House Approves Cabinet Status for EPA : Environment: GOP leaders warn that Democrats’ amendments risk a veto by Bush. Some changes are made to meet White House complaints.

The House Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to make the Environmental Protection Agency the 15th Cabinet department but risked a veto by adding requirements and restrictions strongly opposed by President Bush.

The bill, which sailed through on a 371-55 roll call, now goes to the Senate, where fast approval is expected, probably in time to send the measure to the President before Earth Day on April 22.

Republicans in the House, however, signaled that they have the votes to back up Bush in a showdown with Congress if he decides to reject the legislation because of what GOP opponents labeled micromanagement attempts by the Democratic majority.

The Cabinet-level designation alone would give the top environment official greater access to the President and other leaders, and thus, theoretically at least, more visibility and clout.

Among controversial amendments included in the bill was one that would require the establishment of a Bureau of Environmental Statistics, one to sharply restrict the use of private consultants and one to authorize a big increase in the number of investigators assigned to enforce laws concerning pollution and toxic wastes.

Moreover, in a move with potentially far-reaching and costly consequences, the House approved by voice vote an amendment by Rep. Dennis E. Eckart (D-Ohio) that would make federal facilities subject to the same environmental laws as state and local governments.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), floor manager of the bill, said Congress’ experience with EPA as a sub-Cabinet agency showed that the special provisions were needed to make sure that it would be responsive to the lawmakers and to the public.

Conyers also said that the legislation was modified to meet some White House objections so that the President will have the authority to dismiss the head of the proposed new environmental statistics bureau and greater influence in the appointments of regional administrators.

“This body is not a rubber stamp or a public relations agency,” added Rep. Esteban E. Torres (D-La Puente), rebuffing suggestions that the House pass a stripped-down bill so the President could sign it at a special Earth Day ceremony in the White House.

But House GOP leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois termed the bill “a monument to congressional obsessions to giving directions to the President.” Rep. Frank Horton (R-N.Y.) warned that if the legislation went to the White House without eliminating the special requirements, it would be vetoed.