[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 23 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             LINE-ITEM VETO WILL HELP CUT WASTEFUL SPENDING

  (Mrs. VUCANOVICH asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. VUCANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today we will note on H.R. 2, the Line-
Item Veto Act. Having recently cast a historic vote to pass the 
balanced budget amendment, we are on our way to sound fiscal 
management. But if we are genuinely interested in bringing the Federal 
budget under control, we must look at additional means of restraining 
spending. H.R. 2 is an important tool in this process.
  H.R. 2 gives the President true line-item veto authority, empowering 
him to disallow specific items in spending bills without having to veto 
the entire legislation--which may contain worthwhile and necessary 
programs. Perhaps more importantly, H.R. 2 places the burden on 
Congress to act initially to reject a President's rescission message.
  Too often, spending bills passed by Congress contain items, 
especially pork-barrel projects, that would not stand up to the test of 
an individual vote. If used in a conscientious manner, the authority 
that H.R. 2 confers on the President could indeed help effectively cut 
wasteful spending out of the Federal budget.
  I support H.R. 2 and urge my colleagues to likewise support this 
important measure.


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