The U.S. Senate voted 85 to 15 to approve the $307 billion Farm Bill, reports the New York Times. The bill, which previously passed 318 to 106 in the House, has broad bipartisan support and will now go to President Bush for an expected veto. If that happens, Congress has said it will then push to override the veto — it will be only the second overridden veto during Bush’s tenure. Click here to read the New York Times story.

In testimony before Congress this morning, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) — a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes sustainable-building practices and certifies eco-minded buildings — along with Actor Ed Norton and San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom, spoke about the importance of green building as a solution to climate change.

Here is a snippet of Michelle Moore’s , USGBC senior VP, great argument for green building:

“Buildings are the single largest contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, accounting for 39% of emissions in the U.S. Of those buildings, school buildings represent the largest construction sector in the country and 20% of America goes to school every day. It’s fundamental to promote the design and construction of green schools, which play a tremendous role in bettering the health and performance of our students and children. Every new building coming out of the ground today should built green and every existing building should be retrofitted, whether it is an office building, a school or your own home. Buildings offer an immediate, measureable solution for mitigating climate change — and we don’t have time to wait. ”

If you’ve been inside a green or naturally built home or office building, I’d love to hear your impressions!