WASHINGTON—The Defense Credit Union Council Tuesday submitted a letter to House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Chairman Mike Flood and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver following the Feb. 11, 2026, hearing, “Homeownership and the Role of the Secondary Mortgage Market.”
DCUC thanked the Subcommittee for its focus on how the structure and functioning of the secondary mortgage market affects housing affordability and access to mortgage credit.
DCUC voiced that for military families and veterans, housing affordability is a readiness and financial security issue shaped by frequent relocations, deployments, and tight housing markets near installations. DCUC stressed the importance of a well-functioning secondary mortgage market that provides reliable liquidity and equitable access for community-based lenders, particularly for FHA and VA lending that serves military borrowers.
“As the Subcommittee examines the role of the secondary market, DCUC respectfully urges policymakers to consider not only aggregate liquidity and investor demand, but also how market structure affects the ability of smaller, member-focused institutions to originate and deliver mortgages efficiently. Credit unions rely on predictable, operationally workable secondary-market channels to recycle capital and continue serving members—particularly through government-backed programs such as FHA and VA lending that are critical to military and veteran borrowers,” wrote DCUC Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak.
DCUC outlined three guiding principles for policymakers: preserving equitable secondary-market access for community lenders; reducing operational frictions that delay or complicate mortgage delivery; and responsibly supporting affordability innovations that expand housing supply. DCUC also highlighted the need to address misconceptions and process barriers that can disadvantage VA borrowers, noting that a more efficient secondary market helps ensure earned benefits translate into real homeownership opportunities.
DCUC Supports Targeted SBA Reforms To Strengthen Integrity And Access For Small Businesses
DCUC Tuesday also submitted comments to House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams and Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez ahead of the Committee’s markup of H.R. 7401, H.R. 7396, and H.R. 7412. DCUC thanked the Committee for its continued bipartisan focus on strengthening Small Business Administration (SBA) lending programs while addressing integrity challenges.
“From DCUC’s perspective, the measures before the Committee share a common theme: restoring trust, transparency, and accountability in SBA programs while ensuring those programs remain accessible and workable for responsible lenders and legitimate borrowers,” wrote Stverak.
In its letter, DCUC expressed support for H.R. 7401, the Small Business Lending Fraud Prevention Act, as a confidence-building measure that reinforces transparency and accountability within SBA loan administration. DCUC also supported H.R. 7396, the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act, praising the codification of SBA’s Office of Native American Affairs while encouraging thoughtful consideration of program continuity. In addition, DCUC backed the goals of H.R. 7412, the Put America on Commission Act of 2026, while urging careful coordination with existing fraud-reporting and confidentiality frameworks to avoid unintended consequences for compliant lenders.
DCUC stressed that SBA programs are essential tools for credit unions serving veterans, military spouses, and underserved communities, and encouraged Congress to ensure reforms strengthen trust and oversight while preserving timely access to capital for legitimate borrowers and responsible lenders.