U.S. Congress Overrides Trump‘s Defense Veto
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – The U.S. Congress has overturned President Donald J. Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by legislators since he took office nearly four years ago.
In a special New Year’s Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate quickly overrode the presidential veto on Friday, dismissing Trump’s objections to the $740 billion bill.
Trump condemned the move Friday on social networking site Twitter. He objected to policies that limit troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Europe and remove Confederate leaders’ names from military bases.
Trump also wanted the bill to repeal a liability shield for social media companies who he says censor his and other conservative content.
He wrote on Twitter that the Republican-controlled Senate missed an opportunity to eliminate protections for social media platforms that he said give “unlimited power to Big Tech companies. Pathetic!!!‘’
Trump also slammed lawmakers for rejecting his call to increase COVID-19 relief payments to $2,000: “Not fair, or smart!‘‘
The Senate voted 81-13 for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). That was much more than the two-thirds majority required to overturn a presidential veto in both chambers.
ELECTION PRESSURE
Friday’s vote came just two days before a new U.S. Congress was due to be sworn in. It is another setback for Trump, who also faces pressure to concede defeat in the recent presidential election.
Despite the president’s objections, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said before Friday’s vote he was determined to pass the bill.
“Here’s what the Senate is focused on – completing the annual defense legislation that looks after our brave men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform, “ he stressed.
“We’ve passed this legislation 59 years in a row. And one way or another, we’re going to complete the 60th annual NDAA and pass it into law before this Congress concludes on Sunday,” he added.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful congressional Democrat, called Trump’s veto “an act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops, endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress.”
She added in a statement that at “a time when our country was just targeted with a massive cyber-attack, it is particularly hard to understand the reasoning behind the president’s irresponsibility.”
The setback comes amid mounting pressure on President Trump to concede defeat in the recent presidential election despite what he views as massive voter fraud. Declared President-elect Joe Biden already prepares for his possible inauguration on January 20.
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