U.S. President Donald Trump announced today on social media that he will not sign the bipartisan Republican-Democratic housing bill passed by both chambers of Congress. As a condition for doing so, he demanded the passage of a voting rights bill—a move considered impossible because opposition Democrats strongly oppose it, while Republicans lack the supermajority needed to push it through.
The housing bill, designed to help ordinary Americans achieve homeownership more quickly, was scheduled to be signed into law today at Congress.
“Today’s House press conference and signing ceremony are therefore canceled until we pass the desperately needed ‘Save America Act,’ which I consider a matter of urgent national importance,” Trump wrote.
Since Republicans do not hold a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate—meaning they cannot overcome the procedural hurdle requiring 60 of the 100 Senate votes for this type of legislation—Trump has called for eliminating the filibuster rule so that the voting rights bill could be passed by a simple majority vote. However, even some Republicans oppose changing the rule.
Democrats argue that the proposed voting rights legislation—which would require voters to prove their citizenship at polling locations—would suppress voting rights.
Earlier today, reports indicated that Trump was heading to Capitol Hill to meet with Republican senators who have been showing increasing resistance to his agenda.
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For months, Trump has been attempting to persuade senators to pass the voting rights bill despite it being clear that there are not enough votes for its approval.
Trump has also blocked the confirmation of a new intelligence chief who enjoys bipartisan support, demanded funding for his White House ballroom project despite significant opposition, and urged Republicans to support his campaign against Iran, while many lawmakers continue to question the strategy and endgame of that effort.
The president has further weakened his own support in the Senate by directly influencing primary races in which two senators generally supportive of his policies lost to challengers loyal to Trump.
Since their terms will not be renewed, those two senators—John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—have now become outspoken critics of Trump’s actions.
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Source: N1; Foto: AP Photo / Alex Brandon