Cord Byrd: “I have been intrigued--modestly, if I may say, so as not to exaggerate--at the plethora of complaints that are being in…”

“I have been intrigued--modestly, if I may say, so as not to exaggerate--at the plethora of complaints that are being in some instances stridently expressed about the President's use of the line-item veto. I suppose what amazes me so much about this matter is that all of this vast panorama of problems that could be expected to occur in the train of passage of the Line-Item Veto Act have been addressed time and time and time again on this Senate floor by me; by my colleague, Senator Moynihan; by my colleague, Senator Levin; by my colleague, Senator Reid; and many other colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including, of course, former Senator Mark Hatfield. We spoke to the galleries here and across the land repeatedly about what could be expected from the use of a President's line-item veto pen should such legislation be passed. We also spoke of the constitutional ramifications of a line-item veto. At the time, I felt that in all probability our expressions of concern were falling upon deaf ears. So of late it has been brought home to me very clearly that although one may speak with stentorian voice, as with the combined voices of 50 men or as if his lungs were of brass, there will nonetheless be ears that will not hear, there will be eyes that will not see, and there will apparently be minds that will not think.”