Date: 1993-04-27
Speaker: HARRIS FAWELL (republican)
Chamber: H

and others. that bill passed the House late last year with nearly unanimous support from Republicans. After the Senates failure to act. this year we in the House again made changes in the bill to address concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle. Any objective observer would conclude that these refinements have strengthened the bill. Some claim that expedited rescission is a partisan plot by Democrats to weaken and steal the issue of lineitem veto from Republicans. An honest look at history proves that this initiative has always relied on bipartisan support for its success and only this year has either side attempted to play games with this fartoorare opportunity to enact real change. I submit for the RECORD a more complete history of expedited rescission legislation. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to give the American people a reason to feel good about their Government by refusing to engage in petty partisanship and by passing expedited rescission legislation. SELECTED QUOTES ON EXPEDrrED.REScISSION Senator Dan Quayle in an opinion editorial in the Wall Street Journal on January 29. 1985. regarding expedited rescission legislation that he had introduced: "I have introduced an initiative (to) allow a rescission of spending authority to be enacted should the President and a majority of both houses agree to it. Without making any changes in the constitutional balance of powers. my proposal would guarantee congressional action on presidential proposals to reduce or eliminate spending... (it Is) a common sense tool that the president and Congress should have at their disposal to restrain unnecessary and excessive federal spending." Rep. Dick Armey in a "Dear Colleague" letter dated November 2. 1987 asking for support of his amendment that would allow the President to rescind items in the Continuing Resolution. subject to majority override: "Enhanced rescission legislation will involve the Administration and the Congress in a meaningful deficit reduction process in a manner that ensures both institutions prerogatives are protected." Rep. Gerald Solomon during a debate on the House floor on July 30. 1992. in support of his effort to make in order an amendment to grant the President expedited rescission authority: "If we defeat the previous question. I will offer the Carper lineitem rescission amendment that simply requires Congress to vote up or down on the Presidents request not to spend the money. This requires only a simple majority vote... For those of you who really believe In the lineitem veto. we have reached a tremendous compromise here that you can vote for. It should be something that this House can support overwhelmingly." Rep. Harris Fawell during debate on the House floor (October 2. 1992) on H.R. 2164. expedited rescission legislation passed by the House: "This bill is at least the first step of a 1.000 mile Journey toward hopefully someday being able to balance the federal budget." Statement of (Bush) Administration Policy issued by the Office of Management and Budget on October 2. 1992 regarding H.R. 2164: "Enactment of H.R. 2164 would temporarily Increase congressional accountability for pork barrel spending in the appropriations process."