By Lee Roper
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) says Democrats supporting a bipartisan housing bill is a red flag for him because he has no interest in working across the aisle.
The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed the Senate 85-5 on June 22 and the House 358-32 the next day. The legislation was sponsored in the Senate by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.
Donald Trump slammed the bill in a Truth Social post, labeling it a “Warren-centric housing bill,” and said he would not sign it unless the Senate first takes action on elections legislation that is facing bipartisan opposition in both chambers of Congress.
“The Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren centric housing bill, which is of minor importance compared to lower interest rates, and even FISA, pales in comparison to passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote. “That is what Americans, both Dumocrats, Republicans, and everyone else, care about.”
On Monday, Fine echoed Trump’s comments, telling Newsmax he is against the bill simply because Democrats support it and he “didn’t come to Washington to work with Democrats.”
“If Elizabeth Warren thinks a bill is great, then it probably isn’t,” he said. “The enthusiasm with which Democrats had for this bill got me spooked. And I didn’t come to Washington to work with Democrats. I came to Washington to beat them. So that was where I was. As for the president, he’ll do what he thinks is best, and I trust his judgment. I certainly hope if he chooses to veto the bill, Republicans will not choose to override him, and certainly I won’t be one of those doing that.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that he would send the legislation to Trump on Monday. The president will be left with two choices. He could refuse to sign the legislation, but the U.S. Constitution states that if the President does not act on a bill within 10 days of receiving it, the bill automatically becomes law as long as Congress remains in session. His second option is to veto the legislation and risk Congress overriding his veto on the bipartisan bill with a two-thirds majority vote.
