FY2014 Appropriations Bills for HUD Stalled – August 2, 2013

Actions by the Senate and House this week mean decisions on the FY2014 HUD budget will be delayed until at least September.  On August 1, the Senate voted against cloture (54-43) on its Fiscal Year 2014 appropriations bill (S.1243) for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD). Cloture would have limited debate on the bill and meant that the bill itself would eventually be considered.  Without it, the bill cannot progress further on the Senate floor.  While the bill had the support of six Republicans in Committee, the cloture vote was almost entirely along party lines.  Just one Republican, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Ranking Member for the Senate THUD Appropriations Subcommittee, voted for cloture.

On the House side, House leadership pulled its THUD bill (H.R. 2610) from consideration on July 31. The House bill would have severely underfunded HUD programs, providing nearly $10 billion less than the Senate bill (see analysis and chart). House Appropriations Chair Hal Rogers (R-KY) indicated in a statement that the bill would not proceed because there were not enough votes to pass it.