[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 22 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1020
                        PASS THE LINE-ITEM VETO

  (Mr. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, Monday will be the birthday of a great 
man--President Ronald Reagan. Monday will also be the day that we vote 
on the line-item veto. Over the last 40 years this body has stood idly 
by as we have passed a $4.5 trillion national debt onto our children 
and grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, we must end this lavish spending now, 
and the line-item veto will help us do so.
  The line-item veto will empower the President to rid legislation of 
wasteful spending, forcing each expenditure to survive public scrutiny 
and survive on its own. President Ronald Reagan had it right when he 
said that the line-item veto would allow the President ``the right to 
reach into massive appropriation bills, pare away the waste, and 
enforce budget discipline.''
  The greatest gift we could give to one of the greatest Presidents of 
modern history is the line-item veto. Let us win one for the gipper. 
Let us win one for the American people. Let us pass the line-item veto.

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