The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate are expected to vote this week on the final fiscal year 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations (T-HUD) bill which includes increases in funding for programs assisting people experiencing and at risk of homelessness (find more details on the bill below).

Please call your Senators and House Members this week and ask them to vote for the bill. The Administration has threatened to veto the bill. Your Members' support is critical in securing the two-thirds majority needed to either discourage the President from vetoing the bill or to assure a veto can be overridden.

The House and Senate offices can be reached via the Capitol Switchboard at 1-877-210-5351. Call and speak with the staff person who works on Department of Housing and Urban Development appropriations issues. Talking points:

Click on the links below to see how your Senators and Representatives voted for the two versions of the bill earlier this year. We will work hard to gain support from those who voted against the bill, although it is important to contact all Members of Congress.

Senate FY 08 T-HUD Bill
Hou se FY 08 T-HUD Bill

• "I am calling on behalf of (ORGANIZATION), in (CITY), to ask Representative/Senator ____ to support passage of the appropriations bill for the Department of Housing and Urban Development when it is considered by the House/Senate this week."
• "The bill includes modest increases over last year's funding levels for programs like the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), Section 8 and Homeless Assistance Grants, which people in the Congressman(woman)'s district rely on to remain housed and healthy."
• Describe the success of a local, federally funded homeless assistance program in your community.

The House passed their version of the fiscal year 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill on July 24 and the Senate passed a bill on September 12.

On November 8, the House and Senate worked out differences between the bills and now both chambers need to vote on the final bill. Although the exact date is unclear, a vote in both the House and Senate is expected this week. Therefore, please call Congressional offices as soon as possible.

Shortly after the House and Senate pass a final bill it will be sent to the President.

The President has threatened to veto the bill, along with other appropriations bills that exceed his fiscal year 2008 budget proposal. If the President vetoes the bill a two-thirds majority vote is needed in both the House and Senate for an override. Therefore, strong support for passage of the final bill this week is necessary to either discourage the President from vetoing the bill or to assure a veto can be overridden.