Bill
HJRES 8
Summary of HJRES 8: Line Item Veto Constitutional Amendment OverviewHJRES 8 is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would grant the President a l
HJRES 8 is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would grant the President a limited line-item veto authority over appropriations bills passed by Congress. If enacted, this amendment would allow the President to selectively veto individual spending provisions within appropriations legislation, rather than having to veto the entire bill.
The main components of the proposed constitutional amendment are:
Line-Item Veto Authority: The President would be given the power to disapprove, or "veto", any specific spending item (also known as a "line item") within appropriations bills passed by Congress.
Procedure for Line-Item Veto: After Congress passes an appropriations bill, the President would have a limited time period (e.g. 10 days) to identify and transmit back to Congress any specific line items they wish to veto. Congress would then have the opportunity to override the President's line-item veto by a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.
Scope of Authority: The line-item veto power would be limited to appropriations bills and could not be applied to other types of legislation, such as authorization bills or tax measures.
The proposed amendment is intended to provide the President with a tool to curb excessive or unnecessary government spending by allowing more targeted vetoes of appropriations. Supporters argue this would improve fiscal responsibility and give the executive branch more control over the federal budget process.
However, critics raise concerns that the line-item veto could upset the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches, potentially allowing the President to unilaterally reshape legislation passed by Congress. There are also debates about whether a line-item veto is an appropriate constitutional power or if it should be addressed through regular legislation.
HJRES 8 was introduced in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2025. As a proposed constitutional amendment, the resolution would need to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, and then ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, before taking effect.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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