Trump signature on relief package averts shutdown

WASHINGTON－US President Donald Trump on Sunday night signed the government spending and COVID-19 relief package into law, averting a government shutdown and delivering aid to individuals and businesses as the pandemic worsens.

Trump signed off on the $2.3 trillion spending package days after he asked Congress to remove wasteful items in the bill and boost the amount of stimulus checks to $2,000 for individuals, up from $600.

The president had threatened not to sign the bill if changes were not made. With the signing, the federal government avoids a shutdown that would have begun on Tuesday.

"I will sign the Omnibus and COVID package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed," Trump said in a statement released on Sunday night by the White House.

"I will send back to Congress a red-lined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill," he said.

Trump also said he expects the Congress to vote on separate legislation to increase stimulus checks to $2,000.

"On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200," he said.

The Senate will also "start the process" to vote on legislation to increase stimulus checks, repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and investigate alleged voter fraud, Trump said.

"Congress has promised that Section 230, which so unfairly benefits Big Tech (US tech giants including Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google) at the expense of the American people, will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed," he said.

Trump signed the legislation under pressure from lawmakers of both parties after federal unemployment benefits expired for millions of US citizens on Saturday.

Now the relief package has been signed, it would extend federal unemployment benefits by $300 each week for existing recipients through mid-March.

Xinhua