{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-ricketts-discusses-making-housing-more-affordable-south-fork-fire/", "VIDEO: Ricketts Discusses Making Housing More Affordable, South Fork Fire", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. This historic housing bill includes Senator Ricketts\u2019 Streamlining Rural Housing Act and other priorities to make housing more affordable.\n\n\u201cAs you all know, Nebraska is the best place in the world to live,\u201d said Ricketts. Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Omaha as the second-best city for recent college grads to live. This is great news. It also emphasizes the work we need to continue to do to increase housing stock. More homes mean housing is more affordable.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenate Republicans are fighting to make homeownership more attainable for all Nebraskans,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cCutting through bureaucratic red tape and increasing efficiency will increase housing stock and make housing more affordable. That\u2019s why I am fighting to get the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act signed into law.\u201d\n\nSenator Ricketts also thanked the firefighters combatting the South Fork Fire.\n\n\u201cAfter a year of historic wildfires, the South Fork Fire has burned over 39,000 acres, with about 75% containment,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cThis week, Nebraska was able to secure a FEMA grant that should help with local efforts. I\u2019ll keep supporting our firefighters and local authorities. My prayers are with them.\u201d\n\nWatch the video here.\n\nTRANSCRIPT:\n\n\u201cFirst off, thank you to the brave firefighters who continue keep Nebraskans safe.\n\n\u201cAfter a year of already historic wildfires, the South Fork fire has burned over 39,000 acres with about 75% containment.\n\n\u201cThis week, Nebraska was able to secure a FEMA grant that should help with local efforts.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll keep supporting our firefighters and local authorities.\n\n\u201cMy prayers are with them.\n\n\u201cTogether, Nebraskans will rebuild.\n\n\u201cSecond, on Iran:\n\nI appreciate the Trump administration\u2019s continued efforts to negotiate a diplomatic solution with Iran.\n\n\u201cIt is important that the Straits of Hormuz remain open.\n\n\u201cSubsequently, we should see the price of goods that go through the Strait drop.\n\n\u201cThis includes gas and fertilizer.\n\n\u201cFrom the beginning, President Trump has said Operation Epic Fury had a short, limited timeline.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s goal was to make sure Iran\u2019s terrorist regime could never have a nuclear weapon.\n\n\u201cWe need to make sure that never happens.\n\n\u201cFinally, as you all know, Nebraska is the best place in the world to live.\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, U.S. News and World Report ranked Omaha as the second-best city for recent college grads to live.\n\n\u201cThis is great news.\n\n\u201cIt also emphasizes the work we need to continue to do to increase housing stock.\n\n\u201cMore homes mean housing is more affordable.\n\n\u201cThe average age of a first-time home buyer is now about 40 years old across the country.\n\n\u201cJust a decade ago, the average first-time homebuyer was 31.\n\n\u201cRed tape and regulations are driving up the cost of housing.\n\n\u201cThis makes it more difficult for first-time home buyers.\n\n\u201cBy one estimate, regulations account for nearly 25% of the cost of a single-family home.\n\n\u201cFor a typical apartment development, it\u2019s even worse.\n\n\u201cRegulations account for 40% of the cost.\n\n\u201cOne Nebraska apartment builder told me he used to be able to build apartments for about $15,000 per unit, and now it costs him over $200,000 per unit.\n\n\u201cNow this is not a new issue.\n\n\u201cWhen I was governor, I took steps to address this.\n\n\u201cWe passed the Rural Workforce Housing Bill.\n\n\u201cWe created a $7 million rural workforce housing fund, and later added $10 million more to it.\n\n\u201cNebraska communities applied for grants, typically to make low-interest loans.\n\n\u201cThese funds helped homebuilders come to a rural community to build houses and apartment buildings.\n\n\u201cThey helped cover construction costs, down payment assistance, and technical assistance.\n\n\u201cThis program was simple and successful.\n\n\u201cAs Senator, I\u2019m advocating for this proven Nebraska solution for the rest of the country.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m working with my Republican colleagues to make it easier to build homes.\n\n\u201cThis week, my Senate Republican colleagues and I are voting on the 21st Century Road to Housing Act.\n\n\u201cMy Senate Banking Committee colleagues and I already passed this out of committee.\n\n\u201cThat vote was bipartisan and unanimous.\n\n\u201cWhen we pass it on the Senate floor, I look forward to applauding Chairman Scott for his leadership on this bill.\n\n\u201cThe House has passed its own version of it as well.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re taking the best parts of the Senate bill and the best parts of the House bill to make sure we give the American people the best product to make housing more affordable.\n\n\u201cThe Senate and House should vote on this bill again, and then send it to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cThe 21st Century Road to Housing Act puts us on a path to make homeownership more affordable.\n\n\u201cThe housing bill includes many of my bipartisan bills, including the Streamlining Rural Housing Act, which will enhance efficiency and lower costs.\n\n\u201cHousing projects often draw both Department of Housing and Urban Development money, or HUD, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, for a portion of their funding.\n\n\u201cThey have overlapping review and permitting processes.\n\n\u201cMy bill would consolidate these that way housing developers only have to do them once.\n\n\u201cThis will help us build more homes faster by getting the money out the door faster.\n\n\u201cI have led efforts on three additional bills included in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that will help government leverage programs and processes that we already have.\n\n\u201cThis includes the Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act to streamline NEPA reviews.\n\n\u201cIt also includes my Improving Housing Access Act and my Housing for America\u2019s Middle-Class Act.\n\n\u201cI also have two bills to support veterans:\n\n\u201cThe VA Home Loan Awareness Act and the Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure, or VALID Act, to better inform veterans of the VA Home Loan Program and make veterans\u2019 housing more accessible by helping educate veterans about these programs.\n\n\u201cI also have co-sponsored the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act to improve existing loans, grants, and rental assistance to rural communities.\n\n\u201cWe want to support hard-working Americans.\n\n\u201cImproving housing access across Nebraska is just one piece of how we are making the Good Life more affordable.\n\n\u201cSenate Republicans are fighting to make homeownership more attainable for all Nebraskans.\n\n\u201cCutting through bureaucratic red tape and increasing efficiency will increase housing stock and make housing more affordable.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m fighting to get the 21st Century Road to Housing Act signed into law.\u201d", 1, "2026-07-01T06:34:07Z", "2026-07-01T06:35:35Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", 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