Bush vetoes defense bill allowing Iraq lawsuits
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — President Bush yesterday used a "pocket veto" to reject a sweeping defense bill because he disapproved of a provision that would expose the Iraqi government to expensive lawsuits seeking damages from the Saddam Hussein era.
Mr. Bush said the legislation "would imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets at a crucial juncture in that nation's reconstruction efforts."
The president's objections were focused on a provision deep within legislation that sets defense policy for the coming year and approves $696 billion in spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also in the legislation were increases in military pay and veterans benefits and tighter oversight of contractors and weapons programs.
Mr. Bush's decision to use a pocket veto, announced while at his Texas ranch, means the legislation will die at midnight Dec. 31. This tactic for killing a bill can be used only when Congress is not in session.
The House last week adjourned until Jan. 15; the Senate returns a week later but has been holding brief — often seconds-long — pro forma sessions every two or three days to prevent Mr. Bush from making appointments that otherwise would need Senate approval.
Brendan Daly, spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said, "The House rejects any assertion that the White House has the authority to do a pocket veto."
When adjourning before Christmas, the House instructed the House clerk to accept any communications — such as veto messages — from the White House during the monthlong break.
A Democratic congressional aide pointed out that a pocket veto cannot be overridden by Congress and allows Mr. Bush to distance himself from the rejection of a major Pentagon bill in a time of war.
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And even more...
History debunked:
Three of the four previous presidents have vetoed defense authorization bills, despite claims by top Democratic senators that President Bush would be taking an unprecedented step by fulfilling his vow to veto this year's version.
Two Democratic presidents, Carter and Clinton, and President Reagan, a Republican, all refused to sign into law defense authorization bills for various reasons.
"Clearly they haven't bothered to check the historical record, which would show that they're flat out wrong," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.
Mr. Bush has said he will veto the $648 billion defense authorization bill, which sets out Pentagon policy but does not actually spend the money, because of concerns over provisions in the bill.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, whose hate-crimes amendment is the most controversial part of the measure, said last week that "the president of the United States has never vetoed, in the history of the United States, a defense authorization bill."
"For this reason and for many others ... the defense authorization deserves to be passed [into law]," said Mr. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, backed Mr. Kennedy up, saying that "there has never, ever been a veto of the defense authorization bill."
Mr. Reid's office declined to comment on the majority leader's statement.
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