This was a vote on amendment by Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) that would have cut $12.4 billion from programs operated by the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The amendment applied an “across-the-board” 18% cut to all programs funded by the bill.
Culberson urged support for his amendment: “The burden that these levels of debt and deficit will impose on our kids will undoubtedly result in massive tax increases, dramatic cuts in social programs. And every chance we get, Mr. Chairman, on every bill, we want to try to do what we can to save money. And so my amendment today would cut the total spending level in this bill by 18 percent.”

Rep. John Olver (D-MA) urged members to oppose the amendment: “I rise in strong opposition to the amendment. Actually this is about the worst kind of amendment that you can have, because it provides no indication of priorities whatsoever. It just cuts everything in the whole government an equal percentage amount and gives no priority indication whatsoever…. Fiscal prudence simply cannot mean turning hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes, eliminating almost a quarter of a million jobs, and creating real transportation safety concerns.”

The House rejected Culberson’s amendment by a vote of 169-252. 156 Republicans and 13 Democrats voted “yea.” 240 Democrats and 12 Republicans voted “nay.” As a result, the House rejected an amendment to transportation, housing, and urban affairs legislation that would have cut $12.4 billion from programs operated by the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.