U.S. President Donald Trump (Trump) posted a pre-recorded video on social media Tuesday (Dec. 22) asking Congress to make changes to the latest round of the $900 billion epidemic relief bill to remove certain improper spending and increase financial assistance payments to ordinary people.
Trump said he would veto the relief bill if the changes were not made.
Trump said the new coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic relief bill passed by the House and Senate on Monday night (21) and sent to the White House on Tuesday was very different from what was expected.
Trump said the bill contains many wasteful programs, but at the same time gives ordinary taxpayers only $600 per person relief, but also does not give small businesses enough bailout money and incentives; especially restaurants, they have suffered heavy losses.
“Congress found a lot of money for foreign countries, lobbyists and special interests, while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it.” Trump said, “It’s not the fault of Americans, it’s the fault of China (the Chinese Communist Party).”
Trump said Congress began negotiations with Democrats on a new relief bill months ago, but all summer Democrats have blocked the (questionable) progress of the relief bill, banking on advancing a far-left agenda while influencing the election. But the bill that Congress has now sent back to the White House desk is very different from expectations.
“It’s really a shame.” He said.
Trump said the bill is more than 5,000 pages long and complex, and few members of Congress have read through the text of the bill; in addition, the bill is called the “New Coronavirus Relief Act” but has little to do with relief for the new coronavirus.
Trump did not agree that the legislation included funding for foreign countries, the Smithsonian Institution and fish farming.
According to the bill, foreign aid includes $85.5 million for Cambodia, $134 million for Burma, $1.3 billion for Egypt and the Egyptian military, $25 million for democracy and gender projects in Pakistan, and $505 million for Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
For the domestic component, program expenditures included $40 million for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., $1 billion for the Smithsonian, and another $154 million for the National Gallery of Art. However, these venues were largely closed to the public during the epidemic.
In addition, there are a number of appropriation programs for fisheries.
Trump said the bill also allows cash assistance for family members of illegal immigrants, allowing illegal immigrant families to receive up to $1,800 each.
“That’s far more than Americans get.” He said. “I ask Congress to amend the bill to raise the ridiculously low $600 grant to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple.”
“I also demand that Congress immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary programs in the bill and send me a proper bill or the next administration will have to give a new crown virus relief package, and maybe that administration will be me and we’ll get it done.” Trump added.
The Senate voted 92 to 6 and the House voted 359 to 53 on Monday to pass a new round of relief bills. The six conservative Republican senators voted against the bill because it was too broad, while the two most radical Democratic House members voted against it because it was not big enough.
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