The Bill Bolsters Funding for New York State Projects, Including Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, Tenant Protection Vouchers, and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Transportation and Housing subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, touted big wins she worked to include for New York State and that were passed out of committee in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
“New Yorkers from Brooklyn to Hamilton County know firsthand that our state needs critical infrastructure, transportation, and affordable housing investment,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud that our committee worked together on a bipartisan basis and passed a bill that addresses these critical needs. The funding will help New Yorkers travel around our state more easily, make homes more affordable, and improve air traffic congestion at local airports. I’m proud of the work this subcommittee has done to produce a strong bill and urge my colleagues to pass it through the full Senate as soon as possible.”
The bill includes funding for important priorities in New York State:
- $700 million to fund the Hudson River Tunnel;
- $307.3 million to fund Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway;
- $850 million to fully fund Amtrak’s budget request for the Northeast Corridor;
- $22 billion to fully fund the Federal Aviation Administration, which will help address congestion issues at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Airports;
- $514 million for the Essential Air Service program to continue to support the Massena, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, and Watertown airports;
- $62 million for the Reconnecting Communities program Senator Gillibrand created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund projects to remove and mitigate infrastructure that divides communities;
- $20 million in new funding to support transit safety and security initiatives, including for the MTA;
- $161.5 million infunding for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, including for campus and building renovations;
- Full funding to maintain rental assistance, including $430 million for tenant protection vouchers to assist the most at-risk residents in NYCHA;
- Invests in expanding and improving the homeless response system to help senior citizens, veterans, youth, and others facing homelessness;
- $1.25 billion to sustain the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the primary federal program builds more affordable housing;
- And $73 million in congressionally directed spending for affordable housing, community development, and transportation projects across New York.
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