[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 87 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4890, LEGISLATIVE LINE ITEM VETO 
                              ACT OF 2006

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2006

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. I rise in strong opposition to this sham 
budget proposal offered by Republican Leadership. This legislation will 
not reduce the deficit or spending through earmarks and will grant 
unprecedented power to the Executive Branch.
  The line-item veto proposed today will expand Presidential power and 
challenge the separation of powers critical to the function of our 
government. It is an extreme dilution of the authority of the 
legislative branch if the President can hold a member's priorities 
hostage in order to garner votes for other initiatives. We have already 
seen an increase in abuse of power by the leadership in this House in 
order to force members to vote with the President, particularly during 
the debate on Medicare Part D, CAFTA, and last year's budget 
reconciliation bill.
  Republicans today are decrying the practice of earmarking projects. 
However, since 1996, under the Republican watch, the number of earmarks 
has grown from 3,023 to 13,012 last year. As the Majority party, 
Republicans have had the power for the last 12 years to reduce earmarks 
and to add oversight to this process. But as former Reagan official 
Bruce Bartlett stated, ``George W. Bush has turned out to be one of the 
most free-spending presidents on records . . . Apparently there is no 
pork barrel program so egregiously unjustified that he won't sign it 
into law''.
  This Republican Majority has lost all credibility on fiscal 
responsibility. Since President Bush took office, the Administration 
and Republicans in Congress have turned a $5.6 trillion surplus into a 
$3.2 trillion deficit. Our federal debt is $8.3 trillion--much of which 
is borrowed from foreign countries. In fact, this Administration has 
borrowed more money from foreign nations than all 42 previous U.S. 
Presidents combined. And under Republican rule this Congress has had to 
raise the debt limit four times.
  A line-item veto will not solve this problem. In fact, the way this 
bill is written, it could actually increase spending. According to the 
Congressional Budget Office, giving the President this extraordinary 
new authority will allow the Chief Executive to pressure Members to 
support Administration priorities in return for promises not to cancel 
projects. Studies of states that have a line-item veto have documented 
this effect in state legislatures.
  Mr. Spratt offered a substitute measure in the Rules Committee that 
would have taken a real step in addressing our budget deficit. This 
bill would restore pay as you go rules, forcing Congress to face our 
spiraling deficit. It would also reduce earmarks by mandating public 
disclosure, and prevent reconciliation from increasing the deficit. 
Unfortunately, as is too often the case, the Rules Committee denied the 
House the opportunity to vote on this alternative. Mr. Chair, if 
Republicans were serious about restoring fiscal discipline we would be 
having a real discussion today about the Democratic substitute.
  I believe strongly that it is our moral responsibility to reduce the 
deficit and to relieve our children and grandchildren of this reckless 
legacy. However, the bill on the floor today is another attempt to ask 
the American people to believe the Republicans are the party of fiscal 
responsibility, while actually making our budget situation worse. I 
urge my colleagues to reject this bill.

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