    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 17, 1997]
    [Page 1396]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1396]]

    Statement on Line Item Vetoes of the Energy and Water Development
    Appropriations Act, 1998
    October 17, 1997

        I have used my line item veto today to save taxpayers $19 million by
    canceling eight projects in the 1998 Energy and Water Appropriations Act
    that are unwarranted.
        Today marks the sixth time I have used my line item veto authority
    to save the taxpayers money by canceling unjustified, special interest
    provisions. The savings are real--$2 billion to the taxpayers. Just as
    important, the threat of a line item veto serves as a deterrent to ill-
    conceived, special interest spending proposals.
        For today's action, the cancellations include five water projects
    that I did not request in my budget; that are new rather than ongoing
    projects; that have greater costs than benefits; that are recreational
    for a limited number of people; or that should be funded at the local
    level. I also canceled three projects that are unwarranted corporate
    subsidies.
        In taking this action, I tried to show deference to Congress' role
    in the appropriations process. I accepted the vast majority of the 423
    projects in this bill that I did not request in my budget. Nevertheless,
    I feel strongly that my administration should look for opportunities to
    save taxpayer dollars by striking unwarranted provisions of bills that
    come before me.
        In addition, I am also announcing today that I want to work with
    Congress to find a solution to the growing problem of future liabilities
    and extended delays in completing ongoing projects. Each year, Congress
    adds more and more projects without sufficient resources to complete
    existing projects in a timely way. Some of them include 50-year Federal
    commitments, involving hundreds of millions of dollars. The more
    projects are added, the longer the delays in finishing the existing
    ones.
        Because of limited Federal resources, the gap between the number of
    projects that are approved and the number we can afford will keep
    growing. I believe that now is the time for the administration and
    Congress to address the problem. I have asked the administration's
    senior officials who work in this area to reach out to the key Member of
    Congress to work toward a solution.

    Note: The reports detailing the cancellations were published in the
    Federal Register on October 20. H.R. 2203, approved October 13, was
    assigned Public Law No. 105-62.