Financial Services Committee’s Bipartisan Housing for the 21st Century Act Passes House
Washington,
February 9, 2026
Today, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, led by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-AR), Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Chair Mike Flood (R-NE), and Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), passed the full U.S. House of Representatives by a strong bipartisan vote of 390-9. This bipartisan housing package addresses the housing shortage we face and the need to build more homes by cutting red tape, modernizing HUD, and unlocking financing to boost supply. Chairman Hill said, “Owning a home has been the cornerstone achievement many Americans have equated with attaining the American Dream. Our Committee has been laser-focused on creating solutions and today, we delivered for the American people. The passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act includes real, bipartisan solutions to expanding supply, lowering costs, and providing families with more options. I commend Ranking Member Waters, Subcommittee Chair Flood, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Cleaver on collaborating on this legislation and I look forward to ultimately bringing a bicameral product to the President’s desk.” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated, “Housing costs have soared beyond the reach of millions of American families thanks to Bidenflation, while outdated and burdensome red tape has constrained our nation’s affordable housing supply and limited our ability to expand it. Today’s House passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act is a critical step toward addressing this shortage by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, modernizing HUD programs, and giving banks flexibility to deploy capital to increase our housing supply. I appreciate Chairman French Hill’s leadership and the work and contributions of all Members whose bills are included in this legislative package. House Republicans are committed to making homeownership affordable again for American families.” Majority Leader Scalise (R-LA) added, "As part of our mission to lower costs across the board for the American people, House Republicans passed legislation today to make housing more affordable for hardworking Americans, increase housing supply, and expand local lending. I’m grateful to Chairman French Hill and the Financial Services Committee for their work to restore the American Dream, and am glad to see the Housing for the 21st Century Act head to the Senate.” Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) said, "Our House Republican team is working with President Trump on his promise to make life affordable again for hardworking Americans. The Housing for the 21st Century Act is an important step in the right direction. Thank you to my friend and colleague, Chairman Hill, for his leadership in getting this across the finish line. I’m also proud to see an issue that I've worked on for nearly a decade, the Keeping Deposits Local Act, included in this bill to give local banks the flexibility they need to grow, compete, and invest in their communities.” Ranking Member Waters added, “For far too many families across the country, the American Dream is slipping further out of reach as the number of safe and affordable places to call home dwindles and costs continue to soar. That struggle is not abstract. Working families, young children, seniors, teachers, veterans – these are the faces of the affordable housing and homelessness crisis throughout our nation. The passage of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, is a historic first step toward confronting a housing crisis that is squeezing families and communities nationwide. While more must be done, including real federal investments to meet the scale of this housing crisis, H.R. 6644 provides a strong foundation to build on. I commend Chairman Hill, Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver, and Subcommittee Chair Flood for working with me to put families first and advance this important legislation. I will continue to work with urgency to deliver a strong bicameral bill to the President’s desk as we owe it to the millions of renters and homeowners who need us to act now.” Subcommittee Chair Flood stated, “America's significant housing shortage is locking entire generations out of home ownership. As the Chairman of the Housing & Insurance Subcommittee, I’m proud of the broad support this housing package received every step of the way. Today’s vote shows that bipartisanship is still alive in Washington and continues to be crucial to solving our shared challenges. Now that the legislation has passed the House floor, I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to get housing affordability legislation to President Trump’s desk swiftly." Rep. Cleaver said, “The Housing for the 21st Century Act takes historic steps to expand the development and preservation of affordable housing in communities across the country, ensuring lower housing costs and more opportunities for hardworking families to achieve the American dream. I’m proud of the overwhelming support we were able to obtain with this comprehensive housing package, which underscores the bipartisan nature of the legislation and the broad support for reforms that will drive down costs. As we move toward negotiations with the Senate, I’m confident that we can achieve a bicameral agreement that will address our national housing affordability crisis and lead to relief for the American people.” Click here for the text of the bill. Click here for a one-pager. Click here for a section-by-section. Further Background:
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