“A bipartisan group in Congress agrees that the line-item veto will help hold Washington accountable and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively,” he said. “I will be working with the deficit committee to include this important tool in the final package it produces.”

In 1996, Coats and McCain co-authored a line-item veto measure that became law. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional, a ruling opposed by Coats and McCain. 

Coats and 40 senators support a measure that would give the president line-item veto authority to cut wasteful spending, and would address previously questionable constitutional questions.