[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 16, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2814-S2815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    21ST CENTURY ROAD TO HOUSING ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I have come to address our ROAD to 
Housing bill, which we will vote on in a few minutes.
  At the top of the list, I want to thank Senator Warren for her 
diligence, her hard work, her intelligence, and her ability to reach 
out and take good ideas and synthesize them into outstanding 
legislation. I want to thank all of my colleagues--my Democratic 
colleagues in particular on the Banking Committee--who worked so hard 
on this bill, and there are inputs from every one of them that make 
housing more affordable and easier to afford for so many people across 
the country. I want to thank Senator Scott for cooperating, and I want 
to thank all of the leaderships for getting this bill to the floor.
  This is such a crucial issue for Americans, and it had been forgotten 
and neglected for too long until our Banking Committee Dems turned 
their attention to it, until our caucus turned its attention to it. For 
too long, Americans have struggled with rising housing costs. It hurts 
renters and homeowners alike.
  Most Americans don't know this tragic fact--that the median age for a 
new home buyer in America is now 40 years old--40 years old. The 
housing shortage is nothing less than an existential threat to the 
American dream. Americans feel financially stuck as renting and buying 
a home keep getting more and more expensive, more and more out of 
reach.
  Lowering housing costs is absolutely essential to ending the 
affordability crisis plaguing working families across the country. The 
ROAD to Housing bill is a very important and good, strong first step to 
making housing more affordable. The bipartisan package includes, as I 
said, many bills led by Senate Democrats over the years to expand 
housing supply and lower costs.
  The bill tackles local zoning and permitting that have kept housing 
supply from growing. I have long spoken out against the NIMBYism that 
kills so many projects in our communities that are desperately needed.
  Our legislation supports new manufactured and modular housing so we 
can build more, faster, and it will revitalize blighted properties and 
convert these buildings into new housing. That includes building more 
housing in rural communities that need more housing than ever before. 
The bill also increases housing fairness and access, including 
addressing housing needs for veterans and reducing homelessness. 
Crucially, our bill will bring more certainty in our disaster response 
to help communities recover. This bill makes sure people are not 
squeezed out of the market of buying a home by institutional investors.
  I want to reiterate that this isn't the end of the road--far from it; 
it is just the start. In future years, we need to do even more to make 
that dream of owning a home a reality for more and more and more 
Americans. We need to do so much more, and much more will be needed to 
address the Nation's housing cost crisis as well.
  Senate Democrats will continue to make this a priority. We have 
wanted this to be a priority for a long time, and finally, we have 
taken that first step with the cooperation of our Republican 
colleagues. We need to make a priority downpayment assistance, reducing 
mortgage insurance costs, and doing even more to expand housing supply 
as well as to lower costs.
  So congratulations once again to Senator Warren, to the many Senate 
Democrats who have led crucial pieces of this bill, and to the whole 
Chamber, Democrats and Republicans, for finally taking a much needed 
step in reducing costs of housing and increasing its supply.

[[Page S2815]]

  I yield the floor.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 
that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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