WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Al Gore accuses congressional Republicans of trying to "sneak through" environmentally damaging legislation and says the administration won't "tolerate such stealth attacks."
Gore, citing past cases where President Clinton has vetoed legislation because of anti-environmental provisions, hinted to a group of environmental leaders Tuesday that future vetoes of such bills may be necessary.
"We are putting Congress on notice," declared Gore. "We will not tolerate stealth attacks that do unacceptable harm to our environment or threaten public health."
Three years ago, confrontations over environmental provisions tacked onto bills as riders brought presidential vetoes and "led to government shutdowns," Gore said. "Congress should remember these precedents. ... We're drawing the line."
A White House official, seeking to clarify Gore's intent on condition of not being identified by name, said it was "premature" to say specifically whether Clinton would veto any of the spending bills.
"It's the same old rhetoric," said Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Appropriations interior subcommittee. "I guess we're not supposed to make policy... They complain about everything."
Regula said there's a dispute with the administration over how much money to spend for new land and how much to spend for repairing existing parks and facilities.
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