[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CALL TO SERVICE HOMEBUYER CREDIT ACT OF 2009

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 15, 2009

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, in June of this year, a constituent 
contacted me regarding an issue of great concern to his family. He and 
his wife had purchased a home in my district with the First Time 
Homebuyer Credit. Yet, because of a temporary government assignment 
overseas, they were being forced to repay the credit. This constituent 
eloquently expressed his frustration and asked my office to help him, 
and the thousands of Foreign Service families like his.
  I'm proud to say that today we are doing just that by introducing the 
``Call to Service Homebuyer Credit Act of 2009.''
  This bill would allow members of the armed services, Foreign Service, 
and intelligence community to take full advantage of the 2009 First 
Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.
  Currently, the credit provides up to $8,000 towards the purchase of a 
home, from December 31, 2008 through November 30, 2009, provided that 
the home is a primary residence for 36 months afterward. The program 
has been so successful that the National Association of Realtors 
estimates 1.8 million families will file for the credit, and that 
350,000 wouldn't have been able to purchase a home without it.
  But for all its popularity, the credit is inaccessible to many 
Americans--like my constituent--serving our country in the military, 
Foreign Service, or intelligence community. These occupations often 
require time served abroad, or otherwise away from home, rendering a 
36-month commitment to a primary residence a difficult proposition. 
Even now, hundreds of thousands of men and women are overseas serving 
our country on bases, embassies, or other posts, away from friends and 
family, and often in hazardous locations. Those serving the public 
should not have to choose between their job and their home.
  This bill protects those called to service, now or in the future, by 
counting duty away from home as time spent fulfilling the primary 
occupancy requirement. It also gives a second chance to those who 
served away from home in 2009 by extending the credit for one year. 
This bill will give these men and women the same opportunity as other 
Americans to own a home.
  I appreciate the engagement of the Ways and Means Committee on this 
issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to quickly 
enact these thoughtful provisions.

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