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President Donald Trump on Monday characterized the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act as “a yawn,” following an abrupt cancellation of a signing ceremony for the legislation last week.
The comments came as Trump reinforced prioritization of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act as his top domestic priority.
“It’s so unimportant compared to the SAVE America Act,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office regarding the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. “When I look at the bill, it’s a bill. When I look at the SAVE America Act, it’s about saving America.”
He added, “It’s a yawn. To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, just about everything is a big yawn.”
The president also expressed doubt about the SAVE America Act’s prospects in the Senate.
“[It’s] probably not going to happen because we have four Republican senators, maybe five, that just won’t vote for it. It’s crazy,” Trump told reporters.
Legislation hold-up
Last Wednesday, Trump halted plans for a signing ceremony tied to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — after announcing on Truth Social that he would not sign it into law until Congress passed the SAVE America Act
“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,” he wrote.
The housing measure — aiming to expand housing supply and reduce homeownership costs — had passed the House 358-32 after clearing the Senate.
Passed by the House in February, the the SAVE America Act would impose nationwide voter identification requirements and proof-of-citizenship standards.
It has drawn near unified Republican support but faces Democratic opposition that makes it unlikely to clear the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
What comes next
Under congressional procedure, if the president neither signs nor vetoes a bill within 10 days, excluding Sundays, while Congress remains in session, it automatically becomes law.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act had been seen as a rare compromise product between Republicans and Democrats.
Lawmakers involved in housing negotiations have emphasized a months-long effort to craft a package acceptable to both chambers — part of a broader push to address supply constraints and affordability pressures in the national housing market.
This article was written by Jonathan Delozier and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation. It was reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.
