Statement of Administration Policy: S. 1 - Clean Water Act

Revision
(Senate)
(Sen. Byrd (R) West Virginia and 75 Others)

The President strongly supports the clean water and environmental programs contained in S. 1. His concern about S. 1 is based upon its costs. The President supports legislation that would authorize a grant program of $12 billion instead of the $18 billion as provided in S. 1. This doubles his proposal of last year and meets the Congress halfway on this issue. As far as environmental standards and procedures are concerned, the President's proposal is identical to S. 1.

The President's senior advisers will recommend a veto of S. 1, if it is presented to him in its present form. S. 1 is unacceptable for the reasons cited in the President's November 6, 1986, memorandum of disapproval of S. 1128, a bill virtually identical to S. 1. The President vetoed S. 1128 because of its:

— unacceptably high cost,

— reversal of important reforms enacted in 1981, and

— authorization of unnecessary new programs adding to the Federal budgetary deficit, including a mandatory federally controlled and directed non-point source pollution control program, which is tantamount to federal land use planning.

As the President noted in his radio address of January 3rd, this legislation would be a budget-buster signaling a willingness to raise taxes and take the lid off spending. The President expressed his willingness to work with Congress for a reasonable bill.

The President's 1988 budget proposes a $12 billion waste treatment facility construction grant phase-out program. This proposal would meet Congress half way between the President's $6 billion phase-out proposal last year and the $18 billion program that would have been authorized by S. 1128.

The administration provided an alternative bill to Congress on January 6, 1987. This bill:

— incorporates the President's revised $12 billion waste treatment grant proposal,

— allows States discretion to use a portion of their grant allotments for State controlled and administered non-point source pollution control programs, and

— eliminates several special interest projects authorized outside of the normal grant program.

Except for these features, the administration's proposal is the same as S. 1. The administration urges that its proposal, which has been introduced by Senator Dole as S. 76, be enacted in lieu of S. 1.