NEW ALBANY, IND. — Intensifying his battle with Congress over federal spending, President Bush on Tuesday vetoed an appropriations bill for the first time, rejecting $150.7 billion in spending for school aid, healthcare and other domestic programs.
But as he complained about the cost of that bill, which would have increased spending on these programs by 4.3% over last year, Bush signed a $471-billion defense appropriations bill that pushed up military spending by more than 9.5%.
And he urged Congress to quickly appropriate $196 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Congress' responsibility is clear: It should not go home for the Christmas holidays without giving our troops on the front lines the funds they need to succeed," Bush told business leaders in southern Indiana after excoriating Democrats for mismanaging the federal budget.
The president's veto and his complaints were greeted with derision by congressional Democrats, who were quick to point out Bush's six-year record of approving unbalanced budgets passed by Republican Congresses.
"It is patently absurd that President Bush, whose irresponsible policies instigated record budget deficits and added more than $3 trillion to the national debt, now wants to pretend that he is somehow an exemplar of fiscal responsibility," said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.).
Hoyer said House Democrats would try to override the veto this week.
Backed by many Republicans, Democrats last week for the first time overrode a Bush veto, enacting a $23-billion bill authorizing spending for levees, dams and other water infrastructure projects.
But the escalating battle over other domestic spending may not be resolved as quickly. Although the spending bill vetoed Tuesday has attracted some GOP support, Democrats do not have enough Republican votes in the House or Senate to override Bush's veto.
And with the president and congressional Democrats apparently determined to square off over other federal spending bills, it is unclear how and when the two sides will resolve a conflict both see as politically advantageous.
Democrats and Republicans will also soon battle over a supplemental measure to fund the war in Iraq. House Democrats plan to vote as soon as today on a $50-billion Iraq spending bill that would impose a new timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops.
