[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 30, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EXPEDITED LINE-ITEM VETO AND RESCISSIONS ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. PAUL RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 30, 2011

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
``Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011'' along with my 
friend and colleague House Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van 
Hollen of Maryland.
  The fiscal and economic challenges facing our nation are immense. In 
addition to the alarming budget deficit and painful jobs deficit, 
Washington's failure to tackle these challenges fuels a growing 
credibility deficit. For years, policymakers--in both political 
parties--have failed to serve as responsible stewards of American 
families' hard-earned tax dollars. Too many politicians continue to 
make empty promises to those they serve, spending money we don't have 
on government programs that don't work.
  The stakes are too great to continue to kick the can down the road. I 
believe that leaders can--and must--work together to meet these 
challenges by advancing structural reforms to the drivers of the debt 
and pro-growth solutions to create a more conducive environment for job 
creation.
  This bipartisan legislation takes a modest step in the right 
direction. The Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act gives the 
President an important tool to target unjustified spending, while also 
protecting Congress's constitutional authority to make spending 
decisions.
  This new authority would allow the President to specify spending 
provisions within an appropriations bill, requiring stand-alone 
consideration of the spending proposal by Congress. Legislation 
implementing the proposed spending cancellations would receive 
expedited floor considerations and an automatic up-or-down vote in both 
chambers of Congress. Should Congress determine the spending cannot be 
justified: Every dollar of savings would be devoted to deficit 
reduction.
  This bipartisan proposal builds upon past efforts to target wasteful 
spending, including Legislative Line-Item Veto proposals I've advanced 
over the years and the new House Majority's ban on earmarks. I remain 
grateful to Ranking Member Van Hollen at the House Budget Committee for 
his partnership in this effort. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues to help advance this common-sense deficit-reduction tool--a 
step in the right direction as we work to address the structural 
drivers of the debt and continued impediments to economic growth.

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