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House Overrides Bush Veto For 1st Time On Water Bill

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By JONATHAN WEISMAN, The Washington Post

Published: November 7, 2007

WASHINGTON - The House handed President Bush the first veto override of his presidency Tuesday, voting overwhelmingly to save a $23 billion water resources bill stuffed with pet projects sought by lawmakers from both political parties, including almost $2 billion for Everglades restoration projects.

The Senate will likely follow suit as early as today, in what would be the biggest Republican defection of Bush's term - even given the legislation's obscurity.

Tuesday's 361-54 override tally was 90 votes more than the two-thirds needed, and it consisted of 223 Democrats and 138 Republicans. Only 54 Republicans stuck with Bush.

"Congress will reassert its policy-making ability," vowed House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. "We are, in fact, the deciders on policy."

The bill authorizes billions of dollars in coastal restoration, river navigation and dredging projects, levee construction and other Army Corps of Engineers public works efforts. Seven years in the making, the bill took on particular political resonance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Gulf state lawmakers secured nearly $2 billion in restoration and levee construction projects for the Gulf Coast. The bill also will continue projects such as Everglades restoration and upper Mississippi River dredging, while pushing new oversight of the Army Corps.

"This is far too important for this nation and my state of Florida," said Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, who led the Republican charge to override Bush's veto.

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