President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday canceled via Truth Social a scheduled Capitol Hill signing of a landmark bipartisan housing bill that leaders in both parties had heralded as a win. “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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” President Trump posted Wednesday, a little over an hour before he was due at the Capitol to sign the bill into law. The measure aims to increase housing supply, make homes more affordable and cap the amount of single family homes private equity can purchase. The two congressional Republican leaders announced that President Trump would sign the bill in Statuary Hall on Wednesday at noon. The SAVE America Act is meant to cut down on noncitizen voting in U.S. elections — which happens rarely and is already illegal in federal contests — and impose nationwide voter-ID laws. The House passed the SAVE America Act in February, and the measure is broadly popular among Republicans. But without Democratic support, the GOP is well short of the 60 votes needed to pass the legislation due to the Senate filibuster rule. The Housing bill passed the House and Senate with large, veto-proof majorities, though if the president doesn’t sign the bill within 10 days and Congress adjourns, it could fall victim to a pocket veto. Congress is scheduled to begin a two-week recess tomorrow night, however, that is not a formal adjournment. Senate leaders will schedule pro-forma sessions over that recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) has said there are not enough votes to pass the SAVE America Act and he refuses to push for a change to filibuster rules to get it done. The president is still set to huddle at the Capitol with Senate Republicans on Wednesday, as they sit at odds over his legislative priorities. On Tuesday night, he lashed out at the GOP senators who supported an Iran war powers resolution earlier in the day.
The Senate will vote to advance John George Edward Marck’s nomination to be a judge for the Southern District of Texas. A 2:15 P.M. vote is expected to confirm Marck and to advance Michael J. Hendershot’s nomination to be a judge for the Northern District of Ohio. A 5:30 P.M. vote is expected to confirm Hendershot and to advance Arthur Roberts Jones to be a judge for the Southern District of Texas.
The House is expected to take up H. Res. 1377 – Providing for consideration of H.R. 1181, Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act , H.R. 9022, Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, H.R. 8595, National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027, and H.R. 9237, Take Care of America’s Veterans Act followed by H.R. 1181 – Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act.
