1 House Votes To Increase Stimulus Checks
The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to pass a bill to increase the $600 stimulus checks to $2,000, with 275 members voting for the bill and 134 voting against it. The measure received the needed two-thirds majority of the members voting to pass in the House. Now the bill heads to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is also needed in order for it to head to President Trump's desk. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not indicated if he will bring a vote to the floor on the larger checks. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would force the chamber to take up the measure today but only one senator would need to object to block the bill from passing.
2 House Overrides Trump Veto Of Defense Bill
The House of Representatives voted yesterday to override President Trump's veto of a major $740 billion defense bill. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted 322-87 to override the veto of the bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA defines the policy for the US Department of Defense and has passed every year in the last five decades. However, President Trump blocked the bill last week, in a first for a US President, saying it did not repeal Section 230, a federal law that provides liability protection to internet companies and he also opposed the bill over a plan that would strip several US military bases of the names of generals who fought for the secessionist, pro-slavery states in the 1861-65 US civil war. After yesterday's vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the House had done its part to ensure the bill becomes law "despite the president's dangerous sabotage efforts." The Senate is expected to vote today as the veto will need to be overridden by both the chambers of Congress. So far, Congress has not been able to override a Trump veto but the defense bill has garnered extensive support from US lawmakers.
3 Biden Talks Nashville Explosion, Thanks Law Enforcement
President-elect Joe Biden after a national security and foreign policy briefing made remarks about the Christmas day bombing in Nashville yesterday. Biden says he is "eternally grateful" for the officers at the Metro Nashville Police Department for their quick actions. "This bombing was a reminder of the destructive power of an individual or a small group can muster and the need for continuing vigilance across the board," President-elect Biden said. “I want to thank the police department in Nashville, particularly those five police officers who worked so quickly to evacuate the area before the explosion occurred, risking their own lives, and all the firefighters and first responders who jumped into action early on that Christmas morning, last Christmas morning.” “Their bravery and cool-headedness likely saved lives and prevented a worse outcome," President-elect Biden said. "We are eternally grateful for that law enforcement agency. I know the hearts of all Americans are with the people of Nashville as they rebuild and recover from this traumatic event.” President Trump hasn't spoken or tweeted about the Tennessee incident, and Nashville Mayor John Cooper says he has not heard from the president. Officials are still investigating a possible motive for the bombing but said that there is no indication at this point that any other individuals were involved and that the city is believed to be safe. Agents conducted a search of the suspect’s home Saturday before he was publicly identified.