[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 38 (Monday, September 23, 1996)]
[Page 1772]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Military Construction Appropriations Act, 1997

September 16, 1996

    I have today signed into law today H.R. 3517, the ``Military 
Construction Appropriations Act, 1997,'' which provides funding for 
military construction and family housing programs of the Department of 
Defense.
    The Act provides my full request for the vast majority of military 
construction projects, the military family housing program, other 
quality of life facilities for our military personnel and their 
families, and the Department of Defense base closure and realignment 
program.
    But I am disappointed that the Act provides more funding than I 
requested. Specifically, I am concerned that the Congress has chosen to 
spend $154 million on projects that the Department of Defense has not 
identified as priorities and that will not improve the quality of life 
for our service members. These projects are clear examples of spending 
that is neither warranted nor justified, and is funded at the expense of 
higher-priority domestic programs.
    Indeed, this Act is part of an overall approach by the Congress to 
provide more funds than necessary for nonpriority items through the 
Defense budget at the expense of important domestic priorities in 
education and training, the environment, science and technology, law 
enforcement, and other key priorities. At a time of scarce resources, we 
should not squander funds on items that we don't need while underfunding 
the very priorities that will help improve living standards and the 
quality of life of average Americans--both now and in the future.
    I urge the Congress to complete action on the remaining 1997 
appropriations bills as quickly as possible, and to send them to me in 
an acceptable form.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 16, 1996.

Note: H.R. 3517, approved September 16, was assigned Public Law No. 104-
196. This statement was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
September 17.