[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 23 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     SUPPORT FOR THE LINE-ITEM VETO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood] is 
recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the line-item 
veto. This is an action we need to take to save this country from our 
runaway debt. It is an action we must take to end the irresponsible 
practices by this body. It is an action that is completely consistent 
with the wishes of our Founders.
  Mr. Speaker, we are making significant changes in the way the Federal 
Government operates. I have listened to the arguments made by the other 
side against these changes, and I am struck by how little regard is 
shown for our Federal debt. Perhaps we do not understand the amount our 
debt costs us? Perhaps we think that these programs we are so afraid of 
cutting will survive even if we bankrupt the Nation. We owe $4.8 
trillion. I hear the other side talk about us hurting programs that 
benefit young people. They do not seem to understand that we are trying 
to save the future for young people all over America. We have no right 
to fund any program, no matter how well intentioned, at the expense of 
the children of the next generation.
  I ran for this office because I have two little grandchildren. I saw 
the ever-rising debt and the dreadful impact it will have on their 
future. I am here to do something about the debt and free that burden 
from their future and from the future of young people throughout my 
district and throughout America. I support the line-item veto because 
the students in Sallie Bullock's calculus class at Madison County High 
in Danielsville, GA already owe $310,760'. I support it because Mary 
Mills fifth grade class at Oconee County Intermediate School 
in Watkinsville, GA already owes $365,600. I support it because Martha 
Scroggs' kindergarten class at Episcopal Day School in Augusta already 
owes $457,000. Mr. Speaker, the line-item veto is an important step for 
the future of these young people.
  I have listened to the constitutional arguments against the line-item 
veto. To those people, I would share the words of Alexander Hamilton in 
Federalist No. 73. In response to those who stated that the veto would 
give the President too much power, Hamilton argued that the veto power 
was important because it limited the power of Congress.

       The propriety of the thing does not turn upon the 
     supposition of superior wisdom or virtue in the executive; 
     but on the supposition that the legislative will not be 
     infallible; That the love of power may sometimes betray it 
     into a disposition to encroach upon the rights of the other 
     members of the government; that a spirit of faction may 
     sometimes pervert its deliberations; that the impressions of 
     the moments may sometimes hurry it into measures which itself 
     on maturer reflection condemn.

  Mr. Speaker, if Alexander Hamilton only knew what we have come to in 
this body. When $20 million for a fingerprint facility in West Virginia 
is inserted into an emergency assistance bill for Los Angeles 
earthquake victims, we prove that Hamilton was right. When $11\1/2\ 
million are spent on powerplant modernization in a shipyard about to be 
closed, we prove that we need to give the President the line-item veto. 
If Hamilton could see what we do here today, he would certainly support 
it as well.
  One other argument that we hear is that it will be used by the 
President as a political weapon. Mr. Speaker, 43 Governors have the 
line-item veto. If it was being used as this evil political weapon as 
our opponents would suggest that it is, you would certainly think that 
far fewer States would have them. If it were being used irresponsibly 
by those who have it, it would be taken away. I believe that our 
opponents greatly overstate the danger of the use of the line-item 
veto. The veto power possessed by the President today is a far more 
powerful tool, but it has been used wisely. We have no reason to expect 
otherwise with the line-item veto.
  Mr. Speaker, we are making significant changes in the way business is 
conducted by the Federal Government. The line-item veto is one more way 
for us to show the American people that we are making their Government 
more responsible.


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