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14 October 1997

TEXT: CLINTON CANCELS 13 DEFENSE PROJECTS WITH LINE ITEM VETO

(Says action will save taxpayers $144 million) (530)
Brasilia -- President Clinton October 14 exercised his authority to
use the line item veto to cancel 13 military projects which had been
inserted by Congress into the fiscal year 1998 defense appropriation
bill.
He said he canceled them because they were not requested by the
administration and because either they were not part of the Future
Years Defense Program or the Defense Department had determined that
these projects "would not make a significant contribution to U.S.
military capability."
Noting that his action will save the American taxpayer $144 million,
Clinton said the U.S. defense budget must be managed "with both
national security and fiscal responsibility in mind."
Following is the text of the White House statement, issued while the
president was traveling in Brazil:
(begin text)
Over the past four and a half years, my administration has worked hard
to cut the deficit and to ensure that our tax dollars are used wisely,
carefully, and effectively. We have reduced the deficit by 85 percent
even before enacting the historic balanced budget legislation this
past summer.
The line item veto gives the President an important tool to save
taxpayers money, avoid unnecessary government spending, and ensure
that the national interest prevails over narrow interests. It will
enable America to continue the fiscal discipline that has helped
create our strong economic expansion. And by allowing a President to
sign important legislation while canceling projects that do not meet
important national goals, it will change the way Washington works.
America must -- and will -- continue to have the world's strongest
military. We have an obligation to manage our defense budget with both
national security and fiscal responsibility in mind. Every penny of
our defense dollars should be used to sustain and strengthen the
best-trained, the best-equipped, and the best-prepared Armed Forces in
the world.
Today, for the third time, I am using the line item veto to cancel 13
projects inserted by Congress into the Department of Defense's
appropriations bill. These cancellations will save the American
taxpayer $144 million. This use of the line item veto will help ensure
that we focus on the projects that will best secure our strength in
the years to come.
I canceled the projects because they were not requested in my Fiscal
Year 1998 budget, and because either they were not contained in our
Future Years Defense Program or the Department of Defense determined
that they would not make a significant contribution to U.S. military
capability. In two cases, I canceled items that had broader policy
implications for longstanding U.S. national security policy. I have
been assured by the Secretary of Defense that none of the
cancellations would undercut our national security or adversely affect
the readiness of our forces or their operations in defense of our
nation.
As I said last week, I will continue to scrutinize other appropriation
bills, using appropriate criteria in each instance, and I will
exercise the line item veto when warranted.
(end text)