MORE THAN LINE ITEM VETO NEEDED TO RESTRAIN SPENDING June 22, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis today voted for a line-item veto and questioned why the Congress has not yet had a vote on a balanced budget amendment and pay-as-you-go rules.

"If Congress truly intends to get serious about spending restraint, we need to look beyond giving the President line-item veto authority. In the past five years we have witnessed a complete lack of Congressional oversight, massive amounts of waste, prolific spending, and record deficits. I believe we need to stop the political posturing and implement tried-and-true budget restraint measures like a balanced budget amendment and pay-as-you-go rules."

The Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 gives Presidential authority to recommend to Congress that certain appropriations within spending bills be rescinded. There are protections in the line-item veto prohibiting a President from using the line-item veto as tool of political retribution.

It is important to note that it is already within Presidential power to veto any legislation he feels is against the nation’s best interest, and he already has the power to send rescission requests to Congress. The President has not exercised his veto power and has sent Congress only one rescission request.

"Mismanagement of America's resources is wrong and is grossly unfair to the next generation of Americans who will bear the responsibility. Everyday we are adding to our national debt, which in part is being financed by Japan and communist China," said Davis.

While achieving record budget surpluses under the Clinton Administration, spending decreased to 18.5% of Gross Domestic Product. With the Bush Administration and the "borrow and spend" GOP Congress, spending has increased to over 20% of Gross Domestic Product resulting in record budget deficits and a national debt of $8.4 trillion. Davis cites these reasons as why Congress needs to return to the tried and true measures of fiscal restraint that were in place during the '90’s.

Davis and colleagues in the Blue Dog Coalition have introduced a twelve-point budget reform plan that among other things calls for a balanced budget amendment, applies pay-as-you-go rules to spending legislation, and creates a “rainy day fund” to be used for national emergencies. To date, a vote has not been permitted on these rules.