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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has threatened to torpedo Congress’s massive Covid-19 aid package amid a raging pandemic and deep economic uncertainty, suddenly demanding changes other Republicans have opposed.
Trump attacked the bipartisan $ 900 billion package in a video he tweeted Tuesday night suggesting he could not sign the legislation. He called on lawmakers to increase direct payments for most Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 for individuals and $ 4,000 for couples.
After protesting against a number of provisions of the bill, including foreign aid, he told lawmakers to “get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary articles of this legislation and send me a proper bill.”
Trump did not specifically commit to vetoing the bill, and there may be enough support for legislation in Congress to overturn it if he does. But if Trump were to change the sprawling legislation, the consequences would be dire, including a lack of federal aid for struggling Americans and small businesses, and no additional resources to help with vaccine distribution. Additionally, because lawmakers linked the pandemic relief bill to a blanket funding measure, the government would shut down on December 29.
The aid package was part of a hard-fought compromise bill that includes $ 1.4 billion to fund government agencies through September and contains other priorities at the end of the session, such as money for cashless transit systems, an increase in benefits. of food stamps and approximately $ 4 billion to help other nations provide a Covid-19 vaccine for their people.
Lawmakers spent months stuck over funding for pandemic relief, even as Covid-19 cases soared across the country. Democrats had lobbied for Americans to be paid more, but pledged with Republicans to allow a deal to proceed.
Following Trump’s interjection, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi nearly challenged Trump’s Republican allies in Congress to meet the president’s demand for much higher pay.
“Finally, the president accepted $ 2,000. Democrats are willing to take this to the Chamber this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it! ”Pelosi said in a tweet. An aide said she would present the proposal for a vote on Thursday.
Republicans have been reluctant to spend more on pandemic relief and only accepted the big year-end package as time ran out for a final deal. And Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said “Trump needs to sign the bill to help the people and keep government open,” and Congress would step up afterward for more help.
Trump’s call for changes in the legislation will test his influence in a Republican Party that he has had tight control over during his presidency. Several Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have begun to cautiously break with Trump and admit defeat to President-elect Joe Biden, a step Trump has refused to take. McConnell also warned Republicans not to contest the January 6 election, when Congress must formally confirm the results.
Shortly after criticizing the relief bill, Trump challenged McConnell and Senator John Thune, the second Senate Republican who has also said that any effort to overturn Biden’s victory would be futile. Trump said he would back a major challenge to Thune when he runs for re-election in 2022.
Trump’s threats to delay anti-pandemic legislation could also complicate matters for Republicans in Georgia, where two second-round races will take place in January to determine control of the Senate. Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have run as ardent Trump supporters and will now face questions about whether they will back his call for more money for Americans.
Jon Ossoff, Perdue’s Democratic opponent, simply tweeted Tuesday night: “$ 2,000 checks now.”
The aid package was introduced Monday afternoon and passed quickly through the House and Senate in a matter of hours as lawmakers worked to close the books for the year. While many lawmakers complained that they had been given so little time to read the bill, they overwhelmingly voted for it as businesses and local voters sought economic relief from the pandemic.
