Washington ? The House has passed legislation that would provide $3.5 billion of dollars for farmers and ranchers hurt by weather-related disasters, the third time that chamber has approved the farm money in the last two months.

But President Bush has threatened to veto the measure, which passed late Thursday on a 302-120 vote, calling it “unnecessary and unwarranted.”

Farm-state lawmakers are struggling to find a way to help farmers who have been hurt by flooding, drought and other disasters in the last few years. They are attempting to include the aid money as part of a must-pass war spending bill in an effort to get President Bush to sign it.

Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called passage of the House measure “a major step forward” but warned that it only would covers crop losses through the end of February 2007.

“With our recent spring weather in Kansas, there is a need to extend this timeline and I will work to see that more losses are covered as this bill makes its way through the legislative process,” said Moran, whose sprawling western Kansas district would receive more assistance under the bill than any congressional district in the country.

Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, said she urged House leaders to pass the disaster relief legislation quickly to help ease the financial burden on farmers and ranchers affected by recent flooding.

While increasing the bill’s chances of success, linking the farm aid with the war measure has complicated its passage.

The House bill actually was passed separately from the war spending legislation Thursday night, but leaders have promised farm-state members that it will be combined with the war money in a House-Senate conference. Bush issued veto threats against both bills Thursday.