Womack Remarks at FY27 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill Full Committee Markup (As Prepared for Delivery)

Thank you, Chairman Cole, for your remarks and for leading this committee with such strength and integrity. You have reengineered the appropriations process, and this Committee is fulfilling its constitutional duty—on schedule—thanks to your dedication.

To Ranking Member DeLauro, I thank you for your steady and invaluable leadership on this committee. 

And Ranking Member Clyburn, thank you for your honest and thoughtful engagement in crafting this bill—and most of all—thank you for your friendship.  It is an honor to work alongside you. 

The discretionary allocation for the Fiscal Year 2027 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill is $92.2 billion—$10.7 billion below the Fiscal Year 2026 level. We have also redirected $7.8 billion from low priority programs funded through the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) to address our nation’s most pressing transportation challenges such as air traffic control modernization, highway improvements, and freight rail safety.

Whether on our railways, roads, or in the skies, ensuring greater transportation safety was a core tenet in drafting the contents of this package. 

To reaffirm our global leadership in aviation safety and efficiency, we are providing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the funds to hire and train 2,300 new air traffic controllers, building on historic funding in FY26 for our controller workforce. To support the DOT’s ongoing efforts to modernize our air traffic control system nationwide, we are allocating $4 billion for FAA Facilities and Equipment. Together, these funds will help us build a world class national airspace system.

For our nation’s highways, we are providing $64.5 billion in programmatic funding, including $200 million for tribal transportation and $200 million to increase truck parking infrastructure. And because state and local officials know their communities best, these resources will be directly allocated to state governments to collaborate on high-priority road projects.

We are also investing $523 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program, supporting freight rail infrastructure that plays a critical role in our supply chain and economy. 

Reflecting the priorities of the Trump Administration, this package includes $732 million to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding and maritime capabilities, including a historic investment of $165 million for the capital needs of the Merchant Marine Academy.  

As our country prepares to host the world for the 2028 Olympics, we have provided $875 million to ensure visitors and Americans alike can move efficiently, building on the $94 million this Committee provided in FY26. The 2028 games will put our nation on center stage, and this investment will ensure that we are prepared to meet the moment and showcase why the United States is the best country in the world.

The housing title of this bill addresses affordability concerns and ensures a responsible safety net for our most vulnerable citizens—the elderly, disabled, our veterans, and the working poor.

The funds allocated support authorized rental assistance programs at a fiscally responsible level of $58 billion for Section 8 vouchers, Project Based Rental Assistance, and programs that serve the elderly and disabled. 

The package provides $4.2 billion for homeless assistance grants, including $3.8 billion for the Continuum of Care program—reaffirming this subcommittee’s bipartisan agreement to ensure certainty for local providers while returning competition to the program. 

We also fund the Community Development Block Grant Program at $3.3 billion, supporting an initiative with historic bipartisan support that has proven critical to meeting local needs. Other programs that leverage private dollars to support housing affordability, like HOME, SHOP, and NeighborWorks, are also funded in this bill.  As a former mayor, I know firsthand how these programs can strengthen federal and local partnerships to promote economic growth and better the quality of life for our constituents. 

In its entirety, the FY27 THUD bill represents a responsible approach to government funding that prioritizes core infrastructure needs, maintains critical services for our citizens, and implements the fiscal discipline and regulatory relief that the American people demand. 

I want to thank all the Members of the Committee for your participation in the process to date. This bill reflects many of your priorities and will have positive impacts in each of your districts. 

I again thank Chairman Cole and Ranking Member Clyburn for their leadership and partnership. And before I close, I’d also like to thank the staff on both sides for their tireless effort throughout this process. On the Majority side, Doug Disrud, Avery Pierson, Heather Campbell, Mary Beth Pavlik, Alexandra Mandewo, and Andrew Giacini. From the Minority, Christina Monroe, Jackie Kilroy, and Nora Faye. From my personal office, Beau Stuckey.

While the Senate has yet to act on their version of this bill, I am pleased that we are doing our job in the House to move appropriations bills forward and have the best possible position at the negotiating table. 

I ask for your support for this legislation, and I yield back.