House Vote Paves Way for Resurrected Line-Item Veto : Legislation: Democrats use a little arm-twisting to win backing for modified measure. It is seen as key to Clinton’s agenda. Approval expected today.

In a victory for President Clinton and the House Democratic leadership, the House cleared the way Wednesday for approval of a modified line-item veto that had appeared to be dead.

Speaker Thomas S. Foley and his lieutenants resorted to last-minute arm twisting to eke out a 212-208 victory in a preliminary showdown on the legislation with Republicans and some of the most liberal members of his own party.

The House is expected to give final approval today to the bill, described by supporters as a key element of the President’s program for change. During his campaign last year Clinton favored legislation to give him strong veto power on money bills but after taking office he agreed to support a weaker version.

Under provisions of the legislation, the President would be able to reject individual items in appropriations bills, such as the much-derided “pork barrel” outlays for public works projects, and force Congress to vote separately on them.

Congress would be able to override the President by a simple majority vote of either the House or Senate and the funds would have to be spent as originally approved. The expanded authority would be in effect for a two-year trial period.

The vote reflected a growing consensus within Democratic ranks that the party must respond to public concern over rising deficits, even though most experts believe that the legislation will not result in major savings.

“It may not be as strong as I like, but it’s a start,” said freshman Democratic Rep. David Minge of Minnesota. “What was important to us is that we (pass) some bill, end the era of gridlock and move ahead.”

Even so, the bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate because of strong opposition from Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a master of Senate delaying tactics.

But Clinton’s endorsement and backing by many newly elected senators could give the legislation its best chance in many years of passing Congress. The House passed a similar measure, 312 to 97, in the closing days of the last session, but it never came to a vote in the Senate.

Democratic leaders had to withdraw the bill from consideration twice earlier this month when advance counts indicated that they would suffer an embarrassing defeat if it came to a vote.

This time, however, Foley worked the aisles to drum up support for the bill, often succeeding in changing the minds of Democrats who initially had decided to vote no on the preliminary issue--the ground rules for debate that had to be approved to keep the bill alive.

A total of 210 Democrats and two Republicans voted in favor of the rules, while 165 Republicans, 42 Democrats and one independent voted against them.

Opposition came from both ends of the political spectrum, with Republicans denouncing the measure as “line-item voodoo” that would deprive the President of the stronger authority he needs to eliminate wasteful spending. Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus and other liberal Democrats oppose the measure because they believe that it would shift too much power from Capitol Hill to the White House.

Foley, however, saw the bill as a compromise that would stave off stronger versions being pushed by Republicans and some conservative Democrats that he believed would upset the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.

Republicans favored a far stronger bill that would give the President the power to cancel spending and ultimately require two-thirds majorities in each chamber to override.

In other action, the first move was made to enact the President’s deficit-reduction program into law. The House Ways and Means subcommittee on health adopted a two-year modified freeze on Medicare payments to hospitals and doctors that would save an estimated $50.5 billion over the next five years.

The bill is expected to get full committee approval next week as the House moves toward the President’s goal of saving nearly $500 billion from projected spending.