I HAVE today approved H.R. 8747, the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1964.

In signing this bill, I wish to note my concern about the provision which precludes the use of the funds appropriated to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for fiscal year 1964 for "participating in a manned lunar landing to be carried out jointly by the U.S. and any other country without consent of the Congress."

While it will have no practical effect since there is no chance of our being engaged in a joint manned lunar landing with any other country during the remainder of this fiscal year, I believe such a restriction to be undesirable in principle. It impairs the flexibility which we should seek to retain in our relations with other countries. It may raise some doubts as to our willingness to work cooperatively with other nations in the most important space effort of this decade. Finally, it is unnecessary; the Congress can and should, without need for this provision, play its appropriate role in any arrangements we may make for international cooperation in man's attempt to land on the moon.