The U.S. House yesterday passed legislation to store the nation's hazardous nuclear waste from commercial power plants in the Nevada desert by decade's end, but the measure faces an almost assured veto by President Clinton. With a 253 to 167 vote, the House approved the plan to construct a waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev., as early as 2007. A similar bill overwhelmingly passed the Senate last month, but fell three votes short of a veto-proof majority.