‘‘(i) section 105(a)(20) of the Housing 
and Community Development Act of 1974 
(42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(20)); 
‘‘(ii) in the United States Housing Act 
of 1937— 
‘‘(I) 
section 
9(e) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1437g(e)); 
‘‘(II) 
section 
18(a)(4)(D) 
(42 
U.S.C. 1437p(a)(4)(D)); 
‘‘(III) section 23(c)(4) (42 U.S.C. 
1437u(c)(4)); 
‘‘(IV) section 32(e)(4) (42 U.S.C. 
1437z–4(e)(4)); 
‘‘(V) 
section 
33(d)(2)(B) 
(42 
U.S.C. 1437z–5(d)(2)(B)); and 
‘‘(VI) section 302(b)(6) (42 U.S.C. 
1437aaa–1(b)(6)); 
‘‘(iii) section 233(b)(2) of the Cran-
ston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
Act (42 U.S.C. 12773(b)(2)); 
‘‘(iv) section 106 of the Housing and 
Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 
1701x); 
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‘‘(v) section 422(b)(6) of the Cranston- 
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act 
(42 U.S.C. 12872(b)(6)); 
‘‘(vi) section 491(b)(1)(F)(iii) of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 11408(b)(1)(F)(iii)); 
‘‘(vii) sections 202(3) and 810(b)(2)(A) 
of the Native American Housing and Self- 
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
4132(3), 4229(b)(2)(A)); and 
‘‘(viii) the rental assistance program 
under section 8 of the United States Hous-
ing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f). 
‘‘(2) STANDARDS
FOR
MATERIALS.—The Sec-
retary, in conjunction with the advisory committee es-
tablished under subsection (g)(4) of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development Act, shall establish 
standards for materials and forms to be used, as ap-
propriate, by organizations providing homeownership 
counseling services, including any recipients of assist-
ance pursuant to subsection (a)(4). 
‘‘(3) MORTGAGE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS.— 
‘‘(A) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide for the certification of various computer 
software programs for consumers to use in evalu-
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ating different residential mortgage loan pro-
posals. The Secretary shall require, for such cer-
tification, that the mortgage software systems 
take into account— 
‘‘(i) the consumer’s financial situation 
and the cost of maintaining a home, includ-
ing insurance, taxes, and utilities; 
‘‘(ii) the amount of time the consumer 
expects to remain in the home or expected 
time to maturity of the loan; and 
‘‘(iii) such other factors as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate to assist the 
consumer in evaluating whether to pay 
points, to lock in an interest rate, to select 
an adjustable or fixed rate loan, to select a 
conventional 
or 
government-insured 
or 
guaranteed loan and to make other choices 
during the loan application process. 
If the Secretary determines that available exist-
ing software is inadequate to assist consumers 
during the residential mortgage loan application 
process, the Secretary shall arrange for the devel-
opment by private sector software companies of 
new mortgage software systems that meet the 
Secretary’s specifications. 
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‘‘(B) USE
AND
INITIAL
AVAILABILITY.— 
Such certified computer software programs shall 
be used to supplement, not replace, housing coun-
seling. The Secretary shall provide that such pro-
grams are initially used only in connection with 
the assistance of housing counselors certified pur-
suant to subsection (e). 
‘‘(C) AVAILABILITY.—After a period of ini-
tial availability under subparagraph (B) as the 
Secretary considers appropriate, the Secretary 
shall take reasonable steps to make mortgage 
software systems certified pursuant to this para-
graph widely available through the Internet and 
at public locations, including public libraries, 
senior-citizen centers, public housing sites, offices 
of public housing agencies that administer rental 
housing assistance vouchers, and housing coun-
seling centers. 
‘‘(4) NATIONAL
PUBLIC
SERVICE
MULTIMEDIA 
CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE HOUSING COUNSELING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director of Hous-
ing Counseling shall develop, implement, and 
conduct national public service multimedia cam-
paigns designed to make persons facing mortgage 
foreclosure, persons considering a subprime 
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mortgage loan to purchase a home, elderly per-
sons, persons who face language barriers, low-in-
come persons, and other potentially vulnerable 
consumers aware that it is advisable, before seek-
ing or maintaining a residential mortgage loan, 
to obtain homeownership counseling from an un-
biased and reliable sources and that such home-
ownership counseling is available, including 
through programs sponsored by the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development. 
‘‘(B) CONTACT
INFORMATION.—Each seg-
ment of the multimedia campaign under sub-
paragraph (A) shall publicize the toll-free tele-
phone number and web site of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development through which 
persons seeking housing counseling can locate a 
housing counseling agency in their State that is 
certified by the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development and can provide advice on buying 
a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, credit 
issues, and reverse mortgages. 
‘‘(C) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary, not to exceed $3,000,000 for fis-
cal years 2008, 2009, and 2010, for the develop, 
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implement, and conduct of national public serv-
ice multimedia campaigns under this paragraph. 
‘‘(5) EDUCATION
PROGRAMS.—The Secretary 
shall provide advice and technical assistance to 
States, units of general local government, and non-
profit organizations regarding the establishment and 
operation of, including assistance with the develop-
ment of content and materials for, educational pro-
grams to inform and educate consumers, particularly 
those most vulnerable with respect to residential mort-
gage loans (such as elderly persons, persons facing 
language barriers, low-income persons, and other po-
tentially vulnerable consumers), regarding home 
mortgages, mortgage refinancing, home equity loans, 
and home repair loans.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO GRANT PROGRAM 
FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP COUNSELING ORGANIZATIONS.— 
Section 106(c)(5)(A)(ii) of the Housing and Urban Devel-
opment Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(c)(5)(A)(ii)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subclause (III), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in subclause (IV) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(3) by inserting after subclause (IV) the fol-
lowing new subclause: 
‘‘(V) notify the housing or mort-
gage applicant of the availability of 
mortgage software systems provided 
pursuant to subsection (g)(3).’’. 
SEC. 204. GRANTS FOR HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE. 
Section 106(a) of the Housing and Urban Development 
Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(a)(3)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTAL COUNSELING AS-
SISTANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make fi-
nancial assistance available under this paragraph to 
States, units of general local governments, and non-
profit organizations providing homeownership or 
rental counseling (as such terms are defined in sub-
section (g)(1)). 
‘‘(B) QUALIFIED ENTITIES.—The Secretary shall 
establish standards and guidelines for eligibility of or-
ganizations (including governmental and nonprofit 
organizations) to receive assistance under this para-
graph. 
‘‘(C) DISTRIBUTION.—Assistance made available 
under this paragraph shall be distributed in a man-
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ner that encourages efficient and successful counseling 
programs. 
‘‘(D) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated $45,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011 for— 
‘‘(i) the operations of the Office of Housing 
Counseling of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development; 
‘‘(ii) the responsibilities of the Secretary 
under paragraphs (2) through (5) of subsection 
(g); and 
‘‘(iii) assistance pursuant to this paragraph 
for entities providing homeownership and rental 
counseling.’’. 
SEC. 205. REQUIREMENTS TO USE HUD-CERTIFIED COUN-
SELORS UNDER HUD PROGRAMS. 
Section 106(e) of the Housing and Urban Development 
Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(e)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT FOR ASSISTANCE.—An orga-
nization may not receive assistance for counseling ac-
tivities under subsection (a)(1)(iii), (a)(2), (a)(4), (c), 
or (d) of this section, or under section 101(e), unless 
the organization, or the individuals through which the 
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organization provides such counseling, has been cer-
tified by the Secretary under this subsection as com-
petent to provide such counseling.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and for certifying organi-
zations’’ before the period at the end of the first 
sentence; and 
(B) in the second sentence by striking ‘‘for 
certification’’ and inserting ‘‘, for certification of 
an organization, that each individual through 
which the organization provides counseling shall 
demonstrate, and, for certification of an indi-
vidual,’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘organiza-
tions and’’ before ‘‘individuals’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (5); and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraphs: 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENT UNDER HUD PROGRAMS.— 
Any homeownership counseling or rental housing 
counseling (as such terms are defined in subsection 
(g)(1)) required under, or provided in connection 
with, any program administered by the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development shall be provided 
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only by organizations or counselors certified by the 
Secretary under this subsection as competent to pro-
vide such counseling. 
‘‘(4) OUTREACH.—The Secretary shall take such 
actions as the Secretary considers appropriate to en-
sure that individuals and organizations providing 
homeownership or rental housing counseling are 
aware of the certification requirements and standards 
of this subsection and of the training and certification 
programs under subsection (f).’’. 
SEC. 206. STUDY OF DEFAULTS AND FORECLOSURES. 
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall conduct an extensive study of the root causes of default 
and foreclosure of home loans, using as much empirical 
data as are available. The study shall also examine the role 
of escrow accounts in helping prime and nonprime bor-
rowers to avoid defaults and foreclosures. Not later than 12 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Congress a preliminary report 
regarding the study. Not later than 24 months after such 
date of enactment, the Secretary shall submit a final report 
regarding the results of the study, which shall include any 
recommended legislation relating to the study, and rec-
ommendations for best practices and for a process to iden-
tify populations that need counseling the most. 
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