Division D — TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
Division Overview
1. Overview
Division D of this omnibus appropriations bill funds the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and related agencies such as the Federal Maritime Commission, National Railroad Passenger Corporation's Inspector General, National Transportation Safety Board, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Surface Transportation Board, and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The overall purpose is to support transportation infrastructure (highways, aviation, rail, transit), safety programs, housing assistance for low-income families and special populations, community development, and related administrative and oversight activities for fiscal year 2026.
2. Total Spending
No single total appropriation amount is stated for the full division. The text details numerous specific appropriations and obligation limitations, including $13.71 billion for FAA Operations (the largest single item), a $62.66 billion obligation limit for Federal-aid highways, and $4 billion each for FAA Facilities and Equipment and Airport Grants-in-Aid. No prior-year comparison context is provided in the text.
3. Key Funding Areas
- FAA Operations (Airport and Airway Trust Fund): $13.71 billion — day-to-day FAA expenses including air traffic control ($10.34 billion), aviation safety ($1.84 billion), and facilities staffing.
- Federal-aid Highways (obligation limitation, Highway Trust Fund): $62.66 billion — federal highway and safety construction programs nationwide.
- FAA Facilities and Equipment (Airport and Airway Trust Fund): $4 billion — acquisition and improvement of national airspace systems and equipment.
- Grants-in-Aid for Airports (Airport and Airway Trust Fund): $4 billion — airport planning, development, noise programs, and safety.
- Highway Infrastructure Programs: $2.4 billion — supplemental highway grants including community projects ($1.51 billion) and freight/parking projects ($200 million).
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (HUD): $34.44 billion — Section 8 vouchers for low-income renters, renewals, and special purposes like HUD-VASH.
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (HUD): $18.14 billion — subsidies tied to specific housing units.
- Public Housing Fund (HUD): $8.32 billion — operations, capital improvements, and emergencies for public housing agencies.
- Motor Carrier Safety Operations and Programs: $390 million — truck and bus safety enforcement and grants.
- National Network Grants to Amtrak: $1.58 billion — passenger rail operations outside Northeast Corridor.
4. Notable Provisions
- Rescissions: Permanent rescissions of small unobligated balances from prior-year accounts (e.g., $10.37 million from DOT Salaries and Expenses; various tiny amounts totaling under $2 million across old programs).
- Reporting Requirements: DOT must report on FAA staffing, contract towers, and air traffic modernization; HUD on offsets and reallocations for vouchers.
- Transfer Authorities: Allows limited transfers (e.g., up to 2% for grant oversight; Working Capital Fund expansions with committee approval).
- Policy Riders: Prohibits FAA from new user fees or closing contract towers without notice; restricts Working Capital Fund consolidations; requires Buy America waivers with public notice; bans mask mandates.
- New Programs: $30 million for FAA veterans' pilot training; $10 million for drone infrastructure grants; HUD youth/family unification vouchers.
- Equity Mandates: National Infrastructure Investments require 5% for disadvantaged communities; rural/urban balance.
5. Who Benefits
- DOT Agencies and Users: FAA (airlines, passengers, airports), highways (states, drivers, freight shippers), transit/motor carriers (rural/tribal areas, truckers).
- HUD Programs and Populations: Low-income renters (Section 8 vouchers), public housing residents, elderly/disabled (senior/disability housing), homeless (assistance grants), Native Americans/Hawaiians (block grants).
- Communities: Rural/Tribal infrastructure, disadvantaged/persistent poverty areas, airports/highways nationwide; Amtrak riders.
- Other: Small businesses, disaster victims, veterans (VASH vouchers).
6. Plain English Summary
Imagine telling your neighbor at a BBQ: "This chunk of the big spending bill pumps billions into fixing roads, airports, and rails so we can get around safer and faster—think $14 billion just for FAA air traffic folks and $63 billion cap for highways. It also keeps housing vouchers going for over 2 million low-income families, repairs public housing, and helps homeless shelters, seniors, and Native communities with homes. There are rules like no closing small airport towers without notice and some old unused funds get clawed back, but it's mostly keeping the basics running without big changes."
Titles
Title Summary
Title I funds the Department of Transportation's central offices (e.g., Office of the Secretary, Research and Technology) and its major operating administrations, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Maritime Administration (MARAD), and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Key programs include salaries/expenses, infrastructure grants (e.g., national infrastructure investments at $145,000,000), aviation operations/facilities/research/airport grants (totaling over $22 billion), highway aid (obligation limit $62.7 billion), rail/passenger grants (e.g., Amtrak $2.4 billion), transit formula/capital grants ($16.3 billion total), maritime security ($481.6 million), and pipeline safety ($309.5 million).
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Office of the Secretary—Salaries and Expenses | $187,344,000 | Operations of Secretary's offices (e.g., General Counsel $27.8M, Policy $21.4M), with 7% transfer flexibility. |
| Office of the Secretary—Research and Technology | $74,471,000 | R&D including ARPA-I ($9M), drone grants ($10M), resilience/nuclear tech ($30M). |
| National Infrastructure Investments | $145,000,000 | Local/regional project grants under 49 U.S.C. §6702, prioritizing disadvantaged/rural areas. |
| FAA—Operations (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) | $13,710,000,000 | Aviation safety ($1.84B), air traffic ($10.34B), certification/staffing. |
| FAA—Facilities and Equipment (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) | $4,000,000,000 | Airspace systems, engineering, aircraft. |
| FAA—Grants-in-Aid for Airports (Airport and Airway Trust Fund) | $4,000,000,000 + $577,356,000 | Airport planning/development, noise programs; additional for community projects. |
| FHWA—Federal-Aid Highways (obligation limit) | $62,657,105,821 | Highway construction/safety programs. |
| FHWA—Highway Infrastructure Programs | $2,395,880,591 | Community projects ($1.51B), Tribal ($200M), freight parking ($200M), bridges. |
| FRA—Northeast Corridor/ National Network Grants to Amtrak | $850M + $1,577M | Infrastructure/operations on NEC and national routes. |
| FTA—Transit Formula Grants (Highway Trust Fund) | $14,642,000,000 | Public transit assistance (e.g., 5307, 5311). |
| FTA—Capital Investment Grants | $1,700,000,000 | Fixed guideway projects (New Starts, Small Starts). |
| MARAD—Maritime Security Program | $390,000,000 | U.S.-flag fleet maintenance. |
| PHMSA—Pipeline Safety | $214,807,000 | Pipeline program, Oil Pollution Act responsibilities. |
| OIG—Salaries and Expenses | $113,000,000 | DOT oversight/investigations. |
Notable Sections
- Directed Research Funding: $30M (until expended) to a specific northeast university for bridge durability/resiliency; $30M to a nuclear engineering university for transportation resilience/nuclear tech (non-competitive).
- Rescissions: Multiple small rescissions (e.g., $10.4M from prior Salaries/Expenses; FY2022 National Infrastructure Investments balances rescinded with reappropriation for prior awards); $38.4M from Maritime Security Program.
- Restrictions: Limits Working Capital Fund consolidations (e.g., no HR/public affairs); FAA prohibitions on new user fees, contract tower changes; no mask mandates; 5-7% transfer limits with congressional notice (Sec. 405 referenced).
- New/Flexible Authorities: Transfer flexibility for grant oversight (Sec. 108); EAS program tweaks (e.g., no 15-passenger minimum); highway obligation redistribution (Sec. 120).
Plain English
This title allocates billions for safer aviation, highways, rail, transit, and maritime operations, funding everything from airport upgrades and Amtrak routes to bridge repairs and pipeline inspections to keep U.S. transportation running smoothly.
Title Summary
Title II appropriates funds for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), supporting management, administration, public and Indian housing programs, community planning and development, housing programs including rental assistance, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), policy research, fair housing, lead hazard control, and the Office of Inspector General. Key funding goes to tenant-based rental assistance ($34,438,557,000 plus $4,000,000,000 available October 1, 2026), public housing operations and capital improvements ($8,319,393,000), Community Development Block Grants ($3,300,000,000), and homeless assistance ($4,417,000,000).
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Executive Offices | $17,500,000 | Salaries and expenses for Secretary's office, Deputy Secretary (including $2,500,000 minimum for Deputy, with $500,000 for Gender-Based Violence Prevention and $1,500,000 for Disaster Management), and other executive functions; to remain available until September 30, 2027. |
| Administrative Support Offices | $595,000,000 | Salaries and expenses for CFO ($103,200,000), General Counsel ($93,000,000), Administration ($218,000,000), Chief Human Capital Officer ($53,000,000), Chief Procurement Officer ($29,500,000), Field Policy and Management ($40,000,000), EEO ($3,300,000), CIO ($55,000,000); to remain available until September 30, 2027. |
| Program Offices | $842,500,000 | Salaries and expenses for Public and Indian Housing ($233,000,000), Community Planning and Development ($129,000,000), Housing ($380,000,000), Policy Development and Research ($31,500,000), Fair Housing ($60,000,000), Lead Hazard Control ($9,000,000); to remain available until September 30, 2027. |
| Information Technology Fund | $345,000,000 | Department-wide IT systems and infrastructure; to remain available until September 30, 2028. |
| Tenant-Based Rental Assistance | $34,438,557,000 (+ $4,000,000,000 available October 1, 2026) | Section 8 vouchers for renewals ($34,957,000,000), special purpose vouchers, admin fees ($2,835,935,000), HUD-VASH ($15,000,000), Family Unification ($30,000,000); to remain available until expended. |
| Public Housing Fund | $8,319,393,000 | Operations ($4,687,393,000), shortfalls ($337,000,000), capital ($3,200,000,000), emergency capital ($30,000,000), health hazards ($50,000,000), receiverships ($15,000,000); to remain available until September 30, 2029. |
| Community Development Fund | $6,995,244,120 | CDBG ($3,300,000,000), affordable housing barriers ($50,000,000), opioid response ($30,000,000), EDI/Congressionally Directed Spending ($3,615,244,120); to remain available until September 30, 2029. |
| Homeless Assistance Grants | $4,417,000,000 | Emergency Solutions ($290,000,000), Continuum of Care ($4,010,000,000), data analysis ($10,000,000), youth homelessness ($107,000,000); to remain available until September 30, 2028. |
| Project-Based Rental Assistance | $18,143,000,000 (+ $400,000,000 available October 1, 2026) | Section 8 project-based contracts, performance-based admins ($509,000,000); to remain available until expended. |
| FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance | $400,000,000,000 (commitments) + $160,000,000 (admin, + up to $30,000,000) | Single-family loan guarantees; admin expenses to remain available until September 30, 2027. |
| Lead Hazard Reduction | $295,600,000 | Lead abatement ($155,600,000), healthy homes ($140,000,000); to remain available until September 30, 2028. |
| Office of Inspector General | $144,500,000 | Salaries and expenses. |
Notable Sections
- New/Expanded Programs: Competitive grants for affordable housing barriers removal ($50,000,000 in Community Development Fund); youth homelessness demonstrations ($107,000,000 in Homeless Assistance); Flex Sub loan forgiveness/restructuring (Sec. 239, $2,000,000 appropriated); national pilot for lead/other hazards financing ($10,000,000 in Lead Hazard Reduction).
- Restrictions: Prohibits Section 8 aid to most full-time college students under 24 without dependents/veteran/disability status (Sec. 209); bars funds for zoning changes under Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule (Sec. 237); limits CEO salaries at small PHAs; requires notifications for grant awards (Sec. 220).
- Rescissions/Transfers: Multiple rescissions totaling ~$27M+ (Sec. 234, e.g., $22M from prior inspections, EDI balances); allows Working Capital Fund transfers; offsets for PHA excess reserves in tenant-based assistance.
- Other: Authorizes multifamily assistance/debt transfers (Sec. 208); non-competitive CoC renewals for early 2026 expirations (Sec. 244); MTW agencies can use prior funds flexibly (Sec. 228).
Plain English
This title provides billions in funding to HUD for rental vouchers, public housing repairs, community development grants, and homeless aid, helping low-income families afford housing while supporting administrative operations and mortgage insurance programs.
Title Summary
Title III funds operational expenses for seven independent agencies related to accessibility, transportation regulation and safety, rail oversight, neighborhood revitalization, and homelessness coordination. These include the Access Board, Federal Maritime Commission, National Railroad Passenger Corporation Office of Inspector General, National Transportation Safety Board, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, Surface Transportation Board, and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Access Board—Salaries and Expenses | $9,955,000 | Operations as authorized by the Rehabilitation Act, with credits from publications and training fees. |
| Federal Maritime Commission—Salaries and Expenses | $40,000,000 ($2,000,000 available until September 30, 2027) | Regulatory operations, services, vehicle hire, and uniforms; up to $3,500 for reception. |
| National Railroad Passenger Corporation Office of Inspector General—Salaries and Expenses | $29,240,000 | Oversight, fraud investigations, contracts, staffing, and FY2027 budget submission to Congress. |
| National Transportation Safety Board—Salaries and Expenses | $145,000,000 | Investigations, vehicle/aircraft hire, services, and uniforms; up to $1,000 for reception. |
| Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation—Payment | $158,000,000 | Neighborhood revitalization activities; requires grant award notifications by 60 days post-enactment or March 1, 2026. |
| Surface Transportation Board—Salaries and Expenses | $40,799,000 (general fund reduced to ~$39,549,000 via $1,250,000 fee offsets) | Regulatory operations and services. |
| United States Interagency Council on Homelessness—Operating Expenses | $3,000,000 | Salaries, travel, vehicles, conferences, and experts for homelessness coordination; requires expert staffing and public meetings with 30-day notice. |
Notable Sections
- National Railroad Passenger Corporation OIG provisos expand Inspector General authorities for fraud probes, contracts, hiring, and require a FY2027 budget submission in executive agency format.
- Surface Transportation Board allows up to $1,250,000 in fee offsets to reduce general fund appropriation dollar-for-dollar.
- Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation mandates timely notification of formula grant awards to network organizations.
- United States Interagency Council on Homelessness stipulates staffing expertise and open public meetings with advance website postings.
Plain English
This title allocates about $426.8 million to support niche federal agencies that enhance accessibility standards, regulate shipping and rail, investigate accidents, revitalize neighborhoods, and combat homelessness.
Title Summary
Title IV provides general provisions applicable to all funds appropriated in Division D (Transportation, Housing and Urban Development), imposing restrictions on spending, transfers, and activities across agencies like DOT and HUD. It prohibits uses such as funding non-Federal intervenors in proceedings (Sec. 401), certain employee training (Sec. 404), reprogramming without limits (Sec. 405), eminent domain for private economic gain (Sec. 407), and pornography on federal networks (Sec. 414). Additional rules cover reporting, Buy American compliance, Inspector General access, and technical corrections to prior community project funding designations.
Spending Breakdown
No direct appropriations; provisions restrict or govern use of funds elsewhere in the Act. Key monetary thresholds:
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Reprogramming limits (Sec. 405) | $5,000,000 or 10% (whichever less) | Caps on augmenting or reducing programs/projects/activities without congressional notice/approval |
| Unobligated balances carryover (Sec. 406) | Up to 50% | Allows extension of FY2026 salaries/expenses funds through Sep. 30, 2027, with committee approval under Sec. 405 guidelines |
Notable Sections
- Sec. 404: Restricts employee training to job-related needs; bans content causing psychological stress, religious/"new age" elements, or altering personal values/lifestyles.
- Sec. 405: Detailed reprogramming rules requiring operating plans within 60 days and 30-day notice/approval for exceeding thresholds; prohibits new programs or eliminating existing ones without approval.
- Sec. 407: Limits eminent domain to public use, excluding private economic development (with exceptions for infrastructure/public safety).
- Sec. 414: Requires federal computer networks to block pornography (law enforcement exception).
- Sec. 421 & 426: Technical amendments to prior years' community project funding tables, correcting recipients, project names, and one fund transfer; no new obligations.
- Sec. 425: Designates certain tenant-based rental assistance as "The Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Initiative."
Plain English
This title ensures taxpayer dollars for transportation and housing programs are spent as Congress directed, with strict rules against waste, unauthorized shifts, and controversial activities.