smirk signs bill different from one Congress passed

[donsu]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUDGET_LAWSUIT?SITE=NYNYD&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Consumer Group Challenges Deficit Law

A consumer-rights group on Tuesday challenged as unconstitutional the Deficit Reduction Act that cuts a wide variety of federal programs, on grounds the version President Bush signed differs from what was passed by the House.

The lawsuit by Public Citizen in U.S. District Court here is the second filed after Bush signed the $39 billion deficit-cutting legislation into law on Feb. 8. A Republican activist also has sued in federal court in Alabama.

"Under the Constitution, the same version of a bill has to be passed by both houses of Congress," said Adina Rosenbaum, an attorney at Public Citizen. "We filed our lawsuit because it's important for the government to abide by the law."

-snip-

At issue is a provision involving how long Medicare pays for renting some types of durable medical equipment. The Senate voted for 13 months, as intended by Senate and House negotiators, but a Senate clerk erroneously put down 36 months in sending the bill back to House for a final vote, and that's what the House approved Feb. 1.

By the time the bill was shipped to Bush, the number was back to 13 months as passed by the Senate.

House Democrats have accused GOP leaders of abusing the legislative process and asked for another vote. GOP leaders have declined. On the Feb. 1 vote, the bill passed by the slimmest of margins, 216-214.
-snip-
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the games they play hurt us all

[Orrex]

1. So, in essence, Congress is officially impotent

If the Prez can effectively pass whatever law he wishes, why bother with all that pesky bicameral nonsense?

That's not what I learned from "I'm Just a Bill/Yes I'm Only a Bill."

[NewWaveChick1981]

5. Maybe some Levitra would help.

:) Congress has been very limp for a long time now.

[rodeodance]

2. another article said WH was informed of this issue prior to signing but

Bushco went ahead anyway.

[MadMaddie]

3. Well we know he doesn't read anything above "My Pet Goat"

I wonder how many laws he has signed are accurate and relect what the Senate and House passed?

Tip of the iceburg...

[Doctor_J]

4. I had a feeling they would just go ahead with the line-item veto

I wish, since Smirk now writes, enacts, executes, and interprets the law, they would lay off the Congress so that we wouldn't have to pay 535x$156,000 a year for their salaries.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Are they playing games in the White House, or...

are they just stupid and forgot what the job is?

[donsu]

7. W.H. /Congress playing stuff your pockets with money games

nt