WASHINGTON — Six of the nine members of the Colorado Congressional delegation voted to override President Bush’s veto of legislation authorizing water projects, the first override of Bush’s presidency.
“I am disappointed the president did not sign this bill because he understands the problems we face in the West with water quality and scarcity,” said Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Fort Morgan. “Congress has been working on this bill for several years now, it is not like it was just slammed through like other recent bills.”
Musgrave was the sole Republican in Colorado’s congressional delegation to vote against the president.
In the House, Musgrave and Democratic Reps. Diana Degette of Denver, Mark Udall of Eldorado Springs, John Salazar of Manassa, and Ed Perlmutter of Golden voted to override. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, voted against the override. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, did not vote. In the Senate, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo. voted to override and Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo. opposed.
The House and Senate have passed the water project bill several times since 2001, but before this year failed to agree on a joint version to send to the president. The legislation authorizes the Army Corp. of Engineers to create and maintain water channels, control floods, restore ecosystems and manage wastewater infrastructure and municipal water systems.
This package authorizes more than $120 million for Colorado water infrastructure, including $10 million for a Boulder pipeline and $79 million for construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit in the southeastern part of the state.
The legislation does not guarantee any of the work will be done, however. The projects still must be funded through a separate process that the House and Senate must agree on and send to President Bush.
The votes came Thursday in the Senate, which voted 79-14 Thursday to override the veto of the $23 billion Water Resources Development Act. The House voted 361-54 Wednesday evening.
Staff writer Christa Marshall contributed to this report.
