In blow to Trump, House votes to override veto of defence bill

More than 100 Republicans side with Democrats in first overturn of a Trump veto

The US Capitol at sunset when the US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump by rejecting his veto of a defense bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver the first vetoShow more

The US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump on Monday by rejecting his veto of a defence bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver the first veto override of his presidency.

The Democratic-controlled House voted 322 to 87 to override Mr Trump's veto of the $740.5 billion bill, with 109 members of the president's own party voting with Democrats.

A similar motion will be introduced in the Republican-majority Senate, where it will also have to gain two thirds support to override the president's veto.

The National Defence Authorisation Act, which includes funding for military projects and a pay rise for troops, was passed this month by 335 votes to 78 in the House and by 84 to 13 in the Senate.

But it was vetoed by Mr Trump because it did not repeal Section 230, a federal law that provides liability protection to internet companies.

He also opposed a provision that would strip several US military bases of the names of generals who fought for the secessionist, pro-slavery South in the 1861-65 Civil War.

Mr Trump has now vetoed nine bills during his four years in the White House.

Congress has not previously managed the votes needed to override any of them.

The defence bill is considered must-pass legislation because it authorises billions of dollars for weapons systems and benefits for US troops.

It would increase hazardous duty pay to $275 from $250 a month.

Senate armed services chairman Jim Inhofe, a former ally of Mr Trump who is now at odds with the president, called the defence measure “the most important bill of the year".

It is a point of bipartisan pride for members of the House and Senate armed services committees that the annual defence policy bill has been enacted without fail for 59 years.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Mr Trump’s veto last week an “act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops, endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress".

The president and others on the right have long accused social media platforms of censoring conservatives, which the technology giants deny.

While legislators from both parties have called for modifying or even eliminating Section 230, even Trump allies said it was the wrong place and wrong time to fight that battle.

The annual defence policy bill would authorise $732bn in discretionary spending for national defence, including $69bn for overseas contingency operations.

It also authorises funding for 93 F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin.