Senate fails to override Obama water veto

Senate Republicans fell short Thursday in their attempt to override a veto from President Obama and repeal a contentious water regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency. Fifty-two senators voted to move forward with an attempt to override Obama’s veto of the resolution, short of the 60 votes needed. Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.) joined Senate Republicans in voting to proceed with the veto override. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) was the only Republican to vote against. Even if the Senate had achieved cloture on the resolution, final passage would have required a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress — a steep climb. The 52-40 Thursday vote closes the latest chapter in the GOP’s push to stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempt to assert power over small waterways like streams and wetlands. The Clean Water Rule or “waters of the United States” was made final last year.  The legislation at issue was written under the Congressional Review Act, which gives lawmakers the power to overturn regulations. But resolutions blocking federal rules are subject to a presidential veto and require a two-thirds majority for to be overridden...more

It would have just taken a simple majority if they had done this in the omnibus appropriations bill. But no, they chose this "symbolic" way to show their opposition, knowing it never had a chance.