Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)
Volunteer First Responder Housing Act
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Volunteer First Responder Housing Act aims to expand housing program eligibility for qualified volunteer first responders. It provides specific benefits through the Department of Agriculture and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. To qualify, individuals must meet certain service and certification requirements for their employer. The bill outlines specific verification processes for these responders. It specifically targets single family housing and property disposition programs.
Yes
- Scored +7
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill expands eligibility for housing programs and discounted home prices for qualified volunteer first responders.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill provides income deductions and discounted home prices that assist with housing affordability.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?
The bill provides a deduction in annual income for housing loan eligibility, which can increase housing affordability for lower-income responders.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Income Deduction for Housing Loans: A qualified volunteer first responder can receive a deduction in annual income of $18,000 when applying for certain programs under the Secretary of Agriculture (Section 3(a)).
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Discounted Home Prices: Qualified individuals can qualify as firefighters or emergency medical technicians for single family property disposition programs that offer discounted home prices through the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Section 4(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Strict Service Requirements: To be considered a qualified volunteer first responder, an individual must have continuously served for a 2-year period and met specific membership or hour requirements (Section 2(3)(B) and (C)).
-
Administrative Burden of Verification: To receive benefits, responders must submit a verification letter from the head of their eligible employer that includes specific dates, attestations of service, and copies of certifications (Section 3(b) and Section 4(b)).
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Continued Service Commitment: To qualify for certain property disposition programs, a responder must provide a certification of their good faith intention to continue serving as a volunteer for at least 1 year after closing on a home (Section 4(b)(4)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill expands eligibility for housing programs and discounted home prices for qualified volunteer first responders. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides a deduction in annual income for housing loan eligibility, which can increase housing affordability for lower-income responders.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides income deductions and discounted home prices that assist with housing affordability.
- 8/31/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/13/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York