JOURNAL OF THE SENATE 681

must, and will, continue, a President's 

Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention is not necessary at 

this time.

R onald Reagan.

T he White House, November 5, 1986.

On November 6, 1986:

CLEAN WATER ACT AMENDMENTS

I am withholding my approval of S. 

1128, the “Water Quality Act of 1986."

On March 26, 1985, Lee M. Thomas, 

Administrator of the Environmental 

Protection Agency, sent to the Congress a proposal to amend and reauthorize appropriations under the 

Clean Water Act. As that proposal 

demonstrated, this Administration remains committed to the Act’s objectives, and I am proud that we can 

report remarkable progress in this 

massive national cleanup effort.

Unfortunately, this bill so far exceeds acceptable levels of intended 

budgetary commitments that I must 

withhold my approval. Central to my 

proposal of last year was the phasingout over a period of four years, and 

the termination by 1990, of the huge 

sewage treatment grant program. 

With the backlog of needed treatment 

plants financed in major part by the 

Federal government since 1972, it is 

now necessary for the Federal government to reduce its expenditures and 

complete the transition from Federal 

to State and local responsibility. The 

Environmental Protection Agency has 

already spent $44 billion to assist municipalities in meeting a need that was 

estimated to be $18 billion when the 

program was established in 1972. My 

proposal would have extended another 

$6 billion to finish the projects that 

had been started with Federal funds.

Notwithstanding my recommendations, S. 1128 would authorize $18 billion or triple the amount I requested 

for that grant program, expand the allowable uses of Federal funds, and 

continue Federal grants for another 

nine years. By 1993 S. 1128 would increase outlays by as much as $10 billion over the projections in my 1987 

Budget and would reverse important 

reforms enacted in 1981 that targeted 

funds to the completion of construction of sewage treatment plants—the 

program’s original and principal remaining purpose.

S. 1128 makes several programmatic 

changes that would improve the overall Clean Water Act, including expanded Federal enforcement authorities 

and an easing of the regulatory and financial burden on cities in dealing 

with stormwater discharges. We will 

work diligently with the 100th Congress to address these concerns. S. 

1128 also would authorize some new 

programs—at a five-year total of $500 

million—that my Administration has 

strongly opposed. Principal among 

them is the reinstatement of a Federal 

financial assistance program to pay for 

local plans to control diffuse sources 

of pollution. Over $500 million was 

spent on a similar program between 

1973 and 1981 with little or no positive 

result. Restarting expensive planning

November 24, 1986

grant programs that have failed in the 

past is not justifiable.

For these reasons, I cannot approve 

S. 1128. I must emphasize, however, 

that my action will have no impact on 

the current conduct of water pollution 

control programs under the Clean 

Water Act. All regulatory, enforcement, and permit issuance activities 

will continue under permanent law. 

Although authorization to appropriate 

for the sewage treatment grant program and other grant and research 

programs expired between 1983 and 

1985, funds have been appropriated 

for them annually, and they are 

funded in the Continuing Resolution 

for 1987.

My Administration will work closely 

with the next Congress to pass acceptable legislation. We will continue our 

commitment to improve and protect 

our Nation’s water quality by working 

with the Congress to modify current 

law to help cities handle stormwater 

discharge permits.

R onald R eagan.

The White House, November 6, 1986.

On November 14, 1986:

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE

ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT

I am withholding my approval of 

H.R. 5495, the “National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration Authorization Act, 1987.”

This legislation would authorize appropriations for 1987 for the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA); authorize appropriations for 

the Office of Commercial Space 

Transportation in the Department of 

Transportation; establish a National 

Space Council in the Executive Office 

of the President to advise me on spacerelated matters; make numerous other 

amendments involving the Space 

Shuttle; amend the Land RemoteSensing Commercialization Act in various respects; and authorize appropriations for a variety of programs of the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Department of 

Commerce.

The establishment of a National 

Space Council in the Executive Office 

of the President would constitute unacceptable inteference with my discretion and flexibility in organizing and 

managing the Executive Office as I 

consider appropriate. Besides creating 

additional and unnecessary bureaucracy, the National Space Council would 

duplicate the functions of the interagency bodies—the Senior Interagency 

Group (Space), the Interagency Group 

(Space), and the Economic Policy 

Council—that already coordinate the 

development and implementation of 

space policy. Because the proposed National Space Council would unnecessarily limit my authority to organize 

and manage the Executive Office 

while offering nothing by way of improvement in space policymaking, I 

am compelled to reject it.

I find two other provisions of H.R. 

5495 troublesome. First, by mandating 

certain space shuttle launch priorities, 

the bill does not adequately recognize

the importance the Administration 

places on the development of a commercial space launch industry or my 

specific decision to allow NASA to 

launch certain foreign payloads. 

Second, section 111 of H.R. 5495 would 

impose a “buy America” restriction on 

certain NASA procurement activities, 

in violation of the General Agreement 

on Tariffs and Trade Agreement on 

Government Procurement. Enactment 

of this proposal could subject the 

United States to significant retaliation 

by other countries.

Withholding of my approval of this 

legislation should not be interpreted 

as any diminution of my support for 

our Nation’s space program. I strongly 

support and affirm the goals of that 

program and of United States space 

policy to strengthen national security, 

maintain our leadership in space, and 

promote international cooperation in 

space. I also stress that my action on 

H.R. 5495 will in no way adversely 

affect the Federal government’s ongoing space programs. Adequate funding 

for those programs for 1987 has already been appropriated in the recently enacted Continuing Resolution 

(Public Law 99-500).

R onald Reagan.

The White House, November 14, 1986.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1986

appointment subsequent to sine die

ADJOURNMENT

BOARD OF REGENTS OF SMITHSONIAN

INSTITUTION

Subsequent to the sine die adjourment of the Senate,

Under the authority of the resolution S. Res. 510, agreed to on Thursday, October 16, 1986,

The VICE PRESIDENT, on 

Monday, November 24, 1986, appointed Senator Daniel P. Moynihan as a 

member of the Board of Regents of 

the Smithsonian Institution.