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WASHINGTON — For the New Mexico congressional delegation, saving homes in the South Valley from the threat of Rio Grande floods and restoring the bosque appear to be more important than saving President Bush's unblemished veto record.

New Mexico's three House members - all of whom are apparently going to run for the U.S. Senate - were among the 361 who voted Tuesday to override the president's veto of a $23 billion water resources bill that authorizes work on hundreds of projects. Only 54 members voted to sustain the veto.

In New Mexico, the bill authorizes up to $16.1 million in federal funds to construct basins and enlarge drainage channels to protect about 500 homes in the South Valley. The covered area is from Bridge to Rio Bravo boulevards Southwest between Arenal Canal and the Armijo Drain - roughly from Coors to Isleta boulevards Southwest.

State or local governments would have to come up with $8.69 million in matching funds for the project.

The bill also authorizes up to $25 million for Rio Grande bosque restoration from Cochiti Lake to Elephant Butte, and another $15 million a year to restore fish and wildlife habitat in and along the entire Rio Grande.

The Senate is expected to override the veto by a wide margin, as well, possibly as early as today. Sens. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat, and Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican, say they will vote to override.

In vetoing the bill last week, Bush complained the House bill cost $15 billion and the Senate version was $14 billion, yet the two bodies ended up with a $23 billion measure.

"This is not fiscally responsible, particularly when local communities have been waiting for funding for projects already in the pipeline," Bush said.

The president added that filling the massive backlog of old projects and funding new ones would cost an additional $38 billion in appropriations in coming years.

Because the water resources bill is only an authorization, it will still require an actual appropriation by Congress to release funds for the projects.

But even Rep. Steve Pearce, the Hobbs Republican casting himself as the conservative choice for the Senate, disagreed with Bush.

"While I understand the president's desire to keep federal spending under control, in this instance, increases are needed for these vital programs above and beyond his initial request. Our ranchers and farmers depend on these water projects, as do hundreds of other businesses and communities across New Mexico," Pearce said.

Rep. Heather Wilson, an Albuquerque Republican, said it was time for analysis and planning to end on the South Valley flood control project and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to start working.

"Flooding in the South Valley has been a problem for decades," Wilson said. "This project is intended to solve the flooding - not just move the water from one piece of property to the next."

Rep. Tom Udall, a Santa Fe Democrat who said last week he is now considering a run for the Senate after earlier rejecting the idea, said the water resources bill was seven years overdue and is "particularly good for New Mexico" because it also authorizes drought studies for the Rio Grande and river restoration.