Clinton Vetoes Congress' 'Veto'

WASHINGTON (AP) Lawmakers still can have the final word after President Clinton vetoed their rejection of his decision to use his newly granted line-item veto authority on some military construction projects.

Congress can override the president's veto with two-thirds votes in the House and Senate when lawmakers return in January.

Last year, for the first time, Congress gave the president the right to veto individual spending items in bills. The object was to make it easier for the president to target for elimination wasteful projects that lawmakers stick in larger spending bills to help their districts.

Clinton put that power to use in October, deleting 38 projects in 24 states worth $287 million from the fiscal 1998 military construction spending bill.

That did not sit well with many members who, while claiming they supported the line-item veto concept, insisted that the projects were needed and that Clinton was mistaken in targeting them for extinction.

The Senate voted last month to disapprove of Clinton's veto of 36 of the projects, and the House followed by restoring all 38 projects on a 352-64 vote. The Senate then went along with full restoration.

Clinton, in vetoing that decision on Thursday, insisted that "the projects in this bill would not substantially improve the quality of life of military service members and their families."

He acknowledged that while the Defense Department had given him outdated information about some of the projects he decided were unneeded, "I do not endorse restoration of all 38 projects."

(14 Nov 1997 05:53 EST)

In Other News:

Friday Nov. 14, 1997

• FBI Overlooked Evidence Of China Influence-Buying
• Chung Talks, But Off The Record
• Clinton Discusses Drugs, Trade With Mexican President
• Hatch Says Lee's Nomination Dead
• Breaking Old Habits
• Court To Consider Harassment Issue
• Congress Adjourns For The Year
• Congress Approves Adoption Change
• Congress Increases Foreign Aid
• Business Left Over By Congress
• Clinton Vetoes Congress' 'Veto'
• Congress Scraps Down To The Wire

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