Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4990 — Rescission Bill, FY 1992

(House Rules)
(Sponsor: Whitten (D), Mississippi)

This Statement of Administration Policy expresses the Administration's views on H.R. 4990, the rescission bill, as approved by the Appropriations Committee.

The President recently proposed 224 rescission items totaling $7,879 million. The Rules Committee is urged to approve a rule that would permit consideration of the rescission proposals on an individual basis, in accordance with Section 1017 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act. Nevertheless, the Administration appreciates the inclusion of 66 of the proposed rescissions, totaling $2,664 million, in the Committee bill.

The Rules Committee is urged to approve a rule which would make in order an amendment to be offered by Representatives Fawell and Penny that includes those rescission proposals that were sent to the Congress by the President on March 10th, 20th and April 9th and were not approved by the Committee.

The Administration believes that the rescission proposals for the Department of Defense should be aligned more substantially with the President's requests. In particular, the Administration urges the Committee to adopt all of the rescissions associated with the two Seawolf submarines in order to avoid reductions in higher priority defense programs. The Committee has not provided the Administration with classified documentation concerning some of the Committee's rescission proposals and, therefore, we are unable to comment on these items.

FY 1992 appropriations for International Affairs programs have already been cut substantially more in percentage terms than either domestic or defense programs, relative to the spending limits in the Budget Enforcement Act. Foreign assistance is especially constrained under the Continuing Resolution and because of reprogramming of existing funds to the former Soviet Republics. The Administration believes that most of the reductions identified by the Committee would adversely affect the Administration's ability to support important foreign policy objectives.