[House Document 106-137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-137
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  NOTIFICATION OF FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE 
                   UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

  NOTIFICATION OF FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE 
 UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
  ACTIVITIES WITH INDIA IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES




 September 30, 1999.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed

                                -------                                

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-012                     WASHINGTON : 1999       





                                           The White House,
                                    Washington, September 29, 1999.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Sir: In accordance with provisions of the India-Pakistan 
Relief Act of 1998, as included in P.L. 105-277, the Omnibus 
Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
1999, I hereby designate the following requests as emergency 
requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.
Department of the Interior
     United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Multinational Species Conservation Fund, Asian elephant 
conservation program: Such sums as are actually obligated for 
India.
     United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Multinational Species Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros and tiger 
conservation program: Such sums as are actually obligated for 
India.
United States Information Agency
     United States-India Fund for Educational, 
Cultural, and Scientific Cooperation: Such sums as are actually 
obligated for India.
    This funding will support environmental protection 
activities with India in the national interest of the United 
States.
    The details of these actions 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.
    Enclosures.


               [Estimate No. 34, 106th Cong., 1st Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                Washington, DC, September 29, 1999.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration are requests to make 
available emergency funding to support environmental protection 
activities with India in the national interest of the United 
States.
    The India-Pakistan Relief Act of 1998 (``the Act'') was 
included in Division A, section 101(a), Title IX, of Public Law 
105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 1999. Provisions of the Act permit the 
President to waive for a period not to exceed one year, with 
respect to India and Pakistan, the application of any sanction 
or prohibition contained in section 101 or 102 of the Arms 
Export Control Act, section 620E(e) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961, or section 2(b)(4) of the Export-Import Bank Act 
of 1945. In addition, the Act provides that the funds made 
available under it would be contingent upon the President 
submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the 
request as an emergency requirement.
    India has undertaken commitments on nonproliferation issues 
and on regional issues that warrant positive responses by our 
Government. Under separate cover, your national security 
advisers have recommended that you invoke your authority under 
the Act and waive some of the sanctions imposed on India 
following its nuclear tests in May 1998. This waiver would 
expire on October 20, 1999. As required by the Act, 
congressional consultations have been successfully completed. 
Therefore, in order to make funds available, I recommend that 
you designate the requests listed on the enclosure as emergency 
requirements in accordance with section 251(b)(2)(A) of the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as 
amended. No further congressional action will be required. In 
December 1998, you exempted certain International Security 
Assistance, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Export-
Import Bank, and Trade and Development Agency programs from 
sanctions and designated the associated funding as emergency 
requirements. That funding supported trade and investment 
activity with India and Pakistan in the national interest of 
the United States.
    I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied 
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Secretary of State and the Assistant to the President for 
National Security Affairs in recommending that you make the 
requested funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            Sincerely,
                                            Jacob J. Lew, Director.
    Enclosure.


    Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made 
                       Available by the President

Department of the Interior
    United States Fish and Wildlife Service:
          Multinational Species Conservation Fund, Asian 
        elephant conservation program: Such sums as are 
        actually obligated for India.
          Multinational Species Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros 
        and tiger conservation program: Such sums as are 
        actually obligated for India.
United States Information Agency
          United States-Indian Fund for Educational, Cultural, 
        and Scientific Cooperation: Such sums as are actually 
        obligated for India.
    Public Law 105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, included the India-
Pakistan Relief Act of 1999 (``the Act''). Provisions of the 
Act permit the President to waive for a period not to exceed 
one year, with respect to India and Pakistan, the application 
of any sanction or prohibition contained in section 101 or 102 
of the Arms Export Control Act, section 620E(e) of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961, or section 2(b)(4) of the Export-Import 
Bank Act of 1945. In addition, the Act provides that the funds 
made available under it are contingent upon the President 
submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the 
request as an emergency requirement.
    A Presidential Determination Order has been issued that 
waives, until October 20, 1999, some of the sanctions imposed 
on India following its nuclear tests in May 1998. The 
associated funds now made available will support the following 
activities:
     The Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to 
issue grants to study and promote Asian elephant ecosystem 
conservation management, conduct surveys and monitoring 
activities of Asian elephants, conduct habitat research, and 
promote conservation education and efforts to decrease human/
elephant contact;
     The Fish and Wildlife Service will be able to 
issue grants to study and promote surveys and monitoring 
activities of rhinoceros and tiger populations, conduct 
conservation education activities, provide wildlife inspection 
training, and promote protected areas management; and,
     The United States Information Agency will be able 
to issue a grant to the Indo-American Environmental Leadership 
Program to support scientific, technical, educational, and 
policy partnerships between India and the United States within 
the framework of the Indo-U.S. Common Agenda for the 
Environment (CAE). CAE provides a basis for Indian and U.S. 
collaboration on environmental issues of common concern.

                                

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