WASHINGTON - Lawmakers ignored Bush administration opposition on Monday and passed a bill that would reduce the federal royalty trona companies pay from 6 percent to 2 percent.

Even before the July 4 6.4 earthquake and Friday’s 7.1 quake, the former company town of Trona was a ghost town, with vacant homes outnumbering occupied ones on many streets.

Lawmakers ignored Bush administration opposition on Monday and passed a bill that would reduce the federal royalty trona companies pay from 6 percent to 2 percent.