All Eyes on the Senate: Shut Down Watch
On Tuesday, the House narrowly passed a year-long Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through September 30, 2025, in an effort to avert a potential government shutdown when the current CR expires tomorrow. All but one Republican member voted to pass the measure, while all but one Democratic member voted against it.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. It requires at least 60 votes to advance, a threshold that could be difficult to reach. While housing and community development programs fare relatively well compared to the Senate and House FY25 proposals released last summer, some Democrats are concerned that the year-long CR does not preserve Congress’s authority in allocating funds. Determining how to allocate taxpayer dollars is the responsibility of Congress, not the Administration.
NAHRO is closely monitoring Senate actions and is prepared for a possible shutdown if the legislation is not passed. NAHRO has learned from HUD officials that HUD’s 2023 Shutdown Contingency Plan will remain in effect. In the event of a shutdown, HUD has the ability to obligate three months of funding for Housing Assistance Payments, Administrative Fees, and the Operating Funds, following the precedent set in previous shutdowns.
For more information and updates, NAHRO has provided a dedicated Shutdown Resource Page to assist stakeholders in navigating potential disruptions.
HUD Staffing Updates
NAHRO congratulates Heidi Frechette: On March 12, HUD announced Frechette has been appointed to serve as General Deputy Assistant Secretary for HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) beginning on March 17. Frechette has served in PIH’s Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) since 2012 and has been Deputy Assistant Secretary of that office since 2016.
The White House also sent nominations to the Senate for Andrew Hughes to be HUD Deputy Secretary and David Woll to be HUD General Counsel. Mr. Hughes worked in HUD during Trump’s first administration as former Secretary Carson’s Chief of Staff. Mr. Woll is currently serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Community Planning and Development.
Bill Pulte has also been confirmed to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency.