S. 2465 — Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

This section prohibits the Office of the Secretary of Transportation from obligating funds appropriated by this Act to approve assessments or reimbursable agreements pertaining to funds provided to DOT operating administrations (e.g., Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration), except for activities underway on the date of enactment or those that have completed the normal congressional reprogramming notification process.

This section requires the Secretary of Transportation to post on the Department of Transportation website a schedule of all meetings of the Council on Credit and Finance—including each meeting's agenda—and to require the council to record its decisions and actions.

This section authorizes the Department of Transportation's Working Capital Fund (WCF), in addition to existing authorities under 49 U.S.C. §327, to provide partial or full advance payments and accept subsequent reimbursements from all federal agencies for transit benefit distribution services under the Federal transit pass transportation fringe benefit program (i.e., Executive Order No. 13150 and SAFETEA-LU §3049, 5 U.S.C. 7905 note). The section requires the WCF to maintain a reasonable operating reserve, not to exceed one month of benefits payable, to be expended in advance solely for uninterrupted transit benefits to government employees, with full reimbursement from each customer agency for actual costs.

This section authorizes receipts collected in the Department of Transportation's Working Capital Fund (authorized by 49 U.S.C. 327 to finance common administrative services such as central supply, messenger, and reproduction services), specifically those for unused transit and van pool benefits and up to 10% of FY2026 collections, to remain available until expended for contractual services supporting section 189 of this Act. FY2026 obligations of such receipts may not exceed $1 million.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds in this title for retention or senior executive bonuses for Department of Transportation employees without prior written approval from the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

This section authorizes the Department of Transportation's Administrative Working Capital Fund, in addition to existing authorities under 49 U.S.C. §327, to transfer information technology equipment, software, and systems from departmental sources or other entities and to collect and maintain a reserve at rates which return the full cost of transferred assets. (Thus, the fund—which finances common administrative services such as supplies, communications, and office space through reimbursements from departmental units—may now centrally manage and recover costs for IT assets.)

This section prohibits the Department of Transportation from using funds provided in this Act to approve credit assistance under the TIFIA program (23 U.S.C. § 603) or RRIF program (23 U.S.C. § 604) unless the Secretary notifies specified congressional committees at least three days in advance. The notification must include the project sponsor's name, project description, type of assistance (direct loan, loan guarantee, or line of credit), and amount of assistance and must be provided to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations; the Senate Committees on Environment and Public Works and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to transfer amounts awarded to federally recognized tribes under funding agreements entered into pursuant to DOT's Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program (49 CFR part 29)—from operating administrations to the Office of Tribal Government Affairs. It further permits the transfer back to the appropriate operating administration of any such amounts that are retroceded or reassumed by the Department.

This section authorizes the transfer of amounts appropriated in this Act to the Secretary of Transportation or Department of Transportation operating administrations for award, administration, or oversight costs of financial assistance under (1) the local and regional project assistance program under 49 U.S.C. §6702 (i.e., grants to metropolitan planning organizations and states for transportation infrastructure projects) and (2) the university transportation centers program under 49 U.S.C. §5505 (i.e., grants to consortia of nonprofit institutions of higher education for multimodal transportation research, education, technology transfer, and workforce development) to the account specified in section 801 of division J of Public Law 117-58, as amended, for administrative expenses of any Department of Transportation financial assistance programs, to remain available until expended. Amounts transferred under this authority are available in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.

This section modifies requirements applicable to competitive grants for buses and bus facilities under section 24112 of division B of Public Law 117-58 (i.e., grants to state and local governmental entities and transit agencies to purchase or lease low- or no-emission buses, other buses, related equipment, or to rehabilitate or improve bus facilities) as follows: (1) for amounts provided for this fiscal year and prior fiscal years, reduces the minimum percentage of funds that must be awarded for low- or no-emission buses and bus facilities to 30 percent (from 40 percent); (2) directs the Secretary, if there are insufficient merit-worthy applications for fiscal year 2022 through 2026 amounts provided in division J of Public Law 117-58 to meet that requirement in a fiscal year, to use the unutilized amounts for other grants authorized under section 24112; and (3) requires repurposed amounts to continue to be treated as amounts specified in section 103(b) of division A of Public Law 118-5.

This section authorizes the Secretary to transfer up to $1,641,000 from amounts made available under the heading "Office of the Secretary—Salaries and Expenses" to the Department's operating administrations for rent payments, with such transferred amounts that are no longer needed returnable to that account.

This section rescinds unobligated balances as of September 30, 2026, from FY2022 funding under division J of P.L. 117-58 for the Local and Regional Project Assistance program (49 U.S.C. §6702)—which provides competitive grants to states, localities, tribes, transit agencies, and others for surface transportation projects (e.g., highways, bridges, public transportation, rail, ports, airports, and culvert rehabilitation)—and appropriates an equivalent amount for FY2026, available through September 30, 2031, to complete those FY2022 awards without further competition. (Thus, this shifts the budget authority to FY2026 while extending availability beyond September 30, 2026, for prior grants.)

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to cancel or renegotiate an existing contract under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program—subsidizing scheduled commercial air service to eligible small communities—before the standard rebidding period prior to the contract's expiration, unless in response to an explicit written request from the EAS community. The prohibition applies only to contracts under which the carrier is in compliance with the terms.

This section permanently rescinds unobligated balances from the Transportation Planning, Research, and Development account as follows: (1) $108,147.49 from title I of division A of Public Law 111-117; and (2) $744,000 from title I of division F of Public Law 108-199.

This section permanently rescinds $25,476 in unobligated balances from amounts made available for the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program under section 420 of title IV of division G of P.L. 116-6.

This section permanently rescinds $20 million of unobligated balances from amounts made available for Department of Transportation—Office of the Secretary—Salaries and Expenses in Public Law 119-4.

This section limits compensation under the Federal Aviation Administration's federally funded research and development center contract with the Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development to 600 technical staff-years during FY2026.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to pursue or adopt guidelines or regulations requiring airport sponsors to provide without cost building construction, maintenance, utilities, expenses, or space in sponsor-owned buildings for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) services related to air traffic control, air navigation, or weather reporting. (This prohibition does not apply to negotiations for below-market rates for such items or to grant assurances requiring airport sponsors to provide land without cost for air traffic control facilities.)

This section authorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to reimburse amounts expended for Essential Air Service (EAS) subsidies under 49 U.S.C. 41742(a)(1)—which provides federal payments to air carriers to maintain commercial air service to eligible small communities—from fees credited to the FAA account under 49 U.S.C. 45303. It further permits any balance remaining in such account at the end of a fiscal year to carry over for EAS subsidies in the subsequent fiscal year.

This section provides that amounts collected under 49 U.S.C. 40113(e)—overflight fees assessed by the FAA on aircraft that neither take off from nor land in the United States—be credited to the appropriation current at the time of collection, to be merged with and available for the same purposes as such appropriation.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for premium pay under 5 U.S.C. §5546(a)—generally, overtime pay for work exceeding 40 hours in an administrative workweek—to any Federal Aviation Administration employee unless the employee actually performed work during the corresponding time.

This section prohibits employees of the Federal Aviation Administration from using funds made available by this Act, or government-issued credit cards funded by such amounts, to purchase store gift cards or gift certificates.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this Act or any prior Act to implement or enforce any limitation on a private aircraft owner or operator's ability to request the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to block public display of the aircraft's registration number, Mode S transponder code, flight identification, call sign, or similar identifying information from ground-based real-time or near real-time flight tracking, for noncommercial flights. (Thus, government agencies retain access to such data.)

This section limits funding available under the Act for salaries and expenses to no more than nine political and Presidential appointees in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Of those nine positions, at least one must be in each of the following offices, with no appointees permitted in any other office: (1) Office of the Administrator; (2) Office of the Deputy Administrator; (3) Office of the General Counsel; (4) Office of Government and Industry Affairs; (5) Office of Communications; (6) Office of Airports; and (7) Office for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment.

This section prohibits the Federal Aviation Administration from using funds provided by this Act to increase fees pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44721 (authorizing FAA publication of aeronautical charts and maps) until the agency submits a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations justifying all fees related to aeronautical navigation products and explaining their consistency with Executive Order No. 13642 (requiring open and machine-readable government data).

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to close or relocate a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regional operations center or to reduce its services or personnel unless the FAA Administrator notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 90 full business days in advance.

This section prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from using funds appropriated by this Act to withhold consideration or approval of new applications for participation in the contract tower program (i.e., FAA program under which smaller airports operate air traffic control towers via private contractors) or to reevaluate cost-share program participants, provided the FAA has received an application from the airport and determines the tower eligible under published FAA establishment criteria.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to open, close, redesignate as a lesser office, or reorganize a regional office, the aeronautical center, or the technical center unless the Administrator submits a reprogramming request under section 405 of this Act.

This section imposes purchase date limitations on eligible air traffic systems or equipment that airports may transfer to the FAA Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 44502(e), by— (1) requiring systems identified in paragraph (3)(A)–(C) to have been purchased on or after October 5, 2018, and those identified in paragraph (3)(D) on or after October 1, 2024; and (2) limiting basic or local general aviation airports (as categorized under the national plan of integrated airport systems per 49 U.S.C. 47103) to transfers under the paragraph (4) exception for systems or equipment purchased on or after October 1, 2024.

This section prohibits the use of funds in this or any other Act to plan, design, or implement the privatization or separation of the air traffic organization functions of the Federal Aviation Administration.

This section prohibits the use of any appropriated funds for the construction of a new Air Traffic Control Training Academy other than the Federal Aviation Administration's existing academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center.

This section authorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, in consultation with the Federal Air Surgeon, to increase the annual basic pay for positions in the Office of Aerospace Medicine (which conducts medical research and certifications for pilots and air traffic controllers) requiring a medical degree up to $400,000—the President's annual compensation under 3 U.S.C. 102—notwithstanding pay caps in 49 U.S.C. 40122(c), for the current year and thereafter.

This section directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to provide a spend plan and a briefing within 30 days of enactment of this Act, and each month thereafter during FY2026, to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on all activities funded by this Act and section 40003 of P.L. 119-21 for the FAA's air traffic control modernization efforts. For each briefing, the Administrator must make available the FAA Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment, and Air Traffic Organization Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer.

This section rescinds obligation authority for Federal-aid highways equal to all prior fiscal years' unobligated balances of funds allocated or apportioned by the Secretary (other than from the Highway Trust Fund's Mass Transit Account) and excludes from FY2026 distribution amounts for administrative expenses under 23 U.S.C. 104(a) and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It distributes the remaining obligation limitation pro rata among authorized programs allocated by the Secretary or apportioned under 23 U.S.C. §§202 or 204 and, for other apportioned programs (excluding specified amounts), in proportion to each state's apportionments. The section exempts from the limitation obligations under specified programs (e.g., emergency relief under 23 U.S.C. 125), prior multiyear obligation authority, and references to repealed 23 U.S.C. 105 (equity bonus program, as in effect for FY1998–2012, up to $639 million annually) and to the national highway performance program (23 U.S.C. 119, up to $639 million for FY2013–2026); directs post-August 1 redistribution of unused limitation, prioritizing states with large unobligated balances under former 23 U.S.C. 144 and current 23 U.S.C. 104; and applies the limitation to specified transportation research programs.

This section authorizes the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to credit funds received from the sale of data products to the Federal-aid highways account to reimburse necessary expenses incurred under 49 U.S.C. chapter 63 (i.e., BTS authorities), notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302 (which generally requires deposit of public money into the Treasury without delay or deduction). (Thus, BTS may retain and use these proceeds for reimbursement rather than depositing them into the general Treasury.)

This section requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide an informal public notice and comment period of not less than 15 days prior to waiving any Buy America requirement (i.e., domestic content rules for steel, iron, and manufactured products) for federal-aid highway projects and to post any such waivers on a website.

This section prohibits the obligation of funds made available in this Act for grants under the nationally significant freight and highway projects program (23 U.S.C. 117)—which provides competitive grants of at least $25 million for projects improving freight and highway movement—unless the Secretary provides written notification to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 60 days before the grant award, including an evaluation and justification for the project and the proposed grant amount.

This section authorizes a state or territory, as defined in 23 U.S.C. 165 (i.e., Puerto Rico and the territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands), to apply any "earmarked amount"—congressionally directed spending (per Senate Rule XLIV) or a congressional earmark (per House Rule XXI) administered by the Federal Highway Administration from more than 10 fiscal years prior—for any project eligible under the surface transportation block grant program (23 U.S.C. 133(b)) or the territorial and Puerto Rico highway program (23 U.S.C. 165) and located within the state or territory. Such funds and associated obligation limitation remain available for 3 fiscal years after the fiscal year in which the relevant department of transportation notifies the Secretary of its intent to use this authority and submits an annual report identifying the projects; the federal share matches the original earmark. The authority applies only to projects or activities with less than 10% of funds obligated as of October 1 of the current fiscal year, within the same general geographic area (25 miles) of the original designation, or to unexpended balances from certified closed projects. The Secretary must submit consolidated annual reports on this information to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

This section rescinds remaining unobligated balances as of September 30, 2026, from FY2023 funding provided in division J of P.L. 117-58 for the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program (i.e., competitive grants of at least $25 million for projects of national or regional significance that improve freight and highway mobility, reduce congestion, and enhance infrastructure resiliency) and reappropriates an equivalent amount as additional FY2026 new budget authority, available through September 30, 2031. The reappropriated funds shall be used, without additional competition, to complete funding of FY2023 awards under the program, in addition to other available funds.

This section rescinds, as of September 30, 2026, any remaining unobligated balances of FY2023 funding for the Bridge Investment Program (BIP) under 23 U.S.C. 124—as provided in division J of P.L. 117-58—and reappropriates an equivalent amount for an additional FY2026 amount, to remain available through September 30, 2031, solely for completing BIP awards made using FY2023 funds without further competition. (The BIP provides competitive grants for projects to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect bridges on the National Bridge Inventory, including large projects exceeding $100 million in costs.)

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue updated draft National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program guidance for public comment not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act and final guidance not later than 120 days after enactment. (As background, the NEVI Formula Program provides $5 billion in formula grants to states through FY2026 to deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors.)

This section rescinds remaining unobligated balances as of specified dates from prior appropriations for competitive planning and resilience improvement grants under the PROTECT program (i.e., grants to assess transportation vulnerabilities to weather events and natural disasters, including sea level rise, and to enhance resilience of surface transportation assets) and reappropriates equivalent new budget authority for later fiscal years to complete funding of prior awards without additional competition, as follows: (1) for FY2022 funding from Division L of P.L. 117-103, if enacted by September 30, 2025, rescinds balances as of that date and reappropriates on September 30, 2025, for FY2025, available through September 30, 2030; and (2) for FY2023 funding from Division L of P.L. 117-328, rescinds balances as of September 30, 2026, and reappropriates on that date for FY2026, available through September 30, 2031. (Thus, these actions extend the period for obligating and expending funds for previously awarded projects.)

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of Department of Transportation funds to implement, administer, or enforce electronic logging device (ELD) requirements under 49 U.S.C. 31137—or regulations issued pursuant to that section—for operators of commercial motor vehicles transporting livestock (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 1471) or insects. (Thus, such operators are effectively exempt from ELD mandates, which require in-vehicle devices to accurately record drivers' hours of service and vehicle location to improve compliance with hours-of-service regulations under 49 C.F.R. part 395.)

This section prohibits the use of funds to require motor carriers to use inward-facing cameras or to register an apprenticeship program with the Department of Labor as a condition for participation in the safe driver apprenticeship pilot program.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations (1) information on the number of certificates issued by training providers on the training provider registry (i.e., under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's entry-level driver training regulations) not later than 90 days after enactment and bi-annually thereafter, and (2) a plan, including resource requirements, for how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will conduct regular audits of the registry not later than 120 days after enactment.

This section provides that limitations on obligations for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) programs set in this Act do not apply to obligation authority made available in previous public laws, to the extent such authority has not lapsed or been used.

This section makes available an additional $130,000 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from funds authorized for highway safety programs (23 U.S.C. § 402) for travel and related expenses for State management reviews and for core competency development training and related expenses for highway safety staff. (As background, § 402 authorizes formula grants to states for programs to reduce traffic crashes, deaths, and injuries.)

This section authorizes the transfer of amounts appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation or the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the award, administration, and project management oversight of FRA-administered financial assistance—in this Act and prior Acts—to FRA's Financial Assistance Oversight and Technical Assistance account for such costs as well as related technical assistance, consistent with prior appropriations. (This transfer authority excludes amounts previously designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.)

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) for overtime costs exceeding $35,000 for any individual employee, authorizes the Amtrak President to waive this cap for specific employees when it poses a risk to system safety and operational efficiency, and requires Amtrak to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, within 60 days of enactment, a summary of all overtime payments for 2025 and the three prior calendar years—including the total number of employees receiving waivers and total overtime payments to waived employees for each month in those periods.

This section prohibits the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) from using funds made available by this Act in violation of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), which requires most employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar days' advance notice of plant closings and mass layoffs.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated under the headings “Northeast Corridor Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation” and “National Network Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation” from reducing the total number of Amtrak Police Department uniformed officers patrolling passenger trains, stations, facilities, or rights-of-way below the staffing level on May 1, 2019.

This section deems the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation eligible to receive grants under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail program (49 U.S.C. § 24911(a)) using FY2026 funds appropriated under that heading in this Act and title VIII of division J of P.L. 117-58. The section further provides that the restriction in 49 U.S.C. § 24911(f)(2) does not apply to such grants to the corporation.

This section expresses the sense of Congress that long-distance passenger rail routes—operated by Amtrak over more than 750 miles between endpoints—provide transportation access for 4,200,000 riders in 39 states and the District of Columbia, particularly in rural areas, and that such routes and services should be sustained to ensure connectivity throughout the National Network.

This section permanently rescinds unobligated balances totaling approximately $2.18 million from six railroad-related accounts: (1) $795,331.70 from the Railroad Safety Grants account appropriated by P.L. 114-113; (2) $20.00 from the Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation account appropriated by P.L. 104-50; (3) $292,181.41 from the Capital Assistance to States—Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program account appropriated by P.L. 111-8; (4) $9,912.54 from the Capital Assistance for High Speed Rail Corridors and Intercity Passenger Rail Service account appropriated by P.L. 111-117; (5) $1,008,385 from the Railroad Research and Development account appropriated by P.L. 109-115; and (6) $76,633.70 from the National Network Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation account appropriated by P.L. 115-31.

This section waives obligation limitations for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs with respect to any authority under 49 U.S.C. 5338 previously made available for obligation—including $13.355 billion for FY2022, $13.634 billion for FY2023, $13.990 billion for FY2024, $14.279 billion for FY2025, and $14.642 billion for FY2026 from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund to carry out public transportation grant programs (e.g., urbanized area formula grants under section 5307, elderly and disabled assistance under section 5310)—and any other previously available FTA obligation authority. (Thus, FTA may obligate the full previously authorized amounts without annual caps.)

This section directs unobligated funds appropriated or limited by this Act under the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants heading for specified projects—along with other recoveries—to other eligible projects for the same purposes if not obligated by September 30, 2029. (The Capital Investment Grants program provides competitive funding for major new fixed guideway transit projects and bus rapid transit systems.)

This section permits the transfer of any funds appropriated before October 1, 2025, under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code (i.e., federal public transportation programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration), that remain available for expenditure, to the most recent appropriation heading for the relevant program section.

This section prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act or any other Act to adjust apportionments or withhold funds from apportionments pursuant to section 9503(e)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. (As background, section 9503(e)(4) authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to withhold a state's Highway Trust Fund apportionments to the extent that prior-year amounts from the fund's Mass Transit Account remain unobligated at fiscal year-end.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act or any other Act to impede or hinder project advancement or approval for any project seeking a federal contribution greater than 40 percent of project costs from the Capital Investment Grants program under 49 U.S.C. 5309. (The program provides competitive grants for new fixed guideway transit systems, corridor-based bus rapid transit, core capacity improvements to existing systems, and ferry projects.)

This section transfers (1) $4,072,214 in unobligated balances from the Rural Transportation Accessibility Incentive Program under section 3038 of P.L. 105-178 to the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program under 49 U.S.C. 5311; and (2) $43,716,920 in unobligated balances from the New Freedom program under 49 U.S.C. 5317 to the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program under 49 U.S.C. 5310 (i.e., grants for public transportation projects serving seniors and individuals with disabilities).

This section authorizes a federal share of up to 100 percent (notwithstanding the 80 percent limit) for funds obligated in FY2026 under the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5310) and the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program (49 U.S.C. 5311). (As background, these programs provide formula funding primarily for capital projects—and operating assistance in rural areas—to improve transit access for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and rural communities.) It further permits federally recognized Indian tribes, at their option, a federal share of up to 100 percent (notwithstanding the 80 percent limit) for amounts provided in this Act under the Buses and Bus Facilities Program (49 U.S.C. 5339(b)) and the Low or No Emission Grants Program (49 U.S.C. 5339(c)).

This section revises subsection (q) (Corridor preservation) of 49 U.S.C. 5323 to instead address real property interests, replaces all references to "right-of-way" with "real property interests," and specifies that recipients may use federal transit funds for such acquired interests. (Thus, broadening eligible property acquisitions beyond transit corridors.)

This section prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act to award or amend contracts or subcontracts to any entity that, on or after December 20, 2019, met the criteria described in 49 U.S.C. § 5323(u) (i.e., recipients or subrecipients subject to limitations on Federal Transit Administration grant awards due to active major findings of noncompliance with safety or state-of-good-repair requirements), or to any successor, subsidiary, affiliate, joint venture, or co-owned enterprise of such an entity, regardless of whether the related entity currently meets those criteria.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to make $68 million available from unobligated balances of four programs authorized by SAFETEA-LU (P.L. 109-59)—(1) Clean Fuels Grant Program under 49 U.S.C. 5308 (previously provided grants for clean fuel buses; repealed effective October 1, 2012), (2) Alternatives Analysis Program under 49 U.S.C. 5339 (supports planning for new fixed guideway transit and bus rapid transit corridors), (3) Job Access and Reverse Commute Formula Grants under 49 U.S.C. 5316 (provides formula grants for transportation services enabling welfare recipients and low-income individuals to reach jobs), and (4) bus and bus-related equipment and facilities grants under 49 U.S.C. 5309—for transit planning, capital projects, and operating assistance supporting surface, commuter, and public transportation systems for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic events, as authorized by section 1223(e) of TEA-21 (P.L. 105-178). Such assistance is available to eligible entities under 49 U.S.C. 6702 serving 2028 event venues through direct grants or cooperative agreements with a federal share not to exceed 80% (no less than 90% for supplemental public transportation bus systems); these amounts supplement other funds, may be transferred to other Department of Transportation operating administrations, revert to original purposes if no longer needed, and remain available for obligation for no more than two fiscal years after the events' official closing.

This section directs the Secretary to make $78,115,871 available from unobligated balances of (1) the Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands program under 49 U.S.C. 5309 and (2) bus and bus-related equipment and facilities under 49 U.S.C. 5320 for costs related to planning and operating equipment and facilities supplementing regular public transportation services in domestic host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Amounts are provided as if under the Urbanized Area Formula Grants program (49 U.S.C. 5307) or Formula Grants for Rural Areas program (49 U.S.C. 5311), notwithstanding 49 U.S.C. 5307(a)(1) or (a)(2), and may be used for operating costs eligible under those sections. The Secretary must solicit applications within 60 days of enactment; request cost estimates or demonstrated costs for World Cup-related supplemental service; evaluate and award funds proportionally based on applicants' share of total costs received; and apply chapter 53 requirements except that the federal share may be up to 80 percent at the recipient's option. Unused amounts revert to original purposes, and funds remain available for obligation for one fiscal year after the official closing of World Cup 2026 events.

This section authorizes the Maritime Administration, notwithstanding other provisions of this Act and in addition to existing authorities, to furnish utilities and services and make necessary repairs in connection with any lease, contract, or occupancy involving government property under its control. Payments received for such utilities, services, or repairs are credited to the appropriation charged with the cost and remain available until expended, while other rental payments are deposited into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

This section authorizes applicable appropriations to the Department of Transportation (DOT) during the current fiscal year for (1) maintenance and operation of aircraft; hire of passenger motor vehicles and aircraft; purchase of liability insurance for motor vehicles operating in foreign countries on official DOT business; and uniforms or allowances therefor, as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. §§5901-5902); and (2) purchase, maintenance, operation, and deployment of unmanned aircraft systems that advance DOT or operating administration missions. This section also retroactively authorizes any unmanned aircraft system purchased, procured, or contracted for by DOT prior to enactment.

This section authorizes the Department of Transportation to use appropriations provided in this Act for expert and consultant services under 5 U.S.C. 3109 (i.e., temporary or intermittent services procured by contract, bypassing competitive service appointment, classification, and pay rules), but limits rates for individuals to the per diem equivalent of the Executive Level IV rate.

This section prohibits recipients of amounts made available by this Act from disseminating personal information (as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2725(3)) obtained by a state department of motor vehicles in connection with a motor vehicle record, except for uses permitted under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA, 18 U.S.C. § 2721). Notwithstanding this prohibition, the Secretary shall not withhold such amounts from any grantee if a state is noncompliant.

This section limits funding available under this Act for salaries and expenses of political and Presidential appointees in the Department of Transportation to no more than 125 such appointees and prohibits their temporary detail outside the department.

This section authorizes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to credit funds received from states, counties, municipalities, other public authorities, and private sources for training expenses to FHWA's "Federal-Aid Highways" account and FRA's "Safety and Operations" account, respectively, except for state rail safety inspectors participating in training pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 20105 (which authorizes certified state authorities to conduct railroad safety investigative and surveillance activities).

This section prohibits the Department of Transportation from using funds appropriated by this Act or title VIII of division J of Public Law 117–58 to make, modify the scope or terms and conditions of, terminate, rescind, or reduce loans, loan guarantees, lines of credit, letters of intent, federally funded cooperative agreements, full funding grant agreements, or discretionary grants unless the Secretary notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least three full business days before announcing or notifying competitively selected projects of such awards or changes. The section further requires (1) the Secretary to provide those committees with a comprehensive list of all such instruments prior to the notification; (2) concurrent notification to the committees for any quick release of funds from the emergency relief program; and (3) that no notification involve funds not available for obligation.

This section directs that rebates, refunds, incentive payments, minor fees, and other funds received by the Department of Transportation (DOT) from travel management centers, charge card programs, subleasing of building space, and miscellaneous sources be credited to DOT appropriations, allocated to organizational units using fair and equitable criteria, and remain available until expended.

This section requires reprogramming notices for funds provided by or limited by this Act to be transmitted solely to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, with approval or denial by those committees only. The Secretary of Transportation may notify other congressional committees of the Appropriations Committees' action, but not sooner than 30 days after such approval or denial.

This section limits the obligation of funds appropriated by this Act to DOT operating administrations for Office of the Secretary assessments or reimbursable agreements to costs of goods and services that provide a direct benefit to the applicable operating administration or administrations.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program establishing uniform standards for developing and supporting agency transit pass and transit benefits under 5 U.S.C. §7905 (i.e., federal employee commuter incentive programs that provide transit passes and related options to reduce single-occupancy vehicle use), including distribution by paper and electronic media. (Thus, the program promotes consistency across executive, legislative, and judicial branch agencies in administering these benefits.)

This section authorizes the Department of Transportation to use appropriated funds to assist contracts under 23 U.S.C. or 49 U.S.C. that utilize geographic, economic, or other hiring preferences not otherwise authorized by law, or to amend rules, regulations, policies, or other measures prohibiting a Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration grant recipient from imposing such preferences on assisted contracts or construction projects, provided the grant recipient certifies (1) except for apprentices or trainees, a pool of readily available but unemployed individuals possessing the required knowledge, skill, and ability resides in the jurisdiction; (2) bid documents include provisions ensuring contractors do not displace existing employees to satisfy the preference; and (3) any resulting increases in labor or training costs or delays do not delay or displace projects in the applicable statewide transportation improvement program or transportation improvement program.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to require recipients of federal funds to display signage containing the name of the President, Vice President, or any member of the President's Cabinet as a condition of receiving such funds.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act or prior Acts to open, close, redesignate as a lesser office, or reorganize any regional, division, or field office of Department of Transportation operating administrations unless authorized by this Act, its accompanying report, or section 40003 of P.L. 119-21. The section requires the Secretary of Transportation to maintain all such offices in effect on September 30, 2024, with sufficient staff to carry out statutorily authorized activities.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue a new notice of funding opportunity for eight new university transportation centers under the University Transportation Centers Program (49 U.S.C. 5505), which provides grants to consortia of nonprofit institutions of higher education for transportation education, research, and technology transfer. In selecting awardees, the Secretary must prioritize (1) applicants previously designated as a center focusing on transportation infrastructure durability and composite materials that were required to re-compete before the end of their typical five-year term and currently participate in the Department of Transportation’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Infrastructure program; and (2) applicants whose center designation was cancelled by the Department in May 2025. Awards must use unobligated amounts from the program not committed to existing grantees—including funds made available by section 11101(c)(1)(E) and under the "Highway Infrastructure Program" heading in title VIII of division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58)—with such repurposed amounts continuing to be treated as specified in section 103(b) of division A of Public Law 118-5.

This section directs the Secretary to transmit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, a report listing (1) each obligated grant, federally funded cooperative agreement, other transaction agreement, or contract that was terminated or reduced in scope in FY2025 and remains so as of enactment, and (2) each such agreement or contract whose terms or conditions were changed or modified in FY2025. The report must include, for each termination, reduction, or modification, an explanation, the recipient, the location of the project or service, and the source of funding.

This section rescinds or remits to the Treasury 50% of budget authority or associated cash recaptured from projects under section 1012(a) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1437f note), which authorized the reuse of recaptured Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments contract authority from certain HUD multifamily housing projects to preserve rental assistance. The remaining recaptured amounts are available for use by state housing finance agencies, local governments, or local housing agencies for projects approved by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with settlements after January 1, 1992, in accordance with that section. Notwithstanding this requirement, the Secretary may award up to 15% of such remaining amounts to project owners as incentives to refinance at lower interest rates.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to investigate or prosecute under the Fair Housing Act (i.e., law prohibiting housing discrimination) any otherwise lawful activity—including the filing or maintaining of a nonfrivolous legal action—engaged in solely to achieve or prevent action by a government official or entity, or a court of competent jurisdiction.

This section requires grants, cooperative agreements, or other assistance under title II—except as explicitly provided otherwise in law—to be awarded on a competitive basis and in accordance with section 102 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3545). That section directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to publish Federal Register notices of assistance availability under HUD programs; application procedures and deadlines; and selection criteria (including objective measures of housing need, project merit, or resource use, at least 30 days before deadlines); and to document application decisions and publicly notify funding awards (including recipient names, addresses, and project details).

This section authorizes funds of the Department of Housing and Urban Development subject to the Government Corporation Control Act or sec. 402 of the Housing Act of 1950 to be used, without regard to administrative expense limitations, for (1) legal services on a contract or fee basis and (2) services and facilities of the Federal National Mortgage Association, Government National Mortgage Association, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Financing Bank, Federal Reserve banks or members thereof, Federal Home Loan banks, and FDIC-insured banks.

This section prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development from obligating any appropriated funds for a program, project, or activity in excess of amounts set forth in budget estimates submitted to Congress, unless otherwise provided in this Act or through a reprogramming of funds.

This section authorizes HUD corporations and agencies subject to the Government Corporation Control Act—such as Ginnie Mae—to make expenditures within available funds and borrowing authority, and to enter contracts and commitments without fiscal year limitations under section 104 of that Act, as necessary to carry out their FY2026 budgeted programs. It restricts use of such entities' collections for new loan or mortgage purchase commitments except to the extent expressly provided in this Act (unless supporting other assistance in this or prior appropriations Acts), with exceptions for mortgage insurance or guaranty operations and actions necessary to protect the U.S. government's financial interests.

This section prohibits the use of funds made available by this title for an audit of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) that applies requirements under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, for FY2026 and FY2027, to transfer some or all project-based assistance (e.g., Section 8), debt held or insured by the Secretary, and statutorily required low-income and very low-income use restrictions from one or more multifamily housing projects—including Section 202 supportive housing for the elderly (12 U.S.C. 1701q), which provides capital advances and project rental assistance for very low-income elderly persons—to one or more other such projects, notwithstanding other laws and subject to specified conditions. Transfers may occur in phases to facilitate rehabilitation or construction of receiving projects. The transfer is conditioned on the following: (1) for occupied units in the transferring project, the receiving project or projects must provide no fewer low-income and very low-income units or the same bedroom configuration (i.e., size), with the same net dollar amount of federal assistance, unless the Secretary finds good cause (e.g., no loss of assistance to current households) to vary this; for unoccupied units, the Secretary may allow unit reductions or bedroom reconfigurations to meet market demands without increasing assistance budget authority; (2) the transferring project must be physically obsolete, economically nonviable, or expected to become so due to state or federal community integration requirements; (3) receiving projects must meet or exceed HUD physical standards; (4) owners must notify and consult tenants of the transferring project and certify local government approval; (5) eligible tenants of the transferring project need not vacate until receiving units are available; (6) the transfer must be in tenants' best interest, as determined by the Secretary; (7) any new liens on receiving projects are subordinate to transferred or new FHA-insured mortgages, unless waived to facilitate financing; (8) if applicable, receiving projects must have use agreements at least as long as the transferring project's; and (9) transfers do not increase FHA mortgage costs (per the Congressional Budget Act) without prior appropriations.

This section prohibits assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f)—i.e., the Housing Choice Voucher program—to any individual who (1) is enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1002), (2) is under 24 years of age, (3) is not a veteran, (4) is unmarried, (5) does not have a dependent child, (6) is not a person with a disability (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(3)(E)) who was receiving such assistance as of November 30, 2005, (7) is not a youth who left foster care at age 14 or older and is at risk of becoming homeless, and (8) is not otherwise individually eligible, or has parents who individually or jointly are not eligible, for such assistance.

This section directs allocation of funds made available for Native Alaskans under paragraph (1) of the Native American Programs heading in title II to the same Native Alaskan housing block grant recipients that received funds in FY2005 and limits eligibility to apply for funds under paragraph (2) to those recipients.

This section requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in fiscal year 2026, to maintain rental assistance payments under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (Section 8) and other federal programs attached to dwelling units in multifamily properties owned or mortgaged by the Secretary during management, disposal, or foreclosure processes. (Section 8 provides project-based or tenant-based rental subsidies to low-income families in privately owned housing.) If the Secretary determines, in consultation with tenants and local government, that such a property is infeasible for continued assistance—based on rehabilitation and operating costs against available federal, state, and local resources (including rent adjustments under §524 of the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRAA)) and cost-prohibitive environmental conditions—the Secretary may, in consultation with tenants, contract for project-based Section 8 assistance with owners of other existing housing or provide other rental assistance. The section further requires the Secretary to ensure project-based contracts remain in effect prior to foreclosure (subject to contractual abatement remedies for imminent health and safety threats after tenant notice and consent, partial abatements, or receivership) and subjects post-disposition contracts and allowable rent levels to MAHRAA §524 requirements.

This section permits public housing agencies (PHAs) owning or operating 400 or fewer public housing units to elect exemption from asset management requirements imposed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the public housing operating fund rule. (As background, the operating fund rule governs HUD's formula-based subsidies for PHA operating costs; asset management requirements generally mandate project-level budgeting and accounting.) PHAs seeking discontinuance of an operating subsidy reduction under that formula remain subject to the requirements.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from imposing any asset management requirement or guideline that restricts the use of Capital Fund amounts (under section 9(d) of the United States Housing Act of 1937) for public housing agency (PHA) central office costs beyond the amounts permitted under section 9(g)(1) or (2). (Thus, PHAs may use Capital Funds for such costs as statutorily allowed, but not for operating-eligible activities eligible under section 9(e) in excess of section 9(g) limits.)

This section prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from designating any official or employee as an allotment holder unless the Office of the Chief Financial Officer determines that the individual has implemented an adequate system of funds control and received training in funds control procedures and directives. The section further requires the Chief Financial Officer to ensure a trained allotment holder for each HUD appropriation under the Executive Offices, Administrative Support Offices, Program Offices, Government National Mortgage Association—Guarantees of Mortgage-Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program Account, and Office of Inspector General accounts.

This section authorizes the Secretary, for FY2026 and notwithstanding other law, to make notices of funding opportunities and funding decisions for any competitively awarded program or discretionary fund administered by the Secretary available only on the appropriate government website or through other electronic media, as determined by the Secretary.

This section authorizes the Secretary to transfer up to 10% or $5 million (whichever is less) of funds appropriated for any office under the headings “Administrative Support Offices” or “Program Offices” to any other such office under those headings, provided the Secretary notifies the relevant committees at least 5 business days in advance.

This section requires any entity receiving housing assistance payments to maintain decent, safe, and sanitary conditions, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and to comply with applicable state or local standards relating to property physical condition. For multifamily housing projects with a Section 8 contract or similar project-based assistance under the United States Housing Act of 1937, the section directs the Secretary to take action under subsection (c) if the project (1) receives a failing score under the uniform physical condition standards (UPCS) or successor standard or (2) fails to certify in writing to the Secretary within three days that all exigent health and safety deficiencies (i.e., those requiring correction within 24 hours) identified by an inspector have been corrected.

This section limits salaries, including bonuses, for chief executive officers and any other officials or employees of public housing agencies to the annual rate of basic pay for Executive Schedule Level IV during any public housing agency fiscal year 2026. The limitation applies to funds available under section 8 (tenant-based rental assistance only, i.e., Housing Choice Voucher program) and section 9 (public housing capital and operating funds) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937.

This section prohibits the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from using funds appropriated by this Act to make, modify the scope or terms of, terminate, rescind, or reduce a grant award without notifying the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least three full business days before announcing the award or change or notifying the recipient. The notification must list each grant award and project description by state and congressional district.

This section prohibits the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from using funds provided by this Act to insure, securitize, or guarantee any mortgage or mortgage-backed security that refinances or replaces a mortgage subject to eminent domain condemnation or seizure by a state, municipality, or other political subdivision.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to terminate the metropolitan city status of any unit of general local government for purposes of formula grants under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program (i.e., sec. 106 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974). (Metropolitan cities—generally, principal cities in metropolitan statistical areas or other cities with populations of 50,000 or more—are entitlement communities that receive CDBG funds based on a statutory formula.)

This section authorizes the deobligation and reobligation of unexpended amounts made available by this Act to the Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)—which conducts housing and urban research, evaluations, and statistical activities—for research, evaluation, or statistical purposes upon completion of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. (Thus, such funds become immediately available for reobligation in that fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year for the same purposes, subject to reprogramming requirements in section 405 of this Act.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated in this Act or any other Act for performance, special act, or spot awards to any Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) employee subject to administrative discipline (including suspension from work) during the fiscal year of the Act. The prohibition applies only from the effective date of such discipline until any final decision overturning it.

This section allows costs paid using program income of Continuum of Care (CoC) program grant recipients to count toward the recipients' matching requirements for Homeless Assistance Grants awarded in FY2015 through FY2026, provided the costs are eligible CoC costs that supplement the recipient's program. (As background, the CoC program coordinates housing and services to assist homeless individuals and families and prevent homelessness.)

This section authorizes the Secretary to award one-year transition grants, from amounts available under Homeless Assistance Grants, to recipients of funds for Continuum of Care (CoC) activities under subtitle C of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (i.e., the CoC program, which funds services such as permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing for persons experiencing homelessness) to shift from one CoC program component to another. To be eligible, recipients must obtain the consent of the continuum of care and meet standards established by the Secretary.

This section maintains Promise Zone designations and related agreements made by the Secretary in prior fiscal years in accordance with their original terms and conditions (including designation periods). (Promise Zones designate high-poverty communities for coordinated federal investments, tax incentives, and technical assistance.)

This section authorizes any public housing agency designated as a Moving to Work (MTW) agency to use funds previously allocated under section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program, i.e., tenant-based rental assistance) or section 9 (public housing capital and operating funds) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937—including agency reserve funds, funds held by HUD, and funds under section 204 of the FY1996 VA-HUD Appropriations Act (P.L. 104-134)—notwithstanding their original appropriated purposes, except for special purpose funding including special purpose vouchers. (As background, the MTW demonstration program enables participating agencies to blend and flexibly deploy federal housing funds to achieve self-sufficiency and housing choice objectives more efficiently.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to prevent public housing agencies under receivership or the direction of a federal monitor from applying for, receiving, or using Public Housing Fund competitive grants—whether provided in this Act or remaining available from prior acts—for evaluating and reducing lead-based paint hazards, or from using such funds to perform required work under a settlement agreement, consent decree, voluntary agreement, or similar document addressing violations of lead safe housing or lead disclosure rules.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for FY2026 formula grant allocations administered through the Offices of Public and Indian Housing, Community Planning and Development, or Housing, to correct prior over-allocations by (1) offsetting each over-allocated recipient's allocation in the next applicable formula allocation cycle (i.e., the first reasonably available cycle after the determination) by the error amount (if eligible) and (2) reallocating the offset amounts proportionately to under-allocated recipients eligible in that cycle. If an offset would critically impair a recipient's ability to accomplish grant purposes—considering other available federal resources—the Secretary may, upon request, spread the adjustment across two or more cycles.

This section authorizes the Secretary to transfer up to $5 million from amounts made available for salaries and expenses under this title (excluding Office of Inspector General) to the Information Technology Fund for unforeseen information technology needs, including additional development, modernization, and enhancement, with transferred amounts remaining available until September 30, 2028. The section prohibits use of the authority for information technology projects or activities with known out-year development, modernization, or enhancement costs exceeding $500,000 or to allocate costs across offices for broader departmental information technology needs and requires the Secretary to notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 10 business days before any such transfer.

This section requires the Secretary to comply with all process requirements, including public notice and comment, when revising any annual contributions contract. It further specifies that the Secretary must provide public housing authorities at least 60 days for public comment and must consider and respond to submitted comments.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award amounts appropriated under the headings “Project-Based Rental Assistance” or “Housing Certificate Fund” for performance-based contract administrators (PBCAs)—entities that perform public housing agency (PHA) functions to administer Section 8 project-based rental assistance (i.e., rental subsidies tied to specific housing projects for low-income families)—through notices of funding opportunity exempt from federal procurement laws (31 U.S.C. ch. 63), deeming such awards cooperative agreements. The section requires (1) one cooperative agreement per state or territory, with more permitted if the population exceeds 35 million; (2) assignment of Section 8 rights and responsibilities (42 U.S.C. 1437f(b)) to the maximum extent for program oversight; (3) preference for applicants with experience in project-based assistance, multifamily preservation, tenant concerns, assistance payments, and other PHA functions; (4) use of procurement contracts if no qualified applicants respond; (5) incentive-based fees; and (6) eligibility limited to PHAs (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6)(A)), including their nonprofits operating outside their state or territory.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to consider family self-sufficiency achievement metrics (FAM) in determining funding awards for programs receiving family self-sufficiency program coordinator funding, except to provide bonus awards expressly available for programs assigned a performance category 1 ranking based on publicly available FAM scores. (The Family Self-Sufficiency Program provides case management and escrow savings incentives to HUD-assisted families to promote employment and economic independence.)

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to waive or specify alternative requirements—excluding those related to tenant rights and protections, rent setting, fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment—for administering new incremental Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) assistance or renewals under the mainstream program (serving non-elderly disabled families), Family Unification Program (FUP, aiding families facing housing barriers to reunification and youth aging out of foster care), and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative using funds from this and prior Acts, upon a finding of necessity for effective delivery and administration. Waivers may apply to (1) 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(6)(A) and related regulations on waiting lists, local preferences, and initial terms/extensions of tenant-based vouchers; and (2) 42 U.S.C. 1437f(x)(2) on referral timing for foster youth. (Thus, the authority facilitates targeted flexibility in voucher program operations for these populations.)

This section directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to enforce the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.) and prohibits HUD from using funds appropriated by this Act to direct a grantee to undertake specific changes to existing zoning laws as part of the interim final rule entitled “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Revisions” (90 Fed. Reg. 11020, March 3, 2025).

This section applies the whistleblower protections of 41 U.S.C. 4712—which prohibit reprisals (e.g., discharge, demotion, or discrimination) against employees of contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, or personal services contractors for disclosing evidence of gross mismanagement of a federal contract or grant, gross waste of federal funds, abuse of authority, substantial dangers to public health or safety, or related legal violations—to any such agreement funded from amounts made available in this or prior Acts (including carryover and recaptures), regardless of when the agreement was executed. (Thus, the protections apply retroactively to previously executed agreements insofar as they use congressionally appropriated funds.)

This section authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, for FY2026 through 2028 and upon owner request, to forgive or restructure remaining principal and interest under Flexible Subsidy Program (Flex Sub) loans (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1a). (As background, the program provides loans to owners of HUD-assisted multifamily housing projects to address deferred maintenance, fund reserves, and preserve long-term affordability for low-income residents.) Such authority applies only to properties with (1) 200 or fewer assisted units, (2) an unpaid Flex Sub loan principal balance of $2 million or less, (3) a most recent REAC inspection score of 80 or higher, and (4) a most recent management and occupancy review score of above average or superior. The Secretary may impose terms and conditions, including modified maturity dates or interest rates, extended affordability use agreements, or other measures for operational stability. Appropriates $3.328 million, to remain available until September 30, 2029, for these purposes, in addition to other available funds.

This section extends the period of availability for liquidating valid obligations under initial project rental assistance contracts associated with the Housing for Persons with Disabilities demonstration program (i.e., a HUD initiative providing rental assistance for housing serving persons with disabilities) as follows: (1) funds appropriated by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-55), previously available through FY2015 for obligations incurred in FY2012–2015, now remain available through FY2030; and (2) funds appropriated by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), previously available through FY2016 for obligations incurred in FY2013–2016, now remain available through FY2031.

This section makes amounts appropriated to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Housing under the “Program Offices” heading in this and prior acts available, without additional competition, for cooperative agreements with participating administrative entities (PAEs) selected under section 513(b) of the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRAA) (i.e., third-party entities that conduct property analyses and restructuring plans for multifamily properties with HUD-insured or -assisted mortgages). The agreements provide direct support—including due diligence, underwriting, and technical assistance—for small properties and owners converting assistance under the first component (public housing to project-based rental assistance) or second component (certain legacy project-based rental assistance to project-based vouchers) of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, subject to conditions established by the HUD Secretary.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act or any other Act to close or relocate any field or regional office unless such action is specified in this Act or its accompanying report. It requires the Secretary to maintain at least one adequately staffed and functional field office in each state, consistent with existing law, with no fewer than one full-time employee per office except during short-term periods of normal staffing turnover.

This section requires the Secretary to conduct all rulemaking in accordance with part 10 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations (i.e., Department of Housing and Urban Development procedures), and Executive Order 12866, as amended (i.e., regulatory planning and review), including public participation and at least 60 days for submission of written comments.

This section directs the Secretary to transmit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, a report listing (1) each grant, federally funded cooperative agreement, and contract obligated and subsequently terminated or reduced in scope in FY2025 that remains terminated or reduced as of enactment, and (2) each such instrument for which terms and conditions were changed or modified in FY2025, including for each an explanation, recipient, project or service location, and funding source.

This section specifies that, for FY2026, costs of rent incentives authorized under waivers or alternative requirements for the Jobs-Plus initiative (i.e., under the Self-Sufficiency Programs heading) shall not be charged against competitive grant amounts under that heading. (1) It further directs that forgone increases in tenant rent payments due to such incentives be factored into public housing agencies' general operating fund eligibility under the Public Housing Fund formula; and (2) for incentives applied to residents of projects with assistance converted from public housing to project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) or section 8(o)(13) via the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), such forgone increases be factored into housing assistance payments under Project-Based Rental Assistance and under section 8(o)(13) project-based contracts renewed via Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. (Thus, these measures protect Jobs-Plus competitive grants while ensuring other HUD funding accounts absorb the costs of work-promoting rent incentives for public and assisted housing residents.)

This section modifies requirements applicable to Continuum of Care (CoC) homeless assistance grants for projects involving Indian tribes, tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs), and reservation or trust lands as follows: (1) exempts applications and awards for such projects from Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968; (2) authorizes Indian tribes and TDHEs to administer permanent housing rental assistance under section 423(g) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; (3) requires applications and recipient certifications for projects on reservation or trust lands to confirm consistency with an approved 1-year housing plan under section 102 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) (i.e., a plan identifying a tribe's planned housing activities, needs of low-income families, and financial resources); and (4) exempts collaborative applicants whose geographic area consists solely of reservation or trust land from the CoC consultation requirement under section 402(f)(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

This section revises the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program and the Section 184A Native Hawaiian Home Loan Guarantee Program (i.e., HUD programs that guarantee loans to eligible Native American families, tribes, housing authorities, and Native Hawaiian families for housing on trust land or other restricted lands) as follows: (1) revises the authority under Section 184(a) to explicitly guarantee up to 100% of unpaid principal and interest on eligible loans made on both trust land and fee simple land, including to expand homeownership opportunities on fee simple lands; (2) limits Section 184(b)(2) eligible housing to the construction, acquisition, refinancing, or rehabilitation of 1- to 4-family dwellings that are standard housing; (3) expands Section 184A(b) to include homeownership opportunities for Native Hawaiian families eligible for homesteads under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 on fee simple lands in Hawaii; and (4) limits Section 184A(c)(2) eligible housing to the construction, acquisition, refinancing, or rehabilitation of 1- to 4-family dwellings that are standard housing.

This section modifies maximum loan terms under the Native American Housing Loan Guarantee Program (i.e., Section 184 program, under which HUD guarantees loans to Native American families for homes on tribal land) and Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Program (i.e., Section 184A program, which provides similar guarantees for Native Hawaiian families on Hawaiian home lands). Specifically, (1) for Section 184 loans, the term is not to exceed 30 years, except as determined by the Secretary for modifications under subsection (h)(1)(B), not to exceed 40 years (from 30 years); and (2) for Section 184A loans, the term is not to exceed 30 years, except as determined by the Secretary for modifications under subsection (i)(1)(B), not to exceed 40 years (from 30 years).

This section authorizes Indian tribes receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under section 106(a)(1) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to carry out directly the activities described in section 105(a)(15) (i.e., support for microenterprise and self-employment programs, including equipment and inventory, working capital, and technical assistance for business management, production, marketing, and product design).

This section permanently rescinds unobligated balances from various prior appropriations to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as follows: (1) all balances transferred from the Community Development Fund under P.L. 109-234 to Management and Administration, Salaries and Expenses; (2) all balances under Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbol (TAFS) 86 X 0108 from the Unanticipated Needs heading under P.L. 103-211; (3) all balances under TAFS 86 X 0148, 86-2023/2027-0483, and 86 X 0163; (4) $4,729,103.98 from TAFS 86 X 0304; (5) $176,688.49 in Economic Development Initiative grants and $336,275.98 in Special Purpose Grants from pre-FY2011 Community Development Fund appropriations; (6) $25 million from Assisted Housing Inspections and Risk Assessments under P.L. 119-4; and (7) $1.74 from TAFS 86 X 0313. It further rescinds all remaining unobligated balances as of September 30, 2025, from Assisted Housing Inspections and Risk Assessments under P.L. 118-42 (effective immediately upon enactment) and provides an equivalent amount of new budget authority available through September 30, 2027.

This section permanently rescinds remaining unobligated balances as of September 30, 2025, from amounts appropriated under the "Fair Housing Activities" heading in division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), if enacted by that date, and appropriates an equivalent amount of new budget authority on September 30, 2025, available through September 30, 2026, to complete funding of FY2024 awards under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (42 U.S.C. 3616a). (As background, the program funds grants and contracts with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to enforce fair housing laws through investigations, testing, and education and outreach activities and to remedy discriminatory housing practices.)

This section prohibits the use of funds provided in this Act to pay the expenses of, or otherwise compensate, non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this Act.

This section limits the availability of funds appropriated by the Act to the current fiscal year and prohibits their transfer to other appropriations unless expressly provided in the Act.

This section limits expenditures of appropriations under this Act for consulting services procured by contract under the federal expert/consultant authority (5 U.S.C. §3109)—which permits agencies to obtain temporary or intermittent services of experts, consultants, or organizations thereof without regard to civil service appointment, classification, and pay rules—to those contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection, except as otherwise provided under existing law or executive order issued pursuant to existing law.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds appropriated by this Act for any federal employee training that (1) does not meet identified needs for knowledge, skills, and abilities directly related to official duties; (2) contains elements likely to induce high levels of emotional response or psychological stress in participants; (3) does not include prior employee notification of content and methods and a written end-of-course evaluation; (4) includes methods or content associated with religious or quasi-religious belief systems or "new age" belief systems, as defined in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Notice N-915.022 (Sept. 2, 1988); or (5) is offensive to participants or designed to change their personal values or lifestyle outside the workplace. Subsection (b) clarifies that the prohibition does not restrict agency training directly related to the performance of official duties.

This section restricts reprogramming of funds provided in this Act, prior appropriations Acts available for obligation or expenditure in FY2026, or agency fee collections without 30 days' advance written notice and prior written approval from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations when the reprogramming (1) creates a new program; (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity; (3) increases funds or personnel for any program, project, or activity denied or restricted by Congress; (4) uses funds directed for a specific activity for a different purpose; (5) augments existing programs, projects, or activities by more than $5 million or 10%, whichever is less; (6) reduces existing programs, projects, or activities by more than $5 million or 10%, whichever is less; or (7) creates, reorganizes, or restructures offices or bureaus beyond the budget justifications or most recent organizational charts. This section further requires each agency funded by this Act to submit to the Appropriations Committees, not later than 60 days after enactment, an operating plan establishing reprogramming baselines that includes (1) appropriation tables displaying prior-year enacted levels, President's budget requests, congressional adjustments, rescissions, and FY2026 enacted levels; (2) delineations by object class and program, project, and activity; (3) organizational charts with full-time personnel levels; and (4) items of special congressional interest.

This section prohibits departments and agencies funded by the Act from relocating an office or reducing personnel as a result of a reduction-in-force, deferred resignation program, use of administrative leave for purposes unrelated to misconduct, or other workforce restructuring unless the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations are notified at least 30 days before such changes are initiated.

This section directs the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations with (1) quarterly reports on the status of all funds, including start-of-year unobligated and uncommitted balances and total obligations and recaptures for the fiscal year, by program, project, and activity; (2) semiannual reports on staffing levels, hirings, and separations (including through the deferred resignation program and any other voluntary retirement programs), consistent with direction provided in this Act or any report accompanying this Act; and (3) additional, updated budget or financial technical assistance, upon request.

This section allows up to 50% of unobligated balances remaining at the end of FY2026 from salaries and expenses appropriations made available in this Act to remain available through September 30, 2027, for authorized purposes in each such account, subject to prior approval by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with reprogramming guidelines under section 405 of this Act.

This section prohibits using funds appropriated by this Act to support any federal, state, or local projects that employ eminent domain unless used only for a public use, excluding economic development that primarily benefits private entities. The following are considered public uses: (1) mass transit, railroad, airport, seaport, or highway projects; (2) utility projects benefiting or serving the general public (e.g., energy-related, communication-related, water-related, and wastewater-related infrastructure); (3) other structures designated for general public use or with common-carrier or public-utility functions subject to government regulation and oversight; and (4) projects for removing an immediate threat to public health and safety or brownfields, as defined in the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (P.L. 107-118).

This section prohibits the transfer of any funds appropriated by this Act to other departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the U.S. government except as expressly authorized by this Act or any other appropriations Act.

This section requires entities expending assistance from funds appropriated by this Act to comply with the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 8301-8305). (The Buy American Act generally requires, with limited exceptions, that iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in federal public buildings, public works, and public uses be produced in the United States.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to send or pay for the attendance of more than 50 employees of a single U.S. agency or department—who are stationed in the United States—at any single international conference (i.e., a conference outside the United States attended by U.S. government representatives and representatives of foreign governments, international organizations, or nongovernmental organizations) unless the relevant secretary reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 5 days in advance that such attendance is important to the national interest.

This section prohibits the Surface Transportation Board from using appropriated funds to charge or collect filing fees for rate or practice complaints (i.e., disputes over rail carrier rates or service practices) exceeding the $350 district court civil filing fee under 28 U.S.C. 1914(a).

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to maintain or establish a computer network unless the network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. The prohibition does not apply to funds necessary for federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies or other entities carrying out criminal investigations, prosecutions, or adjudications.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to deny an Inspector General (IG) timely access to records, documents, or other materials available to the relevant department or agency, except under a law that expressly refers to the IG and limits such access. It requires departments and agencies to provide IGs such access in a timely manner, directs IGs to comply with statutory disclosure limits, and requires IGs to report any failures to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within five calendar days.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to pay award or incentive fees for contractors judged below satisfactory, behind schedule, over budget, or failing to meet basic contract requirements, unless the agency determines such deviations result from unforeseeable events, government-driven scope changes, or insignificance within the overall project or program scope, or if consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.401(e)(2).

This section prohibits using funds appropriated by this Act to pay the salary for any person filling a permanent position previously held by an employee who left to enter active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, satisfactorily completed that service, applied for restoration within 90 days after release from service or from hospitalization continuing after discharge for up to one year, was certified by the Office of Personnel Management as still qualified for the position, and has not been restored thereto. (Temporary positions are excepted.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to approve new foreign air carrier permits under 49 U.S.C. §§ 41301-41305 or exemption applications under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 for air carriers already holding air operator certificates from countries party to the U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Air Transport Agreement (i.e., an open skies agreement liberalizing transatlantic air services) if such approvals would contravene U.S. law or Article 17 bis of the agreement. The prohibition does not apply to such permits or exemptions consistent with the agreement and U.S. law.

This section deems amended specific project names and recipients in the congressionally directed spending tables of explanatory statements accompanying (1) the FY2022 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act by changing the recipient of the Kansas Rail Safety Improvement Project to Kansas Department of Transportation (from Pittsburg Port Authority (KS)) and renaming The Barkers Creek Industrial Park Power Expansion to Barkers Creek Industrial Park Access Bridge, Phase II; (2) division L of the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act by renaming Lower Shore Clinic Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment Facility Housing to HealthPort Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment Facility and changing its recipient to HealthPort, Inc. (from Lower Shore Clinic Inc.) and by renaming Metra Zero Emission Locomotive Commuter Rail Pilot to Metra Zero Emission Commuter Rail Pilot; and (3) division F of the FY2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act by renaming Hardwoods Permanent Supportive Housing to Permanent Supportive Housing, Cle Elum—First Street Downtown Revitalization to Cle Elum—Downtown Revitalization, and changing the recipient of Center for Community Programs in Livermore Falls and Jay to Town of Jay (from United Way of the Tri-Valley Area).

This section transfers amounts appropriated for the Midway Crossing project in the Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending table accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328), from the Department of Transportation–Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements account to the Department of Transportation—Transit Infrastructure Grants account, where the funds remain available for the project's original purpose. The section also deems that project table amended to reflect the account change.

This section requires each department and agency funded in this Act to maintain on its publicly accessible website: (1) all notices of funding opportunities (including any amendments) for all competitive grant programs issued in the most recent 10 years; (2) a searchable list of all grant awards for the most recent 10 years, including any grant awards that have been modified, terminated, or rescinded; and (3) all programmatic notices, guidance, and grant agreement templates that remain in effect for any active grant program.

This section requires congressional budget justifications for FY2027 submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to (1) use or compare to the account and sub-account structure under this Act or accompanying report, whichever is more detailed; (2) present all budgetary resources from contract authority, mandatory budget authority, advance appropriations, discretionary authority, and disaster- or emergency-designated funding; (3) provide detailed information on all programs, including proposed new initiatives or changes to the agency financial plan; and (4) include detailed tables and organizational charts delineating funding for salaries and expenses, full-time equivalents, and full-time positions, with justifications for all funding, staffing changes, reorganizations, or restructurings. Such information must match the detail level of FY2025 budget justifications and salaries-and-expenses amounts under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58), with supplemental disaster- or emergency-designated funding presented separately.

This section requires departments and agencies funded under this Act to submit reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, no later than 30 days after enactment and quarterly thereafter, detailing current staffing levels for all political and Presidential appointees. The reports must categorize appointees by (1) the office funding the employee, (2) the office of daily work, (3) the employee's title, and (4) the employee's pay grade or GS-scale equivalent.

This section requires the Secretaries of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, prior to issuing any termination notice for specified discretionary awards (i.e., competitive grants as defined in 2 CFR 200.1) solely under 2 CFR 200.340(a)(4), to provide written notification to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and the award recipient at least 120 days before the effective termination date—including at least 90 days for the recipient to restructure or re-scope the award—with continued disbursements for valid obligations during that period. If termination proceeds due to unsuccessful restructuring, the relevant department must prioritize eligible applications from that entity for the next notice of funding opportunity in the same program. These requirements apply only to discretionary awards from (1) this Act, (2) prior Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Acts (excluding congressionally designated emergency or disaster relief funds), or (3) title VIII of division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58); do not apply to awards announced or publicly awarded after November 1, 2024, or to non-discretionary awards; and require compliance with all other termination notice rules under 2 CFR 200.341. Amounts repurposed under this section remain subject to treatment under section 103(b) of division A of P.L. 118-5.

This section rescinds any remaining unobligated balances as of September 30, 2025, from amounts made available under P.L. 119-4 for FY2025 operating expenses of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), which coordinates the federal response to homelessness across 19 agencies. It appropriates an equivalent amount of new budget authority for the same purpose on September 30, 2025, to remain available through September 30, 2026 (thus, effectively extending availability of those funds into FY2026), if the Act is enacted on or before September 30, 2025.