Statement of Administration Policy: S. 908 - Foreign Relations Revitalization Act of 1995

(Senate)
(Helms (R) North Carolina)

If S. 908 were presented to the President in its current form, the Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (AID), the Director of the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), and the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) would recommend the bill be vetoed.

This bill would push the United States to retreat from world affairs when it is increasingly clear that this country's policies overseas make a vital contribution to the well-being of the United States. S. 908 would drastically reduce the resources available to meet the threats and opportunities that the United States faces around the world. The bill as a whole unacceptably infringes on the President's authority and responsibility under the Constitution to conduct foreign affairs.

Among the most objectionable provisions, S. 908 would:

— Impose Unnecessary Foreign Policy and Other Restrictions. The broad range of restrictions contained in this bill represent an assault on the authority of the President to conduct the foreign policy of the United States and on the Nation's ability to respond rapidly and effectively to threats to our security. These include provisions that would interfere with the President's ability to conduct diplomatic relations with foreign countries and in international fora, including delicate relations with China and North Korea. S. 908 also imposes onerous and unreasonable reporting and certification requirements that would greatly impede the U.S. in its ability to participate and lead in the United Nations and other multilateral institutions. Further, the bill would compel a change in U.S. refugee policy that could pose a serious threat to U.S. borders, limiting the President's ability to respond to boat migration and possibly exacerbating the illegal smuggling of aliens into the United States.

— Abolish Three Foreign Affairs Agencies. S. 908 would eliminate AID, ACDA, and USIA by March 1, 1997, and consolidate the wide-ranging programs and policy responsibilities of these agencies into the Department of State. By this consolidation and by drastically and arbitrarily cutting personnel, S. 908 would seriously impair the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.

Under the Administration's streamlining efforts, the foreign affairs agencies are reducing staffing by 4,700 positions, cutting bureaucratic layers and duplication, eliminating low-priority overseas posts and programs, reengineering their business processes, establishing common administrative services, and realizing program and administrative savings. The Administration's approach preserves the talents and resources necessary to protect the vital interests of the United States abroad. Each of the agencies has a distinct mission that can best be performed by independent agencies under the overall foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State; in this way, the United States can most flexibly address the complex challenges of the post-Cold War world.

— Reduce Foreign Affairs Authorization Levels. The FY 1996 International Affairs budget request, which accounts for only 1.3 percent of total Federal spending, is essential to advancing U.S. interests around the world and ensuring the safety and prosperity of Americans at home. The funding limitations contained in S. 908 would undermine the United States' ability to protect its security, economic and other interests around the world, thereby endangering the safety and prosperity of all Americans. Our security depends on the steady and active engagement of the United States in world affairs. The Administration's proposed foreign affairs budget ensures the ability of the United States to work with other countries to foster a safe and open world community.

Pay-As-You-Go Scoring

S. 908 would affect receipts and direct spending; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirement of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990. OMB's preliminary scoring estimates of this bill is that its enactment would be revenue neutral. Final scoring of this legislation may differ from these estimates.