U.S. President Donald Trump signed the controversial COVID relief bill Sunday night and promised to send back to Congress a "redlined" version highlighting the things he wants changed in favor of the American people.
Congress recently voted on a so-called "COVID relief" bill containing more than 5,500 pages. The legislation was said to be aimed at providing aid to Americans, but in reality, it allotted far more taxpayer money to fund overseas projects and other countries that it does American citizens.
Colombia, for instance, will receive $461,375,000 for "counternarcotics" and "human rights programs." Another $505,925,000 will be shared by Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, for the purpose of addressing "key factors that contribute to the migration of unaccompanied, undocumented minors to the United States."
Interestingly, the bill will also provide up to $1,800 to family members of illegal aliens in the country. Americans, on the other hand, will have to share a total of $900 billion, which translates to a $600 check per person.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was so proud of the bill, and said she was "Pleased that we were able to get so much done #ForThePeople in the closing days of the 116th Congress, including the emergency COVID relief package."
President Trump, however, saw how "ridiculously low" the amount Americans will receive as a result of the Stimulus bill and called out the irony of its name and purpose.
"It's called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID," Trump said.
The President then demanded that Congress amend the bill, which he called a "disgrace," to increase the amount that will be given to Americans. Instead of a mere $600, he asked that U.S. citizens be given $2,000.
Instead of giving what the President asked for Americans, Congress, under Pelosi's leadership, thumbed it down, which meant the people couldn't receive much needed relief in time for Christmas.
Signed with a strong message
Now, President Trump has signed the bill with the intention to "restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more," the official statement from the White House said.
The signing, which occurred late Sunday, "narrowly" prevented a "government shutdown," Newsweek reported. It didn't mean, however, the President was in full support of all the foreign aid and other things inserted in the bill. It simply meant that he wanted Americans to receive the help they needed.
"As President, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child," Trump said.
"I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill."
The President didn't specify the funds he wanted removed from the bill. He simply said he is demanding "many rescissions" from it.
He said he understands that many small businesses were forced to close due to the "harsh action by Democrat-run states." He also indicated that it is his "responsibility to protect the people of our country" from the economic devastation caused by the "China Virus" known as COVID-19." And while he said many have gone back to work, "my job is not done until everyone is back to work."
The President indicated that the House, today, will vote to increase payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000. This means a family of four will receive $5,200.
He added that Congress has promised to review Section 230 so that it can be removed or "substantially reformed." This section will benefit Big Tech companies, such as Facebook and Google, "at the expense of the American people."
Finally, per the POTUS, the House and the Senate "have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election."
"I will never give up my fight for the American people!" President Trump said.
