Senate lawmakers voted 81-13 on New Yr’s Day to override President Trump’s veto of the 2021 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act simply days after the Home did the identical in a 322-87 vote in that chamber. It was the primary time Congress has voted to override Trump’s veto of laws.
The Senate and Home every handed the $740 billion protection coverage invoice with veto proof majorities earlier this month. Then Trump vetoed it on December 23, after threatening to take action for months. He opposed a provision that requires the Pentagon to rename army bases named for Accomplice leaders, and demanded the repeal of Part 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which is a legal responsibility protect for social media firms. He additionally mentioned the invoice was a “reward to China and Russia,” though he by no means specified what he meant by that.
“My administration has taken robust actions to assist preserve our nation secure and help our service members,” mentioned Trump in a assertion. “I cannot approve this invoice, which might put the pursuits of the Washington, D.C., institution over these of the American folks. It’s my responsibility to return H.R. 6395 to the Home of Representatives with out my approval.”
The NDAA comprises a number of provisions for federal staff, equivalent to making technical corrections to the paid parental go away coverage from final 12 months’s invoice and waiving the conventional annual cap for unused go away from 12 months to 12 months. Tony Reardon, nationwide president of the Nationwide Treasury Staff Union, urged Congress to override the veto, which he mentioned was a “setback for federal staff.”
“Throughout a pandemic and in the course of the vacations, the commander-in-chief is defunding the army and denying our service members their duly-earned pay,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., chairman of the Home Oversight and Reform’s Authorities Operations subcommittee, tweeted on December 23. “This veto is silly and disgraceful and I sit up for overriding it.”
Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, retiring Home Armed Providers Committee rating member, reiterated his help for the NDAA whereas talking from the Home ground on Monday night. “I proceed to help this invoice as greater than 80% of the Home did simply 20 days in the past,” he mentioned. “It is the very same invoice. Not a comma has modified.”
On Monday, 109 Republicans voted to override the veto and 66 voted in opposition to doing so.
Whereas the result within the Senate wasn’t sure earlier this week, Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and different influential Republicans had expressed continued help for the Protection invoice following Trump’s veto. Sen. Jim Inhofe. R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Armed Providers Committee, saidupon the information of the veto, that the NDAA has develop into a regulation for the final 59 years and “this 12 months should not be an exception,” whereas not mentioning the veto explicitly.
“This NDAA cements all of the outstanding positive aspects our army has made due to President Trump’s management and sends a powerful message of help to our service members and their households,” he mentioned. “I hope all of my colleagues in Congress will be a part of me in ensuring our troops have the assets and gear they should defend this nation.” He additionally mentioned that Congress might deal with Part 230 in “one other legislative automobile.”
In line with the Home’s historic archives, presidents have vetoed greater than 2,500 payments, however Congress has overridden them lower than 5% of the time.
Erich Wagner contributed to this report.
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