89 year old Sen. Robert Byrd (D -W. Va) made an empassioned plea on the Senate floor today opposing the Gregg Amendment that would allow line item vetos in the Ethics Reform Bill that is under debate in the Senate. This would give the president authority to single out individual spending items in legislation for elimination.
As was reported on January 17th, "Democrats failed to clear a crucial legislative hurdle when the Senate voted 51-46 to proceed with the bill that would have reduced the influence of lobbyists in shaping legislation and forced lawmakers to be more open about the pet projects they slip into legislation. Sixty votes were needed to advance the legislation."
Sen. Byrd: "I will stand here until my bones crumble under me... until I have no further breath, if necessary, to let such a proposal become law."
Part One:
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