Bush to veto Homeland Security bill that would increase border protection

By a 268 to 150 vote, not enough to override a likely veto, the Democratic-led House of Representatives passed a $37.4 billion Homeland Security budget bill aimed at strengthening national defense.  The White House is upset because the bill exceeds Bush's request by $2.1 billion.  He is planning to veto it.

So what will Bush be vetoing?  Here is what the bill contains:

• Funds the hiring of 3,000 additional border agents.
• Ignores the Bush request to cut funds for first responders.
• Doubles the amount of air cargo that is screened.
• Doubles the amount of grants given to local communities for port security and mass transit.
• Increases in medical funds for veterans.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer cannot quite understand why Bush could veto the bill with a straight face:

"We are spending $10 billion a month in Iraq," said House Majorityleader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. "Given our continuing homeland securityvulnerabilities, we can surely find $2 billion to keep the Americanpeople safer at home."

Maybe Bush's veto promise came as a result of the unified pressure this week from conservative activists and Republican lawmakers, who asked for the White House to curb spending by vetoing more bills.  Now it appears the White House will do just that.

By analogy, if you believe we went to war just for the sake of going to war, then this is an example of vetoing bill just for the sake of vetoing one.

Comments

[granny]

Temper Tantrum!