Prior to Ensign’s action, the Senate completed work on one section of the housing package, approving a portion of the bill by an overwhelming 79-16 vote that would provide FHA modernization and reform for the government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

However, as Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) asked for Unanimous Consent to move to consideration of the tax title and completion of the bill, Ensign objected, blocking the Senate’s ability to move forward on the housing bill and essentially killing its progress for now.  The bill has been pulled from the Senate floor and Reid has indicated  that the Senate will try again to complete work on the legislation after lawmakers return from their week-long break on July 7. 

Ensign Digs In

Ensign had delayed progress on the bill for two days with a consistent objection to any movement on any component of the housing bill until he was given the opportunity to attach his $8.2 billion energy tax package to the measure.  The Senate leadership objected because the energy provisions would have nearly doubled the cost of the housing package and included no offsetting revenue-raisers. In addition, the energy package was not “housing related,” and there had been an agreement in place that the only amendments eligible for inclusion would be those specifically related to housing. 

When Reid tried to bring up the final package, Ensign blocked it because he felt that attaching his energy package to the housing bill was the best way for the energy provisions to be enacted into law.

NAHB Urges Ensign to Reconsider

NAHB worked feverishly to get Ensign to reconsider and to urge Reid to keep the Senate in session until the housing bill passed. Grassroots alerts were launched in Nevada, as well as the states that have Republican Senators who are facing tough re-election fights.  We also have contacted the Nevada governor’s office and spoke with the Nevada Republican House offices, all with an eye toward pressuring Ensign to back off of his objection. 

In addition, NAHB Senior Vice President/Secretary Bob Nielsen, a builder from Reno, Nev., and NAHB CEO Jerry Howard went to Ensign’s Capitol Hill Senate office to urge him to reconsider. Unfortunately, Ensign held firm on his position. Prior to the meeting with Ensign, Nielsen conducted interviews with Fox Business News and Reuters on the need to enact stimulus legislation now and his upcoming visit with Ensign. In addition, Howard discussed the same topics in interviews with AP, the Washington Post and Politico.

A Week-Long Push for the Housing Bill

Earlier in the week, Jerry Howard participated in a press conference with Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on the need to pass housing stimulus legislation shortly before the Senate began consideration of housing bill H.R. 3221. “We need to pass housing stimulus legislation now to jump-start the economy, save jobs and restore confidence,” said Howard.

As part of this effort, NAHB sent a letter to senators urging them invoke cloture on H.R. 3221 so that lawmakers could move forward to vote on the measure. Because of the importance of this legislation to help relieve the current housing crisis, NAHB designated a vote in support of cloture as a “key vote.” Senators subsequently approved the motion by a vote of 83 to 9.

In addition, NAHB ran “An Open Letter to Congress” this week in The Washington Post, USA Today, Roll Call and Politico under the headline, “A Time for Leadership.”  In the letter, NAHB President Sandy Dunn called on Congress to complete work on the housing stimulus bill before the Fourth of July. “This is not the time for demagoguery or partisanship. It is the time for flexibility and compromise. It is the time for action,” the letter says. A press release was issued touting NAHB’s all-out push to get housing stimulus legislation passed.

The Next Step

With consideration of the housing bill pushed back to July, NAHB is busy working to identify other senators that may try to delay the bill. To that end, South Carolina home builders held a conference call this week with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) to explain the immediate need for the legislation and to urge him to work for expeditious passage. Furthermore, NAHB is continuing to push aggressively to get Ensign to drop his objection and remains in talks with key Senate leaders about overcoming any procedural hurdles that may arise when the Senate resumes consideration of the bill next month. For more information, contact Greg Brown at 800-368-5242, x8421 or Scott Meyer at x8144.