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\u2014a move considered impossible because opposition Democrats strongly oppose it, while Republicans lack the supermajority needed to push it through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The housing bill, designed to help ordinary Americans achieve homeownership more quickly, was scheduled to be signed into law today at Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToday\u2019s House press conference and signing ceremony are therefore canceled until we pass the desperately needed \u2018Save America Act,\u2019 which I consider a matter of urgent national importance,\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since Republicans do not hold a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate\u2014meaning they cannot overcome the procedural hurdle requiring 60 of the 100 Senate votes for this type of legislation\u2014Trump 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Democrats argue that the proposed voting rights legislation\u2014which would require voters to prove their citizenship at polling locations\u2014would suppress voting rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n