[House Document 105-270]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-270


 
                       FY 1999 BUDGET AMENDMENTS

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  FROM

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

 HIS REQUESTS FOR FY 1999 BUDGET AMENDMENTS TOTALING $294 MILLION FOR 
   PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO DETER AND 
   RESPOND TO TERRORIST INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL OR 
             CHEMICAL WEAPONS, PURSUANT TO 31 U.S.C. 1107.





June 9, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered 
                             to be printed.


                                           The White House,
                                          Washington, June 8, 1998.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Sir: I ask Congress to consider the enclosed requests for 
FY 1999 budget amendments totaling $294 million for programs 
that are designed to strengthen our ability to deter and 
respond to terrorist incidents involving the use of biological 
or chemical weapons. The requests for additional resources for 
the defense of civilians against these weapons of mass 
destruction affect the Department of Justice, the Department of 
Health and Human Services, and the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency.
    As I announced in my recent commencement address at the 
United States Naval Academy, I have directed my Administration 
to undertake a concerted effort to protect our people in the 
event that biological or chemical weapons are ever unleashed by 
a rogue state, a terrorist group, or an international criminal 
organization. The key elements of this directive, for which 
funding is requested in this transmittal, include building--for 
the first time--a civilian stockpile of antidotes and 
antibiotics to respond to a large-scale biological or chemical 
attack; improving the current public health surveillance system 
to detect biological or chemical agents rapidly and analyze 
resulting disease outbreaks; providing specialized equipment 
and training to States and localities for responding to a 
chemical or biological incident; and, expanding the National 
Institutes of Health's research into the development of 
vaccines and therapies.
    I also ask Congress to consider the enclosed request for a 
$22 million FY 1999 budget amendment to increase funding to 
deepen the Kill Van Kull channel in the Port of New York and 
New Jersey. These additional resources will keep construction 
of this important project on schedule and help to ensure the 
long-term competitiveness of this Port and the economic health 
of the region.
    The budget totals proposed in my FY 1999 Budget would not 
be affected by these amendments. The increases requested are 
offset fully by reductions to other programs contained in this 
package.
    This transmittal also contains FY 1999 budget amendments 
for the Legislative Branch. As required by law, budget requests 
for the Legislative Branch are transmitted without change.
    The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.
    Enclosure.





                                
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