House GOP Says Please Veto

By Victoria McGrane

(The Politico)  House Republicans are trying a new tack to get President Bush to reverse his support for the massive housing bill: asking nicely.

“We would like to respectfully request that you reconsider your position,” 14 House Republicans wrote in a letter to Bush Thursday, noting that 149 Republicans voted against the legislation Wednesday.

“[A]s Republicans, we voted our consciences as the fiduciaries of American tax dollars,” the lawmakers wrote. Signatories included Spencer Bachus of Alabama, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas; and Patrick McHenry of North Carolina.

Using the veto, which House Republicans have the votes to sustain, “could result in revised legislation that eliminates some, if not all, of the extraneous and wasteful provisions, leaving a bill that could gain broad bipartisan support,” the lawmakers write.

The tone of the letter contrasts comments made by some GOP critics in the last couple of days. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) called Bush’s decision to sign the bill “unconscionable.”

“When he really has a chance to stand up and take a tough stand, he’s not there,” said Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.).

The fact that Baucus is on the side of McHenry – who also sits on the Financial Services panel -- and other conservatives is worth noting, since the Alabama Republican got a lot of heat from GOP colleagues for supporting Chairman Barney Frank’s bill to crackdown on bad mortgage lending practices back in November.