In
the News Fact Sheets
Line-Item Veto
Fact Sheet on the Line-Item Veto
Legislation
April 23, 2007
Senator Russ Feingold and Congressman Paul
Ryan introduced new legislation to create a line-item veto
to target wasteful earmarks, improve congressional accountability,
and deter lawmakers from inserting "Bridges to Nowhere"
or other frivolous spending into future bills. Among its key
provisions, Ryan and Feingold’s Congressional Accountability
and Line-item Veto Act will:
- Ensure timely congressional consideration of earmark rescission
requests by the President. This will enable the President
to propose the removal of wasteful earmarks from legislation
that arrives on his desk for signature and send these earmarks
back to Congress for expedited votes on whether or not to
rescind funding.
- Give the House and Senate 12 legislative days after the
President sends a rescission request to Congress to bring
a rescission bill for consideration on the floor of the
full House and Senate.
- Respect and preserve Congress’ constitutional responsibilities
by requiring that both the House and Senate pass a rescission
request before it can become law. If either the House or
Senate votes against a rescission by a simple majority,
it is not enacted.
- Require the President to submit earmark rescission requests
to Congress within 30 calendar days of signing a bill into
law.
- Limit the number of rescission requests per bill, to guard
against gridlock in Congress due to multiple rescission
proposals. Under this legislation, the President can propose
one rescission package per ordinary bill, or two rescission
packages for omnibus legislation. Each rescission request
may include multiple earmarks.
- Sunset at the end of 2012, after two presidential administrations
have had the opportunity to work with Congress to employ
this tool to control spending. The sunset provision would
give Congress the ability to review this legislation and
decide whether to renew it.
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