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[House Document 106-299]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

106th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-299

 
                           VETO OF H.R. 4733

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  FROM

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

       HIS VETO OF H.R. 4733, THE ``ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT 
                       APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001''

 October 10, 2000.--Message and accompanying bill ordered to be printed
To the House of Representatives:
    I am returning herewith without my approval, H.R. 4733, the 
``Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2001.'' The 
bill contains an unacceptable rider regarding the Army Corps of 
Engineers' master operating manual for the Missouri River. In 
addition, it fails to provide funding for the California-Bay 
Delta initiative and includes nearly $700 million for over 300 
unrequested projects.
    Section 103 would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from 
revising the operating manual for the Missouri River that is 40 
years old and needs to be updated based on the most recent 
scientific information. In its current form, the manual simply 
does not provide an appropriate balance among the competing 
interests, both commercial and recreational, of the many people 
who seek to use this great American river. The bill would also 
undermine implementation of the Endangered Species Act by 
preventing the Corps of Engineers from funding reasonable and 
much-needed changes to the operating manual for the Missouri 
River. The Corps and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are 
entering a critical phase in their Section 7 consultation on 
the effects of reservoir project operations. This provision 
could prevent the Corps from carrying out a necessary element 
of any reasonable and prudent alternative to avoid jeopardizing 
the continued existence of the endangered least tern and pallid 
sturgeon, and the threatened piping plover.
    In addition to the objectionable restriction placed upon 
the Corps of Engineers, the bill fails to provide funding for 
the California-Bay Delta initiative. This decision could 
significantly hamper ongoing Federal and State efforts to 
restore this ecosystem, protect the drinking water of 22 
million Californians, and enhance water supply and reliability 
for over 7 million acres of highly productive farmland and 
growing urban areas across California. The $60 million budget 
request, all of which would be used to support activities that 
can be carried out using existing authorities, is the minimum 
necessary to ensure adequate Federal participation in these 
initiatives, which are essential to reducing existing conflicts 
among water users in California. This funding should be 
provided without legislative restrictions undermining key 
environmental statutes or disrupting the balanced approach to 
meeting the needs of water users and the environment that has 
been carefully developed through almost 6 years of work with 
the State of California and interested stakeholders.
    The bill also fails to provide sufficient funding necessary 
to restore endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, which 
would interfere with the Corps of Engineers' ability to comply 
with the Endangered Species Act, and provides no funds to start 
the new construction project requested for the Florida 
Everglades. The bill also fails to fund the Challenge 21 
program for environmentally friendly flood damage reduction 
projects, the program to modernize Corps recreation facilities, 
and construction of an emergency outlet at Devil's Lake. In 
addition, it does not fully support efforts to research and 
develop nonpolluting, domestic sources of energy through solar 
and renewable technologies that are vital to America's energy 
security.
    Finally, the bill provides nearly $700 million for over 300 
unrequested projects, including: nearly 80 unrequested projects 
totaling more than $330 million for the Department of Energy; 
nearly 240 unrequested projects totaling over $300 million for 
the Corps of Engineers; and, more than 10 unrequested projects 
totaling in excess of $10 million for the Bureau of 
Reclamation. For example, more than 80 unrequested Corps of 
Engineers construction projects included in the bill would have 
a long-term cost of nearly $2.7 billion. These unrequested 
projects and earmarks come at the expense of other initiatives 
important to taxpaying Americans.
    The American people deserve Government spending based upon 
a balanced approach that maintains fiscal discipline, 
eliminates the national debt, extends the solvency of Social 
Security and Medicare, provides for an appropriately sized tax 
cut, establishes a new voluntary Medicare prescription drug 
benefit in the context of broader reforms, expands health care 
coverage to more families, and funds critical investments for 
our future. I urge the Congress to work expeditiously to 
develop a bill that addresses the needs of the Nation.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, October 7, 2000.
    
    
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