Trump calls the construction law ‘a big yawn’
President Donald Trump doubted whether to sign the bipartisan housing bill heading to his desk today, saying the voter ID bill was more important.
“I don’t know, I think it’s so insignificant compared to the SAVE America Act,” the president said. said during a White House press conference with reporters, when asked whether he would sign the historic 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which is now in limbo since he abruptly canceled its signing last week.
He called on Congress to first pass the SAVE America Act, an election security bill that is deeply unpopular with Democrats. Trump reiterated at the White House that he wanted the voter ID law passed. In comparison, he downplayed the importance of the Housing Act.
“The housing bill is a bill that could pass, they’ve worked long and hard on it, it’s very bipartisan, which means the Democrats like it,” Trump continued. “I think it might even be, it’s probably more like this: They get things that I wouldn’t necessarily agree with.”
Ultimately, the president said he would make a decision once the bill arrived on his desk.
“Big deal, it’s a yawn,” he said of the housing bill. “To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, pretty much anything is a big yawn.”
Parties put messages on the invoice
As members of Congress hit the weekend news show circuit, Republicans projected confidence that the bill would pass. The account remained in Congress since the House passed it on a 358-32 vote on June 23, a day after the Senate passed it 85-5. Trump wants a voter ID bill, the SAVE America Act, to be passed first.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on a Fox News segment Sunday that he would formally send the bill to Trump on Monday after talking about it “at length” late last week.
“I’ll send it to him on Monday and it will become law,” Johnson said.
Once he formally receives the measure, Trump will have 10 days to sign or veto the measure. If he doesn’t take action while Congress is in session, it will automatically become law.
“This is classic Donald Trump negotiating style, he’s going to grab every leverage point he can and this is one to get the bigger priority across the finish line,” said Senator John Trump. Roger Marshall (R-KS), meanwhile, told Meet the press. He also said he thinks the housing bill will pass.
Democrats have their own affordability platform for the upcoming midterm elections, denouncing Trump’s delay.
“I don’t know about this president. He has said he doesn’t care about rising costs,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) told NewsNation Sunday. “If he doesn’t have a housing problem, and his friends don’t have a housing problem either, then it doesn’t matter to him. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t sign it.”
“What’s changed? I don’t know,” said Senator John Smith. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) narrated NBC Connecticut. “He knows the momentum is with the Democrats for the midterm elections.”
Consternation
The SAVE America Act, which Democrats strongly oppose, is a major roadblock. Blumenthal said it is a voter suppression bill. Johnson said Republicans would try to add the SAVE Act to a reconciliation bill, bypassing Democratic opposition.
A public poll released Monday by D.C.-based housing research group The Housing Narrative Lab and Voss Research shows how urgently Americans are looking at the housing problem. About 78% of respondents said they supported policies to build more housing that low- and middle-class people could afford.
A large majority of Americans say the costs of groceries, utilities, housing and health care are all rising. About 56% of respondents said they could not afford a $200 increase in housing costs. And support for housing crosses all demographic lines, he said Marisol Belloexecutive director of the Housing Narrative Lab.
“These struggles, these challenges and these compromises are increasing, and that’s why we’re seeing such a dramatic number of people who are concerned and can’t afford these $200 increases.” Jonathan Fox van Voss Research and Strategy said.
Even Bed Bath & Beyond gave the bill some thought. In a position paper The home goods retailer said Monday it sees the law as a sign that it needs to evolve. The bill shows public frustration with a disconnected housing system, and other services surrounding home buying must adapt.
“We intend to understand neighborhoods,” says CEO Marcus Lemonis said. The policy world is trying to solve housing issues from the top down. We have the opportunity to solve it from the homeowner, the neighborhood and the home – and we believe that homes should be accessible to the families who live in them, not just the biggest sources of capital.”
