Bush renews promises to veto spending bills

President Bush, at an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with congressional Republican leaders, reiterated his promise that he will veto any spending bills over the initial White House requests, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said.

{mosads}Speaking in a conference call with small-business owners from the Associated Builders and Contractors, the National Federation of Independent Business and the National Restaurant Association, Boehner said that Republicans in both chambers assured Bush they had the votes to uphold his vetoes.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-Miss.) also participated in the Oval Office meeting.

Boehner said they also discussed the State Child Health Insurance Program, an authorization bill that Bush has promised to veto. The bill is expected to be on the president’s desk Wednesday,

“He wants to sit down with Democrats,” Boehner said. “We don’t need to grow government-run healthcare.”

Several of the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 callers were permitted to ask questions, which ranged from immigration reform to tax cuts. While Boehner addressed the callers’ concerns, he added that it was unlikely many of the issues would be fully discussed until the presidential elections in 2008 loom closer.

“I have no intention of running for president,” Boehner quipped. “I don’t have much of a life, but what little I have I’d like to hold on to.”