President Trump Cancels Housing Bill Signing Over Elections Legislation

President Trump canceled a scheduled signing of bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing housing costs on Wednesday. He said he would sign the measure only after Congress passes the SAVE America Act. The president has stated for months that he will not sign any bill until the elections measure is approved.

The same stance previously blocked reauthorization of a surveillance tool and delayed efforts to increase immigration enforcement spending.

Provisions in the SAVE America Act The bill requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Acceptable documents include passports, birth certificates, and certain state or tribal identification cards. The measure also requires voters to present photo identification when casting ballots in person.

Mail ballots must include a copy of photo identification or the last four digits of a Social Security number along with a signed affidavit. States would be required to remove noncitizens from voter rolls and submit complete voter registration lists to the Department of Homeland Security.

The bill creates a private right of action and new criminal penalties against election officials who register voters without citizenship documentation. The legislation lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster. Republican leaders have not indicated support for eliminating the filibuster to advance the bill.