RE: Oppose Line Item Veto Act and “Sunset Commission”

Dear Representative ,

To protect the democratic integrity of our Federal budget process and to protect the constitutional power of Congress to control our budget, I very strongly urge you to oppose both the Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 and any proposal for a “Sunset Commission.”

The Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 would allow the President, after the Congress negotiates and approves a balance of concerns by making spending choices, to eliminate any individual spending items that he chooses. When he introduced his 2007 budget proposal, President Bush provided a long list of programs that he would prefer to eliminate. Congress will be considering that list as it makes spending allocations in the appropriations process. After the Congress spends weeks on that exercise, the president could then re-shape the appropriations bills to match his original proposal, leaving the Congress without a significant role to play in funding allocations. The congressional process is imperfect and sometimes even results in poor spending choices, but it is a fundamental part of the democratic system in this country and offers the best chance for voters to hold their government accountable for the choices it makes.

The “Sunset Commission” proposal would sidestep the congressional authorization and appropriations process by requiring that all programs expire every 10 years, adding another layer of bureaucracy to an already complicated process. To continue in existence, program representatives would appeal to an appointed “sunset commission,” to demonstrate that the program is still needed, that it is meeting its objectives, and that it does not duplicate a service that is offered by another agency or in the private sector. Even if the sunset commission decides to make a positive recommendation, Congress must still act on that recommendation before the program’s deadline or it will be terminated.

This proposal is damaging because it creates a new bureaucracy that would damage small, underfunded programs. It would seriously damage research, education, economic development, and environmental programs because it requires that a program or service is not duplicated elsewhere in the government or in the private sector. And it would give great power to the judgment of a commission that is appointed by the majority party and takes the prerogative for such judgment from elected congressional representatives. As a 10-year deadline approached, and the “sunset commission” made its positive or negative recommendation, Congress would be required to take very quick action to consolidate, terminate, or continue federal programs, without the benefit of review by its own expert committees.

Please protect the democratic integrity of our federal budget process by opposing any proposals creating a line item veto or a sunset commission and urging all of your colleagues to do likewise.

Most Sincerely,

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