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U.S. NEWS Thursday 24 december 2020
Trump vetoes defense bill, setting up possible override vote

By KEVIN FREKING Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Is-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- land, the top Democrat on
dent Donald Trump on the Armed Services Com-
Wednesday vetoed the an- mittee, said Trump's decla-
nual defense policy bill, fol- ration that China was the
lowing through on threats biggest winner in the de-
to veto a measure that has fense bill was false. Reed
broad bipartisan support in also noted the shifting ex-
Congress and potentially planations Trump had giv-
setting up the first override en for the veto.
vote of his presidency. "President Trump clearly
The bill affirms 3% pay raises hasn't read the bill, nor does
for U.S. troops and authoriz- he understand what's in it,"
es more than $740 billion in Reed said. "There are sev-
military programs and con- eral bipartisan provisions in
struction. here that get tougher on
The action came while China than the Trump Ad-
Trump was holed up at ministration has ever been."
the White House, stewing The measure guides Pen-
about his election loss and tagon policy and cements
escalating his standoff with decisions about troop lev-
Republicans as he pushed els, new weapons systems
fraudulent conspiracy the- and military readiness, mili-
ories and tried to pressure tary personnel policy and
them to back his efforts to other military goals. Many
overturn the results. programs can only go into
The House was poised to re- effect if the bill is approved,
turn Monday, and the Sen- President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., including military construc-
ate on Tuesday, to consider Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020. Trump is traveling to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. tion.
votes to override the presi- Associated Press McConnell, in a rare break
dent's veto of the National with Trump, had urged pas-
Defense Authorization Act, House, Trump cited those has said the bill would help Mike Gallagher of Wiscon- sage despite Trump's threat
or NDAA. objections and stated that deter Chinese aggression. sin, a member of the House to veto it. McConnell said
Trump's move provoked the measure "fails to in- Other GOP backers of the Armed Services Commit- it was important for Con-
swift condemnation, with clude critical national se- measure, including Sen. tee, have tweeted that the gress to continue its nearly
House Speaker Nancy Pe- curity measures, includes John Thune of South Da- bill would counter threats six-decade-long streak of
losi calling it "an act of provisions that fail to re- kota, the second-ranking from countries such as Chi- passing the defense policy
staggering recklessness spect our veterans and our Senate leader, and Rep. na. bill.q
that harms our troops, en- military's history, and con-
dangers our security and tradicts efforts by my Ad-
undermines the will of the ministration to put America
bipartisan Congress." first in our national security
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and foreign policy actions.
chairman of the Senate It is a 'gift' to China and Rus-
Armed Services Commit- sia."
tee, avoided any criticism He also wrote: "Numerous
of Trump, but called the provisions of the Act direct-
NDAA "absolutely vital to ly contradict my Adminis-
our national security and tration's foreign policy, par-
our troops. ... Our men and ticularly my efforts to bring
women who volunteer to our troops home.
wear the uniform shouldn't Both the House and Sen-
be denied what they need ate passed the measure
— ever." by margins large enough
Long before issuing the to override a veto from the
veto, Trump offered a series president. Trump had ve-
of rationales for rejecting it. toed eight bills previously,
He has called for lawmak- but those vetoes were sus-
ers to include limits on so- tained because support-
cial media companies he ers did not gain the two-
claimed are biased against thirds vote needed in each
him — and to strip out lan- chamber for the bill to be-
guage that allows for the come law without Trump's
renaming of military bases signature.
such as Fort Benning and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.,
Fort Hood that honor Con- called Trump's veto "un-
federate leaders. Without conscionable" and said
going into detail, he has he would "look forward to
claimed the biggest winner overriding" it.
from the defense bill would In advance of the veto,
be China. Senate Majority Leader
In his veto message to the Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,