EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
(THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN COORDINATED BY OMB WITH THE CONCERNED AGENCIES.)

September 30, 1999 (House)

H.R. 2910 - National Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 1999 (Shuster (R) PA and 3 cosponsors)

The Administration has no objection to House passage of H.R. 2910, which would authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for fiscal years 2000-2002. However, the Administration will work with the Congress to amend the legislation to: Eliminate the restriction of section 6 to "intentional" criminal acts by omitting the word "intentional." Unless the word "intentional" is omitted, section 6 would exclude many environmental and other offenses that do not require proof of intentional conduct. Delete the exemption in section 5 of passive recorder devices from the definition of "information collections" subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act, which would establish an undesirable precedent that could hinder efforts to control Federal information collection burdens on the public. Delete section 4 relating to overtime pay for NTSB employees performing accident investigations. This provision would make no distinction between employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act and those who are exempt; create inconsistencies in the treatment of travel time under Federal overtime laws; establish overtime pay limitations that would be unique to NTSB employees; and fragment Federal overtime laws and make them more complex. The Administration instead urges the House to pass H.R.1770, which would address overtime concerns on a government-wide basis.