Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1868 - Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, FY 1996

(House Floor)
(Sponsors: Livingston (R), Louisiana; Callahan (R), Alabama)

This Statement of Administration Policy provides the Administration's views on H.R. 1868, the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, as reported by the Appropriations Committee. While the Administration is quite concerned that the funding levels for some programs in the bill limit its ability to carry out an effective foreign policy, the Administration will not oppose H.R. 1868 at this time because we want to work with the Congress to improve the bill as it moves through the legislative process. But, we will have great difficulty supporting H.R. 1868 if improvements are not made.

The Administration commends the Appropriations Committee on two important aspects of its mark-up. First, the bill as reported by the Committee is substantially free of funding earmarks. This will give the Executive Branch much needed flexibility to use scarce foreign assistance funds to meet the complex foreign policy challenges of the current era. Second, the bill does not inappropriately legislate a consolidation of the .Agency for International Development into the Department of State. Any such consolidation would seriously impair the ability of the United States to carry out its international policies and programs in an effective way. The Administration strongly urges the House to uphold these two positive aspects of the Committee bill.

At the same time, the Administration is deeply concerned over the large reductions in appropriations for some international affairs programs. The funds requested by the Administration for the programs funded through H.R. l868 amount to less than one percent of the Federal budget, but they are critical to achieving security, economic, and humanitarian objectives abroad that are widely supported by Americans.

The Administration recognizes that the amounts included in the Committee bill are in great part determined by the congressional budget process. These budget constraints, however, should not needlessly undermine our legitimate leadership role in today's world. To this end, the Administration intends to work to provide additional funding for these programs in subsequent stages of the appropriations process.

Because of the large reductions the Committee has made in a number of programs, any further reductions on the floor of the House would be certain to impair severely the achievement of key foreign policy objectives. The Administration will strongly oppose any amendments that reduce still further the funding levels contained in this bill as well as amendments that infringe upon the President's prerogatives to conduct foreign policy.