They Voted For You: Farm Bill (Updated)

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, all helped the House override President Bush's veto of the recent farm bill.

"The legislation includes election-year subsidies for farmers and food stamps for the poor, spending that lawmakers could promote when they are back in their districts over the Memorial Day weekend," The Associated Press reports.

The 316-108 vote overcoming the president's objection came just hours after his veto message.

Bush concluded the bill was "too expensive and gave too much money to wealthy farmers when farm incomes are high," the AP article said. "With Bush at record lows in the polls in the waning months of his term, it was fellow Republicans who joined with majority Democrat in rejecting the veto. GOP lawmakers are anxious about their own prospects less than six months from the Election Day."

The Senate is expected to follow suit, AP said.

Update: The House will have to pass a new bill, weather a second veto and try for another override because of an error in the original legislation, AP reports.

"Congress had omitted a 34-page section of the bill when lawmakers sent the massive measure to the White House," the report said. "Democrats hoped to pass the entire bill, again, on Thursday under expedited rules usually reserved for unopposed legislation. Lawmakers also probably will have to pass an extension of current farm law, which expires Friday."

"Republican leaders called for a farm bill do-over," AP also noted. "The White House, almost gleefully, seized on the fumble and said the mixup could give Congress time to fix the 'bloated' bill."