Ricketts Celebrates Senate Passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S.Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) celebrated Senate passage of the 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, a landmark housing bill which makes home ownership a possibility for all Americans.

“Nebraska is the best place in the world to live. But for so many potential first-time homebuyers, the market has become out of reach. The ROAD to Housing Act will help our country increase housing supply,” said Ricketts. “This legislation includes my Streamlining Rural Housing Act, which will specifically increase housing supply in rural parts of Nebraska. This legislation is commonsense and bipartisan. It should be signed into law.”

BACKGROUND

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes seven bills led or co-sponsored by Senator Ricketts. Those include the Streamlining Rural Housing Act, Improving Housing Access Act, Housing for America’s Middle-Class Act, Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act, Rural Housing Service Reform Act, VALID Act,and VA Home Lone Awareness Act.

Streamlining Rural Housing Act:

Creates a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to evaluate categorical exclusion under the environmental review process for housing projects that use combined funding;

Creates an MOU to develop a process for designating a lead agency.

This process will streamline adoption of Environmental Impact Statements and Environment Assessments approved by the other Department to construct housing projects funded by both agencies.

Creates an MOU to evaluate the feasibility of a joint inspection process for housing projects that use combined funding;

Establishes an advisory working group to consult on the MOUs consisting of:

Affordable housing non-profits;

State housing and housing finance agencies;

Non-profit and for-profit home builders and housing developers;

Property management companies;

Owners of multifamily properties;

Public housing agencies;

Residents in housing assisted by HUD and USDA;

Housing contract administrators.

Improving Housing Access Act:

Seeks opportunities to remove barriers and improve the quality of housing for seniors and to increase housing accessibility for Americans with disabilities.

Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effects of capital advancement for supportive housing for the low-income, elderly, and disabled.

Housing for America’s Middle-Class Act:

Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study income parameters for workforce housing and make recommendations to Congress on how federal housing policy can better serve middle-income earners.

Requires GAO to analyze how changing the definition of “workforce housing” could expand homeownership opportunities for all middle-class individuals – as many first responders, policemen, firefighters, and other hardworking Americans do not qualify under the current inconsistent definition.

Highlights existing issues with housing affordability for the middle class and identify existing tax credits, grants, and other programs that could alleviate these burdens.

Rural Housing Service Reform Act:

Makes improvements to a number of USDA rural housing programs:

Fixes a longstanding problem for properties, known as Sec. 515 properties, that were financed by the USDA decades ago and now have maturing mortgages, by making it easier for non-profits to acquire those properties and by decoupling rental assistance so that assistance doesn’t disappear when those mortgages mature;

Makes permanent a USDA pilot program to make mortgage loans available in Native communities by partnering with local Community Development Fund Institutions (CDFIs);

Brings the USDA’s outdated way of measuring incomes in line with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s practices;

Modernizes the USDA’s foreclosure process to cut red tape, better protect homeowners, and ensure USDA-owned properties stay affordable;

Updates the rules for a home repair loan program to make it less burdensome to get smaller loans;

Allows Sec. 502 guarantees for loans that include accessory dwellings and in-home daycares;

Requires USDA to speed up their loan approval process;

And makes much-needed investments in IT so that USDA can process loans more quickly and with less staff time wasted on paperwork or manual data entry.

VALID Act:

Updates FHA mortgage disclosures to include VA Home Loans alongside FHA and conventional loan options.

Ensures lenders are provided with important information regarding the applicant’s military service so they can provide information about VA loans early in the homebuying process.

VA Home Loan Awareness Act:

Adds a disclosure to the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) informing veterans they may be eligible for a VA Home Loan.

Directs applicants to consult their lender for more information about the VA Home Loan program.

Instructs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review and report to Congress on lenders’ adoption of these URLA updates.

The VALID Act is endorsed by the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), the Broker Action Coalition, and the National Association of REALTORS.


Ricketts Letter Calls on USPS to Improve Operations Affecting Service Across Nebraska

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) sent a letter to the Omaha Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC), calling on an improvement to operations based on an audit by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General (USPS OIG). The letter was addressed to Director Daniel Hirai, senior processing operations leader for the Midwest Division branch at USPS. The Omaha center serves as a hub for all of Nebraska.

In the letter, Senator Ricketts detailed how Nebraskans have increasingly reported late deliveries, lost mail, and a decreased trust in the reliability of the USPS. This has led to detrimental financial and health impacts.

The letter reads:

“I respectfully encourage the Omaha Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to continue carrying out recommendations from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). The USPS OIG has brought attention to several deficiencies within the Omaha P&DC. All Nebraskans and Americans rely on our post office services to provide timely and efficient services. These fixes will help ensure our constituents’ mail is being properly handled.

“Several constituents have shared complications related to sending sensitive materials such as checks and prescriptions through the USPS. A constituent who sent a check that was never delivered went to the Plattsmouth post office to report the issue. They were told that lost mail was a common occurrence. Another constituent from Osmond who owns a business has had significant delays when sending checks through the mail. He mailed a check within his zip code that took over nine days to deliver. Checks sent within Omaha on January 9th were not delivered until February 14th. A pharmacy in Burwell, Nebraska spoke of delays for their prescription deliveries. The pharmacy told me that mail prescriptions are taking up to six weeks to arrive at destinations as close as 30 miles. These delays are affecting the ability of Nebraskans to run their businesses and stay healthy.”

Read the full letter here and below.

Dear Director Hirai:

I respectfully encourage the Omaha Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) to continue carrying out recommendations from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). The USPS OIG has brought attention to several deficiencies within the Omaha P&DC. All Nebraskans and Americans rely on our post office services to provide timely and efficient services. These fixes will help ensure our constituents’ mail is being properly handled.

The USPS OIG found issues and deficiencies with clearance times, delayed mail, scan compliances, package scanning, arrow keys, and property conditions. This has led to extremely late deliveries, lost mail, financial, and health impacts.

Several constituents have shared complications related to sending sensitive materials such as checks and prescriptions through the USPS. A constituent who sent a check that was never delivered went to the Plattsmouth post office to report the issue. They were told that lost mail was a common occurrence. Another constituent from Osmond who owns a business has had significant delays when sending checks through the mail. He mailed a check within his zip code that took over nine days to deliver. Checks sent within Omaha on January 9th were not delivered until February 14th. A pharmacy in Burwell, Nebraska spoke of delays for their prescription deliveries. The pharmacy told me that mail prescriptions are taking up to six weeks to arrive at destinations as close as 30 miles. These delays are affecting the ability of Nebraskans to run their businesses and stay healthy.

Some of these delays seem to be caused by illogical routing. For example, a Nebraskan sent a package from Elkhorn, NE to Arlington, VA. The package went from Elkhorn to a sorting center in St. Louis, MO. Then it was sent back to a distribution center in Omaha, NE. The package never made it to Arlington. These routing issues have caused emotional distress. Three young children who were recently orphaned needed passports to join their uncle in Japan. While two of the three passports came from Colorado to Nebraska, the third inexplicably ended up in New Hampshire. There it sat in a distribution center for five days delaying the children’s chance to be with family.

USPS OIG provided an audit report to address these complications among others. Delays continue to affect many Nebraskans every day. It is clear that these recommendations are not working.

It is important these recommendations are implemented and Nebraska mail facilities continue monitoring their operations. We need to hold our offices accountable as these issues and deficiencies are resulting in delays, cancellations, and concerns. It is imperative that our constituents have reliable mail service systems for day-to-day activities, but also emergency situations. I appreciate your help in this matter.


VIDEO: Ricketts Highlights This Year’s Tax Benefits for Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed this year’s tax benefits for Nebraska farmers and ranchers.

“Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska,” said Ricketts. “Family farms and ranches are the backbone of our communities. But times in farm country are tough. High input costs and low commodity prices are keeping our farmers up at night. That’s why I’m fighting to keep more money in the pockets of Nebraska farmers and ranchers.”

“Nebraska’s future depends on farmers, ranchers, and agri-business,” said Ricketts. “The Working Families Tax Cuts supports agriculture today and protects the next generation of farmers and ranchers. That is how we keep supporting the Good Life.”

Watch the video here.

TRANSCRIPT:

Senator Ricketts: “Before I begin, we are in the 25th day of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

“It’s been 50 days since the Democrats announced their intentions to shut down DHS and so far, they have refused to talk to us.

“Senate Majority Leader John Thune has appointed Senator Katie Britt of Alabama to lead negotiations on the Republican side.

“She is the appropriator who oversees the Department of Homeland Security.

“We want to fund DHS.

“The Democrats are refusing to talk.

“Despite Senator Britt’s efforts, lead Democrat Appropriator Patty Murray refuses to meet with Republicans.

“Senator Britt just this weekend offered a meeting to Senator Murray with the Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and the White House.

“But Senator Murray refused to meet—much less negotiate.

“The Democrats want DHS to remain closed.

“They are playing politics with our national security.

“We have a conflict in the Middle East.

“Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.

“Homeland Security is there to protect us, but they are not funded.

“Democrats are putting Nebraskans at risk.

“Our TSA, Coast Guard, and Secret Service heroes go unpaid.

“The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, has only 800 of 2,000 people working—putting us at risk of cyberattacks.

“The rest are furloughed right now.

“The Democrats are being irresponsible, threatening our national security.

“Democrats won’t talk to us.

“They must come to the table and negotiate.

“So, when you hear me talking about blaming Democrats, you cannot come to a negotiation if the other party refuses even to talk to you and turns down meetings that are often in good faith.

“Now, onto the press call.

“Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska.

“Family farms and ranches are the backbone of our communities.

“But times in farm country are tough.

“High input costs and low commodity prices are keeping our farmers up at night.

“That’s why I’m fighting to keep more money in the pockets of Nebraska farmers and ranchers.

“The Farm Bureau reports Nebraska farm bankruptcies were up 29% last year.

“But this statistic doesn’t tell the whole story.

“For Nebraskans, agriculture is a proud generational business.

“Our farms and ranches are passed down through families who have poured blood, sweat, and tears into their ground and livestock.

“Many would rather leave the agriculture industry altogether than give their operations up through bankruptcy.

“In Nebraska, I have heard directly from farmers and ranchers about policies needed to support farm country.

“Last month, I hosted an ag roundtable with Representative Adrian Smith in Hastings.

“This week, I will host another in West Point with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman, Senator Boozman of Arkansas.

“Having Chairman Boozman in our state to celebrate Nebraska ag is important for our farmers.

“Chairman Boozman and I will share our work on the Farm Bill, renewable fuels, and how the Working Families Tax Cuts will strengthen Nebraskans.

“It gives us a chance to discuss policies that strengthen Nebraska agriculture.

“The Senate is working hard on the Farm Bill, and Chairman Boozman is leading this effort.

“The House Agriculture Committee just passed their bipartisan Farm Bill out of committee last week.

“It includes Nebraska priorities that will strengthen the agriculture industry.

“It expands investment in rural communities, restores regulatory certainty, and strengthens risk management tools.

“Among these other policies, Chairman Boozman and I will keep fighting for year-round E15.

“During these meetings, I am also sharing how the Working Families Tax Cuts will benefit Nebraska ag families.

“CBS reports average tax refunds will increase by $1,000 this year, thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts.

“That is a house payment!

“Or that’s money that Nebraskans can put towards groceries and utilities.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts helps Nebraska producers grow and reinvest.

“Full expensing is now permanent for property like tractors and other heavy machinery.

“A corn grower in Custer County will be able to fully write off a new, more efficient combine.

“Another provision in the bill boosts expensing for tools and equipment.

“This helps small businesses from welders to seed dealers invest and improve productivity.

“Nebraska is a biofuels state.

“Nebraska is second in the nation for ethanol production.

“We have 25 ethanol plants that employ over 1,300 Nebraskans.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts unleashes Nebraska’s power to fuel the world.

“Senate Republicans extended the 45Z clean fuel credit to ag and ethanol producers.

“This credit raises demand for agricultural feedstocks.

“The 45Z credit will support domestic biofuel production.

“In turn, that means more investment and better prices for farmers.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts supports the next generation of ag leaders.

“Whether taking over the family business or starting their own operation, we encourage young Nebraskans to enter the ag industry.

“That’s why we strengthened the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Benefit.

“We extended its coverage from five years to ten years.

“That gives new producers access to critical risk management tools for longer.

“We also expanded and made permanent the Death Tax exemption.

“80% of Nebraska farms are family-owned.

“They should stay that way.

“By making the death tax exemption permanent, we’re given family-owned farms and ranches more certainty.

“Now, $200 billion in hard-earned family farm assets across the country will go to the next generation, not the government.

“Nebraska’s future depends on farmers, ranchers, and agri-business.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts supports agriculture today and protects the next generation of farmers and ranchers.“That is how we keep supporting the Good Life.”


Rounds Delivers Major Housing Affordability Wins for South Dakota

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds today secured the passage of key housing priorities for South Dakota as the Senate approved the 21st Century Road to Housing Act. The legislation includes provisions authored by Rounds that deliver the first major update to the Rural Housing Service in more than a decade, streamline federal review processes that can delay housing development and provide communities greater flexibility to pursue locally driven housing solutions. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for final passage.

“Access to safe, affordable housing is essential to the strength of our communities and the future of South Dakota,” said Rounds. “The 21st Century Road to Housing Act includes several of my bills that modernize rural housing programs and cut unnecessary red tape that slows housing development. These provisions will help expand our housing supply, especially in rural areas where the need is greatest. President Trump and Secretary Scott Turner have made it clear that increasing America’s housing supply is a national priority. This legislation is an important step toward making housing more accessible and affordable for families across South Dakota and the country.”

Rounds’ legislation included in the 21st Century Road to Housing Act:

Rural Housing Service Reform Act: This bill would improve federal rural housing programs and strengthen the supply of affordable housing in rural America by modernizing and strengthening several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural housing programs. The Rural Housing Service Reform Act addresses longstanding challenges with maturing Section 515 properties, aligns income calculations with HUD standards, streamlines foreclosure and loan approval processes and invests in IT upgrades to improve efficiency. It would also ease access to home repair loans and expand eligibility for USDA loan guarantees to include properties with accessory dwellings and in-home daycares. By allowing rental assistance to be decoupled from expiring mortgages, the legislation helps preserve affordable housing for rural families who might otherwise face rent increases or displacement. Nationwide, this reform could help preserve housing stability for roughly 400,000 rural families, many of whom live in the Midwest and other rural regions.

Unlocking Housing Supply Through Streamlined and Modernized Reviews Act: The bill would modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process for housing projects/services funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The legislation reduces duplicative review requirements that delay projects without adding meaningful protections, allowing housing to be built faster and at lower cost.

Better Use of Intergovernmental and Local Development (BUILD) Housing Act: The bill would modernize the NEPA review process by increasing capacity sharing between HUD and state and local governments, aligning HUD’s standards with other agencies through delegated housing reviews, and granting the agency greater flexibility by allowing it to designate certain housing assistance as “special project funds.”

These bills were incorporated into the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, sponsored by Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The comprehensive proposal would expand and preserve the housing supply by removing regulatory barriers, promoting innovative construction, addressing blight and supporting disaster recovery, while also improving housing affordability, expanding homeownership, reducing homelessness and increasing access for veterans. The bill advances accountability and oversight by promoting evidence-based policies, strengthening program integrity and improving coordination and transparency across federal housing programs to make efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

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U.S. Senate Passes Sen. Scott’s Historic Housing Affordability Legislation

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 89-10. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about how his legislation will lower housing costs by expanding supply, cutting red tape, and empowering local communities to build more homes. For Sen. Scott, housing affordability is deeply personal, and his story is what motivated him to spearhead this bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Sen. Elizabeth Warren and make the American dream of homeownership a reality for more Americans. By passing this legislation, Congress is delivering on President Trump’s agenda and ensuring that 2026 is truly the year of affordability.

Click here or on the image above to watch Sen. Scott’s remarks.

Sen. Scott’s remarks as delivered:

Mr. President, the issue of housing is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue, it’s an issue about helping moms like the ones that raised me, the amazing woman that she was, become a homeowner.

I grew up in a rental property. My first home that I remember was the one that my grandparents were renting, a little 700-square foot place, where me, my mother, and my brother shared a bedroom and a bed.

Our experience was one that was filled with tragedy and challenges and a lack of resources. But the one resource we had a lot of was love, and hope.

The legislative process today gives us an opportunity to restore hope for so many people who want to just experience their version of the American Dream, which is so consistently homeownership.

I am so thankful that back in those days when I was growing up there was a group of legislators, back in the late 70s and early 80s, who created a program at the USDA that allowed my mom to become a first-time homebuyer at 38 years old.

But today – today the average age of a first-time homebuyer is 40. Forty years old before you ever experience the American Dream.

That age is too old, and we as a legislative body can do now what a legislative body did then: create opportunities, restore hope, and let young people experience, for the first-time, the American Dream.

The dream of homeownership.

I am so thankful, that so far so good, but we must finish the task today. We can do what so many folks failed to do in this legislative body for the last few decades.

Not few years, but few decades.

That is pass consequential legislation that makes it easier to become a homeowner for those that are ready for that part of their journey.

I urge this body to vote yes on this bill, and let’s create more homeowners at an earlier age.

The age of affordability is now, and the solution to affordability is in fact us.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill and let’s get the ball moving.

Thank you, Mr. President.

BACKGROUND:

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is built around four core pillars:

Cutting red tape

Unlocking housing supply

Lowering costs for families

Including no new mandatory federal spending

The bill streamlines environmental reviews, modernizes manufactured housing rules, unlocks private investment, updates multifamily financing tools, streamlines construction activities across programs, and limits certain large institutional investors from crowding out families in residential markets.

Last week, Senate Banking Committee Republicans released a series of fact sheets and a Myth vs. Fact document explaining how the legislation increases supply, reduces regulatory barriers, and improves oversight of housing programs.

To read the Fact Sheets, click here.

For the full Myth vs. Fact document, click here.

Sen. Scott also recently highlighted strong support from housing advocates, industry leaders, lenders, and community organizations across the country for the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

To read the extensive list of industry supporters, click here.

The legislation represents the most significant bipartisan housing reform effort in decades, focused on expanding housing supply, cutting red tape, and lowering housing costs for American families seeking to achieve the dream of homeownership.

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Shaheen, Hassan Demand HHS Immediately Release Title X Funding

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are urging U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to comprehensive family planning and services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees. The letter to Secretary Kennedy was led by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Angus King (I-ME) and supported by 34 Senate Democrats.

Last year, the Trump Administration withheld millions in funding from certain Title X grantees for months, placing over 840,000 people at risk of losing access to Title X-funded care and forcing some sites to close. While the administration restored funding by December 2025, many grantees were forced to serve the same need with dramatically reduced resources. Now, Title X grantees’ current funding is set to lapse on March 31, 2026.

The Senators wrote: “For nearly 60 years, the Title X Family Planning Program (“Title X”) has provided millions of working Americans with access to family planning and essential preventive care services, like cancer screenings. Congress recently renewed its longstanding support for the program in the latest funding package. But under your leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has so far failed to release annual funding for Title X clinics across the country, as it ordinarily would have by this point in the year. Existing awards are set to lapse on March 31, 2026, and any loss of congressionally appropriated Title X funding will hurt millions of patients and significantly weaken communities’ access to comprehensive family planning services.”

They continued: “If the administration fails to meet the April 1, 2026, deadline for releasing Title X funding to the current grantees, the repercussions for critical health care will be catastrophic. Any gap in Title X funding could result in over two million patients losing access to contraception and preventative care, worsen maternal health outcomes, and increase sexually transmitted infections. It will also risk layoffs of essential health care providers and staff who provide care for patients at thousands of Title X clinics nationwide, worsening the national maternal and reproductive health care crisis.”

They concluded: “This delay is already causing costly uncertainty for clinics across the country and the patients that they serve. A lapse in funding caused by this administration would deny patients and their families the dignity of affordable health care and irreparably worsen the health care crisis that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have already exacerbated by enacting the largest cuts to health care in American history. It is imperative that the Department act now and issue a one-year extension of Title X funding.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Senator Shaheen is an unrelenting advocate for women’s reproductive rights. For years, Shaheen has fought to expand coverage of women’s preventative care, including through her legislation to reduce the cost of contraception for servicewomen and dependents in military families.

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Three Shaheen-Led Bills to Lower Housing Costs, Improve Affordable Housing Pass in Bipartisan Housing Package

**Senate passes bipartisan housing package including three Shaheen-led bills with broad bipartisan support**

(Washington, DC) – Today, the U.S. Senate advanced three commonsense bills led by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) as part of a bipartisan housing package to address the high cost of housing and increase the supply of affordable units in the Granite State and across the country.

The 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act includes three of Shaheen’s bills—the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, the Streamlining Rural Housing Act and the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act—that will preserve affordable rural housing, make it easier and less expensive to build new housing and protect lower-income renters. The bipartisan package now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Countless Granite State families are struggling to afford a home, between a persistent shortage of affordable housing and President Trump’s tariffs making building additional homes much more expensive—especially in the rural parts of our state,” said Senator Shaheen. “We need innovative, bipartisan solutions at the federal level to increase the supply of affordable housing in New Hampshire and drive down costs. I’m proud the Senate passed legislation I lead in a bipartisan housing package that will help people in New Hampshire who are grappling with rising costs by boosting the preservation and building of affordable homes.”

The Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, which Shaheen has championed for years, preserves housing units in rural areas and ensures that hundreds of thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing. Shaheen's bill would protect access to affordable housing for families in rural areas that are often elderly or disabled, who are at risk of losing rental assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), by allowing rental assistance to continue even after the USDA mortgage on the property is paid off.

The Streamlining Rural Housing Act aims to cut red tape and streamline rural housing regulations between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and USDA by requiring the two agencies to enter into a memorandum of understanding to align housing standards. The bipartisan bill would simplify the process to build housing, lowering the cost and shortening project timelines for developers.

The Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act would permanently authorize a grant program to invest in manufactured housing communities, especially resident-owned communities, providing funding for home improvements and community upgrades like roads, water or sewer systems for thousands of Americans each year.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would also:

Create a pilot program at HUD to offer grants and forgivable loans to low and moderate-income homeowners and small landlords to address home repair needs and health hazards.

Establish new HUD programs to share best practices for zoning and land-use and work with communities to establish preapproved housing designs to help expedite local construction processes and build more homes.

Empower states, local governments and Indian tribes to streamline reviews and increase housing development by simplifying the environmental review process.

Speed up critical repairs and safety improvements for homeowners by modernizing outdated review requirements.

Improve transparency for veteran homebuyers by requiring that mortgage notices include information, including comparative costs, about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ home loan program.

Provides flexible funding for communities that are building more housing supply, which can be used to improve community infrastructure, build housing and supplement water and sewer grants.

As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee, Shaheen has continually worked to ensure New Hampshire communities have the federal funding needed to tackle the housing affordability crisis. In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill that was signed into law, Shaheen fought to fully fund the Rental Assistance program. The bill also includes key provisions from the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act. Additionally, the FY 2026 appropriations bills invest $1.25 billion in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to help build new housing across New Hampshire and support grant programs that aid state and local efforts to remove barriers to housing construction.

Shaheen recently visited the Normandin Square Apartments—a 60-unit apartment community where the majority of units are affordable—to tour ongoing renovation efforts with officials from the Laconia Housing Authority. Shaheen secured $750,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the renovation project in the bipartisan FY 2026 government funding legislation.

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Sheehy’s Bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act Passes Senate

U.S. SENATE – Today the U.S. Senate passed Senator Sheehy’s bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act as part of a larger package of housing legislation, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

“As a combat veteran who is married to a combat veteran, ensuring our nation’s warfighters have the information and resources they need to live out the American dream when they return home is among my top priorities. The VA Home Loan Awareness Act will ensure our veterans can take full advantage of programs designed to help them achieve home ownership, and I’m proud to see it pass the Senate in a strong, bipartisan vote,” said Senator Sheehy.

Background:

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act is the first piece of legislation Senator Sheehy introduced as a senator. The bill, co-led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), aims to help more veterans take advantage of the VA Home Loan program by providing more information on the program and potential eligibility.

The VA Home Loan program is a key tool for helping veterans and their spouses achieve the American Dream. It offers veterans no down payment, no private mortgage insurance, and interest rates that are often lower than rates for conventional FHA loans. Despite these benefits, only 13 percent of veterans access the VA Home Loan program. Among veterans who don’t use the VA Home Loan program, 33 percent say they are not aware of the program.

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act will help better inform veterans of opportunities provided by the VA Home Loan program by adding a disclosure to the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) informing veterans they may be eligible for a VA Home Loan, directing applicants to consult their lender for more information about the VA Home Loan program, and instructing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review and report to Congress on lenders’ adoption of these URLA updates.


U.S. SENATOR TINA SMITH’S BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION INCLUDED IN LANDMARK HOUSING PACKAGE THAT PASSED THE UNITED STATES SENATE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), the top Democrat on the Senate Housing Subcommittee, announced that one of her major bipartisan bills aimed at combatting America’s housing crisis was included in a package that passed the Senate in an 89-10 vote. Senator Smith’s bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act was included in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the first comprehensive housing supply legislation in 30 years.

“Without a safe, affordable place to live, nothing else in your life works. The lack of decent housing in this country is a choice that we’re making, but with this package, we’re choosing a different path,” said Senator Smith. “For the first time in decades, the Senate is taking bipartisan action to cut red tape so we can build more housing and lower costs for Americans.”

Senator Smith’s bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act would preserve up to 400,000 affordable homes in small towns and rural communities across the country, and more than 9,000 units in Minnesota, by making commonsense updates to programs at the USDA’s Rural Housing Service for the first time in decades. The bill was included in the final package that passed the Senate.

In addition to Senator Smith’s Rural Housing Service Reform Act, the package included a number of bills Senator Smith cosponsored and supported, including:

Whole-Home Repairs Act: Authorizes a pilot program to help thousands of working families afford essential, costly home repairs through grants and forgivable loans.

Choice in Affordable Housing Act: Expands access to federal government’s largest rental assistance program for affordable housing.

HOME Investment Partnerships Program Reauthorization and Reform Act: Makes critical updates to the largest federal affordable housing block grants to keep pace with the rising cost of living and to make the program more efficient.

PRICE Act: Helps preserve, protect and stabilize manufactured housing communities by permanently reauthorizing HUD’s Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement program.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act doesn’t just boost housing supply. The legislation also addresses big corporations’ stranglehold on America’s housing market by banning large institutional investors from purchasing certain single-family homes. A full list of legislative items included in the package can be found here.

As the top Democrat on the Housing Subcommittee, Senator Smith has held numerous hearings and championed legislation focused on a wide array of housing issues, such as addressing homelessness, incentivizing housing construction, investing in rural and Tribal communities, eliminating health and safety hazards in homes, and fighting against private equity and other bad actors pushing up the cost of housing.

Senator Smith gave a speech on the floor of the Senate yesterday calling on her colleagues to join her in supporting the housing package. You can watch her remarks here.

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Sullivan Welcomes Senate Passage of 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, Including Provisions for Alaska

WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today welcomed Senate passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, comprehensive legislation to increase housing supply, cut regulatory barriers, and expand homeownership opportunities across the country, including in Alaska’s rural and urban communities.

“Wherever I am in Alaska, whether in our rural communities or more urban areas, I hear from countless Alaskans struggling to find affordable housing. Supply shortages and the high cost of construction are major contributors to this crisis,” Sen. Sullivan said. “ROAD to Housing takes meaningful steps to address these challenges head on: modernizing local development and rural housing programs, streamlining burdensome federal red tape, supporting the innovative work many communities are undertaking to increase supply, including with manufactured housing, encouraging investment in housing, improving access to lending, expanding tools that can help families repair homes and maintain Alaska’s existing housing stock, and helping more veterans make use of the housing benefits they’ve earned. This legislation also builds on the progress we made in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act by complementing key economic development tools, like Opportunity Zones and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit—programs that help drive private investment and expand housing development in underserved communities across our state. Together, these efforts will expand safe, affordable housing opportunities across Alaska and help more Alaskans achieve the dream of homeownership.”

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will help unlock greater housing availability by:

Increasing the cap on banks’ public welfare investments, including Housing Credits and Housing Bonds, from 15% of a bank’s capital and surplus to 20%, increasing demand from investors for Low Income Housing Tax Credits, thus increasing capital investment for affordable housing construction.

Establishing a flexible Innovation Fund to support communities, including tribes and Alaska Native Corporations, working to increase housing supply and improve community infrastructure, such as water and sewer systems.

Reauthorizing and modernizing key federal housing programs, including the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which is used annually in Alaska to help expand affordable housing and homeownership opportunities while reducing development costs and administrative burdens.

Authorizing HUD’s Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Program to provide grants to communities to maintain, protect, and stabilize manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities and including a set aside for rural and tribal communities.

Incentivizing landlord participation in the Section 8 voucher program by removing red-tape for the housing choice voucher (HCV) process. In Alaska, over 4,000 families participate in the HCV program statewide and more than 2,000 rental property owners are already accepting HCVs. There is currently a waitlist for HCVs in Alaska. More landlords accepting HCVs could help reduce this waitlist.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will support housing repair and restoration by:

Authorizing a home repair pilot program to address Alaska’s aging housing stock by providing grants and loan opportunities to help families repair homes, improve energy and water efficiency, and address health and safety hazards. The program can also support workforce training for critical home repair industries, an important need in many rural Alaska communities.

Strengthening disaster recovery tools by permanently authorizing the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery program and establishing a new Long-Term Disaster Recovery Fund to support housing restoration, infrastructure rebuilding, economic revitalization, and mitigation efforts in communities impacted by catastrophic disasters, including Alaska communities rebuilding after Typhoon Halong.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will cut costly, unnecessary red tape by:

Streamlining federal environmental reviews to reduce unnecessary delays for housing development while maintaining appropriate protections, including simplifying review requirements for smaller housing projects and improving coordination between federal agencies.

Right-sizing National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) reviews for small and infill housing projects, which will simplify the regulatory process.

Directing HUD and USDA to coordinate on joint environmental reviews for housing projects funded by both agencies.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will improve veterans’ access to housing by:

Improving transparency and access to home loan options for veterans, including a provision that Sen. Sullivan cosponsored in the Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act.

Excluding veterans’ disability compensation from annual income calculations under the HUD-VASH program to help more homeless veterans access Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing.

Sen. Sullivan has been a leader in the Senate on working to increase the supply of affordable housing for middle- and low-income families and individuals, notably through his Workforce Housing Tax Credit (WHTC) Act, which would establish the first-ever middle-income housing tax credit, mirroring the success of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.

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Thune to Bring SAVE America Act to the Senate Floor

Clickhereto watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, later today we will finish up the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act – the latest piece of legislation in Republicans’ affordability agenda.

“And next week, I will be bringing the SAVE America Act to the floor.

“And we will be having a full and robust debate.

“So, Mr. President, what is the SAVE America Act?

“It is a package of commonsense policies – the kind of commonsense policies that should get an automatic ‘yes’ vote from literally every member of this body.

“At the core of the SAVE America Act is the requirement that individuals provide proof of citizenship to register to vote – and then show an ID when they go to the polls.

“In other words, it would require Americans to demonstrate that they’re eligible to vote – and that they are who they say they are when they go to do so.

“Not to keep using the word commonsense, but … it’s pretty commonsense, right?

“We require photo ID for a whole lot of things in this country – for obvious reasons.

“Getting on a plane?

“Show your official, government-issued photo ID.

“Go to the doctor?

“Same thing.

“Provide your government-issued photo ID plus your insurance card.

“Get hired for a new job?

“Provide your government-issued photo ID when you start.

“Mr. President, public libraries ask for a photo ID.

“In New York City, you have to provide some type of photo ID to get a library card.

“Baltimore, Maryland?

“Same thing.

“Washington, D.C.?

“Again, photo ID.

“Mr. President, I’ll stop with the list of libraries.

“But I think we can all agree that if you have to show photo ID – and prove where you live – to get a library card, it’s not too much to ask voters to show ID to vote in federal elections.

“It takes about 10 seconds – and protects the security of our elections.

“Mr. President, Americans overwhelmingly agree that voters should have to show ID at the polls.

“Eighty-three percent of Americans – 83 percent – in an August 2025 poll supported requiring photo ID at the polls for all voters.

“That includes 71 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of Black Americans, 77 percent of Asian Americans, and 82 percent of Hispanic Americans.

“It kind of feels like the only Americans not to support voter ID requirements are Democrats here in Congress.

“That’s right.

“We’re expecting continued full-throated opposition to voter ID and the SAVE America Act from Senate Democrats – as well as more of the unforgiveable rhetoric that Democrats have already been engaging in.

“The Democrat leader has been calling this bill ‘Jim Crow 2.0’ – a phrase that is not only deeply irresponsible and insulting to those who actually lived through that dark chapter in our history, but also insults the overwhelming majority of Americans – including minorities – who look at voter ID and see nothing more than common sense.

“In fact, Mr. President, I can really see only two reasons for Democrats’ opposing this legislation:

“Either Democrats are just reflexively opposing this proposal because it originated from Republicans.

“Or Democrats believe that there are in fact people out there voting illegally and that it’s benefiting Democrats.

“And they want to keep it going.

“I honestly cannot think of another reason to oppose something so eminently reasonable as requiring people to demonstrate that they’re eligible to vote – and that they are who they say they are when they go to the polls.

“Mr. President, I’ll have a lot more to say about the SAVE America Act next week – including about two other commonsense measures in the bill that would prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports and protect minors from gender transition procedures.

“Two other things, I should note, that are supported by the American people.

“Mr. President, I can’t guarantee an outcome on this legislation.

“But I can guarantee that we are going to put Democrats on the record.

“That they will be forced to defend their outrageous positions on these issues – and explain to the American people why common sense and the Democratic Party have parted ways.

“Mr. President, Republicans are looking forward to this debate.

“And I look forward to saying much more about the SAVE America Act in the very near future.”


Tuberville Advocates for Returning Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to the U.S.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Committee on Aging hearing focused on China’s death grip on America’s drug supply. During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville discussed with the hearing witnesses the importance of transparency with drug labeling as well as bringing back pharmaceutical manufacturing from China to the United States.

Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, or viewed on YouTube or Rumble.

ON CHINA CIRCUMVENTING THE FDA

TUBERVILLE: “Thank you for this hearing. Can’t get any more important than this. Ms. Gibson, it’s becoming common knowledge that for whatever reason, China’s often able to circumvent the FDA when producing generic medications worldwide. That means, Americans are often taking drugs that, if produced in the United States, would meet higher standards. How can we move that leverage that China has over our people making drugs?”

GIBSON: “You’re correct, Senator, that China has outmaneuvered the FDA. The former FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Caeliff, told the House Appropriations Committee in 2023 that China ‘Is a problem. It’s not transparent. The FDA cannot get information from them to perform its regulatory functions.’ And he said we cannot be allowed to depend on China. And as you may know, in 2023, they started an anti-espionage law where regulators don’t wanna travel there.

I believe the way to get around this regulatory issue is we are importing, in my mind, de facto unregulated products, and the quality data demonstrate that in countries that don’t respect our regulations, then we should not be buying from them. If we use the quality data from the DoD testing program, that will turn out and take out manufacturers in countries who do not respect our laws and will be able to use U.S. manufacturers. So, let’s use the quality data to really clean up the system. I think it’s sending a market signal rather than a regulatory signal.”

TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. In your book, China Rx, you revealed that China controls approximately 90 percent of key starting materials to make APIs and generics. How do you think the U.S. would be affected if China were to cease those exports today?”

GIBSON: “A lot of people would die in this country. Our healthcare systems would cease to function. If China wanted to spread infectious disease, we would not have the tools to be able to treat people.”

ON CHINA’S PHARMA DEATH GRIP ON AMERICA

TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Chang, you said in your testimony that China has a pharma death grip on America. How do we work to change that at the federal level?”

CHANG: “The most important thing is on an emergency basis. We need to bring back production here. And the reason is China has been able to outmaneuver the FDA, as you just talked about, because they do have such a big monopoly on all parts of the chain. And the only way to do that is to break that monopoly. And unfortunately, this is going to take some time. But it is possible. China developed this monopoly. We can take it back. But we’ve got to know that within two or three years, there is a period of extreme vulnerability.”

TUBERVILLE: “Can we use tariffs to help us out with China?”

CHANG: “Section 232 tariffs, I think, are very important in that regard. Other tariffs are also possible. The Supreme Court in the Learning Resources decision struck down the seventy-seven Act tariffs, but Section 301 tariffs and 232’s could very well create the conditions where if we had an enhanced investment tax credit and if the president were to invoke the Defense Production Act, These are things that could stimulate domestic production immediately.”

TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”

ON ONSHORE PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING

TUBERVILLE: “Last November, we had a young man that came from my state in Birmingham, Oxford Pharmaceuticals, to testify the importance of onshore drug manufacturing. Mr. Chang, what can we do to encourage pharmaceutical companies to acquire APIs domestically instead of sourcing them from places like China or India? Is that possible?”

CHANG: “It is possible, but the first thing I think we need to do is get the federal government to require the purchase of American made pharmaceuticals or pharmaceuticals that are friend-shored if they’re not available in the U.S. But it’s an all of the above approach. Because as I mentioned, China is able to get around all of our rules because they know that if they cut off production, then as Rosemarie Gibson just told us, Americans are gonna die. So, it’s an all above the approach on an emergency basis. I know that’s not a satisfactory answer, but unfortunately, I think it’s close to where we have to be. And if we don’t do this, the problems are just gonna get worse because China’s becoming more predatory.”

TUBERVILLE: “Congressman, you served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. You understand the risk. What is at stake if we do not gain control of what’s going on here?”

YOHO: “National security. I mean, we’d be beholden to another country, i.e. China. This is something it’s imperative that we get this right. We get it done now. The Defense Production Act as President Trump used in his first term to create those products here. You know, the PPEs is something we could do now. And the other thing is, the ABCs of manufacturing: Anywhere But China. Friend-shore, near-shore, onshore. Use the tools we have to bring that stuff home now. We know where China is going. We know what their end intent is, and we need to do it now.”

TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, this Clear Labels Act that the Chairman of putting exactly what is in the drugs that we take. How important is that?”

YOHO: “It’s real important. I like it. […] but for it to be effective, people have to read it. And we tried that on the [House] Ag Committee with the COOL Amendment. I think legislation like that is strong, and I think we need to do it. But I think we need to put more force on the FDA to regulate drugs or inspect them the same way they do here and tell those countries you’re gonna do it our way or don’t sell here. It’s your choice.”

TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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Maryland Congressional Delegation Holds Meeting to Discuss Energy Affordability and Reliability

Last week, members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation met with leaders from the Maryland Public Service Commission, the Maryland Energy Administration, the Office of People’s Counsel for the State of Maryland, and PJM Interconnection to discuss efforts to lower Marylanders’ electricity costs and strengthen the reliability of the regional electric grid. Video of the members’ press availability following the meeting is available here.

“Too many Marylanders are already struggling to make ends meet and pay their electric bills, and the surge of data center development across our region is only making things worse. To address these rising costs – and to shore up our power grid – I’ll keep working alongside Federal Team Maryland with our regional, state, and local partners, and I’ll continue fighting to pass my Power for the People Act. Consumers should not have to pay one dime in additional electricity costs to support data centers for the richest companies on the planet,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“This Administration lied when they said they would lower our costs. Rent, groceries, and utilities are skyrocketing and Marylanders are struggling to get by. I am so glad Team Maryland met with state leaders to discuss how we can actually lower Marylanders’ electricity costs,” said Senator Angela Alsobrooks.

“At a time when Marylanders are facing financial strain at the hands of the Trump Administration, it is critical that we continue to combat rising energy prices for working families. I was glad to join my colleagues in the Maryland Congressional Delegation and leaders of the Maryland energy sector to discuss the critical issue of lowering costs while also strengthening the reliability of our regional electric grid. We will keep working with our state and regional partners to lower electricity costs for working families across our state,” said Congressman Hoyer.

“The urgent issue of energy affordability is hurting my constituents and their families,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “I remain angry – that energy providers continue to rake in huge sums of money while the regulators fail to regulate. Working families cannot wait for another study, plan or proposal to address our skyrocketing electricity costs. The Maryland Public Service Commission must act swiftly to prevent any further utility rate increases moving forward, and PJM Interconnection must move swiftly to connect clean, affordable power sources to the grid that will help lower expensive utility rates. Congress must pass the POWER FOR THE PEOPLE ACT.”

“Marylanders should not be forced to shoulder skyrocketing energy costs. Large energy users like data centers should be responsible for building or securing the electricity they need instead of shifting those costs onto Maryland ratepayers. In addition, Maryland leadership should place a moratorium on the state taxes and fees that continue to drive up energy bills. Maryland families deserve reliable, affordable power, not policies that make their electricity more expensive,” said Congressman Andy Harris.

“The Trump economy is crushing Marylanders, especially as energy costs soar,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin. “Together, Team Maryland is taking matters into our own hands, working to invest in affordable and reliable energy solutions for all our families.”

“People in my district and across Maryland have seen their energy bills soar by over 20% in the past year, and this situation is not getting better. We are paying for data centers that are not located in Maryland nor in the interest of our constituents. We need common sense regulations that save us from this affordability crisis and prevent rolling blackouts on the grid that would put lives and livelihoods at risk,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey.

“Every day I hear concerns about affordability and rising energy costs, and frankly, I share those concerns every time I open my own BGE bill. The data backs up what families are telling us: utility inflation has risen three times faster than general inflation, one in six households is carrying utility debt, and energy demand is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2032. All of this is happening while the President has effectively taken half of our future generation capacity off the table by cutting renewable energy projects,” said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. “Two things can be true: we can compete with China without abandoning critical environmental safeguards, and we can achieve energy and water independence without passing the costs directly onto consumers. But right now, that’s not what’s happening. Billions in data-center-driven transmission upgrade costs have already fallen onto ratepayers. That’s why Team Maryland is working together on real solutions so our neighbors aren’t caught footing the bill.”

“Energy affordability is a major challenge right now as Marylanders continue to face crushing costs across the board. Rising demand from data centers, extreme weather, and the President’s disruptive energy policies are only driving prices higher for working families while benefiting the wealthy. Addressing this issue is a key part of my ‘Costs Down, Opportunity Up’ affordability agenda, and I’m proud to stand alongside Team Maryland’s delegation and our Governor as we work together to lead on solutions,” said Congresswoman April McClain Delaney.


Van Hollen, Kelly, Gillibrand, Booker, Kim, Beyer Introduce New Bill to Cut Taxes for Millions of Working Americans

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced the Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act, new legislation to provide much-needed tax relief for millions of working Americans who are struggling to afford the cost of living as wages remain stagnant and prices rise. This bill provides broad, permanent tax cuts to nearly 130 million working Americans. The bill eliminates federal income taxes for Americans who make under the median cost of living, $46,000. The bill additionally provides a significant tax break to individuals making between $46,000 to $80,500, with proportionally higher rates for heads of households and married couples. The legislation is fully paid for and avoids raising the national debt by ensuring the wealthiest pay their fair share through a tiered surtax on income above a million dollars. This proposal stands in stark contrast to tax law that Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress passed last year – which provided a tax giveaway to billionaires and exploded the deficit, while offering only temporary relief for some working families.

In addition to Senators Van Hollen, Kelly, Gillibrand, Booker, and Kim, this legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.).

This legislation has been endorsed by a broad range of organizations: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Americans for Tax Fairness, Community Change Action, Demos, Get Out the Vote PAC, Indivisible, Institute for Policy Studies, MoveOn, National Education Association (NEA), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Oxfam US, Patriotic Millionaires, People’s Action, Public Citizen, Social Security Works, Strong Economy for All Coalition, SURJ, Take on Wall Street, and United for a Fair Economy.

“Far too many Americans are working hard for their paychecks but still having trouble making ends meet. These Americans who are earning just enough to get by – to meet their basic living expenses – should not have to pay a federal income tax. Our bill would ensure just that – and it would provide a significant tax break to millions of other working Americans, so folks can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Families across Arizona are working hard and doing everything right but still falling behind. Instead of helping them get ahead, Trump gave more huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans while hiking up prices on everyone else,” said Senator Kelly. “Our plan is to put more money in the pockets of middle-class Americans —from nurses and teachers to firefighters and electricians —and restore the basic promise that in this country, hard work pays off.”

“Families are struggling amidst higher costs in Trump’s America,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I’m proud to cosponsor the Working Americans' Tax Cut Act to support working families, drive economic growth, and reduce income inequality. While the Trump administration turns its back on hardworking Americans, I will keep fighting to lower costs and make sure Americans can take home more of their hard-earned pay.”

“It’s unacceptable that while so many are struggling to afford everyday expenses in our country, those at the top still aren't paying their fair share. While Trump continues to protect a system that only works for his billionaire buddies, this tax proposal delivers real relief to working Americans – and it can't come soon enough,” said Senator Kim.

“For decades, our tax code has been tilted to benefit the wealthiest Americans – especially those making millions of dollars each year from investments and capital gains. Our bill would restore balance and fairness to our tax code by asking the wealthiest Americans to contribute more through a tiered surtax on income above one million dollars. That revenue will deliver meaningful tax relief for working Americans trying to afford basic necessities like groceries, rent, child care, and gas,” said Representative Beyer.

The Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act provides needed tax relief for working Americans – whether they are a single adult, a head of household, or a married couple filing jointly – by reducing their federal income taxes based on their income to help ensure they can afford their cost of living expenses.

The median cost of living for a single adult with no children in the United States is estimated to be $46,000 a year, based on county-level data aggregated by the Living Wage Institute. Individuals who earn less than that will not pay federal income taxes.

For individuals with income ranging from $46,000 to $80,500, the legislation provides a significant tax break to also combat cost of living expenses. It phases out this cost-of-living exemption at 175% of the median cost of living for a single adult with no children. As a result, a person making between $46,000 and $80,500 a year would have a lower tax rate using this exemption than they do under the current tax system. To illustrate, a single person who makes $50,000 would typically receive a tax cut of approximately $2,800.

The bill includes a larger exemption for heads of households, 140% of the single exemption or $64,400; and for married couples filing jointly, 200% of the single exemption or $92,000.

These exemptions will also phase out at higher rates, with heads of households making between $64,400 and $112,700 a year and married couples making between $92,000 and $161,000 a year receiving a tax cut under this legislation. For example, a family of four who earns $95,000 would typically receive a tax cut of approximately $6,000 due to the cost-of-living exemption.

According to an analysis by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, nearly 130 million people, including over 25 million children, would receive a tax cut through this legislation. Additionally, it is fully paid for through a tiered surtax on millionaires. The bill applies an additional 5 percent tax to the first dollar an individual makes over $1 million and the first dollar a married couple earns over $1.5 million annually; an additional 10 percent tax to the first dollar an individual makes over $2 million and a married couple makes over $3 million annually; and an additional 12 percent tax to the first dollar an individual makes over $5 million and a married couple makes over $7.5 million annually. This surtax would apply equally to wages and salaries as well as to capital gains and other investment income. The Yale Budget Lab has estimated that this surtax would impact 615,000 tax filers and raise $1.46 trillion over ten years.

A backgrounder on the legislation can be viewed HERE. Bill text can be viewed HERE.

“Working people are one medical bill, one car repair, one bad break from not making rent,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “They are working longer hours than ever and still struggling to put food on the table, while paying more in taxes than the billionaires. As we continue to fight for universal affordable health care, universal child care, and livable wages, the Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act is an important step toward getting working people some real relief.”

“The Working Americans’ Tax Act is one of the most important concrete actions Congress can take to ease the squeeze on working families. Right now, workers can’t pay the bills. Their wallets are being drained by a severe affordability crisis caused by the current administration and aggravated by the ‘Big, Ugly Bill’, which doubled down on tax cuts for billionaires, while stripping healthcare and nutrition assistance away from everyone else. This long-overdue legislation puts cash back in the pockets of millions of Americans who are being forced to choose between paying the rent and putting food on the table. It is a meaningful down payment on a solution that actually works for workers and the AFT is proud to be leading on it,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.

“At this point in American life, both parties want to be the party of the working class. Over the summer, Republicans tried to prove themselves by putting forward a budget bill that only offers tax relief for the 3% of working people who rely on tips. But today, Senator Van Hollen and his Democratic colleagues made their pitch to wear the label by introducing a bill that provides help to ALL working people. To us, it’s abundantly clear who actually deserves it,” said Morris Pearl, Chair of Patriotic Millionaires. “This is a watershed moment that would offer economic stability to a vast majority of the country. Millionaires like me will be better off paying a little more in taxes so that all of the workers we depend on can afford to provide for their families. That’s why the Patriotic Millionaires are thrilled to see Senator Van Hollen, Senator Kelly, Representative Beyer, and their colleagues introduce the Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act to get our country on a better and more sustainable path for the sake of our economy and democracy.”

“Billionaires are hoarding their wealth to corrupt our politics and entrench their own power. Those very same billionaires are bankrolling the wannabe king, making a bet that selling out our democracy will be rewarded with personal financial favors. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act offers a clear alternative: make the ultra-wealthy finally pay their fair share in taxes. If Democrats want to build a strong opposition to this regime, it means advancing bold, easy-to-understand policies like this that stand up to concentrated wealth and fight for working Americans,” said Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director of Indivisible.

“While millionaires and billionaires make hand over fist, Americans across the country have to choose between paying rent or getting food on the table. If Democrats want to be the party of working people, then they need policies that make lives better for working people. Senator Van Hollen’s plan to cut taxes for half of American workers, paid for by ensuring millionaires pay their fair share, will move us closer towards a government that works for all of us,” said Britt Jacovich, MoveOn Spokesperson.

“The federal tax code should reflect a basic principle: the government should not tax people into poverty. The Working Americans' Tax Cut Act does exactly that — it exempts income up to the cost of living from federal taxes and asks millionaires to make up the difference. That's not redistribution. That's math. DCI was founded on the principle that democracy and free markets work best when working people have real economic stability, and right now too many Americans are taxed before they can afford rent or groceries. This legislation is the kind of pragmatic, common-sense reform that can actually pass and actually help people — and that's why DCI is proud to support it,” said Lori Mayberry, CEO of the Democratic Capitalism Institute.

“Marylanders know the system isn't working for everyday people when we are paying our taxes, year in and year out, while billionaires are getting big tax breaks and handouts,” said Larry Stafford, Jr., Executive Director of Progressive Maryland. “Senator Van Hollen’s proposal would deliver real tax relief to working families while making our tax system fairer. This is a clear example of how Democrats can fight for people who work for a living.”

“The Working Americans Tax Act is an important and vital move to restoring economic opportunity and fairness for people who are not rich (most Americans). The Act is a necessary component to restore equity to our tax code – a tax code which, since the Reagan era, has increasingly favored the already rich. Using the tax code to enhance existing wealth has always come at the expense of everyone else (society must fund the expense of giving tax relief to the wealthy). Growing economic inequality weakens our society and this bill seeks to reduce the inequality produced by the tax code. Economic fairness (defined by the average person, not the wealthy) makes us strong and this bill can make us stronger.” – Indivisible Maryland Coalition

“The Working Americans Tax Cut Act would help hardworking Americans afford to put food on the table, keep the lights on, and access high quality child care. As costs continue to rise, middle-class families are the ones that need income tax relief, not billionaires,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m joining my colleagues to put money back in the pockets of Americans and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share.”

“Instead of the Republican vision of ‘Families Lose, Billionaires Win,’ let’s pursue a better vision where families thrive and billionaires pay their fair share,” said Senator Merkley. “It’s past time we build an economy that truly works for working families, ensuring folks have a good-paying job and can afford decent health care, a good education, and a safe roof overhead.”

“Middle class Americans struggling under the cost of President Trump’s disastrous tariffs, his reckless war with Iran, and his health care price hikes deserve a real tax cut — not the wealthy donors to whom President Trump and Republicans in Congress gave trillion-dollar tax breaks last year,” said Senator Coons. “President Trump’s policies have made life harder and more expensive for Delawareans and millions of Americans. I’ll support any effort to undo that harm and give American families better economic opportunities and more financial security in their lives.”

“This bill enacts broad tax cuts for working families—providing economic relief and ensuring that working Americans can afford their basic expenses under President Trump’s skyrocketing cost of living. Trump has cozied up to the billionaire class, providing massive tax breaks for the wealthy while ignoring the needs of the American working class. By reducing federal income taxes based on income level, the Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act puts money back into the pockets of working families and ensures they can meet their needs,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“Donald Trump is happy to slash our health care and explode the deficit to pay for tax breaks for his billionaire buddies, but when the time comes to help working families, that enthusiasm is nowhere to be found. Wages are stagnant, prices are soaring, and far too many Americans are struggling to make ends meet,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation cuts federal income taxes for millions of Americans, without driving our nation further into debt. By making sure that America’s wealthiest pay their fair share, we can put money back in the pockets of working families.”

“The cost of everything is going up — from groceries to gas to electric bills. And thanks to Trump’s illegal tariffs and reckless war in Iran, they’re about to get even higher. Working families in New Mexico deserve a break,” said Senator Heinrich. “This legislation helps keep hard-earned money in the pockets of working people. While President Trump and Republicans in Congress give massive tax breaks to billionaires, Democrats are working to give families in New Mexico and across the country a permanent tax cut that will make life more affordable.”

“Income inequality in our country is the highest it's ever been. That's no thanks to Republicans' tax law, which not only exploded the deficit, but delivered huge tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% of Americans at the expense of working-class families already struggling to make ends meet,” said Senator Welch. “Making sure millionaires pay their fair share is essential to offsetting Republicans' disastrous trickle-down policies and will put money back in the pockets of everyday Americans.”


Van Hollen, Warren, Gallego Statement on DOJ Investigating Binance Compliance with U.S. Sanctions Law

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, the Committee’s Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and the Committee’s Digital Assets Subcommittee Ranking Member Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) issued the following statement on a report that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether digital asset firm Binance has violated U.S. sanctions laws by facilitating billions of dollars worth of transactions linked to Iran and its proxies tied to terrorism. This development comes after Senator Van Hollen, Ranking Member Warren, Senator Gallego, and all Democrats on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pam Bondi to take this action.

“Binance has an established track record of putting profits ahead of the law. Recent reports raise serious concerns that the firm is again violating U.S. sanctions laws, recklessly helping bankroll the activities of terrorist groups connected to Iran. We will conduct oversight to ensure the Department of Justice conducts a serious investigation into Binance and holds the company accountable for any wrongdoing. This scrutiny is particularly important given recent reports that Binance is engaging in increasingly risky activity in countries through which illicit actors are known to evade U.S. sanctions and export controls.”


Warner Applauds Senate Passage of Landmark Housing Legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, applauds today’s Senate-passage of the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act, the largest legislative housing package in decades. This landmark legislation will build more homes, bring down home purchasing and renting costs, preserve affordable housing in rural areas, help reduce homelessness, and address the rising share of housing owned by large corporate investors.

“Everywhere I go in Virginia, I hear from working families struggling with the high cost of living,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m relieved that Congress has been able to work together in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation that will help bring down housing costs for families, offer assurance to veterans and rural Virginians, take steps to reduce homelessness, and strengthen protections for renters. In this economy, Americans deserve some financial relief and security.”

The legislation includes more than 40 bipartisan housing provisions, several authored and championed by Sen. Warner, including:

The RESIDE Act, legislation drafted by Sen. Warner and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) that creates a new pilot program to help communities convert vacant buildings – such as abandoned hotels, warehouses, and strip malls – into affordable homes. The program operates within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the nation’s largest federal block grant dedicated to affordable housing. It provides grants to local governments for acquisition, site prep, and rehabilitation of vacant properties, with priority given to communities that reduce regulatory barriers to housing conversion. Since its inception in 1992, the HOME program has invested over $788 million into communities across Virginia – helping build and preserve over 31,000 homes, create over 37,000 jobs, and generate $2.4 billion in local income. The RESIDE pilot program will allow communities to scale new housing development and test innovative strategies that could ultimately be adopted more broadly within the HOME program.

The Housing Supply Expansion Act, legislation that updates the federal definition of manufactured housing to allow homes that are not built on a permanent chassis, helping encourage innovation and expand affordable housing options.

The Homes Are For People, Not Corporations Act, legislation that prohibits large institutional investors from purchasing certain single-family homes to promote homeownership opportunities for American families, not corporations.

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act, legislation that ensures veterans are made aware of their home loan benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), which may provide a more affordable lending option.

The Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act, legislation that improves transparency for veteran homebuyers by requiring Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage disclosures to include cost comparison information to make veterans aware of their home loan benefits through the VA and help them compare those options to FHA financing.

The Rural Housing Service Reform Act, legislation that reforms the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Housing Service, including by decoupling rental assistance from maturing mortgages to preserve affordable housing in rural areas. This will help preserve housing access for 400,000 rural families.

Incentivizing Local Solutions to Homelessness, a provision that allows states and localities that receive Emergency Solutions Grant funding to request a waiver of the statutory 60 percent spending cap on emergency shelter beds and street outreach.

The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act, legislation that permanently authorizes the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and establishes the Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency within HUD to administer the program.

The Whole-Home Repairs Act, legislation that authorizes a pilot program to offer grants and forgivable loans to eligible recipients to address home repair needs and health hazards to stabilize aging housing stock.

The Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, which lifts the cap on the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and codifies tenant protections.

The Community Investment and Prosperity Act, legislation that increases the Public Welfare Investments cap applicable to banks supervised by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve from 15% to 20%, which will enhance banks’ capacity to make private investments in affordable housing.

The Better Use of Intergovernmental and Local Development (BUILD) Housing Act, legislation that cuts red tape around environmental reviews, empowering state, local, and tribal governments to streamline reviews and increase housing development.

The Housing Affordability Act, legislation that requires the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to increase multifamily loan limits to better match housing market costs and enhance affordability.

Grants For Planning and Implementation Associated with Affordable Housing, which authorizes a pilot program to offer competitive grants to assist state, local, and tribal governments with regional housing planning and community development activities.

The Appraisal Industry Improvement Act, legislation that helps bolster appraiser workforce capacity, including by allowing both licensed and credentialed appraisers to conduct appraisals for FHA-insured mortgage lending transactions.

The ROAD to Housing Act also includes numerous provisions that require annual testimony and reporting from federal housing agencies and establishes oversight of key housing programs and funds.

Sen. Warner has long prioritized expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership. He has introduced and supported a range of bipartisan bills to spur new housing construction and redevelopment, including the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act, Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, and the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act. He is also the lead author of the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act, which would help qualified first-generation homebuyers build equity in their homes by offering a 20-year mortgage with monthly payments comparable to a traditional 30-year loan, and the Yes in God’s Backyard (YIGBY) Act, which would help faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education unlock the promise of their existing land holdings by transforming underused property into much-needed affordable housing. Additionally, Sen. Warner is a cosponsor of the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, which would provide federal grants to help first-generation homebuyers cover down payments, closing costs, and other upfront expenses.

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *


Warnock, Kaine Introduce Bill to End Trump Tariffs

Senators Reverend Warnock and Kaine introduced the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, legislation that would end President Trump’s indiscriminate 10 percent tariff on most global goods

The legislation would repeal Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, an outdated law President Trump is using to justify his newest round of global tariffs

In February, the Supreme Court ruled against the president’s reckless tariff policy. Hours later, President Trump announced a 10 percent global tariff on most of the world

Senator Reverend Warnock: “President Trump’s tariff policies are wrecking our economy and American families are the ones paying the price”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), ranking member of the Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, legislation that would end President Trump’s indiscriminate 10 percent tariff on most global goods. The legislation would repeal Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974; an outdated law President Trump is using to justify his newest round of global tariffs. In February, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 for the first time in its 50-year history.

“President Trump’s tariff policies are wrecking our economy and American families are the ones paying the price,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This administration promised to protect our workers and bring back manufacturing jobs. Instead, we’re seeing higher costs, job losses, and more uncertainty. This commonsense legislation will repeal an out-of-date authority that the President is using to raise prices on Americans. I’m proud to work with Senator Kaine to hold this president in check and put a stop to this madness.”

“Everywhere I go across Virginia, I hear about how costs are too high. Yet, instead of focusing on addressing Americans’ concerns, President Trump has doubled down on imposing universal tariffs that are raising prices—relying on an outdated authority that has never been used in history,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m introducing this legislation to repeal that outdated authority and provide some relief to the American people from these cost-raising taxes.”

After taking office in January 2025, President Trump imposed tariffs on almost all of the United States’ trading partners. In February 2026, hours after the Supreme Court ruled against the administration’s tariff policy, President Trump imposed a 10 percent global flat tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Days later, the president threatened to increase that flat tariff rate to 15 percent. The non-partisan Tax Foundation found President Trump’s tariffs cost the average American household $1,000 last year. Most American families are on track to lose $1,300 from President Trump’s tariffs in 2026.

Senator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration’s reckless tariff policy and the uncertain market conditions it creates for Georgia small businesses and the higher prices it imposes on Georgia families. Senator Warnock is vigilant in defending programs that help Georgia small business owners keep more profits in their pockets.

In addition to Warnock and Kaine, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Patty Murray (D-WA). Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Jimmy Panneta (D-CA-19).

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Warnock Private Equity Housing Ban Passes the Senate as Endorsements Flood In

The Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 89-10

The bipartisan housing package includes the Senator’s provision to ban large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes

Georgia’s housing market is suffocated by private equity, with more than one in four single family rental homes in Atlanta owned by large corporations

The American people believe single-family homes should belong to single families – recent polling shows 73% of Americans want to ban Wall Street from owning single family homes.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) applauds the overwhelmingly bipartisan passage of his legislation to ban large investors, including private equity, from mass purchasing single-family homes. The Senator’s provision, included as part of the comprehensive 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act package passed the Senate by a vote of 89-10. Last spring, the Senator introduced a transformative housing package, including legislation to close tax loopholes that have helped large corporations mass purchase single-family homes, which served as a starting point for the bipartisan private equity ban that is on its way to becoming law as part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

“Today is a win for homebuyers in Georgia and across the country,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“I’m thrilled that a provision that I negotiated to stop private equity and large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes is on its way to becoming law. Let me make it plain: private equity’s greed is squeezing first-time homebuyers out of the market and pushing the American Dream further out of reach. I thought Congress ought to get something done; that’s why I’ve worked tirelessly for months to get this over the finish line.”

The housing package is gaining popularity with over 27 endorsements. Below are just a few of the organizations that are throwing their support behind Senator Warnock’s provision to ban private equity from mass purchasing single-family homes.

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

“Georgia Advancing Communities Together believes that every Georgian deserves access to safe, stable, and affordable housing, whether they rent or aspire to own a home. Addressing the housing crisis requires a fair and equitable approach to expanding supply across all income levels, including the often overlooked ‘missing middle’ that serves working families, teachers, healthcare workers, and small business owners. We support efforts that protect opportunities for first-time homebuyers while also encouraging the responsible development of new housing so communities can grow and thrive. Georgia ACT thanks Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock for his leadership in advancing the bipartisan 21st Century Housing Act and for standing up for policies that help ensure housing is accessible for families, not just investors. When we protect pathways to homeownership and increase the supply of homes across the housing continuum, we strengthen neighborhoods, expand economic opportunity, and move closer to a future where there is housing for all Georgians.”

Public Citizen

“Addressing corporate greed and concentration is one of the most important steps toward solving our affordability crisis, especially in housing,” said Joshua Miller, Director of Congress Watch at Public Citizen.“Across the country, institutional investors have been buying homes at scale, driving up prices to prioritize profits and putting homeownership out of reach for too many families. This bill takes important steps to put families, not Wall Street, in control of housing.”

Consumer Federation of America:

“Buying a home has rarely been more unaffordable than it is today. The 21st Century Road to Housing Act takes important steps to tackle our historic housing crisis, expand mortgage access, and block private equity corporations from scooping up homes. The Consumer Federation of America is thrilled to see Congress take meaningful bipartisan action on an issue that impacts every community across America.”

For more information about Senator Warnock’s provision to ban private equity from mass purchasing single-family homes, click HERE.

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Warnock Statement on Washington Republicans’ Move to Block Funding for TSA Workers

Today, Senate Republicans blocked legislation to pay TSA workers, as well as legislation to fund the Coast Guard and FEMA

This week, Senator Reverend Warnock joined a bipartisan effort to provide funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the event of a lapse in funding

This week, TSA agents will miss their first full paycheck due to the partial government shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked legislation to pay TSA workers, as well as legislation to fund the Coast Guard and FEMA. Senate Republicans refuse to fund these agencies unless Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is allowed to continue to operate without reasonable guardrails to protect U.S. citizens’ constitutional rights.

Additionally, Senator Warnock joined forces with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) on the bipartisan Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2025, which would provide funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic controllers in the event of a government shutdown.

“TSA workers shouldn’t be pawns in Washington’s partisan political games. Congressional Republicans are forcing a false choice between paying TSA agents and the safety and civil rights of U.S. citizens. I urge my colleagues to help us pass legislation that pays TSA agents immediately while continuing negotiations to ensure our immigration enforcement has training and accountability.

In 2025, Senator Warnock broke with his own party and voted for the Shutdown Fairness Act, which would have provided funding to pay excepted and furloughed federal employees and certain contractors, including TSA agents, during all future government shutdowns. Senator Warnock is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan Keep America Flying Act to pay TSA agents and air traffic controllers during a government shutdown. Senator Warnock has now voted three times to pay essential workers during government shutdowns. All three votes have failed on the Senate floor.