    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [September 29, 1999]
    [Pages 1633-1634]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
    Act, 2000
    September 29, 1999

        I have signed into law today H.R. 2490, the ``Treasury and General
    Government Appropriations Act, 2000,'' which provides $13.7 billion in
    discretionary budget authority for 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. I commend the Congress
    for producing a bipartisan bill that allows us to continue the IRS
    reform effort and the national youth anti-drug media campaign and to
    fund important law enforcement efforts and other programs.
        The bill provides $12.4 billion for the Department of the Treasury,
    including $132 million for violent crime reduction programs. The
    Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is funded at $8.2 billion. I believe that
    these funds will strengthen the IRS's ability to provide timely and
    accurate data for American taxpayers. The bill also includes $144
    million for the Earned Income Tax Credit compliance initiative and $250
    million for Year 2000 conversion requirements for IRS computer systems.
    Law enforcement bureaus within the Department of the Treasury are funded
    at $3.4 billion. I am pleased that the Congress has fully funded my
    request for the expansion of the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction
    Initiative.
        The bill provides $185 million for the Office of National Drug
    Control Policy's (ONDCP) national youth anti-drug media campaign. This
    money will enable ONDCP's national media campaign to continue its effort
    to change youth attitudes about drug use and its consequences. The
    campaign is 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.
        I am pleased that the enrolled bill requires health plans
    participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program that
    provide prescription drug coverage to provide prescription contraceptive
    coverage as well. I am also pleased that the enrolled bill allows
    agencies to use appropriated funds to support day care centers at
    Federal facilities. This provision

    [[Page 1634]]

    should improve the affordability of child care for lower-income Federal
    employees.
        Several provisions in the Act purport to condition my authority or
    that of certain officers to use funds appropriated by the Act on the
    approval of congressional committees. My Administration will interpret
    such provisions to require notification only, since any other
    interpretation would contradict the Supreme Court's ruling in INS v.
    Chadha.
        Section 622 of the Treasury/General Government Appropriations Act
    prohibits the use of appropriations to pay the salary of any employee
    who interferes with certain communications between Federal employees and
    Members of Congress. I do not interpret this provision to detract from
    my constitutional authority and that of my appointed heads of
    departments to supervise and control the operations and communications
    of the executive branch, including the control of privileged and
    national security information.
        I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining FY 2000
    appropriations bills as quickly as possible and send them to me in an
    acceptable form.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    September 29, 1999.

    Note: H.R. 2490, approved September 29, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
    58.