U.S. Congress HECM cap raised. The U.S. Senate adopted a House supplemental budget bill for defense, terrorism and tsunami relief that includes a provision raising the number of reverse mortgages that may be insured under the FHA Home-Equity Conversion Mortgage program to 250,000. The HECM program began initially as a pilot in 1998. Congress restricted the number of loans that could be insured by FHA to 150,000. President Bush is expected to sign