He said that he would like a line-item veto. Thing is when a bill has passed both houses of Congress it cannot be changed after that point. Any changes made after both houses of Congress have passed it, makes the bill null and void because it becomes a different bill when the president lines through parts he does not like. It then cannot become a law after doing his line-iteming.
I think it was during either Reagan or Bush where the president was given the line-item veto and it was determined correctly by the Supreme Court that a president can't do that. By doing so he creates a new bill different from what both houses of Congress has passed.
I know how much easier it would be to just take a big old red marker to all the odious stuff, but according to the Constitution it is not supposed to be done that way.
Best thing the president can do is strike through the stuff he doesn't like and then hand it back to Congress and have them change it and pass it again. "And then I will sign it."
TOO LATE for that. The idiot signed it, lock, stock and barrel.
The POTUS who got the line-item veto was Clinton.
It was challenged by somebody in his own party ten minutes after he used it.
An Amendment is the only way to achieve this.
It is sorely needed.