2188 Oct. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993

promoting democracy abroad, such as tomary Federal assistance to individuals and through the National Endowment for De- to State and local governments. mocracy. I am deeply concerned, however, Second, I spoke last night with our FEMA about the reductions that were made to my Director, , and he is proceed- request for payments to international organi- ing to California this morning, along with the zations and peacekeeping activities. My Ad- Secretary of the Interior, , who ministration is committed to working with met with Mr. McLarty this morning. the Congress to enable the to Third, I have spoken with Governor Pete meet our treaty obligations. Also, I take note Wilson and will be consulting soon with Sen- of the language in the Joint Explanatory ators Feinstein and Boxer, to receive their Statement of the Committee of Conference recommendations on how we can be more regarding congressional notification, where helpful to the State. practicable, 15 days in advance of a U.S. vote Finally, I have instructed the Chief of in the U.N. Security Council to establish any Staff, Mr. McLarty, to coordinate the full de- new or expanded peacekeeping operation. I livery of all appropriate Federal resources understand the importance of timely con- and assistance to California. We’ve already sultation with the Congress, but note that the dispatched 20 Forest Service air tankers notification suggested by the Congress may there and many additional Federal fire- not always be practicable. fighters to the scene. I have asked Secretary Babbitt and Secretary Espy to coordinate William J. Clinton with James Lee Witt so that we can have The White House, a full Federal response to the problems in October 27, 1993. California. Many hundreds of people on the ground NOTE: H.R. 2519, approved October 27, was as- are engaged in valiant efforts to fight these signed Public Law No. 103–121. This statement fires now. Neighbors are helping neighbors. was released by the Office of the Press Secretary We will offer what we can to help fight the on October 28. fires, to meet the needs of the victims, to stand with the people who are already doing so much. Remarks and an Exchange With Now, before I answer questions, I’d like Reporters Prior to Departure for to say just another word on another subject. Baltimore, Maryland For the past 9 months, the primary focus of October 28, 1993 this administration has been on improving the economy in ways that average Americans can actually tell were affecting their lives in California Fires and the Economy a positive way. We’ve taken some very serious The President. Good morning. Along actions to reduce the deficit, to help increase with all Americans, my heart goes out to the the fairness of the Tax Code, to provide in- people across southern California who have centives to invest in important areas of our lost their homes, their possessions, and who national economy, to try to give working fam- have witnessed private property and the nat- ilies with modest incomes and children at ural environment devastated by these terrible home a better break. fires. More than 400 homes have already Now, we’re beginning to see real results, been consumed. And evacuations are now higher growth rates, lower deficits, things occurring, involving thousands of our fellow that over the long run will represent real citizens. progress for the American people. When our This morning, I want to announce several administration took office, the deficit for this specific actions that I am taking to respond year was projected to be well in excess of to this tragedy in California. First, I have des- $300 billion. The Treasury Department and ignated Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San the Office of Management and Budget have Diego, and Ventura Counties as major disas- confirmed today that in the end, it turned ter areas. This makes them available for cus- out to be substantially lower. We finished this

VerDate 08-JUN-98 08:40 Jun 09, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P43OC4.028 INET01 PsN: INET01 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993 / Oct. 28 2189

year with a deficit of $255 billion, over $50 Q. Mr. President, on the economy, we’ve billion below where it was projected to be. seen a number of false starts over the past After years of bad policies and bad estimates, 11⁄2, 2 years. Are you convinced that recovery when lower deficits actually went far higher, is assured now, or are you still considering it’s pleasing to me to see that a deficit came some sort of stimulus package to hold in in lower than it was projected because of ef- abeyance if necessary? forts directed to lower interest rates which The President. What I believe is that we had significant direct and indirect benefits are seeing the beginning of a recovery that— to this economy. you can’t say it’s assured, because we’re in Lower deficits and lower interest rates a global economy, but it is clearly sustaining have sparked the beginning of a significant itself, based on American policies and with- economic recovery. Today, we are seeing a out much help from overseas because of the third quarter economic growth rate reported very slow growth to no growth in Europe and of 2.8 percent. I might say that it would have because of the economic problems in Japan. been substantially higher but for the floods Another reason I feel very strongly about in the Middle West and the drought in the NAFTA is that Latin America is the second Southeast. fastest growing part of the world. They’re ac- Although we know our economy is still not tually increasing their incomes. They have a working well enough for most Americans, willingness and an ability, these countries do, these numbers make clear that the historic to buy more American products. And in drop in interest rates, following the an- order to keep this recovery going and actually nouncement of our economic plan and its ul- have it manifest itself in more jobs and higher timate passage, is sparking a sustainable re- incomes, we are going to have to have the covery that is increasing investments in our ability to sell our products around the world. future, investments in housing, in businesses, But yes, I think we’re seeing the beginning and in durable goods. of a very stable, long-term recovery. But keep There is a lot more to do. We are, after in mind, there are many things we have to all, as I have said now for nearly 2 years, do. We are dealing in part with trends that dealing with trends that are 20 years in the have been 20 years in the making. And you making, trends of stagnant incomes, trends just don’t turn those around overnight. of exploding health care costs, trends of dif- Q. Will you travel to California? ficult investment decisions too long post- The President. I haven’t made a decision poned in America. But we are beginning to on that yet. I had a very heart-rending talk see real progress. We are moving in the right this morning with the Governor, and I tried direction, and we have to stay on this course. to find the two Senators, also. I’ll be talking I am very grateful to the people in the with them, but they may be both, I think, Congress who have supported the economic making preparations to go on out imme- plan that has produced these low interest diately. rates, that has led to most of the deficit re- I did call James Lee Witt, and last night duction below the projected targets, and I we had a long talk. And I told him I thought think that this is clearly a good sign that we’re it was important for him to be on the ground moving in the right direction. there today, to call and to give me a report I also want to say that it clearly means that and see how we were doing. we have much more to do. That’s why I think For anybody who has ever been in that it’s important that before the Congress goes part of the State, it’s very troubling. One of home, we adopt NAFTA. It’s important that our administration members apparently may we take this health care issue on seriously lose his home, has had his family evacuated and see it through to the end. And there are in Orange County. So it’s a huge fire out a lot of other issues that we’ll be dealing with there, and we’re going to do whatever it takes at the end of this year, and especially next to help the people. year, to keep this economic recovery going. Q. Mr. President, can FEMA handle this But this is good news. after the terrible year that the administration

VerDate 08-JUN-98 08:40 Jun 09, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P43OC4.028 INET01 PsN: INET01 2190 Oct. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993

has had with the floods? Do you have the do whatever it takes to make the most of a resources to help California? very difficult situation. The President. Well, they did a very fine job with the floods. And I expect to get a— Haiti let me get a report from James Lee Witt Q. when he gets out there on the scene, and I have a question on Haiti, Mr. Presi- we’ll let you know. dent. Do you accept as fact that President This is something that we have tried to Aristide won’t be back in power tomorrow? mobilize and alert the Agriculture Depart- And do you favor tightening sanctions? The President. ment and the Interior Department, not only We’re looking at a number because we have some Federal land out of other options, and I’m also looking forward there that is affected but because we do have to President Aristide’s speech to the United trained firefighters in those Agencies that Nations, which I think he has probably con- might be able to help. So we’re trying to put cluded now. I know he was to give it this all that together now, and I should be able— morning, but I haven’t gotten a report on by the middle of the afternoon, I’ll know it. The Vice President talked with him yester- more about this. day, and we have worked very closely on this. Q. Mr. President, you’ve also said before We spent about 40 minutes on it this morn- that—just to follow up—that California is the ing in the normal national security briefing weakest part of our economy. Isn’t it likely period. We are looking at what our options that this will further drag down not only Cali- are. fornia but the rest of the country? What extra I think that, just from the morning press help can you give them now? reports, if Mr. Franc¸ois and the others in The President. Let’s try to help them get Haiti believe that all they have to do is to the fire out first, and we’ll focus on that. wait out Aristide and everything will some- David [David Lauter, ]. how be all right and that the international Q. Mr. President, the last time there was community will put up with the reestablish- a major natural disaster in California, the ment of a Duvalier-like regime there, in plain earthquake in the bay area, there was a lot violation of the overwhelming majority of the of complaint within the State about bureau- people of Haiti, I think they’re just wrong. cratic redtape, bungling, what have you. I Again, I will say, the people down there know you’ve tried to make improvements in that are thwarting democracy’s return have FEMA during the flood period, but what sort got to decide whether they want to hold on of assurances can you offer the State that this tight to a shrinking future or take a legitimate time the job will be done right? and proportionate share of an expanding fu- The President. All I can tell you is, I be- ture. It is their decision. But I think they lieve that the people who suffered in that are making a grave mistake, and we are look- historic flood in the Midwest believe that we ing at what our other options are. did cut through the redtape, that we were Thank you very much. on top of the situation from the beginning, and that we worked through it as best as pos- NOTE: The President spoke at 11:12 a.m. in the sible. And if we do as well in California as Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, we did there, I think the people will be satis- he referred to Lt. Col. Joseph Michel Franc¸ois, fied. chief of the Haitian police. What I want to know, in response to your question and Andrea’s [Andrea Mitchell, Remarks to the Medical Community NBC News], is what is different about this? at Johns Hopkins University in Are there going to be different challenges? Baltimore Will there be different problems? But I have October 28, 1993 every confidence that James Lee Witt will do the same job in California he did in the Thank you very much. You have just seen Middle West and, along with Mike Espy and the most stunning example of one of Clin- Bruce Babbitt, we’ll be on top of it. And we’ll ton’s laws of politics, which is whenever pos-

VerDate 08-JUN-98 08:40 Jun 09, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P43OC4.028 INET01 PsN: INET01