Bill Clinton: “1997 October 11, 1996 Today I am signing into law H.R. 3259, the ``Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year…”

“1997 October 11, 1996 Today I am signing into law H.R. 3259, the ``Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997.'' The Act authorizes appropriations for the intelligence and intelligence related activities of the United States during fiscal year 1997. This legislation is the result of the hard work of many people in the Administration and in the Congress who are dedicated to both a strong national intelligence capability and effective congressional oversight. Through their efforts, the Intelligence Community will be able to continue critical intelligence activities furthering U.S. national security interests. I am pleased that this legislation largely reflects my Budget request. I commend the conferees for funding the Environmental Intelligence and Applications Program and the automatic declassification reviews under section 3.4 of Executive Order 12958. This legislation will also enhance Intelligence Community support for U.S. law enforcement agencies by clarifying existing authorities that permit elements of the Intelligence Community to collect information on non- U.S. persons abroad at the request of U.S. law enforcement agencies. Although I am signing this Act, I have concerns about the provisions in it that purport to direct the creation of two new National Security Council (NSC) committees--a Committee on Foreign Intelligence and a Committee on Transnational Threats.…”