Donald Trump More than a hundred Republicans joined the Democrats in the House of Representatives on Monday for violating the veto of the $ 741 billion security bill.
As expected, if the Senate follows this later this week, Congress will condemn his presidency for the first time, which is only three weeks away.
On the day it held a majority stake in Capitol Hill, the Democratic Control Forum voted to increase the corona virus relief payments to $ 2,000 per person. This is a step that Trump has endorsed, but is unlikely to make progress in the Senate.
The National Security Accreditation Act, which finances the pay of service members, foreign military operations and other requirements, has been passed by Congress every year since 1967. Trump used his veto last week to return the bill with objections, including a proposal to change names. 10 Military Bases for Coalition Leaders
Trump also lamented that technology companies have not repealed Section 230 of the Communications Code of Conduct, which protects them from legal responsibility for content posted by their users. The president has accused Facebook and Twitter of being politically biased against him.
His objections acted as a recent test of faith Republicans Joe Biden after his election defeat. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced that he would not vote to violate Trump’s veto despite supporting the original bill, which passed both chambers of Congress with strong bipartisan support.
But that is not enough. About 109 Republicans split from Trump on Monday Democrats To support the bill. The final count of 322-87 reached the two-thirds threshold required to surpass the veto.
Mac Thornberry, a senior Republican from the House Armed Services Committee, called on colleagues who backed the bill earlier this month to re-support it. “This is the right bill, the comma has not changed,” he said. “I only ask that when members vote, they put the best interests of the country first. No other opinion is required.”
Democrat Adam Smith, chairman of the committee, said: “It is important that we pass this bill. We did it once. Let’s do this one more time, and then we can all go home for the year. We can, we can be proud of what we have achieved. “
The bill is expected to go before the Republican-controlled Senate this weekend. If passed with a two-thirds majority it will become law. Trump has used the veto nine times during his presidency, but this is the first violation by Congress.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanked Trump for thwarting his “dangerous sabotage efforts.” “The president must end his eleven-hour chaotic campaign and stop using his last moments to thwart bipartisan activities to protect his military and our security,” he said.
But activists found little consolation in the Republican opposition. Mary Small, Indivisible’s acting national policy director, said: “This is no reason to celebrate. It is sad and angry that the Republicans who united to denounce Trump wasted the simultaneously militarized foreign policy and defense budget and not any other horrible, democratically-destructive and horrific thing he did. ”
Trump spoke blindly to Republicans again last week when he refused to sign the $ 2.3 billion government funding and corona virus relief package. He Finally repented Sunday night At his Mar-e-Lago plantation in Florida, the government avoids a strike.
Trump demanded that the direct stimulus allowance for US citizens be raised to $ 2,000 instead of the agreed $ 600. On Monday, the House voted 275-134 in favor of the majority, with 44 Republicans joining the Democrats. But it is uncertain whether it will even be taken up by the Senate, where again many Republicans will be in an awkward position to overtake Trump.
Bernie Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, said: “The Live Forum paid $ 2,000 for working people. It is time for the Senate to act. Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor this week wants to vote Trump’s veto in violation of the $ 740 billion defense finance bill, and then head home for the New Year. I’m going to object until the working class votes on a $ 2,000 direct bill. ”
Sanders, the Democratic presidential nominee, added: “Let me be clear: if Senator McConnell does not agree to a $ 2,000 direct or lower vote to pay the working people of our country, Congress will not go home for New Year’s celebration. Let’s do our job. ”
