HOUSE OKs DEFENSE BILL WITH VETO-PROOF MAJORITY AS GOP SHUNS TRUMP

The House of Representatives on Tuesday (Wednesday, December 9, 2020 in Manila) overwhelmingly approved a sweeping defense bill with a veto-proof majority after a veto threat from President Donald Trump sharply divided Republican lawmakers, forcing them to choose between loyalty to him and legislation that sets defense policy for the country, Manu Raju, Clare Foran and Lauren Fox reported for CNN in the morning of December 9, 2020.

The vote, which broke down to 335-78, is a major rebuke to the President, who declared he would veto it if it does not contain a provision on checking editorial abuses of big tech companies like Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube and Twitter under Section 230, which shields them from liability for the contents posted by third parties. A defense bill has nothing to do with regulating the contents of social media platforms.

The National Defense Authorization Act will next head to the Senate, where it is also expected to pass with bipartisan support, though it is not yet clear if it will similarly reach a veto-proof majority in the chamber as what some Republican senators had promised.

Related Story: "GOP Shuns Trump Threat to Veto Budget"

If the House ends up voting to override a presidential veto, that vote could be far narrower, however, because at least some Republicans are likely to change their votes in order to sustain a veto. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who said that he would vote in favor of the bill, but would vote to sustain a veto, insisted that Republican House members will back the President if he vetoes the legislation.

"I think they would stand with the President," he said when asked if there would be enough GOP votes to sustain the President's position.

The $740 billion bill includes pay raises for America's soldiers, modernizations for equipment and provisions to require more scrutiny before troops are withdrawn from Germany or Afghanistan, but that hasn't stopped Trump's threats against it.