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Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 889 - Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and Recessions Bill, 1995

March 07, 1995

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(Senate Floor)
(Sponsor: Hatfield (R), Oregon)

This statement of Administration Policy provides the Administration's views on H.R. 889, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions Bill, FY 1995, as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Administration appreciates the Committee's prompt action on the Administration's request for funding unbudgeted contingency operations of the Department of Defense (DoD). The Administration also commends the Committee for excluding two items contained in the House-passed bill: (l) an unrequested $670 million for DoD activities; and (2) a proposal to rescind $80 million in funding for the Nunn-Lugar program.

However, we strongly object to other actions the Committee has taken. Specifically, the Administration objects to the removal of the emergency designation from the supplemental funds provided by the bill. In addition, the Administration opposes reductions to programs that are important to our military strategy and defense planning for the next century as well as to those that foster economic growth through technological advancement.

The Administration believes that the $1.9 billion that is included in Title I of H.R. 889 should be designated as emergency funding under P.L. 101-508, the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (BEA), and is not required to be offset. The BEA emergency authority was established specifically to provide for the funding of unanticipated requirements. The Administration strongly supports the expeditious approval of the full $2,557 million requested for the Department of Defense as emergency supplemental appropriations. The Administration is committed to working with the congress to ensure the enactment of these emergency appropriations.

The Administration is committed to reducing low-priority discretionary spending and has proposed $2.4 billion of defense and non-defense FY 1995 reductions, including $1.1 billion of rescissions, in order to Offset requested non-emergency supplementals. However, H.R. 889, as reported by the Committee, would adversely affect a number of the Administration's priorities.

The Committee funding level for the Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) is a significant improvement over the House-passed bill. However, the Administration believes that the rescission approved by the Committee would still hinder efforts to integrate high technology industries with defense requirements to enable the deployment of advanced technology on the future battlefield. Our technological edge into the next century depends on such integration. The Administration would support an amendment to reduce or eliminate the rescission.

Both the House-passed and Committee-reported versions of the bill would rescind $107 million in funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program (ATP). The ATP allows government to team with industry in a highly competitive process to pursue high-risk, enabling technologies that have the potential to contribute dramatically to long-term economic growth. The Committee-proposed rescission would force the reduction of the competitions already announced in FY 199S and cancellation of new competitions planned for the remainder of the fiscal year. We must reinforce the fragile new spirit of public-private partnership and cooperation by maintaining the continuity of our commitments and funding the ATP. The Administration would support an amendment to eliminate or reduce the ATP rescission.

The Administration would support an amendment to shift consideration of the President's request for $275 million for Jordanian debt relief from the supplemental and rescission bill currently under consideration by the House to H.R. 889. This would ensure an expedited treatment of Jordanian debt forgiveness, which is linked to the historic steps taken by King Hussein to conclude a peace agreement with Israel. This agreement has improved prospects for overall peace in the region markedly and has involved considerable risk for King Hussein. Secretary Christopher will be in the Middle East this week. We are working with Members of Congress to find appropriate offsets for this supplemental request.

William J. Clinton, Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 889 - Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and Recessions Bill, 1995 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/329679

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