BREAKING NEWS
By Mona Austin
While on Christmas vacation golfing daily at his Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida, Pres. Donald Trump signed the second Coronavirus relief package along with the omnibus speanding deal. The signing was not televised.
(The Slice): After attempting to veto a stimulus deal from Congress just before Christmas, Pres. Donald Trump has signed a $2.3 trillion rescission bill, potentially averting a government shutdown and providing COVID-relief to millions of financially burdened Americans. In his response he combined the omnibus budget for the covernment with the COVID-19 package.
Lawmakers blocked Trump's attempt to make sweepinmg changes to their bill last Thrusday.
In na written statement released on Sunday evening Pres. Trump said, "I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill. "
The president's delay has already caused millions of Americans to lose unemplyment insurance benefits.
"On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200. Additionally, Congress has promised that Section 230, which so unfairly benefits Big Tech at the expense of the American people, will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed," he said.
Along with this action the president wants to rescind items from the initial bill that was submitted to the U.S. House and Senate as granted by invoking the Inpoundment Control Act of 1974 (The Act), he announced in a statemtent Sunday evenining.
The three items Trump listed are:
1. Investigate voter fraud related to the 2020 presidential election
2. Repeal Section 230 to reduce wasteful spending on "big tech" such as liability protections for social media companies
3. Increase the pay out
The Act gives the U.S. leader power to object to parts of a bill by sending "a message" to the Congress, yet it is not to be construed as over-riding the Constitutional auhority of the President or Congress.
Mitch McConnel lauded Trump's decision to sign the bill in a statement but did not state when the Senate will vote on this.
Trump's delayed approach essentially places his opposition to the Democrat's initial funding package on the historic record and pinpoints his demands. Negotiating the stimulus deal is a responsibility Trump has previously delegated to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. For months during negotions Trump was reticent to participate in negotions himself and described the package Mnuchin helped create as a "disgrace."
Using the contested results of the 2020 election as a bargaining chip, Mr. Trump rescinded the initial bill saying allotments to individuals and couples were insufficient. He had expressed he wanted a bigger check all along.
With Mnuchin being a part of the key negotiations between Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi for months the implication is that they could not agree to or pull off a bigger check.
Said Deputy Assistant to Pres. Trump and Deputy White House Press Secretary on Twitter, "The President is signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to Trump's decision as "welcome news for the fourteen million Americans who just lost the lifeline of unemployment benefits on Christmas Weekend, and for the millions more struggling to stay afloat during this historic pandemic and economic crisis."
Pelosi continues to refer to the bill as a "downpayment" implying that there is additional forthcoming support. It is a bridge to help people for the time being. The incoming Biden Administration will need to introduce a new bill to extend the benefits. The vote requires a 2/3 (or 288) majority to pass in the House before the funds are officially approved.
Yet, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey replied with a statement on Twitter saying her committee will not cooperate.
“The House Appropriations Committee has jurisdiction over rescissions, and our Democratic Majority will reject any rescissions submitted by President Trump.”
"Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need," Pelosi said.
The bill is in peril. If it is not signed by the current Congress, the bill will be null and void according to Congressman Mike Quigley who appeared on CNN Monday morning. Also speaking out on CNN, Congressman Jerry Connolly of Virginia said Trump is playing Russian Roulette with Americans' lives due to monies for the Coronavirus vaccine being held up. "this is another example of his wreckless, self-centered behavior.
Ahead of votes, CNN has reported that the $600 check is expected to be issued.
Whether or not the bill passes is still uncertain.