Bipartisan legislation unveiled by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) to support housing in rural communities passed the U.S. Senate on March 12 as part of a larger housing legislative package.
“I urge the House of Representatives to pass this legislation and send it to the president to be signed into law so we can continue to strengthen rural America and improve access to affordable housing,” Sen. Moran said.
His bipartisan Streamlining Rural Housing Act of 2025, S. 2423, passed the Senate as part of the 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, H.R. 6644. The Senate voted 89-10 to approve the package.
Sen. Moran’s bill to simplify the regulatory process for developers was included in the larger package along with two other bills the senator cosponsored to expand housing access in rural America and reduce bureaucracy within federal housing programs.
“There is growing demand for affordable housing in rural communities in Kansas and across the country, underscoring the importance of practical and innovative solutions to help meet that need,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will streamline rural housing programs, reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers, and help expand access to affordable housing for rural families.
Specifically, Sen. Moran’s S. 2423, which he sponsored in July 2025 with lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), would require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding to align housing standards.
This would help lower costs and shorten project timelines for developers, allowing them to address growing housing needs more efficiently, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Moran’s staff.
Additionally the package includes the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2025, S. 1260, which Sen. Moran cosponsored in April 2025 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) to reform federal rural housing programs.
The Senate-approved package also includes the bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act, S. 890, which Sen. Moran cosponsored in March 2025 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) to expand access to affordable housing by reducing HUD inspection delays. That bill would permit units financed through other federal housing programs to automatically satisfy voucher inspection requirements if they are inspected within the past year, and would allow new landlords to request pre-inspections to increase access to housing and encourage landlord participation.