By Ben Persing - Capitol Briefings - Tuesday, July 15, 2008
UPDATE 7:05 PM: The Senate has now also voted to override the veto, 70-26. Four Republicans switched from voting against the measure previously to voting in favor of the override today: Kit Bond (Mo.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Roger Wicker (Miss.) and Richard Lugar (Ind.).
The House had voted to override President Bush's veto of a bill to block cuts in payments to doctors under Medicare, and the caravan of Republicans moving away from the president on the issue turned into a stampede.
The chamber voted 383-41 to override the veto, with 153 Republicans joining all 230 Democrats present to vote "aye." That's an increase of 24 Republicans in favor since the bill's original passage last month. The administration and GOP leaders did their best in both the House and Senate to prevent the measure from passing the first time around, urging their members to vote "no" so they could try to negotiate a better bill, but many rank-and-file Republicans didn't listen. Even more ignored Bush's wishes today.
The Senate vote to override is scheduled to happen within the hour.
Read more in the Federal Insider
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