📰 What Happened: During the House Appropriations Subcommittee markup of the 2026 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development funding bill, House Democrats strongly opposed provisions that they believe will raise the cost of living. They argue the bill threatens affordable housing access, public transit investments, and other essential services.

🔍 A Closer Look: Specifically, the bill proposes cuts to housing assistance, which could impact up to 415,000 low-income households. Republicans are also moving away from investments in transportation infrastructure, which could snarl supply chains, raise road congestion, and roadblock job creation. The bill also gets rid of protections for the disabled, veterans, and families with children, while making it harder for developers to expand affordable housing.

🧠 Why It Matters: The proposed cuts in this bill could exacerbate housing instability, cut into economic opportunities, and hike transportation costs. As housing and transit systems struggle to keep pace with rising demand, the bill's direction could put more pressure on working families around the country.