HUD leadership set to testify before Congress
Congress is back in session on Monday following the Memorial Day Recess. With just 31 in-session days until the August Recess, Lawmakers face a busy summer schedule that includes the confirmation process for political appointees, an ongoing healthcare debate, a shortened appropriations process, and the looming debt-ceiling deadline.
Top on the agenda are budget negotiations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, which begins on October 1
st, 2017. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to grapple with the President’s FY18 Budget Request, which was sent to Congress last week and has already been the subject of contentious hearings in both Chambers. As described in our recent
NAHMAnalysis on the budget request, the President is proposing a 13% funding cut to HUD and a 21% funding cut to USDA, threatening to eliminate, reduce, or flat fund key affordable housing programs. Both parties have expressed concerns about deep cuts to domestic programs, such as affordable housing programs.
HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson is scheduled to testify on the proposed FY18 budget on Wednesday, June 7
th, and Thursday, June 8
th before the
House and
Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD).
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs continues with the confirmations process next week. During a
hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 6
th, the Committee will consider Pamela Patenaude to be Deputy Secretary of HUD; a majority Committee vote in favor of her confirmation would trigger a floor vote before the full Senate.
NAHMA will keep members updated on the hearings.
