2nd Stimulus Includes Housing Provisions

Senate Democrats have crafted a second stimulus bill that includes bankruptcy changes lenders will oppose and a net operating loss carry-back supported by homebuilders. "This package is aimed at the bull's-eye of our economic crisis -- the housing market," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. Included in the package was a bill by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., that would allow bankruptcy judges to restructure subprime mortgages. "Small changes to the bankruptcy code could help 600,000 at-risk families keep their homes," the Illinois senator said. The Mortgage Bankers Association said there is "much in this bill to applaud." However, the MBA served notice that it will oppose the bill because the bankruptcy provision will increase the cost of mortgage credit. The National Association of Home Builders has been pushing for an NOL carry-back. But it wants a tax credit for homebuyers even more. The builders have frozen all political contributions because the first stimulus bill did not include a homebuyers' tax credit.