H.R. 2094

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2094 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2094

To amend the National Housing Act to establish a mortgage insurance 
program for first responders, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 14, 2025

Mr. Rutherford (for himself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Garbarino, and 
Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the National Housing Act to establish a mortgage insurance 
program for first responders, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Homes for Every Local Protector, 
Educator, and Responder Act of 2025'' or the ``HELPER Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FHA MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR MORTGAGES FOR FIRST 
RESPONDERS.

Section 203 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
``(z) FHA Mortgage Insurance Program for Mortgages for First 
Responders.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) First responder.--The term `first responder' 
means an individual who is, as attested by the 
individual--
``(i)(I) employed full-time by a law 
enforcement agency of the Federal Government, a 
State, a Tribal government, or a unit of 
general local government; and
``(II) in carrying out such full-time 
employment, sworn to uphold, and make arrests 
for violations of, Federal, State, county, 
township, municipal, or Tribal laws, or 
authorized by law to supervise sentenced 
criminal offenders or individuals with pending 
criminal charges;
``(ii) employed full-time as a firefighter, 
paramedic, or emergency medical technician by a 
fire department or emergency medical services 
responder unit of the Federal Government, a 
State, a Tribal government, or a unit of 
general local government; or
``(iii) employed as a full-time teacher by 
a State-accredited public school or private 
school that provides direct services to 
students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.
``(B) First-time homebuyer.--The term `first-time 
homebuyer' has the meaning given the term in section 
104 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12704).
``(C) State.--The term `State' has the meaning 
given the term in section 201.
``(D) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal 
government' means the recognized governing body of any 
Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, 
village, community, component band, or component 
reservation, individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published most recently 
pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized 
Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
``(2) Authority.--The Secretary may, upon application by a 
mortgagee, insure any mortgage eligible for insurance under 
this subsection to an eligible mortgagor and, upon such terms 
and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, make commitments 
for the insurance of such mortgages prior to the date of their 
execution or disbursement.
``(3) Mortgage terms; mortgage insurance premium.--
``(A) Terms.--
``(i) In general.--A mortgage insured under 
this subsection shall--
``(I) be made to an eligible 
mortgagor;
``(II) comply with the requirements 
established under paragraphs (1) 
through (7) of subsection (b); and
``(III) be used only to--
``(aa) purchase or repair a 
1-family residence, including a 
1-family dwelling unit in a 
condominium project, to serve 
as a principal residence of the 
mortgagor, as attested by the 
mortgagor; or
``(bb) purchase a principal 
residence of the mortgagor, as 
attested by the mortgagor, 
which is--

``(AA) a 
manufactured home to be 
permanently affixed to 
a lot that is owned by 
the mortgagor and 
titled as real 
property; or

``(BB) a 
manufactured home and a 
lot to which the home 
will be permanently 
affixed that is titled 
as real property.

``(ii) No down payment.--Notwithstanding 
any provision to the contrary in the matter 
following subsection (b)(2)(B) with respect to 
first-time homebuyers--
``(I) the Secretary may insure any 
mortgage that involves an original 
principal obligation (including 
allowable charges and fees and the 
premium pursuant to subparagraph (B) of 
this paragraph) in an amount not to 
exceed 100 percent of the appraised 
value of the property involved; and
``(II) the mortgagor of a mortgage 
described in subclause (I) shall not be 
required to pay any amount, in cash or 
its equivalent, on account of the 
property.
``(B) Mortgage insurance premium.--
``(i) Up-front premium.--The Secretary 
shall establish and collect an insurance 
premium in connection with mortgages insured 
under this subsection that is a percentage of 
the original insured principal obligation of 
the mortgage amount, which shall be collected 
at the time and in the manner provided under 
subsection (c)(2)(A), except that the premiums 
collected under this subparagraph--
``(I) may be in an amount that 
exceeds 3 percent of the amount of the 
original insured principal obligation 
of the mortgage; and
``(II) may be adjusted by the 
Secretary from time to time by 
increasing or decreasing such 
percentages as the Secretary considers 
necessary, based on the performance of 
mortgages insured under this subsection 
and market conditions.
``(ii) Prohibition of monthly premiums.--A 
mortgage insured under this subsection shall 
not be subject to a monthly insurance premium, 
including a premium under subsection (c)(2)(B).
``(4) Eligible mortgagors.--The mortgagor for a mortgage 
insured under this subsection shall, at the time the mortgage 
is executed--
``(A) be a first-time homebuyer;
``(B) have completed a program of housing 
counseling provided through a housing counseling agency 
approved by the Secretary;
``(C) as attested by the mortgagor--
``(i) be employed as a first responder;
``(ii) have been--
``(I) employed as a first responder 
for not less than 4 of the 5 years 
preceding the date on which the 
mortgagor submitted an application to 
insure the mortgage under this section; 
or
``(II) released from employment as 
a first responder due to an occupation-
connected disability resulting from 
such duty or employment;
``(iii) be in good standing as a first 
responder and not on probation or under 
investigation for conduct that, if determined 
to have occurred, is grounds for termination of 
employment;
``(iv) in good faith intend to continue as 
a first responder for not less than 1 year 
following the date of closing on the mortgage; 
and
``(v) have previously never been the 
mortgagor under a mortgage insured under this 
subsection;
``(D) meet such requirements as the Secretary shall 
establish to ensure that insurance of the mortgage 
represents an acceptable risk to the Mutual Mortgage 
Insurance Fund; and
``(E) meet such underwriting requirements as the 
Secretary shall establish to meet actuarial objectives 
identified by the Secretary, which may include avoiding 
a positive subsidy rate or complying with the capital 
ratio requirement under section 205(f)(2).
``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out the program under this 
subsection--
``(A) $660,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain 
available until expended; and
``(B) $160,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 
through 2032, to remain available until expended.
``(6) Reauthorization required.--The authority to enter 
into new commitments to insure mortgages under this subsection 
shall expire on the date that is 5 years after the date on 
which the Secretary first makes available insurance for 
mortgages under this subsection.''.
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