Byrd: Veto Threat Does Not Dictate the Law of Our Land

[Rose Siding]

Thank you for the overwhelming response to the blog I posted on Monday. I have enjoyed reading your comments, especially those encouraging Congress not to back away from the supplemental legislation despite the president's repeated veto threats. On Tuesday afternoon I decided to go down to the Senate floor and respond to your comments.

I will continue to defend Congress's Constitutional obligation to legislate for the people and act independently from the White House.

Here is a portion of my remarks:
...
Members of Congress are elected to make laws based on sound public policy, not to capitulate to presidential threats. The Senate must never become a rubberstamp for any president. Certainly, the Congress should carefully consider the announced reasons for a presidential veto, but the Congress has a duty, if the president's reasons are not credible or do not reflect the will of the people, to overturn presidential vetoes. The vote on the override is a healthy public opportunity for Members of Congress to consider the reasons offered by the president for his veto. Just as the president is held accountable for his veto, Senators are held accountable for their votes on bills that are sent to the president, and, if applicable, a subsequent veto override vote.

So let us hear no more about measures that the president has threatened to veto being not worthy of the Senate's consideration. Let the president issue his veto threats, but also let the Congress dutifully represent the will of the people.

I have been chagrined of late to hear the repeated falsehoods and scare tactics emanating from the Oval Office. President Bush has falsely stated that the supplemental as written would cause death and destruction in America. The president has also said that the bill does not fund the troops, which is false. In fact, the Senate bill provides $2 billion more than the president requested for the troops and provides $1.8 billion more for veterans' health care. Congress and the American people support our troops and the supplemental bill we shall shortly take to conference robustly funds their needs in the field and cares for their needs after they return home......

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-robert-byrd/the-presidents-veto-thre_b_46268.html

[papau]

1. Byrd tells truth - and that is something our media has yet to point out - Bush lies are

never pointed out in our media.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. Sounds like the "Old Man's" mind, is working better than most of

the Young Men's minds in Washington.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. K&R

[gratuitous]

4. Spot on, Sen. Byrd

Even if the Dim Son threatens a veto, do the right thing anyway, Congress.

[texpatriot2004]

5. Thank you Sen. Byrd nm

[The Count]

6. As usual, Byrd gets to the principle of things...If a Dem POTUS would have threatened

Congress, the MSM would be all in a titter. Now, they all act like "you can't do that! he's the preznit, for goodness sake, and he said "NO"!!!

[formercia]

7. I listened to Senator Byrd on C-Span

He is showing his years but he has not lost his eloquence. Whether you agree with him or not, the Senator represents to me what a Senator should be.

[MLFerrell]

8. I love my Senator.

Hang on, Senator Byrd. West Virginia and all of America needs you too much!

[texpatriot2004]

9. Congress should OVERRIDE any veto of this bill! nm