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Donald Trump suffered yet another humiliation Monday when more than 100 Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to override his veto of a $ 741 billion defense bill.
If, as expected, the Senate follows suit later this week, it will be Congress’ first reprimand of his presidency, which has only three weeks left to run.
During a high-stakes day on Capitol Hill, the Democratic-controlled House also voted to increase coronavirus relief payments to $ 2,000 per person. This was a step endorsed by Trump, but it is believed to be unlikely to advance in the Senate.
The National Defense Authorization Act, which funds the payment of service members, foreign military operations and other necessities, has been passed by Congress every year since 1967. Trump exercised his veto last week, returning the bill with objections, including his proposal to change the names of 10 military bases in honor of Confederate leaders.
Trump was also aggrieved that the legislation failed to repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects technology companies from legal liability for content posted by their users. The president has accused Facebook and Twitter of political prejudice against him.
His objections served as the latest test of loyalty for Republicans after their electoral loss to Joe Biden. Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, announced that he would not vote to override Trump’s veto despite supporting the original bill, which was passed by both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support.
But it was not enough. About 109 Republicans broke with Trump on Monday and joined Democrats in supporting the bill. The final count of 322-87 comfortably reached the two-thirds threshold required to override the veto.
Mac Thornberry, the highest-ranking Republican on the House of Representatives armed services committee, urged colleagues who had supported the bill earlier this month to back it. “It is exactly the same bill, not a comma has changed,” he said. “I would just ask that as members vote, they put the best interests of the country first. There is no other consideration that should matter. “
Committee Chair Adam Smith, Democrat, said: “It is extremely important that we pass this bill. We did it once. Let’s do it one more time and then we can go home for the year. We can do it and we can be proud of what we have accomplished. “
The bill is expected to go before the Republican-controlled Senate later this week. It will become law if it is passed with a two-thirds majority. Trump has vetoed nine times during his presidency, but this would be Congress’s first override.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed gratitude that Trump’s “dangerous sabotage efforts” had been thwarted. “The president must end his campaign of eleventh hour mayhem and stop using his final moments in office to obstruct bipartisan and bicameral action to protect our military and defend our security,” he said.
But activists found little comfort in the Republican defiance. Mary Small, Indivisible’s acting director of national policy, said: “This is no cause for celebration. It’s sad and infuriating that the only time Republicans came together to reprimand Trump was in pursuit of an overmilitarized foreign policy and bloated defense budget and not any of the other horrible, cruel, and democracy-busting things that he has done “.
Trump surprised Republicans again last week when he initially refused to sign a $ 2.3 trillion government funding and coronavirus aid package that had taken Congress months to negotiate. He finally relented Sunday night at his Mar-a-Lago farm in Florida, avoiding a government shutdown.
Trump had demanded that direct stimulus payments to U.S. citizens be increased to $ 2,000 instead of the agreed $ 600. On Monday, the House voted 275-134 for the higher sum, with 44 Republicans joining Democrats. But it is not known for sure if it will be retaken by the Senate, where again many Republicans would find themselves in the uncomfortable position of crossing over to Trump.
Bernie Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, said: “The House approved a direct payment of $ 2,000 for workers. It is time for the Senate to act. This week in the Senate, Mitch McConnell wants to vote to override Trump’s veto on the $ 740 billion defense funding bill and then return home for the New Year. I’m going to object until we get a vote on legislation to provide a direct payment of $ 2,000 to the working class. “
Sanders, a former candidate in the Democratic presidential primary, added: “Let me be clear: If Senator McConnell disagrees with a vote for or against to provide the workers of our country with a direct payment of $ 2,000, Congress He won’t be going home for New Years Eve. Let’s do our job. “
