The House of Representatives on Monday voted to override President Donald Trump’s veto of the sweeping defense bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act, CNN reported late Monday.
The vote, 322-87, was a largely bipartisan response to a move by Trump to reject legislation which routinely sets policies and priorities for military services each year.
The vote revealed a shift in loyalty from a president who — in an effort to inflate his continued influence amid waning days in office — warned in recent weeks that those who refuse to support his efforts to overturn election results will face tough reelection bids in 2022.
The bill will now face the Senate whose members are set to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) already indicated in an interview with Politico on Monday that he intends to delay the Senate vote unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), brings a vote on $2,000 stimulus checks to the floor. The filibuster by Sanders could postpone a final vote on the override to Friday, CNN noted.
The $740 billion bill includes, among other provisions, pay raises for soldiers and improved equipment, as well as limits to how much money Trump can move around for his border wall.
In a seeming effort to prop up aspects of the country’s racist legacy, Trump has opposed aspects of the bill that would rename military bases named after Confederate figures, saying that military facilities should continue to bear the names of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee, Braxton Bragg and others.
Amid his effort to veto, Trump also condemned a refusal by Democrats to lift protections for tech companies that shields them from liability for what is posted on their websites by them or third parties, complaining that social media companies are biased against conservatives.
