Housing bill becomes law after President Trump withholds signature over voter ID legislation

Congress approved the 21st Century Road to Housing Act in June, marking a rare bipartisan effort to lower housing costs for renters and homebuyers. The legislation, which contains more than 40 provisions aimed at easing new construction and limiting institutional purchases of single-family homes, automatically became law after President Trump chose not to veto it.

"This bill becoming law is a genuine milestone—and I don't use that word lightly," said Dennis Shea of the Bipartisan Policy Center. "Getting Congress to move on housing supply and affordability has been a long time coming, and the American people made clear they were ready for it."

Trump publicly refused to sign the bill, linking his decision to the Senate's inaction on the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, a voter-ID measure he has promoted. He announced on social media that he would not sign the housing bill until the voter-ID legislation passed.

"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," Trump wrote.

Democratic leaders criticized the move, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posting that Republicans "would rather make it harder to vote than easier to afford a home."

The bill arrives as median existing-home prices reached a record $440,660 in June, and a typical family would need an annual income of about $117,000 to afford such a home—far above the average household earnings.