30–261 PDF 

Calendar No. 445 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 115–268 

TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 

2019 

JUNE 7, 2018.—Ordered to be printed 

Ms. COLLINS, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted 

the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 3023] 

The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 3023) making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 

Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass. 

Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 2019 

Total of bill as reported to the Senate .................... $71,417,000,000 

Amount of 2018 appropriations ............................... 100,128,589,000 

Amount of 2019 budget estimate ............................ 47,995,897,000 

Bill as recommended to Senate compared to— 

2018 appropriations .......................................... ¥28,711,589,000 

2019 budget estimate ........................................ ∂23,421,103,000 
(2) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

Overview and Summary of the Bill ........................................................................ 3 

Program, Project, and Activity ............................................................................... 3 

Reprogramming Guidelines .................................................................................... 4 

Congressional Budget Justifications ...................................................................... 5 

Guidance Documents ............................................................................................... 5 

Transparency Requirement ..................................................................................... 6 

Federally Funded Research .................................................................................... 6 

Title I: Department of Transportation: 

Office of the Secretary ...................................................................................... 8 

Federal Aviation Administration .................................................................... 22 

Federal Highway Administration .................................................................... 43 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ............................................... 50 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration .......................................... 54 

Federal Railroad Administration .................................................................... 59 

Federal Transit Administration ...................................................................... 68 

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation ....................................... 76 

Maritime Administration ................................................................................. 77 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ........................... 82 

Office of Inspector General .............................................................................. 85 

General Provisions—Department of Transportation ..................................... 86 

Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development: 

Management and Administration ................................................................... 88 

Administrative Support Offices ....................................................................... 89 

Program Offices Salaries and Expenses ......................................................... 91 

Public and Indian Housing .............................................................................. 96 

Community Planning and Development ......................................................... 108 

Housing Programs ............................................................................................ 118 

Federal Housing Administration ..................................................................... 125 

Government National Mortgage Association .................................................. 127 

Policy Development and Research .................................................................. 127 

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity ............................................................. 129 

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes ...................................... 129 

Information Technology Fund ......................................................................... 132 

Office of Inspector General .............................................................................. 134 

General Provisions—Department of Housing and Urban Development ...... 135 

Title III: Independent Agencies: 

Access Board ..................................................................................................... 138 

Federal Maritime Commission ........................................................................ 139 

National Railroad Passenger Corporation: Office of Inspector General ...... 139 

National Transportation Safety Board ........................................................... 140 

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation ....................................................... 141 

Surface Transportation Board ......................................................................... 142 

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness ................................... 143 

Title IV: General Provisions—This Act .................................................................. 146 

Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI, of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate ................................................................................................................... 148 

Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI, of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate ................................................................................................................... 149 

Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the 

Senate ................................................................................................................... 150 

Budgetary Impact of Bill ......................................................................................... 151 

Comparative Statement of Budget Authority ........................................................ 152 
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OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL 

The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill provides funding for a wide array 

of Federal programs, mostly in the Departments of Transportation 

[DOT] and Housing and Urban Development [HUD]. The programs 

and activities supported by this bill include significant responsibilities entrusted to the Federal Government and its partners to protect human health and safety, support a vibrant economy, and 

achieve policy objectives strongly supported by the American people. These programs include investments in road, transit, rail, maritime, pipeline, aviation and airport infrastructure; the operation of 

the Nation’s air traffic control system; resources to support community and economic development activities; and housing assistance 

for those in need, including the homeless, elderly, and disabled. 

The bill also provides funding for the Federal Housing Administration and the Government National Mortgage Association to continue their traditional roles of providing access to affordable homeownership in the United States. 

This bill makes possible the operation of the interstate highway 

system, as well as the world’s safest, most complex air transportation system. This bill also includes funding for competitive grants 

to communities to support transformative transportation infrastructure projects of national or regional importance. It ensures 

safe and sanitary housing for nearly 5 million low and extremely 

low-income families and individuals, over half of whom are elderly 

and/or disabled. It provides funding that is leading to the gradual 

elimination of homelessness among veterans, youth, victims of domestic violence, individuals and families. 

The bill, as reported, provides the proper balance of transportation, housing, and community development programs and activities. It is consistent with the subcommittee’s allocation for fiscal 

year 2019. All accounts in the bill have been closely examined to 

ensure that a sufficient level of funding is provided to carry out the 

programs and activities of DOT, HUD, and related agencies. Details on each of the accounts and the Committee’s justifications for 

the funding levels are included in the report. 

PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY 

During fiscal year 2019, for the purposes of the Balanced Budget 

and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–177), as 

amended, with respect to appropriations contained in the accompanying bill, the terms ‘‘program, project, and activity’’ [PPA] shall 

mean any item for which a dollar amount is contained in appropriations acts (including joint resolutions providing continuing appropriations), accompanying reports of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, or accompanying conference reports and 

joint explanatory statements of the committee of conference. This 

definition shall apply to all programs for which new budget 

(obligational) authority is provided, as well as to discretionary 

grants and discretionary grant allocations made through either bill 

or report language. 
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REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES 

The Committee includes a provision (section 405) establishing 

the authority by which funding available to the agencies funded by 

this act may be reprogrammed for other purposes. The provision 

specifically requires the advanced approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of any proposal to reprogram 

funds that: 

—creates a new program; 

—eliminates a program, project, or activity [PPA]; 

—increases funds or personnel for any PPA for which funds have 

been denied or restricted by the Congress; 

—proposes to redirect funds that were directed in such reports 

for a specific activity to a different purpose; 

—augments an existing PPA in excess of $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; 

—reduces an existing PPA by $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; or 

—creates, reorganizes, or restructures offices different from the 

congressional budget justifications or the table at the end of 

the Committee report, whichever is more detailed. 

The Committee retains the requirement that each agency submit 

an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 60 days after enactment of this act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer 

authorities provided in this act. Specifically, each agency should 

provide a table for each appropriation with columns displaying the 

prior year enacted level; budget request; adjustments made by Congress; adjustments for rescissions, if appropriate; and the fiscal 

year enacted level. The table shall delineate the appropriation and 

prior year enacted level both by object class and by PPA, as well 

as identify balances available for use under section 406 of the bill. 

The report must also identify items of special congressional interest. 

The Committee expects the agencies and bureaus to submit reprogramming requests in a timely manner and to provide a thorough explanation of the proposed reallocations, including a detailed 

justification of increases and reductions and the specific impact the 

proposed changes will have on the budget request for the following 

fiscal year. Except in emergency situations, reprogramming requests should be submitted no later than June 30. 

The Committee expects each agency to manage its programs and 

activities within the amounts appropriated by Congress. The Committee reminds agencies that reprogramming requests should be 

submitted only in the case of an unforeseeable emergency or a situation that could not have been anticipated when formulating the 

budget request for the current fiscal year. Further, the Committee 

notes that when a Department or agency submits a reprogramming 

or transfer request to the Committees on Appropriations and does 

not receive identical responses from the House and Senate, it is the 

responsibility of the Department to reconcile the House and Senate 

differences before proceeding, and if reconciliation is not possible, 

to consider the request to reprogram funds unapproved. 
5 

The Committee would also like to clarify that this section applies 

to the Department of Transportation’s Working Capital Fund, and 

that no funds may be obligated from such funds to augment programs, projects or activities for which appropriations have been 

specifically rejected by the Congress, or to increase funds or personnel for any PPA above the amounts appropriated by this act. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS 

Budget justifications are the primary tool used by the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations to evaluate the resource requirements and fiscal needs of agencies. The Committee is aware 

that the format and presentation of budget materials is largely left 

to the agency within presentation objectives set forth by the Office 

of Management and Budget [OMB]. In fact, OMB Circular A–11, 

part 6 specifically states that the ‘‘agency should consult with your 

congressional committees beforehand to ensure their awareness of 

your plans to modify the format of agency budget documents.’’ The 

Committee expects that all agencies funded under this act will 

heed this directive. The Committee expects all of the budget justifications to provide the data needed to make appropriate and 

meaningful funding decisions. 

While the Committee values the inclusion of performance data 

and presentations, it is important to ensure vital budget information that the Committee needs is not lost. Therefore, the Committee directs that justifications submitted with the fiscal year 

2020 budget request by agencies funded under this act contain the 

customary level of detailed data and explanatory statements to 

support the appropriations requests at the level of detail contained 

in the funding table included at the end of the report. Among other 

items, agencies shall provide a detailed discussion of proposed new 

initiatives, proposed changes in the agency’s financial plan from 

prior year enactment, and detailed data on all programs and comprehensive information on any office or agency restructurings. At 

a minimum, each agency must also provide adequate justification 

for funding and staffing changes for each individual office and materials that compare programs, projects, and activities that are proposed for fiscal year 2020 to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. 

The Committee is aware that the analytical materials required 

for review by the Committee are unique to each agency in this act. 

Therefore, the Committee expects that each agency will coordinate 

with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in advance on its planned presentation for its budget justification materials in support of the fiscal year 2020 budget request. 

The Committee directs each agency to include within its budget 

justification a report on all efforts made to address the duplication 

identified by the annual GAO reports along with legal barriers preventing the agency’s ability to further reduce duplication and legislative recommendations, if applicable. 

GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS 

The Committee remains concerned about the use of guidance documents, or interpretive rules, to impose new requirements on regulated entities even though such documents are not legally binding. 
6 

The Supreme Court has recognized there can be a fine line between 

what should be issued as a regulation for purposes of notice and 

comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act and 

what can be issued as guidance. The Supreme Court has also recognized that Federal agencies may sometimes issue guidance to circumvent the notice and comment rulemaking process. Legal scholars and multiple members of Congress have also expressed concern 

about the use of guidance to avoid rulemaking. Finally, the GAO 

found that if an agency periodically reviews its guidance it can significantly reduce unnecessary guidance. For example, after a subagency in the Department of Labor reviewed its guidance to determine if it was relevant and current, the sub-agency was able to reduce its guidance by 85 percent. GAO also found that the dissemination of guidance to the public can be improved. 

The Committee recommends the Departments of Transportation 

and Housing and Urban Development clearly label in a plain, and 

prominent, manner that the agency’s guidance documents are not 

legally binding and may not be relied upon by the agency as 

grounds for agency action. The Committee also recommends a thorough explanation on an agency’s guidance document about why the 

agency believes it is appropriate to issue guidance about a matter 

instead of proposing a regulation and what specific statutory provisions or regulation(s) the guidance is interpreting. The Committee 

further recommends this guidance be updated every 2 years, with 

input solicited from the public, to determine if it is duplicative, outdated, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome and 

needs to be modified, streamlined, or repealed. All guidance documents should be in one place on agency websites as well as on the 

relevant sub-agency web page. This guidance should be easily accessible for the public to comment on and should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget to determine if it is significant. 

TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENT 

The Committee is aware that agencies funded in this act use resources for advertising purposes. The Committee directs the agencies in this act to state within the text, audio, or video used for new 

advertising purposes, including advertising/posting on the Internet, 

that the advertisements are printed, published, or produced and 

disseminated at U.S. taxpayer expense. The agencies may exempt 

any such advertisements from this requirement if it creates an adverse impact on safety or impedes the ability of these agencies to 

carry out their statutory authority. 

FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH 

The Committee urges the Department of Transportation and the 

Department of Housing and Urban Development to affirmatively 

determine, justified in writing made available on a publically accessible website, that research grants or agreements promote the 

progress of science in the United States or will advance a national 

security or economic interest. 
(7) 

TITLE I 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Infrastructure.—The President’s budget request once again includes $200,000,000,000 in direct Federal funding to leverage 

$1,500,000,000,000 in investment for our Nation’s infrastructure, 

but the administration has publically acknowledged that its proposal is unlikely to be enacted this year. The Committee fully supports the goal to improve our Nation’s infrastructure, but remains 

concerned with the administration’s policy objective to increase the 

financial burden on State and local governments by raising their 

own revenue as a means of meeting the goal. 

The Committee reiterates its support for Federal investment in 

infrastructure to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of 

freight and people across the Nation. The Committee recommendation continues increased funding levels provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 for highway, airport, transit, rail, 

maritime, and housing infrastructure, consistent with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. However, the 2-year budget agreement 

does not provide the long-term funding structure necessary to 

maintain and improve our Nation’s transportation infrastructure. 

Therefore, the Committee reiterates that increased funding levels 

from the general fund for airport, highway, and transit programs 

that have historically been funded from the Airport and Airway 

Trust Fund and the Highway Trust Fund are provided to supplement, not to supplant, traditional funding for these programs. The 

Committee expects the Administration to work with relevant authorizing committees to provide long-term sustainable funding for 

infrastructure before the FAST Act expires at the end of fiscal year 

2020 to ensure a reauthorization bill is enacted on time. 

Unfortunately, the administration’s budget request simply ignores the Highway Trust Fund and reflects a reduction of 

$122,000,000,000 in highway and transit programs over the 10- 

year budget window. The budget request offers no solutions to sustaining the Highway Trust Fund and simply ignores the impact of 

less investment on our transportation network. Therefore, the Committee directs the Department to submit to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations a report on the impact of the administration’s fiscal year 2019 budget request on State DOTs, transit 

agencies, and other entities that currently receive funding from the 

Highway Trust Fund within 120 days of enactment of this act. The 

Department is further directed to include a future investment scenario in its next Conditions and Performance report, as required by 

23 U.S.C. 503(b)(8) and 49 U.S.C. 308(e), that also reflects funding 

levels consistent with the administration’s fiscal year 2019 budget 

request. 
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Section 3 of the Department of Transportation Act of October 15, 

1966 (Public Law 89–670) provides for the establishment of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation [OST]. OST is comprised of 

the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary immediate and support offices; the Office of the General Counsel; the Office of the Under 

Secretary of Transportation for Policy, including the offices of the 

Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs and the 

Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy; four Assistant Secretarial offices for Budget and Programs, Governmental Affairs, Research and Technology, and Administration; and the Offices of Public Affairs, the Executive Secretariat, Intelligence, Security and 

Emergency Response, and the Chief Information Officer. OST also 

includes the Department’s Office of Civil Rights and the Department’s Working Capital Fund. 

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $112,813,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 113,842,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 113,535,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation finances the costs of policy development and 

central supervisory and coordinating functions necessary for the 

overall planning and direction of the Department. It covers the immediate secretarial offices as well as those of the assistant secretaries, and the general counsel. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $113,535,000 for salaries 

and expenses of OST, including $60,000 for reception and representation expenses. The recommendation is $307,000 less than the 

budget request and $722,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The accompanying bill stipulates that none of the funding provided may be used for the position of Assistant Secretary for 

Public Affairs. 

The accompanying bill authorizes the Secretary to transfer up to 

5 percent of the funds from any office within the Office of the Secretary to another. The Committee recommendation also continues 

language that permits up to $2,500,000 of fees to be credited to the 

Office of the Secretary for salaries and expenses. 

The following table summarizes the Committee’s recommendation in comparison to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and the 

budget request: 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Office of the Secretary ................................................................... $3,001,000 ............................ $3,001,000 

Office of the Deputy Secretary ...................................................... 1,040,000 ............................ 1,040,000 

Office of the General Counsel ....................................................... 20,555,000 ............................ 20,428,000 

Office of the Under Secretary for Policy ........................................ 10,331,000 ............................ 10,265,000 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs ........ 14,019,000 ............................ 14,019,000 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs ......... 2,546,000 ............................ 2,550,000 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration .................... 29,356,000 ............................ 29,244,000 
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Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Office of Public Affairs .................................................................. 2,142,000 ............................ 2,142,000 

Office of the Executive Secretariat ................................................ 1,760,000 ............................ 1,835,000 

Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response ........... 11,318,000 ............................ 12,325,000 

Office of the Chief Information Officer ......................................... 16,745,000 ............................ 16,686,000 

Total .................................................................................. 112,813,000 113,842,000 113,535,000 

IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Secretary of Transportation provides leadership and has the 

primary responsibility to provide overall planning, direction, and 

control of the Department. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,001,000 and 14 FTE for fiscal 

year 2019 for the Immediate Office of the Secretary. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Committee is concerned with the increased number of programmatic decisions that have been elevated to the Office of the 

Secretary, leading to delays in funding and lack of cohesive policies 

between the Department and the modes. The Committee is particularly concerned with the slow pace of awarding and obligating 

funding from competitive discretionary programs appropriated in 

fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2018. The Committee directs the 

Department to abide by both the will and intent of Congress in all 

funding and policy decisions, and to consult with the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to issuing all notices of 

funding opportunities. 

Mobile Wireless Devices.—On December 14, 2016, the Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. 

DOT–OST–2014–0002-2829) regarding the use of mobile wireless 

devices for voice calls on commercial aircraft. The approval of voice 

communication over mobile wireless devices during commercial airline flights would be problematic for many of the nearly 2 million 

Americans who fly each day and challenging for the airlines. The 

Committee is strongly concerned with the duration of this rulemaking process, which began more than 4 years ago, and directs 

the Department to complete its rulemaking expeditiously and put 

in place a clear rule that takes into account the full impact on consumers and the commercial aviation industry. 

Preclearance.—Improving the flow of passengers and traffic between the United States and Canada is essential to the economy 

of both nations. The Committee expects the FAA, FRA and Amtrak 

to comply with the U.S.-Canada Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, 

and Air Transport Preclearance to facilitate air travel and passenger rail service between United States and Canadian cities. The 

Committee directs DOT agencies that have a role in implementing 

preclearance operations on the four specific sites announced by the 

United States and Canada on March 10, 2016, to facilitate their 

preclearance facilities development as expeditiously as possible. 

DOT will coordinate efforts between the FAA, FRA, and Amtrak. 
10 

The Committee notes that it previously directed DOT to report on 

its progress on preclearance and awaits this report. 

IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Deputy Secretary has the primary responsibility of assisting 

the Secretary in the overall planning and direction of the Department. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $1,040,000 and 8 FTE for the Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary, which is equal to the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level. 

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the General Counsel provides legal services to the 

Office of the Secretary, including the conduct of aviation regulatory 

proceedings and aviation consumer activities, and coordinates and 

reviews the legal work in the chief counsels’ offices of the operating 

administrations. The General Counsel is the chief legal officer of 

the Department and the final authority on all legal questions. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $20,428,000 and 111 FTE for expenses of the Office of the General Counsel for fiscal year 2019. 

The recommended funding level is $127,000 less than the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level. 

Baggage Fees.—Implementation of consumer protection provisions in the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 remain unaddressed by the Department despite congressional mandates and further directives by the Committee. Specifically, the Department was mandated to promulgate final regulations to require 

air carriers to refund fees for delayed baggage within 1 year of the 

date of enactment of the authorization bill, which established an 

implementation deadline of July 16, 2017. To that end, an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [ANPRM] was issued on October 31, 2016 with comments due by November 30, 2016. Since 

then, no further action has been taken by the Department. The 

failure to address this congressional mandate is unacceptable and 

allows air carriers to continue to take advantage of the traveling 

public with unreasonable fees on baggage. The Committee, again, 

directs the Secretary to take immediate action to implement this 

requirement. 

Family Seating.—The FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 

2016 also required the Department to review and, if appropriate, 

establish policies no later than July 16, 2017, enabling children 13 

years of age or under to be placed in a seat adjacent to an accompanying family member over the age of 13 at no cost. The Department has stated that it has now completed its review and has deferred to current airline family seating policies. The Department 

has not, however, released a copy of this review or otherwise pub-
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licly addressed the fact that many airline policies still allow the 

separation of children from adults in a travel party unless additional seat selection fees are paid. The Committee, therefore, directs the Department to provide a report to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations on its review of family seating policies and a justification for its decision to defer to current airline 

seating policies within 60 days of enactment of this act. 

Consumer Protections.—The Committee also believes consumers 

should have clear and accurate pricing information when choosing 

among various air transportation options and air carriers. Currently, fees for additional services can be difficult to determine 

when searching for airfares, and, as a result, consumers may be 

unable to understand the true cost of travel when comparing 

prices. To that end, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 directed the Secretary to work in collaboration with industry, consumers and other stakeholders to establish guidelines that lead to 

air carriers, or any for profit seller of commercial air transportation, displaying full ticketing charges. Such ticketing charges 

should include seat price, baggage fees, and optional flight insurance costs. These ancillary charges should be clear to the consumer 

at the time of initial search and the anticipated total charges fully 

itemized and disclosed. The Committee emphasizes the importance 

of addressing this directive in a timely manner and looks forward 

to regular updates from the Department on its progress. 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLICY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Under Secretary for Policy is the chief policy officer of the 

Department and is responsible for the analysis, development, and 

review of policies and plans for domestic and international transportation matters. The Office administers the economic regulatory 

functions regarding the airline industry and is responsible for 

international aviation programs, the essential air service program, 

airline fitness licensing, acquisitions, international route awards, 

computerized reservation systems, and special investigations, such 

as airline delays. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $10,265,000 and 62 FTE for the Office of the Under Secretary for Policy. The recommended funding 

level is $66,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Agreements.—For more than 25 years, U.S. Open Skies agreements have significantly benefited consumers, communities and the 

U.S. economy and allowed America’s passenger airlines to achieve 

profitability on which America’s all-cargo airlines have established 

a world-leading position in the global market for express delivery 

services. In 2015, the Department began an interagency process to 

solicit public comments and evaluate whether alleged foreign government subsidies received by some international carriers violate 

respective Open Skies agreements. Recognizing that in fiscal year 

2018 the United States reached understandings with certain countries, which preserved Open Skies agreements and ensured appropriate transparency, accountability, and enforcement of Open Skies 
12 

agreements, the Committee directs the Department to provide updates to the Committee of any significant developments, or actions 

by foreign parties that are inconsistent with the agreements. 

Smart Cities.—The Committee urges the Department to 

incentivize both urban and rural communities to use advanced data 

and intelligent transportation systems technologies to improve 

their transportation network. Such technologies can be used to reduce congestion, improve safety, provide access to jobs, and improve connectivity. The Committee encourages the Department to 

use existing competitive grant programs to incentivize the ‘‘smart 

cities’’ concept through partnerships that provide for the incorporation of innovative and technological solutions in addressing local 

transportation challenges. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR BUDGET AND PROGRAMS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs serves as the 

Chief Financial Officer for the Department and provides leadership 

on all financial management matters. The primary responsibilities 

of this office include ensuring the development and justification of 

the Department’s annual budget submissions for consideration by 

the Office of Management and Budget and the Congress. The Office 

is also responsible for the proper execution and accountability of 

these resources. In addition, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the Office of the Secretary is located within the Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $14,019,000 and 56 FTE for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs. The recommended level is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs advises the 

Secretary on all congressional and intergovernmental activities and 

on all departmental legislative initiatives and other relationships 

with Members of Congress. The Assistant Secretary promotes effective communication with other Federal agencies and regional Department officials, and with State and local governments and national organizations for development of departmental programs; 

and ensures that consumer preferences, awareness, and needs are 

brought into the decision-making process. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $2,550,000 and 17 FTE for 

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs. The 

recommended level is $4,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 
13 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Secretary for Administration is responsible for establishing policies and procedures, setting guidelines, working with 

the operating administrations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Department in human resource management, security 

and administrative management, real and personal property management, and acquisition and grants management. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $29,244,000 and 51 FTE for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration. The recommended funding level is $112,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level. 

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Director of Public Affairs is the principal advisor to the Secretary and other senior departmental officials on public affairs 

questions. The Office is responsible for managing the Secretary’s 

presence in the media, writing speeches and press releases, and 

preparing the Secretary for public appearances. The Office arranges media events and news conferences, and responds to media 

inquiries on the Department’s programs and other transportationrelated issues. It also provides information to the Secretary on the 

opinions and reactions of the public and news media on these programs and issues. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,142,000 and 15 FTE for the Office of Public Affairs, which is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Executive Secretariat assists the Secretary and the Deputy 

Secretary in carrying out their management functions and responsibilities by controlling and coordinating internal and external written materials. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $1,835,000 and 15 FTE for the Executive Secretariat. The recommendation is $75,000 more than the 

fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE, SECURITY, AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response ensures the development, coordination, and execution of plans and 

procedures for the Department to balance transportation security 
14 

requirements with the safety, mobility, and economic needs of the 

Nation. The Office keeps the Secretary and her advisors apprised 

of current developments and long-range trends in international 

issues, including terrorism, aviation, trade, transportation markets, 

and trade agreements. The Office also advises the Department’s 

leaders on policy issues related to intelligence, threat information 

sharing, national security strategies and national preparedness and 

response planning. 

To ensure the Department is able to respond to disasters, the Office prepares for and coordinates the Department’s participation in 

national and regional exercises and training for emergency personnel. The Office also administers the Department’s Continuity of 

Government and Continuity of Operations programs and initiatives. Additionally, the Office provides direct emergency response 

and recovery support through the National Response Framework 

and operates the Department’s Crisis Management Center. The 

center monitors the Nation’s transportation system 24 hours a day, 

7 days a week, and is the Department’s focal point during emergencies. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $12,325,000 and 58 FTE for the Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response. The recommendation is $1,007,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Chief Information Officer serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on matters involving information 

technology, cybersecurity, privacy, and records management. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $16,686,000 and 50 FTE for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, which is $59,000 less than the 

fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $23,465,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 6,971,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 8,471,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology has taken over the responsibilities previously held by the 

Research and Innovative Technology Administration. The responsibilities include coordinating, facilitating, and reviewing the Department’s research and development programs and activities; and 

overseeing and providing direction to the Bureau of Transportation 

Statistics, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program 

Office, the University Transportation Centers program, the Volpe 
15 

National Transportation Systems Center and the Transportation 

Safety Institute. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,471,000 for 

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, 

of which $2,218,000 shall be available through September 30, 2021. 

This amount is $1,500,000 more than the budget request and 

$14,994,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

University Transportation Centers [UTCs].—The Committee continues to support UTCs, which are funded through the Federal 

Highway Administration. Under the Committee recommendation, 

UTCs will continue to receive the levels authorized under the 

FAST Act. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 included 

$15,000,000 in general fund appropriations to fully fund two new 

UTCs for a 3-year period; therefore, the Committee recommendation does not include any additional funding for these new UTCs. 

Autonomous Vehicle Research in Rural Areas.—The Committee 

believes that autonomous vehicles have the potential to enhance 

roadway safety and increase mobility options for all Americans, but 

have additional challenges to overcome in order to bring these benefits to rural Americans. Of the funds provided for the UTCs, no 

less than $3,000,000 is for rural autonomous vehicle and connected 

vehicle research to be conducted by existing UTCs. Further, research should take into account variations in rural infrastructure: 

such as unmapped, gravel, and snow-covered roads; wildlife encounters; and other situations unique to rural roads. 

Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR].—The Committee 

recognizes the importance of the SBIR program and its previous 

success in commercialization from federally funded research and 

development projects. The SBIR program encourages domestic 

small business to engage in Federal research and development and 

creates jobs in the smallest firms. The Committee directs the Department to place an increased focus on awarding SBIR awards to 

firms with fewer than 50 people. 

Increasing Public Access to Federally Funded Research.—The 

Committee commends the Department on issuing its Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific 

Research Results on December 16, 2015. The Committee urges the 

Department to continue its efforts towards full implementation of 

the plan, and expects an update on progress to be included in its 

fiscal year 2020 budget request. 

Transportation Data Hub.—The Committee recommendation includes $1,500,000 to establish a surface transportation and maritime analytics partnership hub at an eligible institution of higher 

education that focuses on making available large-scale data and 

visualization tools related to transportation on infrastructure, systems, and networks accessible to humans and machines through 

the Internet of things [IoT], in order to enable improved resilience, 

planning, investment and operational decisions. 
16 

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $1,500,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 1,000,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides grants and credit assistance to State and 

local governments, transit agencies, or a collaboration of such entities for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure 

that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan 

area or a region. Eligible projects include highways and bridges, 

public transportation, freight and passenger rail, and port infrastructure. The Department awards grants on a competitive basis; 

however, the Department must ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the 

needs of urban and rural communities and within the timeframes 

outlined in the bill. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $1,000,000,000 for 

grants and credit assistance for investment in significant transportation projects, which is $500,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level. Of the total amount provided, $15,000,000 is available for planning grants. 

The National Infrastructure Investments program has become integral to the economic success of communities throughout the country for 10 years. The Committee is concerned with the Department’s use of this flexible and popular program to insert controversial policies from the administration’s infrastructure proposal, 

which the administration has acknowledged will not be enacted 

this year. These policies have not been agreed to or voted on by 

Congress, and there is clear bipartisan opposition to some of them. 

In fiscal year 2018, the Committee explicitly prohibited the Department from using Federal share as a selection criteria in awarding projects and the Committee continues that prohibition. Despite 

this prohibition, the Department chose to use an applicant’s ability 

to generate non-Federal revenue as selection criteria in the most 

recent notice of funding opportunity [NOFO], in defiance of the intent of Congress. Favoring applicants that have recently generated 

non-Federal revenue is detrimental to areas that have high State 

and local gas tax levels. The NOFO also fails to recognize that 

transportation agencies that apply for funding under this NOFO 

are not able to raise revenue without enactment of a law by an 

independent legislative body. Holding transportation agencies responsible for raising revenue is unrealistic and detrimental to this 

grant program. The Committee recommendation prohibits the Department from using these criteria and directs the Department to 

use selection criteria from the fiscal year 2016 NOFO. 

Geographic Distribution.—The Committee continues to believe 

that our Federal infrastructure programs must benefit communities across the country. The Committee continues to require the 

Secretary to award grants and credit assistance in a manner that 

ensures an equitable geographic distribution of funds and an ap-
17 

propriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural communities. 

NATIONAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND INNOVATIVE FINANCE

BUREAU

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $3,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 2,987,000 

Committee Recommendation ................................................................ 2,987,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau [Bureau] will administer and coordinate or consolidate aspects 

of the Department’s existing surface transportation innovative finance programs as authorized in section 9001 of the FAST Act, 

contingent upon advance approval by the Committee. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,987,000 to establish and fulfill 

the duties of the Bureau, as authorized in section 9001 of the FAST 

Act, which is equal to the budget request and $13,000 less than the 

fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee directs the Bureau 

to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 

on streamlining the application approval processes as required 

under 49 U.S.C. 116(d)(5) within 60 days of enactment of this act. 

Financing for Transportation Oriented Development [TOD].—The 

Committee recognizes the potential of TOD to facilitate economic 

development, the construction of affordable housing, and more livable and healthier communities within walking distance of, or accessible to, public transit. Unfortunately, the Department has administered programs where TOD is an eligible activity with an impracticable, narrow definition of TOD that leads to near universal 

rejection of applications for Federal assistance. The Committee directs the Secretary to encourage the use of the Department’s financing programs for TOD, where eligible, by issuing clear guidance and working with applicants to ensure projects meet the congressional intent of eligibility. 

Financing Long-Term Capital Investment Projects at Airports.— 

The Committee is interested in innovative financing instruments 

that could accelerate funding for major capital projects at airports, 

including modernization of landside terminal facilities and connecting surface transportation projects and airside capital investments that add capacity to our increasingly congested airports. Innovative financing tools like Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act [TIFIA] are already used for many surface 

transportation projects that facilitate access to and from airports, 

but the Committee is aware of the Administration’s proposal to increase the eligibility of TIFIA financing for a wider range of airport 

capital projects. The Committee directs the Secretary to evaluate 

the benefits of increasing TIFIA eligibility to airports, its potential 

benefits to airports of all sizes and to identify regulatory, statutory, 

or other challenges to broadening this financing tool to airports. 

The Committee directs the FAA to evaluate the options for financing these types of long-term capital investments and report its find-
18 

ings and recommendations to the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations no later than 120 days after enactment of this act. 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPITAL

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $6,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 2,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 2,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Financial Management Capital program is a multi-year business transformation initiative to streamline and standardize the financial systems and business processes across the Department. 

The initiative includes upgrading and enhancing the commercial 

software used for DOT’s financial systems, improving the cost and 

performance data provided to managers, and instituting new accounting standards and mandates. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee is recommending $2,000,000 to complete the Secretary’s Financial Management Capital initiative, which is equal to 

the budget request and $4,000,000 less than fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Funds provided in fiscal year 2018 were sufficient to 

meet the Department’s Data Act compliance requirements for a 2 

year period, therefor no additional funds are provided for this activity in fiscal year 2019. 

CYBER SECURITY INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $15,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 10,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 15,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Cyber Security Initiative is an effort to close performance 

gaps in the Department’s cybersecurity. The initiative includes support for essential program enhancements, infrastructure improvements and contractual resources to enhance the security of the Department’s computer network and reduce the risk of security 

breaches. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $15,000,000 to support 

the Secretary’s Cyber Security Initiative, which is $5,000,000 more 

than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $9,500,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 9,470,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 9,470,000 
19 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for advising the Secretary on civil rights and equal employment opportunity matters, 

formulating civil rights policies and procedures for the operating 

administrations, investigating claims that small businesses were 

denied certification or improperly certified as disadvantaged business enterprises, overseeing the Department’s conduct of its civil 

rights responsibilities, and making final determinations on civil 

rights complaints. In addition, the Civil Rights Office is responsible 

for enforcing laws and regulations which prohibit discrimination in 

federally operated and federally assisted transportation programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a funding level of $9,470,000 for the 

Office of Civil Rights. The recommendation is equal to the budget 

request and $30,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $14,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 7,879,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 7,879,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Secretary performs those research activities and 

studies which can more effectively or appropriately be conducted at 

the departmental level. This research effort supports the planning, 

research, and development activities needed to assist the Secretary 

in the formulation of national transportation policies. The program 

is carried out primarily through contracts with other Federal agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and 

private firms. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $7,897,000 for Transportation Planning, Research, and Development, which is equal to the budget request and $6,121,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Committee directs the Secretary to dedicate $1,000,000 to support the Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center. 

The Committee directs the Secretary to provide a spend plan and 

report detailing how the $5,500,000 provided in fiscal year 2018 for 

safety data and automated vehicle safety data initiatives will improve our Nation’s safety. 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $202,245,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 203,883,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Working Capital Fund provides technical and administrative 

services to the Department’s operating administrations and other 
20 

Federal entities. The services are centrally performed in the interest of economy and efficiency, are funded through negotiated agreements with Department operating administrations and other Federal customers, and are billed on a fee-for-service basis to the maximum extent possible. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation of $203,883,000 on activities financed through the Working Capital Fund. The recommended limit is $1,638,000 more than the limit enacted for fiscal year 2018. 

As in past years, the bill specifies that the limitation on the 

Working Capital Fund shall apply only to the Department and not 

to services provided for other entities. The Committee directs services to be provided on a competitive basis to the maximum extent 

possible. 

The Committee notes that the ‘‘transparency paper’’ included in 

the justifications for fiscal year 2019 provides essential information 

on total budgetary resources for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and the Office of the Chief Information 

Officer, including the balance of resources provided through the 

Working Capital Fund and direct appropriations. Therefore, the 

Committee directs the Department to update this ‘‘transparency 

paper’’ and include it in the budget justifications for fiscal year 

2020. 

MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $500,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 249,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 249,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Minority Business Resource Center of the Office of Small 

and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Outreach provides assistance in obtaining short-term working capital for disadvantaged, 

minority, and women-owned businesses. The program enables 

qualified businesses to obtain loans at prime interest rates for 

transportation-related projects. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $249,000 for the 

Minority Business Resource Center. This funding level is equal to 

the budget request and $251,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

OFFICE OF SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS UTILIZATION AND

OUTREACH

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $4,646,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 3,488,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,488,000 
21 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides contractual support to assist small, 

women-owned, Native American, and other disadvantaged business 

firms in securing contracts and subcontracts for transportation-related projects that involve Federal spending. Separate funding is 

provided for these activities since this program provides grants and 

contract assistance that serve Department-wide goals and not just 

OST purposes. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,488,000 for grants and contrac- tual support, which is $1,158,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and equal to the budget request. 

PAYMENTS TO AIR CARRIERS

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides funding for the Essential Air Service 

[EAS] program, which was created to continue air service to communities that had received federally mandated air service prior to 

deregulation of commercial aviation in 1978. The program currently provides subsidies to air carriers serving small communities 

that meet certain criteria. 

The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] collects user fees 

that cover the air traffic control services the agency provides to aircraft that neither take off from, nor land in, the United States. 

These fees are commonly referred to as ‘‘overflight fees’’ and the receipts from the fees are used to help finance the EAS program. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

Appropriations Mandatory Total 

Appropriation, 2018 ....................................................................... $155,000,000 $130,760,000 $285,760,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 .................................................................. 93,000,000 140,177,000 233,177,000 

Committee recommendation .......................................................... 175,000,000 140,177,000 315,177,000 

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $175,000,000 for 

the EAS program. This appropriation would be in addition to an estimated $140,177,000 from overflight fees collected by the FAA, allowing the Department to support a total program level for EAS of 

$315,177,000. The Committee’s recommendation for the appropriation is $82,000,000 more than the budget request and $20,000,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The total program 

level under the Committee’s recommendation is $29,417,000 more 

than the total program level enacted for fiscal year 2018. 

Proximity to the Nearest Hub Airport.—The Committee continues 

to include a provision that prohibits the Department from entering 

into a new contract with an EAS community located less than 40 

miles from the nearest hub airport before the Secretary has negotiated with the community over a local cost share. 

Aircraft Size Requirement.—The Committee continues to include 

a provision that removes the requirement for 15-passenger seat aircraft. This requirement adds to the cost of the EAS program be-
22 

cause the fleet of 15-passenger seat aircraft continues to age and 

grow more difficult for airlines to maintain. The Committee, however, expects that the Department will use this flexibility judiciously. The Department should use it for communities where historical passenger levels indicate that smaller aircraft would still accommodate the great majority of passengers, or for communities 

where viable proposals for service are not available. The Committee 

does not expect the Department to use this flexibility simply to 

lower costs if a community can show regular enplanement levels 

that would justify larger aircraft. 

EAS Airports.—The Committee recognizes that seasonal airports 

may need to operate beyond current dates and therefore recommends that the Department utilize existing budget authorities 

to ensure seasonal EAS airports are able to operate when airport 

resources and weather permit. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF

TRANSPORTATION

Section 101 prohibits the Office of the Secretary of Transportation from obligating funds originally provided to a modal administration in order to approve assessments or reimbursable agreements, unless the Department follows the regular process for the 

reprogramming of funds, including congressional notification. 

Section 102 requires the Secretary of Transportation to post on 

the Internet a schedule of all Council on Credit and Finance meetings, agendas, and meeting minutes. 

Section 103 allows the Department of Transportation Working 

Capital Fund to provide payments in advance to vendors for the 

Federal transit pass fringe benefit program and to provide full or 

partial payments to, and to accept reimbursements from, Federal 

agencies for transit benefit distribution services. 

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for the safe 

movement of civil aviation and the evolution of a national system 

of airports. The Federal Government’s regulatory role in civil aviation began with the creation of an Aeronautics Branch within the 

Department of Commerce pursuant to the Air Commerce Act of 

1926. This act instructed the agency to foster air commerce; designate and establish airways; establish, operate, and maintain aids 

to navigation; arrange for research and development to improve 

such aids; issue airworthiness certificates for aircraft and major 

aircraft components; and investigate civil aviation accidents. In the 

Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938, these activities were transferred to 

a new, independent agency named the Civil Aeronautics Authority. 

Congress streamlined regulatory oversight in 1957 with the creation of two separate agencies, the Federal Aviation Agency and 

the Civil Aeronautics Board. When DOT began its operations in 

1967, the Federal Aviation Agency was renamed the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] and became one of several modal administrations within DOT. The Civil Aeronautics Board was later 

phased out with enactment of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, 
23 

and ceased to exist in 1984. Responsibility for the investigation of 

civil aviation accidents was given to the National Transportation 

Safety Board in 1967. FAA’s mission expanded in 1995 with the 

transfer of the Office of Commercial Space Transportation from the 

Office of the Secretary, and decreased in December 2001 with the 

transfer of civil aviation security activities to the Transportation 

Security Administration. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The total recommended funding level for the FAA for fiscal year 

2019 amounts to $17,705,001,000 including new budget authority 

and a limitation on the obligation of contract authority. This funding level is $1,582,711,000 more than the budget request and 

$295,679,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The following table summarizes the Committee’s recommendations for fiscal year 2019 in comparison to the budget request and 

the fiscal year 2018 enacted level: 

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Operations ...................................................................................... $10,211,754,000 $9,931,312,000 $10,410,758,000 

Facilities and equipment ............................................................... 3,250,000,000 2,766,572,000 3,000,000,000 

Research, engineering, and development ..................................... 188,926,000 74,406,000 191,000,000 

Grants-in-aid to airports (obligation limitation) ........................... 3,350,000,000 3,350,000,000 3,350,000,000 

Grants-in-aid to airports (general fund) ....................................... 1,000,000,000 ........................... 750,000,000 

Total .................................................................................. 18,000,680,000 16,122,290,000 17,701,758,000 

OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $10,211,754,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 9,931,312,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 10,410,758,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides funds for the operation, maintenance, communications, and logistical support of the air traffic control and air navigation systems. It also covers administrative and 

managerial costs for the FAA’s regulatory, international, commercial space, medical, research, engineering and development programs, as well as policy oversight and agency management functions. The Operations appropriation includes the following major 

activities: 

—the Air Traffic Organization which operates, on a 24-hour daily 

basis, the national air traffic system, including the establishment and maintenance of a national system of aids to navigation, the development and distribution of aeronautical charts 

and the administration of acquisition, and research and development programs; 

—the regulation and certification activities, including establishment and surveillance of civil air regulations to ensure safety 

and development of standards, rules and regulations governing 

the physical fitness of airmen, as well as the administration of 

an Aviation Medical Research Program; 

—the Office of Commercial Space Transportation; and 
24 

—headquarters and support offices. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $10,410,758,000 for FAA 

Operations. This funding level is $479,446,000 more than the budget request, and $199,004,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee recommendation derives $9,833,400,000 

of the appropriation from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The 

balance of the appropriation will be drawn from the General Fund 

of the Treasury. 

As in past years, the FAA is directed to report immediately to 

the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the event 

resources are insufficient to operate a safe and effective air traffic 

control system. 

The following table summarizes the Committee’s recommendation in comparison to the budget estimate and fiscal year 2018 enacted level: 

FAA OPERATIONS 

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Air traffic organization .................................................................. $7,692,786,000 $7,495,690,000 $7,843,427,000 

Aviation safety ............................................................................... 1,310,000,000 1,276,255,000 1,334,377,000 

Commercial space transportation ................................................. 22,587,000 21,578,000 24,981,000 

Finance and Management ............................................................. 801,506,000 771,010,000 816,562,000 

NextGen Operations and Planning ................................................. 60,000,000 58,536,000 61,796,000 

Security and hazardous materials safety ...................................... 112,622,000 105,558,000 114,312,000 

Staff offices ................................................................................... 212,253,000 202,685,000 215,303,000 

Total .................................................................................. 10,211,754,000 9,931,312,000 10,410,758,000 

Air Traffic Control Privatization.—The United States has the 

largest, safest, most efficient and most complex air traffic control 

system in the world, and the FAA should remain a global leader 

with a singular and unified mission of safety. The Committee does 

not support the administration’s request to transfer the FAA’s air 

traffic functions to a not-for-profit, independent, private corporation. 

Funding Availability and Transfer Authority.—The bill provides 

2-year funding availability for the entire operations account. This 

funding flexibility is provided to enhance assurance of continuity of 

air traffic operations during the annual transition from one fiscal 

year to the next. In addition, the bill includes funding transfer authority of 5 percent among the activities in this account. This 

transfer authority is provided to meet emerging requirements as 

FAA works to accelerate the modernization of the Nation’s air traffic control system. 

Contract Towers.—The Committee recommendation provides not less than $168,000,000 for the contract tower program, including 

the cost-share contract towers, which is $3,000,000 above the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level. Contract towers serve as vital public safety and economic development assets to hundreds of communities. 

Municipalities depend on the contract tower program to provide 

commercial and general aviation services, jobs, and public safety, 

such as air ambulance services. The Committee continues to ex-
25 

press strong support for the FAA contract tower program as a costeffective and efficient way to provide air traffic control services to 

smaller airports across the country, as validated by numerous audits by the DOT Office of Inspector General. In an effort to increase 

air traffic safety benefits throughout the national air transportation system, the Committee has provided dedicated funding over 

the past few years to add qualified airports annually to the program. For fiscal year 2019, the Committee directs the FAA to continue to operate the 254 contract towers currently in the program, 

including the contract tower cost share program, as well as expeditiously add qualified eligible airports. The FAA is directed to provide the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations with a 

plan for beginning operations at qualified towers during the fiscal 

year and a detailed report on the administrative and program management expenses for the program since fiscal year 2013 not later 

than 90 days from enactment of this act. 

Current law limits contributions by airports in the contract tower 

cost share program to 20 percent of total costs. The contract tower 

program continues to serve as a highly successful model for costeffective government and industry partnerships in the aviation industry. The Committee expects the agency to work collaboratively 

and in partnership with airports and industry stakeholders on a 

fair and balanced approach to the benefit-cost analysis that focuses 

on enhancing air traffic safety and efficiency at appropriate airports. 

The Committee also finds that some contract towers have insufficient staffing and hours of operation. The Committee suggests that 

the FAA collaborate with contract towers to ensure sufficient staffing at small hub airports to ensure adequate staffing at ground 

control and air traffic control during scheduled air carrier operations. 

Low Altitude Navigation.—In March 2017, the FAA issued the 

RTCA’s recommendations for the performance based navigation 

[PBN] route system, which included a recommendation for the FAA 

to design and implement a helicopter route system allowing access 

to congested city centers and critical areas, such as hospitals, to reduce minimum en route altitudes to be as low as possible to avoid 

icing, and improve air traffic services for instrument flight rules 

helicopters. In September 2017, the United States Helicopter Safety Team [USHST] also issued a helicopter safety enhancement on 

enabling the use of Vision Systems Technologies to assist in recognizing and preventing unplanned flight into degraded visibility conditions due to weather and to increase safety during planned flight 

at night. The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for 

the FAA to research, design, test, and implement a Statewide lowlevel helicopter route system, deploy low-level infrastructure capabilities, and explore vision enhancing technologies as part of a national demonstration project consistent with Continental United 

States [CONUS] Low Altitude Recommendation number 31 from 

the RTCA report and Safety Enhancement number 91 from the 

USHST. 

Surface Weather Observation Policy.—The FAA currently excludes hundreds of valid surface weather observation sites that 

could improve safety for pilots flying under visual flight rules 
26 

[VFR] from the Weather Message Switching Center Replacement 

[WMSCR]. These sites use Automated Weather Observing System 

[AWOS] systems commissioned by the FAA which provide adequate 

aviation weather reports that are not currently visible to pilots. 

However, the FAA requires such weather systems to be AWOS–III 

or better, in order to receive at least three maintenance visits a 

year, and to have an approved switching mechanism to WMSCR, 

preventing use of these additional weather systems. The Committee directs the FAA to find new or alternative means of providing additional weather data, particularly for improving the safety of low-level aviation. 

Radar Approach Control.—The Committee finds that radar approach control enhances aviation safety and efficiency for regularly 

scheduled commercial airline service and recommends that the 

FAA utilize existing budget authorities to promptly provide radar 

to all FAA ‘‘Type 4’’ air traffic control towers. 

Human Intervention Motivation Study.—The Committee recognizes the effectiveness of the Human Intervention Motivation 

Study and the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program in mitigating drug and alcohol abuse through a peer identification and 

intervention program. The Committee recommends the FAA continue to prioritize this program and use existing resources to support this program. 

FAA Public Hearing.—The Committee remains concerned with 

the proposed modifications to the Condor 1 and Condor 2 military 

operating areas and encourages the FAA to continue working with 

its partner agencies by holding a public hearing with representatives from the relevant Federal agencies in western Maine upon 

completion of the Air National Guard’s environmental impact statement [EIS] and the record of decision. The Committee recognizes 

that the Air National Guard, as the lead agency under the NEPA 

process, has sought to meet the minimum legal requirements for 

public participation and comment. However, the Committee remains troubled with how the authorization of low-altitude military 

training in the proposed airspace would affect areas that significantly contribute to the local economy and areas that are culturally 

and environmentally sensitive. Furthermore, the Committee notes 

the FAA is the only Federal agency that can modify special airspace and that the FAA may adopt the Air National Guard’s EIS 

in whole, or in part, once the Final EIS has been issued. In addition, the Committee directs the FAA to report to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to the issuance of a 

record of decision regarding the modification of the Condor 1 and 

Condor 2 military operations areas that includes a summary of any 

public meeting and hearing and a list of the comments, questions, 

and responses presented at these meetings and hearings. 

Landing Strips.—Backcountry landing strips on Federal lands 

are important assets to the national aviation infrastructure. The 

Committee directs the FAA to assist Federal Land Managers, including but not limited to the Bureau of Land Management, United 

States Forest Service, and National Park Service, in charting airstrips located on Federal Lands that are and may be useful for administrative, recreational, and emergency purposes. 
27 

Contract Weather Observers.—The FAA’s Contract Weather Observer [CWO] program provides operationally significant weather 

information and support to the entire aviation community. CWO 

safety professionals observe and report operationally significant 

weather conditions at airports across the country. These trained 

specialists augment the Automated Surface Observing System 

[ASOS], which detects and reports basic weather information for 

aviation and forecasting. The Committee continues to have serious 

concerns about the FAA’s proposal to eliminate the CWO program 

and rejects the budget request to reduce the program. 

Medical Kits.—The Committee directs the FAA to undertake a 

rulemaking to evaluate and revise the regulations under part 121 

of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, regarding the emergency 

medical requirements, including the contents of the first-aid kit, 

applicable to all certificate holders operating passenger-carrying 

airplanes under that party. In conducting this rulemaking, the Administrator should consider whether the minimum contents of approved emergency medical kits, have approved first-aid kits, have 

appropriate medications and equipment to meet the emergency 

medical needs of children. 

Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing.—The Committee commends the FAA for the collaborative government-industry Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing [ASIAS] program whose mission is to proactively discover and mitigate emerging safety issues, before they result in an incident or accident. The 

Committee appreciates this collaborative initiative that has resulted in the implementation of safety enhancements. The Committee directs the FAA to accelerate the ASIAS capabilities, including Fusion, next generation of ASIAS architecture, and expanding 

General Aviation safety elements and report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of the enactment of this act. 

Aviation Events.—The Committee directs the FAA to use existing 

resources to provide air traffic control and safety support services 

at major aviation events hosted annually for the general aviation 

community. These services are paid for using the aviation fuel tax 

excise collected from general aviation users. The Committee directs 

the FAA to use appropriate resources to maintain the safe and efficient movement of aircraft based on projected airspace congestion 

at major aviation events. 

Contracting.—The Committee is concerned that while the FAA 

surpasses government averages for key performance acquisition 

metrics, the FAA has made limited progress in reducing the number of no-bid or sole source contracts awarded. Consistent with recommendations from the OIG report ZA–2016–065, the Committee 

directs the FAA to establish and implement actions to reduce the 

use of sole-source contracting, including the use of performance 

measures. Further, the Committee directs the FAA to provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations outlining these performance measures and providing the number and 

percentage of contracts awarded through the no-bid process, as well 

as the amount of those no-bid contracts that meet OMB requirements for such contracts. 
28 

Noise and Community Outreach.—The Committee appreciates 

the additional measures the FAA is taking to enhance outreach to 

communities affected by new flightpaths; however, the Committee 

believes the FAA should do more to be responsive to community 

concerns. The Committee directs the FAA to improve the development of flight procedures in ways that will give fair consideration 

to public comment and reduce noise through procedure modification 

and dispersion to reduce the impact on local communities. The FAA 

should utilize state-of-the-art technologies, metrics, and methodologies to measure actual noise at ground level experienced in communities affected by flight paths and not rely solely on computer modeling or other theoretical measures. The FAA should give high priority to evaluating where increased noise levels disrupts homes and 

businesses, and threatens public health, and should provide appropriate resources to regional offices to work with local communities 

to meet this objective. 

Commercial Space.—A record number of licensed commercial 

launches took place in 2017 and U.S. space transportation is likely 

to continue growing in both cadence and diversity of launch capabilities. Reusable and new small expendable launch vehicles will 

further reduce the cost of space launch and spread the benefits of 

spaceflight to many more users. While the Committee anticipates 

a reasonable expansion of the workforce at the Office of Commercial Space Transportation [AST] to meet increasing volume of license applications, it is essential that AST significantly streamline 

its licensing approach and regulations so that industry growth 

doesn’t necessitate one-for-one bureaucratic growth. The Committee 

also believes that AST must fully and effectively execute its statutory missions before allocating resources to non-statutory interests. 

With this in mind, the Committee directs AST to provide a briefing 

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 

days of enactment of this act on FTE levels, hirings and separations, current vacancies, and job functions of all personnel within 

AST. Further, the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 

for AST to accelerate space transportation regulatory reform. 

UAS Test Sites.—The Committee believes that the FAA should 

allow commercial entities seeking to demonstrate or validate technologies that the FAA considers essential to the safe integration of 

UAS in the National Airspace System [NAS] at FAA designated 

UAS test sites. The FAA should identify essential integration technologies that could be demonstrated or validated at a test site within 60 days of enactment of this act and the Committee recommendation includes up to $3,000,000 in matching funds to qualified commercial entities where feasible. 

NextGen Advisory Committee.—The NextGen Advisory Committee [NAC] includes a diverse membership of the aviation community, including representatives from general aviation, commercial aviation, labor organizations, airports, local community representatives and the Federal Government. The Committee believes 

that the current NAC membership includes an appropriate mix of 

aviation stakeholders. The Committee strongly believes that the 

NAC performs an important role in setting priorities for the FAA’s 

air traffic control modernization efforts. It is a public-private partnership that has encouraged collaboration between FAA and its in-
29 

dustry stakeholders to advance the development and deployment of 

new technologies and automation systems. The Committee expects 

the FAA to implement NAC recommendations and directs the FAA 

to provide an update on the status of NAC recommendations to the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. 

Flight Standards.—The FAA’s Flight Standards Service is responsible for supporting the type certification, delivery, and operation of new aircraft. These activities include the review and approval of flight manuals, instructions for continued airworthiness, 

and minimum equipment lists and require consistent and timely 

coordination with the Flight Standards policy and field offices, including the Aircraft Evaluation Group and Flight Standards District Offices. To better support the safety of the national aviation 

system and advances in the aviation industry, the Committee directs the FAA to review and improve the Flight Standards Service 

regulatory process with a focus on ensuring consistency in the interpretation and applications of regulatory and oversight actions. 

Further, the FAA is directed to work in coordination with the aviation industry and other regulatory partners to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the certification process, regulatory actions to support new aircraft, and acceptance and validation of 

aviation products globally. 

UAS Integration Pilot Program.—The Committee believes that 

the DOT UAS Integration Pilot Program [IPP] could be a helpful 

step enabling enhanced UAS operations and gathering data to safely integrate those expanded operations into the NAS. However, the 

Department failed to notify or consult with the Committee prior to 

initiating its new pilot program and identifying the necessary resources required to operationalize the pilot program. The Committee directs the Department to submit a report to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations on expected annual costs of 

the IPP prior to including any additional rounds of agreements 

with state, local and tribal governments. In addition, the Department is directed to prioritize all Congressional mandates before diverting resources toward any further expansion of the IPP. 

Service animals.—The Committee encourages the Department to 

implement regulations and policies that would define a service animal as any animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other disability. 

For the safety of the flying public, crew members, and trained service dogs, the Committee expects DOT to work with stakeholders to 

limit the use of animals on aircraft for emotional support, wellbeing, comfort, or companionship. 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $3,250,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 2,766,572,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,000,000,000 
30 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Facilities and Equipment appropriation provides funding for 

modernizing and improving air traffic control and airway facilities, 

equipment, and systems. The appropriation also finances major 

capital investments required by other agency programs, experimental research and development facilities, and other improvements to enhance the safety and capacity of the National Airspace 

System [NAS]. The program aims to keep pace with the increasing 

demands of aeronautical activity and remain in accordance with 

the FAA comprehensive 5-year capital investment plan [CIP]. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,000,000,000 

for the Facilities and Equipment account of the FAA. The recommended level is $233,428,000 more than the budget request and 

$250,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Budget Activities Format.—The Committee directs that the fiscal 

year 2020 budget request for the Facilities and Equipment account 

conform to the same organizational structure of budget activities as 

displayed below. 

The following table shows the Committee’s recommended distribution of funds for each of the budget activities funded by this 

appropriation and by resources provided under Grants-in-Aid to 

Airports: 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Activity 1—Engineering, Development, Test and Evaluation: 

Advanced Technology Development and Prototyping ........... $26,800,000 $33,000,000 $33,000,000 

William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory Improvement ................................................................................. 1,000,000 ............................ ............................

William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory 

Sustainment ..................................................................... 23,000,000 21,000,000 21,000,000 

William J. Hughes Technical Center Infrastructure 

Sustainment ..................................................................... 15,000,000 12,000,000 15,000,000 

Separation Management Portfolio ........................................ 13,500,000 16,589,000 16,000,000 

Traffic Flow Management Portfolio ....................................... 10,800,000 14,000,000 14,000,000 

On Demand NAS Portfolio ..................................................... 12,000,000 20,500,000 21,000,000 

NAS Infrastructure Portfolio .................................................. 17,500,000 13,500,000 20,000,000 

NextGen Support Portfolio ..................................................... 12,000,000 12,800,000 12,800,000 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] ....................................... 25,000,000 14,000,000 25,000,000 

Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors, & Demonstrations Portfolio ......................................................... 9,000,000 9,500,000 16,500,000 

Total Activity 1 ................................................................. 165,600,000 166,889,000 194,300,000 

Activity 2—Air Traffic Control Facilities and Equipment: 

a. En Route Programs: 

En Route Automation Modernization [ERAM]—System Enhancements and Tech Refresh ........................................ 91,650,000 102,050,000 115,250,000 

En Route Communications Gateway [ECG] .......................... 2,650,000 1,650,000 1,650,000 

Next Generation Weather Radar [NEXRAD]—Provide ........... 5,500,000 5,500,000 7,500,000 

Air Route Traffic Control Center [ARTCC] & Combined Control Facility [CCF] Building Improvements ....................... 120,400,000 88,050,000 100,000,000 

Air Traffic Management [ATM] ............................................. 4,900,000 6,200,000 12,055,000 

Air/Ground Communications Infrastructure .......................... 9,750,000 10,541,000 8,750,000 

Air Traffic Control En Route Radar Facilities Improvements 5,400,000 6,600,000 6,600,000 
31 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT—Continued 

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Voice Switching and Control System [VSCS] ....................... 15,800,000 11,400,000 11,400,000 

Oceanic Automation System ................................................. 34,950,000 17,500,000 23,100,000 

Next Generation Very High Frequency Air/Ground Communications [NEXCOM] ......................................................... 60,000,000 50,000,000 50,000,000 

System-Wide Information Management ................................ 50,050,000 58,807,000 55,300,000 

ADS–B NAS Wide Implementation ........................................ 150,300,000 123,748,000 139,150,000 

Windshear Detection Service ................................................ 1,000,000 ............................ ............................

Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies ............ 9,000,000 17,700,000 17,700,000 

Time Based Flow Management Portfolio .............................. 40,450,000 21,150,000 28,150,000 

NextGen Weather Processors ................................................. 45,450,000 24,650,000 28,650,000 

Airborne Collision Avoidance System X [ACASX] .................. 7,700,000 7,700,000 7,700,000 

Data Communications in Support of NG Air Transportation 

System .............................................................................. 294,100,000 113,850,000 118,902,000 

Non-Continental United States [Non-CONUS] Automation ... 2,000,000 14,000,000 14,000,000 

Reduced Oceanic Separation ................................................ 24,350,000 ............................ 10,000,000 

En Route Service Improvements ........................................... 3,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 

Commercial Space Integration ............................................. 4,500,000 7,000,000 9,000,000 

Subtotal En Route Programs ............................................ 982,900,000 689,096,000 765,857,000 

b. Terminal Programs: 

Airport Surface Detection Equipment—Model X [ASDE–X] ............................ ............................ ............................

Terminal Doppler Weather Radar [TDWR]—Provide ............ 3,800,000 4,500,000 4,500,000 

Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System 

[STARS] (TAMR Phase 1) .................................................. 86,700,000 66,900,000 66,900,000 

Terminal Automation Modernization/Replacement Program 

(TAMR Phase 3) ................................................................ 66,100,000 9,012,000 8,000,000 

Terminal Automation Program .............................................. 8,493,000 8,500,000 8,500,000 

Terminal Air Traffic Control Facilities—Replace ................. 58,118,000 19,200,000 19,200,000 

ATCT/Terminal Radar Approach Control [TRACON] Facilities—Improve ................................................................... 91,800,000 95,850,000 105,000,000 

Terminal Voice Switch Replacement [TVSR] ........................ 10,000,000 9,574,000 10,000,000 

NAS Facilities OSHA and Environmental Standards Compliance .................................................................................. 46,700,000 41,900,000 41,900,000 

Airport Surveillance Radar [ASR–9] ..................................... 11,400,000 12,800,000 12,800,000 

Terminal Digital Radar [ASR–11] Technology Refresh and 

Mobile Airport Surveillance Radar [MASR] ...................... 5,200,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 

Runway Status Lights ........................................................... 12,800,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 

National Airspace System Voice System [NVS] .................... 68,750,000 43,150,000 43,150,000 

Integrated Display System [IDS] ........................................... 5,000,000 19,459,000 18,000,000 

Remote Monitoring and Logging System [RMLS] ................. 7,400,000 18,100,000 18,100,000 

Mode S Service Life Extension Program [SLEP] ................... 20,900,000 15,400,000 15,400,000 

Terminal Flight Data Manager [TFDM] ................................. 90,350,000 119,250,000 119,250,000 

National Air Space [NAS] Voice Recorder Program [NVRP] 5,000,000 14,000,000 14,000,000 

Integrated Terminal Weather System [ITWS] ........................ 1,000,000 2,100,000 2,100,000 

Performance Based Navigation & Metroplex Portfolio ......... 20,000,000 20,000,000 20,000,000 

Subtotal Terminal Programs ............................................ 619,511,000 522,695,000 529,800,000 

c. Flight Service Programs: 

Aviation Surface Observation System [ASOS] ...................... 10,000,000 10,976,000 10,000,000 

Future Flight Services Program ............................................ 14,039,000 10,100,000 10,100,000 

Alaska Flight Service Facility Modernization [AFSFM] .......... 2,650,000 2,650,000 2,650,000 

Weather Camera Program ..................................................... 1,300,000 1,100,000 1,100,000 

Juneau Airport Wind System [JAWS]—Technology Refresh .. ............................ 1,000,000 1,000,000 

Subtotal Flight Service Programs .................................... 27,989,000 25,826,000 24,850,000 

d. Landing and Navigational Aids Program: 

VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range [VOR] with Distance 

Measuring Equipment [DME] ........................................... 17,000,000 15,000,000 15,000,000 

Instrument Landing System [ILS]—Establish ...................... 11,000,000 ............................ 25,000,000 

Wide Area Augmentation System [WAAS] for GPS ............... 110,300,000 96,320,000 96,320,000 
32 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT—Continued 

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Runway Visual Range [RVR] and Enhanced Low Visibility 

Operations [ELVO] ............................................................ 4,000,000 ............................ ............................

Approach Lighting System Improvement Program [ALSIP] .. 3,000,000 ............................ ............................

Distance Measuring Equipment [DME] ................................. 3,000,000 ............................ ............................

Visual NAVAIDS—Establish/Expand ..................................... 2,000,000 ............................ ............................

Instrument Flight Procedures Automation [IFPA] ................. 8,500,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 

Navigation and Landing Aids—Service Life Extension Program [SLEP] ..................................................................... 3,000,000 ............................ ............................

VASI Replacement—Replace with Precision Approach Path 

Indicator ........................................................................... 5,000,000 ............................ ............................

Runway Safety Areas—Navigational Mitigation .................. 1,600,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 

NAVAIDS Monitoring Equipment ............................................ 2,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 

Legacy Navigation Aids Portfolio .......................................... ............................ 42,372,000 31,000,000 

Subtotal Landing and Navigational Aids Programs ........ 170,400,000 160,092,000 173,720,000 

e. Other ATC Facilities Programs: 

Fuel Storage Tank Replacement and Management ............. 35,000,000 25,700,000 25,700,000 

Unstaffed Infrastructure Sustainment .................................. 41,000,000 51,050,000 51,050,000 

Aircraft Related Equipment Program ................................... 12,500,000 13,000,000 13,000,000 

Airport Cable Loop Systems—Sustained Support ................ 8,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000 

Alaskan Satellite Telecommunications Infrastructure [ASTI] 20,900,000 16,300,000 16,300,000 

Facilities Decommissioning .................................................. 27,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000 

Electrical Power Systems—Sustain/Support ........................ 125,000,000 140,834,000 145,700,000 

Energy Management and Compliance [EMC] ....................... 2,400,000 2,400,000 2,400,000 

Child Care Center Sustainment ............................................ 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 

FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure ............................... 30,000,000 6,700,000 40,000,000 

Data Visualization, Analysis and Reporting System 

[DVARS] ............................................................................ 5,500,000 4,500,000 4,500,000 

TDM-to-IP Migration .............................................................. 39,000,000 3,000,000 38,000,000 

Subtotal Other ATC Facilities Programs .......................... 347,300,000 283,484,000 356,650,000 

Total Activity 2 ................................................................. 2,148,100,000 1,681,193,000 1,850,877,000 

Activity 3—Non-Air Traffic Control Facilities and Equipment: 

a. Support Equipment: 

Hazardous Materials Management ....................................... 35,300,000 29,800,000 29,800,000 

Aviation Safety Analysis System [ASAS] ............................... 12,000,000 18,899,000 18,700,000 

Logistics Support Systems and Facilities [LSSF] ................. 12,000,000 12,200,000 12,000,000 

Facility Security Risk Management ...................................... 20,400,000 18,608,000 19,600,000 

Information Security .............................................................. 25,700,000 16,000,000 18,000,000 

System Approach for Safety Oversight [SASO] ..................... 25,800,000 25,400,000 25,400,000 

Aviation Safety Knowledge Management Environment 

[ASKME] ............................................................................ 4,000,000 6,000,000 6,000,000 

Aerospace Medical Equipment Needs [AMEN] ...................... 7,000,000 14,078,000 14,000,000 

System Safety Management Portfolio ................................... 16,200,000 14,700,000 14,200,000 

National Test Equipment Program ....................................... 4,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000 

Mobile Assets Management Program ................................... 3,600,000 2,216,000 2,200,000 

Aerospace Medicine Safety Information Systems [AMSIS] ... 14,000,000 16,100,000 16,100,000 

Tower Simulation System [TSS] Technology Refresh ............ 3,000,000 500,000 500,000 

Logistics Support Systems and Facilities [LSSF] ................. ............................ 7,100,000 7,100,000 

Subtotal Support Equipment ............................................ 178,000,000 186,601,000 188,600,000 

b. Training, Equipment and Facilities: 

Aeronautical Center Infrastructure Modernization ................ 14,000,000 14,298,000 14,000,000 

Distance Learning ................................................................. 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 

Subtotal Training, Equipment and Facilities ................... 15,000,000 15,298,000 15,000,000 

Total Activity 3 ................................................................. 193,000,000 201,899,000 203,600,000 
33 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT—Continued 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Activity 4—Facilities and Equipment Mission Support: 

a. System Support and Services: 

System Engineering and Development Support ................... 35,700,000 38,000,000 39,700,000 

Program Support Leases ....................................................... 47,000,000 47,000,000 47,000,000 

Logistics and Acquisition Support Services ......................... 11,000,000 11,000,000 12,500,000 

Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center Leases ......................... 19,700,000 20,200,000 20,200,000 

Transition Engineering Support ............................................ 24,900,000 17,000,000 22,000,000 

Technical Support Services Contract [TSSC] ........................ 28,000,000 23,000,000 28,000,000 

Resource Tracking Program [RTP] ........................................ 6,000,000 6,000,000 6,000,000 

Center for Advanced Aviation System Development 

[CAASD] ............................................................................ 57,000,000 57,000,000 57,000,000 

Aeronautical Information Management Program .................. 15,000,000 6,819,000 5,000,000 

Cross Agency NextGen Management .................................... 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 

Total Activity 4 ................................................................. 245,300,000 227,019,000 238,400,000 

Activity 5—Personnel and Related Expenses: 

Personnel and Related Expenses .......................................... 498,000,000 489,572,000 512,823,000 

Sub-Total All Activities ..................................................... 3,250,000,000 2,766,572,000 3,000,000,000 

Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability 

[LAANC].—The Committee supports the safe integration of UAS 

into the NAS and recognizes that LAANC for UAS operations in 

controlled airspace is a necessary building block of Unmanned 

Traffic Management [UTM]. LAANC is an important step forward 

by replacing a 90-day manual review with a near-real time review 

for commercial UAS operations in low altitude controlled airspace 

that has been determined to be safe, and which grows local economies in previously restricted airspace. LAANC leverages significant 

industry investment by UAS service suppliers and provides the 

FAA with critical data regarding UAS operations, which is essential for integrating UAS in the NAS. Failure to adequately fund 

LAANC and the LAANC program office will stall the development 

of a nationwide UTM system. Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes $7,300,000 in Activity 1 funds to the 

LAANC program office. 

Reduced Oceanic Separation.—The Committee recommendation 

includes $10,000,000 for reduced oceanic separation to enable reduced separation in oceanic traffic, enable new air routes to increase airspace capacity, and reduce time for search and rescue 

missions. 

NextGen Weather Processor.—The Committee recognizes that the 

NextGen Weather Processor [NWP] provides valuable and cost effective weather information for air traffic management decision 

making that will significantly improve national aviation safety. The 

National Airspace System [NAS] will benefit from the implementation of the NWP system, particularly for managing airspace experiencing severe weather events which have significant financial and 

loss of life consequences. The Committee also recognizes that additional funding for NWP will mitigate gaps in the NWP development plan and will allow the FAA to maximize the cost efficiencies, 

as well as technical and operational skills, inherent in the use of 

the existing development team. To derive these benefits, the Com-
34 

mittee recommendation includes $28,650,000 for NWP, which will 

enable the FAA to award contracts for the additional software releases required to mitigate the 3-year gap between the completion 

of the Work Package 1 software development and the start of the 

Work Package 2 development that currently exists in the FAA Capital Investment Plan [CIP]. 

Enterprise, Concept Development, Human Factors & Demonstration Portfolio.—The Committee recommendation includes an increase of $7,000,000 above the budget request to expand the use of 

remote tower technology, which are a means to enhance safety, reduce costs, and expand air traffic control services, especially at 

lower activity airports. The FAA has a pilot program underway to 

certify this technology for operation in the NAS. Not later than 30 

days after enactment of this act, the Committee directs the FAA to 

expand the scope of the pilot program to deploy remote tower systems to at least two new airports in order to provide air traffic control services from a single remote tower center. In selecting airports to participate in this pilot program, the Committee further directs the FAA to take into account the interest of the airport sponsor and to give priority to airports that are currently in the contract tower program that have aging towers in need of replacement 

or are non-towered airports that are viable candidates for the program. 

Instrument Landing Systems.—The Committee recommendation 

includes $25,000,000 for the procurement of the fourth generation 

instrument landing systems [ILS]. 

Wide Area Augmentation System [WAAS].—The Committee continues to be concerned that the FAA’s WAAS ground based infrastructure will not be ready to work with the new GPS III constellation’s dual frequency capability. The Committee understands that 

WAAS DFO Segment 2 is not to begin acquisition until 2019. The 

Committee also understands that these efforts were to be accomplished in WAAS DFO Segment 2, which will develop and implement the new algorithms and integrity validation for the new dual 

frequency enhancement to this safety-of-life application. To mitigate risk associated with the GPS–III schedule delays, the Committee recommends that the FAA expand WAAS DFO Segment 1 

scope to begin modeling and prototyping of the new algorithms 

using all available WAAS development expertise. The Committee 

directs the FAA to provide an update to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations on the status of this program within 

90 days of enactment of this act. 

Legacy Navigation Aids Portfolio.—The Committee recommendation includes $31,000,000 for legacy navigation aids on and around 

the Nation’s airports. The Committee recommendation for legacy 

navigation aids portfolio does not include funding for ILS, which is 

funded in a separate budget line item. 

Telecommunications Infrastructure.—The Committee recommendation includes $40,000,000 for FAA telecommunications infrastructure, which is $33,300,000 above the budget request. The 

Committee directs the FAA to use a portion of this additional funding, as well as the funds provided for this budget line item in fiscal 

year 2018, to support the replacement of obsolete infrastructure 

hardware and software to mitigate new cyber threats, and increase 
35 

capacity to support planned NextGen services. The NAS Enterprise 

Security Gateway [NESG] provides cybersecurity boundary protection for SWIM and the NAS. This level of funding will complete the 

technical refresh and capacity upgrade of the NESG platform, increase infrastructure bandwidth required for near term NextGen 

services, and address other obsolete network components. 

Time Division Multiplexing [TDM]-to-Internet Protocol [IP] Migration.—The Committee recommendation provides $38,000,000 for 

TDM-to-IP migration, which is $35,000,000 above the budget request. Major commercial telecommunications carriers have stated 

their intention to discontinue TDM-based services as early as 2020. 

The potential impact to FAA is significant as approximately 90 percent of air traffic telecommunications services are TDM-based, including radar, navigation aids, and weather instruments. While 

NextGen and other modernization programs will field new technology with IP interfaces, most legacy systems will continue with 

TDM access. Of the funds provided in the Committee recommendation, $35,000,000 is to fund the FAA TDM to IP program office to 

start addressing legacy system interfaces that will not be replaced 

by NextGen before 2022 using a combination of legacy system updates, conversion devices and carrier ethernet migration. Where 

feasible, the Committee encourages ethernet migration in order to 

deliver maximum optimization of the telecommunications infrastructure for near-term and future capacity demands. 

Spectrum Efficient National Surveillance Radar.—The Committee strongly recommends that the FAA, as the lead agency in 

the emerging joint Spectrum Efficient National Surveillance Radar 

[SENSR] initiative, continue supporting the decision to vacate the 

1300–1350 MHz band and provide 50 MHz of spectrum for FCC 

auctions. The Committee also urges the FAA’s full commitment to 

the ultimate goal of the SENSR program, which is the recapitalization of the entire domestic and U.S. protectorate regions’ radar infrastructure. Lastly, the Committee urges the FAA to continue to 

ensure that the proceeds from the Spectrum auction will be used 

to support the intended SENSR vision of a combined set of DoD, 

DHS, FAA, and NOAA missions. 

Aging Facilities.—The Committee instructs FAA to work to address aging and antiquated air traffic control facilities that it 

leases from airport authorities to ensure they are fully compliant 

with current building codes consistent with being occupied by air 

traffic controllers. The Committee recognizes that this, in many 

cases, may require the construction of new air traffic facilities to 

replace existing ones. The Committee instructs FAA to consider 

creative financing options and to include consideration of long-term 

cost recovery leases, when conditions warrant the construction of 

new air traffic control towers. 

Military Operations Areas.—The Committee finds that radar and 

future NextGen systems capable of controlling airspace down to 

500 feet above ground level enhances aviation safety in Military 

Operations Areas that overlay public use airports with more than 

5,000 operations per year. The Committee recommends that the 

FAA utilize existing resources to promptly provide radar or 

NextGen capability in such areas. 
36 

RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $188,926,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 74,406,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 191,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Research, Engineering, and Development appropriation provides funding for long-term research, engineering, and development 

programs to improve the air traffic control system by increasing its 

safety and capacity, as well as reducing the environmental impacts 

of air traffic, as authorized by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act and the Federal Aviation Act, as amended. The programs 

are designed to meet the expected air traffic demands of the future 

and to promote flight safety through improvements in facilities, 

equipment, techniques, and procedures to ensure that the system 

will safely and efficiently handle future volumes of aircraft traffic. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $191,000,000 for the FAA’s Research, Engineering, and Development activities. The recommended 

level of funding is $116,594,000 more than the budget request and 

$2,074,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

A table showing the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, the fiscal year 

2019 budget estimate and the Committee recommendation is as follows: 

RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Safety: 

Fire Research & Safety ......................................................... $7,200,000 $4,867,000 $7,200,000 

Propulsion & Fuel Systems ................................................... 2,100,000 555,000 2,100,000 

Advanced Materials/Structural Safety .................................. 10,500,000 2,300,000 10,500,000 

Aircraft Icing/Digital System Safety/Cyber Security ............. 9,253,000 7,684,000 9,253,000 

Continued Air Worthiness ..................................................... 11,269,000 4,969,000 11,269,000 

Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Research .............. 1,570,000 ............................ 1,570,000 

Flightdeck/Maintenance/System Integration Human Factors 7,305,000 5,052,000 7,305,000 

Safety System Management/Terminal Area Safety ............... 5,500,000 799,000 5,500,000 

Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human Factors ..... 5,800,000 1,436,000 5,800,000 

Aeromedical Research ........................................................... 9,080,000 3,875,000 9,080,000 

Weather Research ................................................................. 15,476,000 6,580,000 15,476,000 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research ................................. 24,035,000 3,318,000 24,035,000 

NextGen—Alternative Fuels for General Aviation ................ 7,000,000 ............................ 7,000,000 

Commercial Space Transportation Safety ............................ 1,872,000 2,500,000 2,500,000 

Total Safety .................................................................. 117,960,000 43,935,000 118,588,000 

Economic Competitiveness: 

NextGen—Wake Turbulence .................................................. 6,831,000 3,519,000 6,831,000 

NextGen—Air Ground Integration ......................................... 6,757,000 1,336,000 6,757,000 

NextGen—Weather Technology in the Cockpit ..................... 3,644,000 1,525,000 3,644,000 

NextGen—Flight Data Exchange .......................................... ............................ 1,035,000 1,035,000 

NextGen—Information Security ............................................ 1,000,000 1,232,000 1,232,000 

Total Economic Competitiveness ................................. 18,232,000 8,647,000 19,499,000 
37 

RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT—Continued 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Environmental Sustainability: 

Environment & Energy .......................................................... 18,013,000 11,588,000 18,013,000 

NextGen Environmental Research—Aircraft Technologies, 

Fuels and Metrics ............................................................. 29,174,000 7,578,000 29,174,000 

Total Environmental Sustainability .............................. 47,187,000 19,166,000 47,187,000 

Mission Support: 

System Planning and Resource Management ...................... 2,135,000 1,480,000 2,135,000 

WJHTC Lab Facilities ............................................................. 3,412,000 1,178,000 3,591,000 

Total Mission Support .................................................. 5,547,000 2,658,000 5,726,000 

Total .................................................................... 188,926,000 74,406,000 191,000,000 

Advanced Materials/Structural Safety.—The Committee recommendation includes a total of $10,500,000 for advanced materials/structural safety. With the emergence of additive manufacturing processes, the Committee recognizes that advances in the 

fabrication of complex structures has the potential to transform aircraft and spacecraft. The Committee understands the primary challenge in additive manufacturing for aerospace applications is the 

certification of airworthiness of complex processes used within the 

additive manufactured components. The Committee, therefore, directs $6,000,000 of this funding to advance the use of these new 

additive materials (both metallic and non-metallic based additive 

processes) into the commercial aviation industry, as well as additional funds to advance the use of fiber reinforced composite materials into the commercial aviation industry through the FAA Joint 

Advanced Materials and Structures Center of Excellence. 

Additive Manufactured Continued Airworthiness.—The Committee recommendation includes $11,269,000 for continued air worthiness. The Committee is encouraged by the potential impact that 

stitched resin composites can have on the aviation industry, and 

the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 for FAA to 

work with public/private partners to evaluate the material for airworthiness certification. 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] Research—Center of Excellence.—The Committee recognizes the valuable role of the Center 

of Excellence in assisting the FAA in a host of research challenges 

associated with the integration of UAS into the NAS. The Committee recommendation includes $24,035,000 for UAS research, 

equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $20,717,000 above 

the budget request. Of the funds provided for UAS research, 

$12,035,000 is directed to support the expanded role of the UAS 

Center of Excellence in areas of UAS research, including 

cybersecurity, agricultural applications, beyond visual line of sight 

technology, and studies of advanced composites and other non-metallic engineering materials not common to manned aircraft but 

utilized in UAS. Furthermore, the Center of Excellence shall establish a UAS safety research facility at the Center to study appropriate safety standards for UAS and to develop and validate certification standards for such systems. Of the total funding, $2,000,000 
38 

is for the Center’s role in transportation disaster preparedness and 

response, partnering with institutions that have demonstrated experience in damage assessment, collaboration with State transportation agencies, and applied UAS field testing; and $10,000,000 is 

to support UAS research activities at the FAA technical center and 

other FAA facilities. 

Alternative Fuels for General Aviation.—The Committee recommendation includes $7,000,000 for research that supports alternative fuels for general aviation. Funds are provided to complete 

the testing and certification activities under the current test program and support the current personnel required for operations 

and equipment needs of the lab. 

Environmental Sustainability.—The Committee recommendation 

includes $47,187,000 for research related to environmental sustainability, of which $18,013,000 is for ‘‘Environment and Energy’’ and 

$29,174,000 is for ‘‘Next Gen—Environmental Research Aircraft 

Technologies, Fuels and Metrics’’. The FAA is directed to use the 

increase in funding for the Center of Excellence, resulting in a total 

of $15,000,000 for the Center. 

The Committee supports NextGen’s five pillar strategy in conducting research through the Center of Excellence, which includes: 

(1) improved scientific knowledge and integrated modeling; (2) new 

aircraft technologies; (3) sustainable alternative aviation fuels; (4) 

air traffic management modernization and operational improvements; and (5) policies, environmental standards, and marketbased measures. The Committee is concerned with the removal of 

the sustainable alternative aviation fuels pillar in the budget request and directs the FAA to continue research on alternative fuels 

following performance, economic, and environmental principals. 

This sustained investment will lead to reducing emissions and expanding alternative domestic energy sources that diversify fuel 

supplies, contribute to price and supply stability, and support economic development in rural communities. Further, the Committee 

directs the FAA to utilize the comprehensive five pillar strategy as 

outlined in the fiscal year 2018 budget request. 

Accelerating UAS Traffic Management.—The Committee believes 

that creation of an UTM system is critical to the safe integration 

in the NAS and for innovative uses of beyond visual line of sight 

drone operations, such as package delivery, infrastructure inspection, and precision agriculture. The Committee is concerned that 

FAA is not acting with sufficient urgency to meet its statutory obligations under section 2208 of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016, which required the agency to develop a research 

plan for UTM development and deployment. In executing section 

2208, the Committee encourages the FAA to coordinate the three 

programs that serve as building blocks for the commercial development of a UTM system: LAANC program, the UTM Pilot Program 

and the UAS integration pilot program. The FAA should also coordinate with state and local law enforcement agencies to test the 

prevention of unsafe operations that could impact critical infrastructure or personal safety. The Committee directs FAA to submit 

the research plan no later than December 31, 2018, including milestones for the deployment of a full-scale UTM network. This work 

is essential to overall UTM development efforts, which will allow 
39 

industry and UAS service suppliers to build and deploy a UTM network that advances the safety of our national airspace. 

Noise Health Effects Research.—The Committee supports research at FAA’s Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuel and 

Environment, and the Aviation Sustainability Center [ASCENT] on 

the impact of aviation noise on both sleep and cardiovascular 

health. The Committee directs the FAA to continue to prioritize 

this research, as many communities across the country contend 

with an increased frequency of passing aircraft on a daily basis. In 

addition, the Committee directs the FAA to continue to evaluate alternative metrics to the current day night level [DNL] 65 standard 

and other methods to address community airplane noise concerns, 

including cumulative noise impacts from increased frequency of 

flights. 

GRANTS-IN-AID FOR AIRPORTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Resources from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund: 

Limitation on obligations ...................................................... $3,350,000,000 $3,350,000,000 $3,350,000,000 

Liquidation of contract authorization ................................... 3,000,000,000 3,000,000,000 3,000,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports pays for capital improvements at the Nation’s airports, including those investments that 

emphasize capacity development, safety improvements, and security needs. Other priority areas for funding under this program include improvements to runway safety areas that do not conform to 

FAA standards, investments that are designed to reduce runway 

incursions, and aircraft noise compatibility planning and programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of 

$3,350,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports for fiscal year 2019. 

The recommended limitation on obligations is equal to the enacted 

level for fiscal year 2018 and the budget request. 

The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation of 

$3,000,000,000 for Grants-in-Aid for Airports. The recommended 

level is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and the budget 

request. This appropriation is sufficient to cover the liquidation of 

all obligations incurred pursuant to the limitation on obligations 

set forward in the bill. 

Administrative Expenses.—The Committee recommends 

$112,600,000 to cover administrative expenses. This funding level 

is equal to the budget request and $737,000 more than the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level. 
40 

Airport Cooperative Research.—The Committee recommends 

$15,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative Research program. This 

funding level is equal to the budget estimate and the fiscal year 

2018 enacted level. 

Airport Technology.—The Committee recommends $33,210,000 

for Airport Technology Research. This funding level is $16,000 

more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 

level. 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

[SCASDP].—The Committee recommends $10,000,000. This funding level is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The budget 

request included no funds for this program for fiscal year 2019. 

Cost Share.—The agreement includes a provision that allows 

small airports to continue contributing 5 percent of the total cost 

for unfinished phased projects that were underway prior to the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. 

Allocation of Resources.—The Committee recognizes many States 

have short construction seasons due to inclement weather and require certainty about airport grant allocations when making planning decisions. FAA is encouraged to work expeditiously to make 

entitlement and discretionary grant allocations, in order to provide 

certainty to northern State airports. The Committee also understands that certain physical topography, environments, and circumstances prohibit certain existing airports that are in critical 

need of expansion due to their essential economic impact on their 

surrounding communities from expanding, and as such are required to physically relocate their premises. Therefore, the Committee directs the FAA to ensure sufficient funding is available to 

relocate these airports in a timely and expedited manner. 

Policy and Procedure Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue.— The Committee is aware of several self-help counties that have enacted sales tax measures to fund local transportation improvements. These sales tax measures are difficult to enact and provide 

critical funding to address local highway, transit, and other transportation requirements. Several of these counties contain airports 

and have been receiving funds raised on the sales tax associated 

with the sale of aviation fuel. 

In 2014, the FAA finalized a rule construing the term ‘‘local 

taxes on aviation fuel’’ to apply to all sales taxes rather than specific excise taxes on aviation fuel. This change in definition diverts 

funding away from projects outlined in local sales tax measures, 

violating promises made to the voters who approved these measures. According to the FAA rules, local transportation sales taxes 

collected on the sale of aviation fuel would have to be spent in accordance with FAA rules governing such expenditures. The Policy 

and Procedure Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue [Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0988] is scheduled to be enforced by the end of December 2018. Given the utility of sales tax measures to address local 

transportation needs and reduce the burden on Federal spending, 

the Committee encourages the Secretary to postpone the enforcement of Docket No. FAA–2013–0988 and work with local governments and the FAA to develop a path forward to allow the use of 

local sales tax revenues generated on the sale of aviation fuel to 

be used in a manner consistent with their enactment. 
41 

State Airport Land Management.—Commercial activities, in addition to regularly scheduled commercial air service, are vital to the 

fiscal sustainability of commercial use airports. The Committee directs the FAA to work with the Department of Agriculture and 

States that own and operate airports on land acquired from the 

Federal Government to identify land that is not needed for airport 

development, and that can be developed without negative impact to 

the airport, and to identify the Federal agency that can allow the 

release of the unneeded land. 

AIP Formula.—AIP formula funding for primary airports is allocated based primarily on commercial enplanements. The current 

definition of ‘‘enplanements’’ does not capture the full range of airport activities. For example, certain primary airports with more 

non-commercial flight activities such as pilot training do not factor 

into the current enplanement calculation. Therefore, the Committee directs the FAA to consider the full range of flight activities 

(such as flight training, air cargo, emergency response, pilot training etc.) and associated metrics when considering AIP discretionary 

grants. 

Relocation.—The Committee directs the FAA to give greater consideration to projects at public-use airports that will relocate existing aviation runways, taxiways, aprons or other airfield infrastructure that do not meet current FAA safety standards related to runway/taxiway separation distances, safety area and object-free area 

requirements, and obstruction standards, especially in cases where 

the existing aviation runway, taxiway, apron or other airfield infrastructure has deteriorated such that it is at the end of its service 

life. Furthermore, for such projects at public use airports that 

would have a material impact on the safety of operations at that 

airport and, the FAA shall not require the completion of a cost-benefit analysis as long as that project is funded using non-primary 

entitlement funding and no additional State apportionment or discretionary funding from the FAA. 

Airport Partnerships.—The Committee is aware of major internet 

retailers and their logistics partners that have made demands of 

airports to commit to capital improvements, including AIP eligible 

projects, in order to compete to become logistics hubs. However, 

AIP program funds should not be used to solely subsidize individual corporations, who may chose not to execute on such efforts 

despite airports and FAA regional offices expending significant resources for planning. The FAA should carefully scrutinize AIP 

projects to ensure they represent genuine efforts to improve overall 

service and capacity needs rather than demands from a single corporation. 

GRANTS-IN-AID TO AIRPORTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $1,000,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 750,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports pays for capital improvements at the Nation’s airports, including those investments that 

emphasize capacity development, safety improvements, and secu-
42 

rity needs. Other priority areas for funding under this program include improvements to runway safety areas that do not conform to 

FAA standards, investments that are designed to reduce runway 

incursions, and aircraft noise compatibility planning and programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $750,000,000 in discretionary funding for additional grants for airport infrastructure. The 

recommended level of funding is $250,000,000 less than the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level and $750,000,000 more than the budget request. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

Section 110 limits the number of technical staff years at the Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development to no more than 

600 in fiscal year 2019. 

Section 111 prohibits funds in this act from being used to adopt 

guidelines or regulations requiring airport sponsors to provide the 

FAA ‘‘without cost’’ buildings, maintenance, or space for FAA services. The prohibition does not apply to negotiations between the 

FAA and airport sponsors concerning ‘‘below market’’ rates for such 

services or to grant assurances that require airport sponsors to provide land without cost to the FAA for air traffic control facilities. 

Section 112 permits the Administrator to reimburse FAA appropriations for amounts made available for 49 U.S.C. 41742(a)(1) as 

fees are collected and credited under 49 U.S.C. 45303. 

Section 113 allows funds received to reimburse the FAA for providing technical assistance to foreign aviation authorities to be 

credited to the Operations account. 

Section 114 prohibits the FAA from paying Sunday premium pay 

except in those cases where the individual actually worked on a 

Sunday. 

Section 115 prohibits the FAA from using funds provided in the 

bill to purchase store gift cards or gift certificates through a Government-issued credit card. 

Section 116 requires approval from the Assistant Secretary for 

Administration of the Department of Transportation for retention 

bonuses for any FAA employee. 

Section 117 requires that, upon request by a private owner or operator of an aircraft, the Secretary block the display of that owner 

or operator’s aircraft registration number in the Aircraft Situational Display to Industry program. 

Section 118 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and expenses 

of more than eight political and Presidential appointees in the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Section 119 requires the FAA to conduct public outreach and provide justification to the Committee before increasing fees under 

section 44721 of title 49, United States Code. 

Section 119A requires the FAA to notify the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations at least 90 days before closing a regional operations center or reducing the services it provides. 

Section 119B prohibits funds from being used to change weight 

restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro Airport in New 

Jersey. 
43 

Section 119C prohibits funds from being used to withhold from 

consideration and approval any new application for participation in 

the Contract Tower Program, including applications from Costshare Program participants if the Administrator determines such 

tower is eligible under the criteria set forth in the Federal Aviation 

report, Establishment and Discontinuance Criteria for Airport Traffic Control Towers (FAA–APO–90–7). 

Section 119D prohibits funds from limiting certification activities 

unless the FAA documents noncompliance. 

Section 119E requires the FAA to permit intermittent large cargo 

air carriers to land in remote areas using a mix of available meteorological weather reports, in place of National Weather Service 

forecast reports where they do not provide weather coverage. 

Section 119F allows the transfer of funds from the ‘‘Grants-in-Aid 

for Airports’’ account to reimburse airports impacted by temporary 

flight restrictions for any residence of the President that is designated or identified to be secured by the United States Secret 

Service, but only after an independent audit. 

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The principal mission of the Federal Highway Administration 

[FHWA] is, in partnership with State and local governments, to 

foster the development of a safe, efficient, and effective highway 

and intermodal system nationwide including access to and within 

national forests, national parks, Indian lands, and other public 

lands. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level of 

$49,307,596,000 is provided for the activities of the Federal Highway Administration in fiscal year 2019. The recommendation is 

$3,516,951,000 more than the budget request and $1,809,384,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The following table 

summarizes the Committee’s recommendations: 

Fiscal year— Committee recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Federal-aid highways program obligation limitation .................... $44,234,212,000 $45,268,596,000 $45,268,596,000 

Contract authority exempt from the obligation limitation ............ 739,000,000 739,000,000 739,000,000 

Rescission ...................................................................................... ............................ ¥216,951,000 ............................

Federal-aid highways program (general fund) ............................. 2,525,000,000 ............................ 3,300,000,000

Total .................................................................................. 47,498,212,000 45,790,645,000 49,307,596,000 

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $442,692,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 449,692,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 449,692,000 
44 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This limitation on obligations provides for the salaries and expenses of the Federal Highway Administration [FHWA] for program management, direction, and coordination; engineering guidance to Federal and State agencies; and advisory and support services in field offices. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations of 

$446,444,304 for administrative expenses of the agency, and an additional $3,248,000 for administrative expenses of the Appalachian 

Regional Commission in accordance with section 104 of title 23, 

United States Code. The total limitation is equal to the budget request and $7,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $44,234,212,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 45,268,596,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 45,268,596,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-aid highway program provides financial support to 

States and localities for the development, construction, and repair 

of highways and bridges through grants. The program is financed 

from the Highway Trust Fund and most of the funds are distributed through apportionments and allocations to States. Title 23 of 

the United States Code and other supporting legislation provide 

authority for the various activities of the FHWA. Funding is provided by contract authority, with program levels established by annual limitations on obligations set in appropriations acts. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends limiting fiscal year 2019 obligations 

to $45,268,596,000 which is equal to the budget request and 

$1,034,384,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level for the 

Federal-aid highway program. In addition, the bill includes a provision that allows the FHWA to collect and spend fees in order to pay 

for the services of expert firms in the field of municipal and project 

finance to assist the agency in the provision of credit instruments. 

Advanced Transportation Congestion Mitigation Technology Deployment.—For several years, various elements of Connected, Automated, Vehicles and Infrastructure Systems [CAVIS] have been developed on a limited basis in controlled environments to test systems for collision avoidance or signal preemption for emergency vehicles such as Mcity in Ann Arbor, MI and the Aberdeen Test Center. While such efforts in proving grounds and test facilities are 

valuable, the full benefits of this technology will be realized when 

integrated CAVIS are broadly deployed into real-world environments. This could translate into improved safety, mobility, and 
45 

commerce for many communities across the country. The Committee supports the planned transition of this technology into real 

world settings in partnership with Federal, State, and local agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Committee 

strongly encourages DOT to include small and medium sized communities in this plan, especially in States that have developed 

State-supported, mobile platform traffic applications for the public 

that could be integrated into CAVIS systems. 

Autonomous Vehicles and Pavement Performance.—Researchers 

have recently identified a potential problem where pavement service life is reduced due to autonomous vehicle systems. Automated 

systems have the potential to increase stress concentrations on 

pavements by forcing vehicles to drive in specific travel paths within the highway lanes, rather than the more random driving paths 

by human drivers that distribute the stresses over pavement on a 

more varied basis. The Committee directs the Department to conduct highly automated vehicle research and development to evaluate the impact of autonomous vehicles, particularly commercial vehicles, on pavement performance. 

Regulations.—The Committee directs FHWA to identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary regulations and streamline burdensome regulations to ensure FHWA is a good steward of taxpayer 

resources that support the construction of physical infrastructure. 

FHWA should identify areas where more autonomy can be given to 

State, local, and Tribal jurisdictions, which have an understanding 

of the needs and challenges in building and maintaining infrastructure. 

Timber Bridge Initiative.—The Committee recognizes that the 

use of cross laminated timber and other forms of mass timber can 

provide value in bridge structures. The benefits of timber in bridge 

construction include reduced weight and cost-effectiveness. When 

used to reinforce existing structures, timber can upgrade live load 

capacity. The Committee notes with appreciation that FHWA has 

worked successfully in partnership with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory to research the benefits of 

timber in bridge construction. The Committee urges the Department to renew this work, as well as to use mass timber in demonstration projects, and recommends continued collaboration with 

other Federal agencies for deploying timber into the U.S. highway 

and bridge system. 

Regional Transportation Workforce Centers.—The Committee 

notes that the workforce needs of the transportation sector continue to evolve as new technology and construction practices are 

developed. In many instances, the education curriculum has not 

kept pace with civil engineering practices. The Committee directs 

FHWA to provide resources to the Center for Transportation Workforce Development to align education workforce development efforts 

to support: the advancement of environmental career paths within 

transportation, the deployment and delivery of innovative transportation solutions in rural areas, the planning for smart city and 

community design in rural areas, and improved technology transfer. 

Resilient Infrastructure.—The Committee directs the FHWA to 

update guidance consistent with the DOT Inspector General Report 
46 

on Infrastructure Resilience for Emergency Relief Projects, and further directs FHWA to advance best practices and methods to consider resilience in all phases of highway infrastructure decision 

making, including planning, design, construction, maintenance, and 

operations. The Committee also directs FHWA to consider the deployment of methods that have proven effective in providing for a 

more resilient infrastructure system, consistent with FHWA Order 

5520, as part of discretionary grants and loan programs. 

Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure.—The Committee recognizes 

the importance of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to the mobility and livability of communities. The TIFIA program allows for 

innovative finance partnerships between public, private and nonprofit partners to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and access. 

The Committee directs the Department to compile, analyze, and 

issue best practices for innovative finance strategies to better inform state agencies of available financing options through the Department’s existing programs. 

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices [MUTCD].—The safe 

deployment of autonomous vehicles will require modifications to 

various regulations and standards throughout the Department to 

account for new functionalities and types of interactions between 

humans and vehicles. As a result, the Committee directs FHWA to 

publish a schedule for periodic updates to the MUTCD for the safe 

use of our roadways by both human drivers and automated vehicles. 

Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives [STSFA].— Section 6020 of the FAST Act required the Secretary to create a 

grant program to design and test the functionality and acceptance 

of alternative, user-based revenue mechanisms to help maintain 

the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. Grantees are 

required to submit an annual report to the Secretary on the objectives they were able to achieve and lessons learned. From that information, the Secretary is required to publically report on the 

progress of these demonstration activities on a biennial basis. 

A robust report compiling data and an analysis of the demonstration projects would assist Congress in identifying viable funding options for surface transportation programs in the next reauthorization bill. Given that the fiscal 2017 grantees were not selected until 

October of 2017, they will not be able to provide an annual report 

to the Secretary within the Secretary’s initial biennial reporting requirement. Therefore, the Committee directs the biennial reporting 

requirement be deferred until February 2019 in order to appropriately assess the results of the fiscal year 2016 and 2017 demonstration projects. As part of the biennial reporting requirement 

within the funds provided under STSFA, the Secretary shall, at a 

minimum, address: the findings on the design, acceptance, and implementation of alternative revenue mechanisms; interoperability, 

reliability, and ease of compliance; current and future estimates of 

revenue potential, as well as administrative costs; and, recommendations to Congress for areas of additional research. This 

will provide Congress and the public the benefit of a more comprehensive analysis of these innovative financing strategies. 

Permeable Pavements.—The Committee encourages the Secretary 

to accelerate the research, demonstration, and deployment of per-
47 

meable pavements to achieve flood mitigation, pollutant reduction, 

stormwater runoff reduction, and environmental conservation. The 

Committee encourages the Secretary to conduct a comprehensive 

life cycle cost analyses of permeable pavements compared to nonpermeable pavements and a full-scale load testing to establish 

structural design methods to enhance roadway stormwater mitigation and flood reduction. The Secretary shall consider areas that 

have received a Federal disaster declaration resulting from flooding 

within the last three fiscal years when choosing locations for such 

research, demonstration, and deployment. The Secretary shall 

make the findings of this research available to States and local jurisdictions. 

Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System.—The 

Committee supports research and deployment to capitalize on investments in Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge Systems and encourages the Secretary to complete cost studies and to 

distribute these findings to State DOTs. Further, the Department 

should consider Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration 

grants to: deploy innovations in geosynthetic-reinforced abutments, 

segmental sound barriers, flooding scour countermeasures, and address technical specifications for segmental face durability and 

geosynthetics connections. 

Timely Response.—While the Committee fully supports Buy 

America requirements, there is concern about FHWA’s lack of action on Buy America waiver requests for products for which there 

is no comparable product made in the United States. Therefore, the 

Committee directs FHWA to review and respond to Buy America 

waivers for which there is no comparable product made in the 

United Sates within 60 days of the request being submitted. 

Alternative Fuel Infrastructure.—Section 1413 of the FAST Act 

required the Secretary to designate national electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling corridors within 1 

year from the date of enactment of this act. Additionally, the Department was required to submit a report to Congress identifying 

charging and fueling infrastructure standardization needs in order 

to achieve standard strategic deployment of charging stations in 

designated corridors by 2020. The Committee urges FHWA to 

proactively work with States to ensure the deadlines are met and 

to address all reporting requirements directed by Congress in the 

FAST Act. 

Composites.—The Committee recognizes that composites have 

many benefits for improved performance of bridge superstructures 

and reinforcement components, as well as uses in other places such 

as road signs and pedestrian bridges. Composites also have wideranging proven characteristics that include light weight, highstrength, corrosion resistance, life-cycle cost benefits, and long-term 

durability that translate to increased factors of safety for bridge engineering designs. The Committee urges FHWA to promote projects 

that use innovative materials, including composites, under the Accelerated Innovation Deployment Grant Program aimed at accelerating the use of innovation in infrastructure projects. 

Dynamic Highway Message Signs.—In fiscal year 2017, the Committee directed FHWA to survey States on their use of dynamic 

highway message signs to improve traffic safety behaviors and 
48 

compliance with State safety laws. FHWA found that more than 

7,000 of these signs are installed on major roads around the Nation, with as many as 116 million vehicles passing them each day. 

These findings support the Committee’s belief that dynamic highway message signs can play a significant role in cost-effective expansion of national traffic safety initiatives such as ‘‘Drive Sober 

or Get Pulled Over’’ and ‘‘Click It or Ticket’’. The Committee reiterates it directive to FHWA to coordinate with NHTSA, State DOTs 

and State highway safety offices to increase the use of such signs 

to help save lives and prevent injuries, with a focus on maximizing 

message exposure during the major national safety emphasis periods. 

The Committee also directs FHWA to coordinate with State 

DOTs on options for flexibility in highway sign messaging to address and combat local emergency priorities, such as the epidemic 

of opioid abuse, which can lead to impaired driving. A progress report on joint FHWA–NHTSA action should be provided to the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days 

of enactment of this act. 

Categorical Exclusions.—The Committee notes that the purpose 

of categorical exclusions is to achieve cost savings and speed 

projects to construction. The Committee directs FHWA to work 

with stakeholders, including State DOTs, to determine how best to 

minimize the bureaucratic burden of qualifying a project as a CE. 

Rubber Modified Asphalt Usage.—Within the amount provided 

for research, the Committee directs the Secretary, through the National Academy of Sciences, to conduct a study of rubber modified 

asphalt technology and report to the House and Senate Committees 

on Appropriations not later than January 1, 2020. This study shall 

address: technical and operational aspects of using rubber modified 

asphalt; the types of asphalt applications appropriate for rubber 

modification; performance, longevity, and safety impacts of rubber 

modified asphalt; and economics associated with its use. 

Commercial Roads in the Appalachian Development Highway 

System [ADHS].—The Committee recommendation does not include 

the budget’s proposed rescission of ADHS funding. Conversely, the 

Committee encourages FHWA to work with relevant State DOTs in 

Appalachia to promote construction and repair projects for roads of 

critical commercial importance in the ADHS. Roads and bridges 

throughout the ADHS are imperative for both local and regional 

passenger and freight connectivity. 

LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $44,973,212,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 46,007,596,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 46,007,596,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-aid highway program is funded through contract authority paid out of the Highway Trust Fund. Most forms of budget 

authority provide the authority to enter into obligations and then 

to liquidate those obligations. Put another way, it allows a Federal 
49 

agency to commit to spending money on specified activities and 

then to actually spend that money. In contrast, contract authority 

provides only the authority to enter into obligations, but not the 

authority to liquidate those obligations. The authority to liquidate 

obligations—to actually spend the money committed with the contract authority—must be provided separately. The authority to liquidate obligations under the Federal-aid highway program is provided under this heading. This liquidating authority allows FHWA 

to follow through on commitments already allowed under current 

law; it does not provide the authority to enter into new commitments for Federal spending. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a liquidating cash appropriation of 

$46,007,596,000. The recommended level is equal to the budget request and $1,034,384,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. This level of liquidating authority is necessary to pay outstanding obligations from various highway accounts pursuant to 

this and prior appropriations acts. 

HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $2,525,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,300,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for Highway Infrastructure Programs to improve highway safety and efficiency for all Americans 

through general fund investments in addition to levels authorized 

in the FAST Act. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $3,300,000,000 from the general 

fund, of which $2,389,200,000 is for road and bridge projects eligible under the surface transportation block grant program, 

$15,800,000 is for the Puerto Rico highway program, $5,000,000 is 

for the territorial highway program, $90,000,000 is for the railwayhighway crossings program, and $800,000,000 is for a national program to improve and replace bridges in poor condition. Funding is 

available until September 30, 2022. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

Section 120 distributes obligation authority among Federal-aid 

Highway programs. 

Section 121 continues a provision that credits funds received by 

the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to the Federal-aid highways account. 

Section 122 provides requirements for any waiver of Buy America requirements. 

Section 123 requires congressional notification before the Department provides credit assistance under the TIFIA program. 
50 

Section 124 requires 60-day notification for any grants for a 

project under 23 U.S.C. 117 and requires these notifications to be 

made within 180 days of enactment of this act. 

Section 125 allows State DOTs to repurpose certain highway 

project funding to be used within 50 miles of its original designation. 

FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration [FMCSA] was 

established within the Department of Transportation by the Motor 

Carrier Safety Improvement Act [MCSIA] (Public Law 106–159) in 

December 1999. Prior to this legislation, motor carrier safety responsibilities were under the jurisdiction of the Federal Highway 

Administration. 

MCSIA, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 

Equity Act: A Legacy for Users [SAFETEA–LU], the Moving Ahead 

for Progress in the 21st Century Act [MAP–21], and the Fixing 

America’s Surface Transportation [FAST] Act provide funding authorization for FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs and Motor Carrier Safety Grants. 

FMCSA’s mission is to promote safe commercial motor vehicle 

and motor coach operations, as well as reduce the number and severity of accidents. Agency resources and activities prevent and 

mitigate commercial motor vehicle and motor coach accidents 

through education, regulation, enforcement, stakeholder training, 

technological innovation, and improved information systems. 

FMCSA is also responsible for ensuring that all commercial vehicles entering the United States along its southern and northern 

borders comply with all Federal motor carrier safety and hazardous 

materials regulations. To accomplish these activities, FMCSA 

works with Federal, State, and local enforcement agencies, the 

motor carrier industry, highway safety organizations, and the public. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total level of $666,800,000 for obligations and liquidations from the Highway Trust Fund. This level 

is $1,000,000 more than the budget request and $178,000,000 less 

than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Fiscal year— Committee 

recommendation 2018 enacted 2019 estimate 

Motor Carrier Safety Operations & Programs (obligation limitation) ........................................................................................... $283,000,000 $284,000,000 $284,000,000 

Motor Carrier Safety Grants (obligation limitation) ...................... 561,800,000 381,800,000 382,800,000 

Total .................................................................................. 844,800,000 665,800,000 666,800,000 
51 

MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $283,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 284,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 284,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides the necessary resources to support motor 

carrier safety program activities and maintain the agency’s administrative infrastructure. Funding supports nationwide motor carrier 

safety and consumer enforcement efforts, including Federal safety 

enforcement activities at the United States-Mexico border to ensure 

that Mexican carriers entering the United States are in compliance 

with FMCSA regulations. Resources are also provided to fund 

motor carrier regulatory development and implementation, information management, research and technology, safety education 

and outreach, and the 24-hour safety and consumer telephone hotline. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract authorization of 

$284,000,000 for FMCSA’s Operations and Programs. The recommendation is $1,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level and equal to the budget request. Of the total limitation on obligations, $9,073,000 is for research and technology and 

$34,824,000 is for information management. 

Bus Lease and Interchange Rule.—In fiscal year 2018, the Committee directed FMCSA to modify or remove the final rule concerning the lease and interchange of passenger carrying motor vehicles no later than December 1, 2018, and continues to direct the 

agency to meet this deadline. 

Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiters.—In response to a 2006 petition 

from a coalition of trucking industry and safety advocates, NHTSA 

and FMCSA issued a joint proposed rule on August 26, 2016 requiring speed limiter devices. The Committee directs the agencies 

to fully and expeditiously address all public comments. The final 

rule should address the impact of creating speed differentials on 

highways and consider the costs and benefits of applying the rule 

to existing heavy vehicles that are equipped with speed limiting devices. 

High-Risk Carriers.—In January 2016, FMCSA revised its scoring and standards for the inspection of high-risk carriers in response to a July 2014 Independent Review Team assessment and 

section 5305 of the FAST Act. Under revised FMCSA regulations, 

carriers identified as high risk must have a compliance review conducted within 90 days. The Committee is encouraged that the 

agency was able to achieve an 87 percent high-risk carrier inspection rate in fiscal year 2016, compared to 81 percent in fiscal year 
52 

2015. The Committee continues to direct the agency to provide the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations with an updated 

report on its ability to meet its requirements to evaluate high-risk 

carriers by April 15, 2020 for the preceding fiscal year for which 

inspection data is available. 

Natural Gas Vehicle Regulations.—The Committee recognizes the 

significant growth and value in the market for natural gas as a 

transportation fuel, and is aware that certain regulations that address the safety of natural gas vehicles have not been updated to 

keep pace with new developments and the advancement of natural 

gas vehicles. Accordingly, the Department is encouraged to develop 

new safety regulations and inspection procedures for liquefied natural gas [LNG] fuel tanks and fuel systems on commercial motor 

vehicles, and revise and harmonize requirements for compressed 

natural gas [CNG] cylinders that address the inspection of such 

cylinders. The Department is also encouraged to work with industry and manufacturers to clarify and address the ability of bus 

manufacturers to continue to deploy buses that have roof-top 

mounted CNG cylinders. In addition, as there are no Federal regulations that prohibit the interstate movement of natural gas vehicles as it relates to the fuel stored onboard for motive power, the 

Secretary is encouraged to clarify through guidance that rules restricting access to bridges and tunnels in the case of an alternative 

fuel vehicle should not be any more restrictive than those addressing gasoline and diesel fueled vehicles, unless there is a determination of a significant risk to safety. 

Electronic Logging Devices.—The Committee appreciates the Department’s efforts in issuing guidance to clarify an exemption from 

the Electronic Logging Device [ELD] mandate related to a 150 airmile radius exemption for agricultural commodities. To address further concerns raised by drivers of certain commodities, including 

cattle haulers, the Committee directs the Department to consult 

with stakeholders, the Department of Agriculture, and the House 

and Senate authorizing committees on legislative solutions for drivers with unique working conditions. The Department should take 

into consideration the unique challenges associated with transporting live animals and agricultural commodities, as well as ensuring roadway safety. The Committee notes that the House Committee on Appropriations reported a Transportation, Housing and 

Urban Development, and Related Agencies, 2019 bill that prohibits 

funds from being used to enforce an electronic logging device mandate for livestock or insects. 

Definitions.—The Committee appreciates the guidance the Department announced regarding ELD and Hours of Service requirements related to the transportation of agricultural commodities including livestock. However, the Committee is concerned that the 

definition FMCSA uses for ‘‘agricultural commodity’’ is outdated 

and does not include certain livestock such as farm-raised, ornamental, and bait fish. The Committee directs the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to work together on a 

definition of livestock which includes farm-raised, ornamental and 

bait fish and that is more consistent with current programs operating under the Department of Agriculture. 
53 

MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $561,800,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 381,800,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 382,800,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides the necessary resources for Federal grants 

to support State compliance, enforcement, and other programs. 

Grants are also provided to States for enforcement efforts at both 

the southern and northern borders to ensure that all points of 

entry into the United States are fortified with comprehensive safety measures; improvement of State commercial driver’s license 

[CDL] oversight activities to prevent unqualified drivers from being 

issued CDLs; and the Performance Registration Information Systems and Management [PRISM] program, which links State motor 

vehicle registration systems with carrier safety data in order to 

identify unsafe commercial motor carriers. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract authorization of 

$382,800,000 for motor carrier safety grants. The recommended 

limitation is $179,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level and $1,000,000 more than the budget request. The Committee 

recommends a separate limitation on obligations for each grant 

program funded under this account with the funding allocation 

identified below. 

Amount 

Motor carrier safety assistance program [MCSAP] ......................................................................................... $304,300,000 

High priority activities program ....................................................................................................................... 44,000,000 

Commercial motor vehicle operator grants program ...................................................................................... 2,000,000 

Commercial driver’s license program implementation program ..................................................................... 32,500,000 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION—FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY

ADMINISTRATION

Section 130 subjects the funds in this act to section 350 of Public 

Law 107–87 in order to ensure the safety of all cross-border long 

haul operations conducted by Mexican-domiciled commercial carriers. 

Section 131 requires FMCSA to send notice of 49 CFR 385.308 

violations by certified mail, registered mail, or some other manner 

of delivery that records receipt of the notice by the persons responsible for violations. 
54 

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] 

was established as a separate organizational entity in the Department of Transportation in March of 1970 to administer motor vehicle and highway safety programs. It was the successor agency to 

the National Highway Safety Bureau, which was housed in the 

Federal Highway Administration. NHTSA is responsible for motor 

vehicle safety, highway safety behavioral programs, motor vehicle 

information, and automobile fuel economy programs. 

NHTSA’s mission is to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic 

losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. To accomplish these 

goals, NHTSA establishes and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, investigates 

safety defects in motor vehicles, and conducts research on driver 

behavior and traffic safety. NHTSA provides grants and technical 

assistance to State and local governments to enable them to conduct effective local highway safety programs. Together with State 

and local partners, NHTSA works to reduce the threat of drunk, 

impaired, and distracted driving, and to promote policies and devices with demonstrated safety benefits including helmets, child 

safety seats, airbags, and graduated license. NHTSA establishes 

and ensures compliance with fuel economy standards, investigates 

odometer fraud, establishes and enforces vehicle anti-theft regulations, and provides consumer information on a variety of motor vehicle safety topics. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $956,308,000, including both budget 

authority and limitations on the obligation of contract authority. 

This funding is $41,573,000 more than the President’s request and 

$9,104,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The following table summarizes Committee recommendations: 

General fund Highway trust fund Total 

Appropriation 2018 ........................................................................ $200,575,000 $746,629,000 $947,204,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 .................................................................. 152,427,000 762,308,000 914,735,000 

Committee recommendation .......................................................... 194,000,000 762,308,000 956,308,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

These programs support traffic safety programs and related research, demonstrations, technical assistance, and national leadership for highway safety programs conducted by State and local governments, the private sector, universities, research units, and various safety associations and organizations. These highway safety 

programs emphasize alcohol and drug countermeasures, vehicle occupant protection, traffic law enforcement, emergency medical and 

trauma care systems, traffic records and licensing, State and community traffic safety evaluations, protection of motorcycle riders, 

pedestrian and bicyclist safety, pupil transportation, distracted 

driving prevention, young and older driver safety, and improved accident investigation procedures. 
55 

OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH

General fund Highway trust fund Total 

Appropriation, fiscal year 2018 ..................................................... $189,075,000 $149,000,000 $338,075,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 .................................................................. 152,427,000 152,100,000 304,527,000 

Committee recommendation .......................................................... 190,000,000 152,100,000 342,100,000 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee provides $342,100,000 for Operations and Re- search, which is $37,573,000 more than the President’s budget request and $7,475,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Of the total amount recommended for Operations and Research, 

$190,000,000 is derived from the general fund and $152,100,000 is 

derived from the Highway Trust Fund. For vehicle safety research, 

the Committee recommendation includes $25,000,000 for 

rulemakings, of which not less than $16,000,000 is for the new car 

assessment program, $33,000,000 for enforcement, and $49,000,000 

for research and analysis. For highway safety research and development, the Committee recommendation includes $61,782,000 for 

highway safety programs, and $40,289,700 for the National Center 

for Statistics and Analysis. 

Autonomous Vehicles.—The Committee provided substantial, 

multi-year investment for automated vehicle [AV] research and 

demonstration in fiscal year 2018. The Committee expects regular 

updates on implementation of the programs, research, and projects, 

including coordinated activities between the Department and the 

Department of Labor. 

The Committee continues to recognize the rapid pace at which 

AV technology is developing, and is interested in validating the 

safety of new technology that would operate on our Nation’s roads 

at federally designated proving grounds. The Committee encourages the Secretary to solicit applications and designate additional 

proving grounds for testing, especially at locations that can demonstrate the capacity to test on existing facilities with an existing 

trained workforce. These new proving grounds should have the 

ability to conduct research independently or in conjunction with 

NHTSA’s Vehicle Research and Testing Center on passenger and 

commercial vehicles. 

Crashworthiness Research.—The Committee recognizes the importance that lightweight plastics and polymer composites play in 

improving automotive structural safety, meeting consumer demand 

for innovative vehicles, increasing fuel efficiency, and supporting 

new U.S. highly skilled manufacturing jobs. Using NHTSA program funds, NHTSA is directed to focus on updating the countermeasures in its frontal, side, rollover, front seatbacks and lower interior impacts for children and small adults, and pedestrian crashworthiness projects, with an emphasis on vehicle light weighting in 

both traditional and autonomous vehicle structural designs. 

NHTSA should leverage lessons learned from lightweight materials 

research at the Department, the Department of Energy, and by industry stakeholders in its development of safety-centered approaches for future lightweight automotive design. 

Impaired Driving.—The Committee remains concerned about the 

increasing rates of impaired driving, particularly in States that 
56 

adopt measures to decriminalize marijuana. The use of marijuana 

before or while driving is a critical public safety issue and the Committee directed NHTSA in Senate Report 114–253 to conduct a 

study of marijuana-impaired driving. The Committee recognizes 

the importance of impaired driving countermeasures at the community level in protecting public safety, and encourages NHTSA to expand its efforts with law enforcement to increase awareness and 

use of Drug Recognition Expert [DRE] and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement [ARIDE] training, particularly in 

States that have adopted recreational or medicinal marijuana laws. 

In order to further efforts to provide law enforcement with advanced training and skills to detect impaired driving, the Committee directs NHTSA to provide States with flexibility to use impaired driving countermeasures grant for DRE and ARIDE training. 

Tire Efficiency.—The FAST Act includes three tire-related provisions under section 24331, the ‘‘Tire Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015’’ or the ‘‘TESR Act’’. The provisions will contribute significantly to consumer safety, vehicle fuel economy and 

the competitiveness of the U.S. tire manufacturing industry and 

deserve the Department’s timely attention and resources. The Committee expects that the Secretary to expeditiously transmit the report on the Department’s schedule and status of three tire-related 

provisions, as directed by Senate Report 115–138. 

Truck Underride Safety Research.—NHTSA initiated a rulemaking to improve truck underride safety in December of 2015. 

The Committee encourages NHTSA to finalize this rulemaking and 

NHTSA shall consult with relevant experts and stakeholders including researchers, engineers, the trucking industry, and safety 

advocates, to facilitate the employment and adoption of rear and 

side underride protection devices. 

Drunk Driving Prevention.—NHTSA has partnered with leading 

automobile manufacturers in the Automotive Coalition for Traffic 

Safety on an ambitious research program to develop in-vehicle 

technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving that is publicly acceptable, unobtrusive for drivers below the legal limit of .08 BAC, 

reliable, and relatively inexpensive. The FAST Act provides 

$21,248,000 between fiscal years 2017 and 2020 for in-vehicle alcohol detection device research. The Committee continues to strongly 

support this promising research partnership, which has the potential to prevent thousands of drunk-driving deaths annually. The 

Committee recommendation includes $5,312,000 for continuation of 

this research in fiscal year 2019. 

Highway Fatalities.—The Committee is deeply concerned about 

the recent increases in highway fatalities, which increased by 8.4 

percent in 2015 and another 5.6 percent in 2016. Preliminary estimates for 2017 show a slight decrease, but the substantial fatality 

increases in 2015–2016 erased reductions that had been achieved 

in prior years. 

Strategies for zero highway deaths in the future and efforts to 

accelerate the development of AVs are an important part of 

NHTSA’s mission, but they should not divert attention from proven 

methods to address the immediate public health goal to reduce 

highway fatalities and injuries. The Committee believes that sub-
57 

stantial gains in achieving this goal can be realized in the coming 

years through a combination of technology and a renewed emphasis 

on drunk, drug-impaired, and distracted driving prevention, increased seat belt and child safety seat use, as well as innovative 

tools to improve motorcycle and pedestrian safety. The Committee 

is encouraged by initiatives like Road to Zero, which is committed 

to a goal of zero roadway fatalities by 2050. The Committee urges 

NHTSA to continue programs that will achieve the goal of consistently limiting highway fatalities. 

Drunk Driving Fatalities.—Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased 1.7 percent from 10,320 in 2015 to 10,497 in 2016. This 

total represents 28 percent of overall highway fatalities, the lowest 

percentage since 1982 when this data reporting began. The Committee continues to be concerned about the rate of drunk driving 

fatalities on our highways and encourages NHTSA to work with interested stakeholders, particularly the law enforcement community, 

which is essential to addressing drunk driving. The Committee continues to provide substantial support for the Drive Sober or Get 

Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaigns and encourages 

engagement with law enforcement to make the campaigns more 

pervasive and effective. 

Seat Belts.—There have been remarkable gains in the national 

seat belt use rate, with the national average at 90 percent, an approximately 75 percent increase in 35 years. The adoption of strong 

State seat belt use laws and high visibility enforcement programs 

such as Click It or Ticket have been instrumental in bringing about 

this major cultural shift. The result is that more than 14,000 lives 

were saved in 2016 due to seat belt use, but some States still lag 

in their belt use rates. An estimated 50 percent of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities are unbelted, and millions are not using the 

most effective safety equipment in their vehicles. A technology solution, such as enhanced belt use reminders for drivers and passengers, might be useful to reach the goal of universal belt use and 

save lives. The Committee therefore directs NHTSA to provide a 

report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 

within 180 days of enactment of this act, on the potential types and 

benefits of technology enhancements to increase seat belt use and 

efforts by the agency and vehicle manufacturers to increase belt 

use through technology. 

Child Hyperthermia Prevention.—The Committee continues to 

recognize the child safety crisis involving children left alone in 

motor vehicles who succumb to hyperthermia, and has favorably 

cited the awareness programs conducted by NHTSA. The Committee directs NHTSA to continue and expand its public education 

and outreach efforts on child hot car death prevention through a 

public call to action encouraging public messaging and involvement 

from a broad group of organizations, government agencies, medical 

professionals and others who regularly interact with parents and 

the public. The Committee also directs NHTSA to provide updates 

on previously mandated studies and outreach efforts, including 

findings on effectiveness and statistics and trends on injuries and 

deaths associated with hyperthermia. 

Recall Component Parts.—Section 24116 of the FAST Act requires auto manufacturers to provide component names, descrip-
58 

tions, and part number information in recall reports they file with 

NHTSA. However, there is no method for businesses who recycle 

or repair automotive parts to look up individual parts involved in 

a recall by Vehicle Identification Number [VIN]. The Committee directs NHTSA to update the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on manufacturers’ compliance rates with the FAST 

Act mandate and to provide the Committees with an analysis of 

what benefits could be achieved through a searchable VIN database and the resources that would be required to implement such 

a database within 120 days enactment of this act. 

HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

(HIGHWAY TRUST FUND)

Limitation, 2018 ..................................................................................... $597,629,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 610,208,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 610,208,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The most recent surface transportation authorization, the FAST 

Act, reauthorizes the section 402 State and community formula 

grants, the high visibility enforcement grants, and the consolidated 

National Priority Safety Program which consists of occupant protection grants, State traffic safety information grants, impaired 

driving countermeasures grants, distracted driving grants, motorcycle safety grants, State graduated driver license grants, and nonmotorized safety grants. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on obligations and authority to liquidate an equal amount of contract authorization of 

$610,208,000 for the highway traffic safety grant programs funded 

under this heading. The recommended limitation is equal to the 

budget estimate and $12,579,000 above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Committee continues to recommend prohibiting the use of 

section 402 funds for construction, rehabilitation or remodeling 

costs, or for office furnishings and fixtures for State, local, or private buildings or structures. 

The authorized funding for administrative expenses and for each 

grant program is as follows: 

Amount 

Highway Safety Programs (section 402) ......................................................................................................... $270,400,000 

National Priority Safety Programs (section 405) ............................................................................................. 283,000,000 

High Visibility Enforcement Program ............................................................................................................... 30,200,000 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................................. 26,608,000 

Total .................................................................................................................................................... 610,208,000 
59 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY

ADMINISTRATION

Section 140 makes available $130,000 of obligation authority for 

section 402 of title 23 U.S.C. to pay for travel and expenses for 

State management reviews and highway safety staff core competency development training. 

Section 141 exempts obligation authority, made available in previous public laws, from limitations on obligations for the current 

year. 

Section 142 provides additional funding for highway safety programs. 

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

The Federal Railroad Administration [FRA] became an operating 

administration within the Department of Transportation on April 

1, 1967. It incorporated the Bureau of Railroad Safety from the 

Interstate Commerce Commission, the Office of High Speed Ground 

Transportation from the Department of Commerce, and the Alaska 

Railroad from the Department of the Interior. FRA is responsible 

for planning, developing, and administering programs to achieve 

safe operating and mechanical practices in the railroad industry. 

Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak] 

and other financial assistance programs to rehabilitate and improve the railroad industry’s physical infrastructure are also administered by the Federal Railroad Administration. 

SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $221,698,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 202,304,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 221,698,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Safety and Operations account provides support for FRA rail 

safety activities and all other administrative and operating activities related to staff and programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recognizes the importance of taking a holistic approach to improving railroad safety and supports a comprehensive 

strategy of data-driven regulatory and inspection efforts, proactive 

approaches to identify and mitigate risks, and strategic capital investments in order to improve safety. 

The Committee recommends $221,698,000 for Safety and Operations for fiscal year 2019, which is $19,394,000 more than the 

budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The 

bill provides sufficient funding to administer FRA programs, including safety inspection, the safe transportation of energy products, the Confidential Close Call Program, the national bridge system inventory, grant administration, the Railroad Safety Information System, research and development activities, and contract support. The Committee recommendation continues to include 

$10,000,000 for staff and contractors to aid and oversee Positive 
60 

Train Control [PTC] implementation. The Committee remains concerned with delays in hiring staff for PTC oversight and expects 

the Secretary to hire staff up to the appropriated levels. 

Automated Track Inspection Program [ATIP].—ATIP provides 

track geometry information, as well as other track-related performance data, to assess compliance with FRA Track Safety Standards. 

The data collected by ATIP is used by FRA inspectors and railroads 

to ensure proper track maintenance and to assess track safety 

trends within the industry. The Committee recommendation includes $16,500,000 for ATIP and urges FRA to continue to expand 

the use of ATIP vehicles to support the inspection of routes transporting passengers and hazardous materials like crude oil and energy products. 

Positive Train Control.—On May 16, 2018, the Committee held 

a hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of Rail Safety Programs’’ to examine 

the status of PTC implementation and other rail safety programs. 

Many railroads have made significant progress and are on schedule 

to either meet the December 31, 2018, deadline or qualify for an 

alternative schedule until December 31, 2020, but several railroads 

at risk of having to curtail or cancel service. Congress has provided 

significant funding to help railroads meet the deadline, but the Department has unnecessarily delayed and complicated the release of 

this funding. Funding for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and 

Safety Improvements [CRISI] grant program for fiscal year 2017 

was appropriated in May 2017, but the NOFO was not issued by 

the Department until February 2018, a nine month delay. Awards 

have yet to be made. For fiscal year 2018, the Department issued 

a NOFO within two months of the date of enactment, but only for 

$250,000,000 of the $592,547,000 appropriated. The Committee 

specifically set aside a minimum of $250,000,000 for PTC grants, 

but the Department’s decision to bifurcate funding into two separate NOFOs essentially prevents the remaining funds from being 

used for PTC implementation in this fiscal year. Given the widespread demand for PTC assistance among commuter railroads, 

many of which are struggling to install hardware and train employees by December 31, 2018, the Department’s decision is counterproductive. The Committee recommendation includes deadlines for 

administering FRA’s grant programs to demonstrate the urgency of 

making these funds available. In addition, not later than September 30, 2018, FRA is directed to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a report providing: (1) a determination as to status of all railroads meeting, or qualifying for an 

extension of, the December 31, 2018, deadline for the implementation of PTC, (2) an enforcement plan against railroads that do not 

qualify for a PTC extension, (3) an assessment of the effects on rail 

service for those railroads not expected to qualify for an extension, 

and (4) a plan for conducting reviews under 49 U.S.C. 20157(a)(3) 

in compliance with applicable statutory time limits. 

Bench Test Equipment.—The Committee recognizes the crucial 

role test equipment plays in rail safety and continues to encourage 

FRA to adopt standardized Bench Test Equipment [BTE] to replace 

numerous legacy and aging test and diagnostic equipment. Standardization on proven performance verification methods could provide increased safety for the traveling public, shorter schedules for 
61 

new technology deployments, such as PTC or communicationsbased train control, reduce down time related to faulty systems, 

and reduce or eliminate serious accidents. Therefore, the Committee encourages DOT to work with the private sector to perform 

an extended business case analysis supporting standardized performance verification and diagnostics for safety critical electronics 

systems. The study should involve DOT and local transit authorities implementing an interoperable open architecture BTE. Similar 

efforts have proven successful in reducing overall cost while increasing safety when sponsored by the FAA and the Department of 

Defense. 

RAILROAD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $40,600,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 19,550,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 40,600,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Railroad Research and Development program provides 

science and technology support for FRA’s rail safety rulemaking 

and enforcement efforts. It also supports technological advances in 

conventional and high-speed railroads, as well as evaluations of the 

role of railroads in the Nation’s transportation system. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $40,600,000 for 

railroad Research and Development, which is $21,050,000 more 

than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

Short Line Safety Institute.—Short line railroads operate approximately 50,000 miles of track, which is one-third of the national 

railroad network. They are an important feeder system for the larger Class I railroads, helping connect local communities to the national railroad network. There are 550 short line railroads operating in the United States, 73 of which currently handle some volume of energy products. The safety management system of short 

lines is extremely varied. Many small railroads with limited personnel and limited financial capital need additional resources to 

conduct hazardous materials safety training and other operational 

safety assessments. The Committee continues to support FRA’s efforts, in partnership with short line and regional railroads, to build 

a stronger, more sustainable safety culture in this segment of the 

rail industry. To date, several Class III railroads, including those 

that transport crude oil, have received safety culture assessments 

in order to improve railroad safety culture. The Committee’s recommendation includes $2,500,000 to fund the Short Line Safety Institute and its mission, including continued efforts to improve the 

safe transportation of crude oil, other hazardous materials, freight, 

and passenger rail. 

Tank Car Research.—The Committee remains committed to rail 

safety through significant investments in rail safety personnel, research, grants, and oversight. The Committee’s recommendation includes sufficient funding to continue tank car research activities re-
62 

lated to the safe transportation of energy products in partnership 

with other Federal agencies. 

Research Partnerships with Universities.—The Committee’s recommendation includes up to $5,000,000 for partnerships with 

qualified universities on research related to improving the safety, 

capacity, and efficiency of the Nation’s rail infrastructure, including 

$1,000,000 for research on intelligent railroad systems. This includes basic and applied research related to rolling stock, operational reliability, infrastructure, inspection technology, maintenance, energy efficiency, the development of rail safety technologies, such as positive train control, grade crossing safety improvements, and derailment prevention, particularly for trains carrying passengers and hazardous materials. Research conducted in 

conjunction with FRA at universities should also be structured to 

facilitate the education and training of the next generation of professionals in rail engineering and transportation. 

RAILROAD REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING PROGRAM

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing [RRIF] 

program was established by Public Law 109–178 to provide direct 

loans and loan guarantees to State and local governments, Government-sponsored entities, and railroads. Credit assistance under the 

program may be used for rehabilitating or developing rail equipment and facilities. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation allows the credit risk premium 

for RRIF loans to be eligible for grants under the National Infrastructure Investments account. 

RRIF Credit Risk Premium Repayment.—A requirement to define 

‘‘cohorts’’ in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 if executed, 

would unintentionally result in a modification cost for CRP repayment and, instead of being treated as a reestimate, as defined by 

the Federal Credit Reform Act [FCRA], such modification cost 

would require upfront budget authority to execute. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 provided a $25,000,000 appropriation for RRIF, but the intent of the Committee was for those funds 

to be used for the cost of new loans, not modification costs. The 

Committee recommendation does not continue the 2018 requirement for an annual cohort definition, and instead, DOT and OMB 

should establish a definition of cohorts that is consistent with section 504(e) of FCRA and RRIF statutory requirements. This recommendation, by simply accelerating the timing of defining cohort, 

would not change the definition from the underlying statute and 

regulations, and would ensure that the $25,000,000 provided in the 

2018 Omnibus would be available for the cost of new RRIF loans, 

while at the same time hopefully minimizing the length of time the 

government retains possession of the CRP balances. 
63 

FEDERAL-STATE PARTNERSHIP FOR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $250,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 300,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant 

program provides support for capital projects that reduce the state 

of good repair backlog with respect to qualified railroad assets, as 

authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24911. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $300,000,000 for the Federal-State 

Partnership for State of Good Repair Grants [SOGR], which is 

$300,000,000 more than the budget request and $50,000,000 more 

than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The recommendation is 

consistent with the level authorized under section 11103 of Public 

Law 114–94. The Committee is aware of the growing backlog of 

state of good repair and improvement needs on many of the country’s important passenger routes. The Committee is dismayed by 

the lack of urgency demonstrated by the Department in issuing the 

NOFO for SOGR funding appropriated in fiscal years 2017 and 

2018 to improve the safety and state of good repair of the Nation’s 

railroad system. The Committee directs the Department to publish 

a NOFO consistent with the eligibility guidelines from the FAST 

Act for all appropriated funding for SOGR from fiscal years 2017, 

2018 and 2019 within 30 days of the date of enactment of this act 

and to make awards to eligible grantees within 180 days of the 

date of enactment of this act. 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $592,547,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 255,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements 

[CRISI] Grants provide support for projects authorized under 49 

U.S.C. 24407(c). 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $255,000,000 for the CRISI Grants, 

which is $255,000,000 more than the budget request and 

$337,547,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. This recommendation is consistent with the level authorized under section 

11102 of Public Law 114–94, of which 25 percent shall be available 

for projects in rural areas. The Committee notes that PTC-related 

implementation costs are eligible expenses and directs the Department to prioritize these funds for railroads most at risk of not 

meeting the PTC deadline. The Committee recognizes the importance of improving the safety of rail transportation, both freight 
64 

and passenger, as well as improving the safety of our entire transportation network. 

The Committee directs the Department to release a NOFO that 

encompasses the remaining fiscal year 2018 CRISI funds and the 

fiscal year 2019 funds provided in this act within 30 days of the 

enactment of this act and to clarify that these funds are eligible for 

PTC-related expenses. Furthermore, the Department is directed to 

make awards to eligible grantees using the entirety of any remaining funds from fiscal year 2018 and the funds provided in fiscal 

year 2019 within 120 days of enactment of this act, to assist with 

implementation costs for railroads that are behind schedule or that 

received extensions, as well as ongoing maintenance costs for railroads that have systems already in place, remain eligible for these 

funds. 

The Committee encourages the Secretary to allow recipients to 

use grant funds for eligible non-construction expenses, such as the 

installation of onboard locomotive apparatuses, back office server 

technology, and other core functionalities of PTC. After obligation, 

the Secretary may reimburse recipients for such expenses even if 

such expenses were incurred before the completion of Federal environmental reviews conducted to support the obligation, as permitted by law. Maintenance and operations costs incurred after a 

PTC system is placed in revenue service are not eligible. 

RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $20,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 10,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Restoration and Enhancement Grant program provides support for operating assistance and capital investments to initiate, restore, or enhance intercity passenger rail service, as authorized 

under 49 U.S.C. 24408. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for Restoration and Enhancement Grants, which is $10,000,000 more than the budget request and $10,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Committee expects non-Federal stakeholders to make financial 

or in-kind contributions to projects receiving awards under this 

program. The Committee directs the Department to publish a 

NOFO for Restoration and Enhancement Grants within 30 days of 

enactment of this act and to make awards to eligible grantees within 120 days of enactment of this act. 

THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION [AMTRAK]

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $1,941,600,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 737,897,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 1,941,600,000 
65 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation [Amtrak] operates 

intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in various capacities 

for several commuter rail agencies. Congress created Amtrak in the 

Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 (Public Law 91–518) in response to private carriers’ inability to profitably operate intercity 

passenger rail service. Thereafter, Amtrak assumed the common 

carrier obligations of the private railroads in exchange for the right 

to priority access to their tracks for incremental cost. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 

$1,941,600,000 for Amtrak, which is $1,203,703,000 more than the 

budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The 

Committee directs FRA to make a timely disbursement of funds in 

accordance with the FAST Act to maximize the Corporation’s ability to efficiently manage its cash flow. Each year, Amtrak is responsible for significant one-time cash overflows at the beginning 

of the calendar year. In order to help facilitate these payments, the 

Committee directs the FRA to release adequate funding in the first 

quarter of the fiscal year in order to efficiently manage Amtrak’s 

financial obligations in a timely manner. 

Speed Limit Action Plans.—The Committee notes that section 

11406 of the FAST Act required each railroad carrier providing 

intercity or commuter rail service to survey its entire system and 

identify each curve, bridge, or tunnel requiring a reduction of more 

than 20 miles per hour from the approach speed and to submit an 

action plan detailing steps the railroad carrier would take to enhance safety at these locations. Based on the timeline within the 

FAST Act, such plans were due to the FRA by July 4, 2016, and 

FRA subsequently had 90 days to approve or disapprove such 

plans. The Committee is concerned that these speed limit action 

plans do not reflect new routes or segments of track that railroad 

carriers have put into service after the initial plan submissions. 

The Committee remains concerned about the dangers of over-speed 

derailments on routes where PTC is not fully implemented and in 

service. The Committee directs Amtrak to complete and implement 

a speed limit action plan, as defined in section 11406 of the FAST 

Act, for each route on its network until such route has PTC fully 

implemented and operational. 

Improving Communication with Stakeholders.—The Committee 

applauds Amtrak’s efforts to make itself financially more sustainable through a business-like approach to its operations. However, 

the Committee is concerned that the Corporation is failing to communicate adequately with the public prior to making service 

changes that have significant impacts on its ridership and the communities it serves. This past year, Amtrak made a series of 

changes to longstanding policies governing charter trains, special 

trains, station agents, and private cars. Many of these changes 

were justified adjustments to services that were costly or interfered 

with the operation of Amtrak’s regularly scheduled passenger 

trains. However, the Committee is concerned that Amtrak unveiled 
66 

these decisions without giving members of the public time to react 

or register their opinions. 

Amtrak is, at times, one of the only operators available to private 

and non-profit organizations that utilize charter trains, special 

trains, and private trains, making its cooperation and communication with those organizations critical to their existence. In order to 

improve the transparency of Amtrak’s recent decisions, the Committee directs Amtrak to report on the effects of its changes in policy to charter trains, special trains, and private trains, including 

impacts on on-time performance, operational efficiency, and revenue. The information in the report should inform the Committee 

whether these policies could be improved upon without negatively 

impacting previously provided services. This report shall be included within Amtrak’s fiscal year 2020 budget request and include 

metrics used to determine pricing for these services. 

The Committee encourages Amtrak to improve public outreach 

and offer its stakeholders an opportunity to comment on policies 

that affect services prior to finalizing any such decisions. This consultation should include communication prior to changing previous 

commitments made by Amtrak regarding conditions of acceptance 

of Federal grant funding. 

Amtrak Station Agents.—The Committee recognizes that while 

the majority of Amtrak’s ticket sales take place online, there are 

still areas in the country lacking sufficient access to the Internet, 

making online sales prohibitively difficult. Senior residents and disadvantaged populations are less likely to have a credit card or another means to purchase tickets remotely, but rely on passenger 

rail for intercity connectivity, particularly in communities without 

access to air travel. Station agents can provide customer service, 

assistance, and safety for passengers in those communities in ways 

that a ticket kiosk simply cannot. The Committee directs Amtrak 

to provide at least one station agent in every state where it operates that had at least one station agent in fiscal year 2018, and reiterates its encouragement to improve public outreach prior to 

making customer service changes. 

Budget and Business Plan.—The Committee continues to direct 

Amtrak to submit a business plan in accordance with section 

11203(b) of Public Law 114–94 for fiscal year 2019. The Corporation shall continue to submit a budget request for fiscal year 2020 

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in similar 

format and substance to those submitted by executive agencies of 

the Federal Government. 

FRA Grant Administration and Report Streamlining.—The Committee recognizes that Amtrak fields a myriad of grant requirements from the FRA. The Committee is supportive of robust oversight by the FRA; however, to the extent practicable, the FRA is 

encouraged to work with Amtrak to reduce duplication and streamline their reporting requirements. 

Train Scheduling.—The Committee recognizes the role of passenger rail as an alternative to airplane travel in certain areas, especially for distances under 500 miles. However, weekday Amtrak 

service between Washington and Boston contains a striking gap between afternoon trains. On a typical afternoon, there is over a sixhour gap between the Washington to Boston Northeast Regional 
67 

train that leaves around 4:00 p.m. and the next train that leaves 

after 10:00 p.m. The Committee directs the Department and Amtrak to evaluate options to address this scheduling gap and report 

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 

days of the enactment of this act. Such options should contain no 

more than a two-hour gap between trains between the hours of 

4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. and include cost estimates for each option. 

Food and Beverage.—Since 2015, the Committee has required 

Amtrak to report on its savings initiatives. The FAST Act formalized this planning and implementation process providing specific 

requirements to eliminate operating losses associated with providing food and beverage services on board Amtrak trains by 2020. 

The Committee urges Amtrak to continue to take actions that 

would allow it to produce a net loss of zero on its food and beverage 

services consistent with the FAST Act deadline. The Committee directs Amtrak to provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than 120 days after enactment of 

this act comparing the actual fiscal year 2018 savings with Amtrak 

projections. 

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD

PASSENGER CORPORATION

The Committee recommends $650,000,000 for Northeast Corridor 

Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes no more 

than $5,000,000 for the use of the Northeast Corridor Commission 

established under section 24905 of title 49, United States Code. 

NATIONAL NETWORK GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER

CORPORATION

The Committee recommends $1,291,600,000 for National Network Grants to Amtrak. The funding level provided includes no 

more than $2,000,000 for use of the State-Supported Route Committee established in the FAST Act and at least $50,000,000 shall 

be for installation of safety technology on certain State-supported 

routes. 

National Network Services.—Long-distance routes provide much 

needed transportation access for 4.7 million riders in 325 communities in 40 States. Providing diversified transportation options is 

important to the growth of the Nation’s economy, especially in 

rural areas where mobility options are limited. Equally important 

are routes that provide service to rural areas from urban areas 

along the Northeast Corridor. The budget request includes a proposal to require States to contribute substantially more funding for 

service on the National Network, which would significantly curtail 

the Federal Government’s longstanding role in providing rail service to the vast majority of States served by Amtrak. The administration’s request would shift significant shared and system-related 

costs to the NEC and State-supported routes. The Committee recommendation rejects this proposal and includes sufficient funding 

for Amtrak to maintain rail service and connectivity on the National Network. 

On-Time Performance Study.—The Government Accountability 

Office [GAO] is directed to issue a report that will include: (1) a 

description of the processes used to collect and calculate Amtrak 
68 

on-time performance data and metrics; (2) a description of the processes used to determine the causes of on-time performance delays, 

such as signal delays, freight train interference, or routing; and (3) 

an assessment of the process used to coordinate between Amtrak 

and host railroads to confirm and finalize on-time performance 

data and metrics. The report may also include recommendations for 

improving the way on-time performance data is collected and how 

communication between Amtrak and host railroads regarding ontime performance data collection can be improved. 

The Committee directs the GAO to submit this report to the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days 

of enactment of this act. 

Gulf Coast Rail Service.—Section 11304 of the FAST Act required the Gulf Coast Working Group [GCWG], to evaluate all options for restoring passenger rail service in the gulf coast region, 

select a preferred option for service, develop an inventory and cost 

estimate of capital projects to restore service, and identify Federal 

and non-Federal funding to restore service. The Committee is encouraged by progress the GCWG is making to restore service between New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama. The Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 in Restoration and 

Enhancement Grants for operating assistance for projects that contribute to the initiation or restoration of intercity passenger rail 

service. The Committee expects non-Federal stakeholders to make 

financial or in-kind contributions to projects receiving awards 

under this program. In addition, the Committee directs FRA to 

make the $500,000 previously appropriated available to the Gulf 

Coast Working Group. 

Passenger Rail in the Bakken Region.—The Committee recognizes the importance of improving the financial viability of Amtrak’s Empire Builder and the growth in demand for passenger rail 

service in the Bakken region and the northern corridor. The Committee directs Amtrak to continue to work with local officials, taking into account the results of the updated Amtrak Empire Builder 

feasibility study, to address the prospect of adding new passenger 

rail stops that generate revenue and reduce operating costs of the 

Empire Builder and other national network routes. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Section 150 limits overtime payments to employees at Amtrak to 

$35,000 per employee. However, Amtrak’s president may waive 

this restriction for specific employees for safety or operational efficiency reasons. If the cap is waived, Amtrak must notify the House 

and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days and 

specify the number of employees receiving waivers and the total 

amount of overtime payments made to employees receiving waivers. 

FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Transit Administration [FTA] was established as a 

component of the Department of Transportation by Reorganization 

Plan No. 2 of 1968, effective July 1, 1968, which transferred most 
69 

of the functions and programs under the Federal Transit Act of 

1964, as amended (78 Stat. 302; 49 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), from the 

Department of Housing and Urban Development. The missions of 

the FTA are: to help develop improved mass transportation systems and practices; to support the inclusion of public transportation in community and regional planning to support economic development; to provide mobility for Americans who depend on transit for transportation in both metropolitan and rural areas; to 

maximize the productivity and efficiency of transportation systems; 

and to provide assistance to State and local governments and agencies in financing such services and systems. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

Under the Committee recommendations, a total program level of 

$13,513,672,000 is provided for FTA programs in fiscal year 2019. 

The recommendation is $2,395,110,000 more than the budget request and $33,194,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

General fund Highway trust fund Total 

Appropriation 2018 ........................................................................ $3,747,125,000 $9,733,353,407 $13,480,478,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 .................................................................. 1,179,182,000 9,939,380,030 11,118,562,030 

Committee recommendation .......................................................... 3,436,448,000 9,939,380,030 13,513,672,030 

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $113,165,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 111,742,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 113,165,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Administrative expenses fund personnel, contract resources, information technology, space management, travel, training, and 

other administrative expenses necessary to carry out FTA’s mission 

to support, improve, and help ensure the safety of public transportation systems. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $113,165,000 from the 

general fund for the agency’s salaries and administrative expenses. 

The recommended level of funding is $1,423,000 more than the 

budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Project Management Oversight [PMO] Activities.—The Committee 

directs FTA to continue to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations the quarterly PMO reports for each 

project with a full funding grant agreement. 

Full Funding Grant Agreements [FFGAs].—Section 5309(k) of 

title 49, U.S.C. requires that FTA notify the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations, as well as the House Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on 

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 30 days before executing a 

FFGA. In its notification to the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations, the Committee directs FTA to submit the following 

information: (1) a copy of the proposed FFGA; (2) the total and an-
70 

nual Federal appropriations required for the project; (3) the yearly 

and total Federal appropriations that can be planned or anticipated 

for existing FFGAs for each fiscal year through 2020; (4) a detailed 

analysis of annual commitments for current and anticipated 

FFGAs against the program authorization, by individual project; 

(5) a financial analysis of the project’s cost and sponsor’s ability to 

finance the project, which shall be conducted by an independent examiner and which shall include an assessment of the capital cost 

estimate and finance plan; (6) the source and security of all public 

and private sector financing; (7) the project’s operating plan, which 

enumerates the project’s future revenue and ridership forecasts; 

and (8) a listing of all planned contingencies and possible risks associated with the project. 

The Committee also directs FTA to inform the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations in writing 30 days before approving 

schedule, scope, or budget changes to any FFGA. Correspondence 

relating to all changes shall include any budget revisions or program changes that materially alter the project as originally stipulated in the FFGA, including any proposed change in rail car procurement. 

The Committee directs FTA to continue to provide a monthly 

Capital Investment Grant program update to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, detailing the status of each 

project. This update should include anticipated milestone schedules 

for advancing projects, especially those within 2 years of a proposed 

FFGA. It should also highlight and explain any potential cost and 

schedule changes affecting projects. 

Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility.—In 2018, the Committee directed the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility to 

develop a plan, and report to Congress within 180 days, with options to eliminate duplication, provide efficient serve service for 

people in need, and increase coordination between the various Federal departments operating programs for the transportation-disadvantaged. The Committee maintains the requirement and directs 

the Department to provide a status update on the report. 

Commuter Rail Service in States Neighboring Washington, DC.— 

The Committee is concerned that transit service for Federal workers in the Washington, DC area may become disrupted for those 

living in nearby States if service is suspended or terminated on 

lines relied upon by employees. The Committee encourages FTA to 

work with States to help them maintain rail service providing commuter access to Washington, DC. 

FORMULA GRANTS

(LIQUIDATION OF CONTRACT AUTHORITY)

(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)

Obligation limitation 

(trust fund) 

Appropriations, 2018 ........................................................................................................................................ $9,733,353,407 

Budget estimate, 2019 .................................................................................................................................... 9,939,380,030 

Committee recommendation ............................................................................................................................ 9,939,380,030 
71 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Communities use Formula Grants funds for bus and railcar purchases, facility repair and construction, maintenance, and where eligible, planning and operating expenses. The Formula Grants account includes funding for the following programs: transit-oriented 

development; planning programs; urbanized area formula grants; 

enhanced mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities; a 

pilot program for enhanced mobility; formula grants for rural 

areas; public transportation innovation; technical assistance and 

workforce development, including a national transit institute; a bus 

testing facility; the national transit database; state of good repairs 

grants; bus and bus facilities formulas grants; and growing States 

and high-density States formula grants. Set-asides from formula 

funds are directed to a grant program for each State with rail systems not regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration to meet 

the requirements for a State Safety Oversight program. The account also provides funding to support passenger ferry services and 

public transportation on Indian reservations. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends limiting obligations in the transit 

formula and bus grants account in fiscal year 2019 to 

$9,939,380,030. The recommendation is equal to the budget request 

and $206,027,623 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The 

recommendation is also consistent with the currently authorized 

level under the FAST Act. The Committee recommends 

$9,900,000,000 in authority to liquidate contract authorizations. 

This amount is sufficient to cover outstanding obligations from this 

account. The following table displays the distribution of obligation 

limitation among the program categories of formula grants: 

DISTRIBUTION OF OBLIGATION LIMITATION AMONG MAJOR CATEGORIES OF FORMULA GRANTS 

Formula grants (obligation limitation) Section number Fiscal year 2018 

Fiscal year 2019 

Administration 

proposal 

Committee 

assumption 

Transit Oriented Development ............. 20005(b) ..................... $10,000,000 $10,000,000 $10,000,000 

Planning Programs .............................. 5305 ........................... 136,200,310 139,087,757 139,087,757 

Urbanized Area Formula Grants .......... 5307 ........................... 4,726,907,174 4,827,117,606 4,827,117,606 

Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities..5310 ........................... 273,840,764 279,646,188 279,646,188 

Pilot Program for Enhanced Mobility .. 3006(b) ....................... 3,250,000 3,500,000 3,500,000 

Formula Grants for Rural Areas .......... 5311 ........................... 645,634,578 659,322,031 659,322,031 

Public Transportation Innovation ........ 5312 ........................... 28,000,000 28,000,000 28,000,000 

Technical Assistance and Workforce 

Development.

5314 ........................... 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000 

Bus Testing Facilities .......................... 5318 ........................... 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 

National Transit Database .................. 5335 ........................... 4,000,000 4,000,000 4,000,000 

State of Good Repair Grants ............... 5337 ........................... 2,593,703,558 2,638,366,859 2,638,366,859 

Bus and Bus Facilities Grants ............ 5339 ........................... 747,033,476 777,024,469 777,024,469 

Growing States and High Density 

States.

5340 ........................... 552,783,547 561,315,120 561,315,120 

Total ....................................... ..................................... 9,733,353,407 9,939,380,030 9,939,380,030 

Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program.—The Committee continues to support the FAST Act’s inclusion of competitive grants in 
72 

the buses and bus facilities grant program and continues to encourage FTA to follow the guidance set forth in the FAST Act when developing selection criteria for the program. Consistent with section 

3017 of the FAST Act, the age and condition of buses, bus fleets, 

related equipment, and bus-related facilities should be the primary 

consideration for selection criteria. 

Low-Emissions Transit in Non-Attainment Areas.—The Committee directs FTA to partner with experienced transit research 

consortia to research best practices for increasing deployment of 

low-emissions public transportation in non-attainment areas. 

Improving Rural Transit Access.—The Committee continues to 

recognize the importance of ensuring safe, private transportation is 

made available for seniors and people who do not drive, especially 

in small and rural communities where distance and low population 

density make traditional mass transportation difficult. The efficiencies of information management can help to provide on-demand 

transportation services and bring together underutilized private 

transportation capacity through ride share, car share, volunteer 

transport, and private community transport. The Committee encourages FTA to consider innovative transportation networks that 

leverage community volunteerism and private resources in various 

forms to access underutilized private transportation capacity to 

promote inclusive community mobility and provide transportation 

for seniors and disadvantaged populations in small and rural communities. Further, the Committee supports increasing the capacity 

of consumers to plan their travel safely, independently, and reliably through a variety of techniques and tools. 

TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $834,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 800,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for Transit Infrastructure 

Grants to address targeted capital, operating, and state of good repair needs for public transportation providers and services across 

America. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an additional $800,000,000 in transit infrastructure grants to remain available until expended. Of the 

funds provided, $400,000,000 is available for buses and bus facilities grants authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5339, of which $209,104,000 

is provided for formula grants, $161,446,000 is provided for competitive grants, and $29,450,000 is provided for low or no emission 

grants. In addition, $362,000,000 is available for state of good repair grants authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5337, $30,000,000 is provided for high density State apportionments authorized under 49 

U.S.C. 5340(d), $2,000,000 is provided for the bus testing facility 

authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5318, and $6,000,000 is provided for 

bus testing facilities authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5312(h). The Committee recommendation includes funding from the general fund, 

and the funding is not subject to any limitation on obligations. 
73 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $5,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 5,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The FAST Act authorizes FTA to provide technical assistance 

under section 5314 of title 49 for human resource and training activities, and workforce development programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $5,000,000 for technical 

assistance and training, of which up to $1,500,000 shall fund cooperative agreements between FTA and small-urban, rural and tribal 

public transit recipients and organizations to assist with applied 

innovation and capacity building. The Committee recognizes the 

need among transit providers serving small cities and rural communities for technical assistance to help them take advantage of 

new technologies, including ride-hailing applications, autonomous 

shuttles, and micro-transit innovations, that are transforming how 

Americans use public transportation. This funding will provide 

rural and small city transit operators with hands-on technical assistance that will assist with the adoption of these new tools. 

The Committee expects funding under this heading to address 

workforce development needs within the public transportation industry, in addition to technical assistance and training to increase 

mobility for people with disabilities and older adults. 

CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $2,644,960,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 1,000,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 2,552,687,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Under the Capital Investment Grants [CIG] program, FTA provides grants to fund the building of new fixed guideway systems or 

extensions and improvements to existing fixed guideway systems. 

Eligible services include light rail, rapid rail (heavy rail), commuter 

rail, and bus rapid transit. The program includes funding for four 

categories of eligible projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309, and 

section 3005(b) of the FAST Act: New Starts, Small Starts, Core 

Capacity, and the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program. New 

Starts are projects with a Federal share under this section of at 

least $100,000,000 or a total net capital cost of at least 

$300,000,000. By comparison, Small Starts are projects with a Federal share under this section of less than $100,000,000—and total 

net capital cost less than $300,000,000. Core Capacity projects are 

those that will expand capacity by at least 10 percent in existing 

fixed-guideway transit corridors that are already at or above capacity, or are expected to be at or above capacity within 5 years. The 

FAST Act authorizes eight projects under the Expedited Project 

Delivery Pilot Program, consisting of New Starts, Small Starts, or 
74 

Core Capacity, that require no more than a 25 percent Federal 

share and are supported, in part, by a public private partnership. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $2,552,687,000 for capital investment grants, which is $92,273,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level, and $1,552,687,000 more than the request. The Committee recommendation includes $1,315,670,000 for new starts 

projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(d), $543,500,000 for core 

capacity projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(e), $568,000,000 

for small starts projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5309(h) and 

$100,000,000 for expedited project delivery for capital projects authorized under section 3005(b) of the FAST Act. 

Project Pipeline.—The Committee is concerned with unnecessary 

delays for projects seeking advancement into engineering or a 

grant agreement. These delays are costly for local project sponsors 

and create uncertainty for transit planners and providers across 

the country. The Committee directs the Secretary to continue to advance eligible projects into project development and engineering in 

the capital investment grant evaluation, rating, and approval process pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5309 and section 3005(b) of the FAST 

Act in all cases when projects meet the statutory criteria. The Committee also directs the Secretary to provide notice to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations of not less than 90 days 

prior to altering or rescinding any rule, circular or guidance relating to the evaluation, rating and approval process pursuant to 49 

U.S.C. 5309. 

Program Implementation.—GAO recently evaluated FTA’s compliance with requirements included in MAP–21 and the FAST Act. 

According to the report, FTA has failed to issue regulations establishing the evaluation and rating process for Core Capacity Improvement projects, has failed to establish a program of interrelated projects that would allow for the simultaneous development 

of more than one project within the CIG program, and has failed 

to implement the Expedited Project Delivery for Capital Investment Grants Pilot program. The Committee is particularly concerned that FTA has no immediate plans to address outstanding 

statutory provisions because the Administration’s budget request 

does not include any new CIG projects. The Committee is dismayed 

that FTA is ignoring statutory mandates in order to reflect a budget request that has been consistently rejected by Congress and directs the Department to implement the GAO recommendations 

within 60 days of the date of enactment of this act. 

Annual Report on Funding Recommendations.—The Committee 

directs the Secretary to submit the fiscal year 2020 annual report 

on funding recommendations required by 49 U.S.C. 5309(o), and directs the Secretary to maintain the Federal Government funding 

commitments for all existing grant agreements and identify all 

projects with a medium or higher rating that anticipate requesting 

a grant agreement in fiscal year 2020. 
75 

GRANTS TO THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT

AUTHORITY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $150,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 120,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 150,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This appropriation provides assistance to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA]. The Federal Rail Safety 

Improvements Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–432, title VI, section 

601) authorized DOT to make up to $150,000,000 available to 

WMATA annually for capital and preventive maintenance for a 10- 

year period. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $150,000,000 for grants 

to WMATA for capital and preventive maintenance expenses, including pressing safety-related investments, which is $30,000,000 

more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. These grants are in addition to the Federal formula 

and competitive grant funding WMATA receives and funding local 

jurisdictions have committed to providing to WMATA. The Committee directs WMATA, the local jurisdictions and FTA to continue 

to work with the authorizing committees on the issue of an authorization extension and on reforms necessary to ensure that any future Federal resources will be used efficiently. 

State of Good Repair.—While the Committee is encouraged by 

the progress made through WMATA’s SafeTrack program, the 

Committee is concerned that WMATA has plans to conduct additional track and station closures for extended periods of time, particularly in areas that previously experienced significant disruptions during SafeTrack. The Committee appreciates WMATA’s acceleration of renewal work, but is concerned about the decrease in 

ridership and rising capital needs and operating costs such service 

disruptions can cause. 

Financial Management.—The bill directs the Secretary to provide 

grants to WMATA only after receiving and reviewing a request for 

each specific project to be funded under this heading. The bill requires the Secretary to determine that WMATA has placed the 

highest priority on funding projects that will improve the safety of 

its public transit system before approving these grants, using the 

recommendations and directives of the NTSB and FTA as a guide. 

The Committee encourages the Secretary and WMATA to consider 

efficiencies that can be leveraged in the procurement of capital and 

preventative maintenance expenses. 

Wireless Service Extension.—The Committee reluctantly provides 

another 1-year extension for the wireless service requirement in 

the authorization statute. The Committee directs WMATA to continue to provide the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a quarterly report detailing its progress installing wireless 

service. The Committee directs WMATA to incorporate the installation of wireless infrastructure into the anticipated track and sta-
76 

tion closures where feasible to expedite provision of wireless service. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

Section 160 exempts authority previously made available for programs of the FTA under section 5338 of title 49, United States 

Code, from the obligation limitations in this act. 

Section 161 allows funds appropriated before October 1, 2018, 

that remain available for expenditure to be transferred to the most 

recent appropriation heading. 

Section 162 rescinds unobligated amounts made available for fiscal years 2005 or prior fiscal years to ‘‘Transit Formula Grants.’’ 

SAINT LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation [SLSDC] 

is a wholly-owned Government corporation established by the Saint 

Lawrence Seaway Act of May 13, 1954 (33 U.S.C. 981). The Saint 

Lawrence Seaway [Seaway] is a vital transportation corridor for 

the international movement of bulk commodities, such as steel, 

iron, grain, and coal, serving the North American region that 

makes up one-quarter of the United States population and nearly 

one-half of the Canadian population. SLSDC is responsible for the 

operation, maintenance, and development of the United States’ portion of the Seaway between Montreal and Lake Erie. 

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (HARBOR MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $40.000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 28,837,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 36,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund [HMTF] was established by 

the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99– 

662). Since 1987, the HMTF has supported the operations and 

maintenance of commercial harbor projects maintained by the Federal Government. Appropriations from the HMTF and revenues 

from non-Federal sources finance the operation and maintenance of 

those portions of the Seaway for which SLSDC is responsible. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $36,000,000 for the operations, 

maintenance, and capital asset renewal activities of SLSDC, of 

which not less than $16,000,000 is provided for capital asset renewal activities. This amount is $7,163,000 greater than the budget request and is $4,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. 

The Committee directs SLSDC to continue to submit an annual 

report to the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, not 

later than April 30, summarizing the activities of the Asset Renewal Program during the immediate preceding fiscal year. 
77 

MARITIME ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Administration [MARAD] is responsible for programs authorized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as amended 

(46 App. U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). MARAD is also responsible for programs that strengthen the U.S. maritime industry in support of the 

Nation’s security and economic needs. MARAD prioritizes the Department of Defense’s [DoD] use of ports and intermodal facilities 

during DoD mobilizations to guarantee the smooth flow of military 

cargo through commercial ports. MARAD manages the Maritime 

Security Program, the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement 

Program, and the Ready Reserve Force, which assure DoD access 

to commercial and strategic sealift and associated intermodal capacity. MARAD also continues to address the disposal of obsolete 

ships in the National Defense Reserve Fleet that are deemed a potential environmental risk. Further, MARAD administers education 

and training programs through the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and six State maritime schools that assist in providing skilled 

merchant marine officers who are capable of serving defense and 

commercial transportation needs. The Committee continues to fund 

MARAD in its support of the United States as a maritime Nation. 

MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $300,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 214,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 300,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Security Program [MSP] provides resources to 

maintain a U.S.-flag merchant fleet crewed by U.S. citizens to 

serve both the commercial and national security needs of the 

United States. The program provides direct payments to U.S.-flag 

ship operators engaged in U.S. foreign trade. Participating operators are required to keep the vessels in active commercial service 

and provide intermodal sealift support to DoD in times of war or 

national emergency. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $300,000,000 for 

the MSP. This amount is $86,000,000 above the budget request and 

equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Once again, the Committee rejects the Administration’s short-sighted proposal to cut 

funding for this program which would undermine the cost-effective 

sustainment of troops serving overseas. 

OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $513,642,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 452,428,000 

Committee recommendation1 ............................................................... 149,442,000 

1The Committee recommendation includes $340,200,000 for State Maritime Academies in a 

separate account. 
78 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Operations and Training appropriation primarily funds the 

salaries and expenses for MARAD headquarters and regional staff 

in the administration and direction for all MARAD programs. The 

account includes funding for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 

port and intermodal development, cargo preference, international 

trade relations, deep-water port licensing and administrative support costs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $149,442,000 for Operations and 

Training. Of the total amount provided, $71,000,000 is for the U.S. 

Merchant Marine Academy operations, $10,000,000 is for capital 

improvements, $8,000,000 is for equipment, and maintenance and 

repairs, and $60,442,000 is for MARAD operations, which includes 

$7,000,000 for the Short Sea Shipping program and $3,000,000 for 

environment and technology grants. The Committee recommendation moves budget activities to support the six State Maritime 

Academies into a separate ‘‘State Maritime Academy Operations’’ 

account, resulting in a $340,200,000 re-allocation of resources for 

fiscal year 2019. 

Short Sea Shipping Program.—The Committee recommendation 

includes $7,000,000 for the Short Sea Shipping program, commonly 

known as the Marine Highway program. Projects funded by this 

grant program will help mitigate landside congestion, encourage 

shipper utilization, improve port and landside infrastructure, and 

develop marine transportation strategies by State and local governments. 

United States Merchant Marine Academy Spend Plan.—The 

Committee directs the Secretary, in consultation with the Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the 

Maritime Administrator, to complete a spend plan anticipating 

Academy expenditures, and to provide this plan to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment 

of this act. 

Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.—The Committee remains concerned about 

the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s efforts to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus and directs the Academy 

to fill vacancies in the Sexual Assault Prevention Office quickly as 

they arise. The Committee directs the Secretary to provide the annual report required by section 3507 of Public Law 110–417 to the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than 

January 12, 2020. 

The Committee is disappointed to learn that the USMMA still 

has yet to carry out all of the recommendations from its corrective 

action plans. The Committee directs the USMMA to fully implement the nearly 150 recommendations from past studies, reports, 

and action plans using a risk-based prioritized approach. The 

USMMA shall report back to the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this Act on the 

USMMA’s prioritized approach to completing these recommendations and the status of all recommendations. Further, the USMMA 
79 

is directed to provide updates to the House and Senate Committees 

on Appropriations on the status of all recommendations every 180 

days until all recommendations are completed. The Committee further directs the Maritime Administration to utilize the resources 

provided to fully staff the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response 

Office and to meet all staffing and training needs at the USMMA 

to continue to address sexual assault and sexual harassment. In 

addition, the USMMA is directed to work to make resources, such 

as a 24/7 hotline, available to Midshipmen while on Sea Year. 

United States Merchant Marine Academy Capital Improvements 

Plan [CIP].—The Committee directs the Administrator to provide 

an annual report by March 31, 2019, on the current status of the 

CIP. The report should include a list of all projects that have received funding and all proposed projects that the Academy intends 

to initiate within the next 5 years: cost overruns and cost savings 

for each active project; specific target dates for project completion; 

delays and the cause of delays; schedule changes; up-to-date cost 

projections for each project; and any other deviations from the previous year’s CIP. The Committee encourages the Academy to consider its ability to sequence and manage contracts as it establishes 

its capital priorities. 

Environment and Compliance.—The Committee commends 

MARAD’s initiative to support the domestic maritime industry’s efforts to comply with emerging international and domestic environmental regulatory requirements. The Committee directs MARAD to 

notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not 

less than 3 business days before any grant, contract, or cooperative 

agreement is announced by the Department or MARAD for the 

maritime environment and technology assistance program as authorized by 46 U.S.C. 50307. 

Small Shipyard Survey.—In the Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2017, the Committee directed MARAD, in consultation with 

the Army Corps of Engineers, to conduct a survey of the dredging 

needs of small shipyards and to provide the results to the House 

and Senate Committees on Appropriations by June 2018. The deadline for this submission of this survey is approaching, and the Committee expects MARAD to provide the results within the required 

timeframe. 

STATE MARITIME ACADEMY OPERATIONS

Appropriations, 2018 1 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Budget estimate, 2019 2 ......................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. $340,200,000 

1The 2018 enacted level included $332,200,000 for State Maritime Academics under the Operations and Training account. 2The President’s Budget recommends $324,400,000 for State Maritime Academies under the 

Operations and Training account. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Committee provides funding for the six State Maritime 

Academies [SMAs] to support the training and education of the nation’s marine transportation work force. Funding provided supports 

financial assistance for the SMAs as well as upkeep, maintenance 

and operation of the school’s training ships. 
80 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $340,200,000 for 

State Maritime Academy Operations. Of the total amount, 

$300,000,000 is for a new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, 

$6,000,000 is for direct payments to the SMAs, $2,400,000 is for 

student incentive payments, $1,800,000 is for fuel assistance payments, $22,000,000 is for school ship maintenance and repair, and 

$8,000,000 is to support the cost of sharing training ships among 

the SMAs. 

National Security Multi-Mission Vessel [NSMV].—The Committee continues to support MARAD’s efforts to replace school 

training ships for the State Maritime Academies [SMAs]. The Committee recommendation includes $300,000,000 for a second new 

special purpose NSMV to replace school ships currently in service. 

The Committee directs that vessels constructed using funds from 

the NSMV Program be provided to the State Maritime Academies 

based on the planned end-of-service-life of existing training vessels, 

with the vessel with the shortest remaining service life to be replaced first. For ships that have the same end-of-service-life, preference shall be based on meeting training capacity demands. 

Ship-Sharing Assistance.—The Committee recognizes that there 

is limited training ship capacity among the SMAs to provide their 

cadets with the required training hours necessary to graduate. 

Schools rely on one another to provide space on available ships so 

that all cadets can meet their credentialing requirements. Some 

SMAs lack ship capacity to meet the needs of their student body, 

and as a result incur significant costs to conduct training on other 

available ship platforms. For this reason, the Committee recommendation includes $8,000,000 to alleviate the operational and 

logistics burden on SMAs as they work through their ship capacity 

challenges. While the Committee recognizes that even cadets at 

SMAs that do have training ships incur some expense to be able 

to train at sea, the Committee also understands that SMAs without 

ships large enough to meet their needs bear much greater costs, 

and therefore provides additional funding for ship-sharing. The 

Committee directs MARAD to work with the SMAs to determine 

how to best allocate resources to ensure that all training needs are 

met. 

ASSISTANCE TO SMALL SHIPYARDS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $20,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 20,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

As authorized under section 54101 of title 46, the Assistance to 

Small Shipyards program provides assistance in the form of grants, 

loans, and loan guarantees to small shipyards for capital improvements and training programs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for assistance to small shipyards. This level of funding is equal to the fiscal 
81 

year 2018 enacted level, and $20,000,000 above the President’s request. Funding for this program is intended to help small shipyards improve the efficiency of their operations by providing funding for equipment and other facility upgrades. The funding recommended by the Committee will help improve the competitiveness 

of our Nation’s small shipyards, as well as workforce training and 

apprenticeships in communities dependent upon maritime transportation. 

SHIP DISPOSAL

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $116,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 30,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 5,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Ship Disposal account provides resources to dispose of obsolete merchant-type vessels of 150,000 gross tons or more in the National Defense Reserve Fleet [NDRF]. MARAD contracts with domestic shipbreaking companies to dismantle these vessels in accordance with guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for 

MARAD’s Ship Disposal program. This level of funding is 

$111,000,000 below the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and 

$25,000,000 below the budget request. The reduction in funding is 

due to the non-recurring cost of the decommissioning of the N/S Savannah. 

MARITIME GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM (TITLE XI)

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $30,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Maritime Guaranteed Loan program was established pursuant to title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, as amended. 

The program provides for a full faith and credit guarantee by the 

U.S. Government of debt obligations issued by: (1) U.S. or foreign 

ship-owners for the purposes of financing or refinancing either 

U.S.-flag vessels or eligible export vessels constructed, reconstructed, or reconditioned in U.S. shipyards; and (2) U.S. shipyards, 

for the purpose of financing advanced shipbuilding technology of 

privately owned general shipyard facilities located in the United 

States. Under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, appropriations to cover the estimated costs of a project must be obtained 

prior to the issuance of any approvals for title XI financing. 
82 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee provides an appropriation of $3,000,000 for administrative expenses of the maritime guaranteed loan title XI program. This level of funding is $3,000,000 above the President’s 

budget request and $27,000,000 below the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

level. The Committee rejects the budget request to move Title XI 

to the Office of the Secretary. 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—MARITIME ADMINISTRATION

Section 170 authorizes MARAD to furnish utilities and to service 

and make repairs to any lease, contract, or occupancy involving 

Government property under the control of MARAD. Rental payments received pursuant to this provision shall be credited to the 

Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. 

PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 

[PHMSA] was established within the Department of Transportation on November 30, 2004, pursuant to the Norman Y. Mineta 

Research and Special Programs Improvement Act (Public Law 108– 

426). PHMSA is responsible for the Department’s pipeline safety 

program as well as its oversight of hazardous materials transportation safety operations. The agency is dedicated to safety, including the elimination of transportation-related deaths and injuries 

associated with hazardous materials and pipeline transportation, 

and to promoting transportation solutions, which enhance communities and protect the environment. 

OPERATIONAL EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $23,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 23,710,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 23,710,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for program support costs for 

PHMSA, including policy development, civil rights, management, 

administration, and other agency-wide expenses. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $23,710,000 for this account, of 

which $1,500,000 shall be for Pipeline Safety Information Grants 

to Communities. The Committee’s recommendation is equal to the 

budget request and $710,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Comprehensive Oil Spill Response Plans.—Oil spill response 

plans are intended to help carriers identify and deploy response organizations to contain and remediate oil releases. The plans require carriers to: identify a qualified individual with full authority 

to implement removal actions; ensure by contract or other means 

the availability of private personnel and equipment to remove a 

worst case discharge; and describe training, equipment testing, 

drills, and exercises. PHMSA issued a notice of proposed rule-
83 

making in order to expand the applicability of comprehensive oil 

spill response plans to rail carriers in July 2016. The Committee 

notes with severe disappointment that, to date, despite additional 

resources being provided by the Committee, PHMSA has repeatedly failed to comply with explicit directions from this Committee. 

The Committee directs PHMSA to issue a final rule to require comprehensive oil spill response plans for rail carriers within 45 days 

of enactment of this act, and includes a fine for any delays. 

Tank Car Phaseout.—The FAST Act provides a schedule for the 

phaseout of certain rail tank cars used to transport Class 3 flammable materials, and, in August 2016, PHMSA published a final 

rule to codify these requirements. The FAST Act also requires the 

Secretary to report on industry-wide progress with modifying rail 

tank cars in order to comply with those applicable deadlines. In 

September 2017, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported 

that 9 percent of all tank cars transporting Class 3 flammable liquids in 2016 met the new requirements. The Committee encourages 

the Department to continue to work with industry stakeholders to 

ensure progress and to promote acceleration of the tank car phaseout process. The Secretary is further directed to continue to comply 

with this reporting requirement. 

Unlocatable Pipe Research.—The Committee is encouraged by 

PHMSA’s ongoing efforts to address safety and damage prevention 

issues surrounding unlocatable plastic pipe and the resultant excavation hazards. In order to ensure the continued safe transportation of natural gas and the reduction of pipeline damage incidents, the Committee recommendation includes up to $2,000,000 to 

continue to research, analyze, and encourage the deployment of related technologies in this area. 

Real-Time Emergency Response Information.—In January 2017, 

PHMSA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to require Class 1 railroads, which transport hazardous materials, to 

generate accurate, real-time, and in an electronic format train consist information that could be shared with emergency responders 

and law enforcement personnel. The Committee notes with disappointment that, to date, PHMSA has not fulfilled this FAST Act 

mandate and directs the agency to move forward with a final rule, 

which will ensure train consist information is available to emergency responders directly. 

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $59,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 52,070,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 58,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

PHMSA oversees the safety of more than 1 million hazardous 

materials shipments daily within the United States, using risk 

management principles and security threat assessments in order to 

fully review and reduce the risks inherent in hazardous materials 

transportation. 
84 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $58,000,000 for 

hazardous materials safety, of which $7,570,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2021. The amount provided is $5,930,000 

more than the administration’s budget request and $1,000,000 less 

than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

PIPELINE SAFETY

(PIPELINE SAFETY FUND)

(OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $162,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 150,200,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 165,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Pipeline Safety [OPS] promotes the safe, reliable, 

and sound transportation of natural gas and hazardous liquids 

through the Nation’s more than 2.6 million miles of privatelyowned and operated pipeline. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The OPS has the important responsibility of ensuring the safety 

and integrity of the pipelines, which run through every community 

in our Nation. Efforts by Congress and the OPS to invest in promising safety technologies, increase civil penalties, and educate communities about the potential risks of pipelines have resulted in a 

reduction in serious pipeline incidents. It is essential that PHMSA 

continue to make strides in protecting communities from pipeline 

failures and incidents. To that end, the Committee recommends an 

appropriation of $165,000,000 for the OPS, consistent with the 

PIPES Act. The amount is $3,000,000 more than the fiscal year 

2018 enacted level and $14,800,000 more than the budget request. 

Of the funding provided, $23,000,000 shall be derived from the Oil 

Spill Liability Trust Fund, $134,000,000 shall be derived from the 

Pipeline Safety Fund, and $8,000,000 shall be derived from the Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Account. Of the 

funds recommended for research and development, up to 

$2,000,000 shall be used for the Pipeline Safety Research Competitive Academic Agreement Program [CAAP] to focus on near-term 

solutions in order to improve the safety and reliability of the Nation’s pipeline transportation system. 

Research and Development.—In developing its 5-year interagency 

pipeline safety research and development program plan, the Committee directs PHMSA to consult with stakeholder groups and to 

use their input to select program proposals. In order to ensure that 

a diverse set of stakeholders meaningfully participates in the process, the Committee directs PHMSA to identify additional notification methods that could encourage a larger cross section of stakeholder participation as well as to detail procedures for how to incorporate input from those stakeholder groups into the program plan. 
85 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GRANTS

(EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND)

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $28,318,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 28,318,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 28,318,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 

1990 [HMTUSA] (Public Law 101–615) requires PHMSA to: (1) develop and implement a reimbursable emergency preparedness 

grant program; (2) monitor public sector emergency response training and planning, and provide technical assistance to States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes; and (3) develop and periodically update a mandatory training curriculum for emergency responders. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $28,318,000 for emergency preparedness grants. The Committee is pleased that PHMSA has developed Web-based, off-the-shelf training materials that can be 

used by emergency responders across the country. The Committee 

encourages PHMSA to continue to enhance its training curriculum 

for local emergency responders, including response activities for 

crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids transported by rail. 

The Committee also encourages PHMSA to train public sector 

emergency response personnel in communities on or near rail lines, 

which transport a significant volume of high-risk energy commodities or toxic inhalation hazards. The Committee continues a provision increasing the funding available for administrative costs from 

2 percent to 4 percent in order to address the OIG’s recommendations. 

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $92,152,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 91,500,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 92,600,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Inspector General Act of 1978 established the Office of Inspector General [OIG] as an independent and objective organization, with a mission to: 

—conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the 

programs and operations of the Department; 

—provide leadership and recommend policies designed to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of programs and operations; 

—prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse; and 

—keep the Secretary and Congress currently informed regarding 

problems and deficiencies. 
86 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides $92,600,000 for activities of the Office of the Inspector General, which is $1,100,000 

more than the President’s budget request and $448,000 more than 

the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Audit Reports.—The Committee requests that the Inspector General continue to provide copies of all audit reports to the Committee immediately after they are issued, and to continue to make 

the Committee aware immediately of any review that recommends 

cancellation of, or modifications to, any major acquisition project or 

grant, or which recommends significant budgetary savings. The 

OIG is also directed to withhold from public distribution for a period of 15 days any final audit or investigative report which was 

requested by the House or Senate Committees on Appropriations. 

Unfair Business Practices.—The bill maintains language that authorizes the OIG to investigate allegations of fraud and unfair or 

deceptive practices and unfair methods of competition by air carriers and ticket agents. 

GENERAL PROVISIONS—DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Section 180 allows funds for maintenance and operation of aircraft; motor vehicles; liability insurance; uniforms; or allowances, 

as authorized by law. 

Section 181 limits appropriations for services authorized by 5 

U.S.C. 3109 not to exceed the rate for an executive level IV. 

Section 182 prohibits recipients of funds from disseminating personal information obtained by State DMVs in connection to motor 

vehicle records, with an exception. 

Section 183 prohibits funds in this act for salaries and expenses 

of more than 110 political and Presidential appointees in the Department of Transportation. 

Section 184 allows funds received by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the Federal Railroad Administration from States, counties, municipalities, other 

public authorities, and private sources for expenses incurred for 

training may be credited to each agency’s respective accounts. 

Section 185 prohibits the use of funds in this act to make a grant 

or announce the intention to make a grant unless the Secretary of 

Transportation notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 3 full business days before making the grant 

or the announcement. 

Section 186 allows rebates, refunds, incentive payments, minor 

fees, and other funds received by the Department of Transportation 

from travel management center, charge card programs, subleasing 

of building space and miscellaneous sources to be credited to appropriations of the Department of Transportation. 

Section 187 requires amounts from improper payments to a 

third-party contractor that are lawfully recovered by the Department of Transportation to be available to cover expenses incurred 

in recovery of such payments. 

Section 188 establishes requirements for reprogramming actions 

by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. 
87 

Section 189 prohibits funds appropriated in this act to the modal 

administrations from being obligated for the Office of the Secretary 

for costs related to assessments or reimbursable agreements unless 

the obligations are for services that provide a direct benefit to the 

applicable modal administration. 

Section 190 authorizes the Secretary to carry out a program that 

establishes uniform standards for developing and supporting agency transit pass and transit benefits authorized under section 7905 

of title 5, United States Code. 

Section 191 prohibits the use of funds for any geographic, economic, or other hiring preference pilot program, regulation, or policy unless certain requirements are met related to availability of 

local labor, displacement of existing employees, and delays in 

transportation plans. 
(88) 

TITLE II 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

The Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] was 

established by the Housing and Urban Development Act (Public 

Law 89–174), effective November 9, 1965. This Department is the 

principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned with 

the Nation’s housing needs, fair housing opportunities, and improving and developing communities. 

Rural Areas.—The Committee urges the Secretary to enhance its 

efforts to provide decent, affordable housing and to promote economic development for rural Americans. When designing programs 

and making funding decisions, the Secretary shall take into consideration the unique conditions, challenges, and scale of rural areas. 

Appropriations Attorneys.—During consideration of the fiscal 

year 2003 appropriations legislation, it became apparent to the 

Committee that both the Committee and the Department would be 

best served if the attorneys responsible for appropriations matters 

were housed in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer [OCFO]. 

Since that time, the Committee has routinely received prompt, accurate, and reliable information from the OCFO on various appropriations law matters. For fiscal year 2019, the Committee continues to fund appropriations attorneys in the OCFO and directs 

HUD to refer all appropriations law issues to such attorneys within 

the OCFO. 

Reprogramming and Congressional Notification.—The Committee 

reiterates that the Department must secure the approval of the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations for the reprogramming of funds between programs, projects, and activities 

within each account. Unless otherwise identified in the bill or report, the most detailed allocation of funds presented in the budget 

justifications is approved, with any deviation from such approved 

allocation subject to the normal reprogramming requirements. Except as specifically provided otherwise, it is the intent of the Committee that all carryover funds in the various accounts, including 

recaptures and de-obligations, are subject to the normal reprogramming requirements outlined under section 405. No change may be 

made to any program, project, or activity if it is construed to be 

new policy or a change in policy, without prior approval of the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Committee 

notes its concern about the lack of awareness of section 405 among 

program offices, and directs the Office of the Chief Financial Officer to develop and issue guidance to program offices on their obligations under this authority. The Committee also directs HUD to 

include a separate delineation of any reprogramming of funds re-
89 

quiring approval in the operating plan required by section 405 of 

this act. Finally, the Committee shall be notified regarding reorganizations of offices, programs or activities prior to the implementation of such reorganizations. The Department is directed to submit, 

in consultation with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, current and accurate organizational charts for each office 

within the Department as part of the fiscal year 2020 congressional 

justifications. The Committee further directs the Department to 

submit any staff realignments or restructuring to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations 30 days prior to their implementation. 

Assisting Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence.—The Committee directs the Department to identify steps it has taken to improve emergency transfers for HUD-assisted residents fleeing domestic violence, statutory and regulatory barriers to assisting victims of domestic violence that are seeking emergency transfers 

from one HUD-assisted unit or project to another HUD-assisted 

unit or project, and effective models for facilitating emergency 

transfers across HUD’s rental and homeless assistance programs, 

and to submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of this act. 

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $14,708,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 15,583,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 14,898,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Executive Offices account provides the salaries and expenses 

funding to support the Department’s senior leadership and other 

key functions, including the immediate offices of the Secretary, 

Deputy Secretary, Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, 

Public Affairs, Adjudicatory Services, the Center for Faith-Based 

and Community Initiatives, and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $14,898,000 for 

this account, which is $190,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $685,000 less than the budget request. The Secretary is directed to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations that outlines how budgetary resources will be distributed among the seven offices funded under 

this heading. 

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OFFICES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $518,303,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 507,372,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 556,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Administrative Support Offices [ASO] account is the backbone of HUD’s operations, and consists of several offices that aim 
90 

to work seamlessly to provide the leadership and support services 

to ensure the Department performs its core mission and is compliant with all legal, operational, and financial guidelines. This account funds the salaries and expenses of the Office of the General 

Counsel, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Office of the 

Chief Procurement Officer, the Office of Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity, the Office of Field Policy and Management, 

the Office of Business Transformation, the Office of the Chief 

Human Capital Officer, the Office of Administration, and the Office 

of the Chief Information Officer. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $556,000,000 for 

this account, which is $37,697,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level and $48,628,000 more than the budget request. 

Funds are made available as follows: 

Amount 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer ............................................................................................................... $76,600,000 

Office of the General Counsel ......................................................................................................................... 98,000,000 

Office of Administration ................................................................................................................................... 213,300,000 

Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer ..................................................................................................... 40,200,000 

Office of Field Policy and Management .......................................................................................................... 54,000,000 

Office of the Chief Procurement Officer .......................................................................................................... 20,000,000 

Office of Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity ................................................................................. 3,600,000 

Office of Business Transformation .................................................................................................................. 4,300,000 

Office of the Chief Information Officer ........................................................................................................... 46,000,000 

Hiring and Separation Report.—The Committee directs HUD’s 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Office of the Human 

Capital Officer to submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on hiring and separations by 

program office. This report shall include position titles, location, associated FTE, and include the Office of the Inspector General and 

Government National Mortgage Association. 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer.—The Committee recommendation includes $76,600,000 for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Of the amount provided, $25,000,000 is for the financial transformation initiative to strengthen HUD’s fiscal capabilities and controls. In November 2017, the Office of Inspector 

General released its annual audit of HUD’s 2016 and 2017 financial statements where they identified nine material weaknesses 

and six significant deficiencies. In addition, financial policies, procedures, and documentation are in need of updating, and in some 

cases require initial development. These funds will begin the process of addressing these substantial deficiencies, strengthening financial controls, and improving governance at HUD. The Committee also includes language directing HUD to submit an expenditure plan for approval prior to obligating more than 10 percent of 

the funds provided for this initiative and expects HUD engage in 

frequent and transparent communication with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations regarding this initiative. 

Office of Administration.—The Committee recommendation includes $213,300,000 for the Office of Administration. Of the 

amount provided, up to $7,500,000 may be used to fully fund the 
91 

second phase of HUD’s initiative to consolidate four headquarters 

satellite offices into the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building. 

Office of Disaster and Emergency Management.—As part of the 

National Disaster Recovery Framework, HUD fulfills the Housing 

Recovery Support Function, which requires the Department to coordinate recovery and preparedness activities with Federal, State 

and local partners and to facilitate the delivery of Federal funding 

to implement sustainable and resilient housing solutions for disaster-affected areas. To facilitate this work, HUD established an 

Office of Disaster and Emergency Management, which is designed 

to comprehensively address disaster preparedness, response, and 

recovery management, including issues related to housing, economic development, infrastructure, community planning, and capacity building. However, very little has been done to fully 

operationalize this office. As such, the Committee directs HUD to 

report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on 

its efforts to operationalize this office within 30 days of enactment 

of this act, in order to improve the overall Departmental response 

to emergencies and disasters, including preparedness and mitigation from future disasters. 

Office of the Chief Procurement Officer.—The Committee directs 

HUD to prioritize the hiring of staff for this office, and directs 

HUD to inform the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act regarding how it is 

implementing the Committee’s hiring direction. 

Office of Field Policy and Management [OFPM].—The Committee 

continues to include language directing HUD to continue supporting the existing Promise Zone designations for the length of 

their agreements. To realize the full potential of these designations, 

the Committee directs OFPM to work with designees to ensure the 

provision of any OMB-requested data for an effective evaluation of 

the initiative. 

PROGRAM OFFICES SALARIES AND EXPENSES

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $216,633,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 209,473,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 222,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to support 

staff in headquarters and in 43 field offices in the Office of Public 

and Indian Housing [PIH]. PIH is charged with ensuring the availability of safe, decent, and affordable housing, creating opportunities for residents’ self-sufficiency and economic independence, and 

assuring the fiscal integrity of all public housing agencies. The Office ensures that safe, decent and affordable housing is available to 

Native American families, creates economic opportunities for tribes 

and Indian housing residents, assists tribes in the formulation of 

plans and strategies for community development, and assures fiscal 

integrity in the operation of its programs. The Office also administers programs authorized in the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 [NAHASDA], which pro-
92 

vides housing assistance to Native Americans and Native Hawaiians. PIH also manages the Housing Choice Voucher program, in 

which tenant-based vouchers increase affordable housing choices 

for low-income families. Tenant-based vouchers enable families to 

lease safe, decent, and affordable privately owned rental housing. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $222,000,000 for 

this account, which is $12,527,000 more than the budget request 

and $5,367,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Of the 

amounts provided, no less than $200,000 is for travel related to the 

provision of training, technical assistance, oversight and management of Indian housing. 

Moving-to-Work.—The Committee recognizes HUD’s need to establish an effective evaluation, research, and program design for 

the Moving-to-Work demonstration, which was expanded in fiscal 

year 2016. However, the Committee is concerned that the Department has not yet implemented the expansion and directs the Department to issue an implementing notice for the first Moving to 

Work expansion cohort not later than 60 days after enactment of 

this act. 

Regulatory Relief.—The Administration’s budget includes requests for waiver authority related to statutory and regulatory requirements of the public housing and tenant-based voucher programs. The Committee is supportive of efforts to streamline program requirements, while also ensuring appropriate oversight of 

these programs. However, waivers only result in temporary administrative relief and are tailored to reflect the specific needs of an 

individual PHA. While waivers are a useful tool, if used as a replacement for a comprehensive regulatory review, they only create 

complicated ad hoc regulatory structures without eliminating unnecessary program-wide requirements. Rather than include broad 

waiver authority, the Committee has included language directing 

HUD to establish a regulatory advisory committee for the purpose 

of undertaking a comprehensive review of public housing and tenant-based voucher regulations and to report back on these efforts 

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later 

than 1 year after the date of enactment of this act. Additionally, 

the Committee remains concerned about the growing demand 

placed on small-and medium-sized PHAs, and agencies that only 

administer a section 8 or section 9 program, and continues to urge 

HUD to eliminate excessive paperwork and administrative requirements and develop opportunities that achieve new efficiencies in 

management and operations for small- and medium-sized PHAs. 

Oversight of Public Housing Agency Receiverships.—The Committee believes that effective management and oversight of PHAs 

that are under HUD receivership requires technical and programmatic expertise and directs that the Office of Receivership 

Oversight [ORO] shall be the lead office for managing and overseeing all public housing agencies under administrative receivership. The Committee supports that, where necessary, ORO’s lead 

role may be supported by other germane offices that are critical to 

the management and oversight of section 8 and 9 programs, includ-
93 

ing the Office of Field Policy and Management, and the Office of 

General Counsel. 

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $107,554,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 105,906,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 110,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding for Community 

Planning and Development [CPD] staff in headquarters and in 43 

field offices. CPD’s mission is to support successful urban, suburban and rural communities by promoting integrated approaches to 

community and economic development. CPD programs also assist 

in the expansion of opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in moving towards home ownership. The Assistant Secretary for CPD administers formula and competitive 

grant programs, as well as guaranteed loan programs that help 

communities plan and finance their growth and development. 

These programs also help communities increase their capacity to 

govern and provide shelter and services for homeless persons and 

other persons with special needs, including person with HIV/AIDS. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $110,000,000 for 

the staffing within this office, which is $4,094,000 more than the 

budget request and $2,446,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Committee directs HUD to prioritize the hiring and backfilling of staff to support grant monitoring, as well as the closeout 

of open audits and backlog of open grantees in Region I. 

New Housing in High Cost Metropolitan Areas.—The Committee 

is concerned that a combination of income concentration and housing supply constraints in high-productivity metropolitan areas has 

created entry limits harmful to geographic and economic mobility. 

Upward price pressure on rents resulting from such conditions imposes a greater financial burden on Federal taxpayers through 

rental assistance programs that respond to market rents. The Committee directs the Department to report to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations no later than 90 days after the date 

of enactment of this act, identifying metropolitan areas where such 

conditions are most prevalent and recommending best practices for 

localities and states to help encourage the production of new housing stock in high-cost metropolitan areas. 

HOUSING

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $383,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 359,448,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 390,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to support 

staff in headquarters and in 52 field locations in the Office of Hous-
94 

ing. The Office of Housing is responsible for implementing programs to assist projects for occupancy by very low- and moderateincome households, to provide capital grants to nonprofit sponsors 

for the development of housing for the elderly and disabled, and to 

conduct several regulatory functions. The Office also administers 

Federal Housing Administration [FHA] programs. FHA administers HUD’s mortgage and loan insurance programs, which facilitate the financing of new construction, rehabilitation or the purchase of existing dwelling units. The Office also provides services 

to maintain and preserve homeownership, especially for underserved populations. This assistance allows lenders to make lower 

cost financing available to more borrowers for home and home improvement loans, and apartment, hospital, and nursing home loans. 

FHA provides a vital link in addressing America’s homeownership 

and affordable housing needs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $390,000,000 for 

staffing in the Office of Housing, which is $30,552,000 more than 

the budget request and $7,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level. 

Rental Assistance Demonstration.—To ensure appropriate oversight and processing of public housing, and other assisted-housing 

properties, conversion to Section 8 rental assistance, and improvements to tenant engagement and relocation efforts, the Committee 

directs the Department to ensure the Office of Recapitalization is 

funded at no less than $12,500,000. The Committee further directs 

the Department to prioritize the hiring of asset management staff 

in field offices. The Department is directed to inform the House 

and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 30 days of enactment of this act regarding how it is implementing the Committee’s 

hiring direction. 

POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $24,065,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 25,366,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 26,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to support 

staff in headquarters and in 10 field locations in the Office of Policy Development and Research [PD&R]. PD&R supports the Department’s efforts to help create cohesive, economically healthy 

communities. PD&R is responsible for maintaining current information on housing needs, market conditions, and existing programs, as well as conducting research on priority housing and community development issues. The office provides reliable and objective data and analysis to help inform policy decisions. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,000,000 for 

this account, which is $634,000 more than the budget request and 

$1,935,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Com-
95 

mittee recommendation is sufficient to support existing staffing levels, as well as the establishment of an Office of Innovation. 

FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $69,808,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 71,312,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 71,500,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to support 

staff in headquarters and in all regional offices in the Office of Fair 

Housing and Equal Opportunity [FHEO]. FHEO is responsible for 

investigating, resolving, and prosecuting complaints of housing discrimination, as well as conducting education and outreach activities to increase awareness of the requirements of the Fair Housing 

Act. The Office also develops and interprets fair housing policy, 

processes complaints, performs compliance reviews, and provides 

oversight and technical assistance to local housing authorities and 

community development agencies regarding section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $71,500,000, 

which is $188,000 more than the budget request and $1,692,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL AND HEALTHY HOMES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $7,600,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 7,540,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 7,800,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides salary and benefits funding to support the 

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes [OLHCHH] 

headquarters staff. OLHCHH administers and manages the leadbased paint and healthy homes activities of the Department, and 

is directly responsible for the administration of the Lead-Based 

Paint Hazard Reduction program. The office also develops leadbased paint regulations, guidelines, and policies applicable to HUD 

programs, designs lead-based paint and healthy homes training 

programs, administers lead-hazard control and healthy homes 

grant programs, and implements the lead and healthy homes research program. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,800,000 for 

this account, which is $260,000 more than the budget request and 

$200,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 
96 

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Working Capital Fund [WCF] promotes economy, efficiency, 

and accountability. Amounts transferred to the Fund are for Federal shared services used by offices and agencies of the Department, and are derived from centralized Salaries and Expenses accounts. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides the Secretary with the 

authority to transfer amounts provided in this title for salaries and 

expenses, except those for the Office of Inspector General, to this 

account for the purpose of funding centralized activities. The Department is required to centralize and fund from this account any 

shared service agreements executed between HUD and another 

Federal agency. For fiscal year 2019, the Department is permitted 

to centralize and fund from this account: financial management, 

procurement, travel, relocation, human resources, printing, records 

management, space renovation, furniture, and supply services. The 

Committee does not expand the authority to include the proposed 

management data initiative. The Committee expects that, prior to 

exercising discretion to centrally fund an activity, the Secretary 

shall have established transparent and reliable unit cost accounting for the offices and agencies of the Department that use the activity and shall have adequately trained staff within each affected 

office and agency on resource planning and accounting processes 

associated with the centralization of funds to this account. 

Prior to exercising its authority to transfer funds for activities 

beyond what is required for shared service agreements, the Committee expects HUD to establish a clear execution plan for centralizing the additional activities and to properly vet that plan with 

the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to 

transferring such funds into the WCF. Financial management, procurement, travel, and relocation costs for services provided to the 

Office of the Inspector General are covered by the Office of the 

Chief Financial Officer. 

HUD shall include in its annual operating plan a detailed outline 

of its plans for transferring budgetary resources to the WCF in fiscal year 2019. 

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $22,015,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 20,549,749,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 22,780,987,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for the Section 8 tenant-based 

[voucher] program. Section 8 tenant-based housing assistance is 

one of the principle appropriations for Federal housing assistance, 
97 

serving approximately 2.2 million families. The program also funds 

incremental vouchers for tenants who live in properties where the 

owner has decided to leave the Section 8 program. The program 

also provides for the replacement of units lost from the assisted 

housing inventory through its tenant protection vouchers. Under 

these programs, eligible low-income individuals and families pay 30 

percent of their adjusted income for rent, and the Federal Government is responsible for the remainder of the rent, up to the fair 

market rent or some other payment standard. This account also 

provides funding for administrative fees for public housing agencies 

[PHAs], mainstream vouchers, Housing and Urban Development 

Veterans Supportive Housing [HUD–VASH] programs, and other 

incremental vouchers for vulnerable populations. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $22,780,987,000 

for fiscal year 2019, including $4,000,000,000 as an advance appropriation to be made available on October 1, 2019. This amount is 

$2,231,238,000 more than the budget request and $765,987,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Contract Renewals.—The Committee recommends 

$20,520,000,000 for the renewal costs of Section 8 vouchers, which 

is $1,771,251,000 more than the budget request and $920,000,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

The Section 8 rental assistance program is a critical tool that enables more than 2 million low-income individuals and families to 

access safe, stable, and affordable housing in the private market. 

In recognition of the Section 8 program’s central role in ensuring 

housing for vulnerable Americans, the Committee recommendation 

and existing reserves will provide sufficient resources to ensure 

that no current voucher holders are put at risk of losing their housing assistance. It also supports the first time renewal of incremental vouchers that were funded in prior years, including HUD– 

VASH vouchers. The Committee will continue to monitor leasing 

data to make sure residents are protected. 

Set-Aside for Special Circumstances.—The Committee is concerned that the funding set-aside to allow for adjustments to renewal funding allocations is insufficient to ensure that all eligible 

categories are addressed; particularly renewal adjustments for 

HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing [HUD-VASH] vouchers. 

Therefore, the Committee recommendation increases this set-aside 

from $75,000,000 to $100,000,000 and directs the Department to 

ensure all special circumstances are considered in its allocations to 

PHAs. 

Tenant Protection Vouchers.—The Committee recommendation 

includes $85,000,000 for tenant protection vouchers. These vouchers are provided to public housing residents whose buildings have 

health or safety issues, or whose projects are being demolished. 

However, the largest share of these vouchers is provided to tenants 

living in properties with expiring HUD assistance who may face 

rent increases if their owners opt out of HUD programs. In these 

instances, the vouchers ensure continued affordability of tenants’ 

housing. 
98 

The Committee is concerned that PHAs may not be meeting the 

tenant relocation requirements set forth in 24 CFR 970.21 for developments undergoing section 18 disposition actions. As such, the 

Committee reminds the Department that 24 CFR 970.21(b) prohibits the disposition of a building until all tenants residing in the 

building are relocated to decent, safe, and sanitary housing. The 

Committee also notes that 24 CFR 970.21(d)(2) establishes a relocation timetable, which requires that tenants be notified monthly 

of a relocation schedule, and 24 CFR 970.21(e)(1)(iii) establishes 

that PHAs are responsible for providing each household displaced 

by section 18 actions comparable housing. The Committee directs 

HUD to issue clarifying guidance to PHAs on the statutory and 

regulatory requirements regarding the period of availability for 

tenant protection vouchers, as well as PHA’s obligations under 24 

CFR 970.21 and urges HUD to take appropriate action to ensure 

residents who need decent, safe, and sanitary housing do not face 

additional barriers. 

Administrative Fees.—The Committee recommends 

$1,956,987,000 for administrative fees. The Committee notes that 

these funds are critical to the execution and success of the voucher 

program. These funds are used for a diverse range of activities and 

critical functions such as: property inspections; case management, 

including tenant screening, income recertification, and emergency 

transfers; landlord outreach; issuing new vouchers upon program 

turnover; and assisting tenants in locating housing. 

The Committee is concerned that where there is a significant 

fluctuation in local rental market conditions, HUD’s published fair 

market rents do not reflect the increased need in rental subsidy 

and the associated operating costs. As a result, some PHAs are conducting independent market surveys to more accurately reflect 

local market conditions for HUD’s review and consideration. However, some rental market surveys can be costly and an unviable option for PHAs that lack the expertise and capacity. This is particularly true for smaller PHAs in markets where the local fair market 

rents are outpacing HUD’s annual determination of FMRs. The 

Committee notes that where there are opportunities to partner 

with universities or other entities to conduct rent surveys, in some 

areas of the country, this partnership is limited to one university 

for an entire coastal region. While the Committee recognizes that 

such surveys are an eligible administrative expense under the 

Housing Choice Voucher program, it remains concerned about reimbursement being a viable option for PHAs. As such, the Office 

of Housing Choice Vouchers is directed to work with the Office of 

Policy Development and Research to identify the statutory, regulatory and cost barriers PHAs face in conducting and receiving reimbursements for rent surveys, as well as solutions to address 

delays in HUD’s annual calculation of FMRs for rental markets 

that are rapidly increasing in value, and to provide a report to the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days 

of enactment of this act. 

Section 811 Mainstream Vouchers.—The Committee recommendation includes $154,000,000 to continue the rental assistance and administrative costs of this program. 
99 

Tribal-VASH.—The Committee recommendation includes 

$5,000,000 for the renewal of rental assistance and associated administrative costs for Tribal HUD–VASH to serve Native American 

veterans that are homeless or at-risk of homelessness living on or 

near a reservation or other Indian areas. The Committee supports 

the intent behind this demonstration, but is concerned that this 

program is underutilized. The Committee notes that this undersubscription is not a reflection of a lack of need for these critical 

housing resources on or near tribal lands. However, it does raise 

concerns with program design and implementation and if this approach can satisfactorily address capacity challenges and the needs 

of all tribal areas. The Committee encourages HUD to use its existing reallocation authority where necessary to ensure these funds 

can be utilized to the greatest extent possible. The Committee directs HUD to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of this act on the status 

of the demonstration, challenges of using a Section 8 model, and 

possible alternative approaches to addressing the needs of homeless veterans living on tribal lands including the use of NAHASDA 

programs. The Committee further directs HUD to issue clarifying 

guidance on how Tribal VASH can be paired and/or leveraged with 

other program and funding sources in order to improve the utilization of this assistance. 

HUD–VASH.—The Committee again rejects the budget proposal 

to prematurely end funding for new VASH vouchers and includes 

$40,000,000 for this purpose. These vouchers have been critical to 

reducing veterans’ homelessness by 46 percent since 2010. 

It is vital that all funds directed to this program are accounted 

for and used efficiently. As such, the Committee directs HUD to 

make public the basis for the need for additional HUD–VASH funding and reasons for unused funds, which should also include an 

evaluation the effectiveness of the program and distribution of resources. The Committee continues to encourage the Department to 

use existing authority to recapture HUD–VASH voucher assistance 

from PHAs that voluntarily declare that they no longer have a 

need for that assistance, and reallocate it to PHAs with an identified need. The Committee directs HUD to expedite this process, ensuring that communities that have successfully ended veterans’ 

homelessness enable other communities to assist this population. 

The Committee encourages the Department to prioritize, as part of 

this reallocation, PHAs that project-base a portion of their HUD– 

VASH vouchers. 

Family Unification Program [FUP].—The Committee includes 

$20,000,000 for new FUP vouchers. The Committee directs HUD to 

prioritize the award of these new vouchers to PHAs that will target 

them to youth and PHAs that have partnered with their local public child welfare agency to provide youth referrals for these vouchers. The Committee also continues language permitting the Secretary to recapture voucher assistance from PHAs that no longer 

have a need for that assistance, and reallocate to it to PHAs with 

an identified need. 
100 

HOUSING CERTIFICATE FUND

(INCLUDING RESCISSIONS)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Until fiscal year 2005, the Housing Certificate Fund provided 

funding for both the project-based and tenant-based components of 

the Section 8 program. Project-based rental assistance and tenantbased rental assistance are now separately funded accounts. The 

Housing Certificate Fund retains balances from previous years’ appropriations. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has included language that will allow unobligated balances from specific accounts to be used to renew or amend 

project-based rental assistance contracts. 

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $2,750,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 2,775,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for modernization and capital 

needs of PHAs (except Tribally Designated Housing Entities), including management improvements, resident relocation, and homeownership activities. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,775,000,000 

for the Public Housing Capital Fund, which is $2,775,000,000 more 

than the budget request and $25,000,000 more than the fiscal year 

2018 enacted level. 

Of the amount made available under this account, up to 

$35,000,000 is for supportive services for residents of public housing under the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency [ROSS] 

program, and $15,000,000 is for the Jobs-Plus demonstration. The 

Committee also recommends up to $14,000,000 to support the ongoing financial and physical assessment activities performed by the 

Real Estate Assessment Center [REAC] and up to $1,000,000 for 

the cost of administrative and judicial receiverships. 

Safety and Security in Public Housing.—The Committee directs 

at least $5,000,000 of the $25,000,000 recommended for emergency 

capital needs be used for safety and security measures in public 

housing. The Committee has included this specific set-aside because there are PHAs facing safety and security issues that rely on 

these funds to protect their tenants. The Committee believes that 

the level of funding recommended will support both repairs from 

disasters and safety and security improvements. Therefore, the 

Committee directs the Department to fund eligible safety and security projects with a portion of these funds as quickly as possible. 

The Committee continues language clarifying that unused funds 

from the emergency set-aside shall be used to address safety and 
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security needs of PHAs and the residents who live in these properties. 

Quality Assurance of Physical Inspections.—The Committee remains concerned about the physical quality of some HUD-subsidized properties across the country, including incidences of 

unaddressed or untimely responses to health-related hazards in 

HUD-assisted housing. The Committee directs the Department to 

submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 30 

days after enactment of this act, a report identifying how funds 

provided for the Real Estate Assessment Center, including any carryover balances, will be utilized during fiscal year 2019. The Committee also directs the Department to submit to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment 

of this act a report on Real Estate Assessment Center [REAC] inspections of all HUD assisted and or insured properties. This report shall include: the percentage of all inspected properties that 

received a REAC-inspected score of less than 65 since calendar 

year 2013; the number of properties in which the most recent 

REAC-inspected score represented a decline relative to the previous 

REAC score; a list of the 10 metropolitan statistical areas with the 

lowest average REAC-inspected scores for all inspected properties; 

and a list of the 10 States with the lowest average REAC-inspected 

scores for all inspected properties. The Committee encourages the 

Department to work with the House and Senate authorizing committees on enforcement actions, including civil monetary penalties, 

that HUD can take to ensure PHAs and landlords maintain the 

physical quality of HUD-assisted units. 

The Committee continues to support efforts to quickly issue tenant-protection vouchers to ensure affected residents are expeditiously securing housing that meets HUD’s decent, safe and sanitary standards. The Committee reiterates that failure to maintain 

the physical condition of HUD-assisted properties results in a loss 

of critical affordable housing and tenant protection vouchers are of 

questionable value to families that encounter a lack of affordable 

housing in their communities. As such, the Committee directs HUD 

to remind public housing agencies of the importance of working in 

coordination with state housing finance agencies and regional 

stakeholders to identify opportunities for the preservation and expansion of local affordable housing, particularly in areas where 

there is a known low vacancy or where the PHA is pursuing a Section 18 demolishment or disposition action. 

Lead-Based Paint.—In fiscal year 2017 the Committee provided 

$25,000,000 to help PHAs address lead-based paint hazards in public housing units, to ensure the physical condition of units meet the 

criteria set forth in HUD’s amended blood lead level standards. 

This funding will be competitively awarded to PHAs for lead inspections, risk assessments, interim controls and abatements, and 

will provide greater protections for children under the age of 6 living in public housing. Based on the demand identified through the 

fiscal year 2017 competition, there is still a demand to address 

lead-based paint hazards in public housing. As a result, the Committee directs $25,000,000 from the funds provided to continue 

making improvements to the public housing stock. The Committee 

continues to expect the Department to work with PHAs to ensure 
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that the initiative reflects the unique needs of the industry and 

strongly encourages HUD to work with PHAs, their maintenance 

staff, and tenants to help ensure potential lead-based paint risks 

are identified and addressed expeditiously. 

Emergency Call Systems.—In 2014, HUD’s Office of Multifamily 

Housing [OMFH] issued guidance for emergency call systems in elderly properties. This guidance was issued because owners, sponsors, and stakeholder groups had reported inconsistent guidance on 

which types of emergency call systems are required for elderly Multifamily properties, with reports that HUD staff had specifically instructed properties to maintain pull-cord technology in elderly 

properties rather than replacing this outdated technology with 

wireless or electronic emergency call systems. While HUD’s OMFH 

issued this guidance in 2014, PIH has not issued similar guidance 

for public housing properties. The Committee is concerned that this 

inconsistency is creating unnecessary confusion for PHAs and 

stakeholders. Therefore, the Committee directs PIH to issue clarifying guidance regarding emergency call systems in PHA managed 

multifamily properties within 90 of enactment of this act and to update related REAC inspection protocols if so warranted. The Department is directed to inform the House and Senate Committees 

on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of this act on actions it has taken in this regard. 

Public Housing Receiverships.—The Committee is concerned that 

HUD may be establishing deadlines to transition PHAs out of receivership prior to the successful relocation of every household that 

is subject to an involuntary relocation as a result of health and 

safety conditions. As such, the Committee directs HUD to ensure 

that, prior to a PHA exiting receivership, there is a plan in place 

to ensure tenants that are adversely affected by involuntary relocations are able to secure decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Additionally, the Committee directs the Department to report quarterly 

during fiscal year 2019 to the House and Senate Committees on 

Appropriations on the status of public housing agencies under receivership, including factors that informed the receivership such as 

physical and financial scores, deficiencies with internal controls, 

and other information demonstrating why HUD believes PHAs are 

unable to effectively oversee their business operations. This report 

shall also include an identification of funding resources and technical assistance provided to the PHA for the purpose of 

transitioning out of receivership, and future steps HUD will take 

to address deficiencies in an effort to return the respective PHAs 

to local control. 

Public Housing Disposition.—The Committee notes that while it 

is important for HUD to undertake due diligence when reviewing 

applications for public housing dispositions under section 18 of the 

1937 Housing Act, the HUD review process can be unduly burdensome and lengthy. Such is likely the case for those applications 

where a PHA is partnering with their State Housing Finance Agency. The Committee directs HUD to review its procedures and identify areas where streamlined review processes may be appropriate 

in order to reduce the time it takes to issue a final determination 

on applications, including any statutory, regulatory, and capacity 
103 

barriers, and to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of this act. 

Mobility and Relocation Specialists.—The Committee is aware of 

reports that HUD is not providing sufficient oversight of and continued access to mobility and relocation specialists for public housing residents who are required to involuntarily relocate from their 

current public housing unit, as a result of health and safety conditions or the demolishment or disposition of a public housing unit. 

The Committee directs HUD to take appropriate action to ensure 

public housing residents being relocated have access to mobility 

and relocation specialists until their relocation to suitable replacement housing is complete. 

ConnectHome.—The ConnectHome initiative provides a platform 

for collaboration among local governments, PHAs, Internet service 

providers, philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organizations and 

other relevant stakeholders to work together to produce local solutions for narrowing the digital divide in communities across the 

Nation served by HUD. The Committee encourages the Department to continue to partner with these entities to help identify 

ways residents living in public housing can connect to broadband 

infrastructure through technical assistance and digital literacy 

training, and to work with its partners to take steps to expand the 

number of participating communities. 

PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $4,550,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 3,279,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 4,756,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for the payment of operating subsidies to approximately 3,100 PHAs (except tribally designated 

housing entities) with a total of approximately 1.2 million units 

under management in order to augment rent payments by residents in order to provide sufficient revenues to meet reasonable operating costs. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,756,000,000 

for the public housing operating fund, which is $1,477,000,000 

more than the budget request and $206,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $150,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ..................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 100,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Choice Neighborhoods initiative provides competitive grants 

to transform impoverished neighborhoods into functioning, sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods with co-location of appropriate 

services, schools, public assets, transportation options, and access 

to jobs or job training. Choice Neighborhoods grants fund the pres-
104 

ervation, rehabilitation, and transformation of public and HUD-assisted housing, as well as their neighborhoods. Grantees include 

PHAs, tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. Forprofit developers may also apply in partnership with another eligible grantee. Grant funds can be used for resident and community 

services, community development and affordable housing activities 

in surrounding communities. Grantees undertake comprehensive 

local planning with input from residents and the community. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000 for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. This amount is $50,000,000 

less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $100,000,000 more 

than the budget request. Of the total amount provided, not less 

than $50,000,000 shall be awarded to projects where PHAs are the 

lead applicant, and no more than $5,000,000 may be used for planning, including planning and action, grants. The Committee continues to direct the Secretary to give priority consideration to 

grantees that have been previously awarded planning grants when 

making implementation grant awards. The Committee also directs 

HUD, when evaluating applicants for Choice Neighborhoods Initiative implementation grants, to take into account the capital needs 

of public housing properties that previously received funding 

through the HOPE VI program, but were not the target development of the HOPE VI project. Choice Neighborhoods projects must 

continue to meet the definition of ‘‘severely distressed.’’ 

FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $75,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 75,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 80,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Family Self-Sufficiency [FSS] program provides funding to 

help Housing Choice Voucher, project-based Section 8, and Public 

Housing residents achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence. The FSS program is designed to provide service coordination 

through community partnerships that link residents with employment assistance, job training, child care, transportation, financial 

literacy, and other supportive services. The funding will be allocated through one competition to eligible PHAs to support service 

coordinators who will serve both public housing and vouchers residents. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $80,000,000 for 

the FSS program in fiscal year 2019. This amount is $5,000,000 

more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, and $5,000,000 more 

than the budget request. 

The Committee strongly supports the FSS program, which helps 

provide public housing and Section 8 residents with the tools to improve their lives and achieve self-sufficiency. The Committee notes 

the passage of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which will strengthen the FSS pro-
105 

gram by consolidating duplicative programs, broadening supportive 

services, and giving local entities flexibility to pursue innovative 

approaches. The Committee notes that this act prioritizes the renewal of all existing coordinators, subject to performance standards, and encourages the participation of new coordinators once the 

renewal need is met. As the program expands, the Committee expects HUD to continue to hold webinars and trainings, and to 

share best-practices for PHAs and property owners currently operating and seeking to implement a new FSS program. Further, the 

Committee strongly encourages the Department to continue work 

with PHAs and property owners, including those converting existing FSS programs through the Rental Assistance Demonstration, to 

ensure they comply with reporting and other program requirements. 

Easing Barriers to Participation.—In order to facilitate increased 

participation by target families, the Committee seeks to reduce barriers to participation that can arise from understaffed FSS programs or delays in family enrollment. For the purposes of the 

NOFA for this program, the Committee directs HUD to use PIC 

data from the 12-month period immediately preceding the issuance 

of the NOFA when calculating the number of new or additional 

FSS coordinators for which a PHA is eligible to apply. The Committee further directs that for new families enrolling in the FSS 

program in 2019, the income and rent amounts to be used in the 

‘‘Program Contract of Participation’’ shall be taken from the 

amounts on the last reexamination or interim determination before 

the family’s initial participation in the FSS program. 

NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $755,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 600,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 755,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account funds the Indian Housing Block Grant Program, as 

authorized under title I of the Native American Housing Assistance 

and Self-Determination Act of 1996 [NAHASDA]. This program 

provides a funding allocation on a formula basis to Indian Tribes 

and their tribally designated housing entities to help address the 

housing needs within their communities. Under this block grant, 

Indian Tribes use performance measures and benchmarks that are 

consistent with the national goals of the program, but can base 

these measures on the needs and priorities established in their own 

Indian housing plan. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total of $755,000,000 for the Indian Housing Block Grant [IHBG] and Title VI Loan Guarantee 

programs, of which $646,000,000 is for IHBG formula grants, 

$100,000,000 is for IHBG competitive grants, $7,000,000 is for 

technical assistance, and $2,000,000 is for credit subsidy to support 

a Title VI guaranteed loan level not to exceed $17,761,989. The recommended level of funding is the same as the amount provided in 

fiscal year 2018 and $155,000,000 more than the budget request. 
106 

Competitive Grants.—IHBG is a vital resource for Tribal governments to address the dire housing conditions in Indian country, 

and access to affordable housing remains in a critical State for 

many Tribes across the country. Native Americans living in Tribal 

areas are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty compared to the 

rest of the Nation. As a result, the housing challenges on Tribal 

lands are daunting. According to the American Housing Survey 

data for 2013, 16 percent of homes on American Indian reservations and off-reservation trust land are overcrowded, compared to 

2 percent of households nationwide. In addition to being overcrowded, 34 percent of Native American housing units suffer from 

one or more physical problems compared with only 7 percent for 

U.S. households, on average. To assist Tribes with these daunting 

housing challenges, the Committee recommendation includes 

$100,000,000 for competitive grants in addition to the formula 

funding. 

Coordinated Environmental Reviews for Tribal Housing and Related Infrastructure.—In fiscal year 2015, the Committee directed 

HUD to collaborate with the Council on Environmental Quality 

and affected Federal agencies, including the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Environmental 

Protection Agency, to develop a coordinated environmental review 

process to simplify Tribal housing development and its related infrastructure needs. The Committee expects HUD to continue to update the Committee on the status and progress of these ongoing efforts. 

Technical Assistance.—Limited capacity hinders the ability of 

many Tribes to effectively address their housing needs. The Committee recommendation includes $7,000,000 for technical assistance 

needs in Indian country to support the IHBG program, as well as 

other HUD programs, in order to meet the needs of Native American families and Indian country. The Committee expects HUD to 

use the technical assistance funding provided to aid Tribes with capacity challenges, especially Tribes receiving small grant awards. 

The funding should be used for training, contract expertise, and 

other services necessary to improve data collection, increase 

leveraging, and address other needs identified by Tribes. The Committee also expects that these technical assistance funds will be 

provided to organizations with experience in providing technical assistance that reflects the unique needs and culture of Native Americans. 

Title VI Credit Subsidy Model.—The Title VI Loan Guarantee 

program enables Tribes to leverage their block grant funds and encourages private lenders to finance Tribal housing development activities. While this program provides critical financing to address 

housing needs on Tribal lands, the program has suffered from an 

outdated credit subsidy model. The Committee is pleased to learn 

that HUD and OMB have undertaken an effort to improve the 

model and more accurately reflect the cost to the Government of 

this program. These corrections will likely result in the ability to 

do more lending at the same appropriation level. The Committee 

strongly encourages HUD to continue these efforts and hopes they 

will be reflected in the fiscal year 2020 request. 
107 

INDIAN HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Program account Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Appropriations, 2018 ....................................................................................................... $1,000,000 $270,270,270 

Budget estimate, 2019 ................................................................................................... ............................ ............................

Committee recommendation ........................................................................................... 1,440,000 553,846,154 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides access to private financing for Indian families, Indian Tribes, and their tribally designated housing entities 

that otherwise could not acquire housing financing because of the 

unique status of Indian trust land. HUD continues to be the largest 

single source of financing for housing in Tribal communities. This 

program makes it possible to promote sustainable reservation communities by providing access to financing for higher income Native 

Americans to achieve homeownership within their Native communities. As required by the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, this 

account includes the subsidy costs associated with the loan guarantees authorized under this program. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,440,000 in program subsidies to support a loan level of $553,846,154. This 

subsidy amount is $440,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted 

subsidy level and $1,440,000 more than the budget request. 

NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANT

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $2,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 2,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Hawaiian Homelands Homeownership Act of 2000 created 

the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program to provide 

grants to the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home 

Lands [DHHL] for housing and housing-related assistance, in order 

to develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing for eligible 

low-income Native Hawaiian families. As one of the United States’ 

indigenous people, Native Hawaiian people have a unique relationship with the Federal Government. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,000,000 for 

the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, which is equal 

to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $2,000,000 more than the 

budget request. 

The Committee is extremely disappointed at DHHL’s repeated 

failure to meet acceptable performance targets for the expenditure 

of federally appropriated funds, and its failure to adjust program 

delivery models to meet the housing needs of low-income Native 

Hawaiians. While the underlying state constitutional mandate to 

return Native Hawaiians to the Hawaiian homelands is and should 

always be the mission of the organization, that does not in any way 
108 

preclude DHHL from developing affordable, multi-family rental 

housing for the estimated 34,100 low-income Native Hawaiians 

who cannot afford traditional or sweat equity homeownership opportunities. This type of residential density will also allow for more 

efficient use of infrastructure such as roads, sewer and water lines. 

Further, DHHL is encouraged to also address the rehabilitation of 

unsafe and unsanitary housing conditions of low-income Kapuna 

housing on Hawaiian homelands for which there is also great need. 

The Committee directs HUD to ensure that the funds provided 

are administered to maximize the provision of affordable housing 

through the construction of high density, multi-family affordable 

housing and rental units, as well as housing counseling services 

and the rehabilitation of housing on Native Hawaiian home lands 

that do not meet safe and sanitary housing building standards. 

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $375,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 330,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 375,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS [HOPWA] 

program provides States and localities with resources and incentives to devise long-term, comprehensive strategies for meeting the 

housing and supportive service needs of persons living with HIV/ 

AIDS and their families. 

By statute, 90 percent of formula-appropriated funds are distributed to qualifying States and metropolitan areas on the basis of the 

number of living HIV and living AIDS cases, as well as poverty and 

local housing cost factors. The remaining 10 percent of funds are 

awarded through a national competition, with priority given to the 

renewal of funding for expiring agreements consistent with appropriations act requirements. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $375,000,000 for 

the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS [HOPWA] program. This level of funding is $45,000,000 more than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee continues to include language requiring HUD to allocate 

these funds in a manner that preserves existing HOPWA programs, to the extent that those programs are determined to be 

meeting the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $3,365,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,365,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Under title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 

1974, as amended, the Department is authorized to award block 
109 

grants to units of general local government and States for the funding of local community development programs. A wide range of 

physical, economic, and social development activities are eligible 

with spending priorities determined at the local level, but the law 

enumerates general objectives which the block grants are designed 

to fulfill, including adequate housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities, principally for persons 

of low and moderate income. Grant recipients are required to use 

at least 70 percent of their block grant funds for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. 

Funds are distributed to eligible recipients for community development purposes utilizing the higher of two objective formulas, one 

of which gives somewhat greater weight to the age of housing 

stock. Of the funds appropriated, 70 percent are distributed to entitlement communities and 30 percent are distributed to nonentitlement communities after deducting designated amounts for insular 

areas. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has provided $3,365,000,000 for Community Development Block Grants [CDBG]. The recommended amount is 

$3,365,000,000 above the budget request and equal to the fiscal 

year 2018 enacted level. CDBG funding provides States and entitlement communities with resources that allow them to undertake a 

wide range of community development activities, including public 

infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation and construction, job creation and retention, and public services that primarily 

benefit low and moderate income persons. The Committee strongly 

rejects the administration’s proposal to eliminate this critical infrastructure program. Since 2005, CDBG has assisted nearly 1.5 million homeowners with services such as rehabilitation, downpayment assistance, and lead abatement; it has helped create or retain 

over 400,000 jobs; and has benefited over 45 million people through 

infrastructure improvements. Every dollar of CDBG Federal investment leverages nearly four additional dollars in non-CDBG funding. Urban and rural communities rely on this funding to serve 

their most vulnerable residents and where residents experience 

economic hardship. This program is vital to our nation’s downtown 

and neighborhood revitalization efforts, and the Committee believes 

that every effort must be made to protect this essential funding 

mechanism. HUD’s own fiscal year 2019 performance plan shows 

that eliminating CDBG as well as HOME ultimately reduces the 

number of housing units the Department expects to make healthy, 

physically safe and lead-safe by two-thirds. This essential resource 

for State and local governments lies at the heart of HUD’s community development mission and eliminating it would have a real and 

significant negative impact on the lives of millions of low and moderate income Americans. 

The flexibility associated with CDBG enables State and local governments to tailor solutions to effectively meet the unique needs of 

their communities. The Committee notes the importance of States 

and local grantees meeting the program’s three national objectives, 

as they utilize the program’s resources to address a wide range of 

community needs. As HUD works with communities to determine 
110 

eligible activities that meet the national objective of benefiting lowand moderate-income persons, the Committee encourages the Department to extend flexibility for rural communities under 1,000 

residents to use alternate sources of data to establish Low-Moderate Income Survey Data [LMISD] when American Community 

Survey [ACS] data is considered by the CDBG applicant to be unreliable. 

The Committee recommends $65,000,000 for grants to Indian 

Tribes for essential economic and community development activities, which is $65,000,000 above the budget request and equal to 

the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

To ensure the program remains flexible, but also accountable and 

transparent, the Committee recommendation continues provisions 

in bill language that prohibit any community from selling its 

CDBG award to another community and that any funding provided 

to a for-profit entity for an economic development project funded 

under this act undergo appropriate underwriting. The Committee 

has included these provisions to address concerns raised about how 

program dollars have been used and to mitigate risks associated 

with it. 

Transitional Housing for Individuals Exiting Recovery.—The 

Committee recognizes the importance of stable transitional living 

environments for individuals in recovery from substance abuse disorder, including opioid addiction. As such, the Committee directs 

HUD to encourage community development block grant recipients 

to provide funding to organizations that offer transitional housing 

opportunities to those in recovery. 

Assisting Communities Affected by Disasters.—The Committee 

provided a historically large appropriation of $35,400,000,000 for 

rebuilding efforts in areas affected by 2017 disasters and for additional mitigation activities in communities affected by disasters occurring between 2015 and 2017. As of April 2018, HUD had informally announced the allocation and the recipients of this funding. 

The Committee notes, however, that because the Department has 

not yet published the allocations for the majority of this funding in 

the Federal Register, grantees cannot submit their Allocation Plans 

to HUD for review and resources cannot begin to flow to States and 

territories. Until allocations are published, hard-hit communities, 

including those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, 

will be prevented from expeditiously distributing this critical longterm recovery funding. In order to facilitate the timely deployment 

of these resources, the Committee directs HUD to publish all allocations and implementing notices in the Federal Register no later 

than 30 days after the enactment of this act. 

Additionally, the Department has been conditioning the allocation of disaster recovery funds on the use of important guidelines 

emphasizing durability and sustainability. These pragmatic standards have helped communities affected by disasters to recover 

quickly, build back stronger, and more effectively prepare for future natural hazard events. The Committee believes that this approach will be helpful in reducing the need for future repair and 

recovery spending and strongly encourages the Department not 

only to maintain these standards for disaster assistance, but to 
111 

work with communities to extend this approach to other Community Development Block Grant activities as well. 

Procurement Standards for Disaster Grantees.— CDBG Disaster 

Recovery provides essential funding to States and localities recovering from natural disasters. In prior appropriations, Congress has 

directed HUD to provide thorough oversight of the auditing and 

procurement procedures implemented by grantees. In the Disaster 

Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Public Law 113–2), and in subsequent disaster recovery appropriations in fiscal years 2015, 2016, 

and 2017, Congress specifically required HUD to certify that the 

procurement processes employed by each grantee meet a standard 

of proficiency. On March 5, 2013, HUD published Notice FR–5696– 

N–01 clarifying that a proficient standard is one that is equivalent 

to and in alignment with Federal procurement standards. The 

Committee continues to believe that as long as HUD provides consistent and rigorous oversight of the procurement processes employed by State and local recipients, an equivalent, though not 

identical procurement standard that upholds the principles of fair 

and open competition can prevent Federal dollars appropriated for 

disaster recovery from being spent irresponsibly. The Committee 

agrees that this approach provides maximum feasible deference to 

grantees, particularly States and U.S. territories, which is consistent with the CDBG program design. The Committee also notes 

its concern about the timeliness of disbursement of disaster relief 

funds once allocated to States and U.S. territories. The Committee 

expects HUD to balance the integrity of procurement standards 

with timely disbursement of resources and directs HUD to, as part 

of its oversight of procurement standards, ensure the timeliness of 

disbursements to subgrantees. 

Partnerships Between Grantees and Project Resource Providers.— 

The Committee strongly supports communities that are facilitating 

partnerships between CDBG recipients and non-profit organizations that provide tools, equipment, or other resources to other nonprofit or volunteer organizations assisting in the completion of community development, revitalization, or rehabilitation projects authorized under the CDBG program. The Committee directs HUD to 

provide clarifying guidance to CDBG recipients about how they can 

facilitate these partnerships and to issue a report by the end of fiscal year 2019 that identifies opportunities and challenges for Federal, State, and local governments to partner with nonprofit organizations to complete community development, revitalization, and rehabilitation projects. 

Addressing Blight and Abandoned Properties.—Blight and abandoned properties have significant impacts on the health, safety, 

and economic viability of the communities in which they are located. When undertaken strategically, demolition of abandoned 

properties can alleviate these harmful effects. The Committee encourages the Department to work with its grantees to identify effective solutions to addressing blight and abandoned properties. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN GUARANTEES PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Program account Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Appropriations, 2018 ....................................................................................................... ............................ $300,000,000 
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Program account Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Budget estimate, 2019 ................................................................................................... ............................ ............................

Committee recommendation ........................................................................................... ............................ 300,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 

1974, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to issue Federal loan 

guarantees of private market loans used by entitlement and nonentitlement communities to cover the costs of acquiring real property, rehabilitation of publicly owned real property, housing rehabilitation, and other economic development activities. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommendation provides a loan level guarantee of $300,000,000 which is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level 

and $300,000,000 above the budget request. The Committee requires HUD to collect fees to offset credit subsidy costs such that 

the program operates at a zero credit subsidy cost. 

This program enables CDBG recipients to use their CDBG dollars to leverage financing for economic development projects, community facilities, and housing rehabilitation programs. Communities are allowed to borrow up to five times their most recent 

CDBG allocation. 

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $1,362,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 1,362,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title II of the National Affordable Housing Act, as amended, authorizes the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This program provides assistance to States and local governments for the 

purpose of expanding the supply and affordability of housing to 

low-income and very low-income people. Eligible activities include 

tenant-based rental assistance, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable rental and ownership housing, and housing construction. 

To participate in the HOME program, State and local governments 

must develop a comprehensive housing affordability strategy. There 

is a 25 percent matching requirement for participating jurisdictions, which can be reduced or eliminated if they are experiencing 

fiscal distress. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,362,000,000 

for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. This amount is 

equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $1,362,000,000 more 

than the budget request. 

Affordable Housing Needs.—HOME continues to play a crucial 

role in the creation of new affordable housing and is more critical 

than ever given the lack of affordable housing in communities 

across the country. This past year, the program’s ability to leverage 
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outside funding has far exceeded its historical average: while in the 

past, a dollar of HOME money has attracted an additional $4.32, 

this rose to an average leveraged amount of $5.67 during fiscal 

year 2017. For rental projects specifically, this amount was even 

higher, leveraging $6.82 for every HOME dollar. The program’s impressive ability to attract private capital reflects the central importance it plays in facilitating public-private housing development 

partnerships. Given the Administration’s avowed interest in promoting cooperative efforts between the public and private sectors 

to address the affordable housing crisis, it is unclear how the elimination of HOME in the proposed budget helps to promote this objective. The Committee supports innovative projects that combine 

public and private capital, but recognizes that without a public 

commitment to programs like HOME, the private sector has little 

incentive to participate in public-private affordable housing partnerships. 

Reconciling Income Guidelines for Disabled Veterans.—There are 

3.9 million veterans with disabilities and 1.5 million veterans living in poverty in the United States. However, connecting veterans 

to affordable housing opportunities based on their disability and/or 

income status can be difficult. Many multifamily affordable housing 

developments are financed with a combination of HOME funds and 

the Department of the Treasury’s Low Income Housing Tax Credits 

[LIHTC]. However, the income guidelines for HUD’s HOME program and the LIHTC vary, and reconciling the two program’s requirements can be challenging. As such, the Committee urges the 

Department to work with the Department of Treasury to examine 

ways to better align HUD and LIHTC guidelines. The Committee 

encourages HUD to assess potential changes to the income determination used for LIHTC to ensure that disabled veterans are not 

excluded from projects. 

SELF-HELP AND ASSISTED HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $54,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... ........................... 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 54,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program provides funding for several programs, including the SelfHelp Homeownership Opportunity Program [SHOP], which assists 

low-income homebuyers who are willing to contribute ‘‘sweat equity’’ toward the construction of their houses. These funds increase 

nonprofit organizations’ ability to leverage funds from other 

sources. This account also includes funding for the Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Program, 

as well as assistance to rural communities, as authorized under 

sections 6301 through 6305 of Public Law 110–246. These programs assist in the development of the capacity of nonprofit organizations to carry out community development and affordable housing projects. This account also provides funding for the rehabilitation and modification of the homes of veterans, who are low-income 

or disabled, as authorized by section 1079 of Public Law 113–291. 
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $54,000,000 for the Self-Help and 

Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program, which is equal to 

the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $54,000,000 more than the 

budget request. The Committee rejects the Administration’s proposal to eliminate this account. The Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 for SHOP, as authorized under section 11 of the 

Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996; $35,000,000 

for capacity building, as authorized by section 4(a) of the HUD 

Demonstration Act of 1993; $5,000,000 to carry out capacity building activities in rural communities; and $4,000,000 for a program 

to rehabilitate and modify housing for veterans, who are low-income or disabled. The Committee notes that funding for technical 

assistance is being provided under the Office of Policy Development 

and Research and directs that funds available for the Section 4 program be used solely for capacity building activities. 

Funding for the Rural Capacity Building Program for Community Development and Affordable Housing is intended for truly national organizations. For the purposes of the National Rural Capacity Building Notification of Funding Availability [NOFA], the Committee directs HUD to define an eligible national organization as 

‘‘a nonprofit entity, which has ongoing experience in rural housing, 

including experience working with rural housing organizations, 

local governments, and Indian tribes, as evidenced by past and continuing work in one or more States in eight or more of HUD’s Federal regions.’’ 

Assistance for Low-Income and Disabled Veterans.—The Committee is pleased that HUD recently published a NOFA for the Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program. This 

program will award grants to nonprofit organizations to rehabilitate and modify the primary residences of veterans to make them 

more accessible by installing supportive fixtures so that veterans 

can regain or maintain their independence. Over the past three fiscal years, the Committee has provided a total of $13,700,000 for 

this program. It is essential that all of this funding be utilized to 

assist some of the 3.9 million veterans in the United States with 

a service-connected disability or the nearly 1.5 million veterans living in poverty. The Committee directs HUD to award funds provided for this program in fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 within 

60 days of enactment of this act. The Committee also directs HUD 

to award funds provided for this program for fiscal year 2019 within 180 days of enactment of this act. 

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $2,513,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 2,383,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 2,612,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Homeless Assistance Grants Program provides funding to 

break the cycle of homelessness and to move homeless persons and 

families to permanent housing. This is done by providing rental assistance, emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, 
115 

prevention, rapid re-housing, and supportive services to homeless 

persons and families or those at risk of homelessness. The emergency solutions grant program is a formula grant program, while 

the Continuum of Care and Rural Housing Stability Programs are 

competitive grants. Homeless assistance grants provide Federal 

support to the Nation’s most vulnerable populations. These grants 

assist localities in addressing the housing and service needs of a 

wide variety of homeless populations while developing coordinated 

Continuum of Care [CoC] systems that ensure the support necessary to help those who are homeless attain housing and move toward self-sufficiency. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,612,000,000 

for Homeless Assistance Grants in fiscal year 2019. This amount 

is $229,000,000 above the budget request, and $99,000,000 above 

the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee recommendation includes at least $2,205,000,000 

to support the Continuum of Care Program, including the renewal 

of existing projects, and the Rural Housing Stability Assistance 

Program. Based on the renewal burden, HUD may also support 

planning and other activities authorized by the HEARTH Act. The 

recommendation also includes at least $270,000,000 for the emergency solutions grants program [ESG]. 

The Committee continues to support HUD’s efforts to leverage 

existing housing resources, such as Section 8 and Family Unification Program vouchers, to serve people experiencing homelessness 

and supports replacing existing, underperforming projects with new 

projects. 

The Committee is aware that while most States did not experience a significant change in the number of people experiencing 

homelessness between 2016 and 2017, some States and the District 

of Columbia experienced a significant increase in homeless populations, and in unsheltered homeless populations in particular. The 

Committee believes that HUD should continue to support the implementation of comprehensive and proven approaches to serving 

people experiencing homelessness in order to allow CoCs to meet 

their goals of preventing and ending homelessness, which in certain cases may include permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing. Therefore, if funds remain available in this account after meeting renewal demands and funding 

ESG, HUD may use it for new projects, including transitional housing, provided that such projects are targeted to areas with the 

greatest need, as measured by data on homelessness. 

Addressing the Needs of Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence.—Victims and survivors of domestic violence and assault, particularly women and children, often flee unsafe circumstances and 

seek refuge through emergency shelter or transitional housing programs in order to avoid homelessness. The Committee recognizes 

the nexus between experiences of domestic violence and homelessness, as well as how access to housing and services can serve as 

an effective bridge between a person leaving an abusive and dangerous environment to finding stable housing. While permanent 

housing serves as a stable platform for preventing and ending cy-
116 

cles of homelessness among survivors, and rapid rehousing has 

been shown to be an effective method for providing shorter term assistance, the Committee is also aware that in some communities 

well-designed transitional housing programs have also been effective in meeting the needs of this population. Although HUD does 

not penalize effective transitional housing projects that serve survivors of domestic violence through its CoC grant competition, the 

Committee is concerned that transitional housing and service providers and CoCs lack the information necessary to make informed 

funding recommendations that reflect the needs of survivors at the 

local level. Therefore, the Committee continues to direct the Department to issue clarifying guidance on how transitional housing 

can be an appropriate model and an eligible and effective use of 

funding through the CoC grant competition. The Committee also 

continues to direct the Department to coordinate with the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women [OVW] on opportunities in communities where CoC program resources can be 

used with OVW’s transitional housing grants to ensure that survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking 

have access to safe and affordable housing and services. The Committee continues to encourage the Department to renew transitional housing projects for domestic violence survivors that have 

been shown to effectively address survivors’ safety and client choice 

and to continue funding CoC projects serving domestic violence survivors that allow program participants to obtain permanent housing through tenant-based rental assistance and supportive services. 

The Committee recommendation also includes $50,000,000 in competitive CoC grants for rapid re-housing projects and supportive 

service projects providing coordinated entry, and other critical activities in order to assist survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The Committee includes language requiring 

that such projects be eligible for renewal under the continuum of 

care program, subject to the same terms and conditions as other renewal applicants. The Committee expects HUD to work with Continuums of Care to ensure that such projects do not supplant 

projects eligible for renewal as part of the 2020 continuum of care 

grant competition. 

Data on Youth Homelessness.—The Committee believes an accurate count is critical to understanding the scale of youth homelessness. While the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report [AHAR] 

provides Congress and the public with meaningful information on 

the progress in ending homelessness, other Federal agencies have 

youth-specific data that can help communities better understand 

the scope of youth homelessness and housing instability in their 

area. The Committee continues to direct HUD to incorporate additional Federal data on youth homelessness into the AHAR. 

Comprehensive Interventions to Prevent and End Youth Homelessness.—The Committee recommendation includes $80,000,000 to 

continue implementation of comprehensive approaches to serving 

homeless youth, of which up to $5,000,000 shall be used to provide 

technical assistance to grantees. The Committee applauds HUD’s 

decision to use a portion of its technical assistance funding to support the 100-Day Challenge Initiative, a program that helps communities accelerate efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness. 
117 

By offering local service providers the opportunity to come together 

to identify impediments and establish goals, the 100-Day Challenge 

leaves communities better prepared to confront youth homelessness 

in a comprehensive manner. The program also lays the groundwork 

for participants seeking to apply for a Youth Homelessness Demonstration Grant award. 

Barriers to Permanent Housing for Homeless Youth.—Communities continue to update the Committee on barriers youth face to 

accessing stable, permanent housing, including a lack of landlord 

participation and flexible lease terms for youth independently entering the private rental housing market. The Committee is concerned that the CoC Interim Rule does not fully consider the needs 

of all homeless youth transitioning into permanent housing and directs the Department to identify and report to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of 

this act on the barriers homeless youth face in securing timely and 

suitable permanent housing. 

Guidance Update.—The Committee continues to direct the Department to expedite its review of withdrawn guidance materials 

for homeless service providers to help them comply with nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and 

transgender services recipients. The Committee reminds the Department that the deadline to complete this review is September 

19, 2018, and expects the Department’s full compliance in meeting 

this deadline. 

Clarifying Eligibility and Documentation Requirements for Homeless Youth.—The Committee continues to include language that 

waives the requirement for youth 24 and under to provide thirdparty documentation to receive housing and supportive services 

within the Continuums of Care. The Committee strongly believes 

documentation requirements should not be a basis for denying access to necessary services. The Committee believes the Department 

shares the goal of effectively addressing youth homelessness and 

ensuring that no youth eligible go unserved where there is the local 

capacity to house and/or provide services. Therefore, the Committee 

encourages the Department to continue to clarify program requirements through guidance, notice and webcasts as appropriate. 

Performance Partnership Pilot.—The Committee has continued 

language permitting HUD to partner with other Federal agencies 

in the Performance Partnership Pilot program, a cross-Federal 

agency initiative serving disconnected youth through innovative, 

cost-effective, and outcome-focused strategies. The Committee believes there is a critical role HUD can play in this pilot, especially 

as communities seek to address the housing and self-sufficiency 

needs of disconnected youth. 

Annual Homeless Assessment Report [AHAR].—AHAR is the result of Congressional directives, beginning in 2001, that directed 

the Department to collect data on homelessness using the newly 

implemented Homeless Management Information System [HMIS]. 

HMIS data, information provided by Continuums of Care, and a 

point-in-time count of sheltered and unsheltered persons from one 

night in January of each year informs AHAR. The Committee is encouraged that HUD is sharing homeless data widely, and that Fed-
118 

eral, State and local service providers use AHAR to determine 

needs and develop strategies to address homelessness. 

The Committee believes HMIS can be used as a platform for information gathering in other Federal programs. Streamlining data 

to reflect the various Federal data sources will allow the Federal 

Government to better understand the scope and needs of homeless 

populations, to then inform a strategic alignment of Federal services. The Committee directs HUD to incorporate additional Federal 

data on homelessness into the AHAR. This information is important to ensure that communities develop and implement policies 

that respond to local needs. To support continued data collection 

and AHAR, the Committee has included $7,000,000 to support 

AHAR data collection and analysis. The Department shall submit 

the AHAR report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 29, 2019. The Committee further hopes that 

HUD’s efforts to increase participation in the HMIS effort will lead 

to improved information about and understanding of the Nation’s 

homeless. 

Renewal Costs.—The Committee directs HUD to continue to include 5-year projections of the costs of renewing existing projects 

as part of the fiscal year 2020 budget justification. This should include estimated costs of renewing permanent supportive housing. 

HOUSING PROGRAMS

PROJECT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $11,515,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 11,147,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 11,747,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance provides a rental subsidy to a private landlord that is tied to a specific housing unit, as 

opposed to a voucher, which allows a recipient to seek a unit, subject primarily to certain rent caps. Amounts in this account include 

funding for the renewal of and amendments to expiring Section 8 

project-based contracts, including Section 8, moderate rehabilitation, and single room occupancy [SRO] housing. This account also 

provides funds for contract administrators. 

The Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance [PBRA] program 

supports an estimated 17,400 contracts with private owners of multifamily housing. Through this program, HUD and private sector 

partners support the preservation of safe, stable and sanitary housing for more than 1.2 million low-income households. Without 

PBRA, many affordable housing projects would convert to market 

rates with large rent increases that current tenants would be unable to afford. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of 

$11,747,000,000 for the annual renewal of project-based contracts, 

of which up to $245,000,000 is for the cost of contract administrators. The recommended level of funding is $232,000,000 above the 
119 

amount provided in fiscal year 2018 and is $600,000,000 above the 

budget request. The funding recommendation provides sufficient 

resources to fully renew all existing affordable housing contracts. 

Performance-Based Contract Administrators.—Performance-based 

contract administrators [PBCAs] are typically PHAs or State housing finance agencies. They are responsible for conducting on-site 

management reviews of assisted properties; adjusting contract 

rents; and reviewing, processing, and paying monthly vouchers submitted by owners, among other tasks. The Committee notes that 

PBCAs are integral to the Department’s efforts to be more effective 

and efficient in the oversight and monitoring of this program, reduce improper payments, protect tenants and ensure properties are 

well maintained. The Committee is concerned that proposals to reduce the scope of work performed by PBCAs, diminish the applicability of Federal law, or consolidate PBCAs into regional awards 

versus State-by-State will have a detrimental effect on the oversight of these HUD-assisted properties and the individuals and 

families that rely on this critical source of affordable housing. 

Oversight of Property Owners.—The Committee places a priority 

on providing access to safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to 

those most in need. If owners fail to uphold these standards, HUD 

should hold them accountable. In recent years the Committee has 

strengthened a general provision requiring the Department to take 

specific steps to ensure that serious defects are quickly addressed. 

This provision requires the Secretary to take explicit actions if an 

owner fails to maintain its property, including imposing civil monetary penalties, working to secure a different owner for the property, 

or transferring the Section 8 contract to another property. The 

Committee notes that the Department has also taken several additional steps to improve its inspections process, including: closing a 

loophole that allowed condemned units to be excluded from inspection samples; permitting REAC to require owners to make repairs 

for individual deficiencies even when an overall property receives 

a passing score; requiring owners to adopt industry standards 

when making repairs; and training REAC inspectors to recognize 

industry standards when evaluating whether deficiencies have 

been corrected. The Committee urges HUD to consider using 

PBCAs to identify troubled properties early on, and directs HUD 

to assess the feasibility developing a process by which PBCAs conduct a survey of tenants living in properties under a housing assistance payment contract for the purpose of identifying persistent 

problems with either the physical condition or management of the 

property. The Committee directs HUD to inform the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of this act on the results of that assessment. 

HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $678,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 601,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 678,000,000 
120 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for housing for the elderly under 

section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959. Under this program, the 

Department provides capital grants to eligible entities for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction of housing for seniors, as 

well as project-based rental assistance contracts [PRACs] to support the operational costs for such units. Tenants living in section 

202 supportive housing units can access a variety of communitybased services in order to continue living independently in their 

communities and age in place. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $678,000,000 for 

the Section 202 program. This amount is consistent with the level 

provided in fiscal year 2018 and $77,000,000 more than the budget 

request. The Committee recommendation includes $527,000,000 in 

new appropriations, in addition to carryover balances and residual 

receipts, to fully fund all annual PRAC renewals and amendments, 

$90,000,000 for service coordinators and the continuation of existing congregate service grants, and $51,000,000 for the development 

of new housing for low-income seniors. 

Aging in Place Home Modification Grants.—The Committee recommendation also includes $10,000,000 for new grants in order to 

enable low-income seniors to remain in their homes through lowcost, high impact home modifications. The vast majority of seniors 

wish to remain in their homes and ‘‘age in place,’’ rather than move 

to nursing homes or other assisted care facilities. However, most 

residences lack the needed supportive features to make remaining 

in place a viable option. This problem is further exacerbated by the 

lack of financial stability in which most seniors find themselves. 

According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, over the next 20 years, 

nearly 40 percent of individuals over the age of 62 are projected to 

have financial assets of $25,000 or less, and more than half of that 

population will have $5,000 or less. This lack of financial resources 

makes it nearly impossible for low-income seniors to successfully 

age in place. Simple, low-cost home modifications can not only enable low-income seniors to age in place, but also result in significant savings to Medicare and Medicaid. In designing the Notice of 

Funding Availability for these grants, HUD is directed to take into 

account successful models of low-barrier, participant-led, holistic 

approaches to aging in place, including Johns Hopkins University’s 

Community Aging in Place—Advancing Better Living for Elders 

[CAPABLE] program and the Comfortably Home program of the 

Bath Housing Authority in Bath, Maine. The Committee further directs HUD to track the outcomes of seniors whose homes have been 

modified in order to better understand the effectiveness of this 

funding in reducing at-home falls, hospitalizations, and emergency 

response calls, as well as improving independence and tenure in 

home over time. 

Integrated Wellness in Supportive Housing [IWISH] Demonstration.—In fiscal year 2014, the Committee directed HUD to develop 

a housing-with-services demonstration for low-income senior households. This demonstration will evaluate how those models reduce 
121 

unnecessary healthcare utilization, increase housing stability, and 

support aging in place. In developing this demonstration, the Department relied on the results from the Support and Services at 

Home [SASH] evaluation in Vermont, which indicated slowed 

growth in Medicare expenditures, in addition to other research initiatives carried out jointly between HUD and the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services. The Committee awaits the results 

of the Department’s analysis which will better inform models of 

housing-with-services offered to seniors. The Committee encourages 

the Department to include in the report whether future research 

and the expansion of such models could improve the provision of 

supportive services to seniors. 

HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $229,600,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 140,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 154,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides funding for housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. Traditionally, the Section 811 program provided capital grants to eligible entities for the acquisition, 

rehabilitation, or construction of housing for persons with disabilities, as well as project-based rental assistance contracts [PRACs] 

to support the operational costs for such units. Since fiscal year 

2012, HUD has transitioned to providing project rental assistance 

to State housing finance agencies or other appropriate entities, 

which act in partnership with State health and human services 

agencies to provide supportive services, as authorized by the Frank 

Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010 (Public Law 

111–374). 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $154,000,000 for 

the Section 811 program. This level is $14,000,000 more than the 

budget request and is $75,600,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level. This level of funding, in addition to residual receipts, 

recaptures, and other unobligated balances, will support all PRAC 

renewals and amendments. 

Discrimination against Individuals with Disabilities.—The Committee is extremely concerned with HUD’s recent findings of significant levels of adverse differential treatment towards individuals 

with mental illnesses and intellectual or developmental disabilities 

as they seek to live in community-based housing through the rental 

market. Equality of access to the rental housing market for individuals with disabilities is crucial to meeting the holdings of Olmstead 

v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), and ensuring that those populations 

are not forced to remain in nursing homes and other institutional 

or segregated settings. The discrimination faced by individuals 

with disabilities is further confirmed by complaints based on disability making up the largest number of housing discrimination 

complaints filed with Federal, State, and local fair housing agen-
122 

cies and with private fair housing groups. In 2014, disability complaints alone made up over 51 percent of the fair housing complaints filed with HUD, its partner State and local agencies, and 

private fair housing enforcement organizations. 

The Committee directs HUD to develop educational materials for 

both individuals with disabilities and housing providers regarding 

fair housing rights and obligations, including appropriate policies 

and practices when dealing with individuals with mental illnesses, 

intellectual or developmental disabilities, or any other mental disability. These materials should also assist individuals with disabilities, who are leaving institutional or segregated settings, by informing them of their rights under Federal law, how to recognize 

potential discrimination, and what actions to take when faced with 

discrimination. 

HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $55,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 45,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 45,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Housing Counseling Assistance Program provides comprehensive housing counseling services to eligible homeowners and 

tenants through grants to non-profit intermediaries, State government entities, and other local and national agencies. Eligible counseling activities include: pre- and post-purchase education, personal 

financial management, reverse mortgage product education, foreclosure prevention, mitigation, and rental counseling. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $45,000,000 for 

the Housing Counseling Assistance Program, which is equal to the 

budget request and $10,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. These funds will help to provide individuals and families across the country with sound advice to make more informed 

housing decisions, improve their financial situation, and meet their 

homeownership goals over time. Specifically, it will support competitive counseling grants and training activities. The network of 

HUD-approved housing counseling organizations provides a wide 

variety of counseling services, including assistance with preventing 

foreclosure and homelessness. In addition, the administrative contract support funding includes resources for financial audits and 

technical assistance. 

The Committee continues language requiring HUD to obligate 

counseling grants within 180 days of enactment of this act, as well 

as permitting HUD to publish multi-year NOFAs, contingent on 

annual appropriations. This should result in administrative savings 

for HUD and its grantees. 

Eviction Counseling.—Nearly one million households in the 

United States were evicted in 2016. The Committee is concerned 

about the short- and long-term effects of these evictions on families 

and individuals. The Committee directs the Department to work 

with housing counselors to improve prevention efforts in order to 
123 

assist renters at risk of eviction and to report to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of this act on their efforts to improve their processes, including the identification of any barriers to the collection of data on atrisk households, as well as to augment the services offered by housing counselors. 

RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $14,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 5,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 5,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This account provides amendment funding for housing assisted 

under the Rental Housing Assistance Program (Section 236) and 

the Rent Supplement Program. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for 

HUD-assisted, State-aided, noninsured rental housing projects, 

consistent with the budget request and $9,000,000 less than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee recommendation includes a provision, which allows for the conversion of these projects 

to long-term Section 8 contracts at no additional cost. The Committee hopes that the conversion of these projects, through the 

Rental Assistance Demonstration, will lead to the eventual elimination of these outdated programs. 

PAYMENT TO MANUFACTURED HOUSING FEES TRUST FUND

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $11,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 12,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 12,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety 

Standards Act of 1974, as amended by the Manufactured Housing 

Improvement Act of 2000, authorizes the Secretary to establish 

Federal construction and safety standards for the construction, design, and performance of manufactured homes. All manufactured 

homes are required to meet these Federal standards, and fees are 

charged to producers to cover the costs of administering the Act. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $12,000,000 to support the manufactured housing standards programs, of which $12,000,000 is expected to be derived from fees collected and deposited in the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund [Trust Fund] account. No direct 

appropriation is provided. The total amount recommended is equal 

to the budget request and $1,000,000 more than the fiscal year 

2018 enacted level. Total shipments of new manufactured homes in 

the United States have grown by nearly 14 percent in both 2016 

and 2017. This increase in funding reflects that continued growth 
124 

in manufactured housing production and is necessary for the continued oversight and effective administration of this program. 

The Committee recommendation directs that not less than 

$3,600,000 is for payments to State Administrative Agency partners and not less than $3,600,000 is for the monitoring of manufacturers’ compliance with construction and safety standards by thirdparty inspection agencies. 

The Committee continues language allowing for the Department 

to collect fees from program participants in the dispute resolution 

and installment programs, as mandated by the Manufactured 

Housing Improvement Act of 2000. These fees are to be deposited 

into the Trust Fund and may be used to support the manufactured 

housing standards programs, subject to the overall cap placed on 

this account. 

Congressional Justifications.—The Committee notes with disappointment the lack of detail in the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs’ [OMHP] fiscal year 2019 written budget justification. 

This document has traditionally provided the Committee with essential information to assist with determining OMHP’s executable 

budget. The Committee directs OMHP to provide detailed Congressional justifications of its annual budget requests. These justifications shall include anticipated payments related, but not limited, 

to: State Administrative Agencies, Monitoring Manufacturer’s Compliance with Construction and Safety Standards, Oversight of 

Model Installation Standards, Administration of the Dispute Resolution Program, Coordination of Activities of the Manufactured 

Housing Consensus Committee, and Meetings with Partners in the 

Federal Manufactured Housing Program. 

Recreational Vehicle Definition.—The Committee notes that the 

Department is working towards updating its regulatory definition 

of a ‘‘recreational vehicle’’ and intends to complete its final rulemaking process by the end of Spring 2019. The Committee expects 

the Department to finalize this rule within this timeframe and in 

accordance with the existing December 2014 recommendation of 

the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee. 

Resident-Owned Cooperative Models.—Two-thirds of new affordable housing produced in the United States is manufactured housing. This industry serves as an important tool in combatting rising 

home prices and the growing housing shortage. More than 2.9 million manufactured homes are located in mobile home parks, where 

residents own their homes, but often do not own the land on which 

their homes reside. This leaves homeowners vulnerable to land cost 

increases, arbitrary rule enforcement, and land conversion for other 

uses. It can also result in the eviction or closure of a community, 

which is very disruptive and can result in thousands of dollars in 

relocation costs. Resident-owned cooperative models provide a viable means for preserving this crucial source of affordable housing 

and protecting vulnerable residents from displacement. The Committee notes the recent growth of this cooperative model and encourages the further expansion of this model nationally as manufactured housing production continues to rise. 
125 

FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION

MUTUAL MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Limitation on direct 

loans 

Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Administrative 

contract expenses 

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................... $5,000,000 $400,000,000,000 $130,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ............................................................ 1,000,000 400,000,000,000 150,000,000 

Committee recommendation .................................................... 1,000,000 400,000,000,000 130,000,000 

GENERAL AND SPECIAL RISK PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Limitation on direct 

loans 

Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Appropriations, 2018 ....................................................................................................... $5,000,000 $30,000,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ................................................................................................... 1,000,000 30,000,000,000 

Committee recommendation ........................................................................................... 1,000,000 30,000,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Housing Administration [FHA] fund covers the 

mortgage and loan insurance activity of HUD mortgage/loan insurance programs. These include the mutual mortgage insurance 

[MMI] fund, cooperative management housing insurance [CMHI] 

fund, general insurance [GI] fund, and the special risk insurance 

[SRI] fund. For presentation and accounting control purposes, these 

are divided into two sets of accounts based on shared characteristics. The unsubsidized insurance programs of the mutual mortgage 

insurance fund and the cooperative management housing insurance 

fund constitute one set; and the general risk insurance and special 

risk insurance funds make up the other. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee has included the following amounts for the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program account: a limitation on guaranteed loans of $400,000,000,000, a limitation on direct loans of 

$1,000,000, and $130,000,000 for administrative contract expenses. 

For the GI/SRI account, the Committee recommends 

$30,000,000,000 as a limitation on guaranteed loans and a limitation on direct loans of $1,000,000. The Committee does not include 

authority for HUD to charge a fee to provide additional funds for 

FHA’s administrative costs as proposed in the budget request. 

However, the Committee supports the goal of improving FHA’s system automation, risk management and quality control efforts and 

has included funding in the Information Technology Fund account 

for these purposes. 

Home Equity Conversion Mortgages [HECM].—The Committee 

urges the Department to take appropriate actions to ensure transparency and improve the resolution of defaulted and foreclosed 

FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans which have been assigned to HUD in order to improve program performance and loss 

mitigation results for borrowers. 

International Residential Code [IRC].—The Committee notes that 

HUD has not comprehensively updated its minimum property 

standards for FHA insured housing in over 20 years, but has accepted the IRC for new construction of one and two-family homes. 
126 

The IRC development process is consensus driven and includes relevant stakeholders at the State and local level to update the building code on a periodic basis. Currently, 49 States and the District 

of Columbia utilize some version of the IRC as their model building 

code for new one and two-family home construction. The Committee encourages HUD to undertake a review of its minimum 

property standards, including the IRC to determine if: (1) it would 

be redundant and a poor use of Federal resources to update its 

minimum property standards; (2) in light of the near universal 

adoption of some version of the IRC, if it is acceptable to be used 

to determine whether a property meets FHA’s minimum property 

standards and therefore eligible for mortgage insurance; and (3) 

minimum property standards can be streamlined. 

FHA Condominium Regulations.—The Committee notes that in 

October 2016, HUD published a proposed rule to implement the authorities included in the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 but has not yet issued a final rule. The Committee 

directs HUD to complete this regulatory process and include any 

essential safeguards to mitigate risk to the FHA Mutual Mortgage 

Insurance Fund while also protecting borrowers. 

HUD–Federal Financing Bank Risk Sharing.—In fiscal year 

2014, HUD and the Federal Financing Bank [FFB] launched a risk 

sharing initiative in order to provide financing for multifamily 

mortgage loans inured by FHA under its Risk Sharing programs on 

an interim basis until September 30, 2020. Through this initiative, 

FFB provides Housing Finance Agencies [HFAs] with upfront financing for affordable multifamily housing developments, which 

FHA insures through the Multifamily Risk-Sharing Program under 

section 542 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 

1992 (12 U.S.C. 1707). Since the Federal government takes an ownership interest in section 542 FHA-insured mortgages equal to 100 

percent of principal and interest, FFB financing reduces the cost of 

funds for participating HFAs. As part of the HUD–FFB initiative, 

the Department of Treasury and HUD are expected to monitor the 

partnership over time to assess whether FFB financing is needed 

to support affordable housing given current market conditions, 

such as the cost of tax-exempt bonds. The Committee recognizes 

the existing unmet need for affordable housing and supports innovative and prudent approaches to accomplishing this goal. Therefore, HUD is directed to continue working with HFAs that have existing HUD–FFB risk sharing agreements in place. The Committee 

encourages HUD to make every effort to expedite the approval of 

projects in order to meet the total authorized level of projects as 

outlined in their agreements. The Committee further directs HUD 

to work with FFB and to seek input from HFAs and other stakeholders in order to assess the effectiveness of the initiative to determine whether it is meeting its intended goals and should be continued with or without improvements, and to report to the House 

and Senate Committees on Appropriations, as well as the authorizing committees of jurisdictions on this evaluation within 180 days 

of enactment of this act. The Committee encourages HUD to continue to work with HFAs under the section 542 authority in order 

to spur affordable multifamily housing production. 
127 

GOVERNMENT NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION

GUARANTEES OF MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES LOAN GUARANTEE

PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Limitation on 

guaranteed loans 

Limitation on 

personnel, 

compensation and 

administrative 

expenses 

Appropriations, 2018 .................................................................................................. $500,000,000,000 $27,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ............................................................................................... 550,000,000,000 24,400,000 

Committee recommendation ....................................................................................... 550,000,000,000 27,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Government National Mortgage Association [Ginnie Mae], 

through the mortgage-backed securities program, guarantees privately issued securities backed by pools of Government-guaranteed 

mortgages. Ginnie Mae is a wholly owned corporate instrumentality of the United States within the Department. Its powers are 

prescribed generally by title III of the National Housing Act, as 

amended. Ginnie Mae is authorized by section 306(g) of the act to 

guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on securities that are based on and backed by a trust, or pool, composed of 

mortgages that are guaranteed and insured by the FHA, the Rural 

Housing Service, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ginnie 

Mae’s guarantee of mortgage-backed securities is backed by the full 

faith and credit of the United States. This account also funds all 

salaries and benefits funding to support Ginnie Mae. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a limitation on new commitments 

on mortgage-backed securities of $550,000,000,000. This level is the 

same as the budget request and $50,000,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill allows Ginnie Mae to use 

$27,000,000 for salaries and expenses. This is the same as the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $2,600,000 more than the budget 

request. 

POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $89,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 85,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 100,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, as 

amended, directs the Secretary of the Department of Housing and 

Urban Development to undertake programs of research, evaluation, 

and reports relating to the Department’s mission and programs. 

These functions are carried out internally and through grants and 

contracts with industry, nonprofit research organizations, educational institutions, and through agreements with State and local 

governments and other Federal agencies. The research programs 
128 

seek ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of 

HUD programs and to identify methods to achieve cost reductions. 

Additionally, this appropriation is used to support HUD evaluation 

and monitoring activities and to conduct housing surveys. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000 for 

research, technology, and community development activities in fiscal year 2019. This level is $11,000,000 more than the fiscal year 

2018 enacted level and $15,000,000 more than the budget request. 

The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for Core Research and 

Technology, including: market surveys; research support and dissemination; data acquisition; housing finance studies; research 

partnerships; and housing technology. In addition, the Committee 

includes $50,000,000 for Department-wide technical assistance and 

critical research beyond the core studies. Of this amount, at least 

$25,000,000 is for technical assistance [TA] across HUD programs. 

The Committee recommendation will continue to support market 

surveys, such as the American Housing Survey, that are integral 

to HUD’s ability to understand its own programs and also help enhance public and private entities’ knowledge of housing conditions 

in the United States. 

Of the amount provided for critical research beyond the core 

studies, the recommendation includes $2,000,000 for an Envision 

Center evaluation, $2,000,000 for homeless youth research activities authorized under section 345 of the Runaway and Homeless 

Youth Act, and up to $2,000,000 for use by the Office of Innovation 

for innovation awards. 

The recommendation also includes continued funding for evaluations of the Moving-to-Work program and expansion; and on-going 

evaluations of rent reform, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, 

long-term tracking of the Family Self-Sufficiency program, and energy performance contracting in public housing. 

The recommendation also includes funding for the following new 

research and evaluations: Section 3 process evaluation, administrative data linkages to assess long-term outcomes of exit from assisted housing, energy efficiency in disaster reconstruction, a lead 

awareness module for the Current Population Survey, research addressing the housing needs of older Americans, and an assessment 

of utility savings from sub-metering conversions in public housing. 

HUD shall include details on its allocation of these resources in its 

operating plan. 

Fair Market Rents [FMRs].—The Committee encourages HUD to 

identify and implement alternatives to locally funded rent surveys 

of areas affected by changing economic conditions and natural disasters. In fiscal year 2018, the Committee directed HUD to submit 

a report describing proposals to update the FMR formula to more 

accurately reflect the current housing market. The Committee believes that this report will be critical to identifying potential 

sources of challenges with aligning American Community Survey 

data, as well as inflation and trend factors. While the Committee 

recognizes that the results of the analysis may not result in actions 

that will inform the fiscal year 2019 FMR calculations, the findings 

will help inform a more accurate assessment of local market condi-
129 

tions. The Committee continues to encourage the Department, to 

the extent practicable, to work with communities to use local rent 

survey data made available in the preceding year to inform the calculation of FMRs. The Committee continues to strongly encourage 

HUD to expedite the process for consideration of FMRs and exception payment standards that are requested by PHAs. 

FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

FAIR HOUSING ACTIVITIES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $65,300,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 62,300,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 65,300,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The fair housing activities appropriation includes funding for 

both the Fair Housing Assistance Program [FHAP] and the Fair 

Housing Initiatives Program [FHIP]. 

The Fair Housing Assistance Program helps State and local 

agencies to implement title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as 

amended, which prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing and in the provision of brokerage services. The 

major objective of the program is to assure prompt and effective 

processing of title VIII complaints with appropriate remedies for 

complaints by State and local fair housing agencies. 

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program is authorized by section 

561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, as 

amended, and by section 905 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. This initiative is designed to alleviate housing discrimination by increasing support to public and private organizations for the purpose of eliminating or preventing discrimination in housing, and to enhance fair housing opportunities. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $65,300,000 for 

the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity [OFHEO]. This 

amount is equal to the budget request and the 2018 enacted level. 

Of the amounts provided, $23,500,000 is for FHAP, $39,900,000 is 

for FHIP, and $300,000 is for the creation, promotion, and dissemination of translated materials that support the assistance of persons with limited English proficiency. The Committee also provides 

$1,600,000 for the National Fair Housing Training Academy 

[NFHTA], and encourages the Department to pursue ways to make 

the Academy self-sustaining. The Committee is concerned with the 

delay in the fiscal year 2018 NFHTA and directs HUD to move forward with this critical training expeditiously. 

OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL AND HEALTHY HOMES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $230,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 145,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 260,000,000 
130 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 

established the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction 

Act, under which HUD is authorized to make grants to States, localities, and Native American Tribes in order to conduct lead-based 

paint hazard reduction and abatement activities in private, low-income housing. Lead poisoning is a significant environmental health 

hazard, particularly for young children and pregnant women, and 

can result in neurological damage, learning disabilities, and impaired growth. The Healthy Homes Initiative, authorized under 

sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act 

of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1701z–1 and 1701z–2), provides grants to remediate housing hazards that have been scientifically shown to negatively impact occupant health and safety. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $260,000,000 for 

lead-based paint hazard reduction and abatement activities for fiscal year 2019. This amount is $115,000,000 above the President’s 

budget request and $30,000,000 more than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Of the amount provided, $45,000,000 is for the Healthy 

Homes Initiative, and $45,000,000 is for the Lead-Safe Communities demonstration program. The overall funding level will support lead-based paint hazard reductions in up to 15,600 units, providing safer homes for over 55,600 low and very-low income families or individuals, including more than 14,450 children under the 

age of 6. 

The Committee remains committed to protecting children in communities with the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning and the 

oldest housing stock. Lead-based paint is far more prevalent in 

older homes and in low-income housing in particular, where maintenance is less robust and paint surfaces are more likely to deteriorate, leading to a heightened risk of exposure from peeling paint. 

In order to target funding to those communities, the Committee directs HUD to award no less than $95,000,000 of grants to remediate lead-based paint hazards in low-income housing to those jurisdictions with the highest lead-based paint abatement needs. The 

Committee notes that this set-aside is a minimum floor and encourages HUD to exceed this threshold when providing assistance to 

those communities where there is the highest risk. 

Lead-Safe Communities.—Lead poisoning disproportionately affects the lives of children from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds and has lifelong, irreversible consequences that have been 

shown to severely inhibit healthy development and compromise 

learning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children in at least 4 million U.S. households are exposed to 

high levels of lead. Exposure to lead-based paint hazards at a 

young age poses not only serious immediate health consequences, 

but may also permanently jeopardize potential for upward social 

mobility throughout adulthood. Children who are exposed to lead 

hazards are seven times more likely to drop out of school and six 

times more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system. 
131 

In an effort to demonstrate the effectiveness of intensive multiyear investments in lead-based paint remediation activities in lowincome communities, the Committee provides $45,000,000 for fiveyear grants in five communities. This funding will support projects 

to dramatically reduce the presence of lead-based paint hazards in 

neighborhoods with high rates of housing stock built before 1940, 

low-income families with young children, and high reported 

incidences of elevated blood lead levels in children under the age 

of 6 years old. The Committee believes that providing higher funding levels over an extended period in concentrated areas can dramatically reduce the cost of lead-based paint remediation activities 

by incentivizing greater economies of scale and lowering grantees’ 

administrative expenses. Reducing the per-unit-cost for lead-based 

paint remediation would permit considerably more work to be performed and has the potential to transform communities whose 

school systems, law enforcement agencies, and public health providers currently struggle with the long-term secondary effects of 

childhood lead poisoning. 

Grantee Coordination.—Funds received under the Lead-Based 

Paint Hazard Control Grant Program may be utilized to evaluate 

and address lead-based paint hazards in Section 8 voucher units. 

The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes [OLHCHH] 

currently gives preference to grantees that work with public housing agencies to address lead-based paint hazards in Section 8 

voucher units. The Committee commends HUD for emphasizing the 

need to address lead-based paint hazards in Section 8 voucher 

units when awarding these grants and urges HUD to continue to 

address these needs in HUD-assisted housing stock in the private 

market. 

Coordination with Weatherization Assistance Program Grantees.—HUD’s lead hazard control grant programs [LHC] serve many 

communities in areas of the country with large stocks of older lowincome housing, and funding is often used to replace cracked and 

peeling windows that generate lead dust that is harmful to children. The homes served by LHC are also often eligible for the Department of Energy’s [DOE’s] Weatherization Assistance Program 

[WAP], which can provide funding to replace windows with more 

energy-efficient ones. However, even with the establishment of 

DOE’s Lead-Safe Weatherization program, a set of protocols and 

standards initially put in place in 2001 to control the amount of 

lead dust generated when disturbing painted surfaces, many WAP 

contractors are still strongly discouraged from working in units 

where lead-based paint hazards may be present because dealing 

with those hazards adds time and cost to each weatherization 

project. There is a tremendous opportunity for these two complementary programs to support one another in a manner that 

saves grantees money and allows for more work to be completed. 

For example, a home eligible for both grant programs could apply 

to have WAP pay for new window hardware and have the lead-certified LHC grantee fund installation. 

The Committee supports the OLHCHH’s continued participation 

in the interagency working group on healthy homes and energy, 

particularly as it relates to coordination with DOE to bring LHC 

and WAP grantees together. OLHCHH is encouraged to continue to 
132 

coordinate with DOE and to help WAP grantees and subgrantees 

that would otherwise be deterred from replacing windows in homes 

where lead-based paint may be present to partner with local LHC 

grantees to perform window removal and installation work in older 

low-income housing. HUD is also directed to amend its rating factors to further incentivize partnerships between WAP and LHC 

grantees, giving preference to those LHC grantees that have obtained a partnership commitment for this work with their State’s 

WAP grantee or their local WAP subgrantee. Grantees, however, 

should maintain the LHC grants’ contractor lead safety qualifications for contractors performing the lead-related window work. Finally, HUD is directed to collect information from LHC grantees on 

how many units benefit from coordinated WAP and LHC grants 

and how much coordination has reduced costs to the LHC grants 

for hardware and labor. HUD is directed to provide this information to the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations no 

later than six months after the end of each grant cycle on an annual basis. 

Community Level Data.—The Committee is pleased that the Department has begun to develop a tool that will provide data to 

more fully identify communities at risk for lead-based paint hazards. This tool will inform the Department’s review of applications 

for grants to address lead-based paint hazards and ensure that 

awards are targeted to areas of the country most at risk. The Committee directs the Department to operationalize this tool as soon as 

possible and to incorporate those results when awarding grants in 

the future. 

Noncompliance and Enforcement of Regulations.—The Committee 

is concerned that the Department lacks detailed procedures either 

to address the noncompliance of grantees, including public housing 

agencies, with lead-based paint regulations, or to determine when 

enforcement decisions against grantees may also be needed. Providing clear guidance for how to address noncompliance through 

technical assistance or enforcement actions is essential to keeping 

grantees accountable to the mandates set forth in the Department’s 

lead-based paint regulations and to protecting children who live in 

their assisted units. The Committee directs the Department to 

issue clarifying guidance to all HUD Program Offices within 180 

days of enactment of this act identifying specific actions that 

should be taken, including timeframes for which each action should 

be performed by Program Office staff, when deficiencies are identified. 

Annual Reporting.—The Committee notes that the Department 

has failed to provide the annual report mandated by 42 U.S.C. 

4856. The Committee directs the Department to resume this annual reporting and to submit this report within 180 days of enactment of this act. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUND

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $267,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 260,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 280,000,000 
133 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Information Technology Fund finances the information technology [IT] systems that support departmental programs and operations, including FHA Mortgage Insurance, housing assistance and 

grant programs, as well as core financial and general operations. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $280,000,000 for 

the Information Technology Fund for fiscal year 2019, which is 

$20,000,000 more than the budget request and $13,000,000 more 

than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Federal Housing Administration [FHA] Information Technology 

Modernization.—FHA’s primary underwriting system is over 40 

years old, while its monitoring system, property accounting, and 

vendor management systems are over 25 years old. These antiquated systems not only make it difficult and expensive for lenders 

to work with FHA, but more importantly, they undermine the fiscal 

solvency of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund and create significant risk to the taxpayers. The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 to begin the modernization of FHA’s IT systems. The Committee directs these funds to be used for improving 

single-family insured mortgage processing underwriting and delivery, modernizing the single-family asset management and claims 

systems, and addressing lender activities and program compliance. 

These funds may also be used for more immediate IT needs including: FHA system interface with the Department of Treasury’s Do 

Not Pay System, update FHA origination systems for HUD IT security policy compliance, and reverse mortgage system enhancements. 

HUD Information Technology Modernization.—The Committee 

remains supportive of HUD’s efforts to modernize its IT systems, 

which are critical to effectively manage its programs. For years, 

HUD has been hampered by outdated IT systems that are not integrated, which limit its ability to oversee grantees. In addition, 

HUD’s efforts to work around system limitations to collect information for oversight purposes often results in increased work for 

grantees who have to input information into multiple systems. 

While HUD has undertaken efforts to better integrate systems, the 

Committee remains concerned that non-mission-critical development activities are occurring at the expense of mission critical IT 

systems. 

Unsanctioned Information Technology Development.—The Committee remains concerned about the development of IT systems outside of the Information Technology Fund. While the Committee understands that limited resources may prompt HUD offices to develop solutions with their own resources, the Committee expects 

that, at a minimum, OCIO will monitor and oversee the development of any such solutions. The Committee directs the OCIO to 

monitor the development of new system solutions by every office in 

HUD to make sure they conform to HUD’s enterprise architecture, 

and will be compatible with systems under development. 

GAO Oversight.—The Committee emphasizes the importance of 

pursuing a strategic approach as HUD continues to improve its IT 

management. To this end, in order to monitor the Department’s 
134 

progress, in 2012 the Committee instructed GAO to conduct several 

reviews. In 2013, GAO completed a review of the Department’s IT 

project management practices. The Committee reaffirms its direction to GAO to also evaluate HUD’s institutionalization of governance and cost estimating practices. In particular, the Committee remains interested in any cost savings or operational efficiencies that 

have resulted (or may result) from the Department’s improvement 

efforts. The Committee appreciates the work that GAO has done in 

this area and believes it has benefited the Committee and the Department. The Committee encourages HUD to take advantage of 

GAO expertise as it makes further improvements to its IT structure and governance. The Committee notes that the Department 

has yet to submit plans articulating how the Department is implementing GAO’s IT-related recommendations, and identifying savings it will achieve by retiring legacy systems and shutting off old 

servers. The Committee directs the Chief Operating Officer and the 

Chief Information Officer to ensure reports are submitted in a 

timely manner and include all required information. 

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $128,082,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 128,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 128,082,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Inspector General [OIG] conducts independent investigations, audits, and evaluations not only to prevent and detect 

fraud, waste, and abuse, but also to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the programs and operations of the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development. This appropriation will finance 

all salaries and related expenses associated with the operation of 

the OIG. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $128,082,000 for 

the OIG, which is $82,000 more than the budget request and consistent with the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. 

Audit Reports.—The Committee expects the OIG to continue providing copies of all audit reports to the Committee immediately 

after they are issued and to make the Committee aware immediately of any review which recommends significant budgetary savings. 

Untimely and Insufficient Reports.—The Committee is concerned 

that recent reporting by the OIG in response to congressional directives has been found to be inadequate. The Committee directs the 

OIG to carefully review both bill and report language in order to 

ensure that reporting requirements are concluded in a timely manner and that the content of that reporting is sufficient to meet directives contained in both bill and report language. 

Improving Digital Services.—The Committee is concerned about 

the user interface of the OIG’s website. The OIG’s mission statement aims to ‘‘provide independent, objective, and impactful oversight of the Department to help ensure efficient and effective pro-
135 

grams and operations.’’ To better achieve this goal, the Committee 

believes that the OIG’s website should show clear, evident categories of audits and reports that the OIG has completed for easy 

navigability by the public. The Committee notes that the General 

Services Administration offers guidance and support for Federal 

agencies through DigitalGov and directs the OIG to coordinate on 

enhancing its web services. 

Indian Housing Loan Guarantee.—The Committee remains concerned about the lack of oversight on the Section 184 Indian Home 

Loan Guarantee Program and reiterates the fiscal year 2017 directive to conduct a review of the management and oversight of the 

Section 184 loan program, including related information technology 

systems. This report was due to the Committee in September, 

2017. The failure to deliver this report within a reasonable timeframe is concerning and the Committee expects the OIG to provide 

the required audit immediately. The Section 184 loan program is 

an important tool to help meet the housing needs of Indian country 

and its effective and efficient management is critical to its success. 

GENERAL PROVISIONS—DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

(INCLUDING RESCISSION)

The Committee recommends administrative provisions. A brief 

description follows. 

Sec. 201. This section promotes the refinancing of certain housing bonds. 

Sec. 202. This section clarifies a limitation on the use of funds 

under the Fair Housing Act. 

Sec. 203. This section requires HUD to award funds on a competitive basis unless otherwise provided. 

Sec. 204. This section allows funds to be used to reimburse GSEs 

and other Federal entities for various administrative expenses. 

Sec. 205. This section limits HUD’s spending to amounts set out 

in the budget justification. 

Sec. 206. This section clarifies expenditure authority for entities 

subject to the Government Corporation Control Act. 

Sec. 207. This section requires quarterly reports on all uncommitted, unobligated and excess funds associated with HUD programs. 

Sec. 208. This section requires that the administration’s budget 

and the Department’s budget justifications for fiscal year 2020 be 

submitted in the identical account and sub-account structure provided in this act. 

Sec. 209. This section exempts GNMA from certain requirements 

of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990. 

Sec. 210. This section allows HUD to authorize the transfer of existing project-based subsidies and liabilities from obsolete housing 

to housing that better meets the needs of the assisted tenants. 

Sec. 211. This section reforms certain section 8 rent calculations 

as related to athletic scholarships. 
136 

Sec. 212. This section provides allocation requirements for Native 

Alaskans under the Indian Housing Block Grant program. 

Sec. 213. This section requires HUD to maintain section 8 assistance on HUD-held or owned multifamily housing. 

Sec. 214. This section clarifies the use of the section 108 loan 

guaranteed program for nonentitlement communities. 

Sec. 215. This section allows PHAs with less than 400 units to 

be exempt from management requirements in the operating fund 

rule. 

Sec. 216. This section restricts the Secretary from imposing any 

requirement or guideline relating to asset management that restricts or limits the use of capital funds for central office costs, up 

to the limit established in QWHRA. 

Sec. 217. This section requires that no employee of the Department shall be designated as an allotment holder unless the CFO 

determines that such employee has received certain training. 

Sec. 218. The section requires the Secretary to publish all notices 

of funding availability that are competitively awarded on the Internet. 

Sec. 219. This section limits attorney fees and requires the Department to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. 

Sec. 220. This section allows the Secretary to transfer up to 10 

percent of funds or $5,000,000, whichever is less, appropriated 

under the headings ‘‘Administrative Support Offices’’ or ‘‘Program 

Office Salaries and Expenses’’ to any other office funded under 

such headings. 

Sec. 221. This section requires HUD to take certain actions 

against owners receiving rental subsidies that do not maintain safe 

properties. 

Sec. 222. This section places limits on PHA compensation. 

Sec. 223. This section requires the Secretary to provide the Committee with advance notification before discretionary awards are 

made. 

Sec. 224. This section prohibits funds to be used to require or enforce the Physical Needs Assessment. 

Sec. 225. This section prohibits funds for HUD financing of mortgages for properties that have been subject to eminent domain. 

Sec. 226. This section prohibits funds from being used to terminate the status of a unit of local government as a metropolitan city, 

as defined under section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, with respect to grants under section 106 of 

such act. 

Sec. 227. This section allows funding for research, evaluation, 

and statistical purposes that is unexpended at the time of completion of the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement to be reobligated for additional research. 

Sec. 228. This section prohibits funds to be used for financial 

awards for employees subject to administrative discipline. 

Sec. 229. This section authorizes the Secretary on a limited basis 

to use funds available under the ‘‘Homeless Assistance Grants’’ 

heading to participate in the multiagency Performance Partnership 

Pilots program. 
137 

Sec. 230. This section allows program income to be used as an 

eligible match for 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 Continuum of Care 

funds. 

Sec. 231. This section permits HUD to provide 1 year transition 

grants under the continuum of care program. 

Sec. 232. This section prohibits the use of funds to direct a grantee to undertake specific changes to existing zoning laws as part of 

carrying out the final rule entitled, ‘‘Affirmatively Furthering Fair 

Housing’’ or the notice entitled, ‘‘Affirmatively Further Fair Housing Assessment Tool’’. 

Sec. 233. This section prohibits section 218(g) of the CranstonGonzalez National Affordable Housing Act from applying with respect to the right of a jurisdiction to draw funds from its HOME 

Investment Trust Fund that otherwise expired or would expire. 

Sec. 234. This section maintains current Promise Zone designations and agreements. 

Sec. 235. This section establishes a regulatory advisory committee to review public housing and tenant-based rental assistance 

program regulations. 

Sec. 236. This section prohibits funds from being used to establish preference or bonus points for competitive grant programs for 

EnVision Center participants. 
(138) 

TITLE III 

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 

ACCESS BOARD

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $8,190,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 8,400,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 8,400,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Access Board (formerly known as the Architectural and 

Transportation Barriers Compliance Board) was established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Access Board is responsible for developing guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Architectural Barriers Act, and the Telecommunications Act. These guidelines ensure that buildings and facilities, 

transportation vehicles, and telecommunications equipment covered 

by these laws are readily accessible to and usable by people with 

disabilities. The Board is also responsible for developing standards 

under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for accessible electronic 

and information technology used by Federal agencies, and for medical diagnostic equipment under section 510 of the Rehabilitation 

Act. The Access Board also enforces the Architectural Barriers Act, 

ensuring accessibility to a wide range of Federal agencies, including national parks, post offices, social security offices, and prisons. 

In addition, the Board provides training and technical assistance 

on the guidelines and standards it develops to Government agencies, public and private organizations, individuals and businesses 

on the removal of accessibility barriers. 

In 2002, the Access Board was given additional responsibilities 

under the Help America Vote Act. The Board serves on the Board 

of Advisors and the Technical Guidelines Development Committee, 

which helps the Election Assistance Commission develop voluntary 

guidelines and guidance for voting systems, including accessibility 

for people with disabilities. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $8,400,000 for the operations of the 

Access Board. This level of funding is equal to the President’s fiscal 

year 2019 request and $210,000 more than the 2018 enacted level. 
139 

FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $27,490,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 27,490,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 27,490,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal Maritime Commission [FMC] is an independent regulatory agency, which administers the Shipping Act of 1984 (Public 

Law 98–237), as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 

1998 (Public Law 105–258); section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act 

of 1920 (41 Stat. 998); the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988 

(Public Law 100–418); and Public Law 89–777. 

FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system and to protect the public from 

unfair and deceptive practices. To accomplish this mission, FMC 

regulates the international waterborne commerce of the United 

States. In addition, FMC has responsibility for licensing and bonding ocean transportation intermediaries and for ensuring that vessel owners or operators establish financial responsibility to pay 

judgments for death or injury to passengers, or nonperformance of 

a cruise, on voyages from United States ports. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $27,490,000 for the salaries and expenses of FMC for fiscal year 2019. This amount is equal to the 

President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request and the fiscal year 2018 

enacted level. 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $23,274,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 23,274,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 23,274,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of Inspector General for Amtrak was created by the 

Inspector General Act Amendment of 1988. The act recognized Amtrak as a ‘‘designated Federal entity’’ and required the railroad to 

establish an independent and objective unit to conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of Amtrak; recommend policies designed to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in Amtrak, and prevent and detect fraud and abuse; and to provide a means for keeping the Amtrak leadership and the Congress fully informed about problems in 

Amtrak operations and the corporation’s progress in making corrective action. 
140 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $23,274,000 for the Amtrak Office of 

Inspector General [OIG]. This funding level is equal to the budget 

request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee retains language that requires the Amtrak OIG to submit 

a budget request in similar format and substance to those submitted by other executive agencies in the Federal Government. 

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $110,400,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 108,000,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 110,400,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Initially established along with the Department of Transportation, the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] commenced operations on April 1, 1967, as an independent Federal 

agency. The Board is charged by Congress with investigating every 

civil aviation accident in the United States as well as significant 

accidents in the other modes of transportation—railroad, highway, 

marine, and pipeline—and issuing safety recommendations aimed 

at preventing future accidents. Although it has always operated 

independently, NTSB relied on DOT for funding and administrative support until the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (Public 

Law 93–633) severed all ties between the two organizations starting in 1975. 

In addition to its investigatory duties, NTSB is responsible for 

maintaining the Government’s database of civil aviation accidents 

and also conducts special studies of transportation safety issues of 

national significance. Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of international treaties, NTSB supplies investigators to serve 

as U.S. accredited representatives for aviation accidents overseas 

involving U.S.-registered aircraft, or involving aircraft or major 

components of U.S. manufacture. NTSB also serves as the ‘‘court 

of appeals’’ for any airman, mechanic, or mariner whenever certificate action is taken by the Federal Aviation Administration or the 

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, or when civil penalties are assessed by FAA. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends $110,400,000 for the National 

Transportation Safety Board, which is $2,400,000 more than the 

budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The 

Committee has also continued to include language that allows 

NTSB to make payments on its lease for the NTSB training facility 

with funding provided in the bill. 

Accident Investigations.—The Committee remains committed to 

the safety deployment of automated vehicles which could reduce or 

eliminate the 94 percent of all crashes caused by human error. 

However, the Committee is also concerned with how drivers are 

using intermediate technologies that offer some but not all features 
141 

of automated vehicles. The Committee believes NTSB’s investigations of recent crashes involving vehicles with automated vehicle 

control systems will provide the necessary insight to address driver 

behavior and encourages the NTSB to make necessary recommendations after it has completed such investigations. 

NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION

PAYMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $140,000,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 27,400,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 147,000,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation was created by the 

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act (Title VI of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978, Public Law 

95–557). The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, operating 

under the trade name ‘‘NeighborWorks America,’’ helps local communities establish efficient and effective partnerships between residents and representatives of the public and private sectors. These 

partnership-based organizations are independent, tax-exempt, nonprofit entities. Collectively, these organizations are known as the 

‘‘NeighborWorks network.’’ Nationally, nearly 250 NeighborWorks 

organizations serve almost 3,000 urban, suburban, and rural communities in every State, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $145,000,000 for 

NeighborWorks, and an additional $2,000,000 for the promotion 

and development of shared equity housing models. This amount is 

$119,600,000 more than the budget request and $7,000,000 more 

than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The Committee continues 

to support the set-aside of $5,000,000 for the multifamily rental 

housing initiative, which has been successful in developing innovative approaches to producing mixed-income affordable housing 

throughout the Nation. The Committee directs NeighborWorks to 

provide at least 3 days’ advance notice to the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations prior to the announcement of any 

grant exceeding $50,000 that is awarded to a NeighborWorks network organization. 

Rural Areas.—The Committee commends NeighborWorks’ efforts 

to build capacity in rural areas and urges NeighborWorks to continue those initiatives. 

Shared Equity Homeownership.—The Committee recognizes the 

need for increased Federal investment to promote, expand, and preserve affordable homeownership for low- to moderate-income families and first-time homebuyers. Shared equity models offer unique 

opportunities for those individuals to purchase housing at a lower 

cost, while also maintaining the homes’ long-term affordability, 

building the homeowners’ assets, and revitalizing the surrounding 

communities. 
142 

Thirty organizations within the NeighborWorks network currently support affordable homeownership opportunities through 

some form of shared equity model, representing over 2,700 affordable properties. To further promote shared equity models, 

NeighborWorks also currently offers four training courses regarding the development and preservation of shared equity housing. 

In order to expand the utilization of this housing model, the 

Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 to build the capacity of network organizations to develop shared equity models, better understand scalable, sustainable shared equity models, and develop an array of strategies for different housing markets. These 

investments will allow for NeighborWorks to provide grants and 

technical assistance to interested network organizations in order to 

assist with their strategic planning in developing shared equity 

housing. These efforts will also include customized place-based 

trainings for organizations, offering scholarships to national training courses, and bringing representatives from network organizations together, including those which have already successfully implemented shared equity models, to discuss how to improve their 

planning and operations. 

NeighborWorks is also directed to evaluate strategies undertaken 

by each organization in order to determine both individual and 

community level outcomes, develop tools and templates that reflect 

best practices, create toolkits and marketing materials to raise 

awareness of these housing models within various housing markets, and develop two additional courses based on lessons learned 

from grantees. In developing these materials and performing evaluations, NeighborWorks is directed to work with charter members 

with extensive experience in offering shared equity homeownership 

opportunities. 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation Crediting offsetting 

collections 

Appropriations, 2018 ....................................................................................................... $37,100,000 $1,250,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ................................................................................................... 37,100,000 1,250,000 

Committee recommendation ........................................................................................... 37,100,000 1,250,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Surface Transportation Board [STB] was created on January 

1, 1996, by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act 

of 1995 [ICCTA] (Public Law 104–88). The Board is a five-member, 

bipartisan, decisionally independent adjudicatory body and is responsible for the regulation of the rail and pipeline industries and 

certain non-licensing regulations of motor carriers and water carriers. 

STB’s rail oversight activities include rate reasonableness, car 

service and interchange, mergers, line acquisitions, line constructions, and abandonments. STB’s jurisdiction also includes certain 

oversight of the intercity bus industry, pipeline carriers, intercity 

passenger train service, rate regulation involving noncontiguous 
143 

domestic water transportation, household goods carriers, and collectively determined motor carrier rates. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends a total appropriation of $37,100,000. 

This funding level is equal to the budget request and equal to the 

fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Included in the recommendation is 

$1,250,000 in fees, which will offset the appropriated funding, resulting in final appropriation from the general fund estimated at 

no more than $35,850,000. 

Regulatory Proceedings.—While the STB has made progress in 

implementing the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization 

Act of 2015, the Committee is concerned about a number of pending regulatory proceedings that would reform existing regulations 

at the STB. These proceedings are more difficult to resolve without 

all five board members. The Committee continues to encourage the 

administration to nominate the full complement of board members 

to the STB as soon as possible, and encourages STB to provide a 

timely and decisive regulatory process. 

UNITED STATES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS

OPERATING EXPENSES

Appropriations, 2018 ............................................................................. $3,600,000 

Budget estimate, 2019 ........................................................................... 630,000 

Committee recommendation ................................................................. 3,600,000 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness 

[USICH] is an independent agency created by the McKinney-Vento 

Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 to coordinate and direct the multiple efforts of Federal agencies and other designated groups. The 

Council was authorized to review Federal programs that assist 

homeless persons and to take necessary actions to reduce duplication. The Council can recommend improvements in programs and 

activities conducted by Federal, State, and local government, as 

well as local volunteer organizations. The Council consists of the 

heads of 19 Federal agencies, including the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Labor, 

and Transportation; and other entities as deemed appropriate. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,600,000 for 

the USICH. This amount is $2,970,000 greater than the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. USICH supports Federal collaboration and implementation of the Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The Committee recognizes the complexity of homelessness and the valuable role USICH 

plays to help communities identify comprehensive and coordinated 

strategies to prevent and end homelessness. USICH’s establishment of criteria and benchmarks for ending homelessness in America has been critical to the progress made nationwide towards this 
144 

goal. Since 2010, overall homelessness has decreased by more than 

13 percent, with chronic homelessness decreasing by 18 percent 

and family homelessness decreasing by 24 percent. The Council’s 

efforts to engage more than 880 mayors since 2014 through the 

Mayor’s Challenge to end veteran homelessness has helped 63 communities across 33 states develop a roadmap to work towards this 

objective. Through local engagement, combined with the Council’s 

efforts to convene the VA and HUD to streamline and triage the 

VA’s case management and housing placements through HUD’s 

housing assistance programs, including the HUD–VASH program, 

USICH has played a key role in the overall reduction in veteran 

homelessness by 46 percent since 2010. As challenges to preventing 

and ending homelessness arise at the local and Federal level, 

USICH continues to serve as the lead agency for identifying suitable cost-effective solutions. The Committee applauds the work of 

USICH and recognizes how its support for mayors and governors 

across the country helps them address the unique drivers of homelessness in their communities. USICH promotes collaborative engagement across government, public housing agencies, homeless 

service providers, and local partners, which results in more effective alignment of resources, efforts, goals, and measures of success. 

As such, the Committee has maintained the agency’s 2-year operating authority, extending it to October 1, 2021, which is consistent 

with the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus. The Committee supports a permanent extension of the Council in an effort end homelessness for 

the more than 550,000 individuals and families without stable 

housing or shelter in our Nation. 

The Council’s work on such issues as establishing common definitions of homelessness across programs and consolidating Federal 

data is helping to breakdown silos and increase Federal collaboration. Its work was recognized by GAO in its February 2012 report 

on ways to reduce duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in the 

Federal Government. The Committee is aware that individuals who 

are homeless or in unstable housing situations are often living with 

multiple chronic conditions. The link between homelessness and 

long-term physical and behavioral health conditions is well documented. The Committee has recognized the cost-savings that can 

be achieved by using evidence-based practices, and has been supportive of such efforts, including through the HUD–VASH program 

and other permanent supportive housing through HUD’s homeless 

assistance grants program. However, the Committee believes that 

more can be done to emphasize evidence-based practices in serving 

other populations. The Committee continues to direct the USICH 

to improve coordination between HUD, HHS, the Department of 

Labor and Justice, as well as other Federal agencies, and to help 

communities use the Homeless Management Information System 

and other data to target affordable housing and homeless resources 

to high-need, high-cost families and individuals. The Committee 

further encourages HUD to work with HHS, the Department of 

Justice and other Federal agencies to identify homeless individuals 

who have high utilization rates for emergency and other public 

services, and share strategies for combining affordable housing 

with health and social support services to improve both housing 

and health outcomes for these individuals. 
145 

Performance Metrics and Cross-Agency Coordination.—USICH 

leads the coordination of the Federal response to ending homelessness among 19 Federal agencies, as well as State, local, nonprofit 

and philanthropic organizations. However, the Committee remains 

concerned that other stakeholders do not fully appreciate the value 

of the important work that agency has been able to accomplish over 

time due to the Council’s lack of clear output and outcome based 

performance metrics. The Committee directs the agency to undertake the development of measurable performance goals and metrics 

that define how USICH accomplishes its mission for inclusion in its 

fiscal year 2020 Congressional budget justification. 

The Committee also directs USICH to develop performance 

metrics to measure the progress that USICH and its partners have 

made to address and end homelessness in the 2020 performance 

and accountability report, as well as provide an update on efforts 

to improve cross-agency collaboration and coordination on integrating child welfare systems with housing and services provided 

through HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services 

in response to youth homelessness; the coordination between continuums of care and the Department of Labor employment programs, the Department of Education and HUD, and the Department of Agriculture with other Federal agencies. 

The Committee believes these targeted, data-driven analyses will 

better educate Congress and the public at-large on the clear outcomes of USICH’s work to promote cost-effective policies, and evidence-based practices in urban and rural communities alike. The 

Committee further directs the agency to report to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations within 120 days of enactment of this act on the status of these efforts. 

Homeless Youth.—One of the goals of the Federal Strategic Plan 

is to prevent and end homelessness among youth by 2020. The plan 

identifies four core targeted outcomes for youth experiencing homelessness—stable housing, permanent connections, education and 

employment, and social/emotional well-being. These outcomes appropriately identify the multiple needs of youth experiencing homelessness and underscore the importance of comprehensive solutions. To be successful, it is critical to coordinate Federal services 

and programs at the local, regional, and State levels to ensure 

these outcomes are met. As such, the Committee recognizes that it 

can be difficult for local communities, as well as housing and service providers, to navigate different Federal program laws and regulatory requirements. USICH is directed to continue working with 

its Federal member agencies to ensure that all homeless-related 

Federal grant funding solicitations are coordinated and made publically available in a user-friendly document that helps local communities identify and understand the scope of all Federal programs 

for which homeless youth are eligible. This document shall include 

detailed descriptions of eligibility criteria, application instructions, 

and application deadlines and be updated as necessary. 
(146) 

TITLE IV 

GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS ACT 

Section 401 prohibits pay and other expenses for non-Federal 

parties in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this act. 

Section 402 prohibits obligations beyond the current fiscal year 

and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly so provided herein. 

Section 403 limits expenditures for consulting services through 

procurement contracts where such expenditures are a matter of 

public record and available for public inspection. 

Section 404 prohibits the use of funds for employee training unless such training bears directly upon the performance of official 

duties. 

Section 405 authorizes the reprogramming of funds within a 

budget account and specifies the reprogramming procedures for 

agencies funded by this act. The Committee rejects the administration’s request to transfer budget authority between accounts. 

Section 406 ensures that 50 percent of unobligated balances may 

remain available for certain purposes. 

Section 407 prohibits the use of funds for eminent domain unless 

such taking is employed for public use. 

Section 408 prohibits funds in this act to be transferred without 

express authority. 

Section 409 protects employment rights of Federal employees 

who return to their civilian jobs after assignment with the Armed 

Forces. 

Section 410 prohibits the use of funds for activities not in compliance with the Buy American Act. 

Section 411 prohibits funding for any person or entity convicted 

of violating the Buy American Act. 

Section 412 prohibits funds for first-class airline accommodation 

in contravention of section 301–10.122 and 301–10.123 of title 41 

CFR. 

Section 413 prohibits funds from being used for the approval of 

a new foreign air carrier permit or exemption application if that 

approval would contravene United States law or article 17 bis of 

the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement and specifies that nothing in this section shall prohibit, restrict, or preclude 

the Secretary of DOT from granting a permit or exemption where 

such authorization is consistent with the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway 

Air Transport Treaty and the U.S. law. 

Section 414 restricts the number of employees that agencies 

funded in this act may send to international conferences. 

Section 415 prohibits the Surface Transportation Board from 

charging filing fees for rate or practice complaints that are greater 

than the fees authorized for district court civil suits. 
147 

Section 416 prohibits funds to agencies unless they are in compliance with the Presidential Memorandum—Federal Fleet Performance, dated May 24, 2011. 

Section 417 prohibits funds from being used to maintain or establish computer networks unless such networks block the viewing, 

downloading, or exchange of pornography. 

Section 418 prohibits funds from denying an Inspector General 

timely access to any records, documents, or other materials available to the department or agency over which that Inspector General has responsibilities, or to prevent or impede that Inspector 

General’s access. 

Section 419 prohibits funds from being used to pay awards or 

fees for contractors with poor performance. 

Section 420 prohibits funds made available in this act to be used 

to acquire certain telecommunications equipment unless the agency 

meets certain criteria. 
(148) 

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI, OF THE 

STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE 

Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment to 

the House bill ‘‘which proposes an item of appropriation which is 

not made to carry out the provisions of an existing law, a treaty 

stipulation, or an act or resolution previously passed by the Senate 

during that session.’’ 

The Committee is filing an original bill, which is not covered 

under this rule, but reports this information in the spirit of full disclosure. 

The Committee recommends funding for the following programs 

or activities which currently lack authorization for fiscal year 2019: 

TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Infrastructure Investments 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Maritime Administration 

TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Rental Assistance Programs 

Indian Housing Block Grants 

Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund 

Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant 

Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS 

Community Development Fund 

Community Development Loan Guarantee 

Home Investment Partnerships Program 

Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives 

Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program 

Homeless Assistance 

Housing for the Elderly 

Housing for Persons with Disabilities 

FHA General and Special Risk Program Account 

GNMA Mortgage Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program Account 

Policy Development and Research 

Fair Housing Activities, Fair Housing Program 

Lead Hazard Reduction Program 

Salaries and Expenses 

TITLE III—RELATED AGENCIES

Access Board 

National Transportation Safety Board 
149 

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(C), RULE XXVI OF THE 

STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE 

Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on June 7, 2018, the 

Committee ordered favorably reported a bill (S. 3023) making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing 

and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year 

ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, provided, that 

the bill be subject to amendment and that the bill be consistent 

with its budget allocation, and provided that the Chairman of the 

Committee or his designee be authorized to offer the substance of 

the original bill as a Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to the House companion measure, by a recorded vote of 31– 

0, a quorum being present. The vote was as follows: 

Yeas Nays 

Chairman Shelby 

Mr. McConnell 

Mr. Alexander 

Ms. Collins 

Ms. Murkowski 

Mr. Graham 

Mr. Blunt 

Mr. Moran 

Mr. Hoeven 

Mr. Boozman 

Mrs. Capito 

Mr. Lankford 

Mr. Daines 

Mr. Kennedy 

Mr. Rubio 

Mrs. Hyde-Smith 

Mr. Leahy 

Mrs. Murray 

Mrs. Feinstein 

Mr. Durbin 

Mr. Reed 

Mr. Tester 

Mr. Udall 

Mrs. Shaheen 

Mr. Merkley 

Mr. Coons 

Mr. Schatz 

Ms. Baldwin 

Mr. Murphy 

Mr. Manchin 

Mr. Van Hollen 
150 

COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE 

STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE 

Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports on 

a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute or part 

of any statute include ‘‘(a) the text of the statute or part thereof 

which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a comparative print of 

that part of the bill or joint resolution making the amendment and 

of the statute or part thereof proposed to be amended, showing by 

stricken-through type and italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical devices the omissions and insertions which 

would be made by the bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form 

recommended by the committee.’’ 

In compliance with this rule, changes in existing law proposed to 

be made by the bill are shown as follows: existing law to be omitted 

is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is printed in italic; and 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman. 

CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018, 

PUBLIC LAW 115–141 

DIVISION L—TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS 

ACT, 2018 

* * * * * * * 

TITLE III—RELATED AGENCIES 

* * * * * * * 

UNITED STATES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS

OPERATING EXPENSES

For necessary expenses (including payment of salaries, authorized travel, hire of passenger motor vehicles, the rental of conference rooms, and the employment of experts and consultants 

under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code) of the United 

States Interagency Council on Homelessness in carrying out the 

functions pursuant to title II of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended, $3,600,000: Provided, That title II of the 

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311 et seq.) 

is amended by striking ‘‘October 1, 2018’’ in section 209 and inserting ‘‘October 1, ø2020¿ 2021’’. 
151 

BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL 

PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 

308(A), PUBLIC LAW 93–344, AS AMENDED 

[In millions of dollars] 

Budget authority Outlays 

Committee 

allocation 

Amount 

in bill 

Committee 

allocation 

Amount 

in bill 

Comparison of amounts in the bill with the 

subcommittee allocation for 2019: Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and Related 

Agencies: 

Mandatory ............................................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................

Discretionary ........................................ 71,417 71,417 132,712 1 132,712 

Security ....................................... 300 300 NA NA 

Nonsecurity ................................. 71,117 71,117 NA NA 

Projection of outlays associated with the 

recommendation: 

2019 ..................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ 2 45,969 

2020 ..................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ 43,792 

2021 ..................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ 17,790 

2022 ..................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ 8,432 

2023 and future years ........................ ............................ ............................ ............................ 13,322 

Financial assistance to State and local 

governments for 2019 .............................. NA 38,988 NA 2 34,191 

1 Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority. 

2 Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority. 

NA: Not applicable. 
152 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

Salaries and expenses ............................................................................................................................................... 112,813 113,842 113,535 ∂722 ¥307 

Immediate Office of the Secretary .................................................................................................................... (3,001) ............................ (3,001) ............................ (∂3,001) Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary ........................................................................................................ (1,040) ............................ (1,040) ............................ (∂1,040) Office of the General Counsel ........................................................................................................................... (20,555) ............................ (20,428) (¥127) (∂20,428) Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy .............................................................................. (10,331) ............................ (10,265) (¥66) (∂10,265) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs ........................................................................... (14,019) ............................ (14,019) ............................ (∂14,019) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs ............................................................................. (2,546) ............................ (2,550) (∂4) (∂2,550) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration ....................................................................................... (29,356) ............................ (29,244) (¥112) (∂29,244) Office of Public Affairs ..................................................................................................................................... (2,142) ............................ (2,142) ............................ (∂2,142) Office of the Executive Secretariat ................................................................................................................... (1,760) ............................ (1,835) (∂75) (∂1,835) Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response .............................................................................. (11,318) ............................ (12,325) (∂1,007) (∂12,325) Office of the Chief Information Officer ............................................................................................................. (16,745) ............................ (16,686) (¥59) (∂16,686) 

Research and Technology ........................................................................................................................................... 23,465 6,971 8,471 ¥14,994 ∂1,500 National Infrastructure Investments .......................................................................................................................... 1,500,000 ............................ 1,000,000 ¥500,000 ∂1,000,000 National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau ............................................................................ 3,000 2,987 2,987 ¥13 ............................Financial Management Capital .................................................................................................................................. 6,000 2,000 2,000 ¥4,000 ............................Cyber Security Initiatives ........................................................................................................................................... 15,000 10,000 15,000 ............................ ∂5,000 Office of Civil Rights ................................................................................................................................................. 9,500 9,470 9,470 ¥30 ............................Transportation Planning, Research, and Development .............................................................................................. 14,000 7,879 7,879 ¥6,121 ............................Working Capital Fund ................................................................................................................................................. (202,245) ............................ (203,883) (∂1,638) (∂203,883) Minority Business Resource Center Program ............................................................................................................. 500 249 249 ¥251 ............................Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilizaton and Outreach /Minority Business Outreach ................................... 4,646 3,488 3,488 ¥1,158 ............................Payments to Air Carriers (Airport & Airway Trust Fund) ........................................................................................... 155,000 93,000 175,000 ∂20,000 ∂82,000 

Administrative Provision 

Working Capital Fund (Sec. 104) (reappropriation) .................................................................................................. ............................ 12,000 ............................ ............................ ¥12,000 
153 

Total, Office of the Secretary ....................................................................................................................... 1,843,924 261,886 1,338,079 ¥505,845 ∂1,076,193 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Operations .................................................................................................................................................................. 10,211,754 9,931,312 10,410,758 ∂199,004 ∂479,446 

Air traffic organization ...................................................................................................................................... (7,692,786) (7,495,690) (7,843,427) (∂150,641) (∂347,737) Aviation safety ................................................................................................................................................... (1,310,000) (1,276,255) (1,334,377) (∂24,377) (∂58,122) Commercial space transportation ..................................................................................................................... (22,587) (21,578) (24,981) (∂2,394) (∂3,403) Finance and management ................................................................................................................................ (801,506) (771,010) (816,562) (∂15,056) (∂45,552) NextGen .............................................................................................................................................................. (60,000) (58,536) (61,796) (∂1,796) (∂3,260) Security and Hazardous Materials Safety ......................................................................................................... (112,622) (105,558) (114,312) (∂1,690) (∂8,754) Staff offices ....................................................................................................................................................... (212,253) (202,685) (215,303) (∂3,050) (∂12,618) 

Facilities and Equipment (Airport & Airway Trust Fund) .......................................................................................... 3,250,000 2,766,572 3,000,000 ¥250,000 ∂233,428 Research, Engineering, and Development (Airport & Airway Trust Fund .................................................................. 188,926 74,406 191,000 ∂2,074 ∂116,594 Grants-in-Aid for Airports (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization) ....................... (3,000,000) (3,000,000) (3,000,000) ............................ ............................

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (3,350,000) (3,350,000) (3,350,000) ............................ ............................

Administration .......................................................................................................................................... (111,863) (112,600) (112,600) (∂737) ............................Airport cooperative research program ...................................................................................................... (15,000) (15,000) (15,000) ............................ ............................Airport technology research ...................................................................................................................... (33,210) (33,194) (33,210) ............................ (∂16) Small community air service development program ............................................................................... (10,000) ............................ (10,000) ............................ (∂10,000) Airport Discretionary Grants (General Fund) ............................................................................................ 1,000,000 ............................ 750,000 ¥250,000 ∂750,000 

Total, Federal Aviation Administration ................................................................................................ 14,650,680 12,772,290 14,351,758 ¥298,922 ∂1,579,468 

Limitations on obligations ..................................................................................................... (3,350,000) (3,350,000) (3,350,000) ............................ ............................

Total budgetary resources ................................................................................................................... (18,000,680) (16,122,290) (17,701,758) (¥298,922) (∂1,579,468) 

Federal Highway Administration 

Limitation on Administrative Expenses ...................................................................................................................... (442,692) (449,692) (449,692) (∂7,000) ............................Federal-Aid Highways (Highway Trust Fund): 

(Liquidation of contract authorization) ............................................................................................................. (44,973,212) (46,007,596) (46,007,596) (∂1,034,384) ............................(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (44,234,212) (45,268,596) (45,268,596) (∂1,034,384) ............................(Exempt contract authority) .............................................................................................................................. (739,000) (739,000) (739,000) ............................ ............................

Rescission of contract authority (Highway Trust Fund) ............................................................................................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................Federal-Aid Highways, grants to States (General Fund) ........................................................................................... 2,525,000 ............................ 3,300,000 ∂775,000 ∂3,300,000 Rescission of budget authority (Sec. 126) ................................................................................................................ ............................ ¥216,951 ............................ ............................ ∂216,951 

Total, Federal Highway Administration ......................................................................................................... 2,525,000 ¥216,951 3,300,000 ∂775,000 ∂3,516,951 

Limitations on obligations ................................................................................................................... (44,234,212) (45,268,596) (45,268,596) (∂1,034,384) ............................Exempt contract authority ................................................................................................................... (739,000) (739,000) (739,000) ............................ ............................
154 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (47,498,212) (45,790,645) (49,307,596) (∂1,809,384) (∂3,516,951) 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 

Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization) ...... (283,000) (284,000) (284,000) (∂1,000) ............................

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (283,000) (284,000) (284,000) (∂1,000) ............................

Motor Carrier Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization) .................................... (561,800) (381,800) (382,800) (¥179,000) (∂1,000) 

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (561,800) (381,800) (382,800) (¥179,000) (∂1,000) 

Total, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ...................................................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................

Limitations on obligations ................................................................................................................... (844,800) (665,800) (666,800) (¥178,000) (∂1,000) 

Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (844,800) (665,800) (666,800) (¥178,000) (∂1,000) 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

Operations and Research (general fund) .................................................................................................................. 189,075 152,427 190,000 ∂925 ∂37,573 Operations and Research (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization) ........................................ (149,000) (152,100) (152,100) (∂3,100) ............................

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (149,000) (152,100) (152,100) (∂3,100) ............................

Subtotal, Operations and Research .............................................................................................................. 338,075 304,527 342,100 ∂4,025 ∂37,573 

Highway Traffic Safety Grants (Highway Trust Fund) (Liquidation of contract authorization) ................................ (597,629) (610,208) (610,208) (∂12,579) ............................

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (597,629) (610,208) (610,208) (∂12,579) ............................

Highway safety programs (23 USC 402) ................................................................................................. (261,200) (270,400) (270,400) (∂9,200) ............................National priority safety programs (23 USC 405) ..................................................................................... (280,200) (283,000) (283,000) (∂2,800) ............................High visibility enforcement ...................................................................................................................... (29,900) (30,200) (30,200) (∂300) ............................Administrative expenses ........................................................................................................................... (26,329) (26,608) (26,608) (∂279) ............................

Administrative Provision 

Impaired Driving/Rail-Grade funding (Sec. 144) (General Fund) ............................................................................. 11,500 ............................ 4,000 ¥7,500 ∂4,000 

Total, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ................................................................................ 200,575 152,427 194,000 ¥6,575 ∂41,573 
155 

Limitations on obligations ................................................................................................................... (746,629) (762,308) (762,308) (∂15,679) ............................

Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (947,204) (914,735) (956,308) (∂9,104) (∂41,573) 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Safety and Operations ................................................................................................................................................ 221,698 202,304 221,698 ............................ ∂19,394 

Direct appropriation ...................................................................................................................................... 221,698 202,304 221,698 ............................ ∂19,394 

Railroad Research and Development ......................................................................................................................... 40,600 19,550 40,600 ............................ ∂21,050 Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program ................................................................................. 25,000 ............................ ............................ ¥25,000 ............................

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 287,298 221,854 262,298 ¥25,000 ∂40,444 

Federal State Partnership for State of Good Repair ................................................................................................. 250,000 ............................ 300,000 ∂50,000 ∂300,000 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements ..................................................................................... 592,547 ............................ 255,000 ¥337,547 ∂255,000 Restoration and Enhancement Grants ....................................................................................................................... 20,000 ............................ 10,000 ¥10,000 ∂10,000 

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 862,547 ............................ 565,000 ¥297,547 ∂565,000 

National Railroad Passenger Corporation: 

Northeast Corridor Grants ................................................................................................................................. 650,000 200,000 650,000 ............................ ∂450,000 National Network ............................................................................................................................................... 1,291,600 537,897 1,291,600 ............................ ∂753,703 

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 1,941,600 737,897 1,941,600 ............................ ∂1,203,703 

Administrative Provisions 

Transportation Technology Center financing (Sec. 151) ........................................................................................... ............................ 100,000 ............................ ............................ ¥100,000 Rail unobligated balances (rescission) (Sec. 153) ................................................................................................... ............................ ¥55,726 ............................ ............................ ∂55,726 

Total, Federal Railroad Administration ......................................................................................................... 3,091,445 1,004,025 2,768,898 ¥322,547 ∂1,764,873 

Federal Transit Administration 

Administrative Expenses ............................................................................................................................................ 113,165 111,742 113,165 ............................ ∂1,423 Transit Formula Grants (Hwy Trust Fund, Mass Transit Account) (Liquidation of contract authorization) ............. (10,300,000) (9,900,000) (9,900,000) (¥400,000) ............................

(Limitation on obligations) ................................................................................................................................ (9,733,353) (9,939,380) (9,939,380) (∂206,027) ............................

Transit Infrastructure Grants ..................................................................................................................................... 834,000 ............................ 800,000 ¥34,000 ∂800,000 Technical Assistance and Training ............................................................................................................................ 5,000 ............................ 5,000 ............................ ∂5,000 Capital Investment Grants ......................................................................................................................................... 2,644,960 1,000,000 2,552,687 ¥92,273 ∂1,552,687 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Capital and Preventive Maintenance ........................................... 150,000 120,000 150,000 ............................ ∂30,000 Transit Research (rescission) (Sec. 163) ................................................................................................................... ............................ ¥6,000 ............................ ............................ ∂6,000 
156 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

Transit Formula Grants (rescission) (Sec. 164) ........................................................................................................ ............................ ¥46,560 ¥46,560 ¥46,560 ............................

Total, Federal Transit Administration ........................................................................................................... 3,747,125 1,179,182 3,574,292 ¥172,833 ∂2,395,110 

Limitations on obligations ................................................................................................................... (9,733,353) (9,939,380) (9,939,380) (∂206,027) ............................

Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (13,480,478) (11,118,562) (13,513,672) (∂33,194) (∂2,395,110) 

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation 

Operations and Maintenance (Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund) .............................................................................. 40,000 28,837 36,000 ¥4,000 ∂7,163 

Maritime Administration 

Maritime Security Program ......................................................................................................................................... 300,000 214,000 300,000 ............................ ∂86,000 Operations and Training ............................................................................................................................................ 513,642 452,428 149,442 ¥364,200 ¥302,986 State Maritime Academy Operations .......................................................................................................................... ............................ ............................ 340,200 ∂340,200 ∂340,200 Assistance to Small Shipyards .................................................................................................................................. 20,000 ............................ 20,000 ............................ ∂20,000 Ship Disposal ............................................................................................................................................................. 116,000 30,000 5,000 ¥111,000 ¥25,000 Maritime Guaranteed Loan (Title XI) Program Account: 

Administrative expenses and guarantees ......................................................................................................... 30,000 ............................ 3,000 ¥27,000 ∂3,000 

Total, Maritime Administration ..................................................................................................................... 979,642 696,428 817,642 ¥162,000 ∂121,214 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 

Operational Expenses: 

General Fund ..................................................................................................................................................... 23,000 23,710 23,710 ∂710 ............................

Hazardous Materials Safety: 

General Fund ..................................................................................................................................................... 59,000 52,070 58,000 ¥1,000 ∂5,930 

Pipeline Safety: 

Pipeline Safety Fund ......................................................................................................................................... 131,000 119,200 134,000 ∂3,000 ∂14,800 Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund ............................................................................................................................. 23,000 23,000 23,000 ............................ ............................
157 

Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund ................................................................................... 8,000 8,000 8,000 ............................ ............................

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 162,000 150,200 165,000 ∂3,000 ∂14,800 Subtotal, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ............................................................ 244,000 225,980 246,710 ∂2,710 ∂20,730 

Pipeline safety user fees ............................................................................................................................................ ¥131,000 ¥119,200 ¥134,000 ¥3,000 ¥14,800 Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Safety Fund user fee ............................................................................. ¥8,000 ¥8,000 ¥8,000 ............................ ............................Emergency Preparedness Grants: 

Limitation on emergency preparedness fund ................................................................................................... (28,318) (28,318) (28,318) ............................ ............................

Total, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ................................................................. 105,000 98,780 104,710 ¥290 ∂5,930 

Office of Inspector General 

Salaries and Expenses ............................................................................................................................................... 92,152 91,500 92,600 ∂448 ∂1,100 

General Provisions—Department of Transportation 

Extending the availability of certain payments (Sec. 186(1)) .................................................................................. ............................ 2,000 ............................ ............................ ¥2,000 

Total, title I, Department of Transportation ................................................................................................. 27,275,543 16,070,404 26,577,979 ¥697,564 ∂10,507,575 

Appropriations ...................................................................................................................................... (27,275,543) (16,395,641) (26,624,539) (¥651,004) (∂10,228,898) Rescissions .......................................................................................................................................... ............................ (¥325,237) (¥46,560) (¥46,560) (∂278,677) Limitations on obligations ................................................................................................................... (58,908,994) (59,986,084) (59,987,084) (∂1,078,090) (∂1,000) 

Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (86,184,537) (76,056,488) (86,565,063) (∂380,526) (∂10,508,575) 

TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

Management and Administration 

Executive Offices ........................................................................................................................................................ 14,708 15,583 14,898 ∂190 ¥685 Administrative Support Offices .................................................................................................................................. 518,303 507,372 556,000 ∂37,697 ∂48,628 Program Office Salaries and Expenses: 

Public and Indian Housing ............................................................................................................................... 216,633 209,473 222,000 ∂5,367 ∂12,527 Community Planning and Development ............................................................................................................ 107,554 105,906 110,000 ∂2,446 ∂4,094 Housing .............................................................................................................................................................. 383,000 359,448 390,000 ∂7,000 ∂30,552 Policy Development and Research .................................................................................................................... 24,065 25,366 26,000 ∂1,935 ∂634 Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity ................................................................................................................ 69,808 71,312 71,500 ∂1,692 ∂188 Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes .......................................................................................... 7,600 7,540 7,800 ∂200 ∂260 

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 808,660 779,045 827,300 ∂18,640 ∂48,255 
158 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

Total, Management and Administration ....................................................................................................... 1,341,671 1,302,000 1,398,198 ∂56,527 ∂96,198 

Public and Indian Housing 

Tenant-based Rental Assistance: 

Renewals ........................................................................................................................................................... 19,600,000 18,748,749 20,520,000 ∂920,000 ∂1,771,251 Tenant protection vouchers ............................................................................................................................... 85,000 140,000 85,000 ............................ ¥55,000 Administrative fees ........................................................................................................................................... 1,760,000 1,550,000 1,956,987 ∂196,987 ∂406,987 Sec. 811 vouchers, incremental and renewals ................................................................................................. 505,000 107,000 154,000 ¥351,000 ∂47,000 Incremental VASH vouchers .............................................................................................................................. 40,000 ............................ 40,000 ............................ ∂40,000 Tribal veterans affairs supportive housing renewals ....................................................................................... 5,000 4,000 5,000 ............................ ∂1,000 Incremental family unification vouchers .......................................................................................................... 20,000 ............................ 20,000 ............................ ∂20,000 PHA Modernization ............................................................................................................................................. ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................

Subtotal (available this fiscal year) ............................................................................................................ 22,015,000 20,549,749 22,780,987 ∂765,987 ∂2,231,238 

Advance appropriations ..................................................................................................................................... 4,000,000 4,000,000 4,000,000 ............................ ............................Less appropriations from prior year advances ................................................................................................. ¥4,000,000 ¥4,000,000 ¥4,000,000 ............................ ............................

Total, Tenant-based Rental Assistance appropriated in this bill ............................................................... 22,015,000 20,549,749 22,780,987 ∂765,987 ∂2,231,238 

Rental Assistance Demonstration .............................................................................................................................. ............................ 100,000 ............................ ............................ ¥100,000 Public Housing Capital Fund ..................................................................................................................................... 2,750,000 ............................ 2,775,000 ∂25,000 ∂2,775,000 Public Housing Operating Fund ................................................................................................................................. 4,550,000 3,279,000 4,756,000 ∂206,000 ∂1,477,000 Choice Neighborhoods ................................................................................................................................................ 150,000 ............................ 100,000 ¥50,000 ∂100,000 Family Self–Sufficiency .............................................................................................................................................. 75,000 75,000 80,000 ∂5,000 ∂5,000 Native American Housing Block Grants ..................................................................................................................... 755,000 600,000 755,000 ............................ ∂155,000 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund Program Account .......................................................................................... 1,000 ............................ 1,440 ∂440 ∂1,440 

(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ..................................................................................................................... (270,270) ............................ (553,846) (∂283,576) (∂553,846) 

Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant ....................................................................................................................... 2,000 ............................ 2,000 ............................ ∂2,000 
159 

Total, Public and Indian Housing ................................................................................................................. 30,298,000 24,603,749 31,250,427 ∂952,427 ∂6,646,678 

Community Planning and Development 

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS ........................................................................................................... 375,000 330,000 375,000 ............................ ∂45,000 Community Development Fund: 

CDBG formula .................................................................................................................................................... 3,300,000 ............................ 3,300,000 ............................ ∂3,300,000 Indian CDBG ...................................................................................................................................................... 65,000 ............................ 65,000 ............................ ∂65,000 

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 3,365,000 ............................ 3,365,000 ............................ ∂3,365,000 

Community Development Loan Guarantees (Section 108): 

(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ..................................................................................................................... (300,000) ............................ (300,000) ............................ (∂300,000) 

HOME Investment Partnerships Program ................................................................................................................... 1,362,000 ............................ 1,362,000 ............................ ∂1,362,000 Self-help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program .................................................................................. 54,000 ............................ 54,000 ............................ ∂54,000 Homeless Assistance Grants ...................................................................................................................................... 2,513,000 2,383,000 2,612,000 ∂99,000 ∂229,000 

Total, Community Planning and Development ............................................................................................. 7,669,000 2,713,000 7,768,000 ∂99,000 ∂5,055,000 

Housing Programs 

Project-based Rental Assistance: 

Renewals ........................................................................................................................................................... 11,230,000 10,902,000 11,502,000 ∂272,000 ∂600,000 Contract administrators .................................................................................................................................... 285,000 245,000 245,000 ¥40,000 ............................

Subtotal (available this fiscal year) ............................................................................................................ 11,515,000 11,147,000 11,747,000 ∂232,000 ∂600,000 

Advance appropriations ..................................................................................................................................... 400,000 400,000 400,000 ............................ ............................Less appropriations from prior year advances ................................................................................................. ¥400,000 ¥400,000 ¥400,000 ............................ ............................

Total, Project-based Rental Assistance appropriated in this bill ............................................................... 11,515,000 11,147,000 11,747,000 ∂232,000 ∂600,000 

Housing for the Elderly .............................................................................................................................................. 678,000 601,000 678,000 ............................ ∂77,000 Housing for Persons with Disabilities ........................................................................................................................ 229,600 140,000 154,000 ¥75,600 ∂14,000 Housing Counseling Assistance ................................................................................................................................. 55,000 45,000 45,000 ¥10,000 ............................Rental Housing Assistance ........................................................................................................................................ 14,000 5,000 5,000 ¥9,000 ............................Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund .................................................................................................................... 11,000 12,000 12,000 ∂1,000 ............................

Offsetting collections ........................................................................................................................................ ¥11,000 ¥12,000 ¥12,000 ¥1,000 ............................

Total, Housing Programs .............................................................................................................................. 12,491,600 11,938,000 12,629,000 ∂137,400 ∂691,000 
160 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

Federal Housing Administration 

Mutual Mortgage Insurance Program Account: 

(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ..................................................................................................................... (400,000,000) (400,000,000) (400,000,000) ............................ ............................(Limitation on direct loans) .............................................................................................................................. (5,000) (1,000) (1,000) (¥4,000) ............................Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................................. ¥7,392,000 ¥6,930,000 ¥6,930,000 ∂462,000 ............................Proposed offsetting receipts (HECM) ................................................................................................................ ¥309,000 ............................ ............................ ∂309,000 ............................Additional offsetting receipts (Sec. 222) .......................................................................................................... ............................ ¥20,000 ............................ ............................ ∂20,000 Administrative contract expenses ..................................................................................................................... 130,000 150,000 130,000 ............................ ¥20,000 

General and Special Risk Program Account: 

(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ..................................................................................................................... (30,000,000) (30,000,000) (30,000,000) ............................ ............................(Limitation on direct loans) .............................................................................................................................. (5,000) (1,000) (1,000) (¥4,000) ............................Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................................. ¥619,000 ¥620,000 ¥620,000 ¥1,000 ............................

Total, Federal Housing Administration ......................................................................................................... ¥8,190,000 ¥7,420,000 ¥7,420,000 ∂770,000 ............................

Government National Mortgage Association 

Guarantees of Mortgage-backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program Account: 

(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ..................................................................................................................... (500,000,000) (550,000,000) (550,000,000) (∂50,000,000) ............................Administrative expenses .................................................................................................................................... 27,000 24,400 27,000 ............................ ∂2,600 Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................................. ¥116,000 ¥104,000 ¥104,000 ∂12,000 ............................Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................................. ¥1,560,000 ¥1,900,000 ¥1,900,000 ¥340,000 ............................Proposed offsetting receipts (HECM) ................................................................................................................ ¥59,000 ............................ ............................ ∂59,000 ............................Additional contract expenses ............................................................................................................................ 1,000 ............................ 1,000 ............................ ∂1,000 

Total, Gov’t National Mortgage Association ................................................................................................. ¥1,707,000 ¥1,979,600 ¥1,976,000 ¥269,000 ∂3,600 

Policy Development and Research 

Research and Technology ........................................................................................................................................... 89,000 85,000 100,000 ∂11,000 ∂15,000 
161 

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity 

Fair Housing Activities ............................................................................................................................................... 65,300 62,300 65,300 ............................ ∂3,000 

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes 

Lead Hazard Reduction .............................................................................................................................................. 230,000 145,000 260,000 ∂30,000 ∂115,000 Information Technology Fund ..................................................................................................................................... 267,000 260,000 280,000 ∂13,000 ∂20,000 Office of Inspector General ........................................................................................................................................ 128,082 128,000 128,082 ............................ ∂82 

General Provisions 

Mark-to-Market extension (Sec. 231) ......................................................................................................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................Unobligated balances (Sec. 233) (rescission) ........................................................................................................... ............................ ¥138,000 ............................ ............................ ∂138,000 Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee unobligated balances (Sec. 251) (rescission) ...................................... ............................ ¥5,000 ............................ ............................ ∂5,000 

Total, title II, Department of Housing and Urban Development .................................................................. 42,682,653 31,694,449 44,483,007 ∂1,800,354 ∂12,788,558 

Appropriations ...................................................................................................................................... (48,348,653) (37,023,449) (49,649,007) (∂1,300,354) (∂12,625,558) Advance appropriations ....................................................................................................................... (4,400,000) (4,400,000) (4,400,000) ............................ ............................Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................... (¥10,055,000) (¥9,574,000) (¥9,554,000) (∂501,000) (∂20,000) Offsetting collections ........................................................................................................................... (¥11,000) (¥12,000) (¥12,000) (¥1,000) ............................(Limitation on direct loans) ................................................................................................................. (10,000) (2,000) (2,000) (¥8,000) ............................(Limitation on guaranteed loans) ........................................................................................................ (930,570,270) (980,000,000) (980,853,846) (∂50,283,576) (∂853,846) 

TITLE III—OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES 

Access Board .............................................................................................................................................................. 8,190 8,400 8,400 ∂210 ............................Federal Maritime Commission .................................................................................................................................... 27,490 27,490 27,490 ............................ ............................National Railroad Passenger Corporation Office of Inspector General ..................................................................... 23,274 23,274 23,274 ............................ ............................National Transportation Safety Board ........................................................................................................................ 110,400 108,000 110,400 ............................ ∂2,400 Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation ................................................................................................................... 140,000 27,400 147,000 ∂7,000 ∂119,600 Surface Transportation Board .................................................................................................................................... 37,100 37,100 37,100 ............................ ............................

Offsetting collections ........................................................................................................................................ ¥1,250 ¥1,250 ¥1,250 ............................ ............................

Subtotal ......................................................................................................................................................... 35,850 35,850 35,850 ............................ ............................

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness ................................................................................................ 3,600 630 3,600 ............................ ∂2,970 

Total, title III, Other Independent Agencies ................................................................................................. 348,804 231,044 356,014 ∂7,210 ∂124,970 

TITLE IV—GENERAL PROVISIONS—THIS ACT 

Unobligated balances (Sec. 417) (rescission) ........................................................................................................... ¥7,000 ............................ ............................ ∂7,000 ............................
162 

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019—Continued 

[In thousands of dollars] 

Item 2018 appropriation Budget estimate Committee recommendation 

Senate Committee recommendation compared with (∂ or ¥) 

2018 appropriation Budget estimate 

Total, title IV, General Provisions This Act .................................................................................................. ¥7,000 ............................ ............................ ∂7,000 ............................

OTHER APPROPRIATIONS 

FURTHER ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF ACT, 2018 

(PUBLIC LAW 115–123) 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Operations (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) (emergency) ......................................................................................... 35,000 ............................ ............................ ¥35,000 ............................Facilities and Equipment (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) (emergency) .................................................................. 79,589 ............................ ............................ ¥79,589 ............................

Total, Federal Aviation Administration ......................................................................................................... 114,589 ............................ ............................ ¥114,589 ............................

Federal Highway Administration 

Federal-Aid Highways: 

Emergency Relief Program (emergency) ........................................................................................................... 1,374,000 ............................ ............................ ¥1,374,000 ............................

Federal Transit Administration 

Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (emergency) ................................................................................. 330,000 ............................ ............................ ¥330,000 ............................

Maritime Administration 

Operations and Training (emergency) ........................................................................................................................ 10,000 ............................ ............................ ¥10,000 ............................

Total, Department of Transportation ............................................................................................................ 1,828,589 ............................ ............................ ¥1,828,589 ............................
163 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

Community Planning and Development 

Community Development Fund (emergency) .............................................................................................................. 28,000,000 ............................ ............................ ¥28,000,000 ............................

Total, Further Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2018 .............................................................. 29,828,589 ............................ ............................ ¥29,828,589 ............................Grand total .................................................................................................................................................... 100,128,589 47,995,897 71,417,000 ¥28,711,589 ∂23,421,103 

Appropriations ...................................................................................................................................... (75,974,250) (53,651,384) (76,630,810) (∂656,560) (∂22,979,426) Rescissions .......................................................................................................................................... (¥7,000) (¥468,237) (¥46,560) (¥39,560) (∂421,677) Rescissions of contract authority ........................................................................................................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................Advance appropriations ....................................................................................................................... (4,400,000) (4,400,000) (4,400,000) ............................ ............................Offsetting receipts ............................................................................................................................... (¥10,055,000) (¥9,574,000) (¥9,554,000) (∂501,000) (∂20,000) Offsetting collections ........................................................................................................................... (¥12,250) (¥13,250) (¥13,250) (¥1,000) ............................

(By transfer) .................................................................................................................................................. ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................(Limitation on obligations) ........................................................................................................................... (58,908,994) (59,986,084) (59,987,084) (∂1,078,090) (∂1,000) Total budgetary resources ............................................................................................................................ (159,037,583) (107,981,981) (131,404,084) (¥27,633,499) (∂23,422,103) 

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