    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 16, 1995]
    [Pages 1761-1762]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Department of Transportation and Related
    Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996
    November 16, 1995

        Last night I signed into law H.R. 2002, the ``Department of
    Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996.''
        I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining regular FY
    1996 appropriations bills and to send them to me in acceptable form.
    Last year, the Congress had sent me--and I had signed--all 13
    appropriations bills by September 30. Regrettably, this is only the
    fourth bill that I have been able to sign for this fiscal year. The
    Congress has failed to send to me the bills that fund over 88 percent of
    the discretionary programs of our Government.
        The Act provides $36.9 billion in new budgetary resources for
    programs of the Department of Transportation and several smaller
    agencies. The bill is consistent with my request in most key areas.
        I am particularly pleased that the Congress heeded my calls to
    increase funding for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's)
    safety programs over what the Congress had originally proposed. The FAA
    manages the world's largest and safest aviation system. Nevertheless,
    Secretary Pena and FAA Administrator Hinson are working to make it
    safer, both for today and the future. The bill's FAA personnel and
    procurement reforms, which the Vice President's National Performance
    Review first proposed, will contribute greatly to that effort. I
    encourage the Congress to move quickly on the rest of my comprehensive
    FAA reform package.
        The FAA personnel and procurement reforms contained in the Act will
    contribute greatly to our safety effort. They permit the FAA to improve
    its hiring, training, compensation, and relocation practices to better
    meet its unique personnel needs. They also allow for streamlined
    contracting practices that will speed up the deployment of new
    technologies into the field. Both new systems will be developed with the
    participation of the aviation community, including FAA employees and
    their representatives. They will build upon, not diminish or redefine,
    FAA's current beneficial management-labor relationship. While we embrace
    the FAA personnel and procurement reforms in the Act, we will work with
    the Congress to ensure that personnel reforms enacted pursuant to any
    FAA reform legislation must be designed and implemented in consultation
    with FAA unions, consistent with their continuing role as the
    representatives of these key members of the Federal workforce.
        I am also pleased that the Act provides the fast-track
    reorganization authority for the Department of Transportation, as I
    requested, because it will improve service while cutting costs to
    taxpayers. Secretary Pena and I look forward

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    to working with the Congress as we reform and streamline the Department.
        The Act provides funding for most of the Department's high-priority
    programs. I commend the Congress for not including new earmarked highway
    demonstration projects; States can better use these funds in determining
    their transportation infrastructure priorities.
        I am disappointed that the Congress did not authorize the
    restructuring of transportation infrastructure programs, as I proposed,
    but I look forward to maintaining a dialogue with the Congress about how
    to best meet States' and localities' needs for flexibility to address
    their future, high-priority transportation needs.
        Again, I urge the Congress to meet its responsibilities by sending
    me the remaining regular FY 1996 appropriations bills in acceptable
    form.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    November 16, 1995.

    Note: H.R. 2002, approved November 15, was assigned Public Law No. 104-
    50.