From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: FCNL Legislative Update 1/8/93
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 08:10:08 GMT

/** fcnl.updates: 16.0 **/
** Topic: FCNL Legislative Update 1/8/93 **
** Written  2:23 pm  Jan  8, 1993 by fcnl in cdp:fcnl.updates **

             FCNL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- [01/08/93]

This is the Friends Committee on National Legislation, with
updated legislative information.  To speak with a staff
member, call (202) 547-6000.

This message was prepared at 4:00 p.m on Friday, January 8,
1993.  It contains information and action suggestions on the
following subjects:  VISITS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS and LINE
ITEM VETO.

VISITS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.  As a new and different
Congress convenes, FCNL encourages you to arrange a visit with
your congressional representative or senators in their home
offices, at the earliest opportunity.  Members will be
dividing their time between home and Washington from now until
late January, when Congress begins regular business; so you
may be able to get an appointment this month.  If not, try for
the next "District Work Period," scheduled for February 8 -
15.  Try to organize a small delegation (four to six is a good
number) of people from different parts of your community who
nevertheless share similar legislative goals.  You will be
laying a foundation for ongoing communication over the next
two years. The purposes of such a visit include:  

* getting acquainted (if it's a new member) or renewing
acquaintance (if the member was re-elected);

* identifying one or two of your major legislative concerns,
and letting the member know that you will follow with special
interest his/her work on those issues;

* informing the member about FCNL, its work in Washington, and
your connection with FCNL (you might give her or him some
samples of FCNL publications); 

* and, for a newly-elected person especially, listening to
discover whatever you can about her/his legislative goals,
priorities, and general attitudes, and sharing that
information with FCNL. 

LINE ITEM VETO:  In response to voter dissatisfaction with
government overspending, President-elect Clinton has expressed
his support for the "line item veto," which many believe would
give the President the power to eliminate the "pork" in
congressional appropriations bills.  The reason given for the
proposal is that the President could use this authority to cut
wasteful spending, while retaining the legitimate
expenditures.  In reality, it's an idea that's full of false
assumptions and could weaken rather than strengthen democratic
processes.   For one thing, the line item veto--which most
state governors already have--would not guarantee lower
overall spending.  The governors manage to substitute their
pet spending projects for the legislature's choices;  a
president is likely to do the same at the federal level. 
Presidents are not necessarily BETTER at cutting budgets than
Congress.

A proposal of this type, which involves rescissions, is under
discussion between congressional leaders and President-elect
Clinton's team.  A "rescission" is the act of rescinding or
undoing a previous action. This proposal would require
Congress to act quickly on a PACKAGE of rescissions that the
President might propose AFTER signing an appropriations bill. 
The Congress would have to vote on the whole package at once,
with no changes.  The danger is that some very harmful cuts
could be hidden behind the elimination of some obvious
"porkbarrel" projects.  This tool also gives the President an
additional lever to use over Congress, to assure that his own
priorities receive positive attention.

The Constitution wisely placed the "power of the purse" with
the most broadly representative branch of government,
Congress.  Diminishing the authority of the House of
Representatives to decide matters of taxation and spending in
favor of increasing the power of the executive branch is a
dangerous step.

ACTION:  Please contact your own representatives soon about
the line item veto proposal.  Urge them to reject proposals
that tend to centralize spending decisions in the White House
rather than in Congress.

This concludes our message.  For more information, please
write to the Friends Committee on National Legislation, 245
Second St., NE, Washington, DC 20002. To follow these and
related issues on a regular basis, subscribe to the FCNL
WASHINGTON NEWSLETTER.  Send  $25 to the above address and
receive 11 issues per year.   

** End of text from cdp:fcnl.updates **
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.censorship,alt.activism