By Caribbean News Global 
WASHINGTON, USA – Speaker Nancy Pelosi has placed president Donald Trump veto of the bipartisan, bicameral National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on notice, and is scheduled to take up the matter on December 28.
“I am returning, without my approval, H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (the “Act”). My Administration recognizes the importance of the Act to our national security. Unfortunately, the Act 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. It is a “gift” to China and Russia,” president Donald Trump.
“The House will take up the veto override with bipartisan support,” a statement from Speaker of the House reads:
“The president’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act is an act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops, endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress. For 60 years, the NDAA has been passed on a bipartisan and bicameral basis.
“In a time when our country was just targeted with a massive cyberattack, it is particularly hard to understand the reasoning behind the president’s irresponsibility. Disturbingly, Trump is using his final hours in office to sow chaos, including by denying our servicemembers a long-overdue pay raise and hazard duty pay; our families paid family leave, child care, housing and health protections; and our veterans the benefits that they need and deserve. The president’s veto also deprives our country and allies of tools to protect global security – including for cyber-security.
“Trump’s veto violates our national values, as it would block action to rename military bases and infrastructure named after those who served in the Confederacy – which is supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people, by House and Senate Democrats and Republicans and by our service members and top military leaders.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans are blocking unanimous consent to increase economic impact payments to $2,000, as the president called for, Speaker of the House issued the following on December 24:
“Today, on Christmas Eve morning, House Republicans cruelly deprived the American people of the $2,000 that the President agreed to support. If the President is serious about the $2,000 direct payments, he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction.
“House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly fought for bigger checks for the American people, which House and Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected – first, during our negotiations when they said that they would not go above $600 and now, with this act of callousness on the Floor.
“On Monday, I will bring the House back to session where we will hold a recorded vote on our stand-alone bill to increase economic impact payments to $2,000. To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need.
“Hopefully by then the president will have already signed the bipartisan and bicameral legislation to keep government open and to deliver coronavirus relief.”
President Trump is currently on vacation at Mar-a-Lago.
