Line-Item Veto Headed For Clinton's Desk

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 28) -- In a historic shift of power, the Republican-led House gave final passage today to the line-item veto, giving the president authority to block specific projects in spending legislation.

With President Clinton's signature certain, the only question is who will get to use the new power in January 1997: Clinton or his Republican challenger, Sen. Robert Dole. The two men agreed last week it would not go into effect until then, taking it out of election-year politics.

Clinton said the measure would "ensure that our public resources are put to the best possible uses during these times of tight budgets."

The House approved the measure 232-177. That vote followed the Senate's approval Wednesday by a 69-31 margin.

"It will be the most significant delegation of authority by the Congress to the president since the Constitution was ratified in 1789," said Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

Senate opponents, however, argued that members were surrendering too much power to the executive branch. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) said it would reduce senators' independence.

The bill would give the president the authority to zero out specific spending programs without vetoing entire pieces of legislation. A president could block what he considered wasteful spending for congressional districts -- so-called pork-barrel projects -- or tax benefits aimed at small special-interest groups. Fourty-three state governors have similar power.

As with any veto, Congress could overrride the president with a two-thirds majority. The line-item veto bill lapses after eight years unless Congress renews it, giving members a chance to evaluate how it is working.

The first known line item veto bill was introduced in the 1870s and there have been more than 200 attempts since then. In the Senate, 50 Republicans and 19 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, and 28 Democrats and three Republicans were opposed.

Line-Item Veto Headed For Clinton's Desk

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