Trump had vowed to veto the National Defense Authorization Act which sets funding levels and policy for the Defense Department for the following year. Last night, he honored that promise.
The House now intends to return on Dec. 28 to examine the veto after most Democrat lawmakers ran home a few days before Christmas break, if lawmakers vote to override it, the Senate will return the next day to take up the veto.
“In the event that the president has vetoed the bill and the House has voted to override the veto, the Senate would have the opportunity to process the veto override at that time,” McConnell stated in a middle-of-the-night floor announcement that followed the passage of the huge spending bill.
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Trump protests the bill for various reasons, though mainly because it eliminates language he is attempting to punish social media giants for perceived biases against him and other conservatives. Trump wanted lawmakers to add a provision in the bill stripping out a lawsuit shield Big Tech has enjoyed for more than two decades.
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While Trump has prevailed on a half-dozen vetoes throughout his presidency, he’s expected to lose this fight.
Both chambers passed the measure with veto-proof majorities, although some GOP House members intend to support Trump’s veto, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and the 40 members of the House Freedom Caucus.
On Monday, the House and Senate wrapped up legislation for the year, transferring a $2.4 trillion measure that gives coronavirus aid and funds the government during fiscal 2021.
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Republicans have attempted to persuade Trump to back off his veto warning, particularly in the wake of the massive Russian hack into critical government operations. The bill includes money to address cybersecurity and strengthens the role of a cyber “czar” to oversee the effort.
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McConnell announced another argument to Trump on Tuesday morning to support the measure to become law.
“I hope the president will not veto this bill,” McConnell said, “which redoubles our commitment to modernization, advances cutting-edge capabilities, and equips our military with the tools and resources they need to compete with our great power adversaries on land, on sea, in the air, and in cyberspace.”
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Senators had wished to return on Jan. 3 to take up the veto override ahead of the 117th session, which gathers at noon that day. Though Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican who sides with Trump, was prepared to block the plan, urging Republican leaders to schedule the Dec. 29 session.
Republicans largely agree with Trump that the lawsuit shield, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, should be eliminated or revised. But GOP lawmakers explain that the changes should be tackled in separate legislation and should not be used to slow the critical defense measure.
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