[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[July 22, 1994]
[Page 1301]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1995
July 22, 1994

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 4454, the Legislative Branch 
Appropriations Act, 1995. H.R. 4454 provides fiscal year 1995 
appropriations to fund the Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, 
the Office of Technology Assessment, the Architect of the Capitol, the 
General Accounting Office, the Government Printing Office, and the 
Library of Congress.
    In signing the bill into law, I note that this Act, the purpose of 
which is to provide appropriations for the legislative branch, also 
contains provisions affecting the operations of the executive branch. As 
a matter of comity, legislative branch appropriations acts historically 
have not contained provisions affecting the executive branch, and the 
executive branch has not commented on provisions of these acts. Since 
this Act contains provisions that depart from that standard, it is 
appropriate to express my views on these provisions. These provisions 
concern the involvement of the Public Printer and the Government 
Printing Office in executive branch printing related to the production 
of Government publications. Specifically, the Act includes amendments to 
existing law that expand the involvement of the Public Printer and the 
Government Printing Office in executive branch functions.
    The Act raises serious constitutional concerns by requiring that 
executive branch agencies receive a certification from the Public 
Printer before procuring the production of certain Government documents 
outside of the Government Printing Office. In addition, the Act expands 
the types of material that are to be produced by the Government Printing 
Office beyond that commonly recognized as ``printing.'' In light of 
these concerns, I will interpret the amendments to the public printing 
provisions in a manner that minimizes the potential constitutional 
deficiencies in the Act.
    In this regard, the exclusive authority of the Government Printing 
Office over ``the procurement of any printing related to the production 
of Government publications'' will be restricted to procurement of 
documents intended primarily for distribution to and use by the general 
public. Additionally, in light of the substantial expansion of the role 
of the Government Printing Office that would be occasioned by a broad 
reading of the term, ``duplicating,'' that term will be read to 
encompass only the reproduction inherent in traditional printing 
processes, such as composition and presswork, and not reproduced by 
other means, such as laser printers or photocopying machines.
    The concerns raised by this Act reinforce my eagerness and resolve 
to accomplish a comprehensive reform of Federal printing in accordance 
with constitutional principles, an effort that began last year with the 
Vice President's National Performance Review. Reform legislation can 
improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Government printing by 
maximizing the use of private sector printing capability through open 
competitive procedures and by limiting Government-owned printing 
resources to only those necessary to maintain a minimum core capacity. 
Reform of Federal printing practices can also serve to enhance public 
access to public information, through a diversity of sources and in a 
variety of forms and formats, by improving the printing and information 
dissemination practices of the Federal Government. I look forward to 
pursuing this effort in the next Congress.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

July 22, 1994.

Note: H.R. 4454, approved July 22, was assigned Public Law No. 103-283.