FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 6^th, 2011

Paulsen Signs Onto Bipartisan Line Item Veto Legislation

Washington, D.C. – In a move to help address this country’s spending-driven debt crisis, Representative Erik Paulsen (MN-03) signed onto the bipartisan Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act. This bill is co-authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Budget Committee Ranking Member Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and would help tackle wasteful Washington spending by granting the President the ability to line item veto spending items in appropriations bills.

“As I’ve often said, both parties created this mess in Washington, so it’s going to take Republicans and Democrats working together to clean it up,” said Rep. Paulsen. “Our national debt recently surpassed $15 trillion. This bipartisan legislation will give the President and Congress a common-sense tool to shift the spending culture here in Washington by eliminating unnecessary budget items. By creating more oversight and transparency in the budgeting process we ensure taxpayer’s hard earned tax dollars are spent as wisely as possible.”

The revised process would give the President 45 days from the enactment of an appropriations bill to send a special message to Congress proposing the cancellation of specific discretionary spending items. The items proposed for cancellation would receive expedited floor consideration in Congress, and an automatic up-or-down vote excluding any additional amendments. This legislation devotes all savings from the Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act to deficit reduction.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional U.S.–Korea Free Trade Working Group.

For more information on Rep. Paulsen’s work in Congress, and for past segments of  Erik's Correspondence Corner, please visit www.paulsen.house.gov.

###