STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 5743 – Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2013
(Rep. Rogers, R-MI)
The Administration
appreciates the continued support of the House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence for intelligence activities, and notwithstanding the concerns
outlined below, does not oppose House passage of H.R. 5743, the Intelligence
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.
The Administration has serious concerns with the
amounts authorized in the classified annex, particularly if these funding
levels were included in an appropriations bill, because they exceed the
President's Budget. Further, the Administration objects to unrequested
authorizations for some classified programs that were reduced in the
President's Budget because they are lower in priority and would support deficit
reduction efforts. The Administration asks the congressional committees
to ensure that the final amounts appropriated for the Intelligence Community
for FY 2013 are authorized.
The Administration appreciates that the bill
repeals some dated and obsolete statutory reporting requirements. Further
reducing unnecessary reporting requirements will help to alleviate the burden
associated with these requirements in a resource-constrained
environment.
The Administration looks forward to working with
the Congress to address its concerns.
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 5854 – Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013
(Rep. Rogers, R-KY)
Last summer, the Congress and the President came
to a bipartisan agreement to put the Nation on a sustainable fiscal course in
enacting the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA). The BCA created a
framework for more than $2 trillion in deficit reduction and provided tight
spending caps that would bring discretionary spending to a minimum level needed to preserve critical national
priorities. Departing from the bipartisan agreement reached in the BCA
and departing from the caps it put in place, the House of Representatives put
forward a topline discretionary funding level for fiscal year (FY) 2013
that would cost jobs and hurt average Americans, especially seniors, veterans,
and children. The funding level would also degrade many of the basic
Government services on which the American people rely such as air traffic
control and law enforcement. In addition, these cuts were made in the
context of a budget that fails the test of balance, fairness, and shared
responsibility by giving millionaires and billionaires a tax cut and paying for
it through deep cuts, including to discretionary programs.
The appropriations bill for Military Construction
and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies funds critical priorities, but given
the House's topline discretionary level for FY 2013, enactment of H.R. 5854
would require harmful cuts to other critical priorities such as education,
research and development, job training, and health care as other appropriations
bills are constructed.
If the President were presented with H.R. 5854,
his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.
The Administration would like to take this
opportunity to share additional views regarding the Committee's version of H.R.
5854, making appropriations for military construction, the Department of
Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2013, and for other purposes.
Military Construction. The
Administration appreciates the Committee's support for critical military
construction projects, but strongly opposes incremental funding of the Aegis
Ashore Missile Defense System Complex in Romania. The incremental funding
of this project runs counter to sound budgeting principles and fiscal
discipline.
Civilian Pay Freeze. The
Administration objects to sections 129, 231, and 232, as well as any other
effort to reduce pay for civilian personnel that would effectively extend the
freeze on civilian pay through FY 2013. As the President stated in his FY
2013 Budget, a permanent pay freeze is neither sustainable nor desirable.
The Administration encourages the Congress to support the proposed 0.5 percent
pay raise.
Arlington National Cemetery
(ANC).
The Administration appreciates the Committee's support for ANC programs, which
will help address the Cemetery's burial and other operating issues.
Rider
The Administration strongly opposes problematic
policy and language riders that have no place in funding legislation,
including, but not limited to, the following provision in this bill:
Project Labor Agreements
(PLAs).
The Administration strongly opposes the provision that would effectively
prohibit use of project labor agreements on Federal construction projects
funded under this bill. PLAs can provide structure and stability to large
construction projects, and allow agencies to complete these projects more
efficiently. They can also help ensure compliance with laws and
regulations governing workplace safety and health, equal employment
opportunity, and labor and employment standards.
The Administration looks forward to working with
the Congress as the FY 2013 appropriations process moves forward.
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