New bill targets congressional spending

President Obama is sending a bill to Congress today that would grant a new way to eliminate earmarks congressional spending bills. The Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010 would enable presidents to sift carefully through congressional spending bills and send them back with items vetoed. Congress would then give a vote on the new version of the bill. The new measure would be less powerful than a line-item veto, which allows a president to cross out an item and have the change go into effect immediately.

Doug Elliot of the Brookings Institution said he’d be surprised if Congress went along with the new measure, which he noted would increase presidential authority.