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Congressional Screwup May Force Farm Bill Do-Over

Pages missing from bill sent to Bush

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 22, 2008 10:11 AM CDT

(Newser) – A paper-shuffling error may force Congress to repeat its work on the $289-billion farm bill already passed—and vetoed by President Bush. The version of the bill sent to the president was missing a section, Reuters reports. That makes the president’s veto theoretically invalid. House Democrats tried to re-insert the segment when voting to override the veto, but Republicans objected. Now no one’s sure what to do.

“We haven't found a precedent for a congressional blunder of this magnitude,” said a White House spokesman. Many believe the entire process should be repeated. But the Senate is going ahead today with its override vote; the Agricultural Committee says a decision about the missing section will be made later.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., calls on a reporter during a news conference after the House approved the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., calls on a reporter during a news conference after the House approved the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.   (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., left, and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, right, look over notes prior to the start of a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, May 9, 2008 on the Farm Bill.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., left, and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, right, look over notes prior to the start of a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, May 9, 2008 on the Farm Bill.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Budget Director Jim Nussle briefs reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
Budget Director Jim Nussle briefs reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2008.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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