A significant housing bill that includes a ban on the issuance of a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC) through the end of 2030 is poised to become law, even though President Donald Trump has stated he will not sign it. This development is due to the bill having passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with veto-proof majorities, meaning it can automatically become law if the president does not actively veto it by the end of Friday.
President Trump announced on Thursday that he would not sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, citing the Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act as one reason for his refusal. However, under the U.S. Constitution, a bill passed by Congress automatically becomes law after 10 days if the president does not sign or veto it, provided Congress remains in session. This deadline for the housing bill expires at the end of Friday.
The legislation previously cleared the Senate with a vote of 85-5 and the House with a vote of 358-32. These margins indicate that Congress could potentially override a presidential veto if one were issued. A White House spokesperson, reached by Decrypt, declined to comment on whether Trump intends to issue a formal veto before the deadline, directing inquiries to the president’s Truth Social post.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is primarily designed to stimulate U.S. housing construction by reducing regulations and limiting the ability of institutional investors to purchase residential properties. A key provision added to the bill prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency until the end of 2030. Privacy advocates have expressed concerns that a government-issued digital dollar could enable federal surveillance of Americans’ financial transactions, and this CBDC ban was reportedly welcomed by such groups.
The Federal Reserve has been researching CBDC technology but has previously stated that it would not issue such a currency without explicit authorization from Congress.
Despite President Trump’s stated intention not to sign, the bill’s strong bipartisan support in Congress suggests it is likely to become law. The primary uncertainty remains whether the president will formally veto the legislation before the Friday deadline. If a veto is issued, Congress would need to muster a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override it, a threshold they have already demonstrated they can meet.
Why This Matters
The materials describe a narrow update: President Trump announced he would not sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act because it included a ban on a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). The bill is expected to automatically become law if the President does not veto it by midnight Friday, as it previously passed both chambers of Congress with veto-proof majorities. Whether President Trump intends to formally veto the legislation before midnight Friday remains uncertain.
Broader Context
Source materials place the factual news in this context: President Donald Trump said Thursday he will not sign a bipartisan housing bill that includes a multi-year ban on the issuance of a U.S. central bank digital currency, or CBDC. The bill is expected to automatically become law if the President does not veto it by midnight Friday, as it previously passed both chambers of Congress with veto-proof majorities.
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