Andrew Harnik / Associated Press
An attempt to increase the latest stimulus checks to $2,000 has hit a roadblock in the U.S. Senate. Supporters of the additional payments, including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), say Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is the sole person standing in the way.
The recent coronavirus relief measure passed by Congress contained a $600 direct payment for qualifying Americans, but President Trump called on lawmakers to raise the amount to $2,000. Brown says there s wide support for those larger stimulus checks, with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House voting Monday to increase the amount.
Brown accuses McConnell of delaying the vote in order to serve special interest groups.
US President Donald Trump has vetoed a $US740 billion ($NZ1042b) bill setting policy for the Department of Defence today, despite its strong support in Congress, raising the possibility that the measure will fail to become law for the first time in 60 years.
Critics fear Donald Trump s latest veto will harm Republicans chances in the crucial Georgia runoff vote next month.
Photo: AFP
Trump said he vetoed the annual National Defence Authorisation Act, or NDAA, because it 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 .
US faces government shutdown as Trump unloads on COVID relief bill cairnspost.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cairnspost.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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image captionUS President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Friday flew from Washington to Florida to spend Christmas at the Mar-o-Lago resort
US President Donald Trump has vetoed a $740bn (£549bn) defence spending bill that passed Congress this month.
Mr Trump is objecting to provisions that limit troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Europe and remove Confederate leaders names from military bases.
He also wanted it to repeal a liability shield for social media companies.
Lawmakers passed the measure with an overwhelming majority and could override the president s rejection.
Bills passed by Congress need a president s signature to become law. On rare occasions, a president may choose to veto - or reject - legislation because of some policy disagreement.
Stocks mixed as virus offsets stimulus deal
By AFP - Dec 23,2020 - Last updated at Dec 23,2020
In this photo taken on December 9, a Salvation Army volunteer dances in front of the New York Stock exchange at Wall Street in New York City (AFP file photo)
HONG KONG Asian markets were mixed on Monday as news of a US stimulus agreement was offset by surging virus cases and the imposition of a strict lockdown in England, while London s FTSE and the pound sank on fears over stuttering Brexit talks.
Oil prices also tumbled as the new containment measures hammered expectations for travel over the Christmas period, with the discovery of a mutated and more infectious strain of the coronavirus in Britain also leading several governments to ban flights from the country.