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

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

        Today I signed H.R. 2490, ``Treasury and General Government
    Appropriations Act, 2000'', a bill that contains several important
    improvements in family planning and child care. This bipartisan bill
    will give people who work for the Federal Government access to more
    affordable child care and flexibility in family planning. It will
    require health plans participating in the Federal Employees Health
    Benefits Program (FEHBP) that provide prescription drug coverage to
    provide prescription contraceptive coverage as well, while providing an
    exception for plans that object to this requirement on religious
    grounds. The bill also gives Government agencies new flexibility that
    will allow them to make child care more affordable for lower income
    Federal employees. While this bill is not perfect, it does show that we
    can make progress when we work in a bipartisan fashion.

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