Daily US Times: Unemployment benefits for millions in the US struggling to make ends meet lapsed overnight as President Trump refused to sign an end-of-year coronavirus relief bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections.
The fate of the bipartisan package remained in limbo Sunday as the president continued to demand larger Covid relief checks and complained about “pork” spending. Without the widespread funding provided by the massive measure, a government shutdown would happen when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
Several lawmakers implored President Trump to sign the legislation immediately, then have Congress follow up with more relief.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Sunday: “What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel.”
“So many people are hurting.”
Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania also said the president should sign the bill, then make the case for more.
He said: “We’ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate. I think we ought to get that done.”
That point was echoed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican who’s criticized Mr Trump’s coronavirus pandemic response and his efforts to undo the election results.
He said: “I just gave up guessing what he might do next.”
Hogan and Sanders spoke on ABC’s “This Week,” Toomey on “Fox News Sunday.”
President Trump was golfing again Sunday in Florida.
Washington has been reeling since President Donald Trump turned on the relief bill after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House had assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it.
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