[House Document 104-122]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





        104th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House 
Document 104-122


 
                           VETO OF H.R. 1854

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

HIS VETO OF H.R. 1854, A BILL MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE 
  BRANCH FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1996; AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES




 October 6, 1995.--Message and accompanying bill ordered to be printed
To the House of Representatives:
    I am returning today without my approval H.R. 1854, the 
``Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, FY 1996.''
    H.R. 1854 is, in fact, a disciplined bill, one that I would 
sign under different circumstances. But, at this point, 
Congress has completed action on only two of the 13 FY 1996 
appropriations bills: this one and H.R. 1817, the Military 
Construction appropriations bill. Thus, the vast majority of 
Federal activities lack final FY 1996 funding and are operating 
under a short-term continuing resolution.
    I appreciate the willingness of Congress to work with my 
Administration to produce an acceptable short-term continuing 
resolution before completing action on the regular, full-year 
appropriations bills for FY 1996. I believe, however, that it 
would be inappropriate to provide full-year regular funding for 
Congress and its offices while funding for most other 
activities of Government remains incomplete, unresolved, and 
uncertain.
    As I said two months ago, I don't think Congress should 
take care of its own business before it takes care of the 
people's business. I stated that if the congressional 
leadership were to follow through on its plan and to send me 
its own funding bill before finishing work on the rest of the 
budget, I would veto it. I am now following through on that 
commitment.
    I urge the Congress to move forward promptly on completing 
the FY 1996 appropriations bills in a form that I can accept.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, October 3, 1995.
H.R. 1854

  One Hundred Fourth Congress of the United States of America, at the 
 First Session, Begun and Held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 
  the Fourth Day of January, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-five