With unemployment benefits expiring and a pending government shutdown, President Trump signed the $900 billion coronavirus relief package while sending a “redlined version” for cuts back to congress.
The pandemic bill extends billions of dollars in coronavirus relief to millions of Americans, but has also been criticized for the amount of money and projects that are focused outsideof the country. “Good news on Covid Relief Bill,” the president tweeted late Sunday before the signing of the bill was announced. “More information to follow!”
Members of Congress had urged the president to sign the pandemic relief bill and a $1.4 trillion omnibus bill to fund the government through September. Just last week, the President called the relief bill a disgrace, citing billions of dollars in aid and programs to other countries, special interests and other “pork,” and asked for direct payments to Americans to be increased from $600 in the bill to $2,000. In a statement on Sunday night, the president said he was sending back to Congress “a redlined version” of the coronavirus relief bill insisting that those particular funds outlined be removed. The President said,
“As president, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful sending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child. Much more money is coming.”
If Trump had not signed the stimulus legislation before a new Congress arrives on Jan. 3, the bills would have expired, forcing lawmakers to negotiate another package.
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