Porter Goss: “I rise in opposition to the Orton amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would include under the definition of…”

“I rise in opposition to the Orton amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would include under the definition of ``discretionary budget authority'' in the bill the concept of ``contract authority.'' This runs contrary to all existing definitions under the Budget Act which clearly distinguishes between discretionary budget authority and contract authority. This exercise reminds me of a riddle Abraham Lincoln used to pose: If you call a tail a leg, how many legs does a horse have? While many would answer, five, Lincoln responded that the answer is still four because calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. By the same token, calling contract authority ``discretionary budget authority'' doesn't make it so. Contract authority is the authority given to agencies to enter into contracts. It does not obligate the money to be spent and therefore does not involve discretionary appropriations. If we begin to give the President the authority to selectively item veto what is in effect enacted, authorization language, we are raising serious constitutional questions, and we are going against the grain of this bill as it is currently drafted.”