Line-item veto

A line-item veto is a power which many state governors of the United States have. The line item veto enables the governor to veto a particular spending item on a budget without vetoing the entire budget bill. This allows the governor increased power to determine spending. The line-item veto was seen as a way of controlling spending.

In 1996, Congress by joint resolution gave the President of the United States the power to issue a line item veto. This power was invoked by President Bill Clinton, but was subsequently ruled unconstitutional by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan on February 12, 1998. On June 25, 1998 the Supreme Court reaffirmed the unconstitutionality by a vote of 6-3.