Overview
- The House failed to reach the two-thirds threshold to override President Trump’s vetoes of two bipartisan measures, voting 248-177 on the Colorado water bill and 236-188 on the Miccosukee land bill.
- Dozens of Republicans joined Democrats but not enough to prevail, with 35 GOP votes for the Colorado override and 24 for the Florida measure.
- The vetoed bills were the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, easing repayment terms to complete a long-planned water pipeline in southeastern Colorado, and the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act to add Osceola Camp in the Everglades to tribal lands.
- Trump’s veto messages cited a “massive” $1.3 billion cost for the Colorado project and accused the Miccosukee Tribe of obstructing immigration policies and seeking special treatment.
- Republican sponsors including Reps. Lauren Boebert and Carlos Gimenez defended their bills as local, noncontroversial measures, leadership did not whip the votes, and the Senate would face the same two-thirds bar that is rarely met in U.S. history.