President Donald Trump abruptly called off a scheduled signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing bill on Wednesday, stating he would not sign the document until Congress sent him the SAVE America Act.
The unexpected action intensifies Trump’s push for legislation aimed at tightening voter eligibility requirements and puts additional pressure on Senate Republicans.
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“Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Earlier Wednesday morning, Trump called the act an “Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren centric housing bill,” writing that it is “of minor importance compared to lower interest rates, and even FISA, pales in comparison to passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”
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As the midterms approach, Trump’s long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification is included in the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.
The House voted 358-32 on Tuesday to pass the Housing Act, a vote that showed broad consensus on the need to help Americans struggling with housing affordability issues.
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The bill aims to increase housing supply, lower costs, and help individual buyers by prohibiting large institutional investors from buying single-family homes.
House Speaker Mike Johnson held a press conference following the cancellation announcement, sharing he agreed with Trump’s decision and hopes to advance a similar election-integrity proposal through the budget reconciliation process.
“I spoke to the president for 20 minutes before I went in and gave that rousing speech to the House Republicans this morning. He and I’ve talked about this a lot. He has expressed his priority and preference for the Save America Act,” Johnson said at the news conference.
“We share that. We passed it three times in the House. The latest version was passed a few months ago, and it has proof of citizenship to register to vote and proof of showing a photo ID when you show up to vote,” Johnson added.
“Basic issues that 90% of Americans agree: 70% of Democrats think you ought to have a photo ID to vote and citizenship to vote in an American election is already in the law,” Johnson added. “But we have to enforce it because you’ve got a few blue states that don’t do that.”
Trump and administration officials have raised concerns about the need to pass the legislation, even though the SAVE America Act has faced obstacles and opposition.
“That is what Americans, both Dumocrats, Republicans, and everyone else, care about. Get the bad Republicans to approve it or, better yet, Terminate the Filibuster and approve it, AND EVERYTHING ELSE REPUBLICANS HAVE EVER DREAMED OF,” Trump added on Truth Social.
“The Dumocrats will do it in hour one, 100%. Republicans will feel very stupid if they don’t do it first. I’ll be watching with tears in my eyes!!!” Trump wrote.
A significant bill for housing affordability is headed to President Trump’s desk after winning bipartisan approval in both chambers of Congress, marking what supporters describe as the most significant federal housing reform effort in decades.
The legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is designed to address the nation’s housing shortage by increasing supply, reducing regulatory barriers, and expanding homeownership opportunities.
The legislation arrives as housing affordability remains one of the nation’s most persistent economic challenges.
Rising home prices, elevated mortgage rates, and a shortage of available homes have made homeownership unaffordable for many Americans, particularly younger families and first-time buyers.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the measure begins addressing the housing shortage that has contributed to rising costs across the country.
“ROAD to Housing helps put our country on the right track toward fixing the housing shortage that’s driving up costs,” Schumer said.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
