WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony on Wednesday for a bipartisan housing affordability bill that passed Congress with overwhelming support, tying its fate to the passage of a separate elections measure.
Trump announced the cancellation hours before the event was scheduled to take place at the U.S. Capitol, posting on Truth Social that the "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 legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, cleared the Senate 85-5 and the House 358-32 earlier this week in a rare display of bipartisanship on domestic policy. It includes more than 40 provisions aimed at addressing housing supply constraints, lowering costs for renters and buyers, and streamlining aspects of federal housing policy.
The bill had been viewed as the most significant federal overhaul of housing policy in decades, with support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. White House officials had previously signaled support for the measure.
Trump's decision links the housing package to the SAVE America Act, a voting reform bill that includes stricter proof-of-citizenship and voter ID requirements. Republican leaders have indicated that the SAVE Act faces significant hurdles in securing enough votes to pass.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday he still expects Trump to sign the housing bill within the 10-day window following its passage by Congress and suggested Republicans could pursue attaching elements of the SAVE Act to other legislation.
Details on the next steps for the housing bill remained unclear late Wednesday. Some lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration over the linkage of the two unrelated measures.
The housing legislation emerged after years of work across party lines to tackle rising affordability challenges. Proponents, including senators from both parties, described it as a step toward increasing housing supply and providing relief to families.
Trump has prioritized the SAVE America Act for months, viewing it as essential election integrity legislation. As of Wednesday, it had not advanced sufficiently in Congress.
The cancellation left preparations at the Capitol, including a stage setup, abruptly halted. No immediate rescheduling was announced.
Congressional leaders and the White House had no further public comment on the status of either bill by late Wednesday.
