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Senator Collins, THUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, Announces Passage of Bipartisan FY 2017 Funding Bill

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2017 THUD funding bill has been unanimously approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill will now be considered by the full Senate.

“The bill makes vital investments in our nation’s infrastructure, helps meet the housing needs of the most vulnerable among us, and provides funding for economic development projects in our communities that create jobs,” said Senator Collins.  “Consistent with other subcommittees, we have drafted a bill that reflects consensus, not controversy.”

The bipartisan bill provides funding for many programs that benefit Maine, including:

Homelessness

  • $40 million for grants targeted to providing comprehensive solutions to youth homelessness.
  • $50 million for new Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers.  This program combines rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • $2.3 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants.

Transportation

  • $525 million for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants (also known as National Infrastructure Investments), $25 million above the FY2016 enacted level. To date, Maine has received more than $112 million for highway, bridge, airport, rail, and port projects. 
  • $44 billion from the Highway Trust Fund to be spent on the Federal-aid Highways Program, consistent with the recently-enacted surface transportation authorization bill, the FAST Act.
  • $16.4 billion in total budgetary resources for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $131.6 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $512.5 million above the request.  This will provide full funding for all air traffic control personnel, including more than 14,000 air traffic controllers, and more than 25,000 engineers, maintenance technicians, safety inspectors, and operational support personnel.  The bill also provides $1 billion for the FAA Next Generation Air Transportation Systems (NextGen), and fully funds the Contract Towers program to help ease future congestion and help reduce delays for travelers in U.S. airspace. 
  • $485 million for the Maritime Administration, $86 million above the FY2016 enacted level, to increase the productivity, efficiency and safety of the nation’s ports and intermodal water and land transportation. The bill also includes $34 million for State Maritime Academies (SMAs), including $6 million to develop a replacement vessel for the six SMA training ships.  These training ships are essential to continuing a strong merchant marine workforce.

Community Development

  • $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant formula program.
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