US housing bill set to become law without Trump signature

A bipartisan US housing bill is set to become law on Saturday without President Donald Trump's signature after he said he would not sign it in protest over a stalled voting restrictions package.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act cleared both chambers of Congress by overwhelming margins. Under the US Constitution, legislation becomes law after 10 days if the president neither signs nor vetoes it while Congress remains in session.

Trump cancelled a planned signing ceremony last month and called the measure "a yawn". On Friday, he wrote on social media that he would not sign the housing bill because the Senate had not passed the SAVE America Act.

Trump's election bill would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at polling places, while imposing new limits on mail-in ballots. Democrats call it an assault on voting rights, saying foreign voting is already illegal and almost never happens. Senate Republican leaders have acknowledged the bill lacks the support needed to advance.

Trump could still issue a last-minute veto, although House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated he does not expect the president to block the housing measure.

The housing package contains nearly 60 provisions intended to boost supply, reduce regulatory barriers and improve access to mortgages and home ownership. It would offer federal incentives to communities that build more housing, make manufactured and modular homes easier to develop and help convert underused properties into residences.

The legislation also imposes the first federal restrictions on purchases of single-family homes by large corporate investors, targeting firms that already own hundreds of properties. Its impact is likely to take time because many zoning and construction rules are controlled by state and local governments.