[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 52 (Monday, January 1, 1996)]
[Pages 2227-2228]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing Limited Continuing Appropriations Legislation

December 22, 1995

    Today I have signed into law House Joint Resolution 136, which 
ensures that the Government makes veterans' benefit payments to 3.3 
million veterans and their survivors without further delay.
    The resolution also provides funding for several vitally important 
programs for children and families. It continues funding for Aid to 
Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), ensuring that nearly 9 million 
children receive benefits vital to their well-being. It funds child care 
for about 600,000 children whose parents are trying to work their way 
off welfare. And it continues funding for State child support 
enforcement agencies to ensure that ``deadbeat dads'' do not get a 
reprieve from supporting their children.

[[Page 2228]]

    In addition, H.J. Res. 136 provides authority for the District of 
Columbia to continue full operations. The resolution contains an 
objectionable provision that would single out poor women by prohibiting 
the use of District funds for providing abortion services. I have 
opposed including this provision in the regular fiscal year 1996 
District of Columbia appropriations bill. Nevertheless, H.J. Res. 136 
allows the District government to continue to operate without 
disruption.
    Although I welcome H.J. Res. 136, it is a poor substitute for what 
the Congress should do immediately--that is, send me an acceptable 
continuing resolution to reopen the departments and agencies that are at 
least partially shut down because they lack fiscal year 1996 
appropriations. Along with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
Health and Human Services, they include the Departments of Education, 
Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Justice, State, and the 
Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration, and the Small Business Administration.
    To be sure, H.J. Res. 136 prevents the serious impact that the 
partial shutdown could have had on 3.3 million veterans and their 
survivors as well as nearly 9 million low-income children. But the 
shutdown continues to hurt millions of innocent Americans--from the 
20,000 parents and students each day who cannot apply for student aid, 
to the 2,500 moderate- and low-income working families each day who 
cannot get their Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage loans 
processed.
    The shutdown also has forced the affected departments and agencies 
to furlough a total of about 280,000 Federal employees, throwing their 
lives into disruption and raising their fears just as the holidays 
approach. Federal workers, who are already being asked to do their jobs 
more efficiently as we downsize the Government, deserve better.
    The congressional majority apparently wants to use a partial 
Government shutdown to force me into accepting their extreme budget 
plan. It did not work last month, when the majority prompted an earlier 
shutdown by not sending me an acceptable continuing resolution. And it 
will not work now.
    The Congress should send me an acceptable continuing resolution to 
reopen the Government, return to work the 280,000 Federal employees who 
were furloughed through no fault of their own, provide back pay for 
these workers, and give the American people the services they expect 
from their Government.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
December 22, 1995.

Note: H.J. Res. 136, approved December 22, was assigned Public Law No. 
104-69. An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this statement. This item was not received in time for publication in 
the appropriate issue.