WASHINGTON – The Senate overwhelmingly passed a comprehensive military policy law on Friday to remove Confederate names from American military bases to clarify the measure for enactment and to keep them on President Trump’s desk despite his veto threats send.
The vote between 84 and 13 to pass the legislation reflected widespread support from both parties for the measure authorizing the payment of American troops and was intended to signal Mr Trump that lawmakers, including many Republicans, were determined to do the critical Passing the law, even if this may mean giving up the first right of veto of his presidency.
The margin exceeded the two-thirds majority required in both houses to force passage of the law on Mr Trump’s objections. The House also hit that threshold in passing the measure on Tuesday, increasing the prospect of a possible veto showdown in Mr Trump’s final weeks of office.
The scene that played out in the Senate on Friday underscored how the Republicans, who did not want to challenge the president on any other issue during his four-year term, were extraordinarily ready to break with Mr Trump over one of the party’s key orthodoxy – military strength project.
“I encourage all of us to do what we must to bring this bill to fruition,” said Senator James M. Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma and Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, to his colleagues in a speech from the ground. “There is no one in America who deserves more than our troops that are in danger, and we will make sure we are doing what is right for them.”
Thirteen senators, evenly spaced across party lines, voted against the bill, with Republicans supporting Mr Trump’s objections and Democrats chafing on the bill’s topline number. Three Senators, Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, and Kamala Harris, Democrat of California and vice president-elect, did not vote.
Congress has succeeded in passing the military law every year for 60 years. But Mr Trump has threatened to change that tradition, pledging to veto the legislation since the summer, even as his own party’s leaders privately pleaded with him to support it.
Mr Trump initially opposed a provision largely backed by lawmakers from both parties in both chambers that would strip the names of Confederate leaders from military bases. In the past few weeks his attention has shifted, demanding that the bill provide for an independent lifting of a legal shield for social media companies.
This demand, which was registered late in the legislative process, found little support from the legislators of both parties. They feel it is untenable to take an important, unrelated political move towards the defense law. They were hoping that strong voices in both chambers would convince Mr Trump to back off his threat of veto. However, so far the president has given no indication that he will do so.
The legislation includes a number of undisputed, bipartisan measures, including new benefits for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a 3 percent increase in service member wages and an increase in remuneration for dangerous levies.
It would also take steps to slow or block Mr Trump’s planned withdrawal of American troops from Germany and Afghanistan, and it would make it difficult for the president to deploy military personnel on the southern border.
Legislation also directly addresses the racial justice protests sparked by the police killing black Americans, including George Floyd, this summer. All federal officials who enforce crowd control during protests and demonstrations would have to identify themselves and their authorities. And it includes the bipartisan move directing the Pentagon to begin renaming military bases named after Confederate leaders, a provision the Democrats fought to uphold.
If Mr. Trump were to enforce his threatened veto, the House would be the first to attempt an override.
Emily Cochrane contributes to the coverage.
