Veto looms for health spending bill, including the block grant.

President Bush may make good on his threat to veto health spending, including the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant. The House of Representatives Nov. 6 bundled together three spending bills: 1) the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, 2) the Department of Veterans, and 3) Military Construction. On Nov. 7, the Senate disentangled them, paving the way for Congress to fund both military bills at an increase, leaving the health spending bill up for its own veto from the White House.

The President has said he would veto any spending bill that came in above his request, and the Labor/HHS funding portion is $9.8 …