Washington – The House is set to convene Monday to vote to overturn President Trump’s veto of an annual mandatory defense policy bill, which establishes what could be the first time Congress has lifted Mr. Trump’s veto a few weeks before he leaves office.
The bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, passed the House and Senate earlier this month with the support of more than two-thirds of each chamber, removing the thresholds needed to set aside the lord’s veto. Trump. The Senate is scheduled to meet Tuesday to begin the process of examining the issue.
The $ 740 billion defense bill provides funding for military programs and construction projects and authorizes a 3% salary increase for troops. But in the weeks leading up to its approval, Mr. Trump raised objections to the measure because it leaves a federal law, known as Article 230, which provides a powerful legal shield for Internet companies. The president was also questioned with a provision in the bill that requires the Pentagon to change the name of military facilities and bases designated by Confederate leaders.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urged Trump to sign the defense bill, which has become law for 59 years in a row. But the president followed up on his threat to veto the measure last week and cited the “failure of Congress to end the very dangerous Article 230 national security risk.”
Article 230 is a provision of the Communications Decency Act that protects Internet companies from liability for content posted to third parties by their platforms. The move has become political football, as Republicans and Mr. Trump believe they have been used by social media companies to censor conservative views and voices.
While Republican lawmakers agree with the president that section 230 should be changed, some argue that the NDAA is not the right vehicle to reverse the 24-year law.
“The NDAA has become law every year for 59 years in a row because it is absolutely vital to our national security and our troops. This year should not be an exception,” said Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma. , chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. in a statement following the president’s veto on the defense law. Inhofe added that Congress “can and should use another legislative vehicle to repeal Article 230.”
It is unclear how many Republicans in the House will break with Trump and vote to overcome his veto. The House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservatives, has pledged to support the rejection of defense law chairman and chamber minority leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters earlier this month that would maintain Trump’s veto despite voting in favor of the legislation.