Updated: 20h10
President Donald Trump signed a $ 900 billion pandemic aid package on Sunday, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan agreement that will deliver long-sought money to businesses and individuals and prevent the federal government from closing.
The massive bill includes $ 1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and contains other end-of-session priorities, such as money for cashless transit systems and an increase in food stamp benefits.
Trump announced the signature in a statement late on Sunday that spoke of his frustrations at the relief from COVID-19 for including only $ 600 in checks for most Americans, instead of the $ 2,000 that his Republican colleagues rejected. He also complained about what he considered unnecessary government spending in general. But Trump’s last-minute objections created turmoil because lawmakers thought he supported the bill, which had been negotiated for months with input from the White House.
“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 the statement.
Although the president insisted that he would send Congress “a checked version” with items to be removed in the termination process, these are only suggestions to Congress. The bill, as signed, would not necessarily be changed.
Lawmakers now have room to breathe to continue debating whether relief checks should be as large as the president demanded. The Democratic-led House supports the larger checks and is expected to vote on the issue on Monday, but should be ignored by the Republican-controlled Senate, where spending is opposed.
Republicans and Democrats quickly accepted 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. “I thank the president for signing this relief as a law.
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 on Sunday urged Trump to sign the legislation immediately and then Congress to follow up with additional help. In addition to unemployment benefits and aid payments to families, money for vaccine distribution, businesses, cashless public transport systems and much more is at stake. Protections against evictions were also at stake.
“What the president is doing now is incredibly cruel,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. “So many people are suffering. … it’s really insane and this president has to finally … do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego. “
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.”
Toomey added: “So I think the best thing to do, as I said, is to sign this and then defend the subsequent legislation.”
The same point was echoed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican who criticized Trump’s response to the pandemic and his efforts to undo the election results. “I just gave up on guessing what he would do next,” he said.
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.”
Washington has been staggering since Trump did the deal. Fingers pointed to government officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, as lawmakers tried to understand whether they were mistaken about Trump’s position.
“Now, to get into trouble, after the president’s own person negotiated something the president doesn’t want, it’s just – it’s surprising,” said Kinzinger.
Kinzinger spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union”, and Hogan and Sanders on ABC’s “This Week”.
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