On the recordSeptember 3, 1997
This appropriations bill has taken pains to try and remove authorization from, in fact, its line item. The Traficant amendment basically says none of the funds in this bill may be used to pay for NATO expansion not authorized by law. This does not tie the hands of the appropriators. The appropriators could provide whatever money is necessary, but that money that is provided must have been authorized by law. If it was not authorized by law, that appropriation cannot appear. I would like to talk some business about NATO here. We talk a good game about NATO. Members go home and campaign about all the money our taxpayers are putting into NATO and how we have got to stop that and let everybody else pay their own way. But when we come down to the real fine print of the law, we continue to leave open an opportunity for funds to go for NATO expansion.
Source
govinfo.gov
