President Trump declared on Friday that he won’t sign the major housing legislation, pointing to the Senate’s inaction regarding the Protecting American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE).
On June 24, he decided to hold off on the 21st Century Road to Housing Act until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, which aims to enforce proof of citizenship and government-issued ID for voter registration. He made it clear that he wouldn’t sign the housing bill unless it was vetoed first.
“I refuse to sign a housing bill that has been completely approved by Congress just to protest the Senate’s failure to pass the American Rescue Act, which enjoys a 97% approval among Republicans and is quite popular even among non-political Democrats,” Trump stated. He elaborated, stating that the law requires a photo ID and proof of citizenship for voting, while also aiming to eliminate problematic aspects of mail-in voting, with some exceptions for military and other unique situations.
President Trump has continually urged Senate Republicans to act on the SAVE America Act, suggesting either the removal of the filibuster or its inclusion in other legislative packages. In a Truth Social post on June 17, he stated that he opposes the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) unless paired with the SAVE Act.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune mentioned that he doesn’t have the necessary votes to get the SAVE Act passed. Several Republican senators, including Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell, opposed attaching the bill to an immigration enforcement package signed by Trump on June 10.
The housing bill gained Senate approval on June 22, followed closely by the House. Its goal was to tackle housing affordability by cutting excessive regulation, boosting the housing supply, expanding home construction financing, and restricting Wall Street’s influence on single-family homeownership. The plan also sought to simplify environmental reviews, modernize zoning practices, and raise loan limits for multifamily projects.
However, some Republicans, such as Senators Mike Lee and Chip Roy, raised concerns regarding federal overreach and regulations affecting home buyers. They argued that the bill granted the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) vast authority to shape zoning and land use but claimed it lacked adequate restrictions on foreign homebuyers.
Trump referred to the bill as a “big yawn,” deeming it “less significant” than the SAVE America Act. In May, he had prompted the House to pursue the Senate version of the bill to ensure that housing is accessible to individuals rather than corporations.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Trump for prioritizing his own power over the affordable housing crisis. He noted, “Millions of Americans are struggling with housing costs. Trump dismissed the problem as a ‘big yawn’ while refusing to endorse a crucial bipartisan housing bill.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stated that the bill is expected to be delivered to Trump’s desk by June 29 for his signature.
