cnbc--2020-12-23--New Jersey is latest state to join Supreme Court battle over income taxes on remote workers

A group of states joined a U.S. Supreme Court battle that could determine whether jurisdictions can tax the income of remote workers who are no longer commuting to the office .
New Jersey , along with Connecticut , Hawaii and Iowa , submitted an amicus brief on Tuesday in a lawsuit that challenges the authority of states to tax nonresidents ' income while they 've been working from home .
At the center of the controversy is a court case between New Hampshire and Massachusetts .
The Bay State has been taxing New Hampshire residents who have been working remotely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State to file suit against Massachusetts in October .
New Jersey 's brief supports New Hampshire 's position .
The brief also pushes back on New York , which taxes Garden State residents who normally commute there — even though many are now working from home .
`` In the course of this once-in-a-century pandemic , hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents who typically commute to New York and pay New York taxes have been working from home for the last nine months , '' said New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will hold that states do not have the constitutional authority to tax individuals who neither live nor work there , '' he said , adding that such a ruling could save the state $ 1.2 billion .
Generally , a state can tax an individual in one of two circumstances : you 're a resident there or you earned income in that location , according to Jared Walczak , vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation .
When an employee works in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's the possibility of facing a tax liability in both locales .
States have mitigated this by providing tax credits to offset `` double taxation '' — which is what Connecticut does for its residents who commute to New York .
States have also established reciprocity agreements to prevent income from being taxed twice .
New Jersey and Pennsylvania have such a pact .
Remote work in light of coronavirus has added further complexity .
That 's because seven states tax workers based on the location of their office — even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is known as the `` convenience rule . ''
The seven states are Arkansas , Connecticut , Delaware , Massachusetts , Nebraska , New York and Pennsylvania .
Massachusetts is a newcomer to the list , as it adopted a temporary measure to continue taxing the wages of workers residing in New Hampshire amid the pandemic .
`` The problem we 're seeing is in situations where you 're working from home in New Jersey because the governor says to shelter in place and you 're not allowed to work in your New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tax attorney and partner at Hodgson Russ .
`` Think of how much money New Jersey loses so that all the people working from home can be taxed by New York , '' he said .
The Garden State provides a credit to offset the double-taxation its residents face .
The situation becomes even more complex for individuals who have worked remotely from states other than the one in which they reside .
They may be responsible for taxes and nonresident tax filing requirements in multiple states , which means they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Klein said .
Get ahead of the mess

Phil Murphy, governor of New Jersey, speaks during a fiscal year 2020 budget address at the New Jersey State Assembly chamber on March 5, 2019. Ron Antonelli | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A group of states joined a U.S. Supreme Court battle that could determine whether jurisdictions can tax the income of remote workers who are no longer commuting to the office. New Jersey, along with Connecticut, Hawaii and Iowa, submitted an amicus brief on Tuesday in a lawsuit that challenges the authority of states to tax nonresidents' income while they've been working from home. At the center of the controversy is a court case between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Bay State has been taxing New Hampshire residents who have been working remotely since the pandemic, spurring the Granite State to file suit against Massachusetts in October. New Jersey's brief supports New Hampshire's position.
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The brief also pushes back on New York, which taxes Garden State residents who normally commute there — even though many are now working from home. "In the course of this once-in-a-century pandemic, hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents who typically commute to New York and pay New York taxes have been working from home for the last nine months," said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, in a statement. "We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will hold that states do not have the constitutional authority to tax individuals who neither live nor work there," he said, adding that such a ruling could save the state $1.2 billion.
The 'convenience' rule
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Generally, a state can tax an individual in one of two circumstances: you're a resident there or you earned income in that location, according to Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation. When an employee works in one state but resides in another, there's the possibility of facing a tax liability in both locales. States have mitigated this by providing tax credits to offset "double taxation" — which is what Connecticut does for its residents who commute to New York. States have also established reciprocity agreements to prevent income from being taxed twice. New Jersey and Pennsylvania have such a pact. Remote work in light of coronavirus has added further complexity. That's because seven states tax workers based on the location of their office — even if those employees are working remotely.
We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will hold that states do not have the constitutional authority to tax individuals who neither live nor work there. Phil Murphy New Jersey governor
This is known as the "convenience rule." The seven states are Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York and Pennsylvania. Massachusetts is a newcomer to the list, as it adopted a temporary measure to continue taxing the wages of workers residing in New Hampshire amid the pandemic. "The problem we're seeing is in situations where you're working from home in New Jersey because the governor says to shelter in place and you're not allowed to work in your New York office," said Mark Klein, tax attorney and partner at Hodgson Russ. "Think of how much money New Jersey loses so that all the people working from home can be taxed by New York," he said. The Garden State provides a credit to offset the double-taxation its residents face. The situation becomes even more complex for individuals who have worked remotely from states other than the one in which they reside. They may be responsible for taxes and nonresident tax filing requirements in multiple states, which means they're in for a surprise come tax time, Klein said.
Get ahead of the mess
Roy James Shakespeare | Getty


cnbc--2020-12-24--Trump issues 26 more pardons, including Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Charles Kushner

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued 26 pardons on Wednesday night , including ones to son-in-law Jared Kushner 's father , and to his 2016 campaign manager Paul Manafort and Republican political operative Roger Stone .
The latest grants of executive clemency by Trump came a day after the president issued a first wave of 15 pardons , a week after the Electoral College confirmed he had lost the presidential election to Joe Biden .
`` This is rotten to the core , '' Sen. Ben Sasse , R-Neb.
, said of the latest pardons , which were announced after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach , Florida .
Sasse 's office , in issuing his six-word statement , said Trump had exercised `` his constitutional power to issue pardons to another tranche of felons like Manafort and Stone who flagrantly and repeatedly violated the law and harmed Americans . ''
Manafort , 70 , was among the first in Trump 's inner circle to face charges that were brought on by special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
Manafort , who was convicted of crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thanked Trump on Twitter for the pardon , which comes months after he won an early release from a prison sentence of more than seven years due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Words can not fully convey how grateful we are , '' the long-time Republican operative wrote .
Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , a close Trump ally , had said in March 2019 that `` pardoning Manafort would be seen as a political disaster for the president . ''
`` There may come a day down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you would want to consider an application from him like everybody else , but now would be a disaster , '' Graham said at the time .
The Manhattan District Attorney 's office is still seeking to prosecute Manafort on allegations of mortgage fraud , conspiracy and falsifying business records in New York state .
A judge last December barred DA Cyrus Vance Jr. from pursuing the case to trial on the grounds that it would violate double jeopardy rules protecting people from being prosecuted twice for the same misconduct .
Referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` This action underscores the urgent need to hold Mr. Manafort accountable for his crimes against the people of New York as alleged in our indictment , and we will continue to pursue our appellate remedies . ''
Stone was convicted in November 2019 for lying under oath to Congress about his efforts to learn in advance about WikiLeaks disclosure of emails hacked by Russians from then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton 's campaign manager and the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 campaign .
Earlier this year , Trump commuted his longtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a week before the Republican operative was due to report to prison .
In July , the White House called Stone `` a victim of the Russia hoax , '' and someone who `` would be put at serious medical risk '' from the coronavirus if he were imprisoned .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued 26 pardons on Wednesday night, including ones to son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, and to his 2016 campaign manager Paul Manafort and Republican political operative Roger Stone.
The latest grants of executive clemency by Trump came a day after the president issued a first wave of 15 pardons, a week after the Electoral College confirmed he had lost the presidential election to Joe Biden.
"This is rotten to the core," Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said of the latest pardons, which were announced after Trump departed the White House for his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
Sasse's office, in issuing his six-word statement, said Trump had exercised "his constitutional power to issue pardons to another tranche of felons like Manafort and Stone who flagrantly and repeatedly violated the law and harmed Americans."
Manafort, 70, was among the first in Trump's inner circle to face charges that were brought on by special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Manafort, who was convicted of crimes related to his consulting work in Ukraine, thanked Trump on Twitter for the pardon, which comes months after he won an early release from a prison sentence of more than seven years due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
"Words cannot fully convey how grateful we are," the long-time Republican operative wrote.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a close Trump ally, had said in March 2019 that "pardoning Manafort would be seen as a political disaster for the president."
"There may come a day down the road after the politics have changed that you would want to consider an application from him like everybody else, but now would be a disaster," Graham said at the time.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office is still seeking to prosecute Manafort on allegations of mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records in New York state.
A judge last December barred DA Cyrus Vance Jr. from pursuing the case to trial on the grounds that it would violate double jeopardy rules protecting people from being prosecuted twice for the same misconduct.
Vance is appealing that decision.
Referring to the pardon, Vance spokesman Danny Frost said: "This action underscores the urgent need to hold Mr. Manafort accountable for his crimes against the people of New York as alleged in our indictment, and we will continue to pursue our appellate remedies."
Stone was convicted in November 2019 for lying under oath to Congress about his efforts to learn in advance about WikiLeaks disclosure of emails hacked by Russians from then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign manager and the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 campaign.
Earlier this year, Trump commuted his longtime friend Stone's more than three-year sentence less than a week before the Republican operative was due to report to prison.
In July, the White House called Stone "a victim of the Russia hoax," and someone who "would be put at serious medical risk" from the coronavirus if he were imprisoned.


cnbc--2020-12-25--Congress sends Covid relief bill to Trump, but it's not clear whether he will sign it

Congress on Thursday officially began sending a massive Covid-19 relief deal and government funding package to President Donald Trump , who has not yet said whether he will sign it .
The Covid relief provisions about $ 900 billion in spending on programs to support businesses and individuals who are suffering as a result of the recession inflicted by the public health crisis in addition to spending on measures to help contain the virus .
The government funding aspects of the bill account for about $ 1.4 trillion and are necessary to keep the government from shutting down starting Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ omnibus bill has been enrolled , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , wrote in a post on Twitter .
`` The House & Senate are now sending this important legislation # ForThePeople to the White House for the President 's signature .
We urge him to sign this bill into law to give immediate relief to hard-working families ! ''
The bill is being flown to Palm Beach , Florida , and was expected to depart at about 4 p.m .
ET , a senior Senate Republican aide told NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago , threw a wrench into lawmakers ' monthslong efforts to reach a deal on Covid-19 relief on Tuesday , a day after the legislation passed both chambers of Congress .
Trump said that the $ 600 direct payments authorized by the bill were too small and demanded the size of the checks be increased to $ 2,000 .
The president also took issue with parts of the government funding bill related to foreign aid .
He did not specifically threaten a veto .
Those comments took lawmakers of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took no part in the recent talks that led to the bipartisan agreement , was widely expected to sign the bill .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin led negotiations for the White House on Covid relief .
In a last-minute effort to save the deal , Democrats in the House on Thursday attempted to increase the size of the direct payments to $ 2,000 , in line with Trump 's demands .
Republicans in the chamber tried to get Congress to revisit the foreign aid aspects of the spending package .
Both moves , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forma session , failed .
The coronavirus legislation would be the second major effort from Congress to provide a lifeline to those affected economically by the downturn , following the legislation passed in March .
In addition to the $ 600 payments to most Americans , the bill would provide a $ 300 per week federal unemployment boost , extend the federal eviction moratorium and provide nearly $ 9 billion to ongoing vaccine distribution efforts .
While Congress could potentially override a presidential veto , it is not clear that it would do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to maintain programs that could end in the coming days while Trump decides whether he will approve the legislation .
For instance , as many as 12 million people are currently set to lose unemployment benefits on Saturday , the day after Christmas .
Democrats have said they intend to push for a third relief bill and President-elect Joe Biden has said he will present his plan early next year .
He will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 .
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Congress on Thursday officially began sending a massive Covid-19 relief deal and government funding package to President Donald Trump, who has not yet said whether he will sign it.
The Covid relief provisions about $900 billion in spending on programs to support businesses and individuals who are suffering as a result of the recession inflicted by the public health crisis in addition to spending on measures to help contain the virus.
The government funding aspects of the bill account for about $1.4 trillion and are necessary to keep the government from shutting down starting Monday.
"The bipartisan COVID relief & omnibus bill has been enrolled," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote in a post on Twitter. "The House & Senate are now sending this important legislation #ForThePeople to the White House for the President's signature. We urge him to sign this bill into law to give immediate relief to hard-working families!"
The bill is being flown to Palm Beach, Florida, and was expected to depart at about 4 p.m. ET, a senior Senate Republican aide told NBC News.
The president, who is at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, threw a wrench into lawmakers' monthslong efforts to reach a deal on Covid-19 relief on Tuesday, a day after the legislation passed both chambers of Congress.
Trump said that the $600 direct payments authorized by the bill were too small and demanded the size of the checks be increased to $2,000. The president also took issue with parts of the government funding bill related to foreign aid. He did not specifically threaten a veto.
Those comments took lawmakers of both parties by surprise. Trump, who took no part in the recent talks that led to the bipartisan agreement, was widely expected to sign the bill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin led negotiations for the White House on Covid relief.
In a last-minute effort to save the deal, Democrats in the House on Thursday attempted to increase the size of the direct payments to $2,000, in line with Trump's demands. Republicans in the chamber tried to get Congress to revisit the foreign aid aspects of the spending package. Both moves, which took place in a brief pro forma session, failed.
The coronavirus legislation would be the second major effort from Congress to provide a lifeline to those affected economically by the downturn, following the legislation passed in March.
In addition to the $600 payments to most Americans, the bill would provide a $300 per week federal unemployment boost, extend the federal eviction moratorium and provide nearly $9 billion to ongoing vaccine distribution efforts.
While Congress could potentially override a presidential veto, it is not clear that it would do so. And some provisions are designed to maintain programs that could end in the coming days while Trump decides whether he will approve the legislation. For instance, as many as 12 million people are currently set to lose unemployment benefits on Saturday, the day after Christmas.
Democrats have said they intend to push for a third relief bill and President-elect Joe Biden has said he will present his plan early next year. He will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


cnbc--2020-12-24--GOP blocks House Democrats' attempt to pass $2,000 stimulus checks

House Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic attempt to pass $ 2,000 direct payments to Americans , as the fate of the massive coronavirus relief package passed by Congress earlier in the week hangs in the balance .
The Democrats moved to increase the size of the checks after President Donald Trump threatened to oppose the $ 2 trillion pandemic aid and federal funding bill because it included only $ 600 in direct payments rather than $ 2,000 .
Congress passed the proposal Monday after Trump took no role in weeks of talks .
The plan included $ 900 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plan 's cost , most of Trump 's Republican Party sought $ 600 in direct payments rather than the $ 1,200 passed in the CARES Act in March .
In criticizing the year-end legislation , Trump also pointed to foreign aid spending — which Washington includes in funding bills every year .
The House tried to pass the $ 2,000 payments during a pro forma session on Christmas Eve day , a brief meeting of the chamber where typically only a few members attend .
Democrats aimed to approve the measure by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmaker can block it .
Rep. Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, offered the proposal from the House floor , but was blocked because the measure was not approved by House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif .
Subsequently , Rep .
Rob Wittman , R-Va. , attempted to get lawmakers to reconsider aspects of the spending bill related to foreign aid .
That move was blocked by Democrats .

House Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic attempt to pass $2,000 direct payments to Americans, as the fate of the massive coronavirus relief package passed by Congress earlier in the week hangs in the balance.
The Democrats moved to increase the size of the checks after President Donald Trump threatened to oppose the $2 trillion pandemic aid and federal funding bill because it included only $600 in direct payments rather than $2,000.
Congress passed the proposal Monday after Trump took no role in weeks of talks. The plan included $900 billion in coronavirus relief.
Trying to cap the plan's cost, most of Trump's Republican Party sought $600 in direct payments rather than the $1,200 passed in the CARES Act in March. In criticizing the year-end legislation, Trump also pointed to foreign aid spending — which Washington includes in funding bills every year.
The House tried to pass the $2,000 payments during a pro forma session on Christmas Eve day, a brief meeting of the chamber where typically only a few members attend. Democrats aimed to approve the measure by unanimous consent, which means any one lawmaker can block it.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., offered the proposal from the House floor, but was blocked because the measure was not approved by House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Subsequently, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., attempted to get lawmakers to reconsider aspects of the spending bill related to foreign aid. That move was blocked by Democrats.


cnbc--2020-12-25--Dominion Voting warns Fox News, Sean Hannity, other conservative outlets that defamation lawsuits ar

Dominion Voting warns Fox News, Sean Hannity, other conservative outlets that defamation lawsuits are imminent

Dominion Voting Systems , one of the targets of President Donald Trump 's baseless conspiracy theories about the election that he lost , has warned Fox News , major Fox personalities , other conservative media outlets , radio host Rush Limbaugh and conservative lawyers that defamation litigation against them is `` imminent . ''
The voting machine company this week has sent 21 letters to the White House , Fox News , its hosts Sean Hannity , Lou Dobbs , Maria Bartiromo , the news outlets Newsmax , One America News Network , Epoch Times and others demanding they stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they preserve any documents they have relating to the firm .
`` We write to provide formal notice that litigation regarding these issues is imminent , '' Dominion 's lawyers Thomas Clare and Megan Meier wrote to Fox News Media General Counsel Lily Fu Claffee in one of the letters , which were provided to CNBC .
In their letters to individual news hosts , including Bartiromo , a former CNBC employee , the lawyers demanded that they `` cease and desist making defamatory claims against Dominion , '' saying that they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proponents of this misinformation campaign against '' the company .
Others who have received similar letters warning of coming litigation and demands for document preservation include Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani ; attorney L. Lin Wood , who has challenged the presidential election results in Georgia , and Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly .
A Fox News spokeswoman , when asked for commented , pointed to two segments that aired on Fox News last month .
In one , a Dominion spokesman told host Eric Shawn that no significant electronic fraud or tampering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that Trump 's claims about the company were false .
The spokesman noted that printed ballots from the machines had matched the electronic tallies .
In the second segment , host Tucker Carlson at length detailed his staff 's efforts to get former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell , who at the time was on Trump 's election challenge team , to provide evidence of her controversial claims about Dominion .
`` But she never sent us any evidence , despite a lot of polite requests , '' Carlson said in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dominion 's legal letters did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
During an interview Thursday on CNN , Dominion CEO John Poulos said the company would be taking legal action against several people `` promoting lies and amplifying those lies ... on various media platforms since Election Day . ''
`` We will not be overlooking anybody , '' Poulos said , when asked if the company would sue Trump .
Trump , since losing the national popular vote to Joe Biden by more than 7 million votes , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue that he won the election in a landslide , and that ballots for him were fraudulently suppressed , while votes for Biden were artificially added in a handful of states where the results were particularly close .
On Nov. 12 , just nine days after Election Day , Trump tweeted a claim that `` DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE . ''
One of the most ardent proponents of the conspiracy theories about Dominion has been Powell , who last month was booted from the team of lawyers working for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because her extreme claims were being widely criticized .
Since last week , Powell has met with Trump at least once and visited the White House three times in connection with her efforts .
Dominion 's lawyers have also sent Powell a letter warning of defamation claims .
In his interview with CNN , Poulos said Powell 's claims that his company 's voting machine features software created `` at the direction '' of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez , a boogeyman for right-wing media , and that Dominion has links to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` complete lies . ''
Dominion 's security director , Eric Coomer , sued the Trump campaign , Giuliani , Powell and a number of conservative media outlets .
Coomer 's suit says that he has become the target of death threats and other harmful communications because of the defendants ' false claims made about Dominion 's machines .
On its website , Dominion has said that `` disinformation '' about the company represents a threat to democracy .
`` Baseless claims about the integrity of the system or the accuracy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , subject matter experts and third-party fact-checkers , '' the company says .
`` Malicious and misleading false claims about Dominion have resulted in dangerous levels of threats and harassment against the company and its employees , as well as election officials . ''
Last week , another voting machine company , Smartmatic , said that it had issued legal notices and retraction demand letters to Fox News , Newsmax and OAN `` for publishing false and defamatory statements . ''
`` The demand letters identify dozens of factually inaccurate statements made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 'disinformation campaign ' to injure Smartmatic and discredit the 2020 U.S. election , '' the company said at the time .
`` Smartmatic had nothing to do with the `` controversies '' that certain public and private figures have alleged regarding the 2020 U.S. election , '' the company said .
`` Multiple fact-checkers have consistently debunked these false statements with stunning consistency and regularity . ''
Smartmatic said that despite false claims to the contrary , the company 's `` only involvement in the United States in the 2020 election was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and software developer for Los Angeles County 's publicly owned voting system . ''

Lawsuits are coming.
Dominion Voting Systems, one of the targets of President Donald Trump's baseless conspiracy theories about the election that he lost, has warned Fox News, major Fox personalities, other conservative media outlets, radio host Rush Limbaugh and conservative lawyers that defamation litigation against them is "imminent."
The voting machine company this week has sent 21 letters to the White House, Fox News, its hosts Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, the news outlets Newsmax, One America News Network, Epoch Times and others demanding they stop making defamatory claims about Dominion and that they preserve any documents they have relating to the firm.
"We write to provide formal notice that litigation regarding these issues is imminent," Dominion's lawyers Thomas Clare and Megan Meier wrote to Fox News Media General Counsel Lily Fu Claffee in one of the letters, which were provided to CNBC.
In their letters to individual news hosts, including Bartiromo, a former CNBC employee, the lawyers demanded that they "cease and desist making defamatory claims against Dominion," saying that they had "featured and continue to feature the proponents of this misinformation campaign against" the company.
Others who have received similar letters warning of coming litigation and demands for document preservation include Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani; attorney L. Lin Wood, who has challenged the presidential election results in Georgia, and Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly.
A Fox News spokeswoman, when asked for commented, pointed to two segments that aired on Fox News last month. In one, a Dominion spokesman told host Eric Shawn that no significant electronic fraud or tampering occurred on the company's voting machine, and that Trump's claims about the company were false. The spokesman noted that printed ballots from the machines had matched the electronic tallies.
In the second segment, host Tucker Carlson at length detailed his staff's efforts to get former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, who at the time was on Trump's election challenge team, to provide evidence of her controversial claims about Dominion.
"But she never sent us any evidence, despite a lot of polite requests," Carlson said in the segment.
Spokesmen for the other targets of Dominion's legal letters did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During an interview Thursday on CNN, Dominion CEO John Poulos said the company would be taking legal action against several people "promoting lies and amplifying those lies ... on various media platforms since Election Day."
"We will not be overlooking anybody," Poulos said, when asked if the company would sue Trump.
Trump, since losing the national popular vote to Joe Biden by more than 7 million votes, has promoted a series of false claims to argue that he won the election in a landslide, and that ballots for him were fraudulently suppressed, while votes for Biden were artificially added in a handful of states where the results were particularly close.
On Nov. 12, just nine days after Election Day, Trump tweeted a claim that "DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE."
One of the most ardent proponents of the conspiracy theories about Dominion has been Powell, who last month was booted from the team of lawyers working for Trump's campaign to overturn Biden's win because her extreme claims were being widely criticized. Since last week, Powell has met with Trump at least once and visited the White House three times in connection with her efforts.
Dominion's lawyers have also sent Powell a letter warning of defamation claims.
In his interview with CNN, Poulos said Powell's claims that his company's voting machine features software created "at the direction" of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a boogeyman for right-wing media, and that Dominion has links to the Clinton Foundation and George Soros are "complete lies."
Dominion's security director, Eric Coomer, sued the Trump campaign, Giuliani, Powell and a number of conservative media outlets.
Coomer's suit says that he has become the target of death threats and other harmful communications because of the defendants' false claims made about Dominion's machines.
On its website, Dominion has said that "disinformation" about the company represents a threat to democracy.
"Baseless claims about the integrity of the system or the accuracy of the results have been dismissed by election authorities, subject matter experts and third-party fact-checkers," the company says.
"Malicious and misleading false claims about Dominion have resulted in dangerous levels of threats and harassment against the company and its employees, as well as election officials."
Last week, another voting machine company, Smartmatic, said that it had issued legal notices and retraction demand letters to Fox News, Newsmax and OAN "for publishing false and defamatory statements."
"The demand letters identify dozens of factually inaccurate statements made by each of the organizations as part of a 'disinformation campaign' to injure Smartmatic and discredit the 2020 U.S. election," the company said at the time.
"Smartmatic had nothing to do with the "controversies" that certain public and private figures have alleged regarding the 2020 U.S. election," the company said. "Multiple fact-checkers have consistently debunked these false statements with stunning consistency and regularity."
Smartmatic said that despite false claims to the contrary, the company's "only involvement in the United States in the 2020 election was as the manufacturing partner, system integrator, and software developer for Los Angeles County's publicly owned voting system."


cnbc--2020-12-24--Trump's threat to veto $900 billion Covid relief bill puts major climate legislation at risk

President Donald Trump 's opposition to a $ 900 billion coronavirus aid package overwhelmingly passed by U.S. lawmakers late Monday jeopardizes the first significant climate change legislation to win congressional approval in about a decade .
Trump has threatened to veto the stimulus bill , which includes $ 600 direct checks for individuals and $ 35 billion in funding for clean energy projects and plans to cut the use of planet-warming chemicals .
The climate provisions included in the deal comes after the Trump administration dismantled more than 80 major environmental rules over four years and shortly before President-elect Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to rejoin the Paris climate agreement and use executive orders to unravel many of Trump 's environmental rollbacks .
He 's also pushing for a $ 2 trillion plan , which will need congressional approval , to shift the country from fossil fuels to clean energy and green jobs .
Trump officially withdrew the country from the Paris accord in November .
Though Biden 's legislation will likely face immense hurdles if the GOP controls the Senate , which will be decided in January with two pivotal runoff races in Georgia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan-backed climate measures in the stimulus bill signal that Biden could achieve significant progress in battling global warming .
It 's also a sign the U.S. will join a broader global effort to reduce planet-warming fossil fuel emissions .
`` The spending bill just passed by Congress , which passed with support from both Democrats and Republicans , hints at the path going forward , '' said Michael Mann , a climatologist and professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University .
`` It 's a positive sign that 2020 may well be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate action in the U.S. '' The stimulus bill will phase out U.S. production and consumption of planet-warming hydrofluorocarbons , or HFCs , by 85 % over 15 years .
The ozone-depleting chemicals are commonly found in air conditioners and refrigerators .
While they comprise a lower percentage of greenhouse gas emissions , hydrofluorocarbons pack 1,000 times the heat trapping capacity of carbon dioxide .
More from CNBC Environment : Rethinking stimulus : How Covid economic recovery can battle climate change Biden will rejoin the Paris Climate Accord .
Here 's what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldwide in an effort to curb global warming .
A landmark agreement was reached in October 2016 in Kigali , Rwanda , by delegates from 197 nations across the world to phase out HFCs .
So far , 72 countries have ratified the Kigali agreement .
Despite support by U.S. manufacturers and chemical companies , the Trump administration has not embraced the pact and instead proposed rolling back Obama-era standards to cut the use of HFCs .
The stimulus package also includes bipartisan renewable energy legislation that would funnel roughly $ 35 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This bill is the most significant action we have taken for climate this Congress and its passage is strong evidence that there is bipartisan support for working together on climate solutions and investing in advanced energy technologies while also caring for our nation 's most vulnerable citizens , '' Senator Chris Coons , D-Del.
, said in a statement earlier this week .
The legislation includes tax credits for solar and wind power , which would push forward Biden 's plan to have a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable transportation and reauthorizes a program that provides funding for low-income homeowners to upgrade appliances , heat pumps and other household items to clean energy products .
The stimulus package also includes measures to capture and store carbon produced by manufacturing and power plants , cut diesel emissions from some vehicles and fund oil recovery projects .
`` Congress made an unprecedented down payment on addressing climate change with this legislation by agreeing to phase down potent HFCs , invest in renewable energy and extend much-need tax incentives for wind and solar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy advisor at the Natural Resources Defense Council .
`` But this is just a start , '' Carlisle said .
`` In order to address the climate crisis , we need the federal government to accelerate its efforts to transition our economy to clean energy and away from dirty fossil fuels . ''

President Donald Trump's opposition to a $900 billion coronavirus aid package overwhelmingly passed by U.S. lawmakers late Monday jeopardizes the first significant climate change legislation to win congressional approval in about a decade.
Trump has threatened to veto the stimulus bill, which includes $600 direct checks for individuals and $35 billion in funding for clean energy projects and plans to cut the use of planet-warming chemicals.
The climate provisions included in the deal comes after the Trump administration dismantled more than 80 major environmental rules over four years and shortly before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office.
Biden plans to rejoin the Paris climate agreement and use executive orders to unravel many of Trump's environmental rollbacks. He's also pushing for a $2 trillion plan, which will need congressional approval, to shift the country from fossil fuels to clean energy and green jobs. Trump officially withdrew the country from the Paris accord in November.
Though Biden's legislation will likely face immense hurdles if the GOP controls the Senate, which will be decided in January with two pivotal runoff races in Georgia, policy experts and environmental groups say the bipartisan-backed climate measures in the stimulus bill signal that Biden could achieve significant progress in battling global warming. It's also a sign the U.S. will join a broader global effort to reduce planet-warming fossil fuel emissions.
"The spending bill just passed by Congress, which passed with support from both Democrats and Republicans, hints at the path going forward," said Michael Mann, a climatologist and professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University. "It's a positive sign that 2020 may well be the year we turned the corner on climate action in the U.S."
The stimulus bill will phase out U.S. production and consumption of planet-warming hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, by 85% over 15 years.
The ozone-depleting chemicals are commonly found in air conditioners and refrigerators. While they comprise a lower percentage of greenhouse gas emissions, hydrofluorocarbons pack 1,000 times the heat trapping capacity of carbon dioxide.
More from CNBC Environment:
Rethinking stimulus: How Covid economic recovery can battle climate change
Biden will rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. Here's what happens next
HFCs are being targeted by nations worldwide in an effort to curb global warming. A landmark agreement was reached in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, by delegates from 197 nations across the world to phase out HFCs.
So far, 72 countries have ratified the Kigali agreement. Despite support by U.S. manufacturers and chemical companies, the Trump administration has not embraced the pact and instead proposed rolling back Obama-era standards to cut the use of HFCs.
The stimulus package also includes bipartisan renewable energy legislation that would funnel roughly $35 billion of government funds to clean energy projects.
"This bill is the most significant action we have taken for climate this Congress and its passage is strong evidence that there is bipartisan support for working together on climate solutions and investing in advanced energy technologies while also caring for our nation's most vulnerable citizens," Senator Chris Coons, D-Del., said in a statement earlier this week.
The legislation includes tax credits for solar and wind power, which would push forward Biden's plan to have a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035. The broader bill also includes investments for more sustainable transportation and reauthorizes a program that provides funding for low-income homeowners to upgrade appliances, heat pumps and other household items to clean energy products.
The stimulus package also includes measures to capture and store carbon produced by manufacturing and power plants, cut diesel emissions from some vehicles and fund oil recovery projects.
"Congress made an unprecedented down payment on addressing climate change with this legislation by agreeing to phase down potent HFCs, invest in renewable energy and extend much-need tax incentives for wind and solar," said Grant Carlisle, a senior policy advisor at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
"But this is just a start," Carlisle said. "In order to address the climate crisis, we need the federal government to accelerate its efforts to transition our economy to clean energy and away from dirty fossil fuels."


cnbc--2020-12-24--Independent theaters and arts venues among many left hanging as Trump threatens Covid relief bill

A pedestrian walks under the marquee at Balboa Theater that notes the theater is closed until further notice in San Francisco , California .
The $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package includes a long-sought measure to send aid to struggling independent theaters and music venues .
But now those cultural centers and small businesses are left waiting for help yet again .
The measure was set to become law this week , but President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to blow up the deal , the result of months of contentious negotiations .
It is not clear whether the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off on signing it for the weeks remaining in his presidency .
The legislation sets aside $ 15 billion for grants to entities that include museums and zoos .
It caps a several-month push for the Save Our Stages Act , a bipartisan plan to buoy small arts and entertainment venues that have taken a drubbing during pandemic health restrictions .
Private , small performing arts venues , movie theaters , museums and zoos would be able to receive grants from the Small Business Administration — starting with those that have seen revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year .
The entities can use the money for costs such as rent or mortgage payments , utilities , payroll , insurance and maintenance to comply with public health guidelines .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar , a Minnesota Democrat who first co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas in July , said the plan would send targeted help to businesses that were typically the first to shut down and will be among the last to open .
`` These are some of the businesses and stages that have been most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just shut down , '' she told CNBC on Tuesday .
The interview came mere hours before Trump , who was expected to sign the bill , called it a `` disgrace '' and demanded lawmakers amend it .
The coronavirus pandemic has battered the entertainment industry .
Live shows have been canceled for nearly nine months and dozens of blockbuster films have been postponed to 2021 .
This has crunched bottom lines and threatened to push companies big and small toward bankruptcy .
However , it 's only the smallest companies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Cornyn 's plan .
Venues that seek aid must not fall into more than two of the following groups : • Companies that operate in more than 10 U.S. states • Companies that have more than 500 full-time employees • Companies that have received at least 10 % of revenue from government sources Those caveats mean that national theater chains such as AMC , Cinemark and Cineworld-owned Regal , as well as many regional chains , would not be eligible to apply for grants .
`` The larger chains like AMC and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to financing that some of the smaller operators have not , '' said Doug Calidas , Klobuchar 's legislative director .
`` Even if the worst-case scenario happens and they ca n't make it , they usually do get bought out and persist , whereas a lot of these very small theaters , if they close their doors , that would be it . ''
The bill would offer relief for hundreds of independent cinemas that the National Association of Theatre Owners has warned could be shuttered permanently if not given aid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the vaccines have been distributed at a large scale , '' said Brock Bagby , executive vice president of B & B Theatres , a family-owned business that has 48 theaters in eight states .
While movie theaters have been able to operate at limited capacities in most states , live entertainment hubs such as Broadway in New York City have remained shuttered .
The Actors ' Equity Association , the labor union that represents around 51,000 stage actors and managers in the live theatrical performance industry , said more than 1,100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
The theater industry in New York City supports more than 96,000 local jobs , according to the Broadway League .
That includes those involved in productions and those working in the area around Broadway , such as retailers , taxi drivers and restaurant owners .
`` We are grateful for this bipartisan agreement which will provide immediate relief across our industry and a lifeline to the future , '' Charlotte St. Martin , president of The Broadway League , said after lawmakers struck the deal — but before Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
The group declined to give additional comment when CNBC asked for a response to Trump 's subsequent attack on the Covid relief bill .

A pedestrian walks under the marquee at Balboa Theater that notes the theater is closed until further notice in San Francisco, California.
The $900 billion coronavirus relief package includes a long-sought measure to send aid to struggling independent theaters and music venues.
But now those cultural centers and small businesses are left waiting for help yet again.
The measure was set to become law this week, but President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to blow up the deal, the result of months of contentious negotiations. It is not clear whether the president intends to veto the bill or hold off on signing it for the weeks remaining in his presidency.
The legislation sets aside $15 billion for grants to entities that include museums and zoos. It caps a several-month push for the Save Our Stages Act, a bipartisan plan to buoy small arts and entertainment venues that have taken a drubbing during pandemic health restrictions.
Private, small performing arts venues, movie theaters, museums and zoos would be able to receive grants from the Small Business Administration — starting with those that have seen revenue drop by more than 90% from last year. The entities can use the money for costs such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities, payroll, insurance and maintenance to comply with public health guidelines.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who first co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas in July, said the plan would send targeted help to businesses that were typically the first to shut down and will be among the last to open.
"These are some of the businesses and stages that have been most hurt, that have literally pretty much just shut down," she told CNBC on Tuesday. The interview came mere hours before Trump, who was expected to sign the bill, called it a "disgrace" and demanded lawmakers amend it.
The coronavirus pandemic has battered the entertainment industry. Live shows have been canceled for nearly nine months and dozens of blockbuster films have been postponed to 2021. This has crunched bottom lines and threatened to push companies big and small toward bankruptcy.
However, it's only the smallest companies that would be able to benefit from Klobuchar and Cornyn's plan. Venues that seek aid must not fall into more than two of the following groups:
Publicly traded companies
Multinational companies
Companies that operate in more than 10 U.S. states
Companies that have more than 500 full-time employees
Companies that have received at least 10% of revenue from government sources
Those caveats mean that national theater chains such as AMC , Cinemark and Cineworld-owned Regal, as well as many regional chains, would not be eligible to apply for grants.
"The larger chains like AMC and Regal, they have simply had access to financing that some of the smaller operators have not," said Doug Calidas, Klobuchar's legislative director. "Even if the worst-case scenario happens and they can't make it, they usually do get bought out and persist, whereas a lot of these very small theaters, if they close their doors, that would be it."
The bill would offer relief for hundreds of independent cinemas that the National Association of Theatre Owners has warned could be shuttered permanently if not given aid.
"This act will help us survive until the vaccines have been distributed at a large scale," said Brock Bagby, executive vice president of B&B Theatres, a family-owned business that has 48 theaters in eight states.
While movie theaters have been able to operate at limited capacities in most states, live entertainment hubs such as Broadway in New York City have remained shuttered.
The Actors' Equity Association, the labor union that represents around 51,000 stage actors and managers in the live theatrical performance industry, said more than 1,100 actors and managers lost work on Broadway during the pandemic.
The theater industry in New York City supports more than 96,000 local jobs, according to the Broadway League. That includes those involved in productions and those working in the area around Broadway, such as retailers, taxi drivers and restaurant owners.
"We are grateful for this bipartisan agreement which will provide immediate relief across our industry and a lifeline to the future," Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, said after lawmakers struck the deal — but before Trump ripped the deal following its passage in Congress.
The group declined to give additional comment when CNBC asked for a response to Trump's subsequent attack on the Covid relief bill.
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cnbc--2020-12-24--Trump hurts struggling Americans by delaying Covid relief bill, GOP congressman says

GOP Rep. Tom Reed told CNBC on Thursday that President Donald Trump 's last-minute opposition to the coronavirus relief package approved by Congress earlier this week is hurting struggling Americans .
The $ 900 billion bill , paired alongside a government-funding measure , was passed with veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate .
But Tuesday night , Trump attacked the package as a `` disgrace '' and demanded numerous changes , including making the direct payments $ 2,000 instead of $ 600 .
`` When you raise these issues at the last minute like this , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Squawk Box '' before his fellow Republicans blocked a move to raise the direct payments to $ 2,000 .
`` I understand the frustration of the president ... but blind-siding folks and doing this at the last second , to me , is not conducive because the American people are the ones who lose in this fight . ''
Trump has not said whether he will formally veto the bill or instead not sign it .
If he takes the latter route , the bill would die and no action could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new session of Congress on Jan. 3 .
The $ 900 billion package would extend a pandemic-era expansion of jobless benefits before they expire Saturday .
The provision covers 12 million people .
The government also could shut down Monday if the $ 1.4 trillion appropriations piece of the legislation is not signed by then .
Trump 's criticism of the bill has focused , in part , on foreign aid spending that was included in the larger government funding section .
Reed , a New York Republican who co-chairs the bipartisan Problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's concerns on foreign aid .
However , he said they should not distract from the need to deliver economic assistance to Americans who have been hurt by the pandemic .
`` The people who we negotiated this $ 900 billion for are waiting for this relief , '' Reed said .
`` There are people being hired Monday because they 're waiting on the Paycheck Protection Program .
Tens of thousands of people are going back to work .
I implore the president : Please think of those people . ''
Minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to propose a new temporary spending bill that would disentangle State Department and foreign aid funding from the larger spending package .
Democrats would likely oppose that plan .
`` What we should be doing is focusing on where we agree — $ 900 billion of emergency relief ... needs to go out to the people today .
We all agree on that .
We worked on that .
We found common ground , '' Reed said .
`` The idea of increasing the checks , we can potentially deal with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is Reed 's co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus , agreed .
The New Jersey Democrat said he supports the idea of larger stimulus checks but did not want any delay to the current agreement .
`` We worked so hard to bring this package together and to get Democrats and Republicans on board , '' Gottheimer said in the same `` Squawk Box '' interview .
`` We should get this piece of legislation signed and then we should add more to it .
... but it does n't make sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt people and undermine all the under pieces of this legislation , which are so critical . ''
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment .

GOP Rep. Tom Reed told CNBC on Thursday that President Donald Trump's last-minute opposition to the coronavirus relief package approved by Congress earlier this week is hurting struggling Americans.
The $900 billion bill, paired alongside a government-funding measure, was passed with veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate. But Tuesday night, Trump attacked the package as a "disgrace" and demanded numerous changes, including making the direct payments $2,000 instead of $600.
"When you raise these issues at the last minute like this, it's very concerning," Reed said on "Squawk Box" before his fellow Republicans blocked a move to raise the direct payments to $2,000. "I understand the frustration of the president ... but blind-siding folks and doing this at the last second, to me, is not conducive because the American people are the ones who lose in this fight."
Trump has not said whether he will formally veto the bill or instead not sign it. If he takes the latter route, the bill would die and no action could be taken on an aid package until the new session of Congress on Jan. 3.
The $900 billion package would extend a pandemic-era expansion of jobless benefits before they expire Saturday. The provision covers 12 million people. The government also could shut down Monday if the $1.4 trillion appropriations piece of the legislation is not signed by then.
Trump's criticism of the bill has focused, in part, on foreign aid spending that was included in the larger government funding section.
Reed, a New York Republican who co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, said he recognizes Trump's concerns on foreign aid. However, he said they should not distract from the need to deliver economic assistance to Americans who have been hurt by the pandemic.
"The people who we negotiated this $900 billion for are waiting for this relief," Reed said. "There are people being hired Monday because they're waiting on the Paycheck Protection Program. Tens of thousands of people are going back to work. I implore the president: Please think of those people."
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is expected to propose a new temporary spending bill that would disentangle State Department and foreign aid funding from the larger spending package. Democrats would likely oppose that plan.
"What we should be doing is focusing on where we agree — $900 billion of emergency relief ... needs to go out to the people today. We all agree on that. We worked on that. We found common ground," Reed said. "The idea of increasing the checks, we can potentially deal with that later."
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is Reed's co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, agreed. The New Jersey Democrat said he supports the idea of larger stimulus checks but did not want any delay to the current agreement.
"We worked so hard to bring this package together and to get Democrats and Republicans on board," Gottheimer said in the same "Squawk Box" interview. "We should get this piece of legislation signed and then we should add more to it. ... but it doesn't make sense to blow the whole thing up and hurt people and undermine all the under pieces of this legislation, which are so critical."
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.


cnbc--2020-12-25--Trump vetoes colossal $740 billion defense bill, breaking with Republican-led Senate

`` Unfortunately , the Act fails to include critical national security measures , includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military 's history , and contradicts efforts by my administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions , '' Trump wrote in a lengthy statement to Congress .
`` It is a 'gift ' to China and Russia , '' the president added , without citing specific details .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a topline of $ 740 billion in spending and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , December 28 , the House will take up the veto override with bipartisan support , '' she wrote .
`` Disturbingly , Trump is using his final hours in office to sow chaos , including by denying our servicemembers a long-overdue pay raise and hazard duty pay ; our families paid family leave , child care , housing and health protections ; and our veterans the benefits that they need and deserve , '' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a statement .
`` Donald Trump just vetoed a pay raise for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate traitors , '' Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on Twitter , highlighting one of Trump 's issues with the must-pass defense bill .
The bill 's passage , at the minimum , secures soldier pay raises and keeps crucial defense modernization programs running .
This year 's 4,517-page defense bill , which typically passes with strong bipartisan support and veto-proof majorities , funds America 's national security portfolio .
It has been signed into law for nearly six consecutive decades .
Congress must now vote again to override Trump .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday break on Monday , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said his chamber would vote on overriding the veto Tuesday .
Earlier this month , the National Defense Authorization Act passed both houses of Congress by veto-proof margins , meaning that any veto by Trump would likely be overridden .
Other senior Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump , as well .
`` The Kremlin is actively attacking our cyber networks .
Instead of standing up for our national security , the President is downplaying Russia 's involvement — which contradicts U.S. intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contains actionable items that we can use to hold Putin accountable for this kind of belligerent behavior , '' Sen. Jeanne Shaheen , D-N.H. , a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee , wrote in a statement .
`` This is n't about politics , this is about the security of the United States and the safety of our men and women in uniform , '' Shaheen added .
Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn. , wrote in a statement that he was speechless after Trump 's decision to withhold signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after what could be the most massive cyberattack in our nation 's history , the President is eliminating the new tools and authorities we need for our nation 's cyber defense , '' wrote Blumenthal , a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee .
`` I call on Republican colleagues not only to speak out , but stand up and look forward to a strong , bipartisan override vote , '' he added .
Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , wrote on Twitter that he would not vote to override @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not vote for the bill the first time .
Graham , who chairs the Senate judiciary committee , introduced legislation on Dec. 15 that would end , by Jan. 1 , 2023 , the protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
Section 230 protects tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms .
Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the mammoth defense bill if lawmakers did not include a measure to eliminate Section 230 .
He has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of choice , of unfairly censoring him .
In his message to Congress , Trump wrote that the NDAA failed `` to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act . ''
He called on Congress to repeal the measure .
The president has previously said the measure posed a serious threat to U.S. national security as well as election integrity but did not give any further explanatory details .
Trump has also asserted that the bill favors China .
The president 's issue with Section 230 came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labels to several of his tweets that alleged mail-in voting is fraudulent .
Trump has still not conceded the election to President-elect Joe Biden .
The NDAA , in its current form , does not include any measure related to Section 230 .
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pushed back on Trump 's 11th-hour demand , saying that the repeal of Section 230 is irrelevant to the passage of the Pentagon 's top bill .
`` [ Section ] 230 has nothing to do with the military , '' Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Okla. , told reporters Dec. 2 .
`` I agree with his sentiments , we ought to do away with 230 — but you ca n't do it in this bill , '' added Inhofe , a Trump ally .
The same day , Senate Majority Whip John Thune , R-S.D.
, said , `` I do n't think the defense bill is the place to litigate '' the Section 230 fight , according to The Hill .
Trump has also insisted that the defense-spending bill include language preventing the renaming of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Armed Services Committee over the summer approved a provision from Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, requiring the Pentagon to rename military assets named after symbols of the Confederacy , the group of states that seceded from the U.S. and fought the Union in the Civil War .
Trump , in a multipart Twitter post in June , rejected that idea , contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation 's great `` heritage . ''
`` It has been suggested that we should rename as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bases , such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Fort Hood in Texas , Fort Benning in Georgia , etc .
These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage , and a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom , '' Trump wrote on Twitter .
`` The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds , and won two World Wars .
Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations @ @ @ @ @ @

"Unfortunately, the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military's history, and contradicts efforts by my administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions," Trump wrote in a lengthy statement to Congress. "It is a 'gift' to China and Russia," the president added, without citing specific details.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a topline of $740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy.
"Next week, December 28, the House will take up the veto override with bipartisan support," she wrote.
"Disturbingly, Trump is using his final hours in office to sow chaos, including by denying our servicemembers a long-overdue pay raise and hazard duty pay; our families paid family leave, child care, housing and health protections; and our veterans the benefits that they need and deserve," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a statement.
"Donald Trump just vetoed a pay raise for our troops so he can defend dead Confederate traitors," Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on Twitter, highlighting one of Trump's issues with the must-pass defense bill.
The bill's passage, at the minimum, secures soldier pay raises and keeps crucial defense modernization programs running.
This year's 4,517-page defense bill, which typically passes with strong bipartisan support and veto-proof majorities, funds America's national security portfolio. It has been signed into law for nearly six consecutive decades.
Congress must now vote again to override Trump. The House is slated to return from a holiday break on Monday, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said his chamber would vote on overriding the veto Tuesday .
Earlier this month, the National Defense Authorization Act passed both houses of Congress by veto-proof margins, meaning that any veto by Trump would likely be overridden.
Other senior Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump, as well.
"The Kremlin is actively attacking our cyber networks. Instead of standing up for our national security, the President is downplaying Russia's involvement — which contradicts U.S. intelligence — and now he just vetoed legislation that contains actionable items that we can use to hold Putin accountable for this kind of belligerent behavior," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in a statement.
"This isn't about politics, this is about the security of the United States and the safety of our men and women in uniform," Shaheen added.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote in a statement that he was speechless after Trump's decision to withhold signature on the NDAA.
"Literally right after what could be the most massive cyberattack in our nation's history, the President is eliminating the new tools and authorities we need for our nation's cyber defense," wrote Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"I call on Republican colleagues not only to speak out, but stand up and look forward to a strong, bipartisan override vote," he added.
Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on Twitter that he would not vote to override the president's veto. Graham did not vote for the bill the first time.
Graham, who chairs the Senate judiciary committee, introduced legislation on Dec. 15 that would end, by Jan. 1, 2023, the protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 protects tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms.
Trump threatened earlier this month to veto the mammoth defense bill if lawmakers did not include a measure to eliminate Section 230.
He has repeatedly accused Twitter , his social media platform of choice, of unfairly censoring him.
Trump renewed the threat Thursday.
In his message to Congress, Trump wrote that the NDAA failed "to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act." He called on Congress to repeal the measure.
The president has previously said the measure posed a serious threat to U.S. national security as well as election integrity but did not give any further explanatory details. Trump has also asserted that the bill favors China.
The president's issue with Section 230 came to light this summer after Twitter added warning labels to several of his tweets that alleged mail-in voting is fraudulent. Trump has still not conceded the election to President-elect Joe Biden.
The NDAA, in its current form, does not include any measure related to Section 230.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pushed back on Trump's 11th-hour demand, saying that the repeal of Section 230 is irrelevant to the passage of the Pentagon's top bill.
"[Section] 230 has nothing to do with the military," Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla., told reporters Dec. 2. "I agree with his sentiments, we ought to do away with 230 — but you can't do it in this bill," added Inhofe, a Trump ally.
The same day, Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said, "I don't think the defense bill is the place to litigate" the Section 230 fight, according to The Hill.
Trump has also insisted that the defense-spending bill include language preventing the renaming of military bases commemorating Confederate-era figures.
The Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee over the summer approved a provision from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., requiring the Pentagon to rename military assets named after symbols of the Confederacy, the group of states that seceded from the U.S. and fought the Union in the Civil War.
Trump, in a multipart Twitter post in June, rejected that idea, contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation's great "heritage."
"It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," Trump wrote on Twitter.
"The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations," the president wrote.
— CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-12-25--Democrats target Asian American and Latino voters in crucial Georgia Senate runoffs

Growing up in Georgia , James Woo was never contacted by political campaigns and his house rarely received flyers or mailers for candidates .
There was only one ethnic market to shop for cultural food .
He could count out all the other Asian American kids in his Gwinnett County middle school class .
Now , Gwinnett is one of the most racially diverse counties in Georgia with substantial Asian American and Pacific Islander and Latino populations — groups that are growing in the metro Atlanta area and across the state .
Ahead of the crucial Jan. 5 Senate runoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upper chamber , Democrats are hoping to tap the rising political power of AAPI and Latino voters across Georgia to defeat incumbent GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and elect challengers Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock .
Woo is a communications manager and Korean outreach leader for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta , a nonprofit that has been working for years to mobilize AAPI voters in Georgia .
Advancing Justice-Atlanta and other advocacy groups for communities of color have been reaching out to voters that many political campaigns overlooked in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian American and Latino voters helped flip the state blue for President-elect Joe Biden , according to Democratic data firm TargetSmart .
Relative to 2016 , AAPI total turnout increased by 91 % , while Latino turnout grew by 72 % .
`` This kind of turnout did n't really happen overnight , '' Woo said .
`` We 've been collaborating with other Black , brown and immigrant communities and organizations to get them out to vote . ''
Leaders of AAPI and Latino advocacy groups say it will take continued investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January and beyond .
`` Partisan politics in Georgia has long been defined by a Black-White racial divide and Asian Americans and Latinos do n't quite fit obviously into that framework in a neat fashion , '' said Emory University political scientist Bernard Fraga .
`` They 're more persuadable than Whites or African Americans are , so they 're more of a swing constituency , '' Fraga said .
`` But Asian Americans and Latinos are much closer to being a core Democratic constituency in the state than even suburban White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exit polls , 88 % of Black voters in Georgia supported Biden while 69 % of White voters in the state favored incumbent Republican President Donald Trump .
Meanwhile , 62 % of Georgia 's Latino voters supported Biden and 63 % of AAPI voters nationwide favored Biden .
( AAPI data was not available for Georgia . )
Fraga said that the results of the November election in Georgia demonstrate a `` model for the long term for Democrats that is n't reliant on an ever shrinking share of the White vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boosting the turnout rates of Latinos and Asian Americans . ''
Asian American and Latino voters made up roughly 3 % and 5 % , respectively , of Georgia 's eligible voters in 2019 , but they 're by far the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. electorate , according to the Pew Research Center .
`` People are , for the first time , realizing that AAPI and Latinx voters are this growing group of folks that have the possibility to swing a state one way or the other , '' said Gigi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fund Georgia .
In the highly competitive Senate runoff races that are expected to come down to the wire , boosting turnout among AAPI and Latino voters will be key for Democrats hoping to maximize voter margins .
Georgia election rules called for runoff races when no candidate exceeded 50 % of voter share in either race during the Nov. 3 election .
After the general election , the Ossoff campaign hired constituency directors focused on AAPI and Latino outreach , according to a campaign spokesperson .
The Warnock campaign hired an AAPI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer of 2020 and also has a Latinx vote director and New Americans coordinator on staff , the campaign told CNBC .
The Perdue campaign did not respond to CNBC 's request for comment .
The Loeffler campaign was not available for comment before this story published .
Historically , Asian American and Latino voter turnout has dropped off in runoff elections compared with Black and White voters .
As of Dec. 24 , more than 2 million people have voted in the Senate runoffs .
The pace of Black turnout in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pace of turnout during the Nov. 3 election , while the pace of White turnout is slightly lower , according to Fraga 's analysis of early voting data .
The drop-off of Latino and AAPI turnout in the runoffs is the lowest of the racial groups , hovering between 80-90 % of the turnout pace from the general election .
The campaigns , Democratic Party and advocacy groups are all working to increase turnout from AAPI and Latino voters as Jan. 5 approaches .
Before the voter registration deadline , they helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national voter registration organization , said it registered 12,000 new voters in Georgia for the runoffs in addition to the nearly 36,000 voters the organization registered for the general election .
`` We know that that turnout is going to be the biggest issue , '' said María Teresa Kumar , president and CEO of Voto Latino .
`` That 's why we started registering voters again . ''
Of the nearly 76,000 new voters registered in Georgia since before the November election , Latino and Asian American voters made up more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported .
Language barriers and gaps in civic education are challenges that particularly affect Asian American and Latino voters , many of whom are first-time voters , young people or naturalized citizens .
Leaders of AAPI and Latino advocacy groups say the misinformation can spread quickly in their communities , particularly on group messaging platforms like WeChat , WhatsApp and KakaoTalk , and sometimes through ethnic media .
Asian American and Latino voters are not monoliths either ; they span diverse ethnicities , languages and experiences between different communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges through multilingual and multicultural voter outreach : door-to-door canvassing , literature drops , phone and text banking , ads and press in ethnic media — collectively aiming to contact hundreds of thousands of voters .
Through the early voting period and on Jan. 5 , advocacy groups are also organizing election protection work and multilingual voter hotlines .
In recent history , the work of voter mobilization for these communities of color has been taken on primarily by local entities .
Asian American and Latino organizers cite the work of Black organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like voting rights activist and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams , who has collaborated with AAPI and Latino groups for years .
`` We have really built up our communities in a way that had n't really existed there in the past , so when we talk about why Georgia turned blue this year , it is in large part because of the organizing that happened in communities of color over the last few years , '' said Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood , director of Asian American Advocacy Fund , a progressive grassroots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Over the last few years it 's been very clear that in order to move Georgia forward , it would require an investment in communities of color . ''
While Georgians can self-identify their race when registering to vote , making it easy for organizations to use voter rolls to contact key constituencies , it can be difficult to reach eligible voters who may not yet have a voting history .
Leaders of advocacy groups say that it can be more time consuming and costly to canvass in AAPI and Latino neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means there are typically a smaller portion of eligible voters compared with Black and White neighborhoods .
Continuing the momentum in mobilizing Asian American and Latino voters will require continued outreach and relationship-building , organizers say .
The investment is especially important for the Democratic Party if it wants to solidify AAPI and Latino voters as a core part of its base .
Jen Rafanan , AAPI media director of the Georgia Democratic Party , said in a statement , `` we are n't taking anything for granted . ''
Rafanan and Karla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , said the party is committed to engaging and mobilizing AAPI and Latino communities in the state beyond the runoff election .
`` We have been struggling every year to get investments , '' said Pedraza of Latino Community Fund Georgia .
`` Now everybody 's paying attention , which is great ...
But can you make a commitment for the next five years ? ''
`` Because maybe Georgia is not going to be sexy next year , and it 's going to be sexy back again in 2022 for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's going to be too late , '' Pedraza said .
`` We need to continue building next year so we 're ready for 2022 . ''

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff (R) and Raphael Warnock (L) of Georgia wave to supporters during a rally on November 15, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia. Jessica McGowan | Getty Images
Growing up in Georgia, James Woo was never contacted by political campaigns and his house rarely received flyers or mailers for candidates. There was only one ethnic market to shop for cultural food. He could count out all the other Asian American kids in his Gwinnett County middle school class. Now, Gwinnett is one of the most racially diverse counties in Georgia with substantial Asian American and Pacific Islander and Latino populations — groups that are growing in the metro Atlanta area and across the state. Ahead of the crucial Jan. 5 Senate runoff election that will decide control of the upper chamber, Democrats are hoping to tap the rising political power of AAPI and Latino voters across Georgia to defeat incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and elect challengers Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock. Woo is a communications manager and Korean outreach leader for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, a nonprofit that has been working for years to mobilize AAPI voters in Georgia. Advancing Justice-Atlanta and other advocacy groups for communities of color have been reaching out to voters that many political campaigns overlooked in the past. A historic surge in Asian American and Latino voters helped flip the state blue for President-elect Joe Biden, according to Democratic data firm TargetSmart. Relative to 2016, AAPI total turnout increased by 91%, while Latino turnout grew by 72%. "This kind of turnout didn't really happen overnight," Woo said. "We've been collaborating with other Black, brown and immigrant communities and organizations to get them out to vote." Leaders of AAPI and Latino advocacy groups say it will take continued investment and grassroots organizing for Democrats to win in January and beyond.
Georgia's changing political landscape
"Partisan politics in Georgia has long been defined by a Black-White racial divide and Asian Americans and Latinos don't quite fit obviously into that framework in a neat fashion," said Emory University political scientist Bernard Fraga. "They're more persuadable than Whites or African Americans are, so they're more of a swing constituency," Fraga said. "But Asian Americans and Latinos are much closer to being a core Democratic constituency in the state than even suburban White voters." According to NBC News exit polls, 88% of Black voters in Georgia supported Biden while 69% of White voters in the state favored incumbent Republican President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, 62% of Georgia's Latino voters supported Biden and 63% of AAPI voters nationwide favored Biden. (AAPI data was not available for Georgia.) Fraga said that the results of the November election in Georgia demonstrate a "model for the long term for Democrats that isn't reliant on an ever shrinking share of the White vote, and instead is engaging with and boosting the turnout rates of Latinos and Asian Americans." Asian American and Latino voters made up roughly 3% and 5%, respectively, of Georgia's eligible voters in 2019, but they're by far the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. electorate, according to the Pew Research Center. "People are, for the first time, realizing that AAPI and Latinx voters are this growing group of folks that have the possibility to swing a state one way or the other," said Gigi Pedraza, executive director of Latino Community Fund Georgia.
Gearing up for Jan. 5
In the highly competitive Senate runoff races that are expected to come down to the wire, boosting turnout among AAPI and Latino voters will be key for Democrats hoping to maximize voter margins. Georgia election rules called for runoff races when no candidate exceeded 50% of voter share in either race during the Nov. 3 election. After the general election, the Ossoff campaign hired constituency directors focused on AAPI and Latino outreach, according to a campaign spokesperson. The Warnock campaign hired an AAPI community coordinator dedicated to political outreach in the summer of 2020 and also has a Latinx vote director and New Americans coordinator on staff, the campaign told CNBC. The Perdue campaign did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. The Loeffler campaign was not available for comment before this story published. Historically, Asian American and Latino voter turnout has dropped off in runoff elections compared with Black and White voters. As of Dec. 24, more than 2 million people have voted in the Senate runoffs. The pace of Black turnout in the runoff election is at or above the pace of turnout during the Nov. 3 election, while the pace of White turnout is slightly lower, according to Fraga's analysis of early voting data. The drop-off of Latino and AAPI turnout in the runoffs is the lowest of the racial groups, hovering between 80-90% of the turnout pace from the general election. The campaigns, Democratic Party and advocacy groups are all working to increase turnout from AAPI and Latino voters as Jan. 5 approaches. Before the voter registration deadline, they helped register new voters. Voto Latino, a national voter registration organization, said it registered 12,000 new voters in Georgia for the runoffs in addition to the nearly 36,000 voters the organization registered for the general election. "We know that that turnout is going to be the biggest issue," said María Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino. "That's why we started registering voters again." Of the nearly 76,000 new voters registered in Georgia since before the November election, Latino and Asian American voters made up more than their overall share of the electorate, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Language barriers and gaps in civic education are challenges that particularly affect Asian American and Latino voters, many of whom are first-time voters, young people or naturalized citizens. Leaders of AAPI and Latino advocacy groups say the misinformation can spread quickly in their communities, particularly on group messaging platforms like WeChat, WhatsApp and KakaoTalk, and sometimes through ethnic media. Asian American and Latino voters are not monoliths either; they span diverse ethnicities, languages and experiences between different communities. Groups are hoping to address those challenges through multilingual and multicultural voter outreach: door-to-door canvassing, literature drops, phone and text banking, ads and press in ethnic media — collectively aiming to contact hundreds of thousands of voters. Through the early voting period and on Jan. 5, advocacy groups are also organizing election protection work and multilingual voter hotlines.
Beyond the runoff election


cnbc--2020-12-28--Trump signs Covid relief and government funding bill days after he suggested he would block it

President Donald Trump signed a massive coronavirus relief and government funding package into law Sunday , days after he sent Washington into a panic by suggesting he could veto the bill .
He refused to approve the legislation for days after receiving it , blowing past a Saturday deadline to prevent an estimated 14 million people from temporarily losing unemployment insurance .
The measure extends the expanded jobless benefits into March , but millions of people are expected to lose a week of benefits due to Trump 's delay in signing the bill .
The government would have shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not approve the legislation .
The president called the bill a `` disgrace '' on Tuesday night — after Congress already approved it following talks which included his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
Trump claimed he opposed the bill because it included $ 600 rather than $ 2,000 direct payments to most Americans , and because the $ 1.4 trillion government spending portion of the package included foreign aid money .
The president 's own White House has included those funds in its budgets .
After Trump expressed support for larger checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic-held House plans to vote on a measure to increase the payments to $ 2,000 on Monday .
In a statement Sunday night , Trump said the Senate would also `` start the process for a vote that increases checks to $ 2,000 . ''
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , in a separate statement cheering the bill becoming law , did not mention any plans to take up the legislation if the House passes it .
Most members of the Kentucky Republican 's caucus have opposed larger direct payments .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` formal rescission request '' asking for what he called `` wasteful items '' to be removed from the bill .
Lawmakers may not cancel the previously approved money , as the legislation passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support .
The White House had signaled for weeks that Trump would sign whatever pandemic aid bill the divided Congress passed into law .
His threat to oppose the legislation shocked Capitol Hill and sent Americans scrambling to adjust their plans .
Airlines , for instance , had moved to bring employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance included in the bill .
Many economists and lawmakers have called the $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package inadequate .
Still , it will send a dose of needed help to the country as the virus overwhelms the health-care system and economy .
The measure adds a $ 300 per week federal unemployment supplement through mid-March .
It temporarily expands programs that made freelance and gig workers eligible for jobless benefits and added to the number of weeks jobless Americans can receive aid .
It sends $ 600 direct payments to most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every child .
The legislation includes another round of small business assistance , most of which comes from $ 284 billion in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans .
It puts nearly $ 30 billion into distributing Covid-19 vaccines and ensuring Americans can get shots for free .
The measure also directs more than $ 20 billion to state Covid-19 testing and contact tracing efforts .
Along with extending the eviction moratorium , it puts $ 25 billion into rental assistance .
The airline payroll assistance is part of more than $ 45 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directs $ 82 billion to K-12 and higher education .
Democrats have said they will quickly push for another relief bill , headlined by direct payments and state and local government aid , after President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20 .
Their ability to pass a bill will in part depend on whether Republicans keep control of the Senate in two Jan. 5 runoffs in Georgia .
This is breaking news .
Please check back for updates .

After Trump expressed support for larger checks, Democrats embraced his stance. The Democratic-held House plans to vote on a measure to increase the payments to $2,000 on Monday.
The president called the bill a "disgrace" on Tuesday night — after Congress already approved it following talks that included his Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. Trump claimed he opposed the bill because it included $600 rather than $2,000 direct payments to most Americans, and because the $1.4 trillion government spending portion of the package included foreign aid money. The president's own White House has included those funds in its budgets and Trump largely stayed out of the negotiations over the legislation.
The government would have shut down Tuesday during a deadly pandemic if Trump did not approve the legislation.
The measure extends the expanded jobless benefits into March, but millions are expected to lose a week of benefits covering these people due to Trump's delay in signing the bill. Unemployed Americans eligible to receive a $300 weekly supplement will also get the additional money later than they could have.
He refused to approve the legislation for days after receiving it, blowing past a Saturday deadline to prevent an estimated 14 million people from temporarily losing unemployment insurance.
President Donald Trump signed a massive coronavirus relief and government funding package into law Sunday, five days he sent Washington into a panic by suggesting he could veto the bill that he considered was a "disgrace."
In a statement Sunday night, Trump said the Senate would also "start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a separate statement cheering the bill becoming law, did not mention any plans to take up the legislation if the House passes it. Most members of the Kentucky Republican's caucus have opposed larger direct payments.
After Trump signed the bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urged Trump to push Republicans to back the bill to boost the size of the cash deposits. In a statement, she said "every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need."
The president also said he will send Congress a "formal rescission request" asking for what he called "wasteful items" to be removed from the bill. Lawmakers may not choose to cancel the previously approved money, as the legislation passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Trump also said "Congress" — without specifying if both chambers agreed to the plan — "promised" that the Section 230 provision giving internet platforms legal liability protections "will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed." He also claimed Congress would look into his unfounded allegations that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 election. As Congress hashed out the coronavirus aid agreement, Trump spent much of his time spreading conspiracy theories and trying to overturn the election results.
The White House had signaled for weeks that Trump would sign whatever pandemic aid bill the divided Congress passed into law. His threat to oppose the legislation shocked Capitol Hill and sent Americans scrambling to adjust their plans.
Airlines, for instance, had moved to bring employees back with $15 billion in payroll assistance included in the bill.
Many economists and lawmakers have called the $900 billion coronavirus relief package inadequate. Still, it will send a dose of needed help to the country as the virus overwhelms the health-care system and economy.
The measure adds a $300 per week federal unemployment supplement through mid-March. It temporarily expands programs that made freelance and gig workers eligible for jobless benefits and added to the number of weeks jobless Americans can receive aid.
It sends $600 direct payments to most individuals, and adds $600 for every child. The legislation includes another round of small business assistance, most of which comes from $284 billion in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans.
It puts nearly $30 billion into distributing Covid-19 vaccines and ensuring Americans can get shots for free. The measure also directs more than $20 billion to state testing and contact tracing efforts.
Along with extending the eviction moratorium, it puts $25 billion into rental assistance. The airline payroll assistance is part of more than $45 billion in transportation relief.
The package also directs $82 billion to K-12 and higher education.
Democrats have said they will quickly push for another relief bill, headlined by direct payments and state and local government aid, after President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20. Their ability to pass a bill will in part depend on whether Republicans keep control of the Senate in two Jan. 5 runoffs in Georgia.
"This relief legislation is a down payment on what is needed to crush the virus, put money in the pockets of the American people and honor our heroes — our health-care workers, first responders, transit and sanitation workers and teachers," Pelosi said.