Senator Marsha Blackburn,
With all the interest on and revelation of wasteful spending, it is time that Congress enact a line item veto bill so those boondoggle programs can be eliminated before our tax dollars are wasted. A line item veto would certainly discourage anyone from sponsoring wasteful expenditures if the
merit of each expenditure had to be discussed and voted on in open session.
It is time to eliminate the “tack on items” hidden within legislation. DOGE has uncovered wasteful/fraudulent items used to curry favor or reward specialized interests. Each and every expenditure before Congress should have sole and open discussion on its merits. It is ridiculous to vote on a 1,500 page bill containing so many items no one has the faintest idea what they are enacting or funding.
I believe I am correct in saying a line item veto bill would have to originate and pass in the House before presented to the Senate. That being said I would greatly appreciate you addressing my request directly with the House members of Tennessee. Then use your influence to work with them and other House and Senate members of other states to enact line item veto legislation.
I certainly believe the people spoke clearly during the 2024 Presidential election of our wishes. President Trump I believe would support a line item bill as part of fulfilling his promises to us in eliminating wasteful or even fraudulent spending such as the DOGE effort is currently revealing.
The only way to prevent future wastefulness being enacted and hidden from the taxpayers is a line item veto. Please enact legislation to prevent future reversals of the cleansing President Trump is championing.
Tom Wheatley
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The line item veto was ruled unconstitutional in the 1998 court case Clinton v. New York.
The justice maintained that there is nothing in the Constitution that states that the President can veto part of a bill. Such a process would upset the principle of the separation of powers. Some constitutional scholars think it would give too much power to the presidency.
By the way, 44 states give their governors a line item veto, and the Confederate Constitution had one as well.
Michael V. Woodward