○  bush:new steps to help homeowners  ○

(september 1,2007)

good morning. this week, i met with housing secretary jackson and treasury secretary paulson to discuss the economy and the turbulence in our nation's mortgage industry. the fundamentals of america's economy remain strong. but the mortgage industry is going through a period of adjustment. and some americans are worried about the impact this is having on their ability to make their monthly mortgage payments.

i have made it a priority to help american homeowners navigate these financial challenges, so that as many families as possible can stay in their homes. the federal government will not bail out lenders -- because that would only make a recurrence of the problem more likely. and it is not the government's job to bail out speculators, or those who made the decision to buy a home they knew they could never afford. but i support action at the federal level that will help more american families keep their homes.

one important way to help homeowners during this time of housing market stress is for congress to change a key part of the federal tax code. under current law, when a lender forgives part of a mortgage to help its customer stay afloat, that amount is treated as taxable income. when your home is losing value and your family is under financial stress, the last thing you need is to be hit with higher taxes. so i'm working with members of both parties to pass a bill that will protect homeowners from having to pay taxes on cancelled mortgage debt.

another important step we're taking for american homeowners is to modernize the federal housing administration. the fha is a government agency that provides mortgage insurance to borrowers through a network of private sector lenders. i've sent congress important legislation that would help more americans qualify for this insurance by lowering down-payment requirements, increasing loan limits, and providing more flexibility in pricing. by passing this legislation, congress

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