President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump calls Georgia Senate runoffs ‘both illegal and invalid’ in New Year’s tweets Judge dismisses Gohmert’s election suit against Pence Ex-GOP senator suggests forming new party, calls Trump ‘ringmaster’ of Republicans MORE on Friday vetoed a bill that would gradually eliminate the use of large-scale driftnet fishing in federal waters off the coast of California.
“By forcing the West Coast drift gillnet fishery to use alternative gear that has not been proven to be an economically viable substitute for gillnets, the Congress is effectively terminating the fishery,” the president said in a statement. “As a result, an estimated 30 fishing vessels, all of which are operated by family-owned small businesses, will no longer be able to bring their bounty to shore.”
The measure passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support last month. It was authored in the Senate by Sens. Dianne FeinsteinDianne Emiel FeinsteinTrump vetoes bipartisan driftnet fishing bill Dumping Abraham Lincoln? A word of advice to the ‘cancel culture’ Newsom picks Padilla for California Senate seat MORE (D-Calif.) and Shelley Moore CapitoShelley Wellons Moore CapitoTrump vetoes bipartisan driftnet fishing bill Sen.-elect Tuberville suggests he’ll back effort on challenge Electoral College vote Senate GOP to Trump: The election is over MORE (R-W.Va.) and by Reps. Ted LieuTed W. LieuTrump vetoes bipartisan driftnet fishing bill AOC v. Pelosi: Round 12? House Democrats pick Aguilar as No. 6 leader in next Congress MORE (D-Calif.) and Brian FitzpatrickBrian K. FitzpatrickTrump vetoes bipartisan driftnet fishing bill No Labels tapping Larry Hogan as co-chair Lawmakers call for including creation of Latino, women’s history museums in year-end spending deal MORE (R-Pa.) in the house.
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“The recreational fishing and boating community has long advocated for transitioning away from large-mesh drift gillnets which needlessly kill non-target species including sportfish,” Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy, said in a statement at the time. “Today marks a significant victory for marine conservation, and we are grateful for the bipartisan effort to get the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act across the finish line.”
The veto comes the same day that Congress overrode Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, the first such override of his presidency. The Republican Senate voted 81-13 to override the veto Friday, days after the House voted to override it 322-87.
The president had demanded the massive annual defense policy bill include a repeal of Section 230, the regulation that shields tech companies from civil liability, as well as the removal of a requirement that the Pentagon remove Confederate names from military installations.