WASHINGTON (AP) – Filing his objections, President Donald Trump signed a $ 2 trillion COVID-19 and an annual federal spending package providing relief to millions of Americans, even as Congress returns to confront the White House about remaining priorities in a rare end-of-session confrontation.
Trump appears to have accomplished little, if anything, since the days of drama about his refusal to accept the broad bipartisan agreement. While the president’s demands for greater relief from the $ 2,000 pandemic the checks seem destined to fail, their pressure has served as a political opportunity for Democrats, who support the biggest stipends and are forcing Trump’s Republican allies into a difficult situation.
On Monday, the Democratic-led House is expected to vote to increase payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000 by submitting a new bill to the Senate. There, Republicans have the majority, but they reject more spending and are likely to defeat the effort.
The confrontation offers more symbol than substance, and is not expected to change the huge package that Trump reluctantly sanctioned on Sunday after playing golf at his Florida club. The $ 900 billion in aid from COVID and $ 1.4 trillion to finance the government agencies will deliver long-sought money to businesses and individuals and prevent a federal government shutdown that would have otherwise started Tuesday.
Along with voting on Monday and Tuesday to override Trump’s veto on a broader defense bill, the action is perhaps the last stalemate of the president’s last days in office as he imposes new demands and challenges the results of the presidential election. The new Congress is due to be sworn in on Sunday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Took advantage of the division between the president and her party, asking Trump to pressure his Republican allies in the Senate to approve the bill.
“The president must immediately ask Congressional Republicans to end their obstruction and join him and the Democrats in supporting our autonomous legislation to increase direct pay checks to $ 2,000,” said Pelosi in a tweet.
Trump’s sudden decision to sign the bill came as he faced growing criticism from lawmakers on all sides about his last-minute demands. The bipartisan project negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had already been approved by the House and the Senate by a wide margin. Lawmakers thought they had Trump’s blessing after months of negotiations with his government.
The president’s defiant refusal to act, released with a heated video he tweeted just before the Christmas holiday, has created chaos, a drop in unemployment insurance for millions and the threat of a government shutdown amid a pandemic. It was another crisis created by himself, resolved when he finally sanctioned the bill.
In his signature statement, Trump repeated his frustration with the COVID-19 relief bill for providing only $ 600 checks to most Americans and complained about what he considered unnecessary spending, particularly on foreign aid.
While the president insisted that he would send Congress “a red version” of the spending items he wants to remove, these are only suggestions to Congress. The bill, as signed, would not necessarily be changed.
Democrats, who have a majority in the House, “will reject any termination” submitted by the president, said New York City Representative Nita Lowey, chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
For now, the administration can only start working with sending the $ 600 payments.
Republican Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama, a conservative who supported Trump’s extraordinary and futile challenge to election results, on Monday considered himself to be an opponent of a more generous aid package and Trump’s call for higher payments.
“It’s money we don’t have, we have to borrow to get it and we can’t pay it,” he said in “Fox and Friends”.
But Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York said she was open to the idea of $ 2,000 checks. “Many Americans desperately need help,” she said on the program.
In all, both Republicans and Democrats quickly welcomed Trump’s decision to turn the bill into law.
“The compromise bill is not perfect, but it will do enormous good for Kentucky and American fighters across the country who need help now,” said Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “I thank the President for signing this relief as a law.”
Others criticized Trump’s delay in turning the bill into law. In a tweet, Deputy Gerry Connolly, D-Va., Accused Trump of “playing Russian roulette with American lives. A familiar and comfortable place for him. “
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said he would offer Trump’s $ 2,000 check proposal for a Senate vote – putting Republicans in doubt.
“The House is going to pass a bill to give Americans checks for $ 2,000,” tweeted Schumer. “Then I will propose approval in the Senate.” He said no Democrats would object. “Will Senate Republicans?”
Democrats are promising more help when President-elect Joe Biden takes office, but Republicans are signaling a wait-and-see approach.
In the face of growing economic difficulties, the spread of disease and an imminent strike, lawmakers spent Sunday urging Trump to sign the legislation immediately and then Congress to follow up with additional help. In addition to unemployment benefits and family aid payments, money for vaccine distribution, business and more was at stake. Protections against evictions were also at stake.
Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said he understood that Trump “wants to be remembered for defending big checks, but the danger is that he will be remembered for chaos, misery and erratic behavior if he allows it to expire.”
Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said there was a lot at stake for Trump “playing that old trading game.”
“I don’t understand,” he said. “I don’t understand what is being done, why, unless it’s just to create chaos and show power and be upset because you lost the election.”
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Colvin reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.