Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush threatened Wednesday to veto a defense bill containing more anti-terrorism spending than he wants as lawmakers traded charges of using the effort to protect Americans for political gain.
A day before the Senate planned showdown votes on the matter, Bush issued his veto threat at a White House breakfast with congressional leaders. Senate Democrats have produced a $35 billion package — $15 billion over what Bush prefers — for developing vaccines, bolstering border and airport security, financing the war in Afghanistan and helping New York and other areas with the costs of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The anti-terrorism money is attached to this year’s $318 billion defense budget, a bill that is especially politically sensitive in time of war.
Democrats said they would resist Bush’s contention that additional spending wait until next year, arguing the nation’s ability to deter and track down terrorists needs to be strengthened now.
"Terrorists don’t run on a fiscal year basis. Terrorists are operating all year long," Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters.
Bush’s veto threat received a boost as Republicans released a letter in which 39 GOP senators pledged to back the president in a showdown — five more votes than would be needed if the Senate tried to override a veto.
Republicans were also preparing their own anti-terrorism package that would live within Bush’s $20 billion limit, but allocate more than he proposed to New York and other communities hurt by the Sept. 11 attacks. Republicans were hoping their alternative would draw support from some Democrats.
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