Sen. Hyde-Smith on FY2026 Transportation Bill: Prioritizing Safety and Infrastructure

Fiscal Responsibility and Bipartisan Collaboration

• 🤝 The Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill is a fiscally responsible and bipartisan product.
• 💰 The bill allocates $26.5 billion for DOT, $73.3 billion for HUD, and $424 million for independent agencies, aligning with FY2024 enacted levels.
• ⚖️ Despite limited resources, the committee worked to stretch funds to cover essential functions of DOT, HUD, and related agencies.

Enhancing Aviation Safety

• ✈️ Recent incidents, including a mid-air collision and air traffic control outages, highlight the urgency for aviation safety measures.
• 💡 $2 million is allocated for an independent study by the National Academy of Sciences to address airspace complexities around the DC airport, aiming to prevent future accidents.
• 🧑‍✈️ The bill provides $22.4 billion for the FAA, including $4 billion for modernizing the air traffic system, hiring 2,500 new air traffic controllers, and 91 safety inspectors and engineers.

Broader Transportation Infrastructure Investments

• 🌉 $75 million is dedicated to rail infrastructure and safety improvement grants.
• 🛣️ The bill supports the safe integration of advanced vehicle technologies on roadways.
• 🏗️ Key investments include $250 million for the BUILD program, $350 million for rural bridge rehabilitation, $75 million for port infrastructure development, and $30 million for small shipyard grants.

Housing and Homelessness Prevention

• 🏠 Funding is maintained for existing rental assistance, supporting over 4.6 million households, including seniors, people with disabilities, and working families, to prevent homelessness.
• 🏘️ Additional investments are directed towards ending youth homelessness, supporting domestic violence victims, and developing permanent supportive housing.
• 📈 The bill provides $3.1 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to promote economic activity and job creation.
• 🏡 Funding is also maintained for the HOME program to increase the supply of affordable housing.