Congressman Higgins Votes to Approve FY 2010 Transportation, HUD Spending Bill

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) voted with his colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve H.R. 3288, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the fiscal year 2010.  The bill provides $123.1 billion in critical transportation and housing investments. 

“The development of rail, airports, roads and bridges will bring jobs right here to Western New York and provide the foundation for access to businesses that drive our economy,” said Congressman Higgins.  “The $1 million investment in the Dunkirk Airport in particular, combined with the $3.5 million in federal funding the airport received earlier this year, will have a significant impact on this region, improving safety and allowing for increased capacity and new potential at that facility.”

Highlights of the transportation section include:
• $3.5 billion for airport modernization, safety and efficiency grants including $1 million requested by Congressman Higgins for improvements to the Dunkirk Airport in Chautauqua  County
• $41.1 billion to improve and repair highway infrastructure
• $10.48 billion for the Federal Transit Administration
• $4 billion for high speed passenger rail including $3.595 million for four projects along New York State’s Designated High Speed Rail Empire Corridor
• $1.2 billion for aviation safety programs to hire additional flight standard inspectors and aircraft certification inspection staff
• $99.2 million to provide additional investigators to respond to and investigate transportation crashes
• $1.5 billion to support Amtrak, the national passenger rail system

Highlights of the Housing and Urban Development section include:
$25 million for Brownfield Redevelopment to remove blight and spur economic development on formerly vacant commercial and industrial sites
$8.7 billion for affordable housing to 1.3 million low-income families and individuals, two-thirds of whom are elderly or disabled 
$1 billion to rehabilitate and build housing for low-income seniors
$196.5 million to provide counseling for families in danger of foreclosure 
$75 million to provide 10,000 housing vouchers to homeless veterans 
$70 million to offer prospective homebuyers assistance

This bill will now move to the Senate for their consideration and approval.