Hearings of the
Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process
The Rescissions Process After the Line Item Veto: Tools for Controlling Spending
Chairman, Committee on Rules
I want to thank Chairman Goss for embarking on this bipartisan review of the rescissions process. As one of the House committees responsible for programmatic oversight of our budget process, and the relationship between the executive and legislative branches, this hearing will allow us to proactively assess the history, mechanics and effectiveness of the Congressional Budget Act with respect to the rescissions process. Hopefully, this programmatic oversight will lead to bipartisan recommendations for legislative improvements to this process.
Regardless of the status of our nation's balance sheet, I believe the budget process should always be a mechanism for promoting accountability and fiscal discipline. We have a track record with which to review this law. The rescissions process has been utilized by 5 Presidents and responded to by 12 Congresses. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision on the line item veto and the 25 year dual branch record of the rescissions process, now is the time for Congress to prudently review this statute.
Our distinguished witnesses bring with them many backgrounds, institutional perspectives and fiscal experiences, and I appreciate their willingness to take part in this analysis today. Since a majority of this Committee's work involves matters internal to the legislative branch, it is rare that we actually hear testimony from a representative of the executive branch, so I want to extend a special welcome to our witness from the Office of Management and Budget.
Again, I want to commend Chairman Goss and Mr. Frost for putting together this bipartisan hearing, and look forward to the illuminating testimony of our witnesses.
