Donald Trump abruptly cancelled a planned signing ceremony for a broad bipartisan housing bill on Wednesday, demanding that Congress first approve his controversial Save America Act to overhaul election rules. The president declared the housing legislation of "minor importance" and linked its fate to passage of the voting measure.
Housing bill shelved amid voting rights standoff
In a social media statement, Trump said: "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." The move came just a day after the House of Representatives approved the housing bill, which aimed to reduce federal regulations, streamline environmental reviews, speed up construction, and curb corporate landlords' ability to purchase single-family homes.
Save America Act would tighten voting rules
The president is pushing the Senate to approve the Save America Act, which would dramatically change voting regulations by requiring proof of citizenship at voter registration and significantly curtailing mail-in voting. The legislation is a top priority for Trump as the midterm elections approach.
Midterm implications
The housing bill represented one of the biggest efforts in decades to increase housing supply and reduce prices, addressing affordability concerns expected to be a key issue for voters in November’s midterm elections. Control of Congress for the final two years of Trump’s term hangs in the balance.
