Threatens Veto of Interior-Environment Bill Yesterday, the administration issued its third veto threat of the appropriations season, this time against H.R. 2643, the House's $27.6 billion Interior-Environment Bill. Again, yesterday's Statement of Administration Policy reflects the administration's aggregate $933 billion discretionary spending topline approach to vetoing spending bills as they make their way through Congress: H.R. 2643 exceeds the President's requests for programs funded in this bill by $2 billion, part of the $22 billion increase above the President's request for FY 2008 appropriations. The Administration asked that Congress demonstrate a path to live within the President's topline and cover the excess spending in this bill through reductions elsewhere. Because Congress has failed to demonstrate such a path, if H.R. 2643 were presented to the President, he would veto the bill. Perhaps it was once hard to make out, but at this point, the route to the $933 billion discretionary aggregate topline that the president is asking Congress to follow is a shining path, illuminated by spending bills exceeding his requests by $2 billion or more, destined to be vetoed.