President Donald Trump late Sunday signed the COVID-19 stimulus bill into law, multiple media outlets reported.
The action averts a Tuesday government shutdown and releases $900 billion in stimulus funds into the economy that had been held up for nearly a week, The Washington Post reported.
BREAKING: AP source: President Trump signs pandemic relief and government-funding measure, averting government shutdown. Find updates here: https://t.co/A696ewpv3Y
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 28, 2020
Two sources, requesting anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the bill’s signing to The Associated Press, and three sources confirmed the action to The Washington Post.
The sources told the Post that the president changed his mind on the matter repeatedly before ultimately signing the bill vacationing at Mar-A-Lago in South Florida.
Trump originally called the stimulus bill a “disgrace” and indicated he would refuse to sign the measure unless Congress gave in to his demands to cut “unnecessary” spending and increase individual stimulus payments from $600 to $2,000.
In addition to emergency relief funds for U.S. residents financially crippled by the novel coronavirus pandemic, the bill also includes $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and a host of other end-of-session projects such as increased food stamp benefits and transit system investments, the AP reported.
Without Trump’s signature on the bill, the government would have shut down Tuesday without the money needed to keep federal operations running, the Post reported.
Earlier in the evening, Trump hinted he was prepared to take action on the bill.
Good news on Covid Relief Bill. Information to follow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
