    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [August 4, 1995]
    [Pages 1203-1204]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and
    Rescissions Legislation
    August 4, 1995

        On July 27, 1995, I approved H.R. 1944, the Emergency Supplemental
    Appropriations for Additional Disaster Assistance, for Anti-terrorism
    Initiatives, for Assistance in the Recovery from the Tragedy that
    Occurred at Oklahoma City, and Rescissions Act, 1995. This legislation
    shows

    [[Page 1204]]

    how we can work together to produce good legislation.
        From the start of this rescission process, I agreed with the
    Congress on the need to cut spending. The question was, how should we do
    it?
        I vetoed the original rescission bill because it would have cut
    spending the wrong way, by targeting education and training,
    environmental protection, and other key national priorities. I then
    worked with Republicans and Democrats alike to produce a better bill. I
    am pleased that this bill cuts nearly $16 billion in spending while
    protecting our key investments in education and training, the
    environment, and other priorities.
        Like the earlier version, this bill also provides much-needed
    supplemental funds that I have sought for disaster relief activities of
    the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal response to the
    bombing in Oklahoma City, increased anti-terrorism efforts, and debt
    relief to Jordan to facilitate progress toward a Middle East peace
    settlement.
        To be sure, I do not support every provision of this bill. For
    instance, I still do not believe that this bill should contain any of
    the provisions relating to timber. But the final bill does contain
    changes in the language that preserve our ability to implement the
    current forest plans and their standards, and protect other resources
    such as clean water and fisheries. In addition, I am pleased that the
    Congress amended the bill to limit its special authorities for timber
    sales to end on December 31, 1996. Therefore, I have directed the
    Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, the Administrator of
    the Environmental Protection Agency, and other Federal agencies to carry
    out timber salvage activities consistent with our forest plans and
    existing environmental laws.
        In addition, though this bill includes a rescission of summer youth
    jobs funding for the summer of 1996, the Administration continues to
    support the program and will work with the Congress in the FY 1996
    appropriations process to ensure that the program for the summer of 1996
    is funded.
        I have designated as an emergency all funds in this Act so
    designated by the Congress that I had not previously designated pursuant
    to section 251(b)(2)(D)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
    Control Act of 1985, as amended.
        I am pleased that bipartisan leaders of Congress worked with me to
    produce a good bill. Working together, we can continue to produce good
    legislation for the American people.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    August 4, 1995.

    Note: H.R. 1944, approved July 27, was assigned Public Law No. 104-19.