Floor SpeechBipartisan2026-06-24

AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE

TaxesTradeEducationHousingVoting RightsAgriculture

Context

On 2026-06-24, Representative Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7) delivered a floor speech titled "AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE" in the House.

Full Text

AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H4216] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE (Ms. Pettersen of Colorado was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate what the House and Senate were able to do with passing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Across Colorado, families are being squeezed by the skyrocketing cost of housing. Whether it is in the suburbs or our rural communities, there are simply not enough homes. In Colorado alone, we are short 100,000 units, and that is driving up costs for all of us. We know that owning a home is one of the most important pathways to economic opportunity, stability, and generational wealth. It has also been a cornerstone of the American Dream. Yet, it has never been further out of reach. Housing affordability is the number one issue that I hear from constituents. It is their greatest pain point. Young families are losing hope that they will ever be able to buy their first home. Seniors looking to downsize have nowhere to go. Teachers, nurses, and firefighters are being pushed out of the communities they serve, and the people who have lived there their entire lives are being forced to move because they can no longer afford to live in the place where they grew up. That is why addressing the housing crisis has been a top priority for me in Congress and why I am so proud that three of my bills have been included in this package. Like all significant issues facing this country, this is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach. This bill does not address all of the problems that we are facing, but I am so proud that we were able to come together to boost the housing supply, remove barriers to construction, and expand access to homes families can afford. While this was supposed to have been a moment of bipartisanship and celebration, right before coming up here, I was notified that the President has canceled the bill signing. He is holding hostage the most important piece of legislation we have brought for housing in 30 years. He is holding it hostage until he forces through his voter suppression bill that would disenfranchise millions of Americans, especially women who have changed their name after being married. I am truly appalled. I should expect really nothing from this President, but I am absolutely shocked by his actions. President Trump has said that nobody gives an f about housing, and he has reminded us, once again, that he absolutely does not. This is about consolidating power for President Trump. Everything that he does is about him and has nothing to do with you. It is just absolutely shameful. ____________________

View original source →

AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H4216] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION HELD HOSTAGE (Ms. Pettersen of Colorado was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate what the House and Senate were able to do with passing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Across Colorado, families are being squeezed by the skyrocketing cost of housing. Whether it is in the suburbs or our rural communities, there are simply not enough homes. In Colorado alone, we are short 100,000 units, and that is driving up costs for all of us. We know that owning a home is one of the most important pathways to economic opportunity, stability, and generational wealth. It has also been a cornerstone of the American Dream. Yet, it has never been further out of reach. Housing affordability is the number one issue that I hear from constituents. It is their greatest pain point. Young families are losing hope that they will ever be able to buy their first home. Seniors looking to downsize have nowhere to go. Teachers, nurses, and firefighters are being pushed out of the communities they serve, and the people who have lived there their entire lives are being forced to move because they can no longer afford to live in the place where they grew up. That is why addressing the housing crisis has been a top priority for me in Congress and why I am so proud that three of my bills have been included in this package. Like all significant issues facing this country, this is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach. This bill does not address all of the problems that we are facing, but I am so proud that we were able to come together to boost the housing supply, remove barriers to construction, and expand access to homes families can afford. While this was supposed to have been a moment of bipartisanship and celebration, right before coming up here, I was notified that the President has canceled the bill signing. He is holding hostage the most important piece of legislation we have brought for housing in 30 years. He is holding it hostage until he forces through his voter suppression bill that would disenfranchise millions of Americans, especially women who have changed their name after being married. I am truly appalled. I should expect really nothing from this President, but I am absolutely shocked by his actions. President Trump has said that nobody gives an f about housing, and he has reminded us, once again, that he absolutely does not. This is about consolidating power for President Trump. Everything that he does is about him and has nothing to do with you. It is just absolutely shameful. ____________________