Bill Clinton

White House announcement on the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996

I urge the Congress to address the Administration's objections and pass an acceptable National Defense Authorization Act promptly.

It would also restrict the President's authority in the conduct of foreign affairs and as Commander in Chief, raising serious constitutional concerns.

The missile defense provisions would also jeopardize our current efforts to agree on an ABM/TMD demarcation with the Russian Federation.

I remain very concerned about provisions that would restrict service women and female dependents of military personnel from obtaining privately funded abortions in military facilities overseas.

The Congress should enact this authorization as soon as possible.

I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 1530, the 'National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996.'

By forcing such an unwarranted deployment decision now, the bill would waste tens of billions of dollars.

H.R. 1530 would unacceptably restrict my ability to carry out this country's national security objectives.

This sanctions relief was an essential factor motivating Serbia and Montenegro's acceptance of the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

I hereby determine that the waiver or modification of the sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro is necessary to achieve a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina that is acceptable to the parties.

The suspension of the sanctions... is necessary to achieve a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

I hereby direct the Secretary of the Treasury to take appropriate action to suspend the application of the sanctions imposed on Serbia and Montenegro.

I hereby authorize the Secretary of State to take appropriate action to suspend the application of the sanctions imposed pursuant to Department of State Public Notice 1427.

I have directed the Secretaries of the Treasury and Transportation to suspend immediately the application of these sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro.

I hereby direct the Secretary of Transportation to take appropriate action to suspend the application of the sanctions imposed pursuant to Department of Transportation Order 92-5-38.

Your mission of peace and good will in Bosnia reminds us all what this season is all about for all people everywhere.

You provide us with the power to meet threats to our security.

I know that when we call on our troops to protect America's interests and values, we also call on their families.

Merry Christmas, and best wishes to all of you on this Christmas Eve.

I have seen it for myself.

Hillary and I offer our profound condolences to the many families whose loved ones perished in the crash December 20 of American Airlines flight 965 near Buga, Colombia. Coming on the eve of the holiday season, this tragic event takes on…

I'm prepared to--let me just say, I'm prepared to just keep working. I think all of us want to have Christmas with our families, but beyond that, I'm prepared to keep working. And I'm going to do everything I can to succeed, and that's…

Well, I think it's been tested in other ways, but it's certainly the most significant military test of our post-cold-war policy. If you accept the premise that what happened in the Gulf at the Gulf war could have occurred during the cold…

Let us bring peace to every child who deserves to be free from violence and full of hope.