    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [January 6, 1996]
    [Pages 13-14]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Sixth Continuing Resolution
    January 6, 1996

        Last night, I signed into law H.R. 1643, the Sixth Continuing
    Resolution for fiscal 1996, which puts all Federal workers back on the
    job with pay from December 16 until January 26 and also funds a limited
    number of Federal activities until September 30, 1996.
        This bill is a step in the right direction--but only a step. It does
    not end the partial shutdown of the Federal Government that continues to
    seriously impair the activities of the Departments of Commerce,
    Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban De-

    [[Page 14]]

    velopment, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, and Veterans Affairs; the
    Environmental Protection Agency; the National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration; the Small Business Administration; and many smaller
    agencies.
        Most importantly, H.R. 1643 enables Federal workers to return to the
    job and to be paid--both the 480,000 who have been working without pay
    and the 280,000 furloughed workers.
        The bill also funds a limited number of Federal functions for the
    rest of fiscal 1996. They include nutrition services for the elderly;
    grants to States for child welfare services; Federal Parent Locator
    Service activities; State unemployment insurance administration
    activities; general welfare assistance payments and foster care payments
    to Indians; the Federal subsidy to the rail industry pension and certain
    other expenses of the Railroad Retirement Board; visitor services of the
    National Park System, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests,
    Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, John F. Kennedy Center
    for the Performing Arts, and United States Holocaust Memorial; and State
    Department visa, passport, and U.S. citizen services. In addition,
    family support payments to States and payments to States for foster care
    and adoption assistance are provided through March 15, 1996.
        The bill ensures, through September 30, 1996, benefit payments to
    about 3.3 million veterans and their survivors. It also provides for
    payments to contractors of the Veterans Health Administration for
    services related to the health and safety of patients in Veterans
    Affairs medical facilities.
        The measure provides authority for the District of Columbia to
    continue full operations, using District funds, through September 30,
    thereby extending the authority provided by the Fifth Continuing
    Resolution for fiscal 1996, which expires January 25. Regrettably, the
    measure contains an objectionable provision that would single out poor
    women by prohibiting the use of District funds for providing abortion
    services. I oppose including this provision in the regular fiscal 1996
    District of Columbia appropriations bill, and I urge the Congress to
    send that bill to me--in a form I can sign--as soon as possible.
        The measure also provides for reimbursement to States for State
    funds used to implement Federal programs and to pay furloughed State
    employees whose compensation is advanced or reimbursed, in whole or in
    part, by the Federal Government during any 1996 lapse in appropriations
    and it makes interest payable on the State funds that were used.
        The problem with this bill is in what it does not do. It does not
    end the inconvenience, if not suffering, that millions of Americans
    continue to experience because of the partial government shutdown. It
    does not provide funds to help put 100,000 more police officers on the
    streets of U.S. cities; funds for Head Start; funds for the States for
    social services and job training; funds to help U.S. businesses with
    export financing; and funds to continue the Space Station program and
    other key initiatives at the National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration. Nor does the bill provide needed funds for contracts
    vital to protecting the environment.
        Along with denying services, the shutdown is threatening the
    vitality of thousands of businesses, many of them with contracts with
    the Federal Government. Also at risk are the jobs of thousands of
    workers in those businesses. The longer the shutdown continues, the more
    its effects will be felt.
        Clearly, this bill is only a partial solution to the partial
    shutdown. The real solution, and the one that the Congress should pursue
    without delay, is to send me acceptable 1996 appropriations bills for
    the agencies in question or, at a minimum, an acceptable continuing
    resolution that will permit the Government to perform the full range of
    services that citizens expect.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    January 6, 1996.

    Note: H.R. 1643, approved January 6, was assigned Public Law No. 104-92.