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The longer I serve in public life, in many In the end, that is what we have honored ways, the more idealistic I become, but I see tonight, and America is in your debt. Thank day-in and day-out that the world is composed you, and God bless you. of builders, wreckers, and idlers. And most peo- ple in politics are either builders or wreckers. All of you are, by nature, instinct, training, and NOTE: The President spoke at 7:55 p.m. on the will, builders. The country and the world needs South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, its builders, those with imagination and hope he referred to Renzo Piano, 1998 Pritzker Archi- and heart who understand that with all the dif- tecture Prize laureate; Vincent J. Scully, Jr., Ster- ferences that exist in the world, our common ling professor emeritus, Yale University; J. Carter humanity and our common relationship to the Brown, chairman, Pritzker Prize jury; and Jay A. eternal and to our earthly home is far, far more Pritzker, president, Hyatt Foundation, and his important. wife, Cindy.

Remarks on the Nominations of Bill Richardson To Be Secretary of Energy and Richard C. Holbrooke To Be United Nations Ambassador and an Exchange With Reporters June 18, 1998

The President. Senator Bingaman and Con- gagement around the world and the importance gressman Becerra, ladies and gentlemen, I wel- of leveraging that engagement by living up to come you all here today as I announce my intent our United Nations obligations. to nominate Ambassador Bill Richardson to be- In short, if there’s one word that comes to come our Secretary of Energy, Ambassador mind when I think of Bill Richardson, it really Richard Holbrooke to assume the portfolio of is ‘‘energy.’’ But that is hardly the only reason America’s Representative to the United Nations. I am appointing him to this job. [Laughter] For I’m especially pleased that their families could 14 years representing New Mexico, an energy- join me and the Vice President and, as you rich State that is home to two of our national can see, our entire national security team. Department of Energy labs, and his long service Over the last 2 years, Bill Richardson’s experi- as an active member of the House Energy and ence, energy, and tenacity have made a real Commerce Committee, he has gotten extensive, difference in advancing our interests in the firsthand experience in issues ranging from de- United Nations and around the world. With dip- regulating the oil and gas industries, to pro- lomatic skills honed in one of the most diverse moting alternative sources of energy, to ensuring congressional districts in our country, negotiating that energy development meets tough standards ability tested in some of the toughest hot spots of environmental safety. I thank him for his on our planet, and a personal touch evidenced willingness to serve. ˜ from his first day on the job, Bill Richardson Let me also say that Secretary Pena has left has brought creativity and drive to our leader- a very impressive legacy upon which to build. ship at the U.N. I appreciate his 5 years of service to our Nation He has served the Secretary of State and me as both Secretary of Transportation and Sec- by tackling some of the toughest negotiating retary of Energy, where he surprised, I might challenges from the Congo to Zaire to Afghani- say, even his greatest admirers with the speed stan. He helped to rally the international com- with which he mastered the incredible complex munity to speak and act as one in the crisis issues of the Department and the leadership in Iraq. Today, the international inspectors are he demonstrated in supporting the Comprehen- back on the job, working to end Iraq’s nuclear, sive Test Ban Treaty, in coming out with an chemical, and biological weapons threat, thanks electricity deregulation plan that will save con- in no small measure to his efforts. He has been sumers $20 billion a year, in helping to open a vigorous and articulate proponent of our en- all kinds of opportunities for energy conservation

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and a clean energy future for America. Let me themselves from poverty to dignity and pros- also thank him as Secretary of Transportation perity. Our Nation will always be prepared to for his service there in advancing mass transit act alone if necessary, but joining our strength more than at any point in recent history and with our U.N. partners, we maximize our reach for opening up our air commerce with 40 other and magnify our effectiveness while sharing nations. costs and risks. With Congress’ support, Bill Richardson will In a world where developments beyond our do his part now to secure our energy future, borders have dramatic implications within them, at a time when that is inextricably bound up from rogue states seeking nuclear weapons and with our obligation as Americans to do our part chemical and biological weapons to pollution to deal with the problem of climate change and corroding the atmosphere, international coopera- our obligations as Americans to build a secure tion is clearly more important than ever. I urge future for our country that allows economic Congress to send me legislation, therefore, with- growth and protection of the planet. out unrelated issues, to live up to our legacy I believe that this challenge will require the of leadership and pay our debt to the United greatest energy from our labs, from our sci- Nations. entists and technology, from an Energy Depart- In closing, let me say that the Vice President ment that can work clearly with the private sec- and I feel very fortunate every day to have such tor on what plainly will be one of America’s a strong national security team, men and women most important priorities for years and years of vision, of judgment, of commitment. We have to come. worked closely together to make sure that our Ambassador Holbrooke, my new United Na- Nation remains the world’s leading force for tions designate, is already a familiar face all peace and freedom, for prosperity and security. around the globe. His remarkable diplomacy in The line-up I announce today maintains that Bosnia helped to stop the bloodshed, and at exceptional standard. I thank all of them for the talks in Dayton, the force of his determina- their willingness to serve. I especially thank Am- tion was a key to securing peace, restoring hope, bassador Holbrooke and Ambassador Richardson and saving lives. His ongoing service in the Bal- for their willingness to take on these important kan region has helped to keep Bosnia’s peace new tasks. on track through some difficult moments. And now, I’d like to turn the floor over to He has helped to advance our efforts to break them. the stalemate in Cyprus, and he’s worked to defuse the alarming tensions and violence still [At this point, Secretary-designate Richardson brewing in Kosovo. His expertise rests on an and Ambassador Holbrooke thanked the Presi- outstanding career of diplomatic service, from dent and made brief remarks.] his early days as one of the youngest ever Assist- ant Secretaries of State for Asia, an area where Rapprochement With Iran he has continued to be actively involved and Q. Mr. President, are you softening your pol- which is very important today. Then he worked icy toward Iran? Are you softening your policy as my Ambassador to Germany and as Assistant toward Iran? Did you find a new rapproche- Secretary of State for Europe. ment? His long experience in the private sector has The President. I agree with the remarks made given him a keen eye for the bottom line, eco- yesterday by Secretary Albright. We talked about nomically and politically. He will help us to them extensively before she made her speech. shape a U.N. that is leaner, more efficient, bet- What we want is a genuine reconciliation with ter equipped, that fulfills the best ideals of its Iran based on mutuality and reciprocity and a founders and meets the challenges of the 21st sense that the Iranians are prepared to move century. away from support of terrorism and distribution Ambassador Holbrooke understands, as do all of dangerous weapons, opposition to the peace the members of our national security team, the process. important role the United Nations can play in We appreciate the comments that were made supporting our goals around the world, pursuing by the President several months ago, and we peace and security, promoting human rights, are exploring what the future might hold. We fighting drugs and crime, helping people lift have not changed our principles, our ideas, or

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our objectives. We believe Iran is changing in for years, even though they knew it was against a positive way, and we want to support that. the law to do it, because they needed what Q. Are you contemplating a gesture, sir? they call ‘‘replacement smokers.’’ The President. I think Secretary Albright’s Now, the bill is simple in its outline and clear words should stand for themselves right now. in its objectives. And in terms of the complica- I thought it was a fine speech and an important tions of it, many of those were added by the one. people who now are criticizing it. So, on balance, I think the case is still so Tobacco Legislation overwhelming that we ought to keep working Q. Mr. President, do you have any plans to on it, and I’m prepared—you know, I’ve been resurrect tobacco, perhaps in the House? And working on this for years. When we started, how? most people didn’t think we’d get as far as we The President. Well, yesterday many of the have, and I don’t think that we intend to stop Republicans Senators whom I called—and I until we prevail. And sooner or later we will, talked to 10 of them yesterday—said that they because it’s the right thing to do. had been approached by Senator Lott about the Q. Sir, how will you finance this child care prospect of putting some sort of special group initiative and other things that were contained together of 4 Republicans and 4 Democrats and in that bill without ruining the budget? maybe having them try just in a matter of a The President. We can only finance—we can few days to come up with a bill they thought finance that part of it which is within our own would actually not only pass the Senate but budget, and that part of it which was dedicated could be written into law. And if that’s a good- to—which would had to have been financed by faith effort they’re willing to make, that’s cer- the States and which was within a menu of tainly one option that I would consider. things that we supported that the States could But I don’t intend to continue—to stop fight- spend it on won’t be financed unless the States ing for this. I think it’s obvious to everybody get the money some other way. And I think in the world what happened. This bill was voted that’s unfortunate, because I think that would out of the committee 19 to 1. Some of the be a good expenditure of some of the money. people who voted for it in the Republican cau- Keep in mind, most of the Federal money cus then did not vote for it on the floor, even was designed to be spent on—directly on health though every major amendment which was care—on medical research, on smoking cessation adopted to the bill was sponsored by a Repub- programs, on programs designed to deal with lican Senator. And I think it’s pretty clear what the consequences of the health problems that happened. are directly related to smoking in this country. They may believe that the $40 million in ad- And that was, of course, a part of the Senate’s vertising by the tobacco companies changed decision in killing it. public opinion irrevocably and permanently and I think it’s important to point out also that therefore it’s safe to walk away from the biggest there were—that this bill is temporarily dead public health obligation that this country has because of the unusual rule of the Senate that today. I don’t believe that. requires 60 percent, not 51 percent, of the Sen- But even if the politics have changed, the ate to pass on any bill other than the budget merits haven’t. One more day will pass today if somebody objects to it. So for all the $40 when 3,000 more children will start to smoke million in spending—and as reported in the even though it’s illegal to sell them cigarettes, paper today, all the commitment to run the and 1,000 of them will have their lives shortened same ads all over again in November to protect because of it. And for us to sit here and do the Republican Members who voted with nothing in the face of evidence which has been them—they still could only muster 43 votes. And mounting during this debate, even in the Min- two of those votes were people who wanted nesota case, during this debate, gave the freshest a better provision for the tobacco farmers and and in some cases the most vivid documentary essentially supported the bill. evidence of all from the tobacco companies So, essentially, what you’ve got is 41 people themselves that they’ve known about the addict- denying the American people and denying the ive qualities of nicotine for years and that they huge majority of the United States Senate, in- have deliberately marketed cigarettes to children cluding a number of Republicans, the right to

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pass a tobacco bill and ask the House to do I’ve never quit on anything this important in the same to protect our children. That’s not my life, and I don’t intend to stop now. There a long way from success. And that means that are too many futures riding on it, and I think each and every one of the members of the Re- in the end we will prevail. publican caucus who voted for that was in a Thank you. way personally responsible for the death of the bill. NOTE: The President spoke at 10:08 a.m. in the It’s not all—it’s dead today. It may not be Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, dead tomorrow. And it’s not dead over the long he referred to President Mohammad Khatami of run because the public health need is great. Iran.

Remarks Following Discussions With Religious Leaders June 18, 1998

Thank you very much, Madam Secretary, to I also want to thank all the religious leaders the Members of Congress who are here, and who have joined us here today who have been the religious leaders, especially to Rabbi part of our advisory process. We welcome the Schneier, Archbishop McCarrick, Reverend recent release from prison of two key Chinese Argue. I thank all of you for your devotion to religious leaders, Gao Feng and Bishop Zeng religious liberty and to the proposition that Jingmu, as well as China’s announcement that America’s advocacy of freedom should, indeed it intends to sign the International Covenant must, include our advocacy of religious liberty. on Civil and Political Rights, with its guarantees I’d like to say a special word of thanks to of freedom of thought and religion. But Chinese John Shattuck, our Assistant Secretary of State, Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists remain im- who has worked so hard to promote human prisoned for their religious activities, including rights around the world and whom, I hope, will in Tibet, and other believers face harassment. soon be moving on to other important respon- Therefore, when in China, I will speak as sibilities for the United States. John, thank you clearly as I can about human rights and religious very, very much for doing a great job. Sandy freedom. Our message is clear: We in the Berger and Madeleine and I rely on you a lot, United States believe that all governments ev- and we hope you’ll have another good run soon. erywhere should ensure fundamental rights, in- I’d also like to say a special word of apprecia- cluding the right of people to worship when tion to Reverend Argue, Archbishop McCarrick, and where they choose. We believe that China and Rabbi Schneier for leading a delegation to should resume talks with the Dalai Lama. We China on a mission that grew out of my meeting believe that prisoners of conscience should be with President Jiang last fall. In their discussions released. with Chinese Government leaders and religious groups of all kinds, they were our forceful advo- I am convinced that dealing directly with the cates for religious liberty. Their visit helped to Chinese on these issues is the best way to make make the Chinese people aware of the funda- a difference, and making a difference is in the mental importance of this issue, not simply to end what matters. I am also convinced, as I the American Government but to the American told President Jiang here both privately and in people. our press conference, that China will be more We have just met to discuss their trip, and stable, will grow stronger, will acquire more in- I have received from them a very impressive fluence in the world in direct proportion to the report of their activities, replete with their spe- extent to which it recognizes liberties of all kinds cific recommendations about where we go from and especially religious liberty. here. And their insights will certainly have a Of course, we all know that the freedom to big influence on my activities and conversations follow one’s personal beliefs, to worship as one as I prepare to embark for China. chooses, is at the core of what it means to

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