HYDE-SMITH, COMMITTEE APPROVE FY2025 TRANSPORTATION, HUD FUNDING BILL WITH BENEFITS FOR MISS.
Hyde-Smith, as Ranking Republican, Helped Develop FY2025 Transportation, Housing & Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a FY2025 transportation infrastructure and housing funding measure that U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) helped develop as the ranking Republican on the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.
The FY2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Bill, which includes funding for transportation and community development projects in Mississippi, was approved on a 28-1 vote. The measure now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
“The FY2025 THUD Appropriations bill is a fiscally-responsible and thoughtfully-crafted bill that remains responsive to critical transportation, housing, and community development needs of the country. We’ve worked to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars without sacrificing transportation safety or critical rental assistance programs,” Hyde-Smith said.
Hyde-Smith pointed out that while the bill adheres to budgetary constraints, the committee-approved package recommends funding to support airports, roads, bridges, and ports, as well as housing for seniors, the disabled, and working families. The bill also reflects bipartisan support for programs like the Community Development Block Grant program, which helps state and local governments promote economic development and job creation.
For Mississippi, Hyde-Smith worked with her colleagues to support programs, projects and policies of benefit to communities across the state.
“This bill outlines specific funding to help communities and programs in Mississippi that can help improve the quality of life for our citizens. There are many needs in Mississippi and I’ve worked to see that this bill will responsibly help meet those needs,” Hyde-Smith said. “I’m pleased the bill supports surface, air, and rail transportation projects across the state, as well as housing, workforce development, and community improvement work. There are more steps in the legislative process to go, but this is a good step forward for Mississippi.”
Mississippi communities should also benefit from continued funding for priority programs including RAISE, the Competitive Rural Bridge repair and rehabilitation program, the Port Infrastructure Development Program, Small Shipyards grants, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Grants, and the National Scenic Byways Program.
The following are examples of items of interest to Mississippi in the FY2025 THUD Appropriations Bill:
Transportation
- I-55/I-69 Widening, DeSoto County – $18,731,000
- Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport Utility Infrastructure Improvements – $5,000,000
- City of Gulfport Dedeaux Road Widening – $7,000,000
- Hinds Community College Aviation Instruction Expansion (JVW) – $1,493,000
- Brookhaven Railroad Safety Fencing – $641,000
Housing and Urban Development
- Mississippi Food Network Storage Capacity Enhancements – $3,000,000
- Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Facility Improvements, Copiah County – $775,000
- Town of Cary Fire Station Construction – $500,000
- City of Raymond Police Department Enhancements – $450,000
The FY2025 THUD Appropriations Bill was among four receiving committee approval on Thursday. Overall, the committee has approved seven of the 12 annual appropriations bills and is slated to take up the final five FY2025 funding bills on Thursday, Aug. 1.
All the Senate bills are being written to comply with the statutory caps on discretionary funding established under the recently-enacted Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, the debt limit bill.
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