mpt to limit budget spending by giving the president the power to veto certain sections of a bill, such as riders or pork barrel that dealt with the spending of the federal budget for the betterment of interest groups. The bill passed in the House of Representatives and (despite Senator Robert Byrd's best efforts) the Senate. The line item veto was opposed by the majority of Democratic representatives, but because Congress was dominated by Republicans, it passed anyway in 1996, and went into effect January 1, 1997. Once it was in effect, President Clinton used it 82 times between 1997 and 1998. Due to Democratic complaints, excessive use, and conflicts with the Separation of Powers set up in the Constitution, the line item veto was soon challenged in court. The Supreme Court hearing Clinton vs. City of New York, the Supreme Court found the line item veto unconstitutional because it violated Article1, Section 7 of the Constitution. It was taken out of effect in 1998. Since the Supreme Court ruling, the line item veto is still debated in Congress, where as the Republicans still support it, and wish to see
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