The White House and Senate Republican leadership are mounting a full-court press on the House to advance a major housing bill that has been stuck for months due to resistance from hard-line conservatives. The measure, dubbed the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” is central to the GOP’s strategy to show voters they are serious about tackling affordability ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The legislation cleared the Senate in March with a lopsided 89-10 vote, drawing bipartisan support. It includes incentives for new home construction, a program to convert abandoned buildings into housing, and grants to modernize existing homes. But the bill has hit a wall in the House, where far-right members object to provisions they view as government overreach.
Two flashpoints have emerged: a temporary ban on a central bank digital currency (CBDC) through 2030, and a requirement that large institutional investors in build-to-rent single-family homes sell those properties within seven years. Critics argue these measures are unnecessary government interference in the free market and the private housing economy.
President Trump waded into the fray on Monday, posting on Truth Social that he wants Congress to pass the Senate version. “Senators Bernie Moreno and Tim Scott have worked to ensure my call becomes a reality,” Trump wrote. “I am asking Congress to pass that Bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which would ensure that homes are for people, not Corporations.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) welcomed Trump’s endorsement, calling it a “good outcome” and insisting the House needs “to pass it over there.” He added, “It would be a win.”
For House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the bill has become yet another headache as he navigates a razor-thin majority. To bring the measure to the floor, Johnson must secure near-unanimous support from his conference on a procedural rule vote, a tall order given the opposition. At the same time, he will need Democratic votes to pass the bill itself. Johnson told reporters that Reps. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) are working on changes that can attract bipartisan support and get a bicameral bill to the president’s desk.
Dan Schneider, a spokesperson for House Financial Services Committee Republicans, said in a statement, “We remain committed to advancing a bicameral housing bill that reflects the views of both chambers to President Trump’s desk.”
But opposition is hardening. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) told The Hill she will vote no on the procedural rule, citing frustration with Thune for not pushing the SAVE America Act, a House-passed voter ID bill, and for dismissing a permanent CBDC ban. “I’m not voting for the rule on the housing bill because John Thune is not doing his job,” Luna said. “And I know the Senate desperately wants this for their elections, and I don’t care.” She indicated others would join her.
The House Freedom Caucus and privacy-minded conservatives want a permanent CBDC ban, arguing a temporary one is insufficient. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) wrote on X, “Washington says it wants to fix housing costs, then passes policies that scare off the builders and investors who actually create supply. You can’t regulate your way to affordable housing.”
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the bill’s lead author, framed the legislation as a key part of the GOP’s midterm message. He wrote on X that the bill will ensure 2026 “is truly the year of affordability,” and urged House colleagues to “get this done.”
The standoff echoes broader tensions between the White House and Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, GOP senators have pushed back on a $1 billion security plan for Trump’s White House ballroom, and Trump’s gas tax holiday faces GOP resistance over highway fund concerns. The housing bill’s fate will test whether Johnson can bridge the divide between his party’s pragmatists and its conservative wing.
