Patrick Moynihan: “On August 11, for the first time in our history, President Clinton exercised his new authority under the Line Item Veto…”

“On August 11, for the first time in our history, President Clinton exercised his new authority under the Line Item Veto Act. In doing so he repealed, a provision of Federal law intended to relieve New York of up to $2.6 billion in disputed Medicaid claims. The provision had been included at Senator D'Amato's behest, and with my full support, in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, one of the two major reconciliation bills signed into law on August 5 in a ceremony at the White House. Senator D'Amato and I rise today to state for the record our firm opposition to the President's repeal of the New York Medicaid provision, and to introduce a ``disapproval bill'' to reverse the President's action. I will also speak to the underlying question of the constitutionality of the Line Item Veto Act.”