Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Berman voted to help spur our economic recovery and create jobs with targeted investments in a modern transportation system and housing assistance for all Americans.  The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act builds on the work of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and our long-term economic plan to provide short-term help in the form of housing and jobs for those hurt most by the economic downturn and long-term solutions like improved infrastructure to put our economy on sound footing for the future.

By passing this bill on time and under budget, the House continues to enact key pieces of President Obama's long-term economic plan.  We are committed to passing fiscally responsible appropriations legislation that invests in key priorities to grow our economy, while also cutting and eliminating programs that aren't working.

The legislation will address the challenges of keeping our transportation system safe, secure and up-to-date.  To increase Americans' use of public transportation and help wean us off of our addiction to foreign oil, we invest in the next generation of high-speed passenger rail and new commuter rail and light rail systems.  We also improve and repair our nation's aging highway system and modernize our air traffic control system to make travel safer, easier and more efficient.

Rebuilding and modernizing our roads, public transit and railways is overdue and absolutely necessary to maintain our safety and security and help minimize our dependence on foreign oil.  It's also a key tenet of our long-term economic plan and will pave the way for a new clean energy economy."

To ensure that all Americans have access to housing and shelter during this economic crisis, the bill increases funding for rental vouchers and housing assistance for the neediest Americans - the disabled, elderly and homeless veterans.  The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act also invests in counseling to help families who are at risk of foreclosure stay in their homes and weather the mortgage crisis.

In order to spur economic development in vacant urban commercial and industrial sites, the bill invests in grant programs that revitalize neighborhoods and turn deserted areas into commercial destinations.  The legislation also encourages economic development in rural communities by establishing a fund to drive rural innovation and entrepreneurship and support small businesses.