Kent Conrad: “this is one of the all-time worst ideas to be brought to the Chamber. First, it has no place on this bill. This bill is…”

“this is one of the all-time worst ideas to be brought to the Chamber. First, it has no place on this bill. This bill is about ethics reform. What our colleagues have brought is a budget matter, without taking it to the Budget Committee first, without hearings, without a chance for review, without a recommendation. As a result, it is subject to a budget point of order which, if other action is not taken, I will be constrained to raise at the appropriate time. Why do I say this is a bad idea? Because it has virtually nothing to do with budget discipline, and it has virtually everything to do with increasing the power of the President. That is what this is about. I hope colleagues understand that this provision, if adopted, would actually undermine the chances to do something about our long-term fiscal imbalances. People listening may wonder: How can that be? How can the line-item veto in any way endanger a long-term agreement on entitlements? Let me say why. Tucked away in this little legislative offering that has been casually brought to the floor without going through the Budget Committee first are provisions that would allow the President to target any agreement reached on a long-term solution to our entitlement challenges.”