- President Donald Trump on Sunday signed the $ 2 billion emergency relief package for coronavirus.
- The negotiated rescue package includes $ 600 stimulus checks, federal unemployment assistance, food and rent assistance, as well as education funding.
- “I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes it clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed,” Trump said in a statement.
- “I will be sending a new version to Congress, item by item, accompanied by the formal withdrawal request to Congress demanding that the money be removed from the bill,” he continued.
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President Donald Trump on Sunday signed the $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package after earlier threatening to reject it because it had no major stimulus payments.
Trump returned unexpectedly after holding legislation approved for several days and allowing the expiration of two federal unemployment programs that help about 14 million Americans on Saturday. He sharply criticized the legislation as “a disgrace.”
Trump on Tuesday suggested he would not sign the coronavirus relief law unless significant adjustments were made to the size of stimulus controls. He demanded that Congress approve an increase from the current level of $ 600 per person to $ 2,000.
Trump never made that known during the turbulent negotiations between congressional leaders that ultimately falsified the federal rescue package this month.
In his statement on Sunday, the president said he wanted to give “much less wasteful spending and more money to the American people in the form of $ 2,000 checks per adult and $ 600 per child”, adding that he had “many recalls” of the bill demands.
“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes it clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed,” Trump said. “I will be sending a new version to Congress, item by item, accompanied by the formal withdrawal request to Congress demanding that the money be removed from the bill.”
Lawmakers are likely to set aside the request as Trump has less than a month left in his presidency. None of his demands were met.
“I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money to PPP, put our airline workers back to work, add significantly more money for the distribution of vaccines, and much more. , “he continued.
Democrats were quick to attack the president for enforcing the law and warned that the delay could have major consequences for people struggling to make ends meet. Trump’s refusal to sign the legislation shaved off a week of the $ 300 federal unemployment supplement over the weekend, experts say.
“Donald Trump’s tantrum has led to a decline in unemployment benefits, and has cost millions of unemployed workers a week’s income,” sen said. Ron Wyden of Oregon said in a statement. “On top of that, there may be a few weeks delay to get benefits going again.”
“While it is a great relief to have the bill signed, Donald Trump’s anger has created unnecessary hardship and tension for millions of families,” Wyden said.
The negotiated coronavirus assistance package included $ 600 stimulus payments for Americans, $ 300 weekly federal unemployment benefits through mid-March, $ 25 billion in rental assistance, as well as small business assistance and funding for education and vaccine distribution.
Both chambers passed the federal rescue package on Monday, along with a government funding bill with strong dual support. The president’s approval of the massive tax and spending legislation will also prevent a strike by the government on Tuesday, which would shut down many federal agencies during a pandemic.
The signing was preceded by political maneuvering in Congress. House of Representatives on Thursday morning blocked an attempt by Democrats to promote direct payments of $ 2,000. The speaker, Nancy Pelosi, harshly criticized the move and said in a statement that she will introduce a vote on legislation on Monday to increase their size.
Trump has also come under increasing pressure from Republicans to put aside his concerns and approve economic relief legislation: ‘You do not get everything you want, even if you are the President of the United States is not, ‘said Sen. Pat Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on Fox. News Sunday. “
“I think what he needs to do is sign this bill and then put the matter forward. Congress can pass another bill,” Toomey said. ‘But we now have a bill that has helped his government negotiate. I think we should do it. ‘