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House passes increase for housing, high-speed rail
The Democratic-dominated House Thursday approved generous funding for housing subsidies for the poor and President Barack Obama's initiative to build high-speed railroads as it passed a $123.1 billion transportation and housing bill.
The measure, approved 256-168, provides a 13 percent increase in total funding for the programs it covers, including $4 billion for Obama's high-speed rail initiative, which was launched in February with an $8 billion infusion from the economic stimulus bill. Obama had only sought $1 billion in additional money for high-speed and other intercity rail lines.
The earlier $8 billion appropriation has generated a "huge demand" of more than $100 billion in projects submitted by more than 40 states, said Rep. John Olver, D-Mass., the main author of the bill. "We must keep this momentum going," Olver said.
But Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, warned that the program could easily spiral out of control.
"Are we really ready to embark on a $100 billion endeavor?" Latham said.
The popular measure also provides for an 8 percent boost, to $27 billion, for the Section 8 housing voucher program for more than 3 million poor families. Funding for the program has spiraled ever higher, which has bedeviled Congress for years.
The bill also adds to Obama's requests for rehabilitating housing for the elderly and disabled.