WASHINGTON (AP) – With his objections, President Donald Trump has signed a more than two trillion-dollar COVID-19 and an annual federal spending package providing relief to millions of Americans, even when Congress faces the White House again for the remaining priorities in a rare end-of-session confrontation.
It seems that Trump has achieved little, if anything, since the days of the drama for his refusal to accept the deal with bipartisanship. While the president demands for a pandemic relief of more than $ 2,000 the checks seem destined to fail, their push served as a political opportunity for Democrats, who support larger subsidies and force Trump’s Republican allies into a difficult position.
On Monday, the Democratic-led House will vote to increase payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000, sending a new bill to the Senate. There, Republicans have the majority, but they reject more spending and are likely to defeat the effort.
The showdown offers more symbol than substance and is not expected to change the massive package that Trump reluctantly signed into law on Sunday after playing for his Florida club. The $ 900 billion in COVID grants and $ 1.4 trillion to fund the government the agencies will have been handing out cash for a long time to businesses and individuals and will avoid a federal government shutdown that would otherwise have begun on Tuesday.
Along with Monday’s and Tuesday’s votes to overturn Trump’s veto on a defense bill, the action is perhaps the last showdown in the last days of the president’s term, as it imposes new demands and discusses the results. of the presidential election. The new Congress is to be sworn in on Sunday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, seized the split between the president and his party, and urged Trump to pressure his allies in the Senate Republican Party to pass the law.
“The president must immediately ask Congress Republicans to end their obstruction and join him and Democrats in support of our independent legislation to increase direct payment checks to $ 2,000,” Pelosi said. in a tweet.
Trump’s sudden decision to sign the bill came as he faced escalating criticism from lawmakers everywhere for his eleven-hour demands. The bipartisan bill negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had already been passed by the House and Senate by a wide margin. Lawmakers had thought they had Trump’s blessing after months of negotiations with his administration.
The president’s defiant refusal to act, advertised in a heated video tweeting just before the Christmas break, caused chaos, a lapse in unemployment benefits for millions of people and the threat of a government shutdown of a pandemic. It was another crisis of its own, resolved when it finally signed the bill.
In his statement on the signing, Trump reiterated his frustrations with the COVID-19 relief bill for providing only $ 600 checks to most Americans and complained about what he considered unnecessary spending, particularly in aid. outdoor.
While the president insisted he would send Congress “a redefined version” with the spending items he wants to eliminate, these are just suggestions to Congress. The bill, as signed, will not necessarily be amended.
Democrats, who have a majority in the House, will “reject any termination” presented by the president, said Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, chair of the Appropriations Committee.
For now, the administration can only start working by sending the $ 600 payments.
Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, a Conservative who supported Trump’s extraordinary and futile election results challenge, was counted Monday among opponents of a more generous relief package and Trump’s call for higher payments.
“It’s money we don’t have, we have to apply for loans to get them and we can’t afford to pay,” he told Fox and Friends.
But Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York said she was open to the idea of $ 2,000 checks. “Many Americans have a great need for relief,” he told the program.
Together, Republicans and Democrats quickly embraced Trump’s decision to sign the bill.
“The compromise bill isn’t perfect, but it will benefit a lot of Kentuckians and struggling Americans across the country who need help now,” said Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader. R-Ky. “I thank the president for signing this relief on the law.”
Others criticized Trump’s delay in turning the bill into law. In a tweet, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va, accused Trump of having “played Russian roulette with American lives. A familiar and comfortable place for him ”.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said he would offer Trump’s proposal for $ 2,000 checks to vote in the Senate, putting Republicans in place.
“The House will pass a bill to give the checks $ 2,000,” Schumer tweeted. “Then I will pass for approval in the Senate.” He said no Democrat will oppose it. “Senate Republicans?”
Democrats promise more help when President-elect Joe Biden arrives, but Republicans indicate a wait-and-see approach.
Faced with growing economic hardship, the spread of disease and an impending shutdown, lawmakers spent Sunday urging Trump to sign the legislation immediately and then have Congress follow up with additional help. Aside from unemployment benefits and benefits to families, there was money for the distribution of vaccines, businesses and more. Protections against evictions also remained in balance.
Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said he understood Trump “wants to be remembered for defending great controls, but the danger is that he will be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows it to expire.”
Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said there is too much at stake for Trump to “play this old switcheroo game.”
“I don’t get the point,” 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.