Bush Blames Pork for Spending Veto

President Bush vetoed a $606 billion domestic spending bill today, accusing Congress of “acting like a teenager with a new credit card.” His rejection of the measure, which included education, health, and job-training funds, will likely lead to a showdown, the Los Angeles Times reports. The House appropriations chair called the veto “pure politics” and noted that more than 50 Republicans supported the bill.

A White House spokesman said the education and health appropriations came in $10 billion over Bush’s budget and included 2,000 earmarks; she urged legislators to get the bill back to Pennsylvania Avenue quickly. Meanwhile, the president signed the $471 billion Pentagon appropriations bill; his spokesman said it was also full of “unnecessary spending” but was too important to veto. (More veto stories.)