US President Donald Trump has said he will not sign a major housing bill, even though it has already been approved by Congress. He is protesting because the US Senate has not passed a voter ID law he supports. The housing bill is set to become law automatically at midnight on Friday if the president takes no action. However, Trump has made it clear he is refusing to sign it.
In a post on Truth Social, he repeated his demand for the voter ID bill to be passed first. “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 wrote. He added, “THE SAVE AMERICA ACT’S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!”
What is the housing bill?
The housing bill, called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, is one of the most significant efforts by Congress to tackle rising housing costs in recent years. It includes more than 40 measures aimed at making homes more affordable. These include steps to increase housing supply, make it easier to build new homes, and limit how many houses large investors can buy. Lawmakers from both parties passed the bill in June, which is rare in the current political climate. Experts say it could help both renters and homebuyers, especially at a time when housing costs in the US are very high.
Why Trump is opposing it
Trump is linking the housing bill to a separate voter ID law known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. This law would require people to show ID and proof of citizenship to vote. Trump has strongly supported it, but even Republicans have said there is not enough support in the Senate to pass it. Democrats have opposed the SAVE Act, saying it could make it harder for eligible voters to cast their votes. Trump has been pushing for the bill ahead of the November midterm elections and wants it prioritised over other legislation.
Housing costs continue to rise
The housing bill comes at a time when many Americans are struggling with high home prices. In June, the median price of an existing home reached a record $440,660, according to the National Association of Realtors.Data from Redfin shows that a family now needs about $117,000 a year to afford an average home. This is nearly $30,000 more than the typical US household income. High inflation and interest rates have also made buying a home more difficult.
Trump’s decision has drawn criticism from Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republicans “would rather make it harder to vote than easier to afford a home.” The situation shows growing political tensions as the US heads into the midterm elections.