Even while members of Congress are adjourned for August recess, members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus (HFC) are reportedly strategizing on how to exact even steeper funding cuts from the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget. The group, led by Representative Scott Perry (R-PA), was responsible for pressuring Republican leaders in the House to propose FY24 spending bills that fix spending at roughly FY22 levels, which would result in cuts of more than $131 billion to domestic spending.
Attempted negotiations with the far-right faction have been a primary cause of the chaos marring the FY24 appropriations process in the House. While the Senate Appropriations Committee, under the leadership of Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice-Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), has written bills to the levels agreed upon in the “Fiscal Responsibility Act” and passed them through the Committee with bipartisan support, in the House the demands of HFC members – and Republican leadership’s willingness to entertain them– have derailed negotiations and stalled progress.
In their push for steeper cuts, Freedom Caucus members will need to identify which bills and programs to target, and convince other, more moderate Republicans in the House to support their proposal. Thanks to the determined, relentless work of housing advocates around the country, at a time when domestic programs were facing prospective cuts of up to 30%, the House’s draft FY24 appropriations bill provided a 10% increase to HUD funding. While still insufficient to cover the level of need, this increase is a testament to the power of our collective voice.
Together, we can – and have – achieved historic protections and resources for renters with the lowest incomes, and together we can continue to fight the ongoing threat of cuts to HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness resources. Advocates can use NLIHC’s Legislative Action Center to call or email their members of Congress and urge them to expand – not cut – funding for HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness programs in the FY24 budget.
NLIHC also released an updated Congressional Recess Toolkit that provides advocates with ideas, advice, and tips on how to set up in-district meetings with their members of Congress, along with talking points, sample op-eds, sample social media messages, and more. Advocacy over August recess will be crucial in setting the stage for resumed negotiations on the federal budget when Congress returns in September, and warding off ongoing threats to HUD’s vital programs.
Background
Members adjourned for recess on July 27 after months of contentious budget negotiations, culminating in vastly different spending proposals in the House and Senate. The discrepancies between the House and Senate appropriations bills set the stage for what will likely be a tumultuous September on Capitol Hill. Congress only has until September 30 – the start of the new federal fiscal year – to enact all 12 appropriations bills or pass a continuing resolution (CR) in order to keep the federal government funded and avoid a shutdown. Given how far apart the House and Senate are on their FY24 spending bills, and far-right members of the House already refusing to vote for a clean CR that does not cut federal spending, members are raising alarms about a likely government shutdown on October 1.
While advocates across the country have done tremendous work to ensure that neither the House nor Senate FY24 spending bills drastically cut funding for vital HUD programs, including rental assistance and Homeless Assistance Grants, the road to enacting a final FY24 spending bill with sufficient HUD funding is steep. With members of Congress back in their home states and districts, August recess is the perfect time for advocates to set up in-district meetings with their members to stress the impact and importance of increased HUD funding in any final appropriations bill.
Take Action
Thanks to the hard work of advocates across the country, who mobilized to weigh-in with their elected officials, HUD’s vital rental assistance, homelessness assistance, and tribal housing program were spared from cuts in both the House and Senate bills. We still have work to do to ensure these funding levels remain in a final bill, and that other critical programs, such as Public Housing, are also fully funded.
Keep making your voice heard, and tell Congress that it cannot balance the federal budget at the expense of people with the lowest incomes! Advocates can take action TODAY in the following ways:
- Contact your senators and representatives to urge them to expand – not cut – investments in affordable, accessible homes through the FY24 spending bill!
- August recess is the perfect time for advocates to schedule in-district meetings with their members of Congress to urge them to support higher funding for affordable housing and homelessness programs. Check out NLIHC’s updated Congressional Recess Toolkit for information on how to set up in-district meetings, meeting tips, talking points, and more!
- Join over 2,000 organizations by signing on to a national letter from the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF), calling on Congress to oppose budget cuts and instead to support the highest level of funding possible for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources in FY24.
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