In a first, US Congress overrides Trump veto of defense bill

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

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

Trump h lashed out at GOP lawmakers on Twitter, charging earlier this week that “Weak and tired Republican ‘leership’ will allow b Defense Bill to pass.″

Trump called looming override vote a “disgraceful act of cowardice and total submission by weak people to Big Tech. Negotiate a better Bill, or get better leers, W!"

81-13 vote in Senate followed an earlier 322-87 override vote in House of widely popular defense measure. bill provides a 3% pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military reiness, personnel policy and or military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if bill is approved.

Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said before vote that Congress has passed National Defense Authorization Act every year for 59 years in a row, "and one way or ar, we are going to complete 60th annual NDAA and pass it into law before this Congress concludes on Sunday.''

bill "looks after our brave men and women who volunteer to wear uniform,'' McConnell said. “But it’s also a tremendous opportunity: to direct our national security priorities to reflect resolve of American people and evolving threats to ir safety, at home and abro. It’s our chance to ensure we keep pace with competitors like Russia and China.''

Senate override was delayed after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., objected to moving ahe until McConnell allowed a vote on a Trump-backed plan to increase COVID-19 relief payments to $2,000. McConnel did t allow that vote; inste he used his parliamentary power to set a vote limiting debate on defense measure, overcoming a filibuster threat by Sanders and Senate Democratic leer Chuck Schumer of New York.

Without a bipartisan agreement, a vote on bill could have been delayed until Saturday night. Lawmakers, however, agreed to an immediate roll call Friday once filibuster threat was stopped.

Trump rejected defense measure last week, saying it failed to limit social media companies he claimed were biased against him during his failed reelection campaign. Trump also opposed langu that allows for renaming of military bases that hor Confederate leers.

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was “disappointed” with Trump’s veto and called bill “absolutely vital to our national security and our troops.″

“This is most important bill we have,″ Inhofe said. “It puts members of military first.″

Trump has succeeded throughout his four-year term in enforcing party discipline in Congress, with few Republicans willing to publicly oppose him. bipartisan overrides on defense bill showed limits of Trump’s influence in final weeks of his term.

Earlier this week, 130 House Republicans voted against Trump-backed COVID relief checks, with many arguing y were unnecessary and would increase federal budget deficit.

Democratic-controlled House approved larger payments, but plan is de in Senate, ar sign of Trump’s fing hold over Congress.

Besides his concerns about social media and military base names, Trump also said defense bill restricted his ability to conduct foreign policy, “particularly my efforts to bring our troops home.″ Trump was referring to provisions in bill that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan and Germany. measures require Pentagon to submit reports certifying that proposed withdrawals would t jeopardize U.S. national security.

Trump has vetoed eight or bills, but those were all sustained because supporters did t gain two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for bills to become law without Trump’s signature.

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, top Democrat on Senate Armed Services Committee, called Trump's Dec. 23 veto a “parting gift" to Russian President Vlimir Putin "and a lump of coal for our troops. Donald Trump is showing more devotion to Confederate base names than to men and women who defend our nation.″