WASHINGTON -- By a veto-proof majority, the House yesterday passed a $290 billion farm bill with increased subsidies for farmers and food stamps for the poor. It includes pet projects that lawmakers can take home to voters this election year.

The 318-106 vote for the five-year bill gave supporters 28 more than they need to override a veto from President Bush, who has said the measure is too expensive and generous to farmers now enjoying record earnings. "A bloated, earmark-laden bill," his agriculture secretary said after the vote.

About two-thirds of the bill would pay for nutrition programs such as food stamps and emergency food aid for the needy. An additional $40 billion is for farm subsidies, while almost $30 billion would go to farmers to idle their land and to other environmental programs.

The Senate planned to vote on the bill today. Rejecting a veto by Bush would be even easier in the Senate, because farm states have greater representation than they do in the House. Congress has overridden only one veto, on a water-projects bill, during Bush's two terms.

Only 91 Republicans voted against the bill. Bush was abandoned by 100 GOP lawmakers a day after the party lost its third straight special election this year for filling House vacancies. All three districts -- one each in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi -- include farm areas and now have Democrats in seats long held by Republicans.

Some Republicans criticized the bill over home-state pet causes, including tax breaks for Kentucky racehorse owners and additional aid for salmon fishermen in the Pacific Northwest.