[House Document 105-220]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-220
MAKING AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
HIS REQUESTS FOR FY 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS AND FY 1999 BUDGET
AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS EMERGENCY FUNDING NEEDS RELATED TO THE SITUATION
IN BOSNIA AND IN SOUTHWEST ASIA AS WELL AS TO NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE
UNITED STATES; AND TO DESIGNATE THESE REQUESTS AS EMERGENCY
REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTION 251(b)(2)(D)(i) OF THE BALANCED BUDGET
AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985, AS AMENDED, PURSUANT TO 31
U.S.C. 1107
March 4, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and
ordered to be printed
--------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
59-012 WASHINGTON : 1998
The White House,
Washington, March 3, 1998.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sir: I ask Congress to consider the enclosed requests for
emergency FY 1998 supplemental appropriations and FY 1999
budget amendments to address emergency funding needs related to
the situation in Bosnia and in Southwest Asia as well as to
natural disasters in the United States. These requests,
including requests for contingent appropriations, total $2,490
million for FY 1998 and $1,859 million for FY 1999 and affect
the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the
Department of the Interior, the Department of Transportation,
and the Corps of Engineers.
I ask that Congress consider the FY 1998 emergency
supplemental requests transmitted herein as part of a
comprehensive package together with requests for supplemental
appropriations included in the FY 1999 Budget, including
additional funding for veterans compensation and pensions;
requests transmitted on February 2, 1998, for the Department of
State in order to pay U.S. arrears to the United Nations and
other international organizations and for the International
Monetary Fund; and, requests for other important needs that
were transmitted on February 20, 1998.
Section 8132 of P.L. 105-56, the FY 1998 Department of
Defense Appropriations Act, requires the President to certify
to Congress that the continued presence of U.S. forces in
Bosnia beyond June 30, 1998, is required to meet the security
interests of the United States. Along with the certification,
the President must submit ``a supplemental appropriations
request for such amounts as are necessary for any continued
deployment beyond June 30, 1998.'' The supplemental request
required by P.L. 105-56 is enclosed and described below; the
required certification is being transmitted to the Congress
concurrently.
My intention to extend the U.S. military mission in Bosnia
past June 30, 1998, and the recent build-up of U.S. forces in
Southwest Asia require that the Department of Defense receive
additional funding for FY 1998. The additional funds will be
used to cover the costs of these unanticipated military
operations so that funding previously allocated to maintain our
military's force readiness will not be reduced. I ask the
Congress to consider expeditiously the enclosed FY 1998
supplemental appropriations request in support of these
efforts. Also enclosed is an FY 1999 budget amendment that will
fund continued U.S. presence in Bosnia through FY 1999. In
total, these requests seek $486.9 million for Bosnia and
$1,361.4 million for Southwest Asia in FY 1998, and $1,858.6
million for Bosnia in FY 1999.
America has major national interests in peace in Bosnia. We
have learned from hard experience in the twentieth century that
America's security and Europe's stability are intimately
linked. The United States and its allies have made much
progress in forging a lasting peace, but much more work remains
to be done. That work requires American leadership and American
military presence. I ask the Congress to support the extension
of our military mission in Bosnia and to provide sufficient
funds for this purpose.
In Southwest Asia, once again we have taken a stand against
those who would threaten the U.S. and the world with weapons of
mass destruction and deliberately flaunt the will of the
international community. Iraq's refusal to allow weapons
inspections sanctioned by the United Nations prompted a build-
up of U.S. forces in Southwest Asia to make it plain that we
would not tolerate Iraqi intransigence. At the present time,
these forces must remain in the region to safeguard U.S.
interests and to remind Iraq of the penalties of non-
compliance.
In making these requests, however, I wish to note the
following factors that could affect the proposed funding
levels. First, NATO has not completed the detailed planning for
a Follow-on Force in Bosnia. Thus, the proposed FY 1998
supplemental request and FY 1999 budget amendment assume a
draw-down of U.S. military personnel that we believe to be
consistent with the most likely NATO plan. In Southwest Asia,
while Iraq has made an agreement on paper, we cannot know if
Iraq will live up to its promise. U.S. military action still
may be required; accordingly, our additional forces will remain
in Southwest Asia for the foreseeable future. For purposes of
the FY 1998 supplemental, we are requesting funds to cover the
costs that would be associated with sustaining the current
force levels and operations in the region for the remainder of
the fiscal year.
In addition, $386.8 million is requested for emergency
requirements resulting from recent natural disasters, including
recent flooding, ice storms, El Nino, and other natural
disasters.
I hereby designate the amounts requested for the following
accounts for FY 1998 and FY 1999 as emergency requirements
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.
For FY 1998, for Bosnia and Southwest Asia:
Department of Defense:
Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer
Fund: $1,621,900,000
Military Personnel, Army: $184,000,000
Military Personnel, Navy: $22,300,000
Military Personnel, Marine Corps: $5,100,000
Military Personnel, Air Force: $10,900,000
Reserve Personnel, Navy: $4,100,000
For FY 1998, for natural disasters:
Department of Agriculture:
Farm Services Agency
Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund Program
Account: $6,000,000
Commodity Credit Corporation: Dairy and
Livestock Disaster Assistance Program:
$4,000,000
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations:
$5,000,000
Forest Service
National Forest System: $5,000,000
State and Private Forestry: $20,000,000
Department of Defense:
Operations & Maintenance, Army: $1,886,000
Operations & Maintenance, Navy: $48,100,000
Operations & Maintenance, Air Force:
$27,400,000
Operations & Maintenance, Defense Agencies:
$1,390,000
Operations & Maintenance, Army Reserve:
$650,000
Operations & Maintenance, Air Force Reserve:
$229,000
Operations & Maintenance, Army National
Guard: $175,000
Family Housing, Navy: $15,600,000
Family Housing, Air Force: $1,500,000
Defense Working Capital Fund: $24,017,000
Defense Health Program, Operations &
Maintenance: $1,900,000
Department of Transportation:
Federal Highway Administration, Federal-aid
Highways: $224,000,000
For FY 1999:
Department of Defense:
Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer
Fund: $1,512,400,000
Military Personnel, Army: $297,700,000
Military Personnel, Navy: $9,700,000
Military Personnel, Marine Corps: $2,700,000
Military Personnel, Air Force: $33,900,000
Reserve Personnel, Navy: $2,200,000
In addition to the above mentioned emergency funding,
$254.8 million in contingent emergency funding is requested in
response to natural disasters. This funding is contingent upon
the further assessment of need by the Departments of
Agriculture, Defense, the Interior, Transportation, and the
Corps of Engineers.
The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.
Sincerely,
William J. Clinton.
Enclosure.
[Estimate No. 3, 105th Congress, 2d Session]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, March 3, 1998.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration are requests for emergency
FY 1998 supplemental appropriations that would provide funds to
extend the U.S. presence in Bosnia through the end of FY 1998
and cover the costs associated with recently deploying
additional U.S. forces to Southwest Asia. Also included in this
package are FY 1999 budget amendments to cover the costs of
retaining U.S. forces in Bosnia throughout FY 1999. The
requested amounts, totaling $1,848.3 million in FY 1998 and
$1,858.6 million in FY 1999, fund the following activities:
Bosnia:
FY 1998. A total of $486.9 million in supplemental
appropriations is requested to fund the deployment of U.S.
forces to Bosnia past the previously scheduled withdrawal date
of June 30, 1998. Of the total requested, $103.8 million is for
Military Personnel accounts for special pay and allowances for
personnel deployed to the region, and $383.1 million is for the
Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund for unit
operations, transportation, logistics, supplies, fuel, and
spare parts.
FY 1999. An additional $1,858.6 million above your pending
FY 1999 request is required to fund the full-year cost of
maintaining U.S. forces in Bosnia. Of the total increase,
$346.2 million is for Military Personnel accounts for special
pay and allowances, and $1,512.4 million is for the Overseas
Contingency Operations Transfer Fund for unit operations,
transportation, logistics, supplies, fuel, and spare parts.
Southwest Asia
FY 1998. A total of $1,361.4 million in supplemental
appropriations is sufficient to fund additional U.S.
deployments to Southwest Asia through the end of the fiscal
year. Of the total requested, $122.6 million is for Military
Personnel accounts to cover special pay of personnel deployed
to the region, and $1,238.8 million in the Overseas Contingency
Operations Transfer Fund is required to cover increased
operational, transportation, logistics, supplies, fuel, and
spare parts costs, as well as the use of draw-down authority.
The proposed FY 1998 supplemental requests and the FY 1999
budget amendments are priced to reflect the following:
NATO has not finalized its follow-on force
deployment plans, so the precise composition and basing of U.S.
forces after June 1998 is not known at this time. We anticipate
that while the total NATO force in Bosnia will likely remain
the same, U.S. troop commitments will decrease from 8,500 to
6,900 personnel.
It is possible that U.S. forces in Southwest Asia
will remain at their current levels for some time. For purposes
of the supplemental request, we have estimated what it would
cost were we to retain this force in the region for the
remainder of FY 1998. If these higher-than-budgeted force
levels remain in the region into the next fiscal year, then
costs will increase above the amounts requested in the FY 1999
Budget. Should the need arise, we will consider appropriate
measures for seeking additional FY 1999 funds for Southwest
Asia operations at a later time.
U.S. forces could remain at current high
operations levels for some time. Therefore, for purposes of the
supplemental, we have estimated what it would cost were our
forces to remain at their higher operational rate for the
remainder of FY 1998. If our forces reduce their operations
rate sooner, costs could decrease.
In addition to the Department of Defense emergency funds
requested for Bosnia and Southwest Asia, $641.6 million is
requested for FY 1998 emergency requirements resulting from
recent flooding, ice storms, El Nino, and other natural
disasters. As described in the enclosures, the following
emergency supplementals are requested to address needs related
to recent natural disasters:
$224.0 million for the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) to repair highway damage resulting from
the floods in California and the Northeastern United States and
other disasters nation-wide.
An additional $35.0 million is being requested for FHWA, to
be made available contingent upon your submission of a later
budget request to the Congress designating the entire amount
requested as an emergency requirement.
$122.8 million for the Department of Defense. The
request includes $120.7 million for damage in Guam resulting
from Typhoon Paka and $2 million for damage in the United
States resulting from ice storms.
An additional $50 million is being requested for the
Department of Defense, to be made available contingent upon
your submission of a later budget request to the Congress
designating the entire amount requested as an emergency
requirement.
$143.0 million for the Department of Agriculture.
The requested funds include: $10 million for the Farm Service
Agency, of which $6 million in subsidy budget authority would
support $25 million in emergency loans to assist family
farmers; $5 million for watershed and flood prevention
operations such as opening dangerously restricted channels and
waterways; and, $25 million for the Forest Service to repair
damage caused by recent ice storms.
Of this amount, $103.0 million is being requested for the
Department of Agriculture, to be made available contingent upon
your submission of a later budget request to the Congress
designating the entire amount requested as an emergency
requirement.
$36.8 million for the Department of the Interior,
to be made available contingent upon your submission of a later
budget request to the Congress designating the entire amount
requested as an emergency requirement. These contingent funds
include: $25 million for the Fish and Wildlife Service to
repair damage to national wildlife refuge property and
structures; $8.5 million for the National Park Service to
repair and replace facilities; $2.3 million for the Bureau of
Reclamation to repair flood control levees and dikes; and, $1.0
million for the U.S. Geological Service to repair damage to its
facilities and monitoring equipment.
$30 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
to be made available contingent upon your submission of a later
budget request to the Congress designating the entire amount
requested as an emergency requirement. These funds would be
requested to complete repairs of damage to navigation channels
and harbors, flood control channels, and reservoir facilities
due to El Nino in California, the Pacific Northwest, and
Florida.
These emergency requests related to natural disasters in
the United States largely address needs related to debris
removal and the repair of infrastructure. The needs of
individuals affected by natural disasters are currently being
met with existing Federal resources administered through
programs such as FEMA Disaster Relief and the SBA Disaster Loan
Program.
I recommend that you designate the $1,848.3 million
requested for FY 1998 and the $1,858.6 million requested for FY
1999 for needs associated with Bosnia and Southwest Asia, and
$386.8 million requested for FY 1998 disaster requirements as
emergency funding in accordance with section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
as amended.
For the Department of Health and Human Services, $16
million is requested for implementation of the Health Insurance
Portability and Access Act, specifically for the development of
national standards to simplify claims processing for both
Federal and private health care providers, and for Federal
oversight and enforcement of health insurance portability and
access provisions. Also included are technical language changes
for the Executive Residence.
I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied
that they are necessary at this time. Accordingly, I join the
Secretary of Defense and heads of other affected Departments
and agencies in recommending that you transmit these proposals
to the Congress. We will continue to monitor the evolving
situations in Bosnia and Iraq to determine what, if any,
additional resources are required.
Sincerely,
Franklin D. Raines, Director.
Enclosures.