[House Document 105-236]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 2d Session  - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-236


 
                  CERTIFICATION REGARDING B-2 BOMBERS

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

CERTIFICATION THAT NO ADDITIONAL B-2 BOMBERS SHOULD BE PROCURED DURING 
THIS FISCAL YEAR, PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 105-56 AND PUBLIC LAW 105-85, 
                              SECTION 131





   March 31, 1998.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
 Committees on Appropriations and National Security, and ordered to be 
                                printed


To the Congress of the United States:
    In accordance with the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act, 1998, Public Law 105-56 (1997), and section 131 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998, Public 
Law 105-85 (1997), I certify to the Congress that no additional 
B-2 bombers should be procured during this fiscal year.
    After considering the recommendations of the Panel to 
Review Long-Range Air Power and the advice of the Secretary of 
Defense, I have decided that the $331 million authorized and 
appropriated for B-2 bombers in Fiscal Year 1998 will be 
applied as follows: $174 million will be applied toward 
completing the planned Fiscal Year 1998 baseline modification 
and repair program and $157 million will be applied toward 
further upgrades to improve the deployability, survivability, 
and maintainability of the current B-2 fleet. Using the funds 
in this manner will ensure successful completion of the 
baseline modification and repair program and further enhance 
the operational combat readiness of the B-2 fleet.
    The Panel to Review Long-Range Air Power also provided 
several far-reaching recommendations for fully exploiting the 
potential of the current B-1, B-2, and B-52 bomber force, and 
for upgrading and sustaining the bomber force for the longer 
term. These longer term recommendations warrant careful review 
as the Department of Defense prepares its Fiscal Year 2000-2006 
Future Years Defense Program.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, March 31, 1998.

                                
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