On September 17, the Senate approved, 73-25, the FY2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 3288). The Senate Appropriations Committee released its report language on the legislation on August 5 (see The Source, 8/7/09). The House approved its version of H.R. 3288 on July 23 (see The Source, 7/27/09). The bill next will be considered by a House-Senate conference committee, where differences between the two versions will be resolved.
The $122 billion measure includes $67.7 billion in overall discretionary spending and provides funding for programs, such as the Minority Business Resource Centers and Minority Business Outreach within the Department of Transportation, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and Section 8 within the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
During consideration of the bill, the Senate rejected, 34-62, an amendment by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) to prohibit the use of funds for households that include convicted drug dealers, domestic violence offenders, or members of violent gangs that occupy rebuilt public housing in New Orleans.
