Senate's Dodd, Shelby hit housing bill veto threat

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - The Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee said on Thursday they were disappointed with a White House threat to veto a major housing market rescue bill.

Both Connecticut Democrat Christopher Dodd and Alabama Republican Richard Shelby support the bill, which the Senate began debating on Thursday morning. Shortly after debate began, the Bush administration issued a veto threat.

"This is a disappointing response...We hope the White House will reconsider its position," Dodd and Shelby said in a joint statement. Dodd chairs the banking committee, while Shelby is the top Republican on it. (Reporting by Kevin Drawbaugh, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)