S-3863.1          _______________________________________________

                            SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8030

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Senators Thorsness, Oke, Nelson, Sellar, Barr and L. Smith

Read first time 02/06/92.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Petitioning Congress to allow the President to have more authority to veto specific items of appropriation.

      TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF EACH HOUSE OF EACH STATE LEGISLATURE IN THE UNITED STATES:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, Despite various efforts to control the growth of federal spending, the President has had insufficient authority with respect to the budgetary process; and

     WHEREAS, The federal budget has not been balanced since 1969, and the national debt jeopardizes the economic well-being of the country; and

     WHEREAS, Presidents from both major political parties have cited the need for greater presidential involvement in administering the budgetary affairs of the nation; and

     WHEREAS, Governors in forty-three states have the constitutional power to veto items of appropriation while approving other portions of a bill; and

     WHEREAS, This power has been described by political scholars as a highly desirable one, and one that has had a positive effect on the operation of government; and

     WHEREAS, Under Article V of the United States Constitution, amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Congress whenever two-thirds of both houses deem it necessary, or, on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states, the Congress shall call a Constitutional Convention for the purpose of proposing amendments;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists, a majority of all members of the two houses, voting separately concurring herein, petition the Congress of the United States of America to adopt an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, for submission to the states for ratification, authorizing the President of the United States to reduce or eliminate, in whole or in part, one or more items of appropriation while approving other portions of a bill.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That the Legislature of the state of Washington hereby requests the Congress to submit to the several states the amendment to the Constitution of the United States for purposes of ratification; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled, and to the presiding officer of each house of each state legislature in the United States.