One thing is holding back the biggest housing law in decades

It's a rare thing for everyone in Washington to agree on anything these days, but it's undeniable that the cost of housing has become untenable. Homeownership is considered out of reach for millions of Americans, with renters increasingly being priced out of major cities. To paraphrase a sage from over two decades ago: The rent and mortgages alike are too damn high around the country.

For the last several months, a bipartisan push has been underway in Congress to change that — with full backing from the White House...