Housing Package Awaits Trump’s Decision
The House of Representatives has officially sent a significant bipartisan housing package to President Donald Trump, and lawmakers are crossing their fingers that he won’t veto it.
Initially, President Trump was set to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act last week. But he canceled the signing ceremony at the last moment with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-LA), which left many wondering if the bill was effectively dead.
His hesitation to sign the bill, which garnered substantial bipartisan support in both congressional chambers, seems tied to the Protection of American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE). This act currently lacks the necessary votes in the Senate to proceed.
Urgent Calls for Trump’s Signature
Interestingly, President Trump doesn’t seem rushed to sign the bill, even as Republicans aim to gain an edge in the upcoming midterm elections. “This is very minor compared to the SAVE America Act,” he remarked to reporters in the Oval Office. “I think the SAVE America Act is exactly what it sounds like: It’s saving America from election fraud.”
He continued, “This is what I want to sign. It’s more than a bill; it’s a big deal, yawn. Some people say it’s great. To me, almost everything is a big yawn compared to the SAVE America Act.”
Details on the Proposed Bill
The housing bill includes about 60 provisions from both parties and is designed to facilitate housing development, especially making it easier for young Americans to purchase their first home. One of its key aspects is a ban on hedge funds purchasing housing stocks—a point President Trump pushed for during his State of the Union address earlier this year.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who co-authored the bill with Sen. Tim Scott (R), voiced her frustration, stating Congress has essentially handed the bill to Trump “on a silver platter.” She expressed, “If you ask me what happens next, if he cared about the American people, he would have already signed the abhorrent thing, and we would have started.”
Despite the situation, it’s important to note that Trump doesn’t need to sign the bill for it to become law.
Implications of Trump’s Decisions
The U.S. Constitution allows the president to veto a bill within ten days of receiving it. If Trump were to veto this housing policy, Congress could override it. This has happened before; for instance, in early 2021, Congress overrode Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, a significant funding package for the Pentagon—an act some House Republicans hope to tie to the SAVE America Act.
If Trump does not sign the bill within ten days, it will automatically become law unless Congress is fully adjourned at that time, triggering a potential “pocket veto.” Currently, the Senate is in recess and the House is expected to adjourn at the week’s end, but neither session is considered a full recess.
Looking Forward
Recently, Prime Minister Johnson noted that he met with Trump at the White House about both the housing bill and the SAVE America Act, expressing hope that Trump would sign it. “If he didn’t do that, it’s still the law,” Johnson remarked. “We’re still going to celebrate, but I think he’s trying to make his point, and he’s getting it across very effectively.”
