Sean Patrick Maloney: “I do not make a habit of defending the Contract With America. But when this House passed the line-item veto last Monday…”

“I do not make a habit of defending the Contract With America. But when this House passed the line-item veto last Monday night, important language from the contract was not included. And that is bad news for the American taxpayer. The bill gives the President broad power to veto any spending provision. But the bill's authors gave the President very narrow authority to veto tax benefits or tax loopholes for special interests. This excludes the vast majority of tax breaks-- worth hundreds of billions. The Contract With America said the President should be able to veto any tax benefit. My Republican colleagues breached their contract by voting against a version of the bill containing the contract's exact language. Apparently, they dislike tax loopholes for special interests only when they are the minority party. Mr. Speaker, let us remember another pearl of wisdom from the Contract With America. It says, "If we break this contract, throw us out!"”