White House: Bush
curbing spending

Pressed as to why President Bush has yet to veto a single bill passed by Congress, in either his first or second term of office, White House spokesman Scott McClellan today insisted Bush, nevertheless, has worked to curb non-security, discretionary spending.

"He's proposed significant savings elsewhere in the budget, as well," said McClellan in response to a question by WND White House correspondent Les Kinsolving.

"Congress has been working to meet the general budget outline that the president has put forward in recent years," McClellan said. "And we appreciate those efforts."

In today's White House press briefing, McClellan also argued Bush does not have line-item veto power, the ability to reject parts of a bill.

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"That is something that the president believes he should have, so he has to work with Congress on these priorities and these spending issues," the press secretary said.

McClellan pointed to the highway bill, which the president said he would not sign because it would substantially increase the deficit.

"We worked with members of Congress, and the amount of money that was allocated in that legislation came down significantly from where it was," McClellan said.