by Stuart Ibberson, editor
The Senate will vote on overriding President Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass annual defense policy bill, setting up a final challenge for congressional Republicans to oppose Mr. Trump in the waning days of his presidency.
The Senate voted to limit debate on the president’s veto on Friday with a vote of 80 to 12. Sixty votes were needed to limit debate. The final vote is expected later on Friday or on Saturday, with a two-thirds vote required to overturn the veto. The bill passed in the Senate with a “veto proof” majority of 84-13 earlier this month, and the House has already voted to override Mr. Trump’s veto.
Mr. Trump vetoed the NDAA because of a provision on renaming bases honoring Confederate officials, and because it did not include a repeal of a social media liability shield. Several members of Congress, including some Republicans, argued that the repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act was not relevant to national security.
Mr. Trump has vetoed nine bills during his presidency, but none have been overridden. If successful, this will be the first time one of his vetoes will be overturned. The NDAA is a critical defense bill that has passed every year for decades, so overriding the veto will not necessarily be a controversial vote for Republicans.
DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP
Get Breaking Aerospace News Sent To Your Inbox! We Never Spam
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact