[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
[September 12, 1996]
[Pages 1560-1561]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Counterterrorism Initiatives
September 12, 1996

    I have sent to the Congress $1.097 billion in proposals to 
strengthen our antiterrorism, counterterrorism, and security efforts in 
this country and abroad.
    These proposals include fiscal 1996 supplemental appropriations for 
the Department of Defense as well as fiscal 1997 budget amendments to my 
appropriations requests now pending before the Congress.

[[Page 1561]]

    On July 29, I met with the bipartisan leadership of the Congress to 
discuss an appropriate Federal response to the threat of terrorism, 
adding to the strong antiterrorism initiatives my administration had 
already taken. This package of budget proposals is the product of an 
interagency review that I ordered, subsequent to that meeting, in the 
wake of recent acts of domestic and international terrorism. It is a 
comprehensive, balanced program to address this urgent requirement, and 
I urge the Congress to act expeditiously on it.
    Over the past year, the danger to U.S. forces and installations from 
international terrorism has grown. At my direction, the Department of 
Defense and the intelligence community identified measures to enhance 
programs to deter and thwart terrorism. My requests for 1996 
supplemental appropriations will fund the most urgent of them. These 
requests total $353 million for various antiterrorism activities to 
increase physical security at overseas installations and to improve 
intelligence capabilities to detect and combat terrorist activity.
    We have already begun to address the problems resulting from 
heightened terrorist activity. Last month, I approved the relocation of 
U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region to lower threat areas. Though the 
Saudi Arabian government agreed to cover some costs to support this 
relocation, our forces have had to redirect funds from ongoing 
operations. Thus, to limit the adverse effects to the Department of 
Defense operations and provide sufficient funds for these critical 
antiterrorism measures, I urge the Congress to act upon these 
supplemental requests as soon as possible.
    The rest of the $1.097 billion in proposals is comprised of $728 
million in 1997 budget amendments for my antiterrorism, 
counterterrorism, and security proposals as well as requests for 
contingent emergency funding.
    It includes $207 million for the Department of Justice, $154 million 
of which would go to the FBI for additional positions and antiterrorism 
support; $201 million for the Department of Transportation, $198 million 
of which would go to the Federal Aviation Administration to purchase 
explosives detection devices and perform passenger profiling and 
screening; and $147 million for the Department of the Treasury, $66 
million of which would go to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 
to enhance its ability to respond to terrorist threats and investigate 
crimes involving explosives, and $60 million of which would go to the 
U.S. Customs Service to increase its capacity to screen passengers and 
detect dangerous materials.
    This package of proposals reflects my comprehensive strategy to 
fight terrorism on three fronts: (1) beyond our borders, to work more 
closely with our friends and allies; (2) at home, giving law enforcement 
the most powerful counterterrorism tools available; and, (3) in our 
airports, by increasing aviation security.
    Congressional spending levels for defense contain substantial 
increases over my budget request--in particular, for certain procurement 
and research and development projects that are not contained in the 
Department of Defense's long-term planning requirements. I believe that 
we can provide for our military readiness, antiterrorism activities, and 
for other important national needs in the context of an agreement with 
the Congress on FY 1997 spending levels.
    I strongly urge the Congress to enact this package as quickly as 
possible.