HOUSING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT

HOUSING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S773-S796] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HOUSING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy). The clerk will report the bill by title. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: A bill (H.R. 6644) to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes. Amendment No. 4308 (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute) Mr. Scott of South Carolina. I call up substitute amendment No. 4308. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Carolina [Mr. SCOTT] proposes an amendment numbered 4308 to H.R. 6644. Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask that the reading be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of Amendments.'') Amendment No. 4307 Mr. THUNE. I call up amendment No. 4307 from Senator Scott. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: [[Page S774]] The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune], for Mr. Scott of South Carolina, proposes an amendment numbered 4307 to amendment No. 4308. Mr. THUNE. I ask that the reading be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress studies on workforce housing, housing for persons who are elderly or disabled, proximity of housing to Superfund sites, and residential heirs property) At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. __. GAO STUDIES. (a) Workforce Housing Study.-- (1) Middle-income household defined.--In this subsection, the term ``middle income household'' means a household with an income above 80-percent but that does not exceed 120- percent of the median family income of the area, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with adjustments for smaller and larger families. (2) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report that-- (A) identifies obstacles middle-income households face when looking to secure affordable housing; (B) identifies geographic areas where housing is the most unaffordable and unavailable for middle-income households; (C) includes a list of Federal housing programs, including Federal tax credits, grants, and loan programs, that are not available to middle-income households due to their income status, including Federal housing programs designed to promote affordability; (D) recommends income and other parameters to establish a clear and consistent Federal definition for the term ``workforce housing'' for use when describing the segment of housing that could be made available to those middle-income households in Federal housing programs if funding commensurate with the additional eligibility were to be made available; and (E) analyzes how to modify or newly develop new Federal housing programs and incentives to include ``workforce housing'' if funding commensurate with the additional eligibility were to be made available. (b) Housing for Elderly or Disabled.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to Congress a report that identifies options to remove barriers and improve housing for persons who are elderly or disabled, including any potential impacts of providing capital advances for-- (1) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q); and (2) the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013). (c) Proximity of Housing to Superfund Sites.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to Congress a report that identifies how many residential dwelling units, and how many dwelling units that are a part of public housing (as defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))), are located less than 1 mile from a site that is included on the National Priorities List established pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9605). (d) Residential Heirs Property.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out a study and submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that-- (1) establishes a comprehensive definition of residential heirs property, or family land inherited without a will or legal documentation of ownership; (2) examines the occurrence of and consequences to owners of residential heirs property, and provides an estimate regarding the number of current residential heirs properties; (3) describes the objectives and requirements of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 2010; (4) details the various resources that may be available to the owners of residential heirs properties, including housing counseling, legal services, and financial assistance to resolve residential heirs property title issues from the Federal Government, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education; and (5) makes recommendations with respect to how to reduce the number of residential heirs properties, including-- (A) by incentivizing States and other jurisdictions which enact or adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act or similar such reforms; (B) by awarding grants to States and other jurisdictions to assist residents of those States and jurisdictions to establish and document property ownership rights or settle a decedent's estate; (C) by awarding grants to entities that-- (i) provide housing counseling, legal assistance, and financial assistance to homeowners and their heirs relating to title clearing and home retention efforts of heirs' property; and (ii) target services to low- and moderate-income persons or provide services in neighborhoods that have a high concentration of low- and moderate-income persons; and (D) by conducting other activities that assist individuals to clear title with respect to heirs' property and with general estate planning. Mr. THUNE. I ask for the yeas and nays on the amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. Amendment No. 4310 to Amendment No. 4307 Mr. THUNE. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 4310 to amendment No. 4307. Mr. THUNE. I ask that the reading be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To improve the bill) At the end add the following: ``This Act shall take effect 1 day after the date of enactment.'' Amendment No. 4311 Mr. THUNE. I have an amendment to the text of the underlying bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 4311 to the text proposed to be stricken by amendment No. 4308. Mr. THUNE. I ask that the reading be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To improve the bill) At the end add the following: ``This Act shall take effect 2 days after the date of enactment.'' Mr. THUNE. I ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. Amendment No. 4312 to Amendment No. 4311 Mr. THUNE. I have a second-degree amendment at the desk. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 4312 to amendment No. 4311. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To improve the bill) Strike ``2 days'' and insert ``3 days'' Motion to Commit with Amendment No. 4313 Mr. THUNE. I move to commit the bill to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs with instructions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] moves to commit the bill to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs with instructions to report back forthwith with an amendment numbered 4313. Mr. THUNE. I ask that the reading be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To improve the bill) At the end add the following: ``This Act shall take effect 4 days after the date of enactment.'' Mr. THUNE. I ask for the yeas and nays on the motion to commit with instructions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. Amendment No. 4314 Mr. THUNE. I have an amendment to the instructions. [[Page S775]] The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] proposes an amendment numbered 4314 to the instructions of the motion 

Referenced legislation: HR6644, HR6644