[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 46 (Monday, November 20, 1995)]
[Pages 2032-2033]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Department of Transportation and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996

November 16, 1995

    Last night I signed into law H.R. 2002, the ``Department of 
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996.''
    I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining regular FY 
1996 appropriations bills and to send them to me in acceptable form. 
Last year, the Congress had sent me--and I had signed--all 13 
appropriations bills by September 30. Regrettably, this is only the 
fourth bill that I have been able to sign for this fiscal year. The 
Congress has failed to send to me the bills that fund over 88 percent of 
the discretionary programs of our Government.
    The Act provides $36.9 billion in new budgetary resources for 
programs of the Department of Transportation and several smaller 
agencies. The bill is consistent with my request in most key areas.
    I am particularly pleased that the Congress heeded my calls to 
increase funding for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) 
safety programs over what the Congress had originally proposed. The FAA 
manages the world's largest and safest aviation system.

[[Page 2033]]

Nevertheless, Secretary Pena and FAA Administrator Hinson are working to 
make it safer, both for today and the future. The bill's FAA personnel 
and procurement reforms, which the Vice President's National Performance 
Review first proposed, will contribute greatly to that effort. I 
encourage the Congress to move quickly on the rest of my comprehensive 
FAA reform package.
    The FAA personnel and procurement reforms contained in the Act will 
contribute greatly to our safety effort. They permit the FAA to improve 
its hiring, training, compensation, and relocation practices to better 
meet its unique personnel needs. They also allow for streamlined 
contracting practices that will speed up the deployment of new 
technologies into the field. Both new systems will be developed with the 
participation of the aviation community, including FAA employees and 
their representatives. They will build upon, not diminish or redefine, 
FAA's current beneficial management-labor relationship. While we embrace 
the FAA personnel and procurement reforms in the Act, we will work with 
the Congress to ensure that personnel reforms enacted pursuant to any 
FAA reform legislation must be designed and implemented in consultation 
with FAA unions, consistent with their continuing role as the 
representatives of these key members of the Federal workforce.
    I am also pleased that the Act provides the fast-track 
reorganization authority for the Department of Transportation, as I 
requested, because it will improve service while cutting costs to 
taxpayers. Secretary Pena and I look forward to working with the 
Congress as we reform and streamline the Department.
    The Act provides funding for most of the Department's high-priority 
programs. I commend the Congress for not including new earmarked highway 
demonstration projects; States can better use these funds in determining 
their transportation infrastructure priorities.
    I am disappointed that the Congress did not authorize the 
restructuring of transportation infrastructure programs, as I proposed, 
but I look forward to maintaining a dialogue with the Congress about how 
to best meet States' and localities' needs for flexibility to address 
their future, high-priority transportation needs.
    Again, I urge the Congress to meet its responsibilities by sending 
me the remaining regular FY 1996 appropriations bills in acceptable 
form.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
November 16, 1995.

Note: H.R. 2002, approved November 15, was assigned Public Law No. 104-
50.