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House Overrides Farm Bill Veto; Senate to Follow
Bush says $300B measure too wasteful
By John Johnson
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Posted May 21, 08 7:50 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The House today overrode President Bush's veto of the $307 billion farm bill, and the Senate is expected to follow suit tomorrow morning, the Washington Post reports. Bush issued the 10th veto of his presidency this afternoon, complaining that the wide-ranging measure gives too much money to rich farmers and is stuffed with wasteful perks. The override will be only the second of Bush's presidency and the first on major legislation.
The five-year program has much support outside of Washington because it delivers big money for food stamps, conservation programs, the biofuels industry, even "geographically disadvantaged farmers" in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, the Post notes. John McCain harshly criticized the measure as too wasteful, while Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton supported it, though with reservations.