the HELPER Act seeks to provide Federal Housing Administration home loan assistance to teachers, cops, firefighters and other first responders
Support federal housing loan assistance for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders so they can buy homes in the communities where they serve.
Occurrences
Evidence
Sponsor: Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL] (Introduced 03/12/2025). Latest Action: Senate - 03/12/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The bill is titled 'To amend the National Housing Act to establish a mortgage insurance program for first responders, and for other purposes.' The text states it would establish an FHA mortgage insurance program for first responders and provides for no down payment.
The HELPER Act is a Top Priority for Senator Moody and the First Bill She is Sponsoring as Florida’s Newest U.S. Senator. The release says the bill would provide mortgage assistance to law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, and that primary and secondary teachers would also be eligible for the home loan program.
Congress.gov lists S.978 as introduced by Sen. Ashley Moody on March 12, 2025, with the latest action showing it was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; the tracker still shows the bill as Introduced.
Assessments
Moody materially advanced the promised policy by sponsoring S.978, the HELPER Act of 2025, to establish a federal mortgage insurance/home loan assistance program for first responders and educators. However, the bill remains only introduced and referred to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, with no passage, enactment, or implemented federal loan assistance program. This is a serious legislative attempt but not delivery of the promised outcome.
Moody made a serious federal legislative attempt by sponsoring S.978, the HELPER Act of 2025, which directly matched the promise by proposing FHA mortgage assistance, including no-down-payment support, for first responders and teachers. However, the evidence shows the bill was only introduced and referred to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on March 12, 2025, with no passage or enacted federal program. Because the promised housing loan assistance was not delivered, but she materially attempted it in the same Senate term, this is a failed delivery with an effort badge.