's popularity remains at near-record lows , Congress ranks even lower as a whole . The president has taken numerous opportunities to mock the spending habits of the Democratic leadership and force confrontations over the appropriations bills needed to fund the government for the 2008 budget year , which began October 1 . The bill Bush vetoed Tuesday includes about $ 150 billion to run those departments and more than $ 450 billion in mandatory spending on Medicare and Medicaid , the federal health care programs for the elderly and poor , according to the House Appropriations Committee . The committee 's chairman , Rep. David Obey , called Bush 's veto `` not responsible and not credible . '' `` This is a bipartisan bill supported by over 50 Republicans , '' Obey , D-Wisconsin , said in a statement issued after the veto . `` There has been virtually no criticism of its contents . It is clear the only reason the president vetoed this bill is pure politics . '' Bush said Democrats are supporting $ 22 billion in additional spending beyond his budget proposals this year and $ 205 billion over five years -- money he
NEW ALBANY , Indiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Bush vetoed a $ 600 billion spending bill Tuesday , accusing Democratic leaders of wasting money and plotting tax increases , then took his budget fight with Congress on the road . Congress should cut spending `` and send me a responsible measure that I can sign into law , '' President Bush said . `` The majority was elected on a pledge of fiscal responsibility , but so far , it 's acting like a teenager with a new credit card , '' he said in a speech in New Albany , Indiana . The bill -- which Bush said was laden with $ 10 billion in `` pork '' -- would have funded the departments of Labor , Education , and Health and Human Services . It also would have funded projects such as a prison museum , a sailing school and a program to teach Portuguese . `` Congress needs to cut out that pork , reduce the spending and send me a responsible measure that I can sign into law , '' the president said . Watch a report on the veto '' While polls show Bush