House Veto-Proofs Anti-UAE Amendment

Well, I must admit that I had to pick my jaw up off the ground earlier when I learned that House Republicans had not only listened to their constituents but grown back bones. It would seem that despite threats by President Bush, who has yet to veto anything since he took office, to actually veto anything from Congress blocking the UAE ports deal, yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee went right on anhead and blocked the deal by voting 62-2 for an amendement to a $68 billion emergency supplemental funding bill for military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan — tricky that. (After all, he wouldn’t want to veto spending for his war and come off having to say something stupid like “I was for the war before I was against it…” :p ) Oh, and the bill also includes about $19 billion in disaster assistance for the Gulf Coast for Katrina and right now really isn’t the time to be vetoing that either.

Anyway, the messure still has to go before the whole House next week, but it’s expected to pass by a wide bi-partisan veto-proof margin.

Source: “Senator: UAE firm to transfer port operations to U.S. ‘entity’” (CNN.com)

tags: UAE, House of Representatives, George W. Bush, Hurricane Katrina, Port Deal, politics, Republicans

3 comments

1. on March 9, 2006 at 6:13 pm

   Big Dog said:

   Well it is moot now that UAE has pulled out of the deal. They of course might cancel the order for 70 or so airplanes from Boeing and stop allowing our military ships to dock in the UEA and they might close a bunch of banks they own here, but all is well. Bush has never vetoed because the Republicans have been careful not to send him legislation he could veto.

   Were I President I would veto the bill. I would send it back and say either override it or come up with something else. I think Bush might have done that had the UAE not pulled out. I know I would have.

   I also know that this is why the President needs the line item veto. This is a misuse. This is how pork gets added to bills and it is not right.

   This does however, negate your rant about Republicans voting in lock step with the President. Anyone who opposed this did so because they are bigots. It had nothing to do with security given the dismal security at New York and Baltimore (the latter I wrote about). Were I Dubai, I would take control in the deal and then not use the ports. I would say, I acquired the rights in the deal. If you will not let me in then I will leave them empty.

   It is amazing to me that officials from both parties decried the administration because they said that the entire 45 day period required was not used. Then Dubai agrees to another 45 day period so a complete re-investigation can be done. Then those same officials stopped it in 3 days. They are all a bunch of bigoted hypocrites who need to be removed from office.

2. on March 9, 2006 at 6:13 pm

   Big Dog said:

   Just a note so I can subscribe

3. on March 9, 2006 at 8:37 pm

   n. mallory said:

   I just want to point out again that I was against the deal only because it was outsourcing to another country period because I’m against outsourcing to foreign countries of American jobs period and I didn’t approve of the previous company either. So there.

   Also, you’re the one who claims that Repubs vote per their constituents’ wishes. This is what most Americans wanted for whatever the reason.

   And I believe Congress felt an urgency because President Bush said he was going to push forward with the deal without the 45 day wait.

   It’s all so sorted.

   I am a little impressed by the sudden show of back bone though, I must admit. I wish they’d shown it a little sooner. I hope they keep it up. I’ll certainly be writting Sen. Snowe and Sen. Collins again with some of my thoughts on some upcoming matters in hopes that they will take care to pay attention.

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