(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
JANESVILLE, Wis. — U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) is highlighting both a legislative victory and a commanding fundraising advantage as he prepares for the 2026 election, announcing this week that a bipartisan housing affordability package he helped author has been signed into law while his campaign has amassed more than $6.1 million in cash on hand.
Steil’s campaign announced that he raised more than $1.1 million during the second quarter of 2026 across his campaign committees, including more than $925,000 for Steil for Wisconsin. The campaign said it ended the quarter with more than $6.1 million available, which it says is more than 20 times the combined cash on hand of all of his Democratic primary opponents.
According to the campaign, Steil’s declared opponents collectively reported approximately $263,250 in cash on hand:
- Mitchell Berman: $220,682
- Peter Burgelis: $18,896
- Miguel Aranda: $13,582
- Lorenzo Santos: $10,089
“I’m grateful for the strong grassroots support we receive across Wisconsin,” Steil said in a statement. “I remain focused on the issues that matter most to Wisconsin families. That means lowering costs for hardworking families, making housing more affordable, protecting our seniors, and banning members of Congress from trading stocks.”
The fundraising announcement comes just days after President Donald Trump signed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) into law. The legislation includes Steil’s Accelerating Home Building Act (H.R. 5907), which he co-led with Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.).
Steil said the new law is intended to address rising housing costs by increasing the housing supply and reducing government regulations that slow development.
“Red tape and bureaucratic delays have put homeownership out of reach for many Wisconsin families,” Steil said. “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a step forward to increase housing supply and reduce burdensome regulations to help make housing more affordable.”
According to Steil’s office, the legislation seeks to modernize housing standards, streamline permitting requirements and reduce regulatory costs for manufactured homes by an estimated $3,000 per unit. It also updates federal environmental review requirements so projects without environmental impacts are not subjected to additional reviews, with the goal of speeding construction and reducing costs.
One of Steil’s signature provisions establishes a grant program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help local governments create “pattern books” containing pre-approved housing designs. The office said standardized plans would reduce design costs, simplify zoning approvals and accelerate residential construction.
Steil’s office described the legislation as the first significant federal housing reform package approved by Congress in more than 30 years. It passed the House with a bipartisan 358-32 vote and cleared the Senate by an 85-5 margin before being signed into law.
Steil, who represents Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, enters the next phase of his re-election campaign after defeating Democrat Peter Barca by more than 10 percentage points in the 2024 election, receiving more than 54% of the vote, according to his campaign.
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7 Responses
Trump did not sign the housing bill.
It will become law by Trump’s inaction, which is purely symbolic.
Affordability is a fake word
IIRC, the president refused to sign the bill into law.
Berman has my vote. Get this do-nothing stuffed shirt out of office.
Mitchell Berman has my vote. Get this do-nothing stuffed shirt out of office.
He’s surrounded himself with boss babes. You’re seeing the same pattern everywhere. The GOP has decided that the way to win is to run women and minorities, even in districts where a solid White man would win easily. They’re playing the same identity politics game as the Democrats, just with slightly different costumes.