Federal programs critical to the U.S. housing market are set to resume after the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation to fund the government and end the longest shutdown in American history.
The measure, which passed the Senate 60–40 on Monday, has been signed into law by President Donald Trump.
“This agreement brings programs critical to housing back online and is welcome news for Americans whose home purchases and insurance renewals have been delayed or derailed over the past several weeks,” says Shannon McGahn, chief advocacy officer and executive vice president of the National Association of REALTORS®.
“[Members] from across the country have reported stalled FHA, VA and USDA loans, as well as halted new flood insurance policies, creating real economic harm that rippled through local economies each day the shutdown continued.”
But McGahn cautions, “There is a six-week backlog with many of these programs, so I would expect there to be some additional delays as they work through them.”
The agreement funds the federal government, including federal housing programs, and provides an extension of insurance-writing authority for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through Jan. 30, 2026.
It also provides funding for three spending bills related to agriculture, military construction and legislative agencies for the full fiscal year through Sept. 30, 2026. Those bills cover U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) loan programs. The agreement also reinstates federal workers with back pay who were furloughed during the shutdown.
Congress will have until the January deadline to pass additional appropriations covering the rest of the government.
NAR Advocacy in Action
As the federal government shutdown unfolded, the National Association of REALTORS®’ advocacy operation mobilized across Washington and around the country, urging Congress to reach a funding agreement and reopen the federal government for the sake of America’s housing market and economy.
With real estate accounting for nearly 20% of U.S. GDP, every day of the shutdown brought a negative economic ripple effect with stalled transactions, delayed closings and halted essential federal housing programs.
Before the shutdown began, NAR issued a targeted Call for Action asking its federal political coordinators to contact their members of Congress and underscore the importance of the NFIP to homeowners. That outreach reached 75% of Congress within 48 hours and nearly all members shortly thereafter.
In October, NAR issued a nationwide Call for Information, collecting more than 600 firsthand reports from members around the country describing stalled deals, stranded buyers and families caught in limbo. NAR also organized more than 40 state and local REALTOR® associations in sending letters to their members of Congress, calling for immediate reopening of the government to protect housing markets and restore consumer confidence.
NAR Lobby Team Mounts Full-Court Press During Government Shutdown
The NAR lobby team reached out to all 535 members of Congress, sharing letters, economic impact data and firsthand accounts from REALTORS® nationwide that illustrated how the shutdown was affecting home sales, closings and insurance renewals.
In recent weeks, NAR’s Washington team held more than 80 high-level meetings on Capitol Hill with congressional leaders and key committee chairs, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Republican Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill and Ranking Member Maxine Waters, as well as Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren.
The team has also maintained close coordination with senior staff from the House and Senate leadership offices, as well as key committees overseeing housing and financial services.
Beyond Capitol Hill, NAR’s advocacy has extended into the executive branch. The team met with top administration officials and agency heads, including VA Secretary Doug Collins and leadership at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S. Treasury and the Executive Office of the President—including direct engagement with the president—to ensure the critical role of housing remains front and center in government operations.
