President Donald Trump on Friday said he will not sign a bipartisan housing bill passed by Congress in protest over the failure of lawmakers to bring the SAVE Act over the finish line.
Meanwhile, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which is intended to lower the costs of housing and spur more home construction, is slated to become law Saturday unless Trump vetoes the legislation.
“I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump posted on social media.
TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL
The SAVE America Act, which would introduce new measures to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections, doesn’t have enough Republican support to pass.
Trump has repeatedly pushed Republicans to make it a top legislative priority ahead of the midterm elections in November.
“THE SAVE AMERICA ACT’S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!” Trump wrote. He also said the non-passage of the bill is a “serious threat” to any politician who opposes it.
CONGRESS EYES RARE BIPARTISAN HOUSING WIN WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP’S HELP
Under the U.S. Constitution, a president has 10 days to sign a bill upon receiving it, so it becomes law as if the legislation is signed.
Trump’s post came a week after he canceled plans to sign the bipartisan legislation, announcing he was using it as leverage in his push for the strict voter ID bill.
Last month, he called the housing bill “a yawn” and “so unimportant” compared to legislation that would require proof of citizenship for all voters.
AMERICA’S HOUSING MARKET COULD RUN OUT OF SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOMES
“Millions of Americans are being crushed by housing costs,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., posted Friday on X. “Donald Trump called their crisis ‘a big yawn’ — then refused to sign the most significant bipartisan housing bill in decades. His priorities couldn’t be clearer: higher costs for families and more power for himself.”
“Republicans would rather make it harder to vote than easier to afford a home. When people show you who they are, believe them,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote in an X post in response to Trump.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., wrote on X that “the rising cost of mortgages and rent are hitting Americans hard. Yet Trump refuses to act.”
The White House referred Fox News Digital to Trump’s social media post when asked for comment.
Trump’s remarks came a day after the National Association of Realtors reported that the median price for a home has reached an all-time high.
The median price for a home sold in June was $440,600, a 1.8% increase from a year ago, the report states.
“Even so, affordability is better than a year ago because wage growth is outpacing home price growth,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.
“However, progress on long-term housing affordability could be hampered if inventory growth continues to stall,” Yun added. “Without consistent gains in inventory, home prices can accelerate. It is critical to introduce more supply to the market to widen the opportunity for homeownership.”
