    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 10, 1997]
    [Pages 1339-1340]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
    Act, 1998
    October 10, 1997

        I have today signed into law H.R. 2378, the ``Treasury and General
    Government Appropriations Act, 1998,'' which provides $12.8 billion in
    discretionary budget authority for various programs in the Department of
    the Treasury, the United States Postal Service, the General Services
    Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, the Executive Office
    of the President and several smaller agencies.
        The Act provides funding for the Department of the Treasury of $11.4
    billion, including $131 million for violent crime reduction programs.
    The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is funded at $7.8 billion, including
    $325 million for Information Technology Investments. While this funding
    level is $175 million below my request, I believe that the funds will
    strengthen the IRS's ability to provide timely and accurate data for
    American taxpayers. The bill also includes $138 million for the Earned
    Income Tax Credit compliance initiative and $377 million for Year 2000

    [[Page 1340]]

    conversion requirements for IRS computer systems. Law Enforcement
    bureaus within the Department of the Treasury are funded at $3.1
    billion.
        The Act provides $195 million for the Office of National Drug
    Control Policy's (ONDCP) national media campaign. This money will enable
    ONDCP to develop a national media campaign targeting drug consumption by
    youth. The campaign will be a model public-private partnership, exposing
    90 percent of all 9 to 17 year-olds to anti-drug messages at least four
    times a week.
        The Act repeals cooperative purchasing authority that would have
    allowed States and localities to buy products off the General Services
    Administration's Federal supply schedule contracts. I am disappointed by
    this repeal, which will deprive us of the opportunity for potential
    savings achievable by leveraging the combined purchasing power of the
    Federal Government, States, and localities.
        Section 640 of the bill prohibits the use of appropriations to pay
    the salary of any officer or employee of the Federal Government who
    interferes with certain communications or contacts between other Federal
    employees and Members of Congress or congressional committees. I
    understand this provision is intended to protect ``whistleblower''
    employees who wish to inform the Congress of evidence of violations of
    law or other wrongdoing in the Government. Any broader interpretation of
    the provision that would apply to ``nonwhistleblowers'' would raise
    substantial constitutional concerns in depriving the President and his
    department and agency heads of their ability to supervise and control
    the operations and communications of the executive branch. I do not
    interpret this provision to detract from my constitutional authority in
    this way.
        I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining FY 1998
    appropriations bills as quickly as possible, and to send them to me in
    an acceptable form.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    October 10, 1997.

    Note: H.R. 2378, approved October 10, was assigned Public Law No. 105-
    61.