Coronavirus aid at risk as U.S. lawmakers block Trump's changes

[webfact]

Coronavirus aid at risk as U.S. lawmakers block Trump's changes

By Andy Sullivan and Richard Cowan

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump waves before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., December 12, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Thursday blocked attempts to alter a $2.3 trillion coronavirus aid and government spending package, rejecting President Donald Trump's demand for extensive changes and leaving benefits for millions of Americans at risk.

 

Democrats in the House of Representatives sought to increase direct payments to Americans included in the bill from $600 to $2,000 per person as part of a coronavirus economic relief initiative, acting on one of Trump's requests. Trump's fellow Republicans, who oppose the higher amount, blocked that effort.

 

Republicans sought to change the amount of foreign aid included in the package, seeking to address another one of Trump's complaints. Democrats blocked that request. The House then adjourned for the day.

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the chamber would hold a recorded vote on the stimulus-check increase on Monday.

 

The flurry of activity on the House floor did nothing to break a standoff that threatens desperately needed assistance for millions of Americans and raises the prospect of a partial government shutdown at a time when officials are trying to distribute two coronavirus vaccines.

 

Many Democrats say the $892 billion coronavirus aid package is not big enough to address a pandemic that has killed nearly 320,000 Americans, and they have welcomed Trump's call for larger stimulus checks.

 

"How ironic it would be to shut down the federal government at a time of pandemic crisis, the very time when government services are needed the most," House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said at a news conference.

 

Republicans opposed larger direct payments during negotiations as they sought to keep the overall price tag of the coronavirus aid below $1 trillion.

 

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday blocked attempts to alter a $2.3 trillion coronavirus aid and government spending package, rejecting President Donald Trump's demand for extensive changes and leaving benefits for millions of Americans at risk. This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.

 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump was in Florida, where he was due to play golf on Thursday. The 5,500-page bill took months to negotiate and was supported by Trump's administration.

 

With the status quo unchanged, it was unclear whether Trump would sign the package into law or hold out for further action.

 

Without his signature, unemployment benefits for those thrown out of work by the pandemic are due to expire as soon as Saturday, and the U.S. government would be forced into a partial shutdown starting on Tuesday.

 

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday Democrats should be willing to address foreign aid and other elements of the bill that he has derided as wasteful spending. "House Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing," he wrote in a letter to other House Republicans.

 

Congress could keep operations running by passing a fourth stopgap funding bill before midnight on Monday. To successfully do that, lawmakers would need Trump's cooperation at a time when he is still consumed by his November loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who is set to take office on Jan. 20.

 

The stopgap bill would not include coronavirus aid, however.

 

The House will also on Monday try to override Trump's veto of an unrelated defense-policy bill.

 

Embittered by his defeat to Biden, Trump is pressing Congress to dramatically alter the coronavirus and government-spending package, which passed by wide, bipartisan margins on Monday.

 

Trump sparked a record 35-day government shutdown two years ago when he rejected a federal spending bill over what he said was insufficient funding for building a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

 

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; additional reporting by Brad Heath and Steve Holland; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-25

 

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[Odysseus123]

It would have been nice to have a Pres.Trump free Christmas...but ,alas,it is not to be....

I hope that his mobile phone does not receive a full pardon and has to face some of the consequences of its actions.????

[TopDeadSenter]

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday Democrats should be willing to address foreign aid and other elements of the bill that he has derided as wasteful spending. "House Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing," he wrote in a letter to other House Republicans.

Hold on a minute. I was told very clearly yesterday that the Republicans were the ones who wanted these foreign aid payments and the democrats did not. Seems that was false information? Maybe the poster that wrote it can back up his assertion from yesterday without me reposting the post?

[candide]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Hold on a minute. I was told very clearly yesterday that the Republicans were the ones who wanted these foreign aid payments and the democrats did not. Seems that was false information? Maybe the poster that wrote it can back up his assertion from yesterday without me reposting the post?

Where did you read that? What I read (and also wrote) is that the Democrats agreed to the $2000 check but the Republicans likely wouldn't, which is confirmed by the OP.

[J Town]

49 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Hold on a minute. I was told very clearly yesterday that the Republicans were the ones who wanted these foreign aid payments and the democrats did not. Seems that was false information? Maybe the poster that wrote it can back up his assertion from yesterday without me reposting the post?

Let's be honest - both sides are guilty of buggery. It's just a crying shame 45 didn't do this, oh, let's say, over the last four years?

[J Town]

26 minutes ago, candide said:

Where did you read that? What I read (and also wrote) is that the Democrats agreed to the $2000 check but the Republicans likely wouldn't, which is confirmed by the OP.

There is much more money for foreign aid and US military than for "We, The People." Bernie has been pushing for $2000 per MONTH long before this bill. People across the nation are now becoming aware of the shafting they're getting. Hopefully just in time for the Georgia runoff election.

[placeholder]

3 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Hold on a minute. I was told very clearly yesterday that the Republicans were the ones who wanted these foreign aid payments and the democrats did not. Seems that was false information? Maybe the poster that wrote it can back up his assertion from yesterday without me reposting the post?

No. What you read is that the foreign policy portions of the bill came from the Trump administration. McCarthy is just gaslighting. Some people all too easily fall for it.

[TopDeadSenter]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

No. What you read is that the foreign policy portions of the bill came from the Trump administration. McCarthy is just gaslighting. Some people all too easily fall for it.

Thank you, so as per the forum rules, please provide proof in the form of a credible link to prove your statement that "the foreign policy portions of the bill came from the Trump administration". As I said yesterday(before I was corrected without links or sources) that it is extremely unlikely that Trump wanted for example $10 million sent to the likes of Pakistani gender programs. 

[Jeffr2]

What a horrible leader.  As usual, the general public suffers, while Trump plays golf and tweets.

[Jeffr2]

28 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Thank you, so as per the forum rules, please provide proof in the form of a credible link to prove your statement that "the foreign policy portions of the bill came from the Trump administration". As I said yesterday(before I was corrected without links or sources) that it is extremely unlikely that Trump wanted for example $10 million sent to the likes of Pakistani gender programs. 

It's extremely unlikely that anyone knows what Trump wants.  As proven here, and by the embarrassed members of the GOP.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Thank you, so as per the forum rules, please provide proof in the form of a credible link to prove your statement that "the foreign policy portions of the bill came from the Trump administration". As I said yesterday(before I was corrected without links or sources) that it is extremely unlikely that Trump wanted for example $10 million sent to the likes of Pakistani gender programs. 

 

Here you go:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-spending-stimulus-congress/2020/12/23/7a04ebd8-4549-11eb-b0e4-0f182923a025_story.html

 

Trump rails against federal spending that he requested in his budget

...much of the spending allocations Trump criticized were the exact amounts he requested for those programs in his fiscal 2021 budget:

●$1.3 billion for Egypt and the Egyptian military? Trump’s budget asked for $1.3 billion.

●$134 million for Myanmar? Trump’s budget had sought $131,450,000.

...

In most cases, the programs the president cited had the support of key Republicans in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.)."

 

Even the $40 million for the Kennedy Center was in Trump's proposed budget, as per the article here.

 

He probably saw someone griping about the foreign aid on NewsMax or OAN, and decided to rail against it -- not knowing or bothering to check that the aid was that proposed by his own administration.  Typical Trump.

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[RichardColeman]

Let's be honest, when was the last time you voted for a politician that actually represented a party that were not in it for themselves in some way or other or were happy to debate things into extinction ? Right or left.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

More on what Trump complained about vs what his budget actually asked for, from CNN:

 

"a closer inspection of them reveals the things Trump complained about track almost exactly with what the White House had requested in its annual FY 2021 budget, which was released earlier this year."

 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-complaints-spending-bill-graphic/index.html

 

How can people who actually believe his rubbish be so deluded???

 

[Berkshire]

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

More on what Trump complained about vs what his budget actually asked for, from CNN:

 

"a closer inspection of them reveals the things Trump complained about track almost exactly with what the White House had requested in its annual FY 2021 budget, which was released earlier this year."

 

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-complaints-spending-bill-graphic/index.html

 

How can people who actually believe his rubbish be so deluded???

 

Good reply(s) TallGuy.  I wonder if the TopDead dude will even reply.  At the very least he should thank you for taking the time.  So often these Trump supporters will demand to see evidence, it's provided, and they disappear like a fart in the wind.  Sad!

Edited December 25, 2020 by Berkshire

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And further on this from CNN, to my not entire surprise, bearing out what I had speculated on above that Trump's foreign aid tantrum (railing against his own proposed budget) was the result of his getting riled up by right-wing media reporting:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/donald-trump-covid-relief-capitol-hill/index.html

 

"Most of the items the President listed off as problematic in his Tuesday night video weren't from the Covid relief piece of the package. They were from the omnibus. Most, if not all, of those items were similar to items in past spending packages the President has signed.

 

Most notably, two people involved with the matter say, the President is fired up about the foreign aid in the package. Again, that has been part of each spending package he's previously signed -- but Trump was riled up in part by commentators on conservative media who complained about the aid, according to people familiar."

[nauseus]

3 hours ago, J Town said:

Let's be honest - both sides are guilty of buggery. It's just a crying shame 45 didn't do this, oh, let's say, over the last four years?

 

Do what over 4 years? It's supposed to be for Covid relief. How long has that been around?  

[Sujo]

Trump complains about himself. Brilliant.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I don't see a separate new news thread on it, so I'll add it on here:

 

The Republicans in the House yesterday U.S. time -- to no great surprise -- blocked the Democrats' proposal to raise the per person CV stimulus aid direct payment amount to the $2000 Trump had lately demanded.  I believe, Pelosi has scheduled another vote on the same again Monday.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/12/24/house-stimulus-checks-trump/

House Republicans block Democrats’ effort to advance $2,000 stimulus checks pushed by Trump

"House Republicans on Thursday blocked an effort by House Democrats to approve $2,000 stimulus payments for millions of Americans. Democrats were seeking to advance the measure after President Trump demanded it Tuesday night, breaking with many of his fellow Republicans.

 

House Democratic leadership attempted to advance the measure by “unanimous consent,” but the effort was blocked by Republican leadership."

...

Pelosi tried on Thursday to approve the $2,000 checks, but she needed unanimous consent and approval from GOP leaders to try such a tactic on short notice. They refused.

 

And, looking ahead to Monday:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/pelosi-says-house-vote-bigger-stimulus-payments-after-gop-blocks-n1252335

Pelosi says House to vote on bigger stimulus payments after GOP blocks increase

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House Democrats would vote Monday on a standalone bill that would provide direct payments to Americans of $2,000 a person.

 

Pelosi, D-Calif., made the announcement moments after House Republicans blocked a Democratic bid to increase the payments as passed in the stimulus bill earlier this week from $600 a person to $2,000.

 

"On Monday, I will bring the House back to session, where we will hold a recorded vote on our stand-alone bill to increase economic impact payments to $2,000. To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need," Pelosi said in a statement Thursday morning."

 

But, at this point, it appears to be all theatrics and political posturing, because I've seen NO sign that the Republicans in the Senate have any interest in reopening the CV aid bill and increasing the $600 payments to the $2000 Trump belatedly asked for.  And without the Senate, whatever the House passes has little meaning.

 

But... I sure hope the voters down in Georgia who will pick two U.S. senators in their runoff election are paying attention!

Edited December 25, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Jeffr2]

12 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Good reply(s) TallGuy.  I wonder if the TopDead dude will even reply.  At the very least he should thank you for taking the time.  So often these Trump supporters will demand to see evidence, it's provided, and they disappear like a fart in the wind.  Sad!

They typically don't read the better media sites because they've fallen for Trump's lies that they are fake news.  So, they stick to Fox, OANN, and the other dodgy right wing websites.  So, when presented with real facts, they do disappear.  Very sad!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

 

It would appear, the U.S. -- and the Americans desperately in need of CV relief aid -- wouldn't be in this mess if it were not for two things:

 

1. A president who's dumb enough to base his policy making on what he hears and sees on right-wing media, even when they're objecting to what his own administration has done.

 

2. Right wing media who adore Trump as the country's savior, and then end up helping perhaps scuttle the CV relief package by (unknowingly?) attacking proposals that Trump's own administration has put forward and endorsed.

 

When that's how the country is being run (into the ground), you really know you're circling the drain heading down...

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[John Drake]

18 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

It would appear, the U.S. -- and the Americans desperately in need of CV relief aid -- wouldn't be in this mess if it were not for two things:

 

1. A president who's dumb enough to base his policy making on what he hears and sees on right-wing media, even when they're objecting to what his own administration has done.

 

2. Right wing media who adore Trump as the country's savior, and then end up helping perhaps scuttle the CV relief package by (unknowingly?) attacking proposals that Trump's own administration has put forward and endorsed.

 

When that's how the country is being run (into the ground), you really know you're circling the drain heading down...

 

 

I don't care about the foreign aid all that much, if I get my $2000. But if I don't get my $2000, I don't want the foreign aid going anywhere either. And I damn sure don't want the generals getting all their fringe benefits under any circumstances.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And meanwhile, after dropping his $2000 CV payments bombshell on Congress, you might think Trump is hard at work over the holiday weekend trying to persuade Congressional Republicans to change their tune and support his proposal?

 

Uhhh.... NO!  Instead: he's playing golf and still tweet railing about how he should have won the presidential election.

 

https://ktla.com/news/politics/trump-golfs-in-florida-as-coronavirus-relief-bill-hangs-in-the-balance/

Trump golfs in Florida as coronavirus relief bill hangs in the balance

"After tossing a grenade that threatens to blow up a massive COVID relief and government funding bill and force a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic, President Donald Trump spent his Christmas Eve golfing in Florida.

 

Failure to agree on the bill could deny checks to millions of Americans on the brink."

 

And from CNN:

 

 

Trump seen golfing after vowing to 'work tirelessly'

President Donald Trump hit the links at his private golf course in Florida despite pledging to "work tirelessly" through the holiday season amid a looming economic crisis.

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/12/24/donald-trump-golf-relief-coronavirus-pandemic-sot-vpx-nr.cnn/video/playlists/this-week-in-politics/

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From CNN's White House correspondent:

@kaitlancollins

CNN White House Correspondent

 

https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins/status/1342169069617868802

 

[stevenl]

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Hold on a minute. I was told very clearly yesterday that the Republicans were the ones who wanted these foreign aid payments and the democrats did not. Seems that was false information? Maybe the poster that wrote it can back up his assertion from yesterday without me reposting the post?

You don't need to report. Yesterday a link was given, and today again. So please respond to the issue in stead of asking for information already provided multiple times.

[stevenl]

Not just 'at risk', distribution of the vaccine has been disrupted already .

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/23/us-states-awederal-dollars-for-covid-vaccine-distribution-have-been-a-drop-in-the-bucket-as-shipments-begin.html

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Not just 'at risk', distribution of the vaccine has been disrupted already .

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/23/us-states-awederal-dollars-for-covid-vaccine-distribution-have-been-a-drop-in-the-bucket-as-shipments-begin.html

 

"So far, the immunization effort has been slow going. Roughly 9.5 million doses have been distributed and just over 1 million people in the U.S. have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine as of Wednesday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s roughly 19 million doses shy of earlier projections for December and leaves public officials a little more than a week — about 8 days — to try to close that gap. "

 

That's a pretty big shortfall, and one I'd say they're unlikely to close over the Christmas-New Year's holiday period while Trump's veto threat hangs over the whole process.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Finally...a clear explanation of how the sign or veto process is going to work in this situation:

 

"Trump has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. Should Trump veto, Congress could override it, if they can guarantee enough votes — a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate — to do so.

 

If Trump does nothing, a pocket-veto goes into effect, and the bill is dead. Additional aid will be held up, and the government may shut down, which could last until President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20."

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stimulus-package-is-being-flown-to-florida-for-trumps-signature-2020-12

 

If Republicans seeming unwillingness to override Trump's separate veto of the recently passed defense spending bill is any indication, then an override of a CV bill veto would seem equally unlikely.

 

Re the defense spending bill that Trump has already vetoed:

 

"The House is expected to act Monday, when all eyes be watching to see how many Republicans stick with their previous support for the bill.

 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has suggested many Republicans won't vote to override Trump's veto, despite having voted for the bill itself, so it's unclear if the override attempt will be successful or if the veto will be sustained."

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-ndaa-veto/index.html

 

So the Republicans are going to stick to Trump until the bitter end.... regardless of the cost?

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TopDeadSenter]

20 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You don't need to report. Yesterday a link was given, and today again. So please respond to the issue in stead of asking for information already provided multiple times.

You have yet to link to a credible report to prove that it was Trump that wanted $10 million sent for Pakistan gender studies and other wastes of money on foreign pork projects, against the democrats wishes. I know Trump, and I know the democrats. Wanting such sums sent abroad for such outrageous projects is NOT Trump's work or style. I need a report as per this forums rules that prevent people making things up and presenting things as fact.

 

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

You have yet to link to a credible report to prove that it was Trump that wanted $10 million sent for Pakistan gender studies and other wastes of money on foreign pork projects, against the democrats wishes. I know Trump, and I know the democrats. Wanting such sums sent abroad for such outrageous projects is NOT Trump's work or style. I need a report as per this forums rules that prevent people making things up and presenting things as fact.

 

Can you please provide evidence yhat this is not Trump's work or style? Wouldn't want you to run afoul of those rules you keep citing.  Keep in mind that Mnuchin was acting as Trump's agent in these negotiations. So Trump shares responsibility for the document in its present form. He can, of course, renege. After all, backing out of deals, including signed contracts, is very characteristic of Ttump's work and style.

[Sujo]

39 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

You have yet to link to a credible report to prove that it was Trump that wanted $10 million sent for Pakistan gender studies and other wastes of money on foreign pork projects, against the democrats wishes. I know Trump, and I know the democrats. Wanting such sums sent abroad for such outrageous projects is NOT Trump's work or style. I need a report as per this forums rules that prevent people making things up and presenting things as fact.

 

And you still dont understand that payment to pakistan is not part of the covid bill, but is an omnibus.