Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4127 - American Heritage Trust Act

(House Rules)
(Udall (D) AZ and 232 others)

If H.R. 4127 were presented to the President, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget would recommend that he veto the bill. Despite the description of the bill by some of its proponents as "self-financing," H.R. 4127 would increase annual Federal spending (and the Federal budget deficit) for land acquisition, urban parks, and historic preservation programs by approximately $300 million in FY 1990, over $1 billion by FY 1996, and over $1.2 billion by FY 2000.

These increases would take place automatically, without any need for appropriations action and with little Executive branch or Congressional oversight. The FY 1990 automatic funding level would be more than double what Congress has chosen to appropriate for the same purposes in FY 1989, operating under the strictures of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act. Within ten years, appropriations due to H.R. 4127 would be at least six times current levels. These spending levels would be far beyond any demonstrated need, would compound the already critical problem of controlling the Federal deficit, and would be fiscally irresponsible in the extreme.