BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Now what happens to the $892 billion coronavirus aid bill? Here are three options

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

Testing widget old system

Lorenzo shared

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — President Donald Trump’s surprise opposition to emergency coronavirus aid and annual government funding passed by Congress has left Americans and global financial markets wondering whether Washington will iron out its differences or descend into another debate in the coming days.

Trump has not yet said whether he will veto the $892 billion for COVID-19 relief that is coupled with $1.4 trillion to fund an array of federal agencies through next September.

Here’s how this standoff could play out:

TRUMP BACKS DOWN

Trump signs the 5,500-page bill, despite Congress’ refusal so far to meet his demands. He wants far larger coronavirus relief checks for Americans and major reductions to the foreign aid budget and other spending he has deemed wasteful.

TRUMP VETOES THE BILL

Trump rejects the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives and Senate. This would present Congress with two options:

CONGRESS OVERRIDES THE VETO

1. Round up the two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override Trump’s veto before the bill expires, and then it automatically becomes law.

CONGRESS SUSTAINS THE VETO

2. Sustain the president’s veto, a scenario likely if enough Republicans abandon the legislation, despite their earlier votes for passage. The bill is killed.

TRUMP DOES NOTHING

Trump runs out the clock within 10 calendar days (except Sundays) of receiving it from Congress, neither signing nor vetoing it. The situation is known as a “pocket veto.”

This step is somewhat complicated because it normally only works when Congress is adjourned.

In this case, the calendar works in Trump’s favor if he wants to kill the bill. Within that 10-day time frame, the current 116th Congress expires on Jan. 3 and the new, 117th Congress is sworn in. Bills die if they are not enacted during the Congress in which they are introduced.

That means it could be left to President-elect Joe Biden to deal with after he is sworn in on Jan. 20. Meanwhile, people who lost their jobs during the pandemic would suffer as unemployment insurance for more than 14 million expires on Dec. 26.

Get fact-based, unbiased news coverage 24/7 with the NewsNation app. Download it here.

Without enactment of the bill, the U.S. government runs out of money at midnight Dec. 28. If this battle is not resolved by then, Congress must either pass its fourth stopgap funding bill since last September or federal agencies will not have money to fully operate beginning Dec. 29.

In that case, tens of thousands of government workers could be furloughed and programs interrupted.

If Congress does pass a temporary bill, Trump would have to approve it or the shutdown begins.

Coronavirus Stimulus

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Cloudy

la

63°F Cloudy Feels like 63°
Wind
0 mph NNE
Humidity
84%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
61°F Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
5 mph W
Precip
8%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous