Line-item veto bill re-introduced

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- A bill that would permit a presidential line-item veto was re-introduced in the U.S. Congress, two Republicans and one Democrat said Wednesday.

"This bill is about the need to stop wasteful earmarks especially in this time of economic crisis," Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said during a news conference. "And if Congress won't restrain itself, the president should be able to try."

The $410 billion budget to keep government operating until the end of the fiscal year contains thousands of earmarks worth billions of dollars.

This bill would allow the president to propose that some earmarks be rescinded and sent back to Congress to be voted on as separate measures, which Feingold said should help the bill pass constitutional muster, unlike a previous line-item veto that was overturned by the courts.

"Now, the critical thing is, in our legislation, they can't just put the bill that the president's proposed in committee," Feingold said. "There is a requirement that it has to be voted on and within a set time frame."

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, long an opponent of earmarks, said he anticipated the bill would be difficult to pass.

"But I believe that the American people voted for change last November," McCain said. "They want not only change in the executive branch, but they want a change in the legislative branch in the way that we do business. "

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said neither party can calm moral ground on earmarks. Of the roughly 9,000 in earmarks, 4,000 are from Republicans.

"So it's not as if one party is doing this well and one party is not," Ryan said. "Both parties have contributed to the mess we have."