A landmark piece of housing legislation, aiming to reduce housing costs and increase supply, has become law in the United States. President Donald Trump allowed the bill to pass without his signature, opting instead to protest Congress's inability to pass voter identification legislation.
The "21st Century Road to Housing Act" represents the most significant congressional action on housing affordability in the 21st century, according to experts. The bill garnered rare bipartisan support, passing both chambers of Congress in June.
Dennis Shea of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) described the bill's enactment as a "genuine milestone," noting that addressing housing supply and affordability has been a long-standing issue. A BPC survey earlier this year indicated that 89% of voters across the political spectrum desired congressional action on housing affordability.
President Trump had previously indicated he would not sign the housing bill unless the "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act" (SAVE), which would mandate voter identification and proof of citizenship, was also passed. He reiterated this stance on social media on Friday, stating, "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."
Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both the House and Senate, have cited a lack of sufficient support for the SAVE legislation. Democrats, meanwhile, have argued that the proposed voter ID law would disenfranchise eligible voters.
Following President Trump's announcement, some Democrats criticized the move. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted on X that Republicans "would rather make it harder to vote than easier to afford a home."
Despite the president's protest, the housing bill automatically became law without his signature, as he did not veto it before the deadline.