[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 23 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON THE CONTRACT--SUPPORT THE LINE-ITEM VETO

  (Mr. LATHAM asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to encourage my colleagues to take 
the next step forward on fulfilling the Contract With America and 
approve the Presidential line-item veto.
  During meetings with constituents over the last several weeks, I have 
been extremely pleased to hear their message. They say ``We see you 
working hard, making real changes and keeping your promises, and we 
like what we are watching.''
  The line-item veto is the next step in making it harder for Congress 
to tax, spend and pile up debt. Asking the President to cut unnecessary 
spending without line-item veto is like asking a surgeon to do this 
work with a meat ax. His prospects for success are so slim, the most 
likely result is that he will not take the chance. That is why we need 
to provide him with a precision instrument, the line-item veto.
  Members of Congress should not be afraid of the line-item veto or any 
other tool that increases accountability. By making ourselves more 
accountable, we are winning back the people's trust. And that is the 
most important tool in any democracy.


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