Now that President Clinton has demonstrated his willingness to use the line item veto to cut spending, TCS has prepared a helpful list of line items to veto.

For Energy and Water Development Appropriations, TCS urges the President to veto two wasteful line items.

American River Watershed (Natomas), CA

The $10.1 million to reimburse the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) for levees constructed around Natomas Basin should be vetoed. Reimbursement for the construction of levees in this location would violate conditions previously established by Congress and put taxpayers at risk for future federal bailouts from inevitable floods. Federal taxpayers should not pay for local levees that were built to allow 67,000 people to live in a floodplain where floods average 15 feet. Funds for this project were not requested by the President, but were inserted by the House at the request of Representative Robert Matsui (D-CA).

Green Brook Flood Control Project, NJ

The $3.1 million line item to complete planning and begin construction on this flood control project should be vetoed. This wasteful and excessive project would cost a total of $360 million, of which federal taxpayers would pay $270 million. Non-structural alternatives, such as floodproofing and buyouts, would be much less expensive and have a higher benefit/cost ratio. Funds for this project were not requested by the President, but were championed by Representative Bob Franks (R-NJ).

This is a short list because many wasteful programs are not susceptible to the line-item veto.

For more information, contact Steve Ellis (202) 546-8500 x 126 or steve [at] taxpayer.net

B-2 Victory

A House plan to make a down payment on a fleet of 20 new B-2 bombers that would cost $27 billion was stopped by Defense Appropriations Conference members. Although the conference didn’t succeed in eliminating funding, the conference allowed for $331 million to be directed to B-2 repairs, instead of for a down payment on a new fleet.