    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 25 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
    [Page 1213]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Statement on House of Representatives Action on the ``Legislative Line
    Item Veto Act of 2006''

    June 22, 2006

        I commend Members of the House who voted today in support of the
    Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006. I also applaud the House
    Republican leadership, Congressman Paul Ryan and Congressman Mark Udall,
    for successfully steering this bill to passage. Controlling the Federal
    appetite for spending and protecting taxpayer dollars are shared
    responsibilities of the legislative and executive branches and require a
    bipartisan approach. I appreciate those Democrats who have supported the
    line-item veto in the past and did so again today. The line-item veto is
    a critical tool that will help rein in wasteful spending and bring
    greater transparency to the budget process.
        Forty-three Governors have a line-item veto, and we need similar
    authority at the Federal level to control spending. Working with
    Congress, this tool can be used to help reduce the budget deficit and
    discourage the practice of earmarking Federal funds for projects that
    are wasteful, duplicative, or unnecessary. I urge the Senate to also
    pass the line-item veto legislation, so Congress and my administration
    can begin using this important tool to help enforce fiscal discipline.

    Note: The statement referred to H.R. 4890.