In the wake of the Artemis II mission's triumphant return—a moment that briefly united the nation—a bipartisan coalition in Congress is urging lawmakers to harness that same collaborative spirit for a down-to-earth challenge: America's housing affordability crisis.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act, spearheaded by Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Housing Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood (R-Neb.), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), represents the culmination of 14 months of cross-party negotiations. The 200-page package consolidates more than 40 bills designed to boost housing supply by cutting outdated regulations and encouraging innovative construction methods.
“This crisis isn’t liberal or conservative—it’s hitting every community,” said Cleaver, whose Kansas City district faces a shortage of roughly 64,000 affordable units. Even small towns like Marshall, Missouri, population under 14,000, are feeling the pinch. Rising costs are forcing young adults to move back in with parents and delaying the generational wealth that homeownership provides.
The legislation focuses on supply-side solutions rather than polarizing demand-side mandates. It targets burdensome red tape that inflates construction costs and includes provisions to support manufactured, modular, and factory-built housing—methods that can improve efficiency and reduce expenses.
Federal programs like the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, created decades ago, are also slated for modernization. The bill removes costly requirements and encourages stronger public-private partnerships to unlock development.
The House bill parallels the Senate's 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, led by Banking Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Cleaver estimated the two chambers are “90 percent of the way there,” but cautioned that success hinges on lawmakers' willingness to compromise. “The difference between historic success and tragic failure will come down to accepting compromise,” he said.
Cleaver drew a direct line from the Artemis II mission to the legislative effort, noting that the mission proved “America still has a few more moonshots left in us.” He urged colleagues to resist the gravitational pull of partisan division and focus on delivering for the American people. “When we choose to cooperate and collaborate, we can overpower the divisions that too often hold us back,” he said.
Experts predict the bill, if enacted, would immediately begin addressing the national housing shortfall. With the housing market already under strain—exacerbated by broader economic pressures like the dollar's steep drop since Trump's return, which quietly squeezes American households—the need for action is urgent.
The bill now awaits floor action in the House, where leaders hope the bipartisan momentum can carry it through. As Cleaver put it, “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to stick this landing.”
