Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks through the U.S. Capitol in Washington on December 30th.
Photographer: Ting Shen / Bloomberg
Photographer: Ting Shen / Bloomberg
The Senate advanced Wednesday toward a vote to overturn President Donald Trump’s veto of a $ 740.5 billion defense policy bill, setting up a showdown with the White House that may not culminate until the last hours before the new Congress begins on Sunday.
Majority leader Mitch McConnnell was forced Wednesday to schedule a series of procedural votes because Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is delaying the process by demanding a separate vote on raising pandemic stimulus payments to $ 2,000. , $ 600 for most Americans. Trump and Democrats have advocated this increase, but many Republicans oppose it and McConnell has refused to introduce it as an independent bill.
Under Senate procedures, the impasse could delay voting on whether to overturn Trump’s veto for the first time until Saturday or even Sunday before the current Congress ends at noon, Washington time.
The procedural vote on Wednesday on a motion to proceed with the lifting of the veto on the annual defense measure, HR 6395, was 80 to 12. If no agreements are reached in the meantime, the next procedural move in the Senate may be a vote Friday to limit debate hours.
The House voted Monday 322-87 to overturn Trump’s veto, easily exceeding the required two-thirds threshold, with the support of a majority of Democrats and Republicans.
Before: Trump launches into GOP, while defense bill increases Senate reprimand
On Tuesday, Trump unleashed a harsh attack on fellow Republicans.
“Weak and tired Republican‘ leadership ’will allow the bad Defense Bill to pass,” Trump tweeted. “Negotiate a better bill or get better leaders, NOW!” He said.