line-item veto

line-item veto [lahyn-ahy-tuh m] See more synonyms for line-item veto on Thesaurus.com noun

1. the power of the executive to veto particular items of a bill without having to veto the entire bill.

line-item veto in Culture line-item veto

The authority of an executive to veto a specific appropriation in a budget passed by a legislature. Viewing the line-item veto as an effective tactic against pork-barrel legislation, presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush unsuccessfully sought this authority, which many state governors possess, from Congress. Under current law the president must choose between signing or vetoing the entire budget rather than parts (items on budget lines) of it.