Statement of Administration Policy: Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, FY 1991

(Senate Floor)
(Sponsors: Byrd (D), West Virginia; Inouye (D), Hawaii)

The Administration supports the passage of appropriations bills that are consistent with the Budget Summit Agreement (except as modified for defense by the Conference Report accompanying H. Con. Res. 310). The President's senior advisers will recommend that the President veto any appropriations bill that is not substantially consistent with the Agreement, as modified.

The Committee is commended for producing a bill that is substantially consistent in overall level with the budget agreement and that provides adequate funding for the B-2 aircraft and the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Passage of amendments, however, that would result in the President being presented with a bill that contains no procurement funding for the B-2 and lower levels of SDI funding would result in the President's senior advisers recommending that he veto the bill.

The Senate is urged to delete provisions that limit the President's flexibility to allocate SDI funding in the most effective manner. Earmarking of funds for specific projects would limit our flexibility to exploit fast-paced technological developments and hurt our ability to meet the President's SDI objectives.

The Senate is urged to restore funds for key modernization programs including the $1.1 billion requested for the MILSTAR communications satellite program and the $158 million requested for the National Aerospace Plane (NASP). MILSTAR will provide a much needed major upgrade in our command, control and communications capabilities and should be fully funded. The NASP is an important part of the nation's space program with major civilian and military applications.

The Committee bill reduces military end strength 100,000 below the FY 1990 level. A reduction of more than 80,000 would require involuntary separations of personnel who otherwise may be required to support Operation Desert Shield.

The bill adds funds for low priority or unneeded items and provides for programs that should be included in other appropriation bills. For example, the bill includes $238 million for development of the V-22 Osprey aircraft program, $144 million for M-l tank upgrades, and $300 million for Coast Guard programs. The Senate is urged to delete unrequested programs from the Committee bill.

Section 8081 of the bill would give the classified annex to the report the force of law even though provisions of the annex have not been subject to debate or to review by the Administration. Consequently, we are unable to comment on the substance of the proposed report language which would be statutorily significant if these sections were to be enacted. The Senate is urged to delete this provision.