Bush Threatens a Veto Over Intel Bill

[babylonsister]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6554697,00.html

Bush Threatens a Veto Over Intel Bill


Friday April 13, 2007 1:31 PM
By KATHERINE SHRADER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush is threatening to veto a Senate intelligence bill that's laced with provisions that would force the White House and spy agencies to be more responsive to Congress.

In a policy statement released Thursday, Bush's advisers said the bill fails to provide enough money, ``with sufficient flexibility,'' to adequately pay for spying operations.

The Senate has struggled for two years to pass a spending blueprint for the roughly $45 billion-a-year spying budget. Senate Intelligence Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., made the legislation a top priority when he took over in January.

``These provisions are all intended to improve our ability to make decisions, leading to better intelligence for the military and policy makers,'' Rockefeller said on the Senate floor.

Bush issued the only veto of his presidency last year, killing a bill on the use of federal money for embryonic stem cell research. But since the Democrats assumed congressional control, Bush has been warning more often that he will nix legislation.

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[Warren Stupidity]

1. Somebody call him a waambulance. nt.

[Demeter]

2. So Veto--That Way, No Signing Statements!

Saw the branches off, one by one, and go boom!

[pscot]

3. Good

Let it die.

[karynnj]

4. The reason they struggled for 2 years to pass this

is that Kennedy and Kerry refused to remove their amendments - passed overwhemingly - that Bush wanted out. Senator DeMint then put a hold on it so it wouldn't go to Bush as it was. The amendments did things like require Bush to provide information on secret prisions (if they do exist) and on "iterrerogation practices". Now, DeMint is gone and Kennedy and Kerry still won't remove the amendments.