A Wisconsin Congressman wants to keep wasteful spending projects out of federal legislation. Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) admits that it's nothing new, lawmakers have slipping pork projects into federal bills for years. He points to the controversial " bridge to nowhere " and a rain forest museum in Iowa, which had no public hearings but still ended up added on to laws.
Ryan is teaming with US Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) on legislation that would give the president line-item veto authority over those earmarks. The First District Republican says those projects could be removed from legislation and then sent back to Congress for an up or down vote. Lawmakers would have to act on the measure within 12 days.
Ryan says giving that power to the president should stop lawmakers from trying to slip in frivolous spending. He says the risk of having a wasteful project exposed should make lawmakers think twice before trying to add extra spending to federal legislation.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:01)
