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 a federal judge on February 12, 1998.