[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 40 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Pages 1465-1466]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing Continuing Appropriations Legislation

September 30, 1997

    I am pleased to have signed into law today House Joint Resolution 
94, a short-term continuing resolution for fiscal 1998.
    The Act provides 1998 appropriations for continuing projects and 
activities of the Federal Government through October 23, 1997, except 
those funded by the Military Construction Appropriations Act, 1998, 
which I signed into law earlier today.

[[Page 1466]]

    On May 2, 1997, I reached agreement with the congressional 
leadership on an historic Bipartisan Budget Agreement that balances the 
budget while honoring our values. Over the next few months, my 
Administration worked closely with the leadership to translate the 
agreement into law. On August 5, I was proud to sign two key elements of 
the agreement--the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Taxpayers Relief 
Act of 1997. As the current fiscal year comes to a close, we must work 
together to enact the third element of the agreement, the appropriations 
bills for fiscal 1998.
    But to date, in a number of important instances, the Congress has 
failed to address matters specifically called for under the agreement. 
In certain other instances, the Congress has addressed policy issues in 
ways that make the pending appropriations bills unacceptable. I urge the 
Congress to approve 1998 spending bills that include the items contained 
in the agreement and to provide funding for other priority programs.
    To give the Congress time to adopt such bills, I have approved this 
continuing resolution.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 30, 1997.

Note: H.J. Res. 94, approved September 30, was assigned Public Law No. 
105-46.