President Donald Trump has chosen not to sign a sweeping housing affordability bill on Friday, in protest of Congress not approving a strict voter ID bill that does not have enough support to pass.
“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.
The president again called on Senate Republicans to end the filibuster to advance the voting legislation and other Republican priorities, warning that Democrats would do the same if they regain control of the chamber.
Still, the housing measure could become law on Friday without Trump’s signature, as he had 10 days to issue a veto and stop the measure. Trump’s post simply says that he will not sign it.
The housing bill was a rare instance of bipartisan agreement on major legislation in the deeply divided Congress.
Among its main provisions are waiving or speeding up environmental reviews for home construction projects and placing a cap on the number of already constructed single-family homes that big Wall Street investors can own.
Trump abruptly canceled a June 24 signing ceremony for the bill to pressure Republicans into passing the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and create a national voter database using state records.
House Speaker Mike Johnson transmitted the housing bill, which aims to tackle the country’s affordability crisis primarily by encouraging more housing supply, to the White House late last month. The move kick-started a 10-day countdown for it to become law, even without the president’s signature.