Bush sees first veto override in water bill

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Thursday overturned President George W. Bush's veto last week of a popular water projects bill, marking the first time lawmakers have mustered enough votes to override Bush.

The Senate voted 79-14 to overturn Bush's veto. The House of Representatives had overwhelmingly met the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto when it voted 361-54 on Tuesday.

"There are some moments in time when (the president) needs to come together to work with us. This was one of those times," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Today is "one of those very rare moments in a very, very divided Senate that we came together."

The $23 billion water projects bill authorizes funding for nearly 900 projects and studies across the United States -- including flood control, improving navigation on waterways and restoring the environment.

The administration said the bill was "fiscally irresponsible" because it contained billions of dollars worth of special projects supported by individual lawmakers.

Bush has vetoed five bills during his time in office. The water legislation was the 107th time in U.S. history Congress has overridden a presidential veto.

The veto override was another sign of the growing difficulty Bush faces keeping even his fellow Republicans in line as he confronts a Democratic-controlled Congress and low approval ratings driven down by public disenchantment over the Iraq war.

But the White House was quick to play down any negative implications from Thursday's vote.