A group of ten moderate Republican senators met on April 14 to discuss a potential path forward on President Biden’s “American Jobs Plan,” an approximately $2 trillion infrastructure proposal that includes $213 billion for housing (see Memo, 4/5). Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), one of the ten senators involved in the discussion, stated group will likely offer a $600-800 billion package focused specifically on transportation infrastructure, reflecting Republicans’ contention that the package should remain focused on “traditional infrastructure” like roads and bridges.
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) suggested Congress may move the infrastructure plan in two packages – one $600-800 billion bipartisan package passed through regular order, and one containing all of the other infrastructure provisions passed using budget reconciliation. Congressional Democrats used budget reconciliation to enact the recent American Rescue Plan.
This approach has raised concerns among some Democrats, who worry the momentum for enacting a large infrastructure package will wane if the bill is split into two parts. Enacting two bills would also take more time than passing a single bill through reconciliation.
NLIHC is working to ensure Congress includes in any infrastructure spending plan comprehensive resources to address homelessness and housing poverty, including these priorities from the NLIHC-led HoUSed campaign:
- Expansion of rental assistance to every eligible household
- $70 billion to repair public housing and make energy-efficient upgrades to existing public housing stock
- At least $40 billion annually for the national Housing Trust Fund to build and preserve homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes
Take action by signing your organization on to a national letter urging Congress to support robust investments in affordable housing at: https://tinyurl.com/zbau4kee
Learn more about NLIHC’s HoUSed Campaign at: https://nlihc.org/housed