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Statement on Signing the National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000
Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 2412, the "National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000." The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents and promoting transportation safety. This Act will enhance transportation safety by authorizing appropriations for the NTSB to investigate accidents, conduct safety studies, evaluate the effectiveness of other transportation accident prevention programs, and coordinate Federal assistance for families of victims of catastrophic transportation accidents.
The Act will further advance transportation safety by prohibiting the disclosure of information from cockpit video recorders, or information from recorders installed on other modes of transportation. It also provides the NTSB with additional tools to carry out its mission, including strengthening the Board's financial management and authorizing the NTSB to enter into agreements with foreign governments to provide technical assistance and accident investigative services. It is my understanding that, prior to entering into agreements with foreign governments, the NTSB will consult with me to avoid any interference with my sole constitutional authority to conduct diplomatic negotiations; and that this provision in no way derogates from the Case-Zablocki Act (Title 1, Section 112b U.S.C.), which requires prior consultation with the Secretary of State.
The Act also includes a provision which authorizes the NTSB to establish an overtime pay schedule which is distinct from the rest of the Government. I am disappointed that the Congress has chosen not to address overtime reform in a comprehensive manner, as proposed by my Administration, to reform overtime pay for all employees who work long hours in response to emergency situations. We hope to continue to work with the Congress to provide a fair and equitable overtime pay structure for all such Federal employees. In the meantime, the NTSB should develop plans to implement the overtime pay provision in consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, and the NTSB should absorb the costs of implementing this provision within its appropriated levels.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
The White House, November 1, 2000.
NOTE: S. 2412, approved November 1, was assigned Public Law No. 106-424.
William J. Clinton, Statement on Signing the National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/228642