During the consideration of the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill (H.R. 2829) the House narrowly rejected an amendment (209-217) that would have eliminated funding for the Office of the Vice President.

The amendment was offered by Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) in response to the controversy that arose this week when Vice President Cheney refused to comply with Executive Order 12958, as amended, requiring executive branch departments, agencies, and commissions to report to the National Archives on their classification activities.

Vice President Cheney caused a partisan firestorm when his office stated that the OVP was not an executive branch entity, and therefore not subject to the executive order, since the Vice President also had legislative responsibilities as the President of the Senate.