The US House of Representatives on Monday passed a $740 billion defence policy legislation, setting up the first veto override of the Trump presidency. The Senate is expected to pass it on Tuesday.
Outgoing President Donald Trump had vetoed the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) last week for not repealing protections for social media platforms, and for the renaming of military facilities named after confederate generals.
US congress can override a presidential veto with a two-third vote count in each chamber. The Democratic-controlled House passed the override vote 322-87, with the support of the majority of Republicans. The Republican-led Senate is set to follow suit.
But the Senate is unlikely to pass another legislation passed by the House on Monday that increases direct Covid-19 relief payments to qualifying Americans from $600 to $2,000 each, as had been demanded by the president.
The Republicans had negotiated against a higher payment.
Trump, in the meantime, continued his efforts to overturn the electoral defeat and has called upon his supporters to gather in Washington, DC on January 6, when US congress will certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Republican lawmakers allied to the outgoing president are expected to try to reject the verdict, but their attempts are set to fail.
{{/usCountry}}Republican lawmakers allied to the outgoing president are expected to try to reject the verdict, but their attempts are set to fail.
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