Feingold/Ryan earmarks provision predated Bush's

(How the game is played in Washington. Sotto voce: "I love you, too, Senator, now buzz off.")

During a Senate Budget Committee hearing today, Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, urged the administration to endorse legislation he introduced in April with Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, 1st District, to help cut wasteful spending.

During questioning of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Jim Nussle, Feingold suggested the Feingold-Ryan legislation falls in line with President Bush’s efforts to rein in unauthorized earmarks.

Here's a transcript of Senator Feingold’s exchange with Nussle.

FEINGOLD: Mr. Director, it may come as a surprise to some that on occasion I actually agree with the administration. For one, I strongly endorse your efforts to reign in unauthorized earmarks. I think it’s been a little late in coming, but I certainly welcome those efforts and along these lines I hope you’ll consider endorsing a bill I’ve introduced with my colleague from Wisconsin, and a former colleague of yours, Congressman Paul Ryan. Namely, a line-item veto measure that applies specifically to earmarks. It targets the abuse everyone says is the real reason a line-item veto is needed, namely to go after earmark spending. Have you had a chance to look at the proposal at all?

NUSSLE: I have not Senator, but I will and the president obviously continues to support the legislative line-item veto and would probably look favorably on anything that would provide some control on not only earmarks, but in general excessive spending.

FEINGOLD: Well, I appreciate that. I hope you’ll give it a good look. I know it may not be everything this president or any president would want. I voted for the previous line-item veto that was struck down by the Supreme Court. What we’re trying to do here is find something that would pass muster with the Supreme Court and still give the President the ability to help us get rid of some of these unfortunate provisions.

More information on the Feingold-Ryan bill is available HERE. Audio of the exchange is available HERE.