Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1561 - Foreign Relations Revitalization Act of 1995

(Conference)
(Gilman (R) New York)

If the conference report on H.R. 1561 is presented to the President in its current form, the President will veto the bill. While steps have been taken to improve the bill, it still contains numerous provisions which do not serve U.S. foreign policy or U.S. national interests.

The principal reasons for the veto are:

— Forced Consolidation of Agencies. The legislation interferes with the President's prerogatives to organize the foreign affairs agencies in a manner that best serves the Nation's interests and the Administration's foreign policy priorities. This bill mandates the abolition of at least one foreign affairs agency, and includes authorization levels that would force other organizations to retreat further from engagement in world affairs. The Administration has already implemented significant reinvention of and reductions in international programs and is working towards further streamlining and reorganization. H.R. 1561 fails to provide, however, the necessary flexibility for the Administration to manage the agencies that implement foreign policy, which is essential to United States leadership.

— Authorization of Appropriations. The authorization levels included in the bill for FYs 1996 and 1997, which constitute ceilings on appropriations, are below the levels necessary to conduct the President's foreign policy and to maintain U.S. interests overseas in such areas as operating overseas posts of foreign affairs agencies, arms control and nonproliferation, international organizations and peacekeeping, public diplomacy, and sustainable development. In addition, these levels would cause reductions-in-force (RIFs) of highly skilled personnel at several foreign affairs agencies.

— Taiwan Relations Act. Section 1601 amends the Taiwan Relations Act to state that the Act supersedes the provisions of the 1982 Joint Communique between the United States and the China. This would be seen as a repudiation of a critical and stabilizing element of long-standing U.S. policy towards China, increasing risks at a time of heightened tensions.

— Relations with Vietnam. Section 1214, concerning the use of funds to further normalize relations with Vietnam, unduly restricts the President's ability to pursue national interests in Vietnam, and in particular could threaten the progress that has been made on POW/MIA issues and put U.S. firms at a competitive disadvantage. Legislation which restricts the opening of missions also raises constitutional concerns.

— U.S. Participation in International Organizations. Provisions related to U.S. participation in the United Nations, which provide inadequate funding levels for FYs 1996 and 1997, and unworkable notification requirements would undermine U.S. diplomatic efforts to reform the U.N. and to reduce the assessed U.S. share of the U.N. budget. Furthermore, the provisions could interfere with ongoing Executive-Legislative Branch discussions aimed at achieving a consensus on UN funding and reform issues.

— Housing Guaranty Program. Section 1111 would terminate several worthwhile country programs, such as those in Eastern Europe and would eliminate any future programs, including those for South Africa. Additionally, this provision could inadvertently cause the cut-off of development assistance to many of the poorest countries of the world, as well as the cut-off of Economic Support Fund (ESF) anti-crime and narcotics-related assistance.

— Family Planning. The conference report fails to remedy the severe limitations on U.S. population assistance programs placed in the FY 1996 foreign operations appropriations legislation. These restrictions will have a major, deleterious impact on women and families in the developing world. It is estimated that nearly 7 million couples in developing countries, will have no access to safe, voluntary family planning services. The result will be millions of unwanted pregnancies and abortions.