In a first, Congress overrides Trump veto of defense bill

Congress features overridden President Donald Trump's veto of a defense policy bill, a first by lawmakers since he took office practically four years ago.

Within an extraordinary New Year's Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate conveniently turned aside the veto, dismissing Trump's objections to the $740 billion bill and handing him a stinging rebuke only weeks before his term ends.

Trump had lashed out at GOP lawmakers on Twitter, charging earlier this week that “Weak and tired Republican ‘leadership’ allows the bad Defense Bill to pass.″

Trump called the looming override vote a good “disgraceful action of cowardice and total submission by weak persons to Big Tech. Negotiate a better Bill, or progress leaders, NOW!"

The 81-13 vote in the Senate followed a youthful 322-87 override vote in the House of the widely popular defense measure. The bill provides a 3% pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, fresh weapons devices and military readiness, personnel insurance plan and additional military goals. Many courses, incorporating military construction, can only just go into effect if the costs is approved.

Senate Bulk Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, stated before the vote that Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Take action yearly for 59 years on a row, "and one way or another, we will complete the 60th gross annual NDAA and move it into legislation before this Congress concludes on Sunday.''

The bill "looks after our brave women and men who volunteer to wear the uniform,'' McConnell said. “But it’s as well a tremendous opportunity: to immediate our national protection priorities to reflect the resolve of the American persons and the evolving threats with their safety, in the home and abroad. It’s our chance to ensure we keep tempo with rivals like Russia and China.''

The Senate override was delayed after Sen Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, objected to moving ahead until McConnell allowed a vote on a Trump-backed intend to increase COVID-19 relief payments to $2,000. McConnell didn't let that vote; instead he used his parliamentary capacity to established a vote limiting debate on the protection measure, overcoming a filibuster threat by Sanders and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of NY.

With out a bipartisan agreement, a vote on the bill could have been delayed until Saturday night. Lawmakers, however, decided to an immediate roll call Friday after the filibuster threat was halted.

Trump rejected the security measure the other day, saying it didn't limit social media companies he claimed were biased against him during his failed reelection campaign. Trump likewise opposed language that allows for the renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders.

There is no immediate comment Friday from Trump or the White House.

Sen Jim Inhofe, R-Okla, chairman of the Senate Armed Offerings Committee, explained he was “disappointed” with Trump’s veto and named the bill “absolutely essential to our national reliability and our troops.″

“This is the main bill we've,″ Inhofe said. “It puts members of the military first.″

Trump has succeeded throughout his four-year term found in enforcing party discipline in Congress, with few Republicans willing to publicly oppose him. The bipartisan overrides on the defense bill demonstrated the limits of Trump’s effect in the ultimate weeks of his term.

Earlier this week, 130 House Republicans voted against the Trump-backed COVID alleviation checks, with many arguing they were unnecessary and would boost the federal budget deficit.

The Democratic-controlled House approved the larger payments, however the plan is all but dead in the Senate, another sign of Trump’s fading carry over Congress.

Besides his concerns about public mass media and military base names, Trump also explained the defense bill restricted his ability to conduct foreign policy, “particularly my own efforts to deliver our troops house.″ Trump was discussing provisions in the expenses that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw a large number of troops from Afghanistan and Germany. The methods need the Pentagon to send studies certifying that the proposed withdrawals wouldn't normally jeopardize U.S. nationwide security.

Trump features vetoed eight other bills, but those were all sustained because supporters did not gain the two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for the bills to be law without Trump’s signature.

Rhode Island Sen Jack Reed, the very best Democrat on the Senate Armed Offerings Committee, called Trump's Dec 23 veto a good “parting gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin "and a lump of coal for our troops. Donald Trump can be showing more devotion to Confederate basic names than to the women and men who defend our nation.″