By
July 11, 2026 / 12:00 AM EDT
/ CBS News
Add CBS News on Google
Washington — A landmark housing bill automatically became law at 12 a.m. on Saturday after President Trump declined to sign it in protest of the Senate's inaction on an elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.The bipartisan bill, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is the most comprehensive housing legislation in decades. The measure aims to increase housing supply and bring down costs, including by limiting institutional investors from purchasing certain single-family homes. The president had been set to sign the legislation at a Capitol Hill bill signing ceremony last month, shortly after the House and Senate approved it by wide bipartisan margins. But he abruptly canceled the bill signing hours in advance, and threatened not to sign the legislation until Congress approved the SAVE America Act. That legislation would impose new restrictions on voting and registering to vote.The president reiterated his intent not to sign the housing bill on Friday morning. "I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, which is polling at 97% with the Republican Party, and very high with the non-politician Dumocrats," the president posted on Truth Social. Under the Constitution, a bill that has passed both houses of Congress automatically becomes law if the president doesn't sign or veto it within 10 days, excluding Sundays.Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the chief proponent of the legislation in the Senate, harshly criticized the president's refusal to sign the bill.
