Trump refuses to sign US housing bill amid voting-act standoff

President Donald Trump says he will not sign a bipartisan US housing bill, even though the measure is still set to become law at midnight without his approval. The legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is aimed at speeding up environmental reviews for construction projects, encouraging development and limiting the number of single-family homes institutional investors can buy. Trump linked his refusal to the Senate's failure to pass the SAVE America Act, a separate voting measure.

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In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump said he would not support signing the housing bill because of the stalled voting legislation. The White House has not indicated that the move will stop the bill from taking effect, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the president is unlikely to issue a last-minute veto. Under US procedure, once a bill reaches the president's desk, he has 10 days to sign it or veto it; if he does neither, it becomes law at midnight.

The housing measure passed both chambers with unusually large bipartisan majorities, clearing the Senate by 85 votes to 5 and the House by 358 votes to 2. Its provisions include incentives for communities to build more housing, support for modular homes and steps to make it easier to convert underused land into residential housing. It also reflects a broader effort in Congress to address housing affordability, an issue that remains a major concern for many Americans.

The dispute also highlights the political link Trump is trying to draw between housing policy and voting rules. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, create a national voter database using state records and place new limits on mail-in voting. Trump had already cancelled the original signing ceremony for the housing bill on June 24 in an effort to pressure Republicans to back the voting measure instead.

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The housing bill has drawn attention because it combines market and planning changes with restrictions on institutional investors. A Bipartisan Policy Center poll cited in the reporting found that 70 percent of Americans support banning institutional investors that own more than 350 homes from buying additional single-family homes. The same poll found that 79 percent of Americans say housing costs are either extremely important or very important, underscoring the political sensitivity of the issue.

What remains unclear is whether Trump will take any further action before the deadline, although the legislation is expected to become law regardless. The immediate focus is now on the final hours before enactment and on whether the president's refusal has any practical effect beyond the political message. The episode also leaves open how Republicans in Congress will respond to the standoff over the separate voting bill.

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