WASHINGTON -- A nearly unanimous House defied President Reagan in its first legislative act of the new Congress by passing a $20 billion clean water bill that Reagan vetoed last year as a budget buster - and may veto again.
The House voted 406-8 Thursday infavor of the Water Quality Act of 1987, an eight-year bill that authorizes $18 billion through 1994 for construction and upgrading of sewage treatment facilities and $2 billion more for a variety of other clean-water projects.
The Senate -- which, like the House, approved the same bill unanimously last year -- is set to take up the measure Monday, when easy passage is expected.
Reagan killed the bill last year with a pocket veto -- refusing to sign it after Congress adjourned -- giving lawmakers no opportunity to override him.
In its first legislative act of the 100th Congress, the House's overwhelming vote demonstrated to Reagan its continued strong support for the bill. Members urged him not to veto it again as an expensive budget buster, as he has said he might do.
Reagan, who supported a leaner $6 billion clean water bill last year, now supports a $12 billion measure. Senate Republican leader Robert Dole of Kansas plans to push Reagan's $12 billion alternative in the Senate Monday, possibly as an amendment to the costlier bill.
'H.R. 1 is not a budget buster,' said Rep. James Howard, D-N.J., chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee. 'The president made a mistake in vetoing the bill, and it's up to us to give him a second chance.'
Howard said the bill calls for spending $2.25 billion a year for clean water -- half the $5 billion that used to be spent annually. Of the $18 billion for sewage treatment, he said $8 billion is in loans after 1990.
House Speaker Jim Wright, D-Texas, said he hopes Reagan will 'have the good taste and good judgment ... to sign the bill' this year. Wright said the bill's cost is 'well within' congressional budget limits and said it provides only one-sixth of the money the Environmental Protection Agency says is needed.
Daniel Weiss, a Sierra Club spokesman in Washington, called the vote 'an important victory for the health and safety of the American people.'
'Hopefully, President Reagan will stop swimming against the tide of support for tougher clean water laws and will sign this bill when it reaches his desk,' Weiss said. ---
In addition to authorizing $18 billion for sewage treatment facilities over eight years, the comprehensive bill also protects the Chesapeake Bay, restricts ocean dumping and extends the Clean Lakes and Great Lakes programs.
The bill provides $400 million for a new state-federal program to control water pollution runoff from streets, farmland, construction sites and mines. It also imposes tighter controls on toxic pollutants.
About $15 million of an $85 million program to improve lake water quality would be spent to aid lakes damaged by acid rain.
The legislation also requires new permits for all storm water discharges from industrial facilities and sets deadlines for cities to obtain permits for storm-water discharges, which can contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and other pollutants.
The bill also makes it harder for industrial facilities to get exemptions from clean water regulations.
Eight Republicans opposed the bill: Reps. William Dannemeyer of California, Donald Lukens of Ohio, Steve Bartlett of Texas, Dick Cheney of Wyoming, Dan Burton of Indiana, Phil Crane of Illinois, Bob Stump of Arizona and Ron Marlenee of Montana.