特朗普搁置住房法案，施压参议院共和党通过SAVE法案

" PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS UPENDED CONGRESS'S PLANS FOR A MAJOR HOUSING BILL, REFUSING TO SIGN LEGISLATION THAT PASSED WITH VETO-PROOF MAJORITIES, AS HE TRIES TO FORCE ACTION ON HIS VOTING REFORM AGENDA. GEOFF: THE TACTIC IS FAMILIAR. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE PRESIDENT DERAILED A BIPARTISAN DEAL ON INTELLIGENCE AND SURVEILLANCE LEGISLATION WHILE PRESSING LAWMAKERS TO ADOPT THAT VOTING BILL KNOWN AS THE SAVE ACT. NOW, HE'S USING A HOUSING PACKAGE THAT MANY LAWMAKERS EXPECTED WOULD BE SIGNED INTO LAW TODAY AS A NEW POINT OF LEVERAGE.

ANDREW DESIDERIO COVERS THE SENATE FOR PUNCHBOWL NEWS AND JOINS US NOW. ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU. THE WHITE HOUSE HAD PREPARED FOR THE SIGNING CEREMONY. LAWMAKERS WERE GATHERED ON CAPITOL HILL. AND THEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID VIA SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HE WILL NOT SIGN THE BILL AFTER ALL. HOW DID REPUBLICAN SENATORS REACT? ANDREW: THEY WERE SHOCKED. DUMBFOUNDED. THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE THIS A LOT LATELY, BLIND-SIDING REPUBLICAN LEADERS.

A SIGNING CEREMONY USUALLY HAPPENS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THIS WAS SET UP IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING. THEY HAD A STAGE SET UP. THEY HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL EMBLEM. A DESK FOR HIM TO SIGN IT. JUST ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE FOR THE CAPITOL, HE PUT OUT A MESSAGE ON TRUTH SOCIAL SAYING HE WOULD NOT SIGN IT INTO LAW UNTIL THE SENATE AND HOUSE SENT HIM THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, WHICH IS LEGISLATION WITH VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE OF PASSING EITHER CHAMBER, ESPECIALLY IN THE SENATE, WHERE THE FILIBUSTER EXISTS.

WHAT IS FASCINATING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR RIFT BETWEEN SENATE REPUBLICANS AND THE PRESIDENT IS THE PRESIDENT WAS ALREADY SCHEDULED TO ATTEND A LUNCH MEETING WITH SENATE REPUBLICANS RIGHT AFTER THE SIGNING CEREMONY, WHICH HE CAME TO ANYWAY. THE CONVERSATION DEVOLVED INTO MOSTLY AN ARGUMENT BETWEEN HIMSELF AND SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OVER THE IRAN WAR. THE PRESIDENT DID NOT OPEN IT UP FOR Q&A AT ALL ABOUT THE SAVE AMERICA ACT ISSUE.

THE FACT HE IS BLOCKING THE BIPARTISAN HOUSING AUTHORITY BILL -- IT GOT 85 VOTES IN THE SENATE AND NEARLY 400 IN THE HOUSE. GEOFF: BIPARTISAN, VETOPROOF MAJORITY. WHAT LEVERAGE DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE AT THIS POINT AS IT RELATES TO THE BILL? ANDREW: HE HAS LEVERAGE IN THE SENSE HE CAN HOLD OUT AND NOT SIGN IT BUT THERE IS A 10 DAY CLOCK THAT STARTS TO RUN, BUT ONLY WHEN THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OFFICIALLY TRANSMITS THE BILL TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

SPEAKER JOHNSON, A CLOSE ALLY OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, HAS NOT OFFICIALLY DONE THAT. IF HE DOES NOT TRANSMIT THE BILL TO THE WHITE HOUSE THE 10 DAY CLOCK DOES NOT START TO RUN. IF HE DOES THE 10 DAY CLOCK STARTS TO RUN AND AT THE END OF IT THE BILL BECOMES LAW WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE. IF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO GET THE BILL AND THEN VETO IT, CONGRESS COULD VOTE ON OVERRIDING THAT VETO BUT IT TAKES 2/3 IN BOTH CHAMBERS.

IF YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE GOT HUGE MARGINS IN BOTH CHAMBERS TO BEGIN WITH YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE EASILY ABLE TO OVERRIDE THE VETO. VETO OVERRIDE VOTES TEND TO BE INTERESTING AS MEMBERS BACK OFF OF THEIR S