Washminster

Washminster
Washminster

Thursday 26 April 2007

How can it be resolved?

Last night the House of Representative voted 218-208 to approve the report agreed by the conference committee of both Houses on the $124bn Iraq supplemental spending bill. The Senate seems likely to vote today. The measure then goes to the President - who has vowed to veto the bill.

With only 218 votes in the House, and the Senate unlikely to increase the 51 votes previously cast for the bill - the chances of the veto being overidden seem remote.

To override a presidential veto each chamber must achieve a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting (in other words, those who are actually in the chamber rather than two-thirds of the total).

So how will the matter be resolved? Is there yet sufficient support for compromise - or will this run and run?