    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [October 26, 1996]
    [Pages 1937-1938]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Presidential and Executive Office
    Accountability Act
    October 26, 1996

        I am pleased to sign in law H.R. 3452, the ``Presidential and
    Executive Office Accountability Act.'' This Act broadens the workplace
    protections available to employees in the White House and Executive
    Office of the President (EOP). My Administration supported this
    legislation and worked hard with the Congress to secure its passage.
        This Act is closely modeled on the Congressional Accountability Act
    of 1995, which, in a comprehensive manner, has guaranteed employees in
    the legislative branch the protections of 11 basic workplace laws,
    including civil rights, labor, and health and safety laws. This Act
    applies those 11 workplace laws to the employees of the agencies and
    offices of the EOP, includ-

    [[Page 1938]]

    ing the White House. In contrast to the Congressional Accountability
    Act, however, most of these 11 workplace laws already apply to EOP
    employees, as a matter of law or policy. This Act will, therefore, have
    a less dramatic impact than the Congressional Accountability Act on the
    employees it protects. Nevertheless, it is still a welcome broadening of
    existing protections.
        There were three principles that guided my Administration in
    announcing support for H.R. 3452 shortly after it was introduced.
        First, the Nation's leaders should abide by the same laws that the
    people must follow.
        Second, such laws must not infringe on basic constitutional
    principles, including separation of powers. The Congress apparently
    shared this concern when it enacted the Congressional Accountability
    Act.
        Third, there must be balance, or symmetry, between the separate
    branches of Government. The same laws should be applied to the separate
    branches of Government in the same way, insofar as is practicable and
    constitutional.
        While supporting the principles in H.R. 3452, my Administration
    expressed serious practical and constitutional concerns about specific
    provisions in earlier versions of the bill. These included a provision
    that, perhaps inadvertently, would have eliminated the White House
    Volunteer Program, and another provision that the Department of Justice
    advised would have unconstitutionally infringed upon the President's
    appointment powers under the Constitution. I am pleased that, working
    closely with Members of Congress in both the House and Senate, great
    strides were taken to address each of these important concerns.
        In signing H.R. 3452, I am particularly gratified that it extends,
    as a matter of law, the protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act
    (FMLA) to White House employees. I took steps after the passage of the
    FMLA to apply its protections to White House staff as a matter of
    policy--so that White House staff have enjoyed the same protections that
    the FMLA has brought to 12 million American families. This Act now
    applies FMLA as a matter of law, so that future Presidents will be bound
    to give their employees the same rights that I have afforded
    voluntarily.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    October 26, 1996.

    Note: H.R. 3452, approved October 26, was assigned Public Law No. 104-
    331.