Lead
A landmark bipartisan housing bill has become US law without President Donald Trump's signature, after he withheld his approval in protest over the Senate's failure to pass voter ID legislation. The measure, known as the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, took effect automatically at midnight, as reported by Al Jazeera and the BBC.
Coverage Comparison
Coverage of the development was consistent across outlets, with Al Jazeera, BBC World, and the South China Morning Post all reporting that Trump declined to sign the bill but did not veto it. The BBC noted that the legislation became law "overnight on Friday," while Al Jazeera explained the procedural mechanism: once a bill reaches the president's desk, he has 10 days to sign or veto it; if he does neither, it becomes law at midnight.
Trump announced his decision on social media, writing that he would not sign the bill "in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing the SAVE America Act," as quoted by the South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera. The BBC added that Trump cancelled a June 24 signing ceremony for the bill to pressure Republicans into passing the SAVE America Act, which would require Americans to provide ID and proof of citizenship to vote. The BBC also noted that Trump has repeatedly made false claims of widespread election fraud.
All three outlets described the bill's passage through Congress as a rare instance of bipartisan agreement. Al Jazeera reported that it passed the Senate by a vote of 85-5 and the House by a vote of 358-2. The BBC quoted Dennis Shea of the Bipartisan Policy Center, who called the bill's enactment "a genuine milestone" and said that "getting Congress to move on housing supply and affordability has been a long time coming."
Key Claims
- The bill includes more than 40 provisions, as reported by the BBC, including measures to make it easier to build new homes and to limit how many single-family homes institutional investors can buy nationwide.
- Al Jazeera reported that the legislation speeds up environmental reviews for construction projects, expedites development, limits the number of single-family homes institutional investors can buy, and establishes incentive programmes for communities to build more housing and encourage modular home development.
- The South China Morning Post highlighted that the bill waives or speeds up environmental reviews for home construction projects and places a cap on the number of already constructed single-family homes that big Wall Street investors can own.
- The BBC described the legislation as "the most comprehensive action from Congress on lowering house costs for renters and homebuyers in the 21st Century," a characterisation attributed to experts.
- A survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center found that 89% of voters from across the political spectrum wanted congressional action to make housing more affordable, according to the BBC. Al Jazeera cited a separate BPC poll suggesting that 70% of Americans support banning institutional investors that own more than 350 homes from buying additional single-family homes.
- The US median home price hit a record $440,600 in June, while mortgage rates remain elevated, as reported by Al Jazeera. The BBC put the figure at $440,660 for existing homes.
Perspectives
President Donald Trump framed his refusal to sign the bill as a protest against the Senate's inaction on the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. His statement on social media, as quoted by multiple outlets, indicated that he was withholding his signature to pressure Republicans into passing that legislation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the president was unlikely to issue a last-minute veto, according to Al Jazeera, suggesting that within Republican leadership there was an expectation that the bill would become law without Trump's signature.
The Bipartisan Policy Center, through its executive Dennis Shea, welcomed the bill's enactment as a milestone, reflecting widespread public support for action on housing affordability.