Washington, DC, August 01, 2007 – “We are deeply disappointed with the President’s intention to veto this important restoration bill. Funding for these projects is vital and long overdue. We urge the President to reconsider. In the event of a veto, we urge a Congressional override to bring five years of hard fought deliberations to a successful conclusion.”
Today, the administration informed leaders on Capitol Hill of President Bush's intention to veto the $21 billion Water Resources Development Act set to pass this week.
The bill includes an unprecedented $5.5 billion in funding for ecosystem restoration on the Mississippi, coastal Louisiana, and for the Great Lakes and the Everglades.
The letter, co-signed by heads of the Assistant Secretary of the Army and the Office of Management and Budget Director, cites the bill's overall cost as the reason for the veto. There has been speculation that Congressional supporters of the bipartisan bill have the votes to override a veto.
