H.R. 650: Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015, Passes the US House

Thursday, April 16, 2015 2:47:00 PM

Last week we asked for your help in reaching out to members of Congress to ask for their support on H.R. 650.  We know more than 70 TMHA members answered that call, and we are thrilled to report that H.R. 650 was passed out of the House on Tuesday.  The bipartisan bill passed by a vote of 263-162, with 22 Democrats voting in favor of the bill.  TMHA would like to thank everyone who made calls, and those in the Texas Congressional delegation who voted for the bill.

The successfully passage of the bill demonstrates a nationwide and industry unifying effort that got the bill passed this week.  This success came in spite of many recent attacks on our industry and companies within our industry throughout the process, but in particular in the days leading up to the vote.

It was disappointing to hear some of the attacks levied by the opposition that demonstrated their fundamental lack of understanding or willingness to even try to understand our industry.  One of the members who rose in opposition attacked the industry by trying to paint us as rapacious lenders saying that our lenders get money to lend from the Federal Reserve at zero percent.  This one example demonstrates the lack of understanding and political rhetoric that is intended more for a 20 second sound bite than the truth.  Our lenders are not the large depository banks that borrow from the Federal Reserve.  We also don’t have the same 80 percent backend buyer from the Government Sponsored Entities that allow those large depository banks to borrow from the Federal Reserve at next to nothing, lend to borrowers at 3.5%-5%, take in the processing and other fees, and then offload the loans to the GSE’s, thereby removing the risk for default from their balance sheet.  Our lenders are private capital portfolio lenders who retain default risk throughout the entire term of a loan.  Failing to understand or even acknowledge this is frustrating to those of us who do know, and disappointing there are those who would speak in opposition before taking the time to understand that which they vehemently oppose.

However, I don’t want to focus on the negative, but rather all of the positive support we received.  In particular from many of our members here in the great Lone Star State.  Below is a list of the 25 Texas members who voted for HR 650.  I’d ask everyone who contacted their member who voted for the bill to please follow-up with their own personal thank you message or call.  A follow-up communication of gratitude is critical in maintaining and cultivating long term relationships with our Texas delegation.

I’d also like to point out a few Texas members who were particularly supportive of our industry.  First, Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R – TX 5th District) who is the chairman of the committee responsible for first voting HR 650 out on March 25th.  Not only did Chairman Hensarling speak in strong support of the bill in committee and help shepherd it to the floor, he advocated and defended the bill on Monday when the bill went to the Rules Committee and then again on Tuesday when it was on the floor for a final vote.  He further led the defense when a punitive amendment was offered up by Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA 43rd District) directed at specific companies in our industry.

Second, Chairman Randy Neugebauer (R-TX 19th District) who also spoke in strong support of the bill in committee citing the specific time he spent on a retailer’s lot in Lubbock last summer thanks to TMHA members Lance Inderman, Shawn and Rosa Fuller, and Oscar Powers. Chairman Neugebauer also rose during Tuesday’s floor debate to advocate for passage of H.R. 650. Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX 32nd District) was instrumental on Monday chairing the Rules Committee that vetted the bill the day before it went to the floor.  His leadership and support not only protected the bill from amendments, but paved its way to the successful floor vote the following day.

Congressman Rodger Williams (R-TX 25th District) was a co-sponsor of the bill, supported it in committee and then rose on the floor to speak in favor of the bill.  He provided key statistics as to why passage of H.R. 650 is so critical for Texas.  Congressman Kenny Marchant (R- TX 24th District) was also a co-sponsor of the bill and voted for its passage.

Again, there are many other important Texas supporters, and we need to tell them all just how much we appreciate their support.

With H.R 650’s passage out of the House it is now one-third of the way to becoming law.  Now we shift focus to the Senate with the hopes of continued success.  We will once again need everyone’s help and support to make sure our Texas senators know how this is critical legislation would positively impact not only our industry, but provide a better buying experience for our customers, help preserve greater manufactured homeowner equity, and allow some would-be buyers the opportunity to purchase a home they otherwise wouldn’t be able to under the current law and rules.

Great work to everyone and thank you for your advocacy for our Texas manufactured housing industry.

>> Watch Tuesday’s debate on the floor.

Texas Delegation who voted for H.R. 650:

  • Gohmert, Louie - TX 1st
  • Poe, Ted - TX 2nd
  • Johnson, Sam - TX 3rd
  • Ratcliffe, John - TX 4th
  • Hensarling, Jeb - TX 5th
  • Barton, Joe - TX 6th
  • Culberson, John - TX 7th
  • Brady, Kevin - TX 8th
  • McCaul, Michael - TX 10th
  • Conaway, Michael - TX 11th
  • Granger, Kay - TX 12th
  • Thornberry, Mac - TX 13th
  • Weber, Randy - TX 14th
  • Flores, Bill - TX 17th
  • Neugebauer, Randy - TX 19th
  • Smith, Lamar - TX 21st
  • Olson, Pete - TX 22nd
  • Hurd, Will - TX 23rd
  • Marchant, Kenny - TX 24th
  • Williams, Roger - TX 25th
  • Burgess, Michael - TX 26th
  • Farenthold, Blake - TX 27th
  • Carter, John - TX 31st
  • Sessions, Pete - TX 32nd
  • Babin, Brian - TX 36th