Trump Blocks Housing Bill Pending Voter ID Passage

President Trump canceled a planned signing of a bipartisan housing affordability bill Wednesday, demanding Congress first pass the SAVE America Act, an elections overhaul measure requiring proof of citizenship to vote. The housing legislation had cleared Congress with broad support from both parties. Trump's decision was announced without advance notice to Republican leaders who helped negotiate the bill.

The SAVE Act faces long odds in the Senate. It has repeatedly failed to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The housing bill was designed to lower construction costs and expand housing supply at a time when home prices and rents remain elevated across much of the country. Republican lawmakers who backed the housing measure expressed frustration with the delay, while the White House said Trump remains committed to both goals. Trump canceled the signing ceremony hours before it was scheduled to begin. The SAVE Act has stalled repeatedly in the Senate, facing unified Democratic opposition.