US House passes spy bill, rejects phone immunity

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives defied President George W. Bush on Friday and passed an anti-terrorism surveillance bill that permits lawsuits against phone companies.

But the vote was far short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a promised veto by Bush. He has demanded that any company that participated in his warrantless domestic spying program secretly begun after the Sept. 11 attacks receive retroactive immunity. (Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; editing by Lori Santos)