Kendra S. Horn: “for decades now Congress has treated the American taxpayer as an unlimited source for revenue. Congress has spent…”

“for decades now Congress has treated the American taxpayer as an unlimited source for revenue. Congress has spent millions and ultimately billions of dollars on programs and policies which have limited our freedom and imperiled the dignity of millions of Americans by entrapping them on welfare. The spending habits of this body over the last quarter century has come at a terrible cost. The Federal Government has racked up almost $5 trillion in debt. This is the height of irresponsibility. It is an utter disregard for future generations. Mr. Speaker, today we will vote on the line-item veto. This measure will give the President the power to review our budgets and veto unneeded projects, and thus help eliminate budgetary fat. Last November the American people sent a clear message to this body. They said they were tired of the waste, tired of the deficits, tired of the mismanagement, and thus tired of Government. Mr. Speaker, in the last 4 weeks this body has worked on a bipartisan basis to pass unfunded mandates reform and a balanced budget amendment. Now we must pass the line-item veto on a similar basis and stop treating the American taxpayer as an unlimited bottomless pit.”