[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[October 6, 1992]
[Pages 1768-1769]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1993
October 6, 1992

    I have signed into law H.R. 5504, the ``Department of Defense 
Appropriations Act, 1993.'' The Act provides funding for Department of 
Defense programs.
    I note that in specifying appropriations ceilings on specific 
programs for ``Defense Reinvestment for Economic Growth,'' the Congress 
provided flexibility to allocate the total amount of such 
appropriations. This will allow the President to ensure that such 
appropriations are used only for defense-related functions, consistent 
with the Budget Enforcement Act and the appropriate role of the 
Department of Defense.
    I am concerned that the Act requires American taxpayers to indemnify 
States and localities, with respect to certain claims that may arise in 
connection with real property transferred to them by the Department of 
Defense. This provision discourages the Department of Defense from 
transferring to States and localities real property no longer needed by 
the Department, an unfortunate outcome of H.R. 5504 by that should be 
corrected in future legislation.
    Section 9009 of H.R. 5504 and the last proviso in section 105 of the 
Classified Annex incorporated in H.R. 5504 by reference, which purport 
to limit the authority to protect certain national security informa-

[[Page 1769]]

tion through the establishment of special access programs, shall be 
construed consistent with the constitutional authority of the President 
to protect national security information.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
October 6, 1992.

                    Note: H.R. 5504, approved October 6, was assigned 
                        Public Law No. 102-396.