House to consider THUD appropriations next month

The House will take up the 2015 appropriations bill for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development next month.

The $52 billion measure, commonly referred to as the THUD appropriations bill, is expected to hit the House floor the week of June 9. 

{mosads}Consideration of the 2014 version symbolized the meltdown of the appropriations process last year when it was pulled from the House floor once GOP leadership realized it didn’t have the votes to pass.

Of the 12 annual appropriations bills, THUD is arguably the most controversial so far given the $1.8 billion spending reduction caused by less revenue from the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The FHFA’s low receipts are due to a weak housing market. 

The chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing transportation funding, retiring Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa), said the bill required “many hours of trying to put a square peg in a round hole.”

The House this week will consider the third 2015 appropriations bill, which would provide $52 billion for the Justice Department, Commerce Department and science programs. It passed the 2015 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and legislative branch appropriations bills, which are considered the least controversial, earlier this month.

A rule to set debate parameters for the THUD bill is expected to be approved on the House floor later this week. But the House will wait to start official debate and amendment consideration until after it returns from a weeklong recess. 

Erik Wasson contributed.