WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Congress on Wednesday approved by veto-proof margins a farm bill directing 290 billion dollars to food programs and agricultural subsidies.
The measure was passed by a large majority in the House of Representatives (317 to 109) and in the Senate (80 to 14), allowing it to become law despite a veto by President George W. Bush, his second farm bill veto in less than a month.
About two-thirds of the funds allocated for the farm bill finances national food programs and food stamps.
Congress can override a presidential veto and enact a measure into law if the bill is approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
"Particularly considering the serious concerns about rising food prices and severe flooding affecting crops in the Midwest, this Farm Bill provides a critical safety net for families and farmers," said the Democratic chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson.
The bill is largely the same text that Bush vetoed in May.
After the first veto, bill supporters in Congress gathered a veto-proof two-thirds majority that would enact the law without Bush's signature.
However, in the first version presented to Bush, due to a mistake, 34 pages devoted to foreign aid went missing.
To avoid problems Congress re-submitted the entire bill to the president, instead of just the missing section.
In an earlier statement, Bush said he rejected the farm bill because it "continues subsidies for the wealthy and increases farm bill spending by more than 20 billion dollars, while using budget gimmicks to hide much of the increase."
The measure, according to Bush, was also "inconsistent" with US "objectives in international trade negotiations, which include securing greater market access for American farmers and ranchers."
The president added that the measure "restricts our ability to redirect food aid dollars for emergency use at a time of great need globally. The bill does not include the requested authority to buy food in the developing world to save lives."
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