House Republicans say they will "dare" President Obama to veto controversial fiscal year 2016 funding legislation for EPA and other agencies if the measures successfully clear the GOP-led Congress, prompting vows from Democrats to try and halt the appropriations process until their concerns on the budget process and the bills are addressed. At a June 10 House Appropriations Committee interior panel markup of EPA's spending bill, the full committee's Chairman Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) said the GOP will push its spending bills ahead regardless of Democratic opposition. "We want to pass these individual bills, send them to the Senate, force the Senate to either fish or cut bait, and send them on to the White House - and dare the president to veto, for example, a bill funding our troops," he said. In response, interior panel ranking member Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) said she would call for the president to veto the House-crafted EPA funding bill if the Senate approves a similar bill. The measure as introduced in the House June 9 would cut the agency's budget by more than $700 million and block a suite of major rules. "I haven't spoken with the president on this issue, but it wouldn't surprise me.... I would recommend to the president not to sign this bill," she said at the markup, where the bill cleared by voice vote.
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