[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE LINE-ITEM VETO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

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                            HON. BILL ARCHER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 1999

  Mr. ARCHER. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a joint resolution to 
amend the Constitution in order to give the President line-item veto 
authority on appropriations approved by Congress. I first introduced 
this resolution during the 99th Congress. As the Supreme Court 
confirmed on June 25, 1998 in ruling that the 1996 Line Item Veto Act 
was unconstitutional, a constitutional amendment is indeed necessary.
  During this era of ``as far as the eye can see'' surpluses, I am 
deeply concerned that our commitment to fiscal discipline will be eaten 
away. The ``desire'' to cut spending may no longer be enough to fight 
the Washington spending machine. Last year's 40-pound, 4000-page, $520 
billion ``omnibus'' spending bill is compelling evidence of this point.
  President Clinton's FY2000 budget was an even further retreat from 
his earlier claim that the ``era of big government is over.'' Without 
any thought of giving back some of the surplus to the people who put it 
there, President Clinton called for more than $200 billion in new 
domestic spending over 5 years, including nearly 40 new mandatory 
programs and almost 80 new discretionary programs. How does he propose 
to pay for this spending spree? $108 billion in new taxes and fees!
  Obviously, a fixed mechanism to fight unnecessary and abusive 
spending must be put in place. A constitutional line-item veto 
amendment must be adopted--to restore fiscal discipline to the Federal 
Government and to save the well-being of our Nation. I want American 
Presidents to have the tools they need (just like the governors of 43 
States) to resist the inevitable pressures to spend our Nation's 
assets.

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