Bush vetoes LHHS appropriations bill

[Stevan Harnad <harnad@ecs.soton.ac.uk>]

             ** Apologies for Cross-Posting **

> From Peter Suber's Open Access News:
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2007/11/bush-vetoes-lhhs-appropriations-bill.html

The headline says it all, but here's some detail from Jennifer 
Loven for the Associated Press:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/13/national/w074425S75.DTL&type=politics

     "President Bush, escalating his budget battle with Congress, 
on Tuesday vetoed a spending measure for health and education 
programs prized by congressional Democrats....

     "The president's action was announced on Air Force One as 
Bush flew to New Albany, Ind., on the Ohio River across from 
Louisville, Ky., for a speech criticizing the Democratic-led 
Congress on its budget priorities.

     "In excerpts of his remarks released in advance by the White 
House, Bush hammered Democrats for what he called a tax-and-spend 
philosophy....

     "More than any other spending bill, the $606 billion 
education and health measure defines the differences between Bush 
and majority Democrats. The House fell three votes short of 
winning a veto-proof margin as it sent the measure to Bush.

     "Rep. David Obey, the Democratic chairman of the House 
Appropriations Committee, pounced immediately on Bush's veto.

     "'This is a bipartisan bill supported by over 50 
Republicans," Obey said. "There has been virtually no criticism 
of its contents. It is clear the only reason the president vetoed 
this bill is pure politics."

     "Since winning re-election, Bush has sought to cut the 
labor, health and education measure below the prior year level. 
But lawmakers have rejected the cuts. The budget that Bush 
presented in February sought almost $4 billion in cuts to this 
year's bill.

     "Democrats responded by adding $10 billion to Bush's request 
for the 2008 bill. Democrats say spending increases for domestic 
programs are small compared with Bush's pending war request 
totaling almost $200 billion...."

Comments from Peter Suber:

     * First, don't panic.  This has been expected for months and the
       fight is not over.  Here's a reminder from my November newsletter:

     * "There are two reasons not to despair if President Bush vetoes the
       LHHS appropriations bill later this month.  If Congress overrides
       the veto, then the OA mandate language will become law.  Just like
       that.  If Congress fails to override the veto, and modifies the
       LHHS appropriation instead, then the OA mandate is likely to
       survive intact."  (See the rest of the newsletter for details on
       both possibilities.)

     * Also as expected, Bush vetoed the bill for its high level of
       spending, not for its OA provision.

     * Second, it's time for US citizens to contact their Congressional
       delegations again.  This time around, contact your Representative
       in the House as well as your two Senators.  The message is:  vote
       yes on an override of the President's veto of the LHHS
       appropriations bill.  (Note that the LHHS appropriations bill
       contains much more than the provision mandating OA at the NIH.)

     * The override vote hasn't yet been scheduled.  It may come this
       week or it may be delayed until after Thanksgiving.  But it will
       come and it's not too early to contact your Congressional
       delegation.  For the contact info for your representatives (phone,
       email, fax, local offices), see CongressMerge.

     * Please spread the word!

Peter Suber, Open Access News
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2007/11/bush-vetoes-lhhs-appropriations-bill.html