Veto Coming on the TEA-21 Bill? | Reading the TEA Leaves
Is the White House Spoiling for a Veto fight on TEA-21 Reauthorization?
"The highway bill. It's going to be an interesting test of fiscal discipline on both sides of the aisle. The Senate's is about $370, as I understand, $370 billion; the House is at less than that but over $300 billion. And as you know, the budget I propose is about $256 billion." – President Bush on “Meet the Press,” February 8, 2004 (transcript at nbc.com)
“Does George W. Bush really care about runaway federal spending? We'll soon know. The president has set a $265 billion limit on the highway bill, but bills about to be passed by the Senate and House both are way above $300 billion. Members of Congress are addicted to all kinds of pork, but they particularly like highway pork, and will probably override a Bush veto. So what? Let the president exercise his first veto as a matter of principle. That might become addictive to George W.” – Robert Novak on “Capital Gang,” February 7, 2004 (transcript at cnn.com) It’s always dangerous to try to read the “TEA” leaves. But based on the two quotes above and other recent events, the signs are mounting that the Administration is planning to veto the TEA-21 reauthorization bill if it emerges from Capitol Hill at levels like those contemplated in either the House or Senate bills. It is very infrequent that a President of either party will talk about transportation funding or policy. Yet in his discussion with Tim Russert on “Meet the Press” on February 8 the “highway bill” was the first spending program the President mentioned in responding to a question about cutting the deficit. Clearly, the President and those around him have decided the highway bill will be a good place to draw a line in the sand that will demonstrate to fiscal conservatives their mettle in fighting against runaway spending. The fact that Robert Novak cited the impending congressional action on the legislation as his “outrage of the week,” on “Capital Gang” also indicates the importance being ascribed to this issue by both the White House and the conservative base of the GOP. Don’t be surprised to see a veto of the “TEA-21” reauthorization if it comes to the President’s desk significantly above his proposed figure. But don’t be surprised either to see Congress override the veto.
“Does George W. Bush really care about runaway federal spending? We'll soon know. The president has set a $265 billion limit on the highway bill, but bills about to be passed by the Senate and House both are way above $300 billion. Members of Congress are addicted to all kinds of pork, but they particularly like highway pork, and will probably override a Bush veto. So what? Let the president exercise his first veto as a matter of principle. That might become addictive to George W.” – Robert Novak on “Capital Gang,” February 7, 2004 (transcript at cnn.com) It’s always dangerous to try to read the “TEA” leaves. But based on the two quotes above and other recent events, the signs are mounting that the Administration is planning to veto the TEA-21 reauthorization bill if it emerges from Capitol Hill at levels like those contemplated in either the House or Senate bills. It is very infrequent that a President of either party will talk about transportation funding or policy. Yet in his discussion with Tim Russert on “Meet the Press” on February 8 the “highway bill” was the first spending program the President mentioned in responding to a question about cutting the deficit. Clearly, the President and those around him have decided the highway bill will be a good place to draw a line in the sand that will demonstrate to fiscal conservatives their mettle in fighting against runaway spending. The fact that Robert Novak cited the impending congressional action on the legislation as his “outrage of the week,” on “Capital Gang” also indicates the importance being ascribed to this issue by both the White House and the conservative base of the GOP. Don’t be surprised to see a veto of the “TEA-21” reauthorization if it comes to the President’s desk significantly above his proposed figure. But don’t be surprised either to see Congress override the veto.