I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4989 
To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Sec-
retary of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding 
relating to housing projects, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 15, 2025 
Mr. STUTZMAN (for himself, Ms. PETTERSEN, Mrs. MCCLAIN, and Mr. DAVID 
SCOTT of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
and the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into a memo-
randum of understanding relating to housing projects, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Streamlining Rural 
Housing Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing 
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and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture 
shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to— 
(1) evaluate categorical exclusions (as defined 
in section 111 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336e)) for housing projects 
funded by amounts from the Department of the 
Housing and Urban Development and the Depart-
ment of Agriculture; 
(2) develop a process to designate a lead agency 
among the Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment and the Department of Agriculture and 
streamline the adoption of environmental impact 
statements and environmental assessments approved 
by the other agency to construct housing projects 
funded by amounts from both agencies; 
(3) maintain compliance with environmental 
regulations under part 58 of title 24, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025; 
and 
(4) evaluate the feasibility of a joint physical in-
spection process for housing projects funded by 
amounts from the Department of the Housing and 
Urban Development and the Department of Agri-
culture. 
(b) ADVISORY WORKING GROUP.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Housing and Urban Development and the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall establish an advisory 
working group for the purpose of consulting on the 
implementation of the memorandum of under-
standing entered into under subsection (a). 
(2) MEMBERS.—The advisory working group 
established under paragraph (1) shall consist of 
rural and non-rural stakeholders, including— 
(A) affordable housing nonprofit organiza-
tions; 
(B) State housing and housing finance 
agencies; 
(C) nonprofit and for-profit home builders 
and housing developers; 
(D) property management companies; 
(E) owners of multifamily properties, in-
cluding nonprofit and for-profit owners and op-
erators; 
(F) public housing agencies; 
(G) residents in housing assisted by the 
Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment or the Department of Agriculture and 
representatives of those residents; and 
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(H) housing contract administrators. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Finan-
cial Services of the House of Representatives a report that 
includes recommendations for legislative, regulatory, or 
administrative actions— 
(1) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness 
of housing projects funded by amounts from the De-
partment of the Housing and Urban Development 
and the Department of Agriculture; and 
(2) that do not materially, with respect to resi-
dents of housing projects described in paragraph 
(1)— 
(A) reduce the safety of those residents; 
(B) shift long-term costs onto those resi-
dents; or 
(C) undermine the environmental stand-
ards of those residents. 
Æ 
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