U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich called on President Donald Trump to sign bipartisan housing legislation into law, after Trump abruptly canceled his plans to do so Wednesday morning.
Trump posted on social media Wednesday morning he would not sign the housing legislation, called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, until the Senate passed his bill requiring proof of citizenship and photo identification to vote.
“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,” Trump posted.
The 21st Century Road to Housing Act aims to improve housing supply and affordability, including by limiting large investors from purchasing single-family homes. It was passed out of both the House and Senate this week.
Heinrich co-sponsored a handful of the provisions in the housing legislation.
“Let’s be clear about what’s happening: President Trump is choosing to prioritize attacking Americans’ right to vote over ensuring families can afford housing,” Heinrich said in a statement Wednesday.
“Right now, New Mexicans are being priced out of a place to live. A bipartisan group of legislators came together to fix it — to make housing more affordable and put home ownership within reach for more folks. We passed the bill and did our part, now the president needs to do his: sign this legislation into law NOW,” he said.
The provisions Heinrich co-sponsored, according to a statement from his office, would do the following: