Statement on Signing the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1993

I have signed into law H.R. 5504, the "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1993." The Act provides funding for Department of Defense programs.

I note that in specifying appropriations ceilings on specific programs for "Defense Reinvestment for Economic Growth," the Congress provided flexibility to allocate the total amount of such appropriations. This will allow the President to ensure that such appropriations are used only for defense-related functions, consistent with the Budget Enforcement Act and the appropriate role of the Departmentÿ20of Defense.

I am concerned that the Act requires American taxpayers to indemnify States and localities, with respect to certain claims that may arise in connection with real property transferred to them by the Department of Defense. This provision discourages the Department of Defense from transferring to States and localities real property no longer needed by the Department, an unfortunate outcome of H.R. 5504 by that should be corrected in future legislation.

Section 9009 of H.R. 5504 and the last proviso in section 105 of the Classified Annex incorporated in H.R. 5504 by reference, which purport to limit the authority to protect certain national security information through the establishment of special access programs, shall be construed consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to protect national security information.

George Bush

The White House,

October 6, 1992.