Vice President's Council on Competitiveness

Executive Summary

House votes (236-183) on July 1 to eliminate the staff budget of $86,000 for Vice President Quayle's council. The vote was on an amendment to the FY 1993 Treasury/General Government appropriations bill, which cleared the House later that day. A November 1991 report on ways to improve the drug approval process is one example of the council's efforts to review federal regulations and promote policies to enhance industry competitiveness, but some legislators contend the council exerts undue influence on the activities of federal agencies and lacks public accountability ("The Pink Sheet" Nov. 18, 1991, p. 4). President Bush has threatened to veto the entire spending measure unless funding is restored.