[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 43 (Monday, October 26, 1998)]
[Pages 2086-2087]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999

October 21, 1998

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 4194, the ``Departments of 
Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999.''
    This Act will fund vital environmental, veterans, housing, community 
development, space, and science programs. Specifically, it provides 
funding for the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and 
Urban Development (HUD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation, and several 
other agencies.
    The Act funds a number of my Administration's high priorities, 
including the Corporation for National and Community Service and the 
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) fund. National 
Service gives young people the opportunity to obtain funding for a 
college education while serving the country in areas of great need, such 
as the environment, public safety, and human services. The CDFI fund is 
helping to create a network of community development banks across the 
country, thereby spurring the flow of capital to distressed 
neighborhoods and their currently underserved low-income residents and 
providing financing for neighborhood redevelopment and revitalization 
efforts. That is why I am pleased that the Congress agreed to a 19 
percent increase in funding for CDFI.
    The Act provides $7.56 billion for the EPA, which will enable the 
agency to enforce our environmental laws adequately. I am pleased that 
the Congress modified language in the Act concerning the Kyoto Protocol 
on global climate change and clarified what this

[[Page 2087]]

language means in the Statement of Managers. In particular, the Congress 
made it clear that it does not intend to limit my Administration's 
ability to carry out common-sense actions to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions; its intent, rather, is only to limit funding that would 
implement actions called for solely under the Kyoto Protocol. As we have 
said on many occasions, my Administration will not seek to implement 
that Protocol prior to its ratification by the Senate. I am also pleased 
that H.R. 4194 fully funds my request for EPA's portion of the Clean 
Water Action Plan and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and 
adequately funds the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
    The Act provides $24.4 billion in funding for the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, including full funding for my request to 
renew expiring Section 8 contracts, thus assuring continuation of HUD 
rental subsidies for low-income tenants in privately owned housing and 
50,000 additional welfare-to-work housing vouchers to assist those 
welfare recipients for whom housing assistance is critical to getting or 
keeping a job. This Act provides increased funding to help revitalize 
communities through such programs as the HOME Investment Partnership; 
Community Development Block Grants; and HOPE VI, an initiative for 
severely distressed public housing and Brownfields redevelopment, which 
returns abandoned sites to productive uses. I am pleased that the bill 
continues to support States and cities through these vital economic 
development programs.
    As I requested, the Act provides increased funding for Homeless 
Assistance Grants and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and 
for anti-discrimination efforts, including the Fair Housing Initiatives 
program. The Act also increases funds for the Office of Lead Hazard 
Control to reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning and other health 
hazards.
    I am encouraged by our efforts to work with the Congress to provide 
additional resources for a number of our priority programs in the FY 
1999 Omnibus appropriations bill.
    The Act includes my Administration's proposal to reform HUD's 
single-family property disposition program, which would produce 
substantial savings by improving the efficiency of the Federal Housing 
Administration's (FHA's) property disposition processes. In addition, 
H.R. 4194 furthers the Administration's goal to provide greater 
homeownership opportunities by increasing the FHA loan limit.
    The Act also makes landmark housing reform a reality. This 
bipartisan bill will allow more economic integration and deconcentration 
in our Nation's public housing; encourage and reward work; provide 
protections for those most in need; and put the Nation back into the 
housing business with the first new housing vouchers in 5 years.
    I am also pleased that the Act includes $25 million for the 
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to start my ``Play-by the-Rules'' 
homeownership initiative, which would make homeownership more accessible 
to 10,000 families who have good rental histories, but are not 
adequately served in the housing market.
    Finally, the Act provides $17.3 billion for the medical care of our 
Nation's veterans.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
October 21, 1998.

Note: H.R. 4194, approved October 21, was assigned Public Law No. 105-
276.