Trump caves after holding housing bill hostage over SAVE America Act: report
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Thursday that he would transmit a bipartisan housing bill to the White House, following a meeting with Donald Trump.
The move comes after Trump had previously canceled a planned signing of the legislation, using the popular bill as leverage to pressure lawmakers into enacting his top legislative priority, the SAVE America Act.
The housing bill, designed to accelerate the construction and availability of affordable housing, was seen by Republican leaders as a key initiative to address the high cost of living, a major concern for voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.
However, Trump’s abrupt withdrawal from the signing ceremony on Wednesday underscored the deep divisions within the Republican Party over legislative priorities.
Trump’s focus remains squarely on the SAVE America Act, a package of national voting restrictions that he views as essential.
This proposed legislation would mandate photo identification for federal elections, require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, and compel states to share their voter registration rolls with the federal government. While the bill passed the House of Representatives in February, it has since stalled in the Senate.
The push for the SAVE America Act has led to significant congressional gridlock. Hardline Trump allies, notably U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, effectively shut down the House floor until the Senate acts on the voter ID bill. The Senate has attempted to pass the measure five times since March, but has failed each time.
Following his meeting with Trump, Speaker Johnson told reporters that Congress would send the unsigned housing bill to the White House and proceed with other legislation.
He emphasized Trump’s desire to end legislative blockades from Republican members. “He wants to ensure that we stop any blockade in the House. Congress has work to do and that’s what we’re going to do,” Johnson stated, adding, “We’re on exactly the same page.” The White House has not yet commented on the meeting.
The debate over priorities intensified when, hours after Senate Republicans met with Trump on Wednesday, the chamber adjourned early for a two-week July 4 break without addressing the SAVE America Act.
Representative Luna, a vocal proponent, declared on social media, “I will not be voting to re-open the floor until the Senate gets back to Washington.”
Democrats vehemently oppose the SAVE America Act, arguing it addresses a nearly non-existent problem of non-citizen voting and could disenfranchise American citizens lacking easy access to passports or birth certificates. Critics also point out that Trump has falsely blamed non-citizen voting for his 2020 election loss.
Some Trump supporters advocate for including the SAVE America Act in a special budget reconciliation bill, which could pass the Senate with a simple majority of 51 Republican votes, potentially overruling the parliamentarian if the measure is deemed ineligible.
House’s No. 3 Republican, Representative Tom Emmer, suggested Speaker Johnson might support this strategy, stating, “You put it on the floor — this is what Mike Johnson is saying — you overrule the parliamentarian.” However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans maintain they currently lack the votes for such a maneuver.
With a narrow 218-212 Republican majority in the House, Johnson can afford to lose no more than two votes on any measure facing unanimous Democratic opposition.
The ongoing legislative battles and Trump’s 34% approval rating, according to Reuters/Ipsos, are weighing heavily on Republicans as they face the November elections, which will determine control of Congress.
