President Donald j. Trump threatens to veto a COVID-relief bill on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (Video screenshot)
For months, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rejected plan after plan after plan to send federal assistance to Americans struggling because of the government-ordered COVID-19 business lockdowns.
When the media named Joe Biden as the next president, she suddenly flip-flopped and agreed it could happen – even pursuing a $600 per person benefit after having refused $1,200 months earlier.
But as has happened in the past, she didn't count on President Trump and his demand for more money for Americans – $2,000 instead of $600.
So now the entire package – billions of dollars for other countries as well as those modest checks to Americans, $300 unemployment payments, and more – is up in the air.
Fox News explained that the president's requirements were in a video he posted online:
Statement by Donald J. Trump, The President of the United States
Full Video: https://t.co/avKfYctPAD pic.twitter.com/i8IMLhH53Q
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020
He is requiring that "wasteful and unnecessary" expenditures be dropped and the benefit to Americans go up.
"I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple," Trump said in his Twitter video. "I'm also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation, and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a package, and maybe that administration will be me."
Congress – and many others – had been counting on the bill sliding through the system in Washington. It offers a combination of the coronavirus stimulus package as well as funding for a lot of other programs and special projects.
Trump immediately earned accolades from some of the most progressive members of Congress, while others, more concerned about the fiscal impact, didn't line up to endorse the plan.
Trump's statement was not a direct veto threat, which he could do, and Congress likely would follow with an attempt to override.
He also could simply let it sit, without any action on his part, which eventually would kill it.
In that case, Congress would have to start the legislative process anew.
House plans were to try to amend the bill by unanimous consent, but other details weren't released.
Pelosi said Democrats in the House are ready to adopt the higher payments by unanimous consent, since many House members already have left Washington for Christmas.
In the Senate, Democrat leader Sen. Chuck Schumer taunted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with "I’m in. Whaddya say, Mitch?"
National Public Radio credited President Trump with "a new round of disarray" in Washington.
"The way out of Trump's criticism of the bill isn't clear with the clock running out on this Congress and most members now home for the holidays," the story commented.
"Trump's move also throws a wrinkle into the crucial Georgia Senate races that will determine control of the Senate during President-elect Biden's first term. Both incumbent Republicans, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, touted the bill, saying more help was finally on the way — and blamed Democrats for the delay," it continued.
The compromise plan was the result of negotiations among various factions in Congress, as well as the Treasury Department.
It included, besides the COVID-19 issue, military pay raises, funding for veterans, border security and water projects, and the way the hold down "surprise medical billing."
At CNN, a report said the result of the division in Washington could be a shutdown of the government.
Trump said, "A few months ago, Congress started negotiations on a new package to get urgently needed help to the American people. It's taken forever. However, the bill they are now planning to send back to my desk is much different than anticipated. It really is a disgrace."
The plan also has enhanced jobless benefits of $300 per week, rental help and billions for schools.
Talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh explained the Washington establishment was surprised by the president's criticism because "they still don't know who Trump really is."
"Trump did what no other Republican managed to do, and he did it brilliantly in four minutes. He showed America who and what Nancy Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues are: Selfish, entitled, uncaring, elitist. Remember who Pelosi is," he said.
"Pelosi is the woman we saw standing in front of a $25,000 refrigerator eating gourmet ice cream during the middle of the pandemic, while Biden says the darkest days are ahead of us, while millions of Americans stood in food bank lines because their jobs were shut down because their governors and mayors were shutting them down because of the China virus."
If a last-minute deal isn't reached, he explained, Congress would have to return "from their vacations over Christmas to deal with this."
"In doing this, here’s Donald Trump, the outgoing president, sending a message to the American people who he is," he said. "That even after having been allegedly rejected by the American people, he is still looking out for them, he is still representing them. He is still putting them first. I mean, it would be easy for an outgoing president to say, 'I don’t give a damn. I don’t give a damn — 600 bucks, 600 schmucks, whatever I’m gonna do — I’m outta here.' But no, the president made a point, recorded a four-minute video," he said.
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