U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is urging President Donald Trump to sign a bipartisan affordable housing bill after he unexpectedly paused his planned signature to use it as leverage in a separate fight over election legislation.
Trump caused a stir on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 24, after he abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for landmark housing affordability legislation called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The maneuver surprised members of his party as GOP leaders were already touting the landmark legislation supporters designed to increase home construction and curb housing prices.
Iowa’s all-GOP congressional delegation has rallied behind the legislation, which contains several provisions led by Rep. Zach Nunn geared toward rural housing.
“Iowa families are being squeezed by rising housing costs, and too many young people are losing faith that they will ever be able to buy a home of their own,” said Miller-Meeks, who faces a competitive reelection bid in southeastern Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, in a statement.
“Yesterday, I voted for the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to lower costs, increase housing supply, and prevent Wall Street from cornering the market. I respectfully urge the president to sign it into law.”
Before the scheduled bill signing Wednesday, Trump posted on his Truth Social account “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 U.S. House approved the housing bill’s final passage by a 358-32 vote Tuesday, cementing it as one of the most bipartisan pieces of legislation in years.
If Congress remains in session, the housing bill can become law without the president’s signature 10 days after it was presented to him. Still, stalling the bill’s enactment enraged members of both parties.
The bill targets the cost of construction, regulatory red tape, zoning restrictions and banking hurdles. It also modernizes programs through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, and limits the investor purchases of homes, among other steps.
It comes ahead of a competitive midterm election cycle, where Republicans face mounting pressure to deliver fixes on affordability — a top concern for voters. Lawmakers and experts called it a sweeping “first step” in tackling the nation’s housing crunch.
Trump told lawmakers the SAVE America Act, which affects voter registration laws, is more important than the housing bill.
It would require documentary proof of citizenship to vote and instruct states to turn over voter rolls to the Department of Homeland Security, among other changes. It would also create barriers to registration. Voting rights advocates have expressed concern that the bill would potentially disenfranchise millions of voters.
Politically, Trump’s attempt to shove the bill through Congress has driven a wedge between the White House and Republicans, especially in the Senate.
Nunn, who faces a tough reelection bid in south-central Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, has aggressively championed the housing bill. He joined forces with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, last summer during the Iowa State Fair to unveil the bill and trumpeted the measure in a May visit with HUD Secretary Scott Turner.
Asked if he had concerns Trump’s move would undermine Republicans’ messaging on addressing affordability, Nunn shared confidence Trump will eventually sign the measure.
“This wasn’t a Washington-driven solution — it was built from the ground up by Iowans, and together we delivered the most significant housing reform package in a generation,” Nunn said in a statement. “We cut red tape, modernized rural housing programs, and helped level the playing field for families looking to buy a home. This bill is a win for Iowa and a priority I have worked with the president on since day one, and I fully expect him to sign it into law.”
Iowa’s U.S. House lawmakers also back the SAVE Act but Miller-Meeks emphasized the significance of the housing legislation.
“I also strongly support the SAVE Act, but housing affordability is an important priority to me,” Miller-Meeks said. “This bipartisan bill has passed both the House and Senate and should be signed into law immediately.”
During Turner’s visit, Nunn said the legislation “means a real future for a family that wants to be able to get into that first home.”
“It means opportunities by getting rid of regulation, but also cutting down on some of the challenges that have been put on rural communities, whether that’s modular housing, prefab housing, single-family housing,” Nunn said.
USA Today and Des Moines Register politics reporter Maya Marchel Hoff contributed to this article
Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Miller-Meeks presses Trump to sign housing bill after his abrupt delay
Reporting by Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
