[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 45 (Monday, November 13, 2000)]
[Pages 2809-2810]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2001

 November 6, 2000

     Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 4811, the Foreign 
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 
2001. As I have often said, there is a right and a wrong way to conduct 
budget negotiations. When we have worked together, we have unfailingly 
made progress. When there is a genuine spirit of cooperation and 
compromise, we can accomplish great things for our people. This Act, the 
result of just such a bipartisan effort, supports our efforts to promote 
peace and stability around the world, in turn helping to make our Nation 
more safe and secure.
     I am particularly pleased that this legislation funds our landmark 
initiative to provide debt relief to the poorest of the world's nations. 
By fully funding our commitment to debt relief, the bill supports this 
historic effort to give these poorest countries a critical opportunity 
to effect reform while using funds to reduce poverty and provide basic 
health care and education for their people. I commend the bipartisan 
efforts in the Congress to fund this vital program, as well as efforts 
of all those across the political spectrum who joined forces to secure 
this critically important funding.
     Likewise, I am pleased that this legislation dramatically increases 
funding to fight HIV/AIDS. In nations around the world, HIV/AIDS is a 
leading cause of death and is undermining decades of effort to reduce 
mortality, improve health, expand educational opportunities, and lift 
people out of poverty. The funds provided by the bill will significantly 
expand our prevention and treatment efforts in Africa and other regions 
of the world to turn the tide against this deadly pandemic.
     This legislation also helps strengthen our efforts to support 
democracy and stability in Southeastern Europe, the Newly Independent 
States, and other key regions. In particular, it includes increased 
funding for our continued efforts to support democracy and reform in 
Kosovo, and to support the

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new, democratically elected government in Yugoslavia. It also includes 
additional resources to combat terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
     Certain provisions of the Act could interfere with my sole 
constitutional authority in the area of foreign affairs by directing or 
burdening my negotiations with foreign governments and international 
organizations. Several sections, including 514 (Surplus Commodities), 
564 (Sanctuary to Indicted War Criminals), and 577 (Kyoto Protocol), 
purport to specifically direct the Executive on how to proceed in 
negotiations or discussions with international organizations and foreign 
governments. I will not interpret these provisions to limit my ability 
to negotiate and enter into agreements with foreign nations. In order to 
avoid intrusion into my negotiating authority and my ability to maintain 
the confidentiality of sensitive diplomatic negotiations, I will not 
interpret section 566(b) (Greenhouse Gas Emissions) to require me to 
disclose either the contents of diplomatic communications or specific 
plans for particular negotiations in the future.
     The legislation provides increased funding for a number of other 
programs that support our global interests. It provides additional 
funding for our Greening the Globe Initiative, which protects 
biodiversity habitats around the world, and for the Global Environment 
Facility. It also provides increases for our Peace Corps volunteers 
around the world, and for the Export-Import Bank, which supports the 
export of American products overseas. I am also pleased that the Act 
provides $135 million for emergency disaster assistance for Southern 
Africa, including Mozambique.
     Finally, I am pleased that this legislation commits additional 
critical funding for international family planning organizations and 
lifts the restrictions hampering their work, restrictions I have 
strongly opposed in the past.
                                            William J. Clinton
 The White House,
 November 6, 2000.

  Note:  H.R. 4811, approved November 6, was assigned Public Law No. 
106-429.