This story appeared in The Logoffa daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news rule your life. Register here.
Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump is undermining a rare bipartisan congressional victory for a bill with no chance of passage.
What is happening? Trump was expected to sign a major bipartisan housing bill — intended to address housing affordability and encourage new construction — into law on Wednesday, after it passed the House and Senate earlier this week on multiple counts. But he withdrew at the last minute Wednesday morning, issuing his plea that lawmakers “pass the much-needed SAVE AMERICA ACT.”
What is the SAVE America Act? It is a new voter ID measure that Trump has put in his heart, which would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote, as well as a photo ID to cast their ballot.
Trump has repeatedly asked Republicans to attach the SAVE America Act to unrelated bills or change Senate rules to make it easier to pass, to no avail. Under current rules, it would take 60 votes — including seven Democratic votes — to clear the Senate, which won’t happen.
Why does Trump care? Alleged voter fraud is a long-standing pet peeve of Trump, even before his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. In fact, there is no evidence that it is a major issue in US elections. But he has insisted that Republicans “will not win another Election” if the SAVE America Act is not passed.
So, what will happen to the house bill? Once the bill passes Parliament and is presented to the president, there are three things that can happen:
In this case, it is not clear if the bill has been sent to Trump yet. Even if he vetoes it, however — which he hasn’t specifically threatened — it’s possible Congress could override the veto.
And so, it’s time to leave…
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Thanks for reading, have a good evening, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!
