- President Donald Trump signed the $ 900 billion bipartisan coronavirus aid package on Sunday.
- The negotiated bailout package contained $ 600 stimulus checks, federal unemployment benefits, food assistance and rent, as well as education funding.
- “I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes it clear to Congress that useless items need to be removed,” Trump said in a statement.
- “I will send back to Congress a red version, item by item, accompanied by the formal request for termination to Congress, insisting that these funds be withdrawn from the bill,” he continued.
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President Donald Trump signed the $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package on Sunday after first threatening to reject it because he had no higher stimulus payments.
Trump unexpectedly stepped back after suspending approval of the legislation for several days and allowing two federal unemployment programs to expire, helping about 14 million Americans on Saturday. He fiercely criticized the legislation as “a shame”.
Trump suggested on Tuesday that he would not sign the coronavirus relief legislation unless significant adjustments were made to the size of stimulus checks. He demanded that Congress approve an increase from the current level of $ 600 per person to $ 2,000.
Trump never publicly disclosed this during the tumultuous negotiations between Congressional leaders who ultimately forged the federal bailout package this month.
In his statement on Sunday, the president said he wants “much less wasted money and more money going to the American people in the form of checks for $ 2,000 per adult and $ 600 per child”, adding that he is demanding “many terminations” ” from the project.
“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes it clear to Congress that useless items need to be removed,” said Trump. “I will send back to Congress a red version, item by item, accompanied by the formal request for termination to Congress insisting that these funds be removed from the bill.”
Lawmakers must withdraw the request, as Trump has less than a month in his presidency. None of his demands were met.
“I am signing this bill to restore unemployment insurance, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution and much more,” he continued.
Democrats were quick to attack the president for delaying legislation and warned that the delay could have important consequences for people struggling to survive. Trump’s refusal to sign the legislation cost a week of the $ 300 federal unemployment supplement over the weekend, experts say.
“Donald Trump’s tantrum resulted in a lapse in unemployment benefits and cost millions of unemployed workers a week’s wages,” Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said in a statement. “In addition, there may be a delay of weeks before the benefits return to work.”
“While it is a great relief that the bill is signed, Donald Trump’s tantrum has created unnecessary suffering and stress for millions of families,” said Wyden.
The negotiated coronavirus relief package included $ 600 stimulus payments for Americans, $ 300 federal unemployment benefits weekly in mid-March, $ 25 billion in rental assistance, as well as help for small businesses and financing for vaccine education and distribution.
Both chambers approved the federal bailout package along with a government funding bill with strong bipartisan support on Monday. The president’s approval of much of the tax and spending legislation will also prevent a government shutdown on Tuesday, which would have closed many federal agencies during a pandemic.
The signing was preceded by political maneuvering in Congress. House Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats to advance the $ 2,000 in direct payments on Thursday morning. Spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi strongly criticized the measure and said in a statement that she is preparing a vote on legislation on Monday to increase its size.
Trump also faced increasing pressure from Republicans to put his doubts aside and pass economic relief legislation: “You don’t get everything you want, even if you are the president of the United States,” Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said to ” Fox Sunday of news. “
“I think what he should do is sign this bill and then present the case. Congress can pass another bill, ”said Toomey. “But we have a project now that your government has helped to negotiate. I think we should do that.”