Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said Thursday that it would be a mistake for President Donald Trump not to sign a bipartisan housing bill approved by Congress, urging the president to move forward with legislation that he helped write.
Appearing on CNN with host Kaitlan Collins, Lawler acknowledged that he has already communicated his position directly to Trump after the president canceled a planned bill-signing ceremony last week.
The legislation passed both chambers of Congress before Trump called off the signing event and instead insisted that lawmakers first pass the SAVE America Act. Earlier this week, the president also dismissed the housing legislation, describing it as “a yawn.”
Collins asked Lawler directly whether he believed it would be a mistake if Trump ultimately declined to sign the bill.
“I do,” Lawler responded. “And I’ve said that directly to the president. I think he should sign it.”
Lawler argued that the legislation represents a significant accomplishment for Republicans, pointing to the cooperation between the Republican-controlled House, Senate and administration in advancing what he described as the largest housing bill in more than three decades.
“Look, this is a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Republican administration that worked together to produce the largest housing bill in 36 years,” Lawler said.
The New York congressman also emphasized that many of the bill’s key provisions originated from Republican lawmakers. He noted that six of his own legislative proposals were included in the final package.
According to Lawler, the legislation is designed to reduce government regulations, improve access to capital and encourage the construction of additional housing.
He argued that increasing the housing supply is critical to addressing affordability concerns facing many Americans.
“And what it fundamentally does is it cuts red tape, it increases access to capital, and it builds more housing to ultimately bring down prices,” Lawler said.
He added that housing costs and rent remain among the most significant affordability issues confronting families, making the legislation one of the most important issues Congress can address.
“The biggest issue when it comes to affordability for Americans has to do with housing costs and rent, and so to me, this is one of the biggest issues that we can tackle,” he said.
As the bill awaits action from the White House, The New York Times reported that Trump has three possible options under the Constitution: sign the legislation into law, veto it, or take no action.
The newspaper explained that a president has 10 days, excluding Sundays, after receiving a bill to either sign it or return it to Congress.
If neither action is taken within that time, the bill automatically becomes law without the president’s signature.
However, The New York Times noted that the process becomes more complicated if Congress is not in session when the deadline expires.
According to the newspaper, if Congress has adjourned, an unsigned bill can be defeated through what is known as a pocket veto. The report also noted that legal questions remain over whether a temporary congressional recess—such as the scheduled 10-day break beginning July 3 for both the House and Senate—would qualify for a pocket veto or whether that authority applies only after Congress adjourns at the end of its session later in the year.
For now, the bipartisan housing bill remains in the president’s hands as lawmakers await his decision.
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