Cord Byrd: “Mr. President, I am looking at the memorandum that is being distributed by the Executive Office of the President, the…”

“Mr. President, I am looking at the memorandum that is being distributed by the Executive Office of the President, the Office of Management and Budget, dated October 30, 1997. It carries the heading ``Statement of Administration Policy.'' I will read it. This statement of administration policy provides the administration's views on S. 1292, a bill disapproving the cancellations transmitted by the President on October 6, 1997. S. 1292 would disapprove 34 of the 38 projects that the President canceled from the fiscal year 1998 Military Construction Appropriations Act. The administration strongly opposes this disapproval bill. If it originally was presented to the President in its current form, the President would veto the bill. The President carefully reviewed the 145 projects that Congress funded that were not included in the fiscal year 1998 budget. The President used his authority responsibly to cancel projects that were not requested in the budget that would not substantially improve the quality of life of the military service members and their families and that would not begin construction in 1998 because the Defense Department reported that no architectural and engineering design work had been done. The President's action saves $287 million in budget authority in 1998.”