Road To Housing Act Dropped From Ndaa, Sparking Trade Group Response

The ROAD to Housing Act was left out of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the final House text released Sunday, leaving the mortgage industry to continue pushing for housing provisions into the first quarter of next year. 

The bipartisan bill — which includes policies to address housing affordability, boost supply, modernize financing options, reduce regulatory barriers and promote economic mobility — passed through the Senate banking committee in July with a unanimous vote and was approved by the full Senate in early October. But in the House, Republicans sought more room to shape their own housing legislation.

“This is a classic case of both the House and the Senate wanting to put their best foot forward on a key policy issue and just getting synchronized with one another,” Bill Killmer, senior vice president for legislative and political affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), said in an interview with HousingWire.

“It’s remarkable that the Senate has been able to pass it unanimously this summer, but it’s also understandable that the House wanted to assert its prerogatives.” 

The House’s version of the package is expected to be unveiled by the end of the week. Lawmakers had flagged about a dozen provisions within the ROAD package they wanted to revisit or refine.

Industry experts say this creates an opportunity to insert additional single-family housing and homeownership measures, noting that the Senate version is viewed as heavily focused on affordable rental housing.

A markup in the House Committee on Financial Services is also possible next week.

“It is critical that we deliver real solutions that empower Americans and strengthen communities,” committee Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) said in a statement. “This month, the Financial Services Committee will advance solutions to tackle housing cost and access challenges for American families, homeowners and renters.

“Next year, we look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to send a bill to the president’s desk that reflects the views of both chambers and leads to more affordable choices for America’s homeowners and renters.”

Mortgage trade groups expressed disappointment that the housing provisions were removed from the NDAA. But they added that they were encouraged by the Trump administration’s focus on homeownership and by signs that Congress intends to address the housing package separately.

“Even without legislation, much can be done, and CHLA is excited that the Trump Administration is focused on homeownership actions like considering reducing loan-level price adjustment loan fees for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans and streamlining regulatory barriers so that independent mortgage bankers can originate mortgage loans more efficiently and at a lower cost to borrowers,” said Scott Olson, executive director of the Community Home Lenders of America.

“Next week, the House Financial Services Committee will mark up several housing bills, including pieces of ROAD. We will keep pressing Congress to move comprehensive legislation early in 2026 that expands supply and makes housing more affordable for families across the country,” said Dennis Shea, executive vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Isaac Boltansky, head of public policy at Pennymac, said he is “cautiously optimistic that a major housing package will land on the president’s desk early next year.”

“We anticipate that the House Financial Services Committee will do thoughtful work to strengthen and expand the Senate-passed ROAD to Housing package, ensuring a strong bipartisan victory that maximizes both the breadth and depth of its impact,” Boltansky said.