Donald Trump suffered further humiliation on Monday, when more than 100 Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to overturn his veto on a $ 741 billion defense bill.
If, as expected, the Senate follows suit later this week, it will be Congress’ first reprimand against its presidency, which has only three weeks to run.
During a day of high stakes on Capitol Hill, the Democratic-controlled House also voted to increase coronavirus aid payments to $ 2,000 per person. This was a measure endorsed by Trump, but it is unlikely to advance in the Senate.
The National Defense Authorization Act, which finances military payments, military operations abroad 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 the Confederate leaders.
Trump was also hurt that the legislation did not repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects technology companies from legal liability for content posted by their users. The president accused Facebook and Twitter of political prejudice against him.
His objections served as the latest test of loyalty for Republicans after the election defeat to Joe Biden. Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader in the House, announced that he would not vote to overturn Trump’s veto, despite supporting the original bill, which was passed in both chambers of Congress with strong bipartisan support.
But it was not enough. About 109 Republicans broke with Trump on Monday and joined Democrats to support the project. The final count of 322-87 comfortably reached the two-thirds limit needed to override the veto.
Mac Thornberry, the highest-ranking Republican on the House’s armed forces committee, asked colleagues who supported the project earlier this month to back it up again. “It is exactly the same account, no commas have changed,” he said. “I would just like to ask that, as members vote, put the country’s best interests first. There is no other consideration that should matter. “
Democrat Adam Smith, chairman of the committee, said: “It is extremely important that we pass this bill. We did this once. Let’s do it again, and then we can all go home during the year. We can be made and we can be proud of what we have achieved. “
The bill is expected to go to the Republican-controlled Senate later this week. It will become law if passed by a two-thirds majority. Trump has already vetoed nine times during his presidency, but this would be Congress’s first annulment.
Nancy Pelosi, the mayor, expressed gratitude that Trump’s “dangerous sabotage efforts” have been thwarted. “The president must end his last-minute campaign of chaos and stop using his final moments in office to obstruct bipartisan and bicameral action to protect our military and defend our security,” she said.
But activists found little solace in the Republican challenge. Mary Small, Indivisible’s interim national policy director, said: “This is no cause for celebration. It is sad and infuriating that the only time Republicans came together to rebuke Trump was in pursuit of overly militarized foreign policy and an inflated defense budget, and not any of the other cruel, horrible and destructive things he did.
Trump surprised Republicans again last week when he initially refused to sign a $ 2.3 trillion government loan and a coronavirus relief package that took months to negotiate by Congress. He eventually relented on Sunday night at his property in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, avoiding a government shutdown.
Trump demanded that direct stimulus payments to American citizens be increased to $ 2,000, as opposed to the agreed $ 600. On Monday, the House voted 275-134 in favor of the larger sum, with 44 Republicans joining the Democrats. But it is unclear whether it will be taken over by the Senate, where again many Republicans would find themselves in the uncomfortable position of crossing paths with Trump.
Bernie Sanders, an independent Vermont senator, said: “The House approved a direct payment of $ 2,000 for workers. It is time for the Senate to act. This week, on the Senate floor, Mitch McConnell wants to vote to overturn Trump’s veto of the $ 740 billion defense funding bill and then return home in the New Year. I will oppose it until we get a vote on legislation that provides a direct payment of $ 2,000 to the working class. “
Sanders, a former Democratic presidential candidate, added: “Let me be clear: if Senator McConnell does not agree with a positive or negative vote to provide our country’s workers with a direct payment of $ 2,000, Congress will not will go home for new year’s eve. Let’s do our job ”.