{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-introduces-comprehensive-housing-legislation/", "Scott Introduces Comprehensive Housing Legislation", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, introduced the ROAD to Housing Act, comprehensive legislation to reverse decades of failed housing policies and make targeted reforms across all segments of the U.S. housing market. Senator Scott has made access to quality, affordable housing a top priority during his time in Congress. This legislation is the result of negotiations with stakeholders and follows feedback on the Senator\u2019s legislative framework, discussion draft, and multiple full committee hearings on legislative solutions to challenges in housing.\n\nRepublicans on the Senate Banking Committee, including Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), joined the Senator on the legislation.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m the son of a single mother \u2013 growing up, we lived with family until we were able to rent a small place of our own. I know firsthand the importance of access to quality, affordable housing. Unfortunately, Democrats\u2019 solution for years has been to spend trillions on programs that have yielded little results, especially for minorities as homeownership rates for African Americans have barely changed in over 50 years,\u201d said Senator Scott. \u201cCosts to buy a home and to rent continue to increase, and homelessness is at record levels. It\u2019s past time for Congress to take serious action to reverse decades of failed housing policies and put all Americans on the road to housing.\u201d\n\n\u201cHomes are the foundation for economic success, family stability and community cohesiveness. Unfortunately, lack of affordable housing is routinely the number one concern I hear from Idahoans in my meetings throughout the state. We must reform inefficient segments of U.S. housing availability across all markets to make the American dream of homeownership attainable for as many Americans as possible,\u201d said Senator Crapo.\n\n\u201cFinding housing that is affordable remains a challenge for homebuyers and renters across the country. In South Dakota, median home prices continue to rise and with the high interest rates needed to fight inflation, achieving the American dream of homeownership is extremely difficult. In order to bring prices down and get more Americans into homes, we must start to cut red tape, remove barriers to opportunity and prioritize accountability of Federal bureaucrats. The ROAD to Housing Act will help accomplish that,\u201d said Senator Rounds.\n\n\u201cUnder the Biden-Harris Administration, reckless spending and excessive regulations have driven housing affordability to its lowest in decades, devastating American families in the process,\u201d said Senator Hagerty. \u201cAs opposed to the Harris proposal to stimulate demand for housing, this legislation marks a first step toward curbing government overreach and expanding the housing supply.\u201d\n\n\u201cMany people in Wyoming struggle to find affordable housing, and it is past time for Congress to address the housing shortage in a fiscally responsible way,\u201d said Senator Lummis. \u201cThat includes eliminating red tape and holding agencies responsible while making room for innovation. I am joining my friend and colleague Senator Tim Scott in introducing the ROAD to Housing Act to cut red tape which will increase the housing supply.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is no doubt our nation faces an affordable housing crisis, and for many hardworking individuals and families, the American Dream of home ownership is completely out of reach. The ROAD to Housing Act is a comprehensive solution that would take a targeted approach to remove unnecessary red tape to lower the cost of housing, while expanding access to important resources like housing counseling and financial literacy programs. I\u2019m pleased to join my Senate Banking colleagues in supporting Ranking Member Scott\u2019s legislation to empower more Americans and Alabamians with the opportunity to own a home,\u201d said Senator Britt.\n\n\u201cOver the last four years, housing has become unaffordable for families across North Dakota and the country, leaving many struggling to find a quality place to live,\u201d said Senator Cramer. \u201cIt\u2019s time to prioritize solutions over rhetoric to help communities throughout the nation, so I joined Senator Scott in introducing the ROAD to Housing Act to provide targeted solutions for renters, homeowners, and the homeless.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur ROAD to Housing Act will provide much-needed relief across the housing market at a time when Montanans are struggling under the Biden administration\u2019s record inflation and high interest rates. This is a step in the right direction to help Montana families find safe and affordable places to live, work and raise a family,\u201d said Senator Daines.\n\nKEY PILLARS OF THE ROAD TO HOUSING ACT:\n\nThe Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act takes a comprehensive view of federal housing policy, introducing long-needed reforms across all segments of the U.S. housing market, centering support around families and communities. For too long, scattershot approaches to assist renters, homeowners, and the homeless have failed to produce meaningful results. The ROAD to Housing Act will pave the way to increasing housing supply, improving quality of life for families, and importantly, providing economic opportunity in communities across the nation.\n\nSAFETY AND SOUNDNESS:\n\nThe American Dream isn\u2019t realized when a family purchases its first home \u2013 the American Dream is realized each day that a family grows in its home, helping to build stable economic foundations and communities. Families deserve reliable access to a responsibly regulated housing market. Our federal housing programs require greater oversight from Congress to ensure that they are operating in a safe and sound manner. The ROAD to Housing Act aims to ensure the households who utilize federal housing programs have greater access to tools which enhance financial literacy and improve economic opportunity.\n\nENCOURAGING COMPETITION AND INNOVATION:\n\nHousing policy is inherently local, and federal legislators should encourage local solutions to local problems. One-size-fits-all mandates on housing providers reduce consumer choice, increase costs, and restrict private market competition. The ROAD to Housing Act intends to encourage responsible innovation and allow for new approaches to ensure that communities, whether rural or urban, can meet the housing needs of their residents.\n\nPROVIDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND COMBATTING HOMELESSNESS:\n\nToo often, families struggling for help find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty. While HUD provides some assistance, federally subsidized properties have historically concentrated poverty and limited the economic mobility of residents. Homeless assistance programs have similarly failed to deliver the results we need, with the total number of homeless individuals at the highest levels ever recorded.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-introduces-comprehensive-housing-legislation/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5542306937277317, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}