
This program will award grants to nonprofit organizations to
rehabilitate and modify the primary residences of veterans to
make them more accessible by installing supportive fixtures so
that veterans can regain or maintain their independence. Over
the past three fiscal years, the Committee has provided a total
of $13,700,000 for this program. It is essential that all of
this funding be utilized to assist some of the 3.9 million
veterans in the United States with a service-connected
disability or the nearly 1.5 million veterans living in
poverty. The Committee directs HUD to award funds provided for
this program in fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 within 60
days of enactment of this act. The Committee also directs HUD
to award funds provided for this program for fiscal year 2019
within 180 days of enactment of this act.

homeless assistance grants

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,513,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,383,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,612,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Homeless Assistance Grants Program provides funding to
break the cycle of homelessness and to move homeless persons
and families to permanent housing. This is done by providing
rental assistance, emergency shelter, transitional and
permanent housing, prevention, rapid re-housing, and supportive
services to homeless persons and families or those at risk of
homelessness. The emergency solutions grant program is a
formula grant program, while the Continuum of Care and Rural
Housing Stability Programs are competitive grants. Homeless
assistance grants provide Federal support to the Nation's most
vulnerable populations. These grants assist localities in
addressing the housing and service needs of a wide variety of
homeless populations while developing coordinated Continuum of
Care [CoC] systems that ensure the support necessary to help
those who are homeless attain housing and move toward self-
sufficiency.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,612,000,000
for Homeless Assistance Grants in fiscal year 2019. This amount
is $229,000,000 above the budget request, and $99,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee recommendation includes at least
$2,205,000,000 to support the Continuum of Care Program,
including the renewal of existing projects, and the Rural
Housing Stability Assistance Program. Based on the renewal
burden, HUD may also support planning and other activities
authorized by the HEARTH Act. The recommendation also includes
at least $270,000,000 for the emergency solutions grants
program [ESG].
The Committee continues to support HUD's efforts to
leverage existing housing resources, such as Section 8 and
Family Unification Program vouchers, to serve people
experiencing homelessness and supports replacing existing,
underperforming projects with new projects.
The Committee is aware that while most States did not
experience a significant change in the number of people
experiencing homelessness between 2016 and 2017, some States
and the District of Columbia experienced a significant increase
in homeless populations, and in unsheltered homeless
populations in particular. The Committee believes that HUD
should continue to support the implementation of comprehensive
and proven approaches to serving people experiencing
homelessness in order to allow CoCs to meet their goals of
preventing and ending homelessness, which in certain cases may
include permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and
transitional housing. Therefore, if funds remain available in
this account after meeting renewal demands and funding ESG, HUD
may use it for new projects, including transitional housing,
provided that such projects are targeted to areas with the
greatest need, as measured by data on homelessness.
Addressing the Needs of Victims and Survivors of Domestic
Violence.--Victims and survivors of domestic violence and
assault, particularly women and children, often flee unsafe
circumstances and seek refuge through emergency shelter or
transitional housing programs in order to avoid homelessness.
The Committee recognizes the nexus between experiences of
domestic violence and homelessness, as well as how access to
housing and services can serve as an effective bridge between a
person leaving an abusive and dangerous environment to finding
stable housing. While permanent housing serves as a stable
platform for preventing and ending cycles of homelessness among
survivors, and rapid rehousing has been shown to be an
effective method for providing shorter term assistance, the
Committee is also aware that in some communities well-designed
transitional housing programs have also been effective in
meeting the needs of this population. Although HUD does not
penalize effective transitional housing projects that serve
survivors of domestic violence through its CoC grant
competition, the Committee is concerned that transitional
housing and service providers and CoCs lack the information
necessary to make informed funding recommendations that reflect
the needs of survivors at the local level. Therefore, the
Committee continues to direct the Department to issue
clarifying guidance on how transitional housing can be an
appropriate model and an eligible and effective use of funding
through the CoC grant competition. The Committee also continues
to direct the Department to coordinate with the Department of
Justice's Office on Violence Against Women [OVW] on
opportunities in communities where CoC program resources can be
used with OVW's transitional housing grants to ensure that
survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and
stalking have access to safe and affordable housing and
services. The Committee continues to encourage the Department
to renew transitional housing projects for domestic violence
survivors that have been shown to effectively address
survivors' safety and client choice and to continue funding CoC
projects serving domestic violence survivors that allow program
participants to obtain permanent housing through tenant-based
rental assistance and supportive services. The Committee
recommendation also includes $50,000,000 in competitive CoC
grants for rapid re-housing projects and supportive service
projects providing coordinated entry, and other critical
activities in order to assist survivors of domestic violence,
dating violence, and stalking. The Committee includes language
requiring that such projects be eligible for renewal under the
continuum of care program, subject to the same terms and
conditions as other renewal applicants. The Committee expects
HUD to work with Continuums of Care to ensure that such
projects do not supplant projects eligible for renewal as part
of the 2020 continuum of care grant competition.
Data on Youth Homelessness.--The Committee believes an
accurate count is critical to understanding the scale of youth
homelessness. While the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report
[AHAR] provides Congress and the public with meaningful
information on the progress in ending homelessness, other
Federal agencies have youth-specific data that can help
communities better understand the scope of youth homelessness
and housing instability in their area. The Committee continues
to direct HUD to incorporate additional Federal data on youth
homelessness into the AHAR.
Comprehensive Interventions to Prevent and End Youth
Homelessness.--The Committee recommendation includes
$80,000,000 to continue implementation of comprehensive
approaches to serving homeless youth, of which up to $5,000,000
shall be used to provide technical assistance to grantees. The
Committee applauds HUD's decision to use a portion of its
technical assistance funding to support the 100-Day Challenge
Initiative, a program that helps communities accelerate efforts
to prevent and end youth homelessness. By offering local
service providers the opportunity to come together to identify
impediments and establish goals, the 100-Day Challenge leaves
communities better prepared to confront youth homelessness in a
comprehensive manner. The program also lays the groundwork for
participants seeking to apply for a Youth Homelessness
Demonstration Grant award.
Barriers to Permanent Housing for Homeless Youth.--
Communities continue to update the Committee on barriers youth
face to accessing stable, permanent housing, including a lack
of landlord participation and flexible lease terms for youth
independently entering the private rental housing market. The
Committee is concerned that the CoC Interim Rule does not fully
consider the needs of all homeless youth transitioning into
permanent housing and directs the Department to identify and
report to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations
within 120 days of enactment of this act on the barriers
homeless youth face in securing timely and suitable permanent
housing.
Guidance Update.--The Committee continues to direct the
Department to expedite its review of withdrawn guidance
materials for homeless service providers to help them comply
with nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender services recipients. The Committee reminds the
Department that the deadline to complete this review is
September 19, 2018, and expects the Department's full
compliance in meeting this deadline.
Clarifying Eligibility and Documentation Requirements for
Homeless Youth.--The Committee continues to include language
that waives the requirement for youth 24 and under to provide
third-party documentation to receive housing and supportive
services within the Continuums of Care. The Committee strongly
believes documentation requirements should not be a basis for
denying access to necessary services. The Committee believes
the Department shares the goal of effectively addressing youth
homelessness and ensuring that no youth eligible go unserved
where there is the local capacity to house and/or provide
services. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Department to
continue to clarify program requirements through guidance,
notice and webcasts as appropriate.
Performance Partnership Pilot.--The Committee has continued
language permitting HUD to partner with other Federal agencies
in the Performance Partnership Pilot program, a cross-Federal
agency initiative serving disconnected youth through
innovative, cost-effective, and outcome-focused strategies. The
Committee believes there is a critical role HUD can play in
this pilot, especially as communities seek to address the
housing and self-sufficiency needs of disconnected youth.
Annual Homeless Assessment Report [AHAR].--AHAR is the
result of Congressional directives, beginning in 2001, that
directed the Department to collect data on homelessness using
the newly implemented Homeless Management Information System
[HMIS]. HMIS data, information provided by Continuums of Care,
and a point-in-time count of sheltered and unsheltered persons
from one night in January of each year informs AHAR. The
Committee is encouraged that HUD is sharing homeless data
widely, and that Federal, State and local service providers use
AHAR to determine needs and develop strategies to address
homelessness.
The Committee believes HMIS can be used as a platform for
information gathering in other Federal programs. Streamlining
data to reflect the various Federal data sources will allow the
Federal Government to better understand the scope and needs of
homeless populations, to then inform a strategic alignment of
Federal services. The Committee directs HUD to incorporate
additional Federal data on homelessness into the AHAR. This
information is important to ensure that communities develop and
implement policies that respond to local needs. To support
continued data collection and AHAR, the Committee has included
$7,000,000 to support AHAR data collection and analysis. The
Department shall submit the AHAR report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations by August 29, 2019. The Committee
further hopes that HUD's efforts to increase participation in
the HMIS effort will lead to improved information about and
understanding of the Nation's homeless.
Renewal Costs.--The Committee directs HUD to continue to
include 5-year projections of the costs of renewing existing
projects as part of the fiscal year 2020 budget justification.
This should include estimated costs of renewing permanent
supportive housing.

Housing Programs

project-based rental assistance

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $11,515,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 11,147,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 11,747,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance provides a rental
subsidy to a private landlord that is tied to a specific
housing unit, as opposed to a voucher, which allows a recipient
to seek a unit, subject primarily to certain rent caps. Amounts
in this account include funding for the renewal of and
amendments to expiring Section 8 project-based contracts,
including Section 8, moderate rehabilitation, and single room
occupancy [SRO] housing. This account also provides funds for
contract administrators.
The Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance [PBRA]
program supports an estimated 17,400 contracts with private
owners of multifamily housing. Through this program, HUD and
private sector partners support the preservation of safe,
stable and sanitary housing for more than 1.2 million low-
income households. Without PBRA, many affordable housing
projects would convert to market rates with large rent
increases that current tenants would be unable to afford.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of
$11,747,000,000 for the annual renewal of project-based
contracts, of which up to $245,000,000 is for the cost of
contract administrators. The recommended level of funding is
$232,000,000 above the amount provided in fiscal year 2018 and
is $600,000,000 above the budget request. The funding
recommendation provides sufficient resources to fully renew all
existing affordable housing contracts.
Performance-Based Contract Administrators.--Performance-
based contract administrators [PBCAs] are typically PHAs or
State housing finance agencies. They are responsible for
conducting on-site management reviews of assisted properties;
adjusting contract rents; and reviewing, processing, and paying
monthly vouchers submitted by owners, among other tasks. The
Committee notes that PBCAs are integral to the Department's
efforts to be more effective and efficient in the oversight and
monitoring of this program, reduce improper payments, protect
tenants and ensure properties are well maintained. The
Committee is concerned that proposals to reduce the scope of
work performed by PBCAs, diminish the applicability of Federal
law, or consolidate PBCAs into regional awards versus State-by-
State will have a detrimental effect on the oversight of these
HUD-assisted properties and the individuals and families that
rely on this critical source of affordable housing.
Oversight of Property Owners.--The Committee places a
priority on providing access to safe, sanitary, and affordable
housing to those most in need. If owners fail to uphold these
standards, HUD should hold them accountable. In recent years
the Committee has strengthened a general provision requiring
the Department to take specific steps to ensure that serious
defects are quickly addressed. This provision requires the
Secretary to take explicit actions if an owner fails to
maintain its property, including imposing civil monetary
penalties, working to secure a different owner for the
property, or transferring the Section 8 contract to another
property. The Committee notes that the Department has also
taken several additional steps to improve its inspections
process, including: closing a loophole that allowed condemned
units to be excluded from inspection samples; permitting REAC
to require owners to make repairs for individual deficiencies
even when an overall property receives a passing score;
requiring owners to adopt industry standards when making
repairs; and training REAC inspectors to recognize industry
standards when evaluating whether deficiencies have been
corrected. The Committee urges HUD to consider using PBCAs to
identify troubled properties early on, and directs HUD to
assess the feasibility developing a process by which PBCAs
conduct a survey of tenants living in properties under a
housing assistance payment contract for the purpose of
identifying persistent problems with either the physical
condition or management of the property. The Committee directs
HUD to inform the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
within 180 days of enactment of this act on the results of that
assessment.

housing for the elderly

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $678,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 601,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 678,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for housing for the elderly
under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959. Under this
program, the Department provides capital grants to eligible
entities for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction
of housing for seniors, as well as project-based rental
assistance contracts [PRACs] to support the operational costs
for such units. Tenants living in section 202 supportive
housing units can access a variety of community-based services
in order to continue living independently in their communities
and age in place.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $678,000,000
for the Section 202 program. This amount is consistent with the
level provided in fiscal year 2018 and $77,000,000 more than
the budget request. The Committee recommendation includes
$527,000,000 in new appropriations, in addition to carryover
balances and residual receipts, to fully fund all annual PRAC
renewals and amendments, $90,000,000 for service coordinators
and the continuation of existing congregate service grants, and
$51,000,000 for the development of new housing for low-income
seniors.
Aging in Place Home Modification Grants.--The Committee
recommendation also includes $10,000,000 for new grants in
order to enable low-income seniors to remain in their homes
through low-cost, high impact home modifications. The vast
majority of seniors wish to remain in their homes and ``age in
place,'' rather than move to nursing homes or other assisted
care facilities. However, most residences lack the needed
supportive features to make remaining in place a viable option.
This problem is further exacerbated by the lack of financial
stability in which most seniors find themselves. According to
the Bipartisan Policy Center, over the next 20 years, nearly 40
percent of individuals over the age of 62 are projected to have
financial assets of $25,000 or less, and more than half of that
population will have $5,000 or less. This lack of financial
resources makes it nearly impossible for low-income seniors to
successfully age in place. Simple, low-cost home modifications
can not only enable low-income seniors to age in place, but
also result in significant savings to Medicare and Medicaid. In
designing the Notice of Funding Availability for these grants,
HUD is directed to take into account successful models of low-
barrier, participant-led, holistic approaches to aging in
place, including Johns Hopkins University's Community Aging in
Place--Advancing Better Living for Elders [CAPABLE] program and
the Comfortably Home program of the Bath Housing Authority in
Bath, Maine. The Committee further directs HUD to track the
outcomes of seniors whose homes have been modified in order to
better understand the effectiveness of this funding in reducing
at-home falls, hospitalizations, and emergency response calls,
as well as improving independence and tenure in home over time.
Integrated Wellness in Supportive Housing [IWISH]
Demonstration.--In fiscal year 2014, the Committee directed HUD
to develop a housing-with-services demonstration for low-income
senior households. This demonstration will evaluate how those
models reduce unnecessary healthcare utilization, increase
housing stability, and support aging in place. In developing
this demonstration, the Department relied on the results from
the Support and Services at Home [SASH] evaluation in Vermont,
which indicated slowed growth in Medicare expenditures, in
addition to other research initiatives carried out jointly
between HUD and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. The Committee awaits the results of the Department's
analysis which will better inform models of housing-with-
services offered to seniors. The Committee encourages the
Department to include in the report whether future research and
the expansion of such models could improve the provision of
supportive services to seniors.

HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $229,600,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 140,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 154,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for housing for persons with
disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzales
National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. Traditionally, the
Section 811 program provided capital grants to eligible
entities for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction
of housing for persons with disabilities, as well as project-
based rental assistance contracts [PRACs] to support the
operational costs for such units. Since fiscal year 2012, HUD
has transitioned to providing project rental assistance to
State housing finance agencies or other appropriate entities,
which act in partnership with State health and human services
agencies to provide supportive services, as authorized by the
Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010
(Public Law 111-374).

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $154,000,000
for the Section 811 program. This level is $14,000,000 more
than the budget request and is $75,600,000 less than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. This level of funding, in addition to
residual receipts, recaptures, and other unobligated balances,
will support all PRAC renewals and amendments.
Discrimination against Individuals with Disabilities.--The
Committee is extremely concerned with HUD's recent findings of
significant levels of adverse differential treatment towards
individuals with mental illnesses and intellectual or
developmental disabilities as they seek to live in community-
based housing through the rental market. Equality of access to
the rental housing market for individuals with disabilities is
crucial to meeting the holdings of Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S.
581 (1999), and ensuring that those populations are not forced
to remain in nursing homes and other institutional or
segregated settings. The discrimination faced by individuals
with disabilities is further confirmed by complaints based on
disability making up the largest number of housing
discrimination complaints filed with Federal, State, and local
fair housing agencies and with private fair housing groups. In
2014, disability complaints alone made up over 51 percent of
the fair housing complaints filed with HUD, its partner State
and local agencies, and private fair housing enforcement
organizations.
The Committee directs HUD to develop educational materials
for both individuals with disabilities and housing providers
regarding fair housing rights and obligations, including
appropriate policies and practices when dealing with
individuals with mental illnesses, intellectual or
developmental disabilities, or any other mental disability.
These materials should also assist individuals with
disabilities, who are leaving institutional or segregated
settings, by informing them of their rights under Federal law,
how to recognize potential discrimination, and what actions to
take when faced with discrimination.

HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $55,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 45,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 45,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Housing Counseling Assistance Program provides
comprehensive housing counseling services to eligible
homeowners and tenants through grants to non-profit
intermediaries, State government entities, and other local and
national agencies. Eligible counseling activities include: pre-
and post-purchase education, personal financial management,
reverse mortgage product education, foreclosure prevention,
mitigation, and rental counseling.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,000,000
for the Housing Counseling Assistance Program, which is equal
to the budget request and $10,000,000 less than the fiscal year
2018 enacted level. These funds will help to provide
individuals and families across the country with sound advice
to make more informed housing decisions, improve their
financial situation, and meet their homeownership goals over
time. Specifically, it will support competitive counseling
grants and training activities. The network of HUD-approved
housing counseling organizations provides a wide variety of
counseling services, including assistance with preventing
foreclosure and homelessness. In addition, the administrative
contract support funding includes resources for financial
audits and technical assistance.
The Committee continues language requiring HUD to obligate
counseling grants within 180 days of enactment of this act, as
well as permitting HUD to publish multi-year NOFAs, contingent
on annual appropriations. This should result in administrative
savings for HUD and its grantees.
Eviction Counseling.--Nearly one million households in the
United States were evicted in 2016. The Committee is concerned
about the short- and long-term effects of these evictions on
families and individuals. The Committee directs the Department
to work with housing counselors to improve prevention efforts
in order to assist renters at risk of eviction and to report to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120
days of enactment of this act on their efforts to improve their
processes, including the identification of any barriers to the
collection of data on at-risk households, as well as to augment
the services offered by housing counselors.

RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $14,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides amendment funding for housing
assisted under the Rental Housing Assistance Program (Section
236) and the Rent Supplement Program.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for
HUD-assisted, State-aided, noninsured rental housing projects,
consistent with the budget request and $9,000,000 less than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee recommendation
includes a provision, which allows for the conversion of these
projects to long-term Section 8 contracts at no additional
cost. The Committee hopes that the conversion of these
projects, through the Rental Assistance Demonstration, will
lead to the eventual elimination of these outdated programs.

PAYMENT TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING FEES TRUST FUND

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $11,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 12,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 12,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety
Standards Act of 1974, as amended by the Manufactured Housing
Improvement Act of 2000, authorizes the Secretary to establish
Federal construction and safety standards for the construction,
design, and performance of manufactured homes. All manufactured
homes are required to meet these Federal standards, and fees
are charged to producers to cover the costs of administering
the Act.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $12,000,000 to support the
manufactured housing standards programs, of which $12,000,000
is expected to be derived from fees collected and deposited in
the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund [Trust Fund] account.
No direct appropriation is provided. The total amount
recommended is equal to the budget request and $1,000,000 more
than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Total shipments of new
manufactured homes in the United States have grown by nearly 14
percent in both 2016 and 2017. This increase in funding
reflects that continued growth in manufactured housing
production and is necessary for the continued oversight and
effective administration of this program.
The Committee recommendation directs that not less than
$3,600,000 is for payments to State Administrative Agency
partners and not less than $3,600,000 is for the monitoring of
manufacturers' compliance with construction and safety
standards by third-party inspection agencies.
The Committee continues language allowing for the
Department to collect fees from program participants in the
dispute resolution and installment programs, as mandated by the
Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000. These fees are to
be deposited into the Trust Fund and may be used to support the
manufactured housing standards programs, subject to the overall
cap placed on this account.
Congressional Justifications.--The Committee notes with
disappointment the lack of detail in the Office of Manufactured
Housing Programs' [OMHP] fiscal year 2019 written budget
justification. This document has traditionally provided the
Committee with essential information to assist with determining
OMHP's executable budget. The Committee directs OMHP to provide
detailed Congressional justifications of its annual budget
requests. These justifications shall include anticipated
payments related, but not limited, to: State Administrative
Agencies, Monitoring Manufacturer's Compliance with
Construction and Safety Standards, Oversight of Model
Installation Standards, Administration of the Dispute
Resolution Program, Coordination of Activities of the
Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee, and Meetings with
Partners in the Federal Manufactured Housing Program.
Recreational Vehicle Definition.--The Committee notes that
the Department is working towards updating its regulatory
definition of a ``recreational vehicle'' and intends to
complete its final rulemaking process by the end of Spring
2019. The Committee expects the Department to finalize this
rule within this timeframe and in accordance with the existing
December 2014 recommendation of the Manufactured Housing
Consensus Committee.
Resident-Owned Cooperative Models.--Two-thirds of new
affordable housing produced in the United States is
manufactured housing. This industry serves as an important tool
in combatting rising home prices and the growing housing
shortage. More than 2.9 million manufactured homes are located
in mobile home parks, where residents own their homes, but
often do not own the land on which their homes reside. This
leaves homeowners vulnerable to land cost increases, arbitrary
rule enforcement, and land conversion for other uses. It can
also result in the eviction or closure of a community, which is
very disruptive and can result in thousands of dollars in
relocation costs. Resident-owned cooperative models provide a
viable means for preserving this crucial source of affordable
housing and protecting vulnerable residents from displacement.
The Committee notes the recent growth of this cooperative model
and encourages the further expansion of this model nationally
as manufactured housing production continues to rise.

Federal Housing Administration

mutual mortgage insurance program account

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on Limitation on Administrative
direct loans guaranteed loans contract expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018................................... $5,000,000 $400,000,000,000 $130,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019.................................. 1,000,000 400,000,000,000 150,000,000
Committee recommendation............................... 1,000,000 400,000,000,000 130,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL AND SPECIAL RISK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on Limitation on
direct loans guaranteed loans
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018................ $5,000,000 $30,000,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019............... 1,000,000 30,000,000,000
Committee recommendation............ 1,000,000 30,000,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Housing Administration [FHA] fund covers the
mortgage and loan insurance activity of HUD mortgage/loan
insurance programs. These include the mutual mortgage insurance
[MMI] fund, cooperative management housing insurance [CMHI]
fund, general insurance [GI] fund, and the special risk
insurance [SRI] fund. For presentation and accounting control
purposes, these are divided into two sets of accounts based on
shared characteristics. The unsubsidized insurance programs of
the mutual mortgage insurance fund and the cooperative
management housing insurance fund constitute one set; and the
general risk insurance and special risk insurance funds make up
the other.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has included the following amounts for the
Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program account: a limitation on
guaranteed loans of $400,000,000,000, a limitation on direct
loans of $1,000,000, and $130,000,000 for administrative
contract expenses. For the GI/SRI account, the Committee
recommends $30,000,000,000 as a limitation on guaranteed loans
and a limitation on direct loans of $1,000,000. The Committee
does not include authority for HUD to charge a fee to provide
additional funds for FHA's administrative costs as proposed in
the budget request. However, the Committee supports the goal of
improving FHA's system automation, risk management and quality
control efforts and has included funding in the Information
Technology Fund account for these purposes.
Home Equity Conversion Mortgages [HECM].--The Committee
urges the Department to take appropriate actions to ensure
transparency and improve the resolution of defaulted and
foreclosed FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans which have
been assigned to HUD in order to improve program performance
and loss mitigation results for borrowers.
International Residential Code [IRC].--The Committee notes
that HUD has not comprehensively updated its minimum property
standards for FHA insured housing in over 20 years, but has
accepted the IRC for new construction of one and two-family
homes. The IRC development process is consensus driven and
includes relevant stakeholders at the State and local level to
update the building code on a periodic basis. Currently, 49
States and the District of Columbia utilize some version of the
IRC as their model building code for new one and two-family
home construction. The Committee encourages HUD to undertake a
review of its minimum property standards, including the IRC to
determine if: (1) it would be redundant and a poor use of
Federal resources to update its minimum property standards; (2)
in light of the near universal adoption of some version of the
IRC, if it is acceptable to be used to determine whether a
property meets FHA's minimum property standards and therefore
eligible for mortgage insurance; and (3) minimum property
standards can be streamlined.
FHA Condominium Regulations.--The Committee notes that in
October 2016, HUD published a proposed rule to implement the
authorities included in the Housing Opportunity Through
Modernization Act of 2016 but has not yet issued a final rule.
The Committee directs HUD to complete this regulatory process
and include any essential safeguards to mitigate risk to the
FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund while also protecting
borrowers.
HUD-Federal Financing Bank Risk Sharing.--In fiscal year
2014, HUD and the Federal Financing Bank [FFB] launched a risk
sharing initiative in order to provide financing for
multifamily mortgage loans inured by FHA under its Risk Sharing
programs on an interim basis until September 30, 2020. Through
this initiative, FFB provides Housing Finance Agencies [HFAs]
with upfront financing for affordable multifamily housing
developments, which FHA insures through the Multifamily Risk-
Sharing Program under section 542 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1707). Since the Federal
government takes an ownership interest in section 542 FHA-
insured mortgages equal to 100 percent of principal and
interest, FFB financing reduces the cost of funds for
participating HFAs. As part of the HUD-FFB initiative, the
Department of Treasury and HUD are expected to monitor the
partnership over time to assess whether FFB financing is needed
to support affordable housing given current market conditions,
such as the cost of tax-exempt bonds. The Committee recognizes
the existing unmet need for affordable housing and supports
innovative and prudent approaches to accomplishing this goal.
Therefore, HUD is directed to continue working with HFAs that
have existing HUD-FFB risk sharing agreements in place. The
Committee encourages HUD to make every effort to expedite the
approval of projects in order to meet the total authorized
level of projects as outlined in their agreements. The
Committee further directs HUD to work with FFB and to seek
input from HFAs and other stakeholders in order to assess the
effectiveness of the initiative to determine whether it is
meeting its intended goals and should be continued with or
without improvements, and to report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations, as well as the authorizing
committees of jurisdictions on this evaluation within 180 days
of enactment of this act. The Committee encourages HUD to
continue to work with HFAs under the section 542 authority in
order to spur affordable multifamily housing production.

Government National Mortgage Association

GUARANTEES OF MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on
personnel,
Limitation on compensation and
guaranteed loans administrative
expenses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018.............. $500,000,000,000 $27,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019............. 550,000,000,000 24,400,000
Committee recommendation.......... 550,000,000,000 27,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Government National Mortgage Association [Ginnie Mae],
through the mortgage-backed securities program, guarantees
privately issued securities backed by pools of Government-
guaranteed mortgages. Ginnie Mae is a wholly owned corporate
instrumentality of the United States within the Department. Its
powers are prescribed generally by title III of the National
Housing Act, as amended. Ginnie Mae is authorized by section
306(g) of the act to guarantee the timely payment of principal
and interest on securities that are based on and backed by a
trust, or pool, composed of mortgages that are guaranteed and
insured by the FHA, the Rural Housing Service, or the
Department of Veterans Affairs. Ginnie Mae's guarantee of
mortgage-backed securities is backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States. This account also funds all
salaries and benefits funding to support Ginnie Mae.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on new commitments on
mortgage-backed securities of $550,000,000,000. This level is
the same as the budget request and $50,000,000,000 more than
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill allows Ginnie Mae
to use $27,000,000 for salaries and expenses. This is the same
as the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $2,600,000 more than
the budget request.

Policy Development and Research

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $89,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 85,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 100,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970,
as amended, directs the Secretary of the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to undertake programs of research,
evaluation, and reports relating to the Department's mission
and programs. These functions are carried out internally and
through grants and contracts with industry, nonprofit research
organizations, educational institutions, and through agreements
with State and local governments and other Federal agencies.
The research programs seek ways to improve the efficiency,
effectiveness, and equity of HUD programs and to identify
methods to achieve cost reductions. Additionally, this
appropriation is used to support HUD evaluation and monitoring
activities and to conduct housing surveys.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000
for research, technology, and community development activities
in fiscal year 2019. This level is $11,000,000 more than the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $15,000,000 more than the
budget request. The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for Core
Research and Technology, including: market surveys; research
support and dissemination; data acquisition; housing finance
studies; research partnerships; and housing technology. In
addition, the Committee includes $50,000,000 for Department-
wide technical assistance and critical research beyond the core
studies. Of this amount, at least $25,000,000 is for technical
assistance [TA] across HUD programs. The Committee
recommendation will continue to support market surveys, such as
the American Housing Survey, that are integral to HUD's ability
to understand its own programs and also help enhance public and
private entities' knowledge of housing conditions in the United
States.
Of the amount provided for critical research beyond the
core studies, the recommendation includes $2,000,000 for an
Envision Center evaluation, $2,000,000 for homeless youth
research activities authorized under section 345 of the Runaway
and Homeless Youth Act, and up to $2,000,000 for use by the
Office of Innovation for innovation awards.
The recommendation also includes continued funding for
evaluations of the Moving-to-Work program and expansion; and
on-going evaluations of rent reform, the Choice Neighborhoods
Initiative, long-term tracking of the Family Self-Sufficiency
program, and energy performance contracting in public housing.
The recommendation also includes funding for the following
new research and evaluations: Section 3 process evaluation,
administrative data linkages to assess long-term outcomes of
exit from assisted housing, energy efficiency in disaster
reconstruction, a lead awareness module for the Current
Population Survey, research addressing the housing needs of
older Americans, and an assessment of utility savings from sub-
metering conversions in public housing. HUD shall include
details on its allocation of these resources in its operating
plan.
Fair Market Rents [FMRs].--The Committee encourages HUD to
identify and implement alternatives to locally funded rent
surveys of areas affected by changing economic conditions and
natural disasters. In fiscal year 2018, the Committee directed
HUD to submit a report describing proposals to update the FMR
formula to more accurately reflect the current housing market.
The Committee believes that this report will be critical to
identifying potential sources of challenges with aligning
American Community Survey data, as well as inflation and trend
factors. While the Committee recognizes that the results of the
analysis may not result in actions that will inform the fiscal
year 2019 FMR calculations, the findings will help inform a
more accurate assessment of local market conditions. The
Committee continues to encourage the Department, to the extent
practicable, to work with communities to use local rent survey
data made available in the preceding year to inform the
calculation of FMRs. The Committee continues to strongly
encourage HUD to expedite the process for consideration of FMRs
and exception payment standards that are requested by PHAs.

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

fair housing activities

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $65,300,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 62,300,000
Committee recommendation................................ 65,300,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The fair housing activities appropriation includes funding
for both the Fair Housing Assistance Program [FHAP] and the
Fair Housing Initiatives Program [FHIP].
The Fair Housing Assistance Program helps State and local
agencies to implement title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of
1968, as amended, which prohibits discrimination in the sale,
rental, and financing of housing and in the provision of
brokerage services. The major objective of the program is to
assure prompt and effective processing of title VIII complaints
with appropriate remedies for complaints by State and local
fair housing agencies.
The Fair Housing Initiatives Program is authorized by
section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of
1987, as amended, and by section 905 of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1992. This initiative is designed
to alleviate housing discrimination by increasing support to
public and private organizations for the purpose of eliminating
or preventing discrimination in housing, and to enhance fair
housing opportunities.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $65,300,000
for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity [OFHEO].
This amount is equal to the budget request and the 2018 enacted
level. Of the amounts provided, $23,500,000 is for FHAP,
$39,900,000 is for FHIP, and $300,000 is for the creation,
promotion, and dissemination of translated materials that
support the assistance of persons with limited English
proficiency. The Committee also provides $1,600,000 for the
National Fair Housing Training Academy [NFHTA], and encourages
the Department to pursue ways to make the Academy self-
sustaining. The Committee is concerned with the delay in the
fiscal year 2018 NFHTA and directs HUD to move forward with
this critical training expeditiously.

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $230,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 145,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 260,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of
1992 established the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard
Reduction Act, under which HUD is authorized to make grants to
States, localities, and Native American Tribes in order to
conduct lead-based paint hazard reduction and abatement
activities in private, low-income housing. Lead poisoning is a
significant environmental health hazard, particularly for young
children and pregnant women, and can result in neurological
damage, learning disabilities, and impaired growth. The Healthy
Homes Initiative, authorized under sections 501 and 502 of the
Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1
and 1701z-2), provides grants to remediate housing hazards that
have been scientifically shown to negatively impact occupant
health and safety.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $260,000,000
for lead-based paint hazard reduction and abatement activities
for fiscal year 2019. This amount is $115,000,000 above the
President's budget request and $30,000,000 more than the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level. Of the amount provided, $45,000,000 is
for the Healthy Homes Initiative, and $45,000,000 is for the
Lead-Safe Communities demonstration program. The overall
funding level will support lead-based paint hazard reductions
in up to 15,600 units, providing safer homes for over 55,600
low and very-low income families or individuals, including more
than 14,450 children under the age of 6.
The Committee remains committed to protecting children in
communities with the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning
and the oldest housing stock. Lead-based paint is far more
prevalent in older homes and in low-income housing in
particular, where maintenance is less robust and paint surfaces
are more likely to deteriorate, leading to a heightened risk of
exposure from peeling paint. In order to target funding to
those communities, the Committee directs HUD to award no less
than $95,000,000 of grants to remediate lead-based paint
hazards in low-income housing to those jurisdictions with the
highest lead-based paint abatement needs. The Committee notes
that this set-aside is a minimum floor and encourages HUD to
exceed this threshold when providing assistance to those
communities where there is the highest risk.
Lead-Safe Communities.--Lead poisoning disproportionately
affects the lives of children from economically-disadvantaged
backgrounds and has lifelong, irreversible consequences that
have been shown to severely inhibit healthy development and
compromise learning. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, children in at least 4 million U.S.
households are exposed to high levels of lead. Exposure to
lead-based paint hazards at a young age poses not only serious
immediate health consequences, but may also permanently
jeopardize potential for upward social mobility throughout
adulthood. Children who are exposed to lead hazards are seven
times more likely to drop out of school and six times more
likely to end up in the juvenile justice system.
In an effort to demonstrate the effectiveness of intensive
multi-year investments in lead-based paint remediation
activities in low-income communities, the Committee provides
$45,000,000 for five-year grants in five communities. This
funding will support projects to dramatically reduce the
presence of lead-based paint hazards in neighborhoods with high
rates of housing stock built before 1940, low-income families
with young children, and high reported incidences of elevated
blood lead levels in children under the age of 6 years old. The
Committee believes that providing higher funding levels over an
extended period in concentrated areas can dramatically reduce
the cost of lead-based paint remediation activities by
incentivizing greater economies of scale and lowering grantees'
administrative expenses. Reducing the per-unit-cost for lead-
based paint remediation would permit considerably more work to
be performed and has the potential to transform communities
whose school systems, law enforcement agencies, and public
health providers currently struggle with the long-term
secondary effects of childhood lead poisoning.
Grantee Coordination.--Funds received under the Lead-Based
Paint Hazard Control Grant Program may be utilized to evaluate
and address lead-based paint hazards in Section 8 voucher
units. The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
[OLHCHH] currently gives preference to grantees that work with
public housing agencies to address lead-based paint hazards in
Section 8 voucher units. The Committee commends HUD for
emphasizing the need to address lead-based paint hazards in
Section 8 voucher units when awarding these grants and urges
HUD to continue to address these needs in HUD-assisted housing
stock in the private market.
Coordination with Weatherization Assistance Program
Grantees.--HUD's lead hazard control grant programs [LHC] serve
many communities in areas of the country with large stocks of
older low-income housing, and funding is often used to replace
cracked and peeling windows that generate lead dust that is
harmful to children. The homes served by LHC are also often
eligible for the Department of Energy's [DOE's] Weatherization
Assistance Program [WAP], which can provide funding to replace
windows with more energy-efficient ones. However, even with the
establishment of DOE's Lead-Safe Weatherization program, a set
of protocols and standards initially put in place in 2001 to
control the amount of lead dust generated when disturbing
painted surfaces, many WAP contractors are still strongly
discouraged from working in units where lead-based paint
hazards may be present because dealing with those hazards adds
time and cost to each weatherization project. There is a
tremendous opportunity for these two complementary programs to
support one another in a manner that saves grantees money and
allows for more work to be completed. For example, a home
eligible for both grant programs could apply to have WAP pay
for new window hardware and have the lead-certified LHC grantee
fund installation.
The Committee supports the OLHCHH's continued participation
in the interagency working group on healthy homes and energy,
particularly as it relates to coordination with DOE to bring
LHC and WAP grantees together. OLHCHH is encouraged to continue
to coordinate with DOE and to help WAP grantees and subgrantees
that would otherwise be deterred from replacing windows in
homes where lead-based paint may be present to partner with
local LHC grantees to perform window removal and installation
work in older low-income housing. HUD is also directed to amend
its rating factors to further incentivize partnerships between
WAP and LHC grantees, giving preference to those LHC grantees
that have obtained a partnership commitment for this work with
their State's WAP grantee or their local WAP subgrantee.
Grantees, however, should maintain the LHC grants' contractor
lead safety qualifications for contractors performing the lead-
related window work. Finally, HUD is directed to collect
information from LHC grantees on how many units benefit from
coordinated WAP and LHC grants and how much coordination has
reduced costs to the LHC grants for hardware and labor. HUD is
directed to provide this information to the Senate and House
Committees on Appropriations no later than six months after the
end of each grant cycle on an annual basis.
Community Level Data.--The Committee is pleased that the
Department has begun to develop a tool that will provide data
to more fully identify communities at risk for lead-based paint
hazards. This tool will inform the Department's review of
applications for grants to address lead-based paint hazards and
ensure that awards are targeted to areas of the country most at
risk. The Committee directs the Department to operationalize
this tool as soon as possible and to incorporate those results
when awarding grants in the future.
Noncompliance and Enforcement of Regulations.--The
Committee is concerned that the Department lacks detailed
procedures either to address the noncompliance of grantees,
including public housing agencies, with lead-based paint
regulations, or to determine when enforcement decisions against
grantees may also be needed. Providing clear guidance for how
to address noncompliance through technical assistance or
enforcement actions is essential to keeping grantees
accountable to the mandates set forth in the Department's lead-
based paint regulations and to protecting children who live in
their assisted units. The Committee directs the Department to
issue clarifying guidance to all HUD Program Offices within 180
days of enactment of this act identifying specific actions that
should be taken, including timeframes for which each action
should be performed by Program Office staff, when deficiencies
are identified.
Annual Reporting.--The Committee notes that the Department
has failed to provide the annual report mandated by 42 U.S.C.
4856. The Committee directs the Department to resume this
annual reporting and to submit this report within 180 days of
enactment of this act.

Information Technology Fund

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $267,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 260,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 280,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Information Technology Fund finances the information
technology [IT] systems that support departmental programs and
operations, including FHA Mortgage Insurance, housing
assistance and grant programs, as well as core financial and
general operations.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $280,000,000
for the Information Technology Fund for fiscal year 2019, which
is $20,000,000 more than the budget request and $13,000,000
more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Federal Housing Administration [FHA] Information Technology
Modernization.--FHA's primary underwriting system is over 40
years old, while its monitoring system, property accounting,
and vendor management systems are over 25 years old. These
antiquated systems not only make it difficult and expensive for
lenders to work with FHA, but more importantly, they undermine
the fiscal solvency of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund and
create significant risk to the taxpayers. The Committee
recommendation includes $20,000,000 to begin the modernization
of FHA's IT systems. The Committee directs these funds to be
used for improving single-family insured mortgage processing
underwriting and delivery, modernizing the single-family asset
management and claims systems, and addressing lender activities
and program compliance. These funds may also be used for more
immediate IT needs including: FHA system interface with the
Department of Treasury's Do Not Pay System, update FHA
origination systems for HUD IT security policy compliance, and
reverse mortgage system enhancements.
HUD Information Technology Modernization.--The Committee
remains supportive of HUD's efforts to modernize its IT
systems, which are critical to effectively manage its programs.
For years, HUD has been hampered by outdated IT systems that
are not integrated, which limit its ability to oversee
grantees. In addition, HUD's efforts to work around system
limitations to collect information for oversight purposes often
results in increased work for grantees who have to input
information into multiple systems. While HUD has undertaken
efforts to better integrate systems, the Committee remains
concerned that non-mission-critical development activities are
occurring at the expense of mission critical IT systems.
Unsanctioned Information Technology Development.--The
Committee remains concerned about the development of IT systems
outside of the Information Technology Fund. While the Committee
understands that limited resources may prompt HUD offices to
develop solutions with their own resources, the Committee
expects that, at a minimum, OCIO will monitor and oversee the
development of any such solutions. The Committee directs the
OCIO to monitor the development of new system solutions by
every office in HUD to make sure they conform to HUD's
enterprise architecture, and will be compatible with systems
under development.
GAO Oversight.--The Committee emphasizes the importance of
pursuing a strategic approach as HUD continues to improve its
IT management. To this end, in order to monitor the
Department's progress, in 2012 the Committee instructed GAO to
conduct several reviews. In 2013, GAO completed a review of the
Department's IT project management practices. The Committee
reaffirms its direction to GAO to also evaluate HUD's
institutionalization of governance and cost estimating
practices. In particular, the Committee remains interested in
any cost savings or operational efficiencies that have resulted
(or may result) from the Department's improvement efforts. The
Committee appreciates the work that GAO has done in this area
and believes it has benefited the Committee and the Department.
The Committee encourages HUD to take advantage of GAO expertise
as it makes further improvements to its IT structure and
governance. The Committee notes that the Department has yet to
submit plans articulating how the Department is implementing
GAO's IT-related recommendations, and identifying savings it
will achieve by retiring legacy systems and shutting off old
servers. The Committee directs the Chief Operating Officer and
the Chief Information Officer to ensure reports are submitted
in a timely manner and include all required information.

Office of Inspector General

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $128,082,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 128,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 128,082,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Inspector General [OIG] conducts independent
investigations, audits, and evaluations not only to prevent and
detect fraud, waste, and abuse, but also to promote efficiency
and effectiveness in the programs and operations of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development. This appropriation
will finance all salaries and related expenses associated with
the operation of the OIG.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $128,082,000
for the OIG, which is $82,000 more than the budget request and
consistent with the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Audit Reports.--The Committee expects the OIG to continue
providing copies of all audit reports to the Committee
immediately after they are issued and to make the Committee
aware immediately of any review which recommends significant
budgetary savings.
Untimely and Insufficient Reports.--The Committee is
concerned that recent reporting by the OIG in response to
congressional directives has been found to be inadequate. The
Committee directs the OIG to carefully review both bill and
report language in order to ensure that reporting requirements
are concluded in a timely manner and that the content of that
reporting is sufficient to meet directives contained in both
bill and report language.
Improving Digital Services.--The Committee is concerned
about the user interface of the OIG's website. The OIG's
mission statement aims to ``provide independent, objective, and
impactful oversight of the Department to help ensure efficient
and effective programs and operations.'' To better achieve this
goal, the Committee believes that the OIG's website should show
clear, evident categories of audits and reports that the OIG
has completed for easy navigability by the public. The
Committee notes that the General Services Administration offers
guidance and support for Federal agencies through DigitalGov
and directs the OIG to coordinate on enhancing its web
services.
Indian Housing Loan Guarantee.--The Committee remains
concerned about the lack of oversight on the Section 184 Indian
Home Loan Guarantee Program and reiterates the fiscal year 2017
directive to conduct a review of the management and oversight
of the Section 184 loan program, including related information
technology systems. This report was due to the Committee in
September, 2017. The failure to deliver this report within a
reasonable timeframe is concerning and the Committee expects
the OIG to provide the required audit immediately. The Section
184 loan program is an important tool to help meet the housing
needs of Indian country and its effective and efficient
management is critical to its success.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

(INCLUDING RESCISSION)

The Committee recommends administrative provisions. A brief
description follows.
Sec. 201. This section promotes the refinancing of certain
housing bonds.
Sec. 202. This section clarifies a limitation on the use of
funds under the Fair Housing Act.
Sec. 203. This section requires HUD to award funds on a
competitive basis unless otherwise provided.
Sec. 204. This section allows funds to be used to reimburse
GSEs and other Federal entities for various administrative
expenses.
Sec. 205. This section limits HUD's spending to amounts set
out in the budget justification.
Sec. 206. This section clarifies expenditure authority for
entities subject to the Government Corporation Control Act.
Sec. 207. This section requires quarterly reports on all
uncommitted, unobligated and excess funds associated with HUD
programs.
Sec. 208. This section requires that the administration's
budget and the Department's budget justifications for fiscal
year 2020 be submitted in the identical account and sub-account
structure provided in this act.
Sec. 209. This section exempts GNMA from certain
requirements of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.
Sec. 210. This section allows HUD to authorize the transfer
of existing project-based subsidies and liabilities from
obsolete housing to housing that better meets the needs of the
assisted tenants.
Sec. 211. This section reforms certain section 8 rent
calculations as related to athletic scholarships.
Sec. 212. This section provides allocation requirements for
Native Alaskans under the Indian Housing Block Grant program.
Sec. 213. This section requires HUD to maintain section 8
assistance on HUD-held or owned multifamily housing.
Sec. 214. This section clarifies the use of the section 108
loan guaranteed program for nonentitlement communities.
Sec. 215. This section allows PHAs with less than 400 units
to be exempt from management requirements in the operating fund
rule.
Sec. 216. This section restricts the Secretary from
imposing any requirement or guideline relating to asset
management that restricts or limits the use of capital funds
for central office costs, up to the limit established in QWHRA.
Sec. 217. This section requires that no employee of the
Department shall be designated as an allotment holder unless
the CFO determines that such employee has received certain
training.
Sec. 218. The section requires the Secretary to publish all
notices of funding availability that are competitively awarded
on the Internet.
Sec. 219. This section limits attorney fees and requires
the Department to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations.
Sec. 220. This section allows the Secretary to transfer up
to 10 percent of funds or $5,000,000, whichever is less,
appropriated under the headings ``Administrative Support
Offices'' or ``Program Office Salaries and Expenses'' to any
other office funded under such headings.
Sec. 221. This section requires HUD to take certain actions
against owners receiving rental subsidies that do not maintain
safe properties.
Sec. 222. This section places limits on PHA compensation.
Sec. 223. This section requires the Secretary to provide
the Committee with advance notification before discretionary
awards are made.
Sec. 224. This section prohibits funds to be used to
require or enforce the Physical Needs Assessment.
Sec. 225. This section prohibits funds for HUD financing of
mortgages for properties that have been subject to eminent
domain.
Sec. 226. This section prohibits funds from being used to
terminate the status of a unit of local government as a
metropolitan city, as defined under section 102 of the Housing
and Community Development Act of 1974, with respect to grants
under section 106 of such act.
Sec. 227. This section allows funding for research,
evaluation, and statistical purposes that is unexpended at the
time of completion of the contract, grant, or cooperative
agreement to be reobligated for additional research.
Sec. 228. This section prohibits funds to be used for
financial awards for employees subject to administrative
discipline.
Sec. 229. This section authorizes the Secretary on a
limited basis to use funds available under the ``Homeless
Assistance Grants'' heading to participate in the multiagency
Performance Partnership Pilots program.
Sec. 230. This section allows program income to be used as
an eligible match for 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 Continuum of
Care funds.
Sec. 231. This section permits HUD to provide 1 year
transition grants under the continuum of care program.
Sec. 232. This section prohibits the use of funds to direct
a grantee to undertake specific changes to existing zoning laws
as part of carrying out the final rule entitled,
``Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing'' or the notice
entitled, ``Affirmatively Further Fair Housing Assessment
Tool''.
Sec. 233. This section prohibits section 218(g) of the
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act from applying
with respect to the right of a jurisdiction to draw funds from
its HOME Investment Trust Fund that otherwise expired or would
expire.
Sec. 234. This section maintains current Promise Zone
designations and agreements.
Sec. 235. This section establishes a regulatory advisory
committee to review public housing and tenant-based rental
assistance program regulations.
Sec. 236. This section prohibits funds from being used to
establish preference or bonus points for competitive grant
programs for EnVision Center participants.

TITLE III

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

Access Board

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $8,190,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 8,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,400,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Access Board (formerly known as the Architectural and
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board) was established by
section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Access Board
is responsible for developing guidelines under the Americans
with Disabilities Act, the Architectural Barriers Act, and the
Telecommunications Act. These guidelines ensure that buildings
and facilities, transportation vehicles, and telecommunications
equipment covered by these laws are readily accessible to and
usable by people with disabilities. The Board is also
responsible for developing standards under section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act for accessible electronic and information
technology used by Federal agencies, and for medical diagnostic
equipment under section 510 of the Rehabilitation Act. The
Access Board also enforces the Architectural Barriers Act,
ensuring accessibility to a wide range of Federal agencies,
including national parks, post offices, social security
offices, and prisons. In addition, the Board provides training
and technical assistance on the guidelines and standards it
develops to Government agencies, public and private
organizations, individuals and businesses on the removal of
accessibility barriers.
In 2002, the Access Board was given additional
responsibilities under the Help America Vote Act. The Board
serves on the Board of Advisors and the Technical Guidelines
Development Committee, which helps the Election Assistance
Commission develop voluntary guidelines and guidance for voting
systems, including accessibility for people with disabilities.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $8,400,000 for the operations of
the Access Board. This level of funding is equal to the
President's fiscal year 2019 request and $210,000 more than the
2018 enacted level.

Federal Maritime Commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $27,490,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 27,490,000
Committee recommendation................................ 27,490,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Maritime Commission [FMC] is an independent
regulatory agency, which administers the Shipping Act of 1984
(Public Law 98-237), as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform
Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-258); section 19 of the Merchant
Marine Act of 1920 (41 Stat. 998); the Foreign Shipping
Practices Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-418); and Public Law 89-
777.
FMC's mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable
international ocean transportation system and to protect the
public from unfair and deceptive practices. To accomplish this
mission, FMC regulates the international waterborne commerce of
the United States. In addition, FMC has responsibility for
licensing and bonding ocean transportation intermediaries and
for ensuring that vessel owners or operators establish
financial responsibility to pay judgments for death or injury
to passengers, or nonperformance of a cruise, on voyages from
United States ports.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $27,490,000 for the salaries and
expenses of FMC for fiscal year 2019. This amount is equal to
the President's fiscal year 2019 budget request and the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $23,274,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 23,274,000
Committee recommendation................................ 23,274,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Inspector General for Amtrak was created by
the Inspector General Act Amendment of 1988. The act recognized
Amtrak as a ``designated Federal entity'' and required the
railroad to establish an independent and objective unit to
conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the
programs and operations of Amtrak; recommend policies designed
to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in Amtrak,
and prevent and detect fraud and abuse; and to provide a means
for keeping the Amtrak leadership and the Congress fully
informed about problems in Amtrak operations and the
corporation's progress in making corrective action.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $23,274,000 for the Amtrak Office
of Inspector General [OIG]. This funding level is equal to the
budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee retains language that requires the Amtrak OIG to
submit a budget request in similar format and substance to
those submitted by other executive agencies in the Federal
Government.

National Transportation Safety Board

salaries and expenses

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $110,400,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 108,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 110,400,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Initially established along with the Department of
Transportation, the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB]
commenced operations on April 1, 1967, as an independent
Federal agency. The Board is charged by Congress with
investigating every civil aviation accident in the United
States as well as significant accidents in the other modes of
transportation--railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline--and
issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future
accidents. Although it has always operated independently, NTSB
relied on DOT for funding and administrative support until the
Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-633)
severed all ties between the two organizations starting in
1975.
In addition to its investigatory duties, NTSB is
responsible for maintaining the Government's database of civil
aviation accidents and also conducts special studies of
transportation safety issues of national significance.
Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of international
treaties, NTSB supplies investigators to serve as U.S.
accredited representatives for aviation accidents overseas
involving U.S.-registered aircraft, or involving aircraft or
major components of U.S. manufacture. NTSB also serves as the
``court of appeals'' for any airman, mechanic, or mariner
whenever certificate action is taken by the Federal Aviation
Administration or the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, or when
civil penalties are assessed by FAA.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $110,400,000 for the National
Transportation Safety Board, which is $2,400,000 more than the
budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee has also continued to include language that
allows NTSB to make payments on its lease for the NTSB training
facility with funding provided in the bill.
Accident Investigations.--The Committee remains committed
to the safety deployment of automated vehicles which could
reduce or eliminate the 94 percent of all crashes caused by
human error. However, the Committee is also concerned with how
drivers are using intermediate technologies that offer some but
not all features of automated vehicles. The Committee believes
NTSB's investigations of recent crashes involving vehicles with
automated vehicle control systems will provide the necessary
insight to address driver behavior and encourages the NTSB to
make necessary recommendations after it has completed such
investigations.

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation

payment to the neighborhood reinvestment corporation

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $140,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 27,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 147,000,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation was created by
the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act (Title VI of the
Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978, Public
Law 95-557). The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation,
operating under the trade name ``NeighborWorks America,'' helps
local communities establish efficient and effective
partnerships between residents and representatives of the
public and private sectors. These partnership-based
organizations are independent, tax-exempt, non-profit entities.
Collectively, these organizations are known as the
``NeighborWorks network.'' Nationally, nearly 250 NeighborWorks
organizations serve almost 3,000 urban, suburban, and rural
communities in every State, the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $145,000,000
for NeighborWorks, and an additional $2,000,000 for the
promotion and development of shared equity housing models. This
amount is $119,600,000 more than the budget request and
$7,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The
Committee continues to support the set-aside of $5,000,000 for
the multifamily rental housing initiative, which has been
successful in developing innovative approaches to producing
mixed-income affordable housing throughout the Nation. The
Committee directs NeighborWorks to provide at least 3 days'
advance notice to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations prior to the announcement of any grant exceeding
$50,000 that is awarded to a NeighborWorks network
organization.
Rural Areas.--The Committee commends NeighborWorks' efforts
to build capacity in rural areas and urges NeighborWorks to
continue those initiatives.
Shared Equity Homeownership.--The Committee recognizes the
need for increased Federal investment to promote, expand, and
preserve affordable homeownership for low- to moderate-income
families and first-time homebuyers. Shared equity models offer
unique opportunities for those individuals to purchase housing
at a lower cost, while also maintaining the homes' long-term
affordability, building the homeowners' assets, and
revitalizing the surrounding communities.
Thirty organizations within the NeighborWorks network
currently support affordable homeownership opportunities
through some form of shared equity model, representing over
2,700 affordable properties. To further promote shared equity
models, NeighborWorks also currently offers four training
courses regarding the development and preservation of shared
equity housing.
In order to expand the utilization of this housing model,
the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 to build the
capacity of network organizations to develop shared equity
models, better understand scalable, sustainable shared equity
models, and develop an array of strategies for different
housing markets. These investments will allow for NeighborWorks
to provide grants and technical assistance to interested
network organizations in order to assist with their strategic
planning in developing shared equity housing. These efforts
will also include customized place-based trainings for
organizations, offering scholarships to national training
courses, and bringing representatives from network
organizations together, including those which have already
successfully implemented shared equity models, to discuss how
to improve their planning and operations.
NeighborWorks is also directed to evaluate strategies
undertaken by each organization in order to determine both
individual and community level outcomes, develop tools and
templates that reflect best practices, create toolkits and
marketing materials to raise awareness of these housing models
within various housing markets, and develop two additional
courses based on lessons learned from grantees. In developing
these materials and performing evaluations, NeighborWorks is
directed to work with charter members with extensive experience
in offering shared equity homeownership opportunities.

Surface Transportation Board

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crediting
Appropriation offsetting
collections
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 2018................ $37,100,000 $1,250,000
Budget estimate, 2019............... 37,100,000 1,250,000
Committee recommendation............ 37,100,000 1,250,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Surface Transportation Board [STB] was created on
January 1, 1996, by the Interstate Commerce Commission
Termination Act of 1995 [ICCTA] (Public Law 104-88). The Board
is a five-member, bipartisan, decisionally independent
adjudicatory body and is responsible for the regulation of the
rail and pipeline industries and certain non-licensing
regulations of motor carriers and water carriers.
STB's rail oversight activities include rate
reasonableness, car service and interchange, mergers, line
acquisitions, line constructions, and abandonments. STB's
jurisdiction also includes certain oversight of the intercity
bus industry, pipeline carriers, intercity passenger train
service, rate regulation involving noncontiguous domestic water
transportation, household goods carriers, and collectively
determined motor carrier rates.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of
$37,100,000. This funding level is equal to the budget request
and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Included in
the recommendation is $1,250,000 in fees, which will offset the
appropriated funding, resulting in final appropriation from the
general fund estimated at no more than $35,850,000.
Regulatory Proceedings.--While the STB has made progress in
implementing the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization
Act of 2015, the Committee is concerned about a number of
pending regulatory proceedings that would reform existing
regulations at the STB. These proceedings are more difficult to
resolve without all five board members. The Committee continues
to encourage the administration to nominate the full complement
of board members to the STB as soon as possible, and encourages
STB to provide a timely and decisive regulatory process.

United States Interagency Council On Homelessness

OPERATING EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,600,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 630,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,600,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
[USICH] is an independent agency created by the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 to coordinate and direct the
multiple efforts of Federal agencies and other designated
groups. The Council was authorized to review Federal programs
that assist homeless persons and to take necessary actions to
reduce duplication. The Council can recommend improvements in
programs and activities conducted by Federal, State, and local
government, as well as local volunteer organizations. The
Council consists of the heads of 19 Federal agencies, including
the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and
Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce,
Defense, Education, Labor, and Transportation; and other
entities as deemed appropriate.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,600,000 for
the USICH. This amount is $2,970,000 greater than the budget
request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. USICH
supports Federal collaboration and implementation of the
Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The
Committee recognizes the complexity of homelessness and the
valuable role USICH plays to help communities identify
comprehensive and coordinated strategies to prevent and end
homelessness. USICH's establishment of criteria and benchmarks
for ending homelessness in America has been critical to the
progress made nationwide towards this goal. Since 2010, overall
homelessness has decreased by more than 13 percent, with
chronic homelessness decreasing by 18 percent and family
homelessness decreasing by 24 percent. The Council's efforts to
engage more than 880 mayors since 2014 through the Mayor's
Challenge to end veteran homelessness has helped 63 communities
across 33 states develop a roadmap to work towards this
objective. Through local engagement, combined with the
Council's efforts to convene the VA and HUD to streamline and
triage the VA's case management and housing placements through
HUD's housing assistance programs, including the HUD-VASH
program, USICH has played a key role in the overall reduction
in veteran homelessness by 46 percent since 2010. As challenges
to preventing and ending homelessness arise at the local and
Federal level, USICH continues to serve as the lead agency for
identifying suitable cost-effective solutions. The Committee
applauds the work of USICH and recognizes how its support for
mayors and governors across the country helps them address the
unique drivers of homelessness in their communities. USICH
promotes collaborative engagement across government, public
housing agencies, homeless service providers, and local
partners, which results in more effective alignment of
resources, efforts, goals, and measures of success. As such,
the Committee has maintained the agency's 2-year operating
authority, extending it to October 1, 2021, which is consistent
with the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus. The Committee supports a
permanent extension of the Council in an effort end
homelessness for the more than 550,000 individuals and families
without stable housing or shelter in our Nation.
The Council's work on such issues as establishing common
definitions of homelessness across programs and consolidating
Federal data is helping to breakdown silos and increase Federal
collaboration. Its work was recognized by GAO in its February
2012 report on ways to reduce duplication, overlap, and
fragmentation in the Federal Government. The Committee is aware
that individuals who are homeless or in unstable housing
situations are often living with multiple chronic conditions.
The link between homelessness and long-term physical and
behavioral health conditions is well documented. The Committee
has recognized the cost-savings that can be achieved by using
evidence-based practices, and has been supportive of such
efforts, including through the HUD-VASH program and other
permanent supportive housing through HUD's homeless assistance
grants program. However, the Committee believes that more can
be done to emphasize evidence-based practices in serving other
populations. The Committee continues to direct the USICH to
improve coordination between HUD, HHS, the Department of Labor
and Justice, as well as other Federal agencies, and to help
communities use the Homeless Management Information System and
other data to target affordable housing and homeless resources
to high-need, high-cost families and individuals. The Committee
further encourages HUD to work with HHS, the Department of
Justice and other Federal agencies to identify homeless
individuals who have high utilization rates for emergency and
other public services, and share strategies for combining
affordable housing with health and social support services to
improve both housing and health outcomes for these individuals.
Performance Metrics and Cross-Agency Coordination.--USICH
leads the coordination of the Federal response to ending
homelessness among 19 Federal agencies, as well as State,
local, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. However, the
Committee remains concerned that other stakeholders do not
fully appreciate the value of the important work that agency
has been able to accomplish over time due to the Council's lack
of clear output and outcome based performance metrics. The
Committee directs the agency to undertake the development of
measurable performance goals and metrics that define how USICH
accomplishes its mission for inclusion in its fiscal year 2020
Congressional budget justification.
The Committee also directs USICH to develop performance
metrics to measure the progress that USICH and its partners
have made to address and end homelessness in the 2020
performance and accountability report, as well as provide an
update on efforts to improve cross-agency collaboration and
coordination on integrating child welfare systems with housing
and services provided through HUD and the Department of Health
and Human Services in response to youth homelessness; the
coordination between continuums of care and the Department of
Labor employment programs, the Department of Education and HUD,
and the Department of Agriculture with other Federal agencies.
The Committee believes these targeted, data-driven analyses
will better educate Congress and the public at-large on the
clear outcomes of USICH's work to promote cost-effective
policies, and evidence-based practices in urban and rural
communities alike. The Committee further directs the agency to
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
within 120 days of enactment of this act on the status of these
efforts.
Homeless Youth.--One of the goals of the Federal Strategic
Plan is to prevent and end homelessness among youth by 2020.
The plan identifies four core targeted outcomes for youth
experiencing homelessness--stable housing, permanent
connections, education and employment, and social/emotional
well-being. These outcomes appropriately identify the multiple
needs of youth experiencing homelessness and underscore the
importance of comprehensive solutions. To be successful, it is
critical to coordinate Federal services and programs at the
local, regional, and State levels to ensure these outcomes are
met. As such, the Committee recognizes that it can be difficult
for local communities, as well as housing and service
providers, to navigate different Federal program laws and
regulatory requirements. USICH is directed to continue working
with its Federal member agencies to ensure that all homeless-
related Federal grant funding solicitations are coordinated and
made publically available in a user-friendly document that
helps local communities identify and understand the scope of
all Federal programs for which homeless youth are eligible.
This document shall include detailed descriptions of
eligibility criteria, application instructions, and application
deadlines and be updated as necessary.

TITLE IV

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

Section 401 prohibits pay and other expenses for non-
Federal parties in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings
funded in this act.
Section 402 prohibits obligations beyond the current fiscal
year and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly so
provided here-in.
Section 403 limits expenditures for consulting services
through procurement contracts where such expenditures are a
matter of public record and available for public inspection.
Section 404 prohibits the use of funds for employee
training unless such training bears directly upon the
performance of official duties.
Section 405 authorizes the reprogramming of funds within a
budget account and specifies the reprogramming procedures for
agencies funded by this act. The Committee rejects the
administration's request to transfer budget authority between
accounts.
Section 406 ensures that 50 percent of unobligated balances
may remain available for certain purposes.
Section 407 prohibits the use of funds for eminent domain
unless such taking is employed for public use.
Section 408 prohibits funds in this act to be transferred
without express authority.
Section 409 protects employment rights of Federal employees
who return to their civilian jobs after assignment with the
Armed Forces.
Section 410 prohibits the use of funds for activities not
in compliance with the Buy American Act.
Section 411 prohibits funding for any person or entity
convicted of violating the Buy American Act.
Section 412 prohibits funds for first-class airline
accommodation in contravention of section 301-10.122 and 301-
10.123 of title 41 CFR.
Section 413 prohibits funds from being used for the
approval of a new foreign air carrier permit or exemption
application if that approval would contravene United States law
or article 17 bis of the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport
Agreement and specifies that nothing in this section shall
prohibit, restrict, or preclude the Secretary of DOT from
granting a permit or exemption where such authorization is
consistent with the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport
Treaty and the U.S. law.
Section 414 restricts the number of employees that agencies
funded in this act may send to international conferences.
Section 415 prohibits the Surface Transportation Board from
charging filing fees for rate or practice complaints that are
greater than the fees authorized for district court civil
suits.
Section 416 prohibits funds to agencies unless they are in
compliance with the Presidential Memorandum--Federal Fleet
Performance, dated May 24, 2011.
Section 417 prohibits funds from being used to maintain or
establish computer networks unless such networks block the
viewing, downloading, or exchange of pornography.
Section 418 prohibits funds from denying an Inspector
General timely access to any records, documents, or other
materials available to the department or agency over which that
Inspector General has responsibilities, or to prevent or impede
that Inspector General's access.
Section 419 prohibits funds from being used to pay awards
or fees for contractors with poor performance.
Section 420 prohibits funds made available in this act to
be used to acquire certain telecommunications equipment unless
the agency meets certain criteria.

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI, OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE

Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on
general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment
to the House bill ``which proposes an item of appropriation
which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing
law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously
passed by the Senate during that session.''
The Committee is filing an original bill, which is not
covered under this rule, but reports this information in the
spirit of full disclosure.
The Committee recommends funding for the following programs
or activities which currently lack authorization for fiscal
year 2019:

Title I--Department of Transportation

National Infrastructure Investments
Federal Aviation Administration
Maritime Administration

Title II--Department of Housing and Urban Development

Rental Assistance Programs
Indian Housing Block Grants
Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund
Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant
Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS
Community Development Fund
Community Development Loan Guarantee
Home Investment Partnerships Program
Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives
Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program
Homeless Assistance
Housing for the Elderly
Housing for Persons with Disabilities
FHA General and Special Risk Program Account
GNMA Mortgage Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program
Account
Policy Development and Research
Fair Housing Activities, Fair Housing Program
Lead Hazard Reduction Program
Salaries and Expenses

Title III--Related Agencies

Access Board
National Transportation Safety Board

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(C), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE

Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on June 7, 2018,
the Committee ordered favorably reported a bill (S. 3023)
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation,
and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes,
provided, that the bill be subject to amendment and that the
bill be consistent with its budget allocation, and provided
that the Chairman of the Committee or his designee be
authorized to offer the substance of the original bill as a
Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to the House
companion measure, by a recorded vote of 31-0, a quorum being
present. The vote was as follows:
Yeas Nays
Chairman Shelby
Mr. McConnell
Mr. Alexander
Ms. Collins
Ms. Murkowski
Mr. Graham
Mr. Blunt
Mr. Moran
Mr. Hoeven
Mr. Boozman
Mrs. Capito
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Daines
Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Rubio
Mrs. Hyde-Smith
Mr. Leahy
Mrs. Murray
Mrs. Feinstein
Mr. Durbin
Mr. Reed
Mr. Tester
Mr. Udall
Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Merkley
Mr. Coons
Mr. Schatz
Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Murphy
Mr. Manchin
Mr. Van Hollen

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE

Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by
the committee.''
In compliance with this rule, changes in existing law
proposed to be made by the bill are shown as follows: existing
law to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is
printed in italic; and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman.

CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018,
PUBLIC LAW 115-141

DIVISION L--TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018

* * * * * * *

TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES

* * * * * * *

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, $3,600,000:
Provided, That title II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et seq.) is amended by striking
``October 1, 2018'' in section 209 and inserting ``October 1,
[2020] 2021''.

BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL

PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(A), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
AMENDED
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority Outlays
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee Committee
allocation Amount in bill allocation Amount in bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with
the subcommittee allocation for 2019:
Subcommittee on Transportation and
Housing and Urban Development, and
Related Agencies:
Mandatory........................... ................ ................ ................ ................
Discretionary....................... 71,417 71,417 132,712 \1\132,712
Security........................ 300 300 NA NA
Nonsecurity..................... 71,117 71,117 NA NA
Projection of outlays associated with
the recommendation:
2019................................ ................ ................ ................ \2\45,969
2020................................ ................ ................ ................ 43,792
2021................................ ................ ................ ................ 17,790
2022................................ ................ ................ ................ 8,432
2023 and future years............... ................ ................ ................ 13,322
Financial assistance to State and local NA 38,988 NA \2\34,191
governments for 2019...................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

NA: Not applicable.

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2019
[In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate Committee recommendation
compared with (+ or -)
Item 2018 Budget estimate Committee -----------------------------------
appropriation recommendation 2018
appropriation Budget estimate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Salaries and expenses......................................... 112,813 113,842 113,535 +722 -307
Immediate Office of the Secretary......................... (3,001) ................ (3,001) ................ (+3,001)
Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary.................. (1,040) ................ (1,040) ................ (+1,040)
Office of the General Counsel............................. (20,555) ................ (20,428) (-127) (+20,428)
Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy (10,331) ................ (10,265) (-66) (+10,265)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. (14,019) ................ (14,019) ................ (+14,019)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs (2,546) ................ (2,550) (+4) (+2,550)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration...... (29,356) ................ (29,244) (-112) (+29,244)
Office of Public Affairs.................................. (2,142) ................ (2,142) ................ (+2,142)
Office of the Executive Secretariat....................... (1,760) ................ (1,835) (+75) (+1,835)
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response.. (11,318) ................ (12,325) (+1,007) (+12,325)
Office of the Chief Information Officer................... (16,745) ................ (16,686) (-59) (+16,686)
Research and Technology....................................... 23,465 6,971 8,471 -14,994 +1,500
National Infrastructure Investments........................... 1,500,000 ................ 1,000,000 -500,000 +1,000,000
National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau. 3,000 2,987 2,987 -13 ................
Financial Management Capital.................................. 6,000 2,000 2,000 -4,000 ................
Cyber Security Initiatives.................................... 15,000 10,000 15,000 ................ +5,000
Office of Civil Rights........................................ 9,500 9,470 9,470 -30 ................
Transportation Planning, Research, and Development............ 14,000 7,879 7,879 -6,121 ................
Working Capital Fund.......................................... (202,245) ................ (203,883) (+1,638) (+203,883)
Minority Business Resource Center Program..................... 500 249 249 -251 ................
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilizaton and Outreach / 4,646 3,488 3,488 -1,158 ................
Minority Business Outreach...................................
Payments to Air Carriers (Airport & Airway Trust Fund)........ 155,000 93,000 175,000 +20,000 +82,000

Administrative Provision

Working Capital Fund (Sec. 104) (reappropriation)............. ................ 12,000 ................ ................ -12,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of the Secretary.......................... 1,843,924 261,886 1,338,079 -505,845 +1,076,193
=========================================================================================
Federal Aviation Administration

Operations.................................................... 10,211,754 9,931,312 10,410,758 +199,004 +479,446
Air traffic organization.................................. (7,692,786) (7,495,690) (7,843,427) (+150,641) (+347,737)
Aviation safety........................................... (1,310,000) (1,276,255) (1,334,377) (+24,377) (+58,122)
Commercial space transportation........................... (22,587) (21,578) (24,981) (+2,394) (+3,403)
Finance and management.................................... (801,506) (771,010) (816,562) (+15,056) (+45,552)
NextGen................................................... (60,000) (58,536) (61,796) (+1,796) (+3,260)
Security and Hazardous Materials Safety................... (112,622) (105,558) (114,312) (+1,690) (+8,754)
Staff offices............................................. (212,253) (202,685) (215,303) (+3,050) (+12,618)
Facilities and Equipment (Airport & Airway Trust Fund)........ 3,250,000 2,766,572 3,000,000 -250,000 +233,428
Research, Engineering, and Development (Airport & Airway Trust 188,926 74,406 191,000 +2,074 +116,594
Fund.........................................................
Grants-in-Aid for Airports (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) (3,000,000) (3,000,000) (3,000,000) ................ ................
(Liquidation of contract authorization)......................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (3,350,000) (3,350,000) (3,350,000) ................ ................
Administration........................................ (111,863) (112,600) (112,600) (+737) ................
Airport cooperative research program.................. (15,000) (15,000) (15,000) ................ ................
Airport technology research........................... (33,210) (33,194) (33,210) ................ (+16)
Small community air service development program....... (10,000) ................ (10,000) ................ (+10,000)
Airport Discretionary Grants (General Fund)........... 1,000,000 ................ 750,000 -250,000 +750,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Aviation Administration.............. 14,650,680 12,772,290 14,351,758 -298,922 +1,579,468
Limitations on obligations.................... (3,350,000) (3,350,000) (3,350,000) ................ ................
Total budgetary resources........................... (18,000,680) (16,122,290) (17,701,758) (-298,922) (+1,579,468)
=========================================================================================
Federal Highway Administration

Limitation on Administrative Expenses......................... (442,692) (449,692) (449,692) (+7,000) ................

Federal-Aid Highways (Highway Trust Fund):
(Liquidation of contract authorization)................... (44,973,212) (46,007,596) (46,007,596) (+1,034,384) ................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (44,234,212) (45,268,596) (45,268,596) (+1,034,384) ................
(Exempt contract authority)............................... (739,000) (739,000) (739,000) ................ ................
Rescission of contract authority (Highway Trust Fund)......... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
Federal-Aid Highways, grants to States (General Fund)......... 2,525,000 ................ 3,300,000 +775,000 +3,300,000
Rescission of budget authority (Sec. 126)..................... ................ -216,951 ................ ................ +216,951
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Highway Administration................... 2,525,000 -216,951 3,300,000 +775,000 +3,516,951
Limitations on obligations.......................... (44,234,212) (45,268,596) (45,268,596) (+1,034,384) ................
Exempt contract authority........................... (739,000) (739,000) (739,000) ................ ................
Total budgetary resources............................... (47,498,212) (45,790,645) (49,307,596) (+1,809,384) (+3,516,951)
=========================================================================================
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs (Highway Trust (283,000) (284,000) (284,000) (+1,000) ................
Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization)................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (283,000) (284,000) (284,000) (+1,000) ................
Motor Carrier Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation (561,800) (381,800) (382,800) (-179,000) (+1,000)
of contract authorization)...................................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (561,800) (381,800) (382,800) (-179,000) (+1,000)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration...... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
Limitations on obligations.......................... (844,800) (665,800) (666,800) (-178,000) (+1,000)
Total budgetary resources............................... (844,800) (665,800) (666,800) (-178,000) (+1,000)
=========================================================================================
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Operations and Research (general fund)........................ 189,075 152,427 190,000 +925 +37,573

Operations and Research (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of (149,000) (152,100) (152,100) (+3,100) ................
contract authorization)......................................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (149,000) (152,100) (152,100) (+3,100) ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Operations and Research....................... 338,075 304,527 342,100 +4,025 +37,573

Highway Traffic Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund) (597,629) (610,208) (610,208) (+12,579) ................
(Liquidation of contract authorization)......................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (597,629) (610,208) (610,208) (+12,579) ................
Highway safety programs (23 USC 402).................. (261,200) (270,400) (270,400) (+9,200) ................
National priority safety programs (23 USC 405)........ (280,200) (283,000) (283,000) (+2,800) ................
High visibility enforcement........................... (29,900) (30,200) (30,200) (+300) ................
Administrative expenses............................... (26,329) (26,608) (26,608) (+279) ................

Administrative Provision

Impaired Driving/Rail-Grade funding (Sec. 144) (General Fund). 11,500 ................ 4,000 -7,500 +4,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration... 200,575 152,427 194,000 -6,575 +41,573
Limitations on obligations.......................... (746,629) (762,308) (762,308) (+15,679) ................
Total budgetary resources............................... (947,204) (914,735) (956,308) (+9,104) (+41,573)
=========================================================================================
Federal Railroad Administration

Safety and Operations......................................... 221,698 202,304 221,698 ................ +19,394
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct appropriation.................................... 221,698 202,304 221,698 ................ +19,394

Railroad Research and Development............................. 40,600 19,550 40,600 ................ +21,050
Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program..... 25,000 ................ ................ -25,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 287,298 221,854 262,298 -25,000 +40,444

Federal State Partnership for State of Good Repair............ 250,000 ................ 300,000 +50,000 +300,000
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements...... 592,547 ................ 255,000 -337,547 +255,000
Restoration and Enhancement Grants............................ 20,000 ................ 10,000 -10,000 +10,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 862,547 ................ 565,000 -297,547 +565,000

National Railroad Passenger Corporation:
Northeast Corridor Grants................................. 650,000 200,000 650,000 ................ +450,000
National Network.......................................... 1,291,600 537,897 1,291,600 ................ +753,703
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 1,941,600 737,897 1,941,600 ................ +1,203,703

Administrative Provisions

Transportation Technology Center financing (Sec. 151)......... ................ 100,000 ................ ................ -100,000
Rail unobligated balances (rescission) (Sec. 153)............. ................ -55,726 ................ ................ +55,726
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Railroad Administration.................. 3,091,445 1,004,025 2,768,898 -322,547 +1,764,873
=========================================================================================
Federal Transit Administration

Administrative Expenses....................................... 113,165 111,742 113,165 ................ +1,423
Transit Formula Grants (Hwy Trust Fund, Mass Transit Account) (10,300,000) (9,900,000) (9,900,000) (-400,000) ................
(Liquidation of contract authorization)......................
(Limitation on obligations)............................... (9,733,353) (9,939,380) (9,939,380) (+206,027) ................

Transit Infrastructure Grants................................. 834,000 ................ 800,000 -34,000 +800,000
Technical Assistance and Training............................. 5,000 ................ 5,000 ................ +5,000
Capital Investment Grants..................................... 2,644,960 1,000,000 2,552,687 -92,273 +1,552,687
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Capital and 150,000 120,000 150,000 ................ +30,000
Preventive Maintenance.......................................
Transit Research (rescission) (Sec. 163)...................... ................ -6,000 ................ ................ +6,000
Transit Formula Grants (rescission) (Sec. 164)................ ................ -46,560 -46,560 -46,560 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Transit Administration................... 3,747,125 1,179,182 3,574,292 -172,833 +2,395,110
Limitations on obligations.......................... (9,733,353) (9,939,380) (9,939,380) (+206,027) ................
Total budgetary resources............................... (13,480,478) (11,118,562) (13,513,672) (+33,194) (+2,395,110)
=========================================================================================
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

Operations and Maintenance (Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund).... 40,000 28,837 36,000 -4,000 +7,163

Maritime Administration

Maritime Security Program..................................... 300,000 214,000 300,000 ................ +86,000
Operations and Training....................................... 513,642 452,428 149,442 -364,200 -302,986
State Maritime Academy Operations............................. ................ ................ 340,200 +340,200 +340,200
Assistance to Small Shipyards................................. 20,000 ................ 20,000 ................ +20,000
Ship Disposal................................................. 116,000 30,000 5,000 -111,000 -25,000

Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title XI) Program Account:
Administrative expenses and guarantees.................... 30,000 ................ 3,000 -27,000 +3,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Maritime Administration.......................... 979,642 696,428 817,642 -162,000 +121,214
=========================================================================================
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Operational Expenses:
General Fund.............................................. 23,000 23,710 23,710 +710 ................

Hazardous Materials Safety:
General Fund.............................................. 59,000 52,070 58,000 -1,000 +5,930

Pipeline Safety:
Pipeline Safety Fund...................................... 131,000 119,200 134,000 +3,000 +14,800
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund............................ 23,000 23,000 23,000 ................ ................
Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund...... 8,000 8,000 8,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 162,000 150,200 165,000 +3,000 +14,800
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 244,000 225,980 246,710 +2,710 +20,730
Administration.........................................

Pipeline safety user fees..................................... -131,000 -119,200 -134,000 -3,000 -14,800
Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund user fee. -8,000 -8,000 -8,000 ................ ................

Emergency Preparedness Grants:
Limitation on emergency preparedness fund................. (28,318) (28,318) (28,318) ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 105,000 98,780 104,710 -290 +5,930
Administration.........................................
=========================================================================================
Office of Inspector General

Salaries and Expenses......................................... 92,152 91,500 92,600 +448 +1,100

General Provisions--Department of Transportation

Extending the availability of certain payments (Sec. 186(1)).. ................ 2,000 ................ ................ -2,000
Total, title I, Department of Transportation............ 27,275,543 16,070,404 26,577,979 -697,564 +10,507,575
Appropriations...................................... (27,275,543) (16,395,641) (26,624,539) (-651,004) (+10,228,898)
Rescissions......................................... ................ (-325,237) (-46,560) (-46,560) (+278,677)
Limitations on obligations.......................... (58,908,994) (59,986,084) (59,987,084) (+1,078,090) (+1,000)
Total budgetary resources............................... (86,184,537) (76,056,488) (86,565,063) (+380,526) (+10,508,575)
=========================================================================================
TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Management and Administration

Executive Offices............................................. 14,708 15,583 14,898 +190 -685
Administrative Support Offices................................ 518,303 507,372 556,000 +37,697 +48,628

Program Office Salaries and Expenses:
Public and Indian Housing................................. 216,633 209,473 222,000 +5,367 +12,527
Community Planning and Development........................ 107,554 105,906 110,000 +2,446 +4,094
Housing................................................... 383,000 359,448 390,000 +7,000 +30,552
Policy Development and Research........................... 24,065 25,366 26,000 +1,935 +634
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity........................ 69,808 71,312 71,500 +1,692 +188
Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes........... 7,600 7,540 7,800 +200 +260
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 808,660 779,045 827,300 +18,640 +48,255
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Management and Administration.................... 1,341,671 1,302,000 1,398,198 +56,527 +96,198
=========================================================================================
Public and Indian Housing

Tenant-based Rental Assistance:
Renewals.................................................. 19,600,000 18,748,749 20,520,000 +920,000 +1,771,251
Tenant protection vouchers................................ 85,000 140,000 85,000 ................ -55,000
Administrative fees....................................... 1,760,000 1,550,000 1,956,987 +196,987 +406,987
Sec. 811 vouchers, incremental and renewals............... 505,000 107,000 154,000 -351,000 +47,000
Incremental VASH vouchers................................. 40,000 ................ 40,000 ................ +40,000
Tribal veterans affairs supportive housing renewals....... 5,000 4,000 5,000 ................ +1,000
Incremental family unification vouchers................... 20,000 ................ 20,000 ................ +20,000
PHA Modernization......................................... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal (available this fiscal year)................... 22,015,000 20,549,749 22,780,987 +765,987 +2,231,238

Advance appropriations.................................... 4,000,000 4,000,000 4,000,000 ................ ................
Less appropriations from prior year advances.............. -4,000,000 -4,000,000 -4,000,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Tenant-based Rental Assistance appropriated in 22,015,000 20,549,749 22,780,987 +765,987 +2,231,238
this bill..............................................
=========================================================================================
Rental Assistance Demonstration............................... ................ 100,000 ................ ................ -100,000
Public Housing Capital Fund................................... 2,750,000 ................ 2,775,000 +25,000 +2,775,000
Public Housing Operating Fund................................. 4,550,000 3,279,000 4,756,000 +206,000 +1,477,000
Choice Neighborhoods.......................................... 150,000 ................ 100,000 -50,000 +100,000
Family Self-Sufficiency....................................... 75,000 75,000 80,000 +5,000 +5,000
Native American Housing Block Grants.......................... 755,000 600,000 755,000 ................ +155,000
Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund Program Account............ 1,000 ................ 1,440 +440 +1,440
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).......................... (270,270) ................ (553,846) (+283,576) (+553,846)
Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant........................... 2,000 ................ 2,000 ................ +2,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Public and Indian Housing........................ 30,298,000 24,603,749 31,250,427 +952,427 +6,646,678
=========================================================================================
Community Planning and Development

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS................... 375,000 330,000 375,000 ................ +45,000

Community Development Fund:
CDBG formula.............................................. 3,300,000 ................ 3,300,000 ................ +3,300,000
Indian CDBG............................................... 65,000 ................ 65,000 ................ +65,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 3,365,000 ................ 3,365,000 ................ +3,365,000

Community Development Loan Guarantees (Section 108):
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).......................... (300,000) ................ (300,000) ................ (+300,000)
HOME Investment Partnerships Program.......................... 1,362,000 ................ 1,362,000 ................ +1,362,000
Self-help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program...... 54,000 ................ 54,000 ................ +54,000
Homeless Assistance Grants.................................... 2,513,000 2,383,000 2,612,000 +99,000 +229,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Community Planning and Development............... 7,669,000 2,713,000 7,768,000 +99,000 +5,055,000
=========================================================================================
Housing Programs

Project-based Rental Assistance:
Renewals.................................................. 11,230,000 10,902,000 11,502,000 +272,000 +600,000
Contract administrators................................... 285,000 245,000 245,000 -40,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal (available this fiscal year)................... 11,515,000 11,147,000 11,747,000 +232,000 +600,000

Advance appropriations.................................... 400,000 400,000 400,000 ................ ................
Less appropriations from prior year advances.............. -400,000 -400,000 -400,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Project-based Rental Assistance appropriated in 11,515,000 11,147,000 11,747,000 +232,000 +600,000
this bill..............................................
=========================================================================================
Housing for the Elderly....................................... 678,000 601,000 678,000 ................ +77,000
Housing for Persons with Disabilities......................... 229,600 140,000 154,000 -75,600 +14,000
Housing Counseling Assistance................................. 55,000 45,000 45,000 -10,000 ................
Rental Housing Assistance..................................... 14,000 5,000 5,000 -9,000 ................
Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund.......................... 11,000 12,000 12,000 +1,000 ................
Offsetting collections.................................... -11,000 -12,000 -12,000 -1,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Housing Programs................................. 12,491,600 11,938,000 12,629,000 +137,400 +691,000
=========================================================================================
Federal Housing Administration

Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program Account:
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).......................... (400,000,000) (400,000,000) (400,000,000) ................ ................
(Limitation on direct loans).............................. (5,000) (1,000) (1,000) (-4,000) ................
Offsetting receipts....................................... -7,392,000 -6,930,000 -6,930,000 +462,000 ................
Proposed offsetting receipts (HECM)....................... -309,000 ................ ................ +309,000 ................
Additional offsetting receipts (Sec. 222)................. ................ -20,000 ................ ................ +20,000
Administrative contract expenses.......................... 130,000 150,000 130,000 ................ -20,000

General and Special Risk Program Account:
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).......................... (30,000,000) (30,000,000) (30,000,000) ................ ................
(Limitation on direct loans).............................. (5,000) (1,000) (1,000) (-4,000) ................
Offsetting receipts....................................... -619,000 -620,000 -620,000 -1,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Housing Administration................... -8,190,000 -7,420,000 -7,420,000 +770,000 ................
=========================================================================================
Government National Mortgage Association

Guarantees of Mortgage-backed Securities Loan Guarantee
Program Account:
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).......................... (500,000,000) (550,000,000) (550,000,000) (+50,000,000) ................
Administrative expenses................................... 27,000 24,400 27,000 ................ +2,600
Offsetting receipts....................................... -116,000 -104,000 -104,000 +12,000 ................
Offsetting receipts....................................... -1,560,000 -1,900,000 -1,900,000 -340,000 ................
Proposed offsetting receipts (HECM)....................... -59,000 ................ ................ +59,000 ................
Additional contract expenses.............................. 1,000 ................ 1,000 ................ +1,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Gov't National Mortgage Association.............. -1,707,000 -1,979,600 -1,976,000 -269,000 +3,600
=========================================================================================
Policy Development and Research

Research and Technology....................................... 89,000 85,000 100,000 +11,000 +15,000

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Fair Housing Activities....................................... 65,300 62,300 65,300 ................ +3,000

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

Lead Hazard Reduction......................................... 230,000 145,000 260,000 +30,000 +115,000
Information Technology Fund................................... 267,000 260,000 280,000 +13,000 +20,000
Office of Inspector General................................... 128,082 128,000 128,082 ................ +82

General Provisions

Mark-to-Market extension (Sec. 231)........................... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
Unobligated balances (Sec. 233) (rescission).................. ................ -138,000 ................ ................ +138,000
Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee unobligated balances ................ -5,000 ................ ................ +5,000
(Sec. 251) (rescission)......................................
=========================================================================================
Total, title II, Department of Housing and Urban 42,682,653 31,694,449 44,483,007 +1,800,354 +12,788,558
Development............................................
Appropriations...................................... (48,348,653) (37,023,449) (49,649,007) (+1,300,354) (+12,625,558)
Advance appropriations.............................. (4,400,000) (4,400,000) (4,400,000) ................ ................
Offsetting receipts................................. (-10,055,000) (-9,574,000) (-9,554,000) (+501,000) (+20,000)
Offsetting collections.............................. (-11,000) (-12,000) (-12,000) (-1,000) ................
(Limitation on direct loans)........................ (10,000) (2,000) (2,000) (-8,000) ................
(Limitation on guaranteed loans).................... (930,570,270) (980,000,000) (980,853,846) (+50,283,576) (+853,846)
=========================================================================================
TITLE III--OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

Access Board.................................................. 8,190 8,400 8,400 +210 ................
Federal Maritime Commission................................... 27,490 27,490 27,490 ................ ................
National Railroad Passenger Corporation Office of Inspector 23,274 23,274 23,274 ................ ................
General......................................................
National Transportation Safety Board.......................... 110,400 108,000 110,400 ................ +2,400
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation......................... 140,000 27,400 147,000 +7,000 +119,600
Surface Transportation Board.................................. 37,100 37,100 37,100 ................ ................
Offsetting collections.................................... -1,250 -1,250 -1,250 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 35,850 35,850 35,850 ................ ................

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness............. 3,600 630 3,600 ................ +2,970
=========================================================================================
Total, title III, Other Independent Agencies............ 348,804 231,044 356,014 +7,210 +124,970
=========================================================================================
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT

Unobligated balances (Sec. 417) (rescission).................. -7,000 ................ ................ +7,000 ................
=========================================================================================
Total, title IV, General Provisions This Act............ -7,000 ................ ................ +7,000 ................
=========================================================================================
OTHER APPROPRIATIONS

FURTHER ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER
RELIEF ACT, 2018 P(PUBLIC LAW 115-123)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Operations (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) (emergency)........ 35,000 ................ ................ -35,000 ................
Facilities and Equipment (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) 79,589 ................ ................ -79,589 ................
(emergency)..................................................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Aviation Administration.................. 114,589 ................ ................ -114,589 ................
=========================================================================================
Federal Highway Administration

Federal-Aid Highways:
Emergency Relief Program (emergency)...................... 1,374,000 ................ ................ -1,374,000 ................

Federal Transit Administration

Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (emergency).... 330,000 ................ ................ -330,000 ................

Maritime Administration

Operations and Training (emergency)........................... 10,000 ................ ................ -10,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Department of Transportation..................... 1,828,589 ................ ................ -1,828,589 ................
=========================================================================================
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Community Planning and Development

Community Development Fund (emergency)........................ 28,000,000 ................ ................ -28,000,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Further Additional Supplemental Appropriations 29,828,589 ................ ................ -29,828,589 ................
Act, 2018..............................................
=========================================================================================
Grand total............................................. 100,128,589 47,995,897 71,417,000 -28,711,589 +23,421,103
Appropriations...................................... (75,974,250) (53,651,384) (76,630,810) (+656,560) (+22,979,426)
Rescissions......................................... (-7,000) (-468,237) (-46,560) (-39,560) (+421,677)
Rescissions of contract authority................... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
Advance appropriations.............................. (4,400,000) (4,400,000) (4,400,000) ................ ................
Offsetting receipts................................. (-10,055,000) (-9,574,000) (-9,554,000) (+501,000) (+20,000)
Offsetting collections.............................. (-12,250) (-13,250) (-13,250) (-1,000) ................
(By transfer)........................................... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
(Limitation on obligations)............................. (58,908,994) (59,986,084) (59,987,084) (+1,078,090) (+1,000)
Total budgetary resources............................... (159,037,583) (107,981,981) (131,404,084) (-27,633,499) (+23,422,103)
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