The Senate and House remain locked in a battle of political will over housing affordability legislation. Both chambers are now digging in for what could be a lengthy stalemate over the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
House Republicans are threatening to initiate a formal conference process as they try to drag Senate leaders to the negotiating table. But key senators are betting that if they’re patient, President Donald Trump will eventually force the House GOP to swallow the Senate’s legislation.
If and when Trump — who’s been preoccupied with the SAVE America Act and the war in Iran — wades into the housing debate will have a big impact on which chamber can keep the upper hand.
The battle lines. Despite the bicameral tensions, some Senate Republicans are leaving the door open to changes by the House.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday that while he’d prefer the House just pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the Senate could agree to a conference process if the House pushed for one. House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) told us Tuesday he was “pleased” by Thune’s comments.
But it’s far from clear there would be the votes to go to conference in the Senate, and that process could just snuff out the whole effort.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), the Banking Committee’s top Democrat, is towing a hard line that the House needs to take up the Senate’s bill.
“Anyone who wants to find another delay or hang this bill up will have to explain to the American people why they think lowering housing costs is not an urgent priority for the American people,” Warren said.
