Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today declared a victory for taxpayers.  The House of Representatives yesterday evening voted 247-172 to pass the The Legislative Line-Item Veto Act of 2006 (H.R. 4890).  Members voting “aye” included 212 Republicans and 35 Democrats.   

Introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the bill would allow the President to propose the elimination of individual spending items and special tax breaks in legislation.  Congress would then have 14 legislative days to hold an up-or-down vote on the President’s requested rescissions.  Congress can override the President’s vetoes with a simple majority in the House and Senate, compared with the two-thirds margin required by version of the line-item veto that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1998.    

CCAGW President Tom Schatz released the following statement: 

There is a consensus among members of Congress and the public that there is too much special interest spending in the federal budget.  Yesterday’s vote is a victory for taxpayers and sends a strong message to the Senate about the importance of the line-item veto.

The federal budget contains an enormous amount of pork that benefits narrow interests while adding to the burden of taxpayers.  With a line-item veto, the President can act in the national interest by checking the worst abuses of Congress.  Forty-three governors have something similar to the line-item veto. 

President Bush deserves credit for reaching out to Congress and helping forge a bipartisan consensus during an election year.   No matter which party controls the White House, the line-item veto is a common-sense reform to cut fat from the federal budget.

CCAGW also commends Rep. Ryan for crafting a bill that does not sacrifice constitutional principles.  Any rescissions requested by the President must ultimately be approved by Congress.      

The 2006 Congressional Pig Book identified 9,963 pork projects costing a record $29 billion in the fiscal 2006 appropriations bills.  These projects included $1 million for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative, $550,000 for the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, $500,000 for the Sparta Teapot Museum in Sparta, North Carolina, and $500,000 for the Arctic Winter Games in Alaska.  Earmarks have also played a central role in a wave of ethics and lobbying scandals on Capitol Hill.

The strong House vote was also a response to grassroots mobilization by a coalition of taxpayer groups.  CCAGW members sent more than 5,100 petitions to Congress in support of the line-item veto.

The line-item veto is a crucial part of overall budget reform.  The House of Representatives acted in the best interests of the country.  CCAGW encourages the Senate to do the same.   

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.