(12-23-2020, 04:00 PM)OutsiderFan Wrote: The most horrible thing about this nonsense, might be this...
The Covid relief bill includes extensions to eviction moratorium. If the bill doesn't get signed by Monday, not only will unemployment benefits stop, but the gap between the current law running out, and a new one extending the moratorium, will create a gap that will allow land lords to evict people. The worst case scenario - the POTUS letting the bill languish for 10 days before veto - would provide a 5 days for this to happen. There are many land lords who will take advantage. Will be up to states and/or cities to have their own moratoriums in place to prevent mass homelessness.
The only good news is that the 10-days from bill passage (excluding Sundays) ends on Jan 2, so it appears this Congress can override the veto in the worst case scenario situation. It seems politically untenable for Congress to adjourn until the government funding and relief bill are made law, and as it is, they are already planning to override the NDAA veto next week.
Well this sucks... The government funding and relief bill isn't officially arriving to POTUS until 12/24, which means the 10 day clock will now run out, not on Jan. 2, but Jan. 4, after this Congress has ended. I thought the clock was starting 12/23 since it passed on 12/22, and the 1oth day would be Jan 3. So another dumb ass move by McConnell to delay passage of the bill.
We now have a very real possibility that there is a government shutdown and no Covid relief until the next Congress is seated, maybe even after Biden is sworn in. Because how is a new Congress going to know what the priorities are? Highly unlikely the next Congress will pay much mind to what the outgoing administration who torpedoed its own spending bill wants. Moreover why would lame duck POTUS sign a bill to open the government and get relief going if he can then wait another 10 days to stall it? Even if Congress had a new bill ready for signing on Jan. 6, that would still put the pocket veto date on Jan 18, just two days before Biden takes over. Will Congress have to negotiate with the Biden transition team?
Can you say Catastraf*ck? The only way disaster can be avoided is if the POTUS vetoes the government funding and Covid relief bill before Jan.3, so it can be overridden. Seems highly unlikely that will happen, but Congress can't adjourn on the off chance it does. Sigh.