# 119-s-4737: Volunteer First Responder Housing Act

119-s-4737, Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-02).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4737
- As of: 2026-07-02
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4737
- Congress: 119
- Title: Volunteer First Responder Housing Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-10
- Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Housing and Community Development
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-02

## Summary

**Expands housing access for volunteer first responders.** This bill would let qualified volunteer first responders use a new $18,000 annual income deduction for USDA single-family housing eligibility and qualify as firefighters or EMTs for HUD discounted home-buying programs. - Volunteers would get direct housing benefits. Qualified volunteers who submit a verification letter could reduce their counted annual income by $18,000 for USDA single-family housing eligibility and gain access to HUD programs that offer discounted home prices. - Eligibility rules set a clear service bar. To qualify an individual must have two years of continuous volunteer service, meet an employer’s minimum active membership or volunteer at least 200 hours each year if no minimum exists, and hold state or tribal certification as a firefighter or other first responder. - Employers and tribes must verify service. The volunteer’s eligible employer or tribal authority must provide a verification letter that states the join date, confirms the service and hours requirements, and includes the responder’s certification and a one-year good-faith commitment to continue serving for HUD closings.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND] (R-ND), 2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Up to $18,000 deduction for volunteer responders: benefit, high. If enacted, you would be able to reduce your countable annual income by $18,000 when applying for a USDA Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan. You must submit a verification letter from the head of your eligible employer. The letter must show your join date, two continuous years of service, that y…
- Discounted HUD home eligibility for volunteers: benefit, medium. If enacted, you would be treated like a firefighter or EMT for HUD single-family property disposition programs that offer discounted prices. You must submit a verification letter from the head of your eligible employer. The letter must include your join date, two continuous years of service, per-ye…
- Who counts as a volunteer first responder: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would define who qualifies for the volunteer responder housing benefits. It uses the meanings of "bona fide volunteer," "eligible employer," and "qualified services" from the Internal Revenue Code. A "qualified volunteer first responder" must have two continuous years of servic…

## Related bills

- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-4737 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4737)

## Related
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4949)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3597)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4737 (as of 2026-07-02).