[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[October 5, 1992]
[Pages 1756-1757]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 1993
October 5, 1992

    I have signed into law H.R. 5503, the ``Department of the Interior 
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993.'' H.R. 5503 provides 
funds for various programs of

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the Departments of the Interior and Energy, the Forest Service 
(Department of Agriculture), and the Indian Health Service (Department 
of Health and Human Services). Funding for other agencies such as the 
Smithsonian Institution and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council 
is also included.
    This Act provides funding for important Federal recreation and 
conservation activities, including the expansion of national parks, 
forests, and wildlife refuges. Many nationally significant natural and 
cultural resources will be protected by the appropriations provided in 
this Act.
    I do have concerns with certain provisions of the Act. The Congress 
has included funding for a number of unnecessary, low-priority 
construction projects and ineffective programs. These funds would be 
more effectively utilized for my America the Beautiful initiative for 
national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands.
    I strongly object to the reduction in the Act for the new natural 
gas research and development program. The National Energy Strategy (NES) 
concluded that the use of domestically abundant natural gas resources 
could increase energy security and improve the environment. This 
reduction will impede the development of ultra-high efficiency gas 
turbines and other gas technologies that are needed to achieve NES 
goals.
    A number of provisions in the Act condition the authority of 
executive branch officials to use funds otherwise appropriated by this 
Act, or to take other specified actions, on the approval of various 
committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate. These 
provisions constitute legislative vetoes similar to those declared 
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in INS v. Chadha. Accordingly, I 
will treat them as having no legal force or effect in this or any other 
legislation in which they appear.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
October 5, 1992.

                    Note: H.R. 5503, approved October 5, was assigned 
                        Public Law No. 102-381.