U.S. President Donald Trump is facing a short decision window after House Speaker Mike Johnson sent the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to the White House on Monday.
Summary
- Trump now faces a 10-day window as the housing bill’s CBDC ban moves toward law.
- The bill blocks the U.S. Fed from creating a CBDC or similar asset through 2030.
- Trump’s SAVE America push delayed a housing measure that passed with bipartisan backing last week.
Reuters reported that Trump did not commit to signing the bipartisan housing bill and described it as “a big yawn” while pressing Republicans to move on the SAVE America Act.
The clock matters because the U.S. Constitution gives a president 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign or return a bill after presentment. If Congress remains in session and the president takes no action, the bill becomes law as if it had been signed.
CBDC ban sits inside housing measure
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mainly focuses on housing affordability. The package seeks to expand housing supply, support manufactured housing, speed up some reviews, and place new limits on large investors buying single-family homes.
The same bill also carries a non-housing provision aimed at the Federal Reserve. The final package prohibits the Fed from creating a central bank digital currency through 2030. The language covers a CBDC and any asset that is substantially similar to one.
The CBDC clause has moved through Congress alongside broader digital asset debates. The housing bill passed the Senate in an 85-5 vote and the House in a 358-32 vote, giving the package strong support from both parties before it reached Trump.
SAVE America Act drives the standoff
Trump has linked the housing bill to the SAVE America Act, a voting measure that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration. He canceled a planned signing ceremony last week and said Republicans should focus on the election bill before other measures.
That position has frustrated some Republicans who want to campaign on housing affordability before the November midterms. Senator Bill Cassidy said it was “irresponsible” to postpone signing the housing bill over the SAVE Act and said relief for high housing costs should start quickly.
Trump also questioned parts of the housing package because Democrats supported it. He said the bill was bipartisan and added that Democrats were getting items he would not necessarily accept, according to reports.
Crypto policy faces a narrow July window
The housing fight comes as the Senate calendar also weighs on crypto legislation. As reported by crypto.news, the Senate adjourned until July 13, leaving lawmakers with less floor time to move the CLARITY Act before the August break.
The CLARITY Act remains central to crypto market structure talks. As reported by crypto.news, it has cleared the House, passed the Senate Banking Committee, and reached the Senate calendar, but it still needs floor action.
The same debate also touches the CBDC issue. As reported by crypto.news, the CLARITY Act includes anti-CBDC language that would bar the Fed from issuing a retail digital dollar without clear approval from Congress.
