The president didn’t sign the bill to protest the Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act, a voting reform measure.
The first major U.S. housing affordability bill in about 30 years became law at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 11, taking effect without President Donald Trump’s signature.
The president said on his social media platform that he would not sign the sweeping bipartisan legislation—the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act—that passed both chambers last month.
“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 said in a July 10 Truth Social post, referring to a voting reform bill.
“THE SAVE AMERICA ACT’S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!”
After months of negotiations and back-and-forth amendments, lawmakers finally approved the housing bill in June: 85–5 in the Senate and 358–32 in the House.
Trump had originally been scheduled to sign the legislation on June 24, but he abruptly canceled the signing ceremony, saying that the election-integrity bill should be passed by Congress first.
The SAVE America Act would require voters to prove their U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections. The lower chamber approved the legislation, but the Senate has been unable to gather the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster.
Trump has urged Senate Republicans to terminate the filibuster, warning that Democrats will do so once they regain congressional power.
“If the Dumocrats, or any RINO (or worse!) working with them, do not allow a positive Vote on SAVE AMERICA, TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, and pass this, and every other Bill that true Republicans have ever dreamt of,” Trump wrote.
He did not say he would veto the housing bill. If the president does not veto a bill within 10 days of receiving it—excluding Sundays—the legislation automatically becomes law.
‘Big Yawn’
In an earlier Truth Social post, Trump stated that the housing bill is “of minor importance compared to lower interest rates.” The president also told reporters at the White House that it is a “big yawn” compared with the voter ID law.
“It’s so unimportant compared to the SAVE America Act. When I look at the bill, it’s a bill. When I look at the SAVE America Act, it’s about saving America,” he said.
“It’s a yawn,” Trump added. “To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, just about everything is a big yawn.”
By Andrew Moran
