[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book II)]
[September 20, 1998]
[Pages 1628-1629]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Military Construction Appropriations Act, 1999
September 20, 1998

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 4059, the ``Military Construction 
Appropriations Act, FY 1999,'' which provides funding for military 
construction and family housing programs of the Department of Defense 
(DOD).
    The Act funds the vast majority of my request for military 
construction projects, including the military family housing program, 
other quality-of-life projects for our military personnel and their 
families, and the DOD base closure and realignment program.
    I do have several concerns with the bill. The Congress has chosen to 
add funds for projects that the DOD has not identified as priorities. In 
particular, $243 million is provided for 38 projects that are not in the 
DOD's Future Years Defense Program. The bill also includes a prohibition 
on the use of any funds appropriated in the Act for Partnership for 
Peace Programs or to provide support for non-NATO countries. This 
restriction could impede NATO activities and could adversely affect 
future NATO-led military operations.
    In addition, the Congress has again included a provision that 
requires the Secretary of Defense to give 30 days advance notice to 
certain congressional committees of any proposed military exercise 
involving construction costs anticipated to exceed $100,000. In 
approving H.R.

[[Page 1629]]

4059, I wish to reiterate an understanding, expressed by Presidents 
Reagan and Bush when they signed Military Construction Appropriations 
Acts containing a similar provision, that this section encompasses only 
exercises for which providing 30 days advance notice is feasible and 
consistent with my constitutional authority and duty to protect the 
national security.
    I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining FY 1999 
appropriations bills as quickly as possible, and to send them to me in 
acceptable form.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

September 20, 1998.

Note: H.R. 4059, approved September 20, was assigned Public Law No. 105-
237.