H.R. 8677: Make the American Dream Real Again Act

The 'Make the American Dream Real Again Act' (H.R. 8677) is a proposed bill introduced in the House of Representatives on May 7, 2026, by Representative Eric Burlison. The bill aims to make homeownership more affordable and accessible for aspiring home buyers by creating programs that could include down payment assistance and tax benefits. Specifically, it proposes a tax credit for home sellers who pay for a first-time buyer's acquisition costs, such as the down payment or closing fees. The tax credit would be capped at either the amount of the buyer's costs paid by the seller or the amount of tax the seller would owe on the profit from the sale, whichever is less. A first-time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned a main home in the two years before the date of the sale. The tax credit would be available for tax years starting after December 31, 2026.

Supporters of the bill argue that it addresses the growing challenge of homeownership affordability in America. By providing financial incentives to sellers to assist first-time buyers with upfront costs, the bill could make it easier for more people to own their first home. This approach recognizes that different buyers face different challenges and aims to create flexible solutions that can address various buyer situations. The bill represents a comprehensive approach to addressing homeownership challenges and adds new tools to help buyers who don't qualify for or aren't adequately served by existing assistance programs.

Critics of the bill may argue that while the intention to make homeownership more accessible is commendable, the approach of providing tax credits to sellers could lead to unintended consequences. For instance, it might encourage sellers to increase home prices, knowing that buyers have additional financial support, potentially negating the intended affordability benefits. Additionally, there could be concerns about the effectiveness of such tax credits in actually increasing homeownership rates among first-time buyers, as well as the potential impact on federal tax revenues.

Based on the available data, there appears to be a low risk of conflict of interest between the sponsor's donors and the bill's subject matter. The sponsor, Eric Burlison, has received significant contributions from Health Professionals and Retired individuals, but there is no direct overlap detected between these industries and the bill's subject matter. The lobbying activity in this bill's policy area is diverse, with no clear connection to the sponsor's top donor industries. The largest lobbying expenditure comes from Hogan Lovells, LLP on behalf of Zhongji Innolight Co., Ltd., with a total of $350,000. However, there is no indication that this lobbying effort is directly connected to Burlison or his donors. It's important for voters to understand that while money does play a significant role in politics, not all campaign contributions necessarily lead to conflicts of interest.

Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.

Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026

Top industries funding Eric Burlison, ranked by total contributions.

Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)