The U.S. Senate voted 79-14 on Nov 8 to override last week's veto by President George W. Bush of a $23 billion water bill, HR 1495, the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007. On Nov 6 the House voted 361-54 with 138 Republicans joining 223 Democrats to override the veto. The bill also authorizes funding for hurricane protection in Louisiana and restoration of the Everglades in Florida. President Bush vetoed the measure because he believed it was too costly and would overtax the Army Corps of Engineers. It was the first veto override of his presidency. A two-thirds majority is needed to override a veto.
Although environmentalists and many Republicans united to support the water bill, not everyone thinks the veto override was a good idea. Michael Grunwald, senior correspondent for Time Magazine tells Grist magazine that they missed an excellent opportunity to use the water bill as leverage to reform the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
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