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Trump-Biden transition latest: Trump signs coronavirus relief bill amid pressure

The president had gone nearly a week without signing the bill.

Last Updated: December 24, 2020, 10:44 AM EST

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in 24 days.

Dec 24, 2020, 10:26 AM EST

House Democrats' request for $2,000 checks for Americans is blocked

House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer was on the House floor Thursday morning to request unanimous consent on a bill that would send $2,000 in stimulus checks to the American people after Trump called on Congress to amend a newly passed coronavirus relief bill to increase direct payments to $2,000.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer holds a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC., Dec. 24, 2020.
Michael Reynolds/POOL/EPA via Shutterstock

Trump indicated in a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday that he would not sign the $900 billion relief package passed by both chambers of Congress on Monday. The package provides $600 in direct payments for adults making up to $75,000 per year and children, with $2,400 for a family of four.

The unanimous consent vote attempted to call Trump's bluff and force Republicans to go on the record for their opposition to increasing direct payments from $600 to $2,000.

After Hoyer made the unanimous consent request, he was notified by the chair that his request did not have clearance from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and so his request was denied. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks to reporters at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC., on Dec. 20, 2020.
Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times via Redux

Separately, a GOP request to rollback US aid to foreign countries was also denied on the floor because the bill did not have clearance from Democrats. 

Just after the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that the House will hold a recorded vote on the floor on Monday on a standalone bill on the $2,000 checks, which will put Republicans officially on the record.

On Monday, the House will also hold its veto override vote on the defense policy bill. 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC., Dec. 20, 2020.
Ken Cedeno/Reuters

Government funding expires Monday night at midnight if Trump does not sign the spending bill and the COVID-19 relief bill. 

“Hopefully by then the President will have already signed the bipartisan and bicameral legislation to keep the government open and to deliver coronavirus relief," Pelosi said in the statement.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan

Dec 24, 2020, 10:01 AM EST

Fair Fight files suit against organization challenging voter eligibility

On Wednesday, the voting rights organization started by Stacey Abrams, Fair Fight, filed a lawsuit against an organization named True the Vote that has been mass challenging voters' eligibility in at least half of Georgia's 159 counties.

According to the lawsuit, True the Vote "is responsible for coordinating efforts to challenge over 364,000 Georgians’ eligibility to vote and recruiting Georgians to engage in its 'ballot security' operation in Georgia in advance of the state’s January Senate Runoff."

The 30-page federal lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Gainesville Division, is asking the Court to:

--Declare the defendants violated the Voting Rights Act

--Enjoin the defendants and those working with them from submitting voter challenges in Georgia, contacting voters to try to confirm their eligibility, participate in poll-watching/election observing activities and training, and photographing and video recording voters or election workers at the polls

--Force defendants to withdraw pending voter challenges

--Order organization to cease operations in Georgia

While several counties have already rejected the organization's mass challenges, at least two -- Muscogee and Forsyth -- have found "probable cause to move forward" with them, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

These challenged voters will now have to cast a provisional or challenged ballot, which will not be counted unless county election officials can verify they are registered and eligible voters.

-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan

Dec 23, 2020, 3:23 PM EST

Trump vetoes giant defense bill despite congressional GOP support

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was vetoing the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.

The president had previously said he would veto the giant defense bill, which passed through both chambers of Congress with veto-proof majorities. Trump’s move sets up a veto override vote in the House and Senate and if successful, would be the first veto override of Trump’s presidency. 

President Donald Trump departs on the South Lawn of the White House on Dec. 12, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
Al Drago/Getty Images

The president tweeted his reason for the veto earlier this month, writing: "I hope House Republicans will vote against the very weak National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which I will VETO. Must include a termination of Section 230 (for National Security purposes), preserve our National Monuments, & allow for 5G & troop reductions in foreign lands!"

Trump objections to the Section 230 legal protections for Big Tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter, which he and Republicans claim are unfair to Republicans. He also opposes a provision that we re-name military bases named after Confederate war heroes.

--ABC News’ Katherine Faulders

Dec 23, 2020, 12:41 PM EST

Harris pledges to fight for additional relief for educators, schools

Vice president-elect Kamala Harris lauded Miguel Cardona’s nomination to education secretary in remarks Wednesday, saying he “represents the very best of our nation.” 

Harris also pledged that she and Biden would continue fighting for additional relief for schools. 

“We need to get this virus under control and reopen our schools safely as the resident-elect always says, and that is why the president-elect and I are supporting funding for our education system in this recently-passed COVID-19 relief legislation,” she said. “And we will continue to fight for additional emergency relief for our educators and our schools.” 

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris listens as President-elect Joe Biden introduces nominee for Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 23, 2020.
Carolyn Kaster/AP

“And even as we do, we must also build a public education system that lifts up all Americans, regardless of race, background, or zip code,” Harris added. 

Harris said that under Cardona’s leadership, “we will work together to put together an outstanding education system that will be within reach for everyone, breaking down barriers to equality, opening new paths to opportunity and helping to fulfill America's promise to all of our children.”