[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 31, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H901-H902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORT LINE-ITEM VETO

  (Mr. BLUTE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  [[Page H902]] Mr. BLUTE. Mr. Speaker, last week Congress 
overwhelmingly passed the balanced budget amendment which began a 7-
year journey toward a constitutional requirement of matching receipts 
with outlays. However, there will be potholes along the way in the form 
of congressional pork-barrel spending. That is why we need to give the 
President of the United States the line-item veto authority.
  For too long the President has been faced with the Hobson's choice of 
signing an appropriation act along with all the pork, or shutting down 
vital Government services. H.R. 2, introduced by Chairman William 
Clinger and cosponsored by 160 of our colleagues, would make Congress 
more accountable for its spending by giving the President the ability 
to delete or reduce specific spending items.
  When the President sends a package of rescissions to Congress, the 
light of public scrutiny will be on the Congress to either accept them 
or fight them. If Congress chooses to disapprove of the rescissions, it 
will be in the position of defending indefensible spending, and the 
voters will be listening. It is about accountability. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 2, the Line-Item Veto Act.


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