[Vision2020] Bush Vetoes School Aid/Health Care Bill, Signs Defense Bill

[Tom Hansen]

Bush vetoed a $157 billion school aid/health care bill, then signs a $471
billion defense appropriations bill.

>From today's (November 14, 2007) Spokesman Review -

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Bush vetoes spending measure 
President chides Congress, signs defense bill
Noam N. Levey and James Gerstenzang
Los Angeles Times
November 14, 2007

NEW ALBANY, Ind. - Intensifying his battle with Congress over federal
spending, President Bush on Tuesday vetoed an appropriations bill for the
first time, rejecting $150.7 billion in spending for school aid, health care
and other domestic programs.

But as he complained about the cost of that bill, which would have increased
spending on these programs by 4.3 percent over last year, Bush signed a $471
billion defense appropriations bill that pushed up military spending by more
than 9.5 percent.
 
And he urged Congress to quickly appropriate $196 billion in spending for
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Congress' responsibility is clear: It should not go home for the Christmas
holidays without giving our troops on the front lines the funds they need to
succeed," Bush told business leaders in southern Indiana after excoriating
Democrats for mismanaging the federal budget.

The president's veto and his complaints were greeted with derision by
congressional Democrats, who were quick to point out Bush's six-year record
of approving unbalanced budgets passed by Republican Congresses.

"It is patently absurd that President Bush, whose irresponsible policies
instigated record budget deficits and added more than $3 trillion to the
national debt, now wants to pretend that he is somehow an exemplar of fiscal
responsibility," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

Hoyer said House Democrats would try to override the veto this week.

The appropriations bill - which would have funded the federal departments of
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education - contained substantial
increases in funding for Head Start, reading and math instruction, and other
programs targeted at poor children.

It appropriated additional money for community health centers and reversed
proposed cuts in funding for medical research at the National Institutes of
Health.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"In America, anybody can become president.  
That's one of the risks you take . . ."

- Adlai Stevenson

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