The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed overwhelmingly in both chambers of Congress, was scheduled for a signing ceremony today by President Donald Trump. However, the president canceled the event and stated he would hold the bill hostage until lawmakers passed the SAVE Act.
In a social media post, Trump wrote: “Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency.”
The legislation aims to increase access to financing and grants for housing construction to lower costs. The SAVE Act, which Republicans have pushed to require proof of citizenship for voting in federal elections, has been opposed by Democrats on grounds it could disenfranchise legal voters.
Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California criticized Trump’s decision at a media briefing: “We have a bipartisan housing bill that both the Congress and Senate passed. There was supposed to be a big signing ceremony today in the Capitol, and then all of a sudden Donald Trump decides he’s not coming to sign the bill.”
Lieu questioned whether Trump had received a special drug under compassionate use provisions typically reserved for terminal patients: “Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Is he unable to stay awake today? What’s causing him to chicken out again? Is it taco Wednesday? Or is it side effects from a drug?”
Lieu added: “This erratic behavior of the president is very concerning. He’s having trouble staying awake at many White House events and Cabinet meetings.”
The White House has denied any allegations that Trump received an experimental drug under compassionate use provisions.
White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung responded on social media with: “Ted Lewd is a dumbass. He probably spent hours laughing to himself thinking that peddling this lie would be funny. Sadly for Ted, there’s no special new drug to cure being a bh.”
Lieu countered online: “I see you didn’t answer the question I asked. Was Trump the mystery patient who received the special experimental drug by Eli Lilly under the law designed for people with terminal illnesses?”
The fate of the housing bill remains uncertain.
