Both chambers of Congress are preparing to vote to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense spending bill, CNN reports.
Trump vetoed the bill this week despite overwhelming bipartisan support over his complaints that Congress did not include a wholly unrelated measure to repeal Section 230, which shields social media companies from liability over content posted on their platforms, and for including a provision to rename military bases honoring Confederate leaders.
"Unfortunately," Trump said, "the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military's history, and contradicts efforts by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions. It is a 'gift' to China and Russia."
The $740 billion bill passed 295-125 in the House and 84-13 in the Senate despite Trump’s veto threat.
House preps override vote:
The veto potentially sets up the first veto override of Trump’s presidency. The House will vote on the override on Monday and the Senate would follow on Tuesday if the vote is successful. Sen. Rand Paul has threatened to filibuster the override vote, which could delay it until later in the week.
"The NDAA has become law every year for 59 years straight because it's absolutely vital to our national security and our troops. This year must not be an exception. Our men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform shouldn't be denied what they need— ever," Republican Senate Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe said.
Democrat Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the veto "poses a serious threat to U.S. national security."
"I look forward to overriding the President's fruitless and ridiculous attempt to undermine our national security over his shifting rationale for his decision to veto, including a provision to rename bases honoring Confederate military leaders -- a provision that many in the President's own party have supported," he said.
Trump trades soldier raises for Twitter complaints:
Trump’s complaints are largely centered on his beef with Twitter and Facebook, which he has baselessly claimed censor conservatives. But the bill itself includes pay raises for troops and modernization of equipment.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the veto "an act of staggering recklessness."
"In a time when our country was just targeted with a massive cyberattack, it is particularly hard to understand the reasoning behind the President's irresponsibility," she said.
