Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Monday, May 15, 2000 Volume 36—Number 19 Pages 1021–1101 Contents

Addresses and Remarks Addresses and Remarks—Continued Africa and Caribbean Basin trade legislation— Million Mom March representatives in 1072 Akron—1089 Arkansas Patients’ Bill of Rights, congressional Departure for Fayetteville—1024 conferees meeting—1072 Reception for Hillary Clinton in Little Radio address—1022 Rock—1026 Senator Daniel K. Akaka, reception—1044 China, permanent normal trade relations Senator Mary L. Landrieu, reception—1041 status—1036, 1092 Virginia, National Conference on Building Commander in Chief’s Trophy presentation to Prosperity in the Delta in Arlington—1048 the U.S. Air Force Academy football White House News Photographers’ team—1040 Association dinner, videotape remarks— Forest fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico— 1046 1067 ‘‘Good Morning America,’’ townhall Communications to Congress meeting—1079 Maryland, reception for Representative Baron Access to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and P. Hill in Bethesda—1032 medical technologies, letter to Senator Medicare prescription drug coverage—1047 Dianne Feinstein on signing Executive Million Mom March organizers, meeting— order—1058 1030 Chemical and biological weapons defense, Minnesota, community in Shakopee—1094 letter transmitting report—1078 National Equal Pay Day, observance—1067 District of Columbia Courts’ budget request, National Teacher of the Year, award message transmitting—1032 ceremony—1074 Communications to Federal Agencies Northern Ireland peace process—1024 Ohio Delegation of authority, memorandum—1040 Permanent trade relations status with China Listeria monocytogenes, memorandum on roundtable in Akron—1092 reducing risk—1023

(Continued on the inside of the back cover.)

Editor’s Note: The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is also available on the Inter- net on the GPO Access service at http://www.gpo.gov/nara/nara003.html.

WEEKLY COMPILATION OF regulations prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10). PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Docu- ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Reg- The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be ister, National Archives and Records Administration, Washing- furnished by mail to domestic subscribers for $80.00 per year ton, DC 20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- ($137.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for ments contains statements, messages, and other Presidential $93.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of Documents, materials released by the White House during the preceding Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The week. charge for a single copy is $3.00 ($3.75 for foreign mailing). The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub- There are no restrictions on the republication of material lished pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Reg- appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- ister Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under ments. Contents—Continued

Executive Orders Statements by the President Access to HIV/AIDS Pharmaceuticals and Africa and Caribbean Basin trade legislation, Medical Technologies—1058 congressional action—1076 Appropriations legislation, congressional Interviews With the News Media action—1056 Exchanges with reporters ‘‘Conservation and Reinvestment Act,’’ House Akron, OH—1089 action—1077 Cabinet Room—1072 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s uniform Roosevelt Room—1030 crime report—1030 Rose Garden—1069 Forest roadless areas, protection—1039 Health care legislation, House action—1039 South Lawn—1024 Moreno, Enrique, Senate opposition to Interview and townhall meeting on ABC’s nomination—1026 ‘‘Good Morning America’’—1079 Northern Ireland peace process—1021, 1026 Interview with Diane Rehm of WAMU Sierra Leone—1077 National Public Radio—1060 Supplementary Materials Proclamations Acts approved by the President—1101 Global Science and Technology Week—1021 Checklist of White House press releases— Mother’s Day—1057 1100 National Equal Pay Day—1071 Digest of other White House Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police announcements—1099 Week—1077 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1100 Week Ending Friday, May 12, 2000

Statement on the Northern Ireland able—and more productive—than ever be- Peace Process fore. May 5, 2000 In recent years, America has participated in numerous scientific endeavors that illus- I am greatly encouraged that Prime Min- trate the feasibility and the benefits of inter- isters Blair and Ahern have announced that national cooperation. For example, as one of their intensive talks in Belfast over the past 16 participating nations, we are advancing 2 days have made progress, providing a sound the frontiers of space exploration through a basis for restoring the political institutions partnership to build the International Space and achieving full implementation of the Station. Working together in the unique envi- Good Friday accord. I urge the parties and ronment of space, we will strive to solve cru- paramilitary organizations to seize this oppor- cial problems in medicine and ecology and tunity to realize these goals in order to secure lay the foundations for developing space- lasting peace for the people of Northern Ire- based commerce. land. The United States remains prepared to We are also participating in an inter- assist in any way we can. national scientific effort to map and sequence all human chromosomes. With the comple- NOTE: In his statement, the President referred tion of the Human Genome Project, we will to Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United King- have unprecedented knowledge about the dom; and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland. cause of such genetic diseases as muscular This item was not received in time for publication dystrophy and Alzheimer’s and greater hope in the appropriate issue. of preventing them in the future. Since the 1980s, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program and Proclamation 7304—Global Science the World Meteorological Organization, and Technology Week, 2000 American scientists have been working with May 5, 2000 hundreds of scientists around the world to identify, understand, and raise public aware- By the President of the United States ness about the threat to our planet’s ozone of America layer. Our collaborative efforts have led to an international agreement to eliminate near- A Proclamation ly all production of offending chemicals in At its core, science is an international en- industrialized countries and to work to re- deavor. The fundamental workings of na- duce their production in developing coun- ture—the function of a gene, the quantum tries. behavior of matter and energy, the chemistry Our Nation continues to reap rewards of the atmosphere—are not the sole province from these and other important international of any one nation. At the same time, many scientific efforts. We benefit enormously of the greatest challenges our Nation faces from the large and growing international sci- are of global concern. Issues such as poverty, entific community within our borders. For disease, pollution, and sustainable energy generations, the world’s brightest scientists production transcend national boundaries, have come to our country to study and con- and their solutions require international col- duct research, and many choose to remain laboration. With the advent of the Internet here permanently. From Albert Einstein to and the revolution in communications tech- four of this year’s Nobel laureates, foreign- nology, such cooperation is more achiev- born scientists in America have made 1021 1022 May 5 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 extraordinary contributions to science and Our food supply is the most bountiful in technology and have played a vital role in the world. And for 7 years now, our adminis- the unprecedented prosperity and economic tration has been committed to making it the growth we have experienced in recent years. safest in the world. We’ve improved dramati- The great French scientist Louis Pasteur cally the Nation’s inspection system for meat, noted more than a century ago that ‘‘science poultry, and seafood. We’ve added new safe- knows no country, because knowledge be- guards to protect families from unsafe im- longs to humanity, and is the torch which ported foods. We’ve established a sophisti- illuminates the world.’’ During Global cated early warning system that uses DNA Science and Technology Week, America fingerprinting techniques to detect and pre- joins the world community in celebrating the vent outbreaks of foodborne illness. From immeasurable benefits we have enjoyed from farm to table, we’ve made great strides to international scientific collaboration and ensure the safety of our food supply. But out- looks forward to a future of even greater breaks of food-related illnesses are still far achievements. too prevalent. In fact, millions of Americans Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, get sick from eating contaminated food each President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by year. the Constitution and laws of the United One threat we must address immediately States, do hereby proclaim May 7 to May comes from a foodborne pathogen called Lis- 13, 2000, as Global Science and Technology teria, which has been the cause of recent re- Week. I call upon students, educators, and calls of hot dogs and luncheon meats and sev- all the people of the United States to learn eral deadly outbreaks of disease. The most more about the international nature of famous case emerged a year and a half ago, science and technology and the contributions when Listeria killed 21 people and sickened that international scientists have made to our 100 others, all of whom had eaten contami- Nation’s progress and prosperity. nated meat from a single plant. It was the In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set Nation’s most deadly food safety epidemic my hand this fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Inde- in 15 years. pendence of the United States of America Fortunately, Listeria is less common than the two hundred and twenty-fourth. salmonella, E. coli, and other foodborne bac- William J. Clinton teria, but unfortunately, it is far more dan- gerous. A staggering 20 percent of Listeria [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, infections result in death. As with other food- 8:45 a.m., May 10, 2000] borne bacteria, it’s rarely healthy adults who come down with Listeria infections. Instead, NOTE: This proclamation was published in the it’s the most vulnerable among us: infants, Federal Register on May 11. This item was not the elderly, pregnant women, and those received in time for publication in the appropriate whose immune systems have been weakened issue. by chemotherapy or AIDS. While our administration has already taken The President’s Radio Address a number of important steps to reduce the May 6, 2000 threat of Listeria, it’s clear we must do more to protect Americans from this deadly patho- Good morning. Warm weather has finally gen. So today I’m directing the Departments taken hold in most of the country, and mil- of Agriculture and Health and Human Serv- lions of families are now taking weekend pic- ices to prepare an aggressive new strategy nics and hosting backyard barbecues. Today to significantly reduce the risk of illness from I want to speak with you about the foods Listeria. As part of this strategy, we will pro- we serve at these gatherings and how we can pose new regulations to require scientific make them even safer than they already are. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 6 1023 approaches, such as systematic testing for Memorandum on Reducing the Risk Listeria at food-processing plants, not just of Listeria Monocytogenes random checks. This and other measures will allow us to cut in half the number of Listeria- May 5, 2000 related illnesses over the next 5 years and Memorandum for the Secretary of save well over 1,000 lives. Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Today I call on the food industry to work Human Services with us as we develop our new Listeria strat- egy. And I call on Congress to help us Subject: Reducing the Risk of Listeria strengthen food safety across the board. Just Monocytogenes this week, unfortunately, the Congress took Food safety is a vital issue for all Ameri- a major step backward by refusing to fully cans. When people across this country sit fund our food safety initiative. In fact, they’ve down to a meal at home or in a restaurant, now voted to block funding for our new ef- they expect that the food they eat will be forts to protect millions of American families safe. While the U.S. food supply is abundant, from the dangers of salmonella poisoning in the marketplace has evolved from one domi- eggs. We should be doing more, not less, to nated by minimally processed basic commod- ensure the safety of our food. ities for home preparation to one with an If we work together, we can make real array of highly processed products that are gains this year. We can increase the number ready-to-eat or require minimal preparation of inspections of domestic and imported in the home. foods. We can expand the FDA’s authority To take account of the changes in the way to turn away imported food that does not Americans eat and to ensure that America’s meet our high safety standards. And at long food supply remains safe, my Administration last, we can give the Department of Agri- has made wide-ranging, dramatic improve- culture the authority to recall bad food and ments in food safety. We have worked suc- impose civil penalties for repeat violations. cessfully to revolutionize our meat and poul- After all, the Department has the right to try inspection system, instituting scientific penalize a circus to protect animals from testing and pathogen reduction controls to harm; it’s about time we gave them the tools target and reduce dangerous pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 and the ill- they need to protect human beings from nesses they cause. We also have imple- harm, too. mented an innovative system of preventative Ensuring the safety of our food and the controls for the seafood industry, published health of our people are among the most im- industry guidance to improve the safety of portant parts of our citizens’ basic contract fruits and vegetables, and taken steps to pre- with their Government. For the sake of mil- vent unsafe imported foods from reaching lions of Americans, especially the most vul- American consumers. My Food Safety Initia- nerable among us, it’s an obligation we sim- tive is now in its third year of improving food ply must work together to uphold. safety surveillance, outbreak response, edu- Thanks for listening. cation, research, and inspection. In 1998, I issued an Executive Order creating the Presi- NOTE: The address was recorded at 12:47 p.m. dent’s Council on Food Safety (Council), on May 5 in the Cabinet Room at the White which oversees Federal food safety research House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 6. The efforts and is currently developing a com- transcript was made available by the Office of the prehensive, national food safety strategic Press Secretary on May 5 but was embargoed for plan. It is under the Council’s auspices that release until the broadcast. my Administration produced last year an Egg 1024 May 6 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Safety Action Plan with the goal of elimi- 120 days on the aggressive steps you will take nating illnesses from Salmonella Enteritidis to significantly reduce the risk of illness and in eggs. Additionally, we launched a high- death by Listeria monocytogenes ready-to-eat tech early warning system called PulseNet foods. In particular, within this time period, that uses DNA-fingerprinting techniques to I direct the Secretary of Agriculture to com- help us better detect and prevent outbreaks plete proposed regulations that include any of foodborne illness. appropriate microbiological testing and other These and other efforts have helped to industry measures to: 1) prevent cross-con- make meaningful improvements in food safe- tamination in the processing environment; 2) ty. But we can do even more. Millions of ensure that the processing of ready-to-eat Americans get sick from eating contaminated products meets appropriate standards; and 3) food each year. With changing patterns of ensure that such products are safe through- food production and consumption, we must out their shelf life. In addition, I direct the continue to aggressively meet the food safety Secretary of Health and Human Services, challenges of the 21st century. within this time frame, to develop an action One challenge we must address imme- plan identifying additional steps necessary to diately is that of Listeria monocytogenes, reduce Listeria monocytogenes contamina- which can cause a severe infection called tion. This plan should include consideration listeriosis. Listeriosis is a significant public of control measures for at-risk foods and the health concern, and is especially lethal, re- publication of guidance for processors, retail- sulting in death in about 20 percent of cases. ers, and food service facilities. Finally, you The Centers for Disease Control and Preven- should consider whether enhanced labeling tion estimate that 2,518 persons become ill is necessary to provide additional safeguards and 504 persons die each year from for consumers. These actions should be listeriosis. Pregnant women with listeriosis based in science and should establish the can pass the infection on to their unborn chil- foundation for a comprehensive approach dren, potentially resulting in severe illness or that significantly reduces the opportunity for death to the fetus or newborn infant. Others Listeria product contamination and Listeria- at high risk for severe disease or death are related illnesses to occur. All these actions, the elderly and those with weakened immune taken together, should allow us to achieve systems. Ready-to-eat food products, such as our Healthy People Goal by 2005 rather than lunch meats, smoked fish, certain types of 2010. soft cheeses, and hot dogs, are among the These steps will continue to ensure the foods most commonly associated with food- safety of America’s food supply and will help related illness from Listeria. To address this protect some of the Nation’s most vulnerable serious public health problem, the Depart- populations from foodborne illness. ment of Health and Human Services (HHS), William J. Clinton in cooperation with the Department of Agri- culture (USDA), is conducting a risk assess- NOTE: This memorandum was embargoed for re- ment on Listeria monocytogenes to deter- lease by the Office of the Press Secretary until mine which foods warrant further preventive 10:06 a.m. on May 6. measures. This risk assessment will be com- pleted shortly, and I believe we must build on what is already being done to target this Remarks on Departure for deadly organism. Fayetteville, Arkansas, and an My Administration’s goal—articulated in Exchange With Reporters our Healthy People 2010 plan—is to cut the May 6, 2000 number of illnesses caused by Listeria in half by 2010, from 0.5 cases to 0.25 cases per Northern Ireland Peace Process 100,000. To meet and exceed this goal, I The President. I would just like to make hereby direct you, in cooperation and con- a brief statement about the acceptance by sultation with the Council and relevant Fed- the IRA of the proposals by Prime Ministers eral agencies, to report back to me within Blair and Ahern. This is a very good day for Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 6 1025 the people of Northern Ireland. It is a truly just want to use this opportunity to try to historic step. For the first time, the IRA is seize control of the judiciary again. For them, clearly committed to decommissioning and it’s all too often a political arm of the Govern- a process to get there. I applaud that. I want ment. But to do this to a Hispanic judge from to thank the Prime Ministers and Gerry Texas, who has made himself into an excel- Adams and everyone else who was involved lent lawyer and a superbly qualified person in this. But this is a very good day. is just unconscionable. I mean, it’s unbeliev- Q. Do you think it will stick? able. The President. Well, I do. Of course, the If their committee didn’t find this man Unionists still have to formally accept it, but qualified, I’d certainly be interested in know- this idea of storing the weapons and having ing what the criteria of their committee is. the storage site monitored, I think, is a way Q. But you’re not charging that two U.S. for both of them to achieve their previously Senators are prejudiced against Hispanics, stated objectives, both sides. So it’s a very, are you? very good day. The President. No, I’m saying that—you Q. Weren’t we at this point once before, have to ask them, and people can draw their sir? own conclusions. They may or may not be. The President. No, we never got this far But since he’s clearly well-qualified and ev- on the details of the implementation. We al- erybody virtually in the world with an opinion ways knew, I think, that the sequencing of has endorsed him, if it’s not that, it’s that decommissioning and the full implementa- they want somebody who’s more politically tion of the accords by both sides and by the malleable. British Government would be a problem. As I said, all you have to do is look at the And that’s really what this last year-plus has way so many of their judges perform. They’re been about. For all of us who’ve worked on highly results oriented when they appoint it, this is a very happy. judges. I just try to appoint people I thought But I really appreciate the work done by would be fair and interpret the law and be Prime Minister Blair and Prime Minister balanced and represent this country. So it Ahern and the fact that the IRA has accepted might be politics and ideology. But it’s a ter- it, and the Sinn Fein has obviously had a role rible, terrible day for the Hispanic commu- in that. So this is a big step. And they’ve nity and for the idea of fairness in the judici- reached out to the Unionists now. Of course, ary. I hope it will be fully accepted by all parties, Q. What’s this going to do—[inaudible]— and we can get the Government back up and election, Mr. President? go on. The President. I don’t know. I don’t have Senate Opposition to the Nomination of a comment on that. I’d rather—to me this Enrique Moreno is—I made this appointment; this man was qualified on the merits, superbly qualified. Q. Why do you think the two Texas Sen- And he’s from a State with a huge Hispanic ators—did they reject your nominee because population and a big caseload, and he de- he’s Hispanic, Mexican-American? served a hearing, and he deserved to be con- The President. There are only two con- firmed. I think it’s just disgraceful. ceivable alternatives, I think. That or they Thank you. just don’t want to confirm any judges unless they’re rightwing ideologs. I mean, this man had unbelievable academic credentials. He NOTE: The President spoke at approximately was endorsed by every conceivable profes- 12:15 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White sional association. He was consistent with the House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Min- ister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; Prime judges I’ve appointed for over 7 years now, Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland; Sinn Fein leader highly qualified and clearly in the main- Gerry Adams; and Enrique Moreno, nominee, stream of the American judiciary. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. A tape But you know, they like judges that are was not available for verification of the content more results oriented, and it may be that they of these remarks. 1026 May 6 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Statement on Opposition in the cord. I urge the loyalist paramilitaries to do Senate to the Nomination of the same. Enrique Moreno I express appreciation to Martti Ahtisaari and Cyril Ramaphosa for their willingness to May 6, 2000 take part in confidence-building measures in- Senators Gramm and Hutchison an- volving third party inspection of IRA weap- nounced yesterday that they opposed the ons dumps. I have great confidence in their confirmation of Enrique Moreno, my nomi- ability to contribute to this important task. nee for a Texas vacancy on the United States These developments offer renewed hope Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Their to the people of Northern Ireland that poli- claim that he lacks the necessary experience tics will once and for all be pursued through to serve on the fifth circuit is unconscionable. exclusively political means. The United The American Bar Association, which has States remains ready to assist this process in rated judicial nominees for Republican and any way we can. Democratic Presidents since the Eisenhower NOTE: In his statement, the President referred administration, unanimously gave Moreno to Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United King- their highest rating. The son of Mexican- dom; Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland; American immigrants and a graduate of Har- former President Martti Ahtisaari of Finland; and vard Law School, Moreno was rated one of former Secretary-General Cyril Ramaphosa of the top three trial attorneys in El Paso by South Africa’s African National Congress. State judges. In rejecting Moreno’s candidacy, the Texas Remarks at a Reception Senators have ignored the strong endorse- ment of the United States Hispanic Chamber for Hillary Clinton of Commerce, the Hispanic National Bar As- in Little Rock, Arkansas sociation, and local law enforcement officials. May 7, 2000 This is not the first time that the Texas Sen- ators have rejected an exceptional Hispanic Thank you very much. Vic, thank you for candidate for this seat, which has been vacant being here. Marion, thank you for being for more than 3 years. Jorge Rangel was here. Vic Snyder was one of the bravest peo- forced to withdraw after the Texas Senators ple in the Arkansas State Senate when I was refused to allow action on his nomination. Governor. When he ran for Congress, I told By blocking qualified judicial nominees, Hillary, I said, ‘‘I’m afraid he can’t get elect- Gramm and Hutchison have exacerbated the ed. He’s got too much guts. He’ll say what vacancy crisis on the fifth circuit. Their un- he thinks about everything.’’ But he got elect- justifiable opposition to Enrique Moreno— ed, and he got reelected. And I thank—when an exceptionally well-qualified Hispanic judi- Marion Berry ran for Congress after doing cial nominee—must not be allowed to stand. a stint in our administration in the Agri- culture Department, Dale and David and I really felt that he was entitled to be in Con- gress, almost as a conciliation prize for having Statement on the Northern Ireland hosted us at the coon supper in Gillette all Peace Process those years. Anybody who could get us to May 6, 2000 eat coon for 10 or 15 years in a row should be given a seat in Congress, just as a matter, I want to join Prime Ministers Blair and of course. But I thank them so much. Ahern in welcoming the IRA’s commitment The other night when I was home, a cou- to initiate a process that will completely and ple of weeks ago—or maybe it was last verifiably put arms beyond use and its deci- week—to dedicate the law school here to Bill sion to resume contact with the Independent Bowen and to do the event in honor of our International Commission on Decommis- friend, Daisy Bates, Dale and David and I sioning. This is a significant step toward real- went to dinner alone, just the three of us. izing the full promise of the Good Friday ac- And we needed adult supervision. [Laughter] Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 7 1027

If there were a tape of the conversation we I want to say a few things that are more had—we relived everything we had ever comfortable for me to say, I think, than Hil- done together, and amplified it all in an un- lary, before I bring her on. When Senator conscionable way. I don’t know when I’ve Moynihan announced that he would not run had as much fun. And Barbara, you should for the Senate again and the New York have been there to give us a little civilizing Democrats were trying to decide, you know, influence, but we had a good time. what they were going to do, they didn’t just Today mostly is a day for us that is full want to give the Senate seat back to the Re- of sentiment and gratitude. I want to thank publican Party and to Mayor Giuliani, and you for all you’ve done for us over the years. they knew he would be a very formidable I want to thank you for things large and small candidate, that it was a seat that had been when I was Governor and for backing us in occupied by Robert Kennedy and then by the two times I ran for President. Yesterday Pat Moynihan. And all these House Mem- I did have a chance to travel the backroads bers started calling Hillary. Then they started of Logan and Franklin and Madison and calling me to lobby Hillary. Washington and Benton Counties and to re- And we talked, and I had always hoped live my first race for Congress in 1974. We she would have a chance to run for office went to Stephanie Streett’s wedding in the and to serve because I thought she would beautiful chapel in Subiaco. I thought about be so good. But we decided she needed to all my old friends, including a lot of them, go up there and just visit people, just the unfortunately, who aren’t around anymore. way we did so long ago in all those commu- nities I went through yesterday. Every town And Hillary and I both agreed that if we of any size, I had been in every store in town hadn’t had to start our careers in public life more than once that we went through. And in a place where you actually had to go see so she did and came back and said, ‘‘You people and listen to them, instead of some- know, the stuff I’ve worked on all my life place where you just spent all your time rais- is really what they need. Someone who cares ing funds to run television ads, our lives about the education of our children; how would have been very different, and I never families balance work and child-rearing; would have had a chance to be the President. somebody who knows something about I also was reminded of the first time I health care; somebody who knows something brought Hillary to Arkansas, and I picked her about bringing economic opportunity to un- up at the airport here in Little Rock, and derdeveloped areas.’’ If New York State, up- instead of going to Hot Springs, I drove her state—that’s exclusive of the suburbs and the up to River Valley, and then we drove down city—were a separate State, it would be 49th Highway 7, a fairly indirect way, but I wanted in job growth in my tenure as President, to give her a sense of what I hoped she was something that I have tried to help on. And getting into. much of what needs to be done there is what I’m looking forward to building this library we’ve tried to do in the Delta and other rural and policy center, and we’re going to have areas of our State. big apartment on top of the library. We’re And she had so many people who wanted finalizing the plans now. I’m trying to keep her to run and wanted her to do it that she this library to a reasonable price, somewhere really decided that she ought to try. And then around $125 million. But I want it to be a I just practically beat her up time and time world-class building, a place that is beautiful again, working on this announcement and distinctive for our State, that will capture speech. She said, ‘‘I’ve given a zillion speech- the imagination of the people and that will es. Why do you keep doing this?’’ I said, be- in some way, some small way, try to repay cause an election is a job interview, and if the people of Arkansas for all they have done you get the job, it helps to have decided in for me. And we’re going to have a nice apart- advance what you intend to do when you get ment there, and I’ll be there a lot. Even Sen- there. ator Hillary will be there some, too, when And one of the reasons I think that the I can work it out. people here were good enough to elect me 1028 May 7 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Governor five times is I always tried to be year, in the whole country, had an increase the candidate of change. I always tried to lay in the crime rate. out what I wanted to do, and I always tried So things are going in the right direction. to be doing what I said I would do in the But the big test for a country is, what do election. And one of the things I’m proudest you do when things are going well? What of, a little known fact, is that in 1995, a Presi- do we propose to do with our prosperity, with dential scholar who at that time I had never the fact that our social problems are less- met said that by ’95 I had already kept a ened, with the fact that we’ve got the lowest higher percentage of my campaign promises African-American and Hispanic unemploy- than the previous five Presidents. And I’m ment rate ever recorded? What are we going proud of that. to do with this? So she worked on that. And I thought she And in all fairness, one of the reasons that gave a terrific speech that day, with a won- our adversaries in the other party, beginning derful program. And she showed that movie, with the Presidential nominee, are sort of try- which has a lot of Arkansas in it, as you saw. ing to blur all these issues and say, ‘‘We care Now, I want to make one general state- about all those things that Bill Clinton and ment before I bring Hillary up here. This Al Gore worked on for 8 years,’’ is that they is a huge election. This election is just as im- hope that people will forget what it was like portant as what happened in ’92, when this in ’92. But there are huge decisions before country was in terrible trouble. A lot of peo- you. ple have forgotten how bad it was in ’92. And And as sentimental as I feel today, elec- that’s not good. It’s just as important as it tions are always about tomorrow. And what was in ’96, when the American people de- cided to give me another chance to try to I wanted to do with all my heart is literally finish what I’d set out to do. build a bridge for this country to the 21st But we have worked so—I’ve tried hard century, so that when I left office, America to take good care of this, and Hillary has been would be in a position to build a future of involved in so many of the things we have our dreams for our children. To me, that’s done together these last 8 years. But so much what this whole thing was about. And I was of the time we spent—Dale and David were furious and disappointed in 1991, when I saw saying they were glad they were part of it— our country just paralyzed in Washington— all we did was make unpopular decisions in nobody getting anything done, everybody ’93 and ’94, because we had to do hard things fighting, partisan politics the order of the to get this country turned around again. day, which, unfortunately, there’s still too Hillary made fun of me today. She said there much of there. was some article talking about that I had real And so we set about doing things. But it’s good job ratings, and if they could just take important for all of you to focus—if you be- out the first 2 years, they’d be perfectly astro- lieve that the results were good, it’s not just nomical. Well, in the first 2 years, I had to because you knew me and you saw I gave do all the hard stuff that made it better the a good speech and I was a pretty good guy. last 6. What we did was—those were the right And so we got the country turned around. things to do. You can be as eloquent as you And the unemployment rate last month was want, and if you advocate the wrong thing, 3.9 percent, for the first time in over 30 you’ll get the wrong result. years. And that’s good. The welfare rolls have That’s what—this election for the Senate been cut in half; 90 percent of our kids im- is a big issue. It really matters who is in the munized for the first time, something I know Senate. The Republican Senators from Texas is very important to Dale and Betty Bumpers. just announced a couple of days ago that they Today the statistics were to be released, or weren’t even going to even permit a hearing have already been released, showing that on an Hispanic judge who was from El Paso, crime has come down every year, down an- who graduated cum laude from Harvard and other 7 percent across the board. Only about Harvard Law School and was endorsed by three dozen cities in the United States last every single organization with an informed Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 7 1029 opinion. Why? Because he wasn’t ideologi- 150 Governors, and I’ve seen another 100 cally far enough to the right. run through the White House since I’ve been This is a big election, and I can tell you there. I’ve got—you know, I realize I am who’s in the Senate makes a huge difference, prejudiced in this, but I know a lot about for good or ill. And you’re going to have to public service and public service efforts. And decide, including in Arkansas, whether you I have spent the last almost 30 years now, want to build on the progress for the last having conversations with my wife about 8 years or reverse the policies. Do you like every conceivable issue. this economic policy? If you do, you better I watched her when she started the Arkan- stick with it and build on it. Do you believe sas Advocates for Children and Families. I that it’s a good thing that the educational at- watched her when she ran this education tainment is going up, the college-going rate standards program here, when a lot of our is going up, more people than ever before kids couldn’t even get science and math can afford to send their kids to college? If courses in their schools. I watched her labor you do, you’ve got to build on it, and the to try to get rid of all the ridiculous Federal same thing with the environment and the same thing with health care and with national barriers to people adopting children and to security. The other party is honestly opposed try to get us to adopt policies up there that to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. And would enable working families to afford if they do what they say they’re going to do, health insurance and deal with a whole lot there’s a real chance we could have a new of other issues. arms race again in the world, which is the And in my whole life, I have never known last thing in the wide world we need. We’ve anybody that had a better grasp of the issues, got enough problems out there with the ter- a better ability to organize, a better ability rorists and the drug runners and the orga- to get people who thought they would never nized criminals, without setting off another get along to work together and could get up arms race. every day and just keep going, than Hillary, So, you know, I’d like to come home and never—not a person. just make this a perfectly happy thing, but So, I think the Senate would be a much I’m telling you, this is a big decision that the better place if she were there. I think she people will take. And this election of 2000 would do a superb job for the people of New is every bit as important, even though I’m York. I think she would be great for America. not on the ticket—and a lot of you did a lot I think you know that, and you will never for me. You went to New Hampshire. You know how grateful we are that you’re here did all the things in the wide world. What today. And I hope you’ll make her feel wel- was going on in ’92 and ’96—that was impor- come. tant, but the 2000 election will determine Come on up, Hillary. whether we really like the direction of the Thank you. country and we want to continue to change built on that, or whether we say, ‘‘Well, we feel so good now, what they say sounds good; NOTE: The President spoke at 2:50 p.m. in Hall I think we’ll go back to their economic policy A at the New Statehouse Convention Center. In and their education policy and their health his remarks, he referred to William H. Bowen, care policy and their environmental policy former dean, University of Arkansas at Little Rock and their foreign policy.’’ This is a huge, huge School of Law; Representatives Vic Snyder and decision. Marion Berry; former Senator Dale Bumpers and And that’s why I thought it was a good his wife, Betty; former Senator David H. Pryor and his wife, Barbara; Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani thing for Hillary to run. Because I’ve been of New York City; Enrique Moreno, nominee, doing this a long time. I never—I don’t think U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The any State ever had two Senators working to- transcript released by the Office of the Press Sec- gether that were remotely as good as Dale retary also included the remarks of the First Lady. Bumpers and David Pryor. They were the best team I ever saw. I have—I served with 1030 May 7 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Statement on the Federal Bureau of who are the organizers of the Million Mom Investigation’s Uniform Crime March. They’re going to be here and in over Report 60 other cities on Mother’s Day, marching May 7, 2000 for commonsense gun safety legislation, ask- ing Congress to act, building on the grass- Today the FBI released new 1999 statistics roots efforts that have brought success in the showing that crime is down for an unprece- petition drive in Colorado and the Legisla- dented eighth year in a row, continuing the tures of Maryland, Massachusetts, and Cali- longest decline on record. The decline in fornia. crime has reached Americans living in com- And I think what they’re doing is pro- munities of every size and in every region foundly important. We in the administration across the country. Data from the 1999 FBI want to do whatever we can to support them. Uniform Crime Report show that overall They are taking a stand for their children. crime fell 7 percent, with crime down in Many of them have lost loved ones. They every category of offense. Violent crime have lost children. They have lost spouses. dropped 7 percent, including an 8 percent And there will be many more just like them drop in murder, and property crime fell an who are here. additional 7 percent. In 1999 there were over They want Congress to act on the com- 8,000 fewer murders than in 1992. monsense gun legislation before it, and of This good news confirms that our course, they want Congress to go beyond that anticrime strategy—more police officers on to licensing, registration. They have not pro- the beat, fewer illegal guns and violent crimi- posed taking away anybody’s gun. They have nals on the street—is having a powerful im- proposed making life a lot safer for the Amer- pact. We know we can turn the tide on crime, ican people and their children. And I think because we have. But despite this success, what they’re doing is a very noble and good we cannot let up on our efforts. Gunfire con- thing. I hope it will prompt Congress to act. tinues to claim the lives of nearly 12 children It is unconscionable—it is now over a year every day, and we need to work on every after Columbine and over 10 months since front to reduce gun violence. With Mother’s they’ve had a chance to pass this legislation. Day approaching, I will continue to urge the And I hope their presence here will—and Congress to put the interests of America’s throughout the country—will be successful. families over those of the gun lobby and pass I am quite sure they will succeed over the commonsense gun safety measures to keep long run if they stay with it, because they guns out of the wrong hands. Together, we represent the heavy majority of the American can make America the safest big country on people, and they have borne a heavy burden Earth. in their own lives which they have been will- ing to put into this effort. And I’m very grate- NOTE: This statement was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 5 but was ful to them. embargoed for release until 6:01 p.m. on May 7. It was also made available on the White House Gun Safety Legislation Press Office Actuality Line. Q. What’s stopping Congress from acting, at least pressure from the moms—— Remarks Following a Meeting With The President. Well, we’ll see if this Million Mom March Organizers and makes a difference. I think that the people an Exchange With Reporters in the gun lobby have historically been very May 8, 2000 effective. But I think that if you look at the specifics of the legislation before Congress, The President. Hello, everybody. I just there’s a huge majority of the American peo- finished a meeting with Attorney General ple for it. And I think what all these folks Reno and Secretary Shalala and Chief of are going to remind them of on Mother’s Day Staff Podesta, and I have met with all these is that they’re watching, and they want ac- folks, these women and their men supporters tion. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 8 1031

And this is not an issue that can be dealt are substantial gaps, but if they want to do with in business as usual and buried for the— it bad enough, they’ll do it. [inaudible]—interest groups. It needs to be resolved, and I hope it will be. And if it does, Situation in Zimbabwe it will be far more because of them than be- Q. Mr. President, can you comment on cause of us. The only way we can pass this the situation in Zimbabwe with the farmers is if people have to look into the eyes of par- and squatters there? ents who have lost their loved ones, if they The President. Well, I’ve got Ambassador have to look into the eyes of people who have Holbrooke over there now working on a lot lost their spouses, their brothers, their sisters, of the troubles in Africa, including the situa- and answer why don’t we have this common- tion in Zimbabwe, and I hope it can be sense safety legislation; why is this the only worked out in a lawful manner. And I think area of our national life where we don’t have it’s quite sad what’s going on because it’s a prevention as our primary strategy? very important country, and it’s very impor- They won’t be able to answer that. You tant to South Africa and South Africa’s fu- can’t talk to these folks that have been talking ture, as well as to the future of the people to us this morning and answer that. who live in Zimbabwe. And I hope we can get them—we can do something that will en- Death of John Cardinal O’Connor courage them to return to a progressive and stable path. They’re working at it. Q. Mr. President, you’re going to the fu- neral of Cardinal O’Connor today. Can you Situation in Sierra Leone give us some thoughts this morning on his Q. How about Sierra Leone? impact on America and religious life, and The President. We’re working now on what his passing might mean for the future? what can be done to restore the vigor of the The President. Well, I’m going because U.N. peacekeeping mission there and make he was a leader of the Catholics and the big- it work. It’s very important. I spent a lot of gest Catholic diocese in the country and be- time on that the last 4 or 5 days, and we’re cause, in particular, he was a devoted chap- working on it. lain in the armed services. And I feel particu- larly grateful for that. And of course, it will Gun Safety Legislation be up to the Church and to the Pope to de- Q. You seem very subdued. Do you have cide his replacement and what happens after a cold? that. But I think he played a very large role The President. No. I’m just—if you had in the life of the Church. Even when he was been here talking to these people about all controversial and when he disagreed with their children’s lives and all that, you’d feel me, I liked the fact that he was outspoken, subdued, too. I mean, I just—I feel very sad and he stood up for what he believed in. that I haven’t been able to get this legislation voted on. I think this is a really big deal. Israeli Interim Framework Agreement We’ve gotten—yesterday we got the crime Q. Mr. President, the Israeli Foreign Min- statistics—crime down 8 years in a row, mur- ister said today that the Gaza is so big that der at a 30-year low. But it’s still one of the it’s clear that there’s not going to be an in- most dangerous countries in the world, only terim framework agreement. Are you dis- because we have stubbornly refused to take appointed by that? prevention seriously when it comes to guns, The President. I just disagree with it. I to keep guns out of the hands of criminals think there will be a framework agreement. and children. And we’ve had the crime rate Q. By the deadline, sir? come down 8 years in a row, so we now know The President. Well, maybe not by the we can turn the crime rate around. And the deadline. But they thought they might trip next big barrier to bring it way down and the deadline a little. But I think we’ll get make this a really, really safe country is to an agreement, an overall agreement by Sep- take these commonsense preventative meas- tember. And I think they’ll get there. There ures. 1032 May 8 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

And yes, I am subdued. I’m frustrated, and I look forward to working with the Con- I’m very sad because I don’t want any more gress throughout the FY 2001 appropriation kids to die. And I want them to come here process. on Mother’s Day, and I told them before you William J. Clinton came in here that if they didn’t get tired, they’d win this fight. I’ve been watching The White House, these kinds of issues all my life, and it’s like May 8, 2000. civil rights or something where there’s this huge organized resistance. But if they just Remarks at a Reception for keep at it, they’re going to win. Representative Baron P. Hill I think they should have won more already, in Bethesda, Maryland and I’m going to do what I can to help them. May 8, 2000

NOTE: The President spoke at 10:15 a.m. in the Thank you. Well, I want to thank, first of Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his re- all, Joe and Anne, for having us in their beau- marks, he referred to Minister of Foreign Affairs tiful home on this beautiful spring night. And David Levi of Israel; and U.S. Ambassador to the I want to thank Baron’s colleagues Charlie United Nations Richard C. Holbrooke. A tape was Stenholm from Texas and Stenny Hoyer not available for verification of the content of from Maryland for coming. They represent, these remarks. I think, the future of the Democratic Party and where we have to go, and they’ve proved that you can get elected in places where Message to the Congress sometimes we don’t get elected. I also want Transmitting the District of to thank your predecessor, Lee Hamilton, for being here. He’s one of the greatest House Columbia Courts’ Budget Request Members in my lifetime, and I thank him May 8, 2000 for what he is doing. And I want to thank, in his absence, Senator Bayh. To the Congress of the United States: Evan met me at the door, and he said In accordance with the District of Colum- Susan was out of town, and he had two bia Code, as amended, I am transmitting the choices: He could stay and hear me give this FY 2001 Budget Request of the District of speech, or he could go home and tuck his Columbia Courts. kids in bed. And I said, ‘‘You’ve heard the The District of Columbia Courts have sub- speech’’—[laughter]—‘‘and you’ll never re- mitted a FY 2001 budget request for $104.5 gret a minute you stay with your children.’’ million for operating expenses, $18.3 million My daughter is about to be a senior in col- lege, and I can still remember all the nights for capital improvements to courthouse fa- I tucked her in bed, and she can remember cilities, and $41.8 for Defender Services in anything she ever did that I missed. [Laugh- the District of Columbia Courts. My FY 2001 ter] Even though she can count them on one budget includes recommended funding lev- hand and have fingers left over, at 20 years els of $98.0 million for operations, $5.0 mil- old she can still remember. So he went home, lion for capital improvements, and $38.4 mil- as he should have. And since he’s not here, lion for Defender Services. My transmittal I won’t be embarrassing him when I tell you of the District of Columbia Courts’ budget that I hope and expect some day I’ll be voting request does not represent an endorsement for Evan Bayh for President of the United of its contents. States. This transmittal also includes information I want to say just a few things, and I won’t on grants and reimbursements forwarded by keep you long. I want to get out and say hello the Courts in response to the request in Con- to the people I haven’t seen yet. The country ference Report H. Rept. 106–479. is in good shape, and I’m grateful for that. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 8 1033

And I’m grateful for the time I’ve had to determines the outcome of the election. And serve and the opportunities we’ve had. And I believe with all my heart the answer to that certainly not in my lifetime, and maybe never question is not that we should indulge our- in the history of America, have we had at selves but that we should take on the big the same time such a strong economy with challenges and the big opportunities that are benefits more evenly distributed. We have still out there. Because most of what I’ve had inequality coming down in the last 2 years to do the last 7 years and some odd months for the first time in over 20 years, the lowest is to try to turn the ship of state around and African-American and Hispanic unemploy- get us going in the right direction and, to ment rates ever recorded, the lowest female use the metaphor I used in the ’96 campaign, unemployment rate in 40 years, the lowest build our bridge to the 21st century. single-parent poverty rate in 46 years. Now the country has a chance that we’ve We’ve got—the crime rate, we just said never had before to literally build the future yesterday, has come down now 8 years in a of our dreams for our children. We almost row. We’ve got the lowest crime rate in over had it in the 1960’s, and it came apart over a quarter century, the lowest murder rate in the combined impacts of the civil rights 30 years. We have almost—the welfare rolls struggle and the Vietnam war and the divi- are about half the size they were when I took sions that ensued in the country and the col- office. Things are moving in the right direc- lapse of the economic recovery of that dec- tion. Ninety percent of our children immu- ade. nized against serious childhood diseases for So if the question is what are we going the first time. to do with the good times and the answer I thank you for the applause you gave is take on the big challenges and the big op- when Baron talked about the economy and portunities, then the issue is, how? And I our role in it. But what I would like to say would argue that what we need to do is to is—people come up to me all the time and continue to change based on what we call they say, ‘‘Well, thank you, and I wish you the New Democratic philosophy. We believe could run again.’’ Half the country is prob- that you can be pro-business and pro-labor. ably elated that I can’t, but it’s nice when We believe you can be pro-growth and pro- the people that say it, say it. environment. We believe you can be pro- But here’s what I want to say to you. A work and pro-family. We believe you can be President is important. It’s important to be pro-trade and pro-labor and human rights. able to articulate what you believe. It’s im- And I don’t want to give a long speech portant to be able to touch people where they about that, but I would like to cite two exam- live. It’s important for people to think that ples because they reflect Baron Hill’s career, the person in the Oval Office cares about brief as it is, already distinguished in Con- them. It’s important that you fight hard for gress. One is this trade issue. I believe that the things you believe in. any fair reading of the record would say that But if you don’t believe in the right things, I’m the most pro-labor President, at least you still won’t get good results. That’s why since Lyndon Johnson. I believe that is fair. I’m here tonight. I like Baron Hill. I’ve liked But my belief in trade is rooted in two things. him from the first time I met him. I admire Number one, we’ve got 4 percent of the him. But I think that the direction that we world’s people and 22 percent of the world’s took—first our party and then our country, income, and I don’t think you have to be beginning in the ’92 election—is profoundly a rocket scientist to figure out if you want important. And the major question before to keep over 20 percent of the world’s in- the American people this year is, what are come, you’ve got to sell something to the we going to do with our good fortune? Yes, other 96 percent of the people. And you have the surplus but, generally, what are we going responsibilities to them. You want them to to do with our good fortune? do better, so you have to let them sell stuff And normally, the question asked in a cam- to you. paign determines who wins. That is, what Secondly, I think it’s good for us in other people think the election is about very often ways. Imports—nobody ever talks about that, 1034 May 8 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 but because we’ve had open markets, we’ve a year for. And I think the chances that there been able to grow without inflation. When will be trouble between China and Taiwan I was elected President, after the election we will go up exponentially if the United States had a big economic parlay down in Little says no. I’ve already had to send carrier Rock, and I had a private meeting in the Gov- groups to the Taiwan Straits once, and I don’t ernor’s Mansion, and I had Democratic want to do it again. I will if I have to, but economists—that is, they were more progres- I don’t want to do it again. sive; they wanted to believe we could have If somebody were to ask—people are al- low unemployment without inflation. ways asking me, ‘‘Now, what have you So I said, ‘‘How low can unemployment learned as President. What can you tell get on a sustained basis without inflation?’’ somebody else?’’ The one thing I learned And the consensus was 6 percent, maybe about foreign policy is it’s a lot more like 5.8—you get below that, you’re going to have real life than I thought it was. I mean, if you inflation. It was 3.9 last month, with core in- hear people talk about it, they always use flation at 2.4 percent. these complicated words and all that. It’s a Now, if you want growth without inflation, lot more like real life. Nine times out of 10 you have to keep your markets open so there you can get more with an outstretched hand is some pressure on keeping the prices down. than you can with a clenched fist, just like In a larger sense, because we’re the most in real life. You never want to let your guard prosperous country in the world now, when down, but you want to give people a chance we trade with others, it helps us to build to do the right thing, just like real life. friends and allies and promote democracy And this is a big issue. And he took a brave and stability and keep our kids from ever hav- position, and I want to be here to support ing to go to war again. him for it. And a decade from now, if we And that’s really what this China issue is prevail, we’ll wonder why we had the debate. all about. A lot of you are here because you And if we don’t, we’ll still be paying the price. know that it’s a lay down, economically, in One of the terrible things about public life the short run, because we don’t have to give is that sometimes you have to make tough China any more access to our markets, and decisions. I got so tickled—I read an article they give us lots of access to theirs. We can yesterday saying that I had real good approval put up car dealerships there for the first time. ratings, and if it hadn’t been for the bad ap- We can sell American cars without having proval ratings I had in ’93 and ’94, I’d have to let them manufacture them in China or the highest average approval ratings of any transfer technology. We have all kinds of ag- President since they’ve been taking polls. ricultural access we never had before. And I thought, well—I showed it to Hillary But in a larger sense, what this is really and she said, ‘‘Sure, in ’93 and ’94 we made about to me, having focused on the economy all the hard decisions that gave us the good like a laser beam, is national security. Be- approval ratings later.’’ [Laughter] cause China is the biggest country in the You know, even in good economic times, world, and in somewhere between 30 and life doesn’t give you 100 percent easy deci- 50 years, it’ll have the biggest economy, un- sions. So he’s taking a tough decision. It’s less India outstrips it, which is conceivable. the right decision for America, and I respect And when that happens, are we going to have it. a working relationship with them, or is it The second thing I want to mention is edu- going to be a new cold war? cation, because education will be a big sub- Meanwhile, we want them to grow more ject of debate, as it should be, in this election. open. I don’t like the human rights abuses And education has now become like God, that exist there. But if we say no to them, motherhood, and apple pie. Everybody is for we’ll have no influence on their policies, be- it. But we had a strategy, and Baron Hill has cause they think we’re trying to stiff them. come in to support a very part of that. Our They’ll get in the World Trade Organization strategy was, set high standards, have ac- anyway, but the Europeans will get all the countability, identify schools that are failing, trade benefits we negotiated and I fought for require them to turn around or shut down, Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 8 1035 stop social promotion, but don’t blame the bureaucratic rules of a school system so that kids for the failure of the system, give them it can serve a specific population or have a the help they need to succeed. special mission. The first charter school in And he’s been especially active in pro- the country, in St. Paul, was the only one moting small, effective schools. I just want that existed when I started running for Presi- to tell you just two points about this and why dent promoting charter schools and nobody it’s so important. in America knew what I was talking about. The Republicans, from Governor Bush on But I went to that school. There are over down, they’re going to say they’re for edu- 100 kids in this high school. They all showed cation. And they’re going to say a lot of good up. They were all kids that had not done well things. And he’ll be able to cite some things in other schools. A lot of them had had ter- that happened in Texas. But here’s the prob- rible, terrible problems in their personal lem with their proposal. Their tax cut is so lives, the kind of things that most of us would big and their defense increases are even big- find it difficult to overcome. They’re in ger than the ones I proposed, and if you put school. There’s no dropout rate. There’s no those two things with their voucher proposal, violence in the school. There are no weapons there won’t be any money left to do what in the school. The kids are learning; an ex- they say they’re going to do in education. And traordinary percentage of them are going on somehow we’ve got to get that out to the to college. It is working. And there are now American people. 1,700 of those schools in America today. The other point I want to make to you There are long waiting lists. Some of them is this. When I became President, one of the have failed. But unlike other schools that things that frustrated me was a lot of people have failed, they can be just shut down; you just didn’t think things could get better. I just revoke the charter. mean, if I had run for President and I said, And I’ll give you just two other examples. ‘‘Now, you vote for me, and sometime in my I went to Columbus, Ohio. And Columbus second term, instead of having a $300 billion has gotten 55 of our teachers under our deficit we’ll be paying down the debt,’’ the 100,000 teachers program to lower class size voters would have said in ’92, ‘‘He seems like in the early grades. They took class size from such a nice young man, but he’s slightly de- 24 to 15 in the first three grades. And I went ranged. We better send him home.’’ [Laugh- to this very poor neighborhood, to this ele- ter] mentary school where in one year—one When I leave office, we will have paid off year—they went from 10 percent of their $355 billion of the national debt. So if I said kids reading at or above grade level to 45 to you, ‘‘Crime will go down every year in percent, from 10 percent of their kids doing my administration,’’ you would have said the math at or above grade level to 33 percent, same thing. If I said, ‘‘I’ll cut the welfare from 10 percent of their kids doing science rolls in half, or we will together,’’ you would at or above grade level to 30 percent—in one have said the same thing. year. What’s the point of this? We now know I went to Owensboro, Kentucky, where in it can get better. What I want you to under- 1996 Kentucky was one of the first States stand is that public education can get better. to implement the requirement we got the I’ve been working on this over 20 years now. Congress to pass that anybody got Federal And Hillary and I put through this big edu- aid, the States, had to identify their failing cation reform program in 1983, and we schools. They identified 170. Within 2 years, thought we knew what we were doing. But 91 percent of them weren’t failing anymore. I can tell you that we now know more than Now today, in this Owensboro school, in we have ever known. And I just want to cite 3 years, here’s what they did. They went from three things that are important to our philos- 12 percent of their kids reading at or above ophy, in the education tour I took last week. grade level to 57 percent, 5 percent doing I went to St. Paul, Minnesota, to the Na- math at or above grade level to 70 percent, tion’s first charter school. It’s a public school 0 percent doing science at or above grade with public funds set up outside the normal level to 64 percent. They’re the 18th best 1036 May 8 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 grade school in the State of Kentucky, and Remarks on Permanent Normal two-thirds of the kids are eligible for free Trade Relations Status for China or reduced lunch. May 9, 2000 Of the 20 grade schools in that State that scored highest on the test, 10 of them—10 Thank you very much, President Ford, of them—have kids where at least half of President Carter, Mr. Vice President, Sec- them are eligible for free or reduced lunch. retary Albright, Secretary Baker, Secretary Race and income and location are not destiny Kissinger, all the distinguished people that if you have good schools. That’s what we be- the Vice President acknowledged. Many of lieve. That’s the second reason I’m here— you did not stand. We have so many distin- because I think if our crowd stays in control guished leaders of Congress here. I would of the education policy of this country, we be remiss if I didn’t thank our former Speak- will have further excellence. er, Tom Foley, and our former minority lead- And Al Gore has laid out an education plan er, Bob Michel, because they helped me pass that will enable us to hire more teachers— NAFTA and the WTO, and I’m grateful to and there are going to be 700,000 retiring both of you. Thank you. We have former in the next few years, with the biggest stu- House Foreign Relations Chairman Lee dent population we ever had—and have Hamilton, former Senate Foreign Relations higher standards and put every kid who Committee Chairman Chuck Percy. needs it in preschool and every child who There’s one person in this room I have needs it will have access to an after-school to introduce. I wish all of you could have program and a summer school program. been sitting where we were today, and I was scanning this room, realizing that through the That is worth fighting an election on. That lives of the people in this room, the last 50 is the whole history of the country. And what years of America has unfolded. And we’re Americans must believe is, just like we got a better country because of what you have the deficit gone and we’re paying down the all done, and it’s a better world. And it is debt, just like we have got the crime rate just profoundly humbling for me to look down, just like we have got the welfare rolls across this sea of faces who are here. I was down, all of our schools can become excellent so glad the Vice President said what he did schools and all of our kids can learn. That’s about it. But there’s one person here I want the second reason I’m here, and that’s worth to recognize because I’m quite sure he is the fighting this election on. That’s what our senior statesman here, and through his life, party ought to be standing for. most of the 20th century unfolded, former So if somebody asks you why you came, Ambassador and Senate Majority Leader say because the election ought to be fought Mike Mansfield. Thank you, sir, for being out over what are we going to do with the here. Thank you. good times. The answer is we’re going to take You have already heard what needs to be on the big challenges. And the way to do said about this, so I’m going to try to abbre- it is to keep changing, based on the philos- viate my remarks and focus on what is at ophy that has brought us to this point. And issue here. If you look at the terms of this no person in the House of Representatives, agreement on purely economic grounds, in my judgment, better embodies that than there’s no question that Ambassador Baron Hill. Barshefsky and Mr. Sperling did a great job. Thank you very much. And if the Congress declines to approve this, I will not block China going into the WTO. So what will happen? The Europeans and NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 9:35 p.m. at a private residence. In his remarks, he the Japanese will get the benefits they nego- referred to reception hosts Joseph J. Andrew, na- tiated under the rules. tional chair, Democratic National Committee, and If you look at who’s against this in America, his wife, Anne; Senator Bayh’s wife, Susan; former it is truly ironic to look at who’s against this Representative Lee H. Hamilton; and Gov. in China. Nobody’s really talked about that. George W. Bush of Texas. Not everybody’s for this in China. Who’s Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 9 1037 against it in China? The people that run the things in the world that they don’t like very state-owned industries and don’t want to give much or that are spinning beyond their con- up their control; the more conservative ele- trol or that they feel will have an uncertain ments of the military, who would like to have result. And that’s the world we’re living in. greater tensions between ourselves and But I will say this—you know, people ask them, and between themselves and the peo- me all the time, now that I’ve completed ple of Taiwan. about over 90 percent of my term, well, what It is truly ironic, when you look at who’s have you learned about this, that, or the other against this in China, to see that some of the thing? What have you learned about foreign most progressive people in the United States policy? I’ve learned it’s a lot more like real are basically doing what they want them to life than I thought it was when I showed up do in opposing this agreement. And for me, here. I read all Dr. Kissinger’s books, and it is very painful. And I was very proud of I was immensely enlightened by them. But the history that President Ford gave us, of what he said today is right. Normally, unless the last 50 years, and very proud of what you have to fight with somebody, you do bet- President Carter said about how we feel ter with an outstretched hand than with a about labor rights and human rights and the clenched fist. You want to have a strong de- labor movement here in this country. fense. You want to be ready for the worst, But the people who are running China are but you’ve got to try to plan for the best and not foolish people. They are highly intel- give people a chance to do the right thing. ligent. They know the decision they have President Carter was talking about those made. They understand that they are 900,000 village elections. I went to some of unleashing forces of change which cannot be those villages, and I met with some of those totally controlled in the system, which, as elected leaders. I think it would be a pretty President Carter says, has dominated in good idea if they ran all of our campaign China over the last 21 years since we normal- speeches back when we ran for reelection. ized relations. [Laughter] Of course, I can say that since Two years ago there were only 2 million I’m not running anymore. [Laughter] Internet users in China. Last year there were But I just have to say, this is an enormously 9 million. This year there will be over 20 mil- impressive meeting. But the vote is going to lion. At some point, there will be a critical take place at the other end of Pennsylvania mass reached, and when that happens there Avenue, and it’s by far the most important will be a sea change. national security vote that will be cast this When Martin Lee was here the other day year. It’s an American vote. It unites Henry talking to people about this, he said, ‘‘You Kissinger and Andy Young and Jesse Ven- know, I’ve led the democracy movement in tura—and not at a wrestling match. [Laugh- Hong Kong for decades. I’ve never met Zhu ter] Rongji. I can’t even go to China. They won’t I thank you for being here, sir. You didn’t let me go. But I’ll tell you this, if you vote have to come today, and I really appreciate against this. The United States will have no it. influence on the human rights policies of the But I will say this: We have got to tell peo- Chinese Government.’’ ple. You know, it doesn’t matter what the So why are we having this debate? Because local political pressure is, and it doesn’t mat- people are anxiety-ridden about the forces ter what your anxiety is. The truth is, if we of globalization, or they’re frustrated over the vote for this, 10 years from now we will won- human rights record of China, or they don’t der why it was a hard fight. And if the Con- like all the procedures of the WTO. There gress votes against it, they will be kicking are lots of things. Every one of you gets up themselves in the rear 10 years from now, every morning, there’s something you don’t because America will be paying the price. like. That doesn’t mean you should be against And I believe the price will start to be paid this agreement. But that’s what has—this not 10 years from now, not even 10 months agreement has become like flypaper for the from now, but immediately. That’s why the accumulated frustrations people have about President-elect of Taiwan wants us so badly 1038 May 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 to approve permanent normal trading rela- today. And frankly, they faced different chal- tions. That’s why most of the human rights lenges at home when they were making these activists do. tough decisions abroad. And yes, it’s an economic issue, and you We haven’t been in this kind of economic all know I’m interested in economics. And and social shape in America since the early it’s about as much of an economic laydown 1960’s. If we can’t do this now, when in the as I’ve ever seen, because what we’re giving wide world will be ever be able to do it? is China membership in the WTO in return Why—what could we possibly be afraid of, for greater access to their markets, the right based on the capacity of this country to grow to sell things there without having to manu- its economy and improve its social condition? facture things there, the right to sell things If we can’t meet this kind of a challenge now, there without having a transfer of technology. we are abandoning the legacy of the last 50 It will help us, because then we’ll at least years, when previous Presidents and previous have some demonstration of our good-faith Congresses have done things harder to do commitment to the long-term decision they than this in economic and social turbulence have made to try to be a more open society far greater than we face today. abiding by international rules of law. Then In fact, I almost think that these good we’ll at least have a way to continue this dia- times are some sort of a disability here be- log and intensify it on religious rights, on po- cause they encourage people to lose their litical rights, on labor rights, on all human focus, to lose their concentration, to sort of rights issues, on the environment, on missile drift off and assume that there are no con- and other technology proliferation, all these sequences to decisions that are not respon- defense issues which have brought the sible. There are always consequences. former Chiefs of Staff and the former De- And this country has never had a better fense Secretaries here and the former Na- chance to shape the world of the future for tional Security Advisers here today. our children. We all know it’s the right deci- So what I would like to ask all of you to sion. And virtually 100 percent of the people do when you leave here is to pick somebody at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue you know in the Congress and call them and know it’s the right decision. We cannot allow tell them what we’re all saying to one another our prosperity to lull us into self-indulgence. today. Of course we want the voice of this We have to use our prosperity to build the meeting to echo across the country and to 21st century world that many of you fought embrace the Congress. in World War II for, Senator Mansfield I wish it weren’t a fight, but it is. And I’d fought in World War I for, that you served just like to say one thing in closing. If you in the Government for, that you gave your look at the whole sweep of American history, lives to public service for, that you sustained at critical periods, we’ve always been willing our standard for freedom throughout the to redefine our responsibilities as a nation: cold war for, that you supported all these First in ways that brought us together as a other trade opening measures for. people, in the 19th century, and then all the And if we can’t do it with the lowest unem- way through the Great Depression and, later, ployment in 30 years and 21 million new jobs through the civil rights revolution and the and the longest expansion in history, we’ll women’s rights movement and the environ- never be able to explain it to our children mental movement; and second, in ways that and our grandchildren, and this place will not recognized our unique responsibilities first to be nearly as happy a place to be for the next our neighbors and then to those across the several years. But if we do it, one more time globe as we became more and more blessed. we will say, we kept faith in our time with One of the things I was thinking about in America’s eternal march. terms of our relationship with China is that Thank you, and God bless you. President Nixon and President Carter and NOTE: The President spoke at 10:55 a.m. in the President Ford and even President Bush, for East Room at the White House. In his remarks, whose support we’re very grateful for, they he referred to Hong Kong Democratic Party all faced a different world than we face here Chair Martin Lee; Prime Minister Zhu Rongji of Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 9 1039

China; former U.S. Ambassador to the United Na- tion, which I was proud to include in this tions Andrew Young; Gov. Jesse Ventura of Min- year’s budget, will provide States with the nesota; President-elect Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan; option to provide the full Medicaid benefit and former Senator Michael J. Mansfield. The package without delay to uninsured women transcript released by the Office of the Press Sec- diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer retary also included the remarks of Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, former Secretaries through Federal screening programs. of State Henry Kissinger and James A. Baker III, I also want to commend the Congress for former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, today’s strong bipartisan vote in support of and Vice President Al Gore. the ‘‘Long Term Care Security Act.’’ This legislation, which I have long advocated, pro- Statement on Protection of Forest vides authorization for the Federal Employee Roadless Areas Health Benefit Program to offer long-term care insurance to current and retired Federal May 9, 2000 employees. I hope that the legislation serves as a model for all private employers and en- The plan proposed today by Secretary courages them to provide this type of cov- Glickman to prohibit road building in erage to their employees. While this is an roadless areas of our national forests is an important step, it is only one step. We must important step toward my goal of lasting pro- also continue to work to pass a broad range tection for these priceless lands. These pris- of long-term care initiatives, including a tine areas are some of the last wild places $3,000 tax credit for people with long-term in America, and I am firmly committed to care needs or their caregivers; new funding preserving them for future generations. I for services which support family caregivers commend the Forest Service for its extraor- of older persons; and efforts to enable States dinary effort in developing this proposal and to improve equity in Medicaid eligibility for providing the American people with every people in home- and community-based set- opportunity to help shape it. I encourage tings. members of the public and all those with a stake in the future of our national forests to I am encouraged by the news of Congress carefully review this proposal and make their acting on these significant policy initiatives. voices heard as the Forest Service continues We need to build on these achievements and to develop and refine this historic initiative. act now to pass a range of policies of impor- tance to the American people, including the creation of a strong, enforceable Patients’ Bill Statement on House of of Rights and a new voluntary prescription Representatives Action on Health drug benefit option as we take steps to mod- Care Legislation ernize and strengthen the Medicare pro- May 9, 2000 gram. And finally, we must redouble our ef- forts to expand high quality, affordable cov- I am extremely pleased that today the erage for all Americans. I urge the Congress House passed H.R. 4386, the ‘‘Breast and to work towards passing the administration’s Cervical Cancer Treatment Act,’’ in an over- health coverage proposals that would expand whelming bipartisan vote. Each year thou- coverage to at least 5 million uninsured sands of women who have been diagnosed Americans and provide health services to with breast or cervical cancer do not receive millions more by providing new, affordable the comprehensive coverage they need, de- health insurance options for parents, 19- to spite extraordinary efforts by Federal health 20-year-olds, legal immigrants, workers be- programs to provide that care. This legisla- tween jobs, and the near elderly. 1040 May 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Memorandum on Delegation to 1958, the Yankees won 9 of 12 World Se- of Authority ries. I actually saw the last few of those, when May 9, 2000 we got a television. From 1957 to 1969, the Celtics won 11 of 13 titles in the NBA. From Memorandum for the Director of Central 1964 to 1975, UCLA won the NCAA basket- Intelligence ball championship 10 of 12 times. Now the Falcons have won the Commander in Chief’s Subject: Delegation of Authority for Trophy 9 of the last 11 times. Submission of Report Under Section 3151 You know, I try to be completely neutral of the National Defense Authorization Act in these things, but the Army really was hurt for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106–65) that you beat them this year with a better By the authority vested in me by the Con- ground game. [Laughter] stitution and laws of the United States of I want to say also, Coach DeBerry really America, I hereby delegate to the Director knows how to hurt a guy. I said, ‘‘You know, of Central Intelligence the responsibility of you’ve been here 7 of the 8 years I’ve been the President to submit annual reports under President.’’ He said, ‘‘That’s right, and I look section 3151 of the National Defense Au- forward to being here next year. I’m not thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public term-limited.’’ [Laughter] And I’m glad Law 106–65). You are authorized to re-dele- you’re not term-limited. gate this responsibility consistent with appli- We celebrate today, of course, formally the cable law. presentation of the Commander in Chief’s You are authorized and directed to publish Trophy. It is recognition of athletic success. this memorandum in the Federal Register. But the truly remarkable thing is that these William J. Clinton young men, year-in and year-out, win athletic success while recognizing it is not the most important part of their lives. They are trained Remarks on Presenting the academically. They are trained militarily. Commander in Chief’s Trophy They are trained to develop good character to the United States Air Force and good citizenship and to be good people Academy Falcons and representatives of the United States of May 9, 2000 America. And still, year-in and year-out, they play well; they win a lot; they play as a team. Thank you. Please be seated. We’re de- And it must be immensely encouraging to lighted to be joined today by the Deputy Sec- every American, as it is to me as Commander retary of Defense, Rudy de Leon, by the in Chief, to know that they will be rep- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General resenting our country as an important part Shelton. You may have seen in the movie that of our national defense in the years ahead. I sunk his battleship, but so far he’s got all To all of you who have had anything to his planes. [Laughter] So he’s welcome here do with their success, I thank you. To all of at the Air Force celebration. General Handy, you who teach at the Air Force Academy, welcome. And a special word of welcome to who coach, or who otherwise support these the Superintendent of the Air Force Acad- young people who have made such an impor- emy, Lieutenant General Oelstrom, and to tant commitment to excellence and to serv- Coach DeBerry and to all the members of ice, I thank you. the Falcons football team and the other And I want to again say I won’t be here friends of the Air Force who are here today. next year, but I expect you will be. [Laugh- We are celebrating something that has ter] I hope you will remember that I have never happened before. This is the first time been honored to see the Air Force Academy we will award the Commander in Chief’s here 7 of these 8 years, that you have earned Trophy to the Air Force Academy in the 21st every appearance. And I hope you will take century. [Laughter] with you into life the values that brought you In the last century, by my count, there to this place today. were four great sports dynasties. From 1947 Thank you very much. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 9 1041

Now, I would like to ask the Super- there with people that represented the last intendent to come up for remarks, and then 50 years of American history. And then I real- we’ll have the coach say a thing or two. ized there was one person there that rep- General, it’s good to see you again. resented the whole 20th century, Mike Mansfield, who is 97 or 98 now. Didn’t tell NOTE: The President spoke at 6:30 p.m. in the the truth about his age when he was 15 and Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, talked his way into the Marines in World War he referred to Lt. Gen. Tad J. Oelstrom, USAF, Superintendent, and Fisher DeBerry, football I. And then he came home and studied coach, U.S. Air Force Academy. Asian-Pacific affairs, became a professor at Montana, became a Congressman, a Senator, President Kennedy’s Senate majority leader, Remarks at a Reception for a post he held for about 14 years, I think, Senator Mary L. Landrieu a long time anyway. Then President Carter May 9, 2000 appointed him Ambassador to Japan. And when Mary said I was young, it re- I think that young is a relative term. minded me of a story. Shortly after I became [Laughter] I’ve decided that young is any- President, when my mentor, Senator body today younger than I am. [Laughter] Fullbright, was still alive—he was 87 and Let me say, I want to thank Jim and Ann Mike Mansfield was 91, and they had lunch for having us in their beautiful, beautiful together one day. And the next day Senator home. I love this place. I always love to come Fullbright came to see me. He was hitting here. And I want to thank Mary and Frank us all up at the time, and he was still in great and little Connor, who I knew even before shape then. And Mike Mansfield looked at he was here. And I want to thank all of you him and said, ‘‘Now, Bill, how old are you for being here for Mary. A lot of you must again?’’ He said, ‘‘I’m 87.’’ And Mansfield feel old, you come—you do all these things said, ‘‘Oh, to be 87 again.’’ [Laughter] So this over and over again. So I thank you on behalf youth, you know, it’s a relative thing. of Senator Landrieu and Senator Daschle and Senator Lieberman and Senator Breaux I will be very brief. First of all, I first met and Senator Lincoln and Senator Edwards. Mary Landrieu when she was a very young And Congressman Jefferson, thank you for State representative. And I was a young Gov- being there for us. ernor, and neither one of us looked our age. I can’t help but tell you, we did this great And she still looks younger than she is, and event for China today, where President Ford I now look more than my age. [Laughter] and President Carter came, and Henry Kis- But I thought she was great when I first met singer came. And he always sounds like God her. I always loved her daddy, from the time with a German accent. [Laughter] Maybe I worked with President Carter and his ad- God has a German accent, for all I know. ministration when I was Attorney General in [Laughter] And Jim Baker—and they all gave my home State. And I’ve known her a long great talks. And we talked, and I looked out time. And I thought when she ran for the there, and I realized that there are all these Senate that if she could be elected, she would former Secretaries of State, Secretaries of the be uncommonly effective. Treasury, National Security Advisers, chair- Senator Breaux worked hard for her; Con- men of the Foreign Relations Committee of gressman Jefferson did; Mayor Morial of the House and Senate, Chairmen of the Joint New Orleans did; and I certainly did. And Chiefs of Staff. It was the most—Trade Am- it all worked out pretty well, and she has ex- bassadors—the most astonishing group of ceeded even my very high expectations. Americans. I think sometime in the next day or two, And Gerald Ford got up and started talk- the House of Representatives is going to pass ing about a vote he cast in 1949 for trade a House version of this bill that she and oth- with China that was joined in by John ers have been working on for a long time, Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Carl Albert, and to create a permanent conservation fund that Albert Gore, Sr. And I realized that I was could literally change the face of hundreds 1042 May 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 of American communities and give us a per- tribution, I hope you’ll give him one, too. manent conservation legacy in America, the [Laughter] If ever a person deserved to be likes of which we have never had before. reelected, he does. And he’s going to be, and That’s quite an achievement for a first-term you might as well help him because he needs Senator. Now, we have to do it, but—[ap- your help. plause]. Well, anyway, the thing that bothered me, She is also, as you heard, supporting the even in my campaign there were people who administration’s initiative to get permanent thought, well, I like old Clinton’s ideas, but normal trade relations with China. And we you know, we can’t really turn this deficit had that meeting today, and there’s no point around or make much of a difference in the in me repeating what Gerald Ford and economy or reduce the welfare rolls or—you Jimmy Carter and all the others said, but I know, I heard it all. will tell you this. This is the most important And now, you know what’s happened. national security vote we will make this year. We’ve gone from deficit to surplus. When A lot of you here agree with this issue be- I leave office, we will have paid off $355 bil- cause you understand the economics of it. lion of the national debt. And I’m very proud And as I pointed out today, most of the peo- of that. And we’ll have the longest economic ple who are against this are against it out expansion in history and the lowest unem- of their frustration or their anxiety about ployment in over 30 years, but also the lowest globalization, generally, or their frustration African-American and Hispanic unemploy- because China keeps doing things they don’t ment ever recorded, the lowest female un- like in human rights, or they don’t like the employment in 40 years, welfare rolls half way the World Trade Organization operates the size they were when I took office, and or some other reason. It has nothing to do 8 years of declining crime. with whether or not this is or is not in our economic interests or our national security Now, what’s the point here? We don’t have interests. an excuse not to do our best anymore, be- But this is an easy vote for a Democrat cause we know that our common challenges to say no to. And that’s another reason I’m are like all other problems: They do yield here, because Mary Landrieu says yes, be- to intelligent effort. cause it is a significantly important vote. And And the reason education is so impor- we will be paying the price for a decade if tant—I took this education tour last week, we fail to adopt this. And we could start pay- and I don’t want to bore you with the whole ing the price within a matter of months. It thing, but I’ll just give you three examples. is a profoundly important issue to the world I went to the first charter school in the coun- that our children and grandchildren will live try, which is a public school set up outside in. And so I’m here for that reason. the normal rules and regulations to serve a And the third thing I want to say is that specific population or to pursue a specific Mary and a lot of her colleagues have sup- education mission. And if they do well, they ported our efforts to raise education stand- can stay in business. If they’re not, they’re ards. One of the things that bothered me supposed to have their charter jerked. That’s when I ran for President was that people, the whole idea, that they’re super account- even people who were supporting me, they able. wanted to vote for change. They thought I Now, they haven’t all worked well. We’ve had a lot of energy, but a lot of them, frankly, had problems with one or two here. But you didn’t believe we’d make any difference. should know that when I ran for President, They had been so disappointed for so long there was one; today there are 1,700. Mary’s and heard so much political hot air that they voted to help me create more. Overall, didn’t think we could make a difference. they’ve done better than average schools, and They didn’t think things could be better. they’re vastly oversubscribed. People want to And—welcome, Senate Robb. Thank you get into them. for being here. You’ll forgive me for being And I visited this school in St. Paul, Min- impertinent. If you hadn’t given him a con- nesota, where there are over 100 kids who Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 9 1043 have had terrible problems in their lives, ter- schools in Kentucky now have over half the rible problems in school. They were all in kids eligible for free or reduced lunch. Race school. None of them were dropping out. and income are not destiny. And we can also There were no violence problems, no drug turn the schools around and give everybody problems, no nothing. They were showing up excellence in education in this country. And every day and learning, and they felt like they that’s another thing that brought me here to- had a home. And they were performing at night. a high level. Now, this is the last thing I want to say. I went to Columbus, Ohio, to a school in You want to know how this Presidential elec- a very poor neighborhood, where they—in tion is going to come out, how these races Columbus, they’ve got 55 of these 100,000 for the Senate and House are going to come teachers we got out. And we’ve been attacked out? It depends upon what people think the by the Republicans. We got attacked by their election is about. Whatever they decide the nominee for President. They say we’re trying question is will determine the answer. to micromanage the school system. The peo- What do you think it’s about? You don’t ple met me, everybody from the super- remember anything else I say, you remember intendent on down, to thank me for the fact this. I think it should be about, what are we that we were giving them teachers and the going to do with this moment of promise? money had to go for teachers in the early I think the answer to the question should grades. They’ve gone from 25 average class be: We’re going to meet the big challenges size down to 15. and seize the big opportunities. How are we And in this one school, in a very poor going to do it? We’re going to do it not by neighborhood, in one year they went from doing just what I’ve done but by changing 10 percent of the kids reading at or above in the direction we’re moving and not taking grade level to 45 percent, 10 percent of the a U-turn on economic policy, on education kids doing math at or about grade level to policy, on any of these other policies. 33 percent, 10 percent of the kids doing science at or above grade level to 30 per- So what do you think the election is about? cent—in one year. And they have two of Do you really believe it’s about making the those teachers. most of this moment? What does that mean? And then I went to Owensboro, Kentucky. It means taking on the big challenges and Four years ago the Congress required the opportunities. How should we do it? We States—first we required the States to set up ought to keep changing in the direction that school standards. Then we required the brought us here. States to identify schools that weren’t making Now if people believe that, then Al Gore it and to come up with a strategy to fix them. will be elected President. We’ll pick up seats Kentucky got out there early. Four years ago in the Senate. We’ll win the House back. And they identified 170 failing schools. Within 2 within no time at all, the Democrats will be years, 91 percent were off the failure list. rewarded by the American people for the This school I visited had two-thirds of its good governance they have brought. That is children eligible for the free or reduced really the issue. school lunch program. And they had one of But to do it, we have to keep meeting the those teachers we required to lower class size challenges every day. We can’t duck the hard in the early grades. Listen to this. In 4 years, votes, like this China vote. We’ve got to show here’s what they did—two-thirds of the kids up, be counted, and deliver for the American on free or reduced lunch. They went from people. 12 percent to 57 percent reading at or above I hope you will share this with people. grade level. They went from 5 percent to 70 Somebody asks you why you came here to- percent doing math at or above grade level. night, tell them you love Mary Landrieu, just They went from 0 to 64 percent doing like I do; you think she’s done a great job; science at or above grade level. They ranked but you don’t want to see America blow the 18th in the entire State of Kentucky in aca- most terrific opportunity we have had in my demic achievement. Ten of the 20 best grade lifetime to prove we can build the future of 1044 May 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 our dreams for our children. And we’ve got cle—you know, when you think you’re about to have people like her to do it. to get good press, read it to your spouse, and Thank you, and God bless you. they’ll find a way to bring it down. [Laughter] So I said, ‘‘Look here, here’s this article. It NOTE: The President spoke at 7:45 p.m. at a pri- says I have really high job approval ratings. vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to re- And if it weren’t for ’93 and ’94, they’d be ception hosts James and Ann Free; Senator the highest average ratings since people have Landrieu’s husband, Frank Snellings, and their been taking polls.’’ And Hillary said, ‘‘Well, son, Connor; former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and James A. Baker III; Mayor Marc of course. In ’93 and ’94 you made all the H. Morial of New Orleans, LA; and Gov. George hard decisions that gave you the high job ap- W. Bush of Texas. proval ratings in ’95 and afterward.’’ And if you think about it—I said it in a casual way, I’m serious—in 1993, when I pre- Remarks at a Reception for Senator sented an economic plan to cut the deficit Daniel K. Akaka in half and to get this country moving again May 9, 2000 and get interest rates down, we didn’t get a single vote from the other party. They all The President. Well, thank you very said that it was going to throw the country much. Aloha. into recession. And if anybody—anybody— Audience members. Aloha! in our party in either House had changed The President. And to Danny and Millie their vote, it would have been defeated. We and all of you, thank you so much for having would not have enjoyed the economic recov- me here. Senator Daschle, thank you for ery we have had, and I would not have en- being here. And I’d like to acknowledge our joyed the political recovery I enjoyed after great friend, a former Member of the House 1994. of Representatives, Norm Mineta. Thank you But the most important thing is, the Amer- for coming, Norm, and being here with your ican people now have the longest economic friends and your extended family. expansion in history, over 21 million new I want to tell you that I’m here for two jobs, unemployment rate under 4 percent for reasons tonight, besides the fact that I’ve the first time since early 1970. And when I never had a bad day in Hawaii. [Laughter] leave office, we will have paid off—paid off— And I knew that if I came here tonight, $355 billion of the national debt in the last Danny would do as much as he could to sim- 3 years. Now, all because he was there. We ulate Hawaii. You know I would have music. lose one vote, and it’s history. The whole last I’d have a lei. People would say ‘‘aloha.’’ Ev- 8 years are a totally different story. erybody would be relaxed. And by the time It was almost the same when we had to I left, no matter what I was worried about, pass the crime bill to do more to keep guns I’d be in a good mood. And sure enough, out of the hands of children and criminals, that’s happened. put more police officers on the street. You The second reason I’m here is in behalf probably saw the report Sunday, crime down of one of the finest people in the United 8 years in a row—and the leadership of the States Senate and one of the most popular other party overwhelmingly negative on the people in the entire Congress. Dan Akaka Brady bill, on banning the cop-killer bullets, is not only a good Senator, he is a good man. on the assault weapons ban, on putting And I have yet to meet the first human being 100,000 police on the streets, all of those who didn’t love him who knew him. And I things. He was there. want to thank him for being my friend. And in education, I just want to say, you The third reason I’m here is because he know, that’s a story that is not as well-known, asked me, and I owe him. [Laughter] college-going up 10 percent, reading and You know, there was this—you heard, Sen- math scores almost up a full grade level. But ator Daschle said all those nice things about in the areas where people have taken seri- my service as President—there was a really ously the legislation that I proposed 4 years funny article—I was reading Hillary this arti- ago, that every State had to identify every Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 9 1045 school which was not performing well, where we’ve had the opportunity to build the future the schools were not teaching the children of our dreams for our children. to learn, and come up with strategies to turn The real question in this election is, what them around, we’re seeing breathtaking are we going to do with all this prosperity? gains. What’s the answer to that question? Do you I just got back from Kentucky—I’ll just believe that’s the question? And if you be- give you one example. I was in this little town lieve that’s the question, what’s your answer? in western Kentucky, where your former col- Audience member. Al Gore! league Wendell Ford was born and grew up, The President. I’m coming to that. and he was there to be with me— [Laughter] Owensboro, Kentucky. Two-thirds of the But this is very important. You know, I’m children on free and reduced lunches; 1996 not running for anything, but I know a little we passed—the Democrats did—a require- something about elections. And normally, the ment that States identify schools that are fail- candidate who wins is the product of what ing and come up with strategies to turn them the voters believe the election is about. If around or shut them down. To stop social you ask the right question, it will lead you promotion, which we didn’t require, but we to the right answer. supported, we also have gone from nothing So what’s this election about? This election to $50 million for after-school and summer is about, what are we going to do with all school programs, to help so we don’t brand these good things that have happened in the children failures when the system fails them. last 7 years? I think the answer is, what we’re Okay, so I show up in this little town in going to do—I know what I think it should western Kentucky where the local grade be—it should be, we’re going to take advan- school has just been named the 18th best tage of it to build the future of our dreams. grade school in the State, and they were a We’re going to take our big opportunities. failing school 4 years ago. Now, here’s what We’re going to take our big challenges. We’re you need to know: Two-thirds of the kids in going to bring economic opportunity to peo- that school are eligible for free or reduced ple in places left behind. We’re going to give school lunches—two-thirds. Of the 20 best all our kids a world-class education and get elementary schools in Kentucky, 10 of them rid of child poverty. We’re going to do more have over half of their kids eligible for free to help people balance work and family. or reduced school lunch. We’re going to prove that you can meet the Race, ethnicity, income, and location are challenges of the environment and still grow not destiny if we can give all of our children the economy. We’re going to deal with the a world-class education. And the role we aging of America and save Social Security played in that would not have been possible and Medicare and add a prescription drug if it hadn’t been for the supporters I had in benefit. We’re going to build one America. our party and the Congress, including Sen- We’re going to pass that hate crimes bill, and ator Akaka. So I’m proud to be here tonight we’re going to pass the ‘‘Employment Non- for him. Discrimination Act,’’ and we’re going to con- Now, last and most important, elections tinue to fight against racial and ethnic and are always about tomorrow, always about the religious and other discrimination, until we future. So if someone asks you why you came pull this country together. here tonight, besides bragging on Danny That’s what I think we ought to do. And Akaka as a human being and talking about we’re going to keep the economy going, and what a great record he built, how much you we’re going to keep going until we get this appreciate the fact that he helped me, I hope country out of debt for the first time since you will say something like this: This is the 1835. These are big things, you know, big first time maybe ever our country has had things we’ve never been able to do before. such a great opportunity because of our eco- Now, if you believe that’s what this elec- nomic strength and social progress and our tion is about, then the next question is, how role in creating a more peaceful world, that are you going to do it? Well, you have two 1046 May 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 choices. You can continue to change, build- ordinary people that he represents and be- ing on what has brought us to this point, or cause every single time his country needed you can abandon it and go back to the polit- him he was there—every time. Not one time ical philosophy that governed before we did he ever take a dive and walk away when started in 1993. we were trying to build this future. And that’s what Danny Akaka’s race is And so I ask all of you to think about that. about. That’s what the race for President is I thank you for helping him. And I want you all about. Do you want an economic strategy to go out between now and November and that gives us a tax cut we can afford and still tell people why you are doing this. Tell them gives us enough money to pay down the debt, there may not be another time in our lifetime save Social Security and Medicare, and invest when we can do this. Tell them there are in the education of our children? I do. But places and people that are still left behind, if you prefer, you can have a tax cut and a including a lot of people in Hawaii because defense increase and education vouchers that of the Asian financial crisis, who didn’t fully takes us back to deficit spending, doesn’t give participate in this economic recovery. And us money to invest in education, but makes tell them you want a change, but you’d like everybody real happy in the short run be- to keep moving in the direction that we’ve cause they’ll be rolling in dough. enjoyed for the last several years. Now, we tried it their way. We tried it One good way you can do that is by making our way. You have evidence. Now you have sure that he gets as near to 100 percent of to choose. Which way are you going to try the vote as possible. going forward? The same thing is true with Come on up here, Senator Akaka. education. The same thing is true with health care. The same thing is true with the environ- NOTE: The President spoke at 8:40 p.m. in the ment. John Hay Room at the Hay Adams Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to Senator Akaka’s wife, And so I say to all of you, I’m glad you’re Mary Mildred (Millie); and former Senator here. I’m glad you’re helping Dan Akaka. He Wendell H. Ford. is as fine a man as I’ve ever known in public life. And he’s always good to me when we play golf together. [Laughter] But I’m telling Videotape Remarks to the White you, this is a big election. I’m not running, House News Photographers’ but I can tell you it’s just every bit as impor- Association Dinner tant as the one we made in ’92 and the one May 10, 2000 we made in ’96, because this will determine whether the American people are going to Good evening. I’m sorry I can’t be with embrace what works or say, ‘‘Okay, we tried you tonight, but I’m glad to join you in this it for 8 years, and it was nice, but I think way, as the members of the White House we’ll go back and try something else.’’ And News Photographers’ Association celebrate the something else was what they tried be- your annual dinner. I extend my congratula- fore, but it was so long ago, everybody has tions to this evening’s award winners. forgotten. For a long time now, I’ve been an admirer That is what this is about. This gentleman of your work, and in more recent years, I’ve here said, ‘‘You ought to tell people that the even been a subject of it. From here on the slogan of this election ought to be: ‘Before other side of the lens, I want to tell you how You Go Back, Think Back,’ ’’ which is better much I appreciate your skill and your dedica- than anything I’ve thought of. [Laughter] But tion. Each and every day, you bring the world the reason I want the Vice President to win of Washington into sharper focus for the is because I know what a role he’s played world outside Washington. Taking on some in the last 8 years, and I know he understands of the toughest assignments in journalism, the future, and he knows how to lead us you turn them into images that endure, im- there. ages that help define our times and the way The reason I think Dan Akaka should be that we will remember them far into the fu- reelected is, I know how much he loves the ture. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1047

I want to mention one family that’s been Remarks on Medicare Prescription making this kind of contribution for half a Drug Coverage century now, the McNamees. Wally McNamee was first named Photographer of May 10, 2000 the Year back when President Eisenhower The President Well, good morning. was in the White House. Along the way, he’s Please be seated. I’m sorry you had to stand been honored more than any member in the up so long, but that’s the fastest one group history of the association. Wally, congratula- of politicians ever walked through another tions on tonight’s award. It really has been group. [Laughter] I’m delighted to see you a ‘‘lifetime of achievement.’’ all here. I want to thank Senator Daschle and Of course, one of the greatest honors any Senator Gephardt and their colleagues, Sec- parent could ever receive is when a child retary Shalala, the Older Women’s League,* chooses to follow in his footsteps. Tonight those who represent the aging-disability con- Wally’s son, Win, carries on a McNamee sumer, and other health advocates who are family tradition by taking first place in my here. I want to thank Betty Dizik, who will favorite category of photography, Presi- talk in a moment to explain what this is really dential. all about. I want to extend my congratulations to all We are here together today to announce the photographers and cameramen who are the support of the Democratic caucus in the being honored tonight, and make special Senate and the House for legislation to pro- mention of another very special award win- vide affordable prescription drug coverage ner, Sharon Farmer. My first day on the job for every older American. For our seniors, was her first day, and I’ve been honored to prescription drugs are not a luxury; they can have her by my side, literally, ever since. I mean the difference between life and death, am lucky to have Sharon as a friend, and between years of anguish and years of fulfill- every bit as lucky to have her as my Director ment. At this time of historic prosperity and strength, there is absolutely no reason that of White House Photography—the first we should force seniors to make a choice be- woman and the first African-American ever tween their health and their food or their to hold that post. Sharon Farmer is making daily existence. history even as she records it. I am profoundly grateful to Congressman Sharon, I thank you. We all know that with Gephardt and Senator Daschle and their col- or without a camera, you’re a straight shoot- leagues for developing an approach that the er. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Democrats can rally behind. In a few mo- that. And I’m proud to join your peers to- ments, I will ask them to share the details night in bestowing the recognition you never of the efforts we will make together. But we seek but richly deserve. all know we can’t achieve our efforts without Again, congratulations to all tonight’s win- bipartisan support in the Congress. That’s ners and to the association for your fine work why, just as we are trying to do with the Pa- and many achievements. tients’ Bill of Rights, we want to reach across Thank you, and good night. the aisle to encourage Republican support, as well. This can and should be a truly bipartisan NOTE: These remarks were videotaped at approxi- mately 6 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the White effort. But I want to make it clear first why House on April 25 for broadcast at the dinner America’s seniors and people with disabilities on May 6. The transcript was released by the Of- cannot afford to wait any longer for prescrip- fice of the Press Secretary on May 10. A tape tion drug coverage. was not available for verification of the content of these remarks. * White House correction. 1048 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Today, more than three in five older don’t think we should write a plan that basi- Americans lack affordable and dependable cally is designed to please the people who prescription drug coverage. The burden is are selling the drugs instead of the people getting worse. According to Families USA, who are buying the drugs. the price of prescription drugs most often And as long as we are trying to make the used by seniors has risen at double the rate price competition system work and give bar- of inflation for 6 years in a row now. gaining power to seniors, we ought to do this Two groups in particular bear a tremen- right and cover the people who need it. This dous burden, rural Americans and women. is not about winning a political fight. It’s As Senator Daschle knows so well, people about giving people a chance to fight for a in rural areas are much less likely to secure good long life. prescription drug coverage. According to a And I want to introduce now Betty Dizik, study released today by the Older Women’s someone who know firsthand the enormous League, almost 8 out of 10 women on Medi- burdens of prescription drugs. She’s had to care use prescription drugs regularly, and make some very hard choices in order to af- most of them pay for these medications out ford the drugs that she desperately needs, of pocket. In total, women spend 13 percent and she is exhibit A for why we are all here more than men do for prescription drugs, in today. spite of the fact that on average, their in- Betty, come on up here and tell us your comes are 40 percent lower. story. Give her a hand. [Applause] America’s seniors, men and women, de- Thank you. serve better. No one should be forced to take [At this point, Ms. Dizik, Senator Thomas A. a bus trip to Canada to get medicines made Daschle, and Representative Richard A. in the U.S. at a lower price. We desperately Gephardt made brief remarks.] need a comprehensive plan to provide a pre- scription drug benefit that is optional, afford- The President. Thanks to Congressman able, accessible to all, based on competition, Gephardt’s consideration, none of you will not price controls, to boost seniors’ bar- have to spend your hard-earned money to gaining power to get the best possible price, buy prescription drugs to treat your cold that and one that addresses the devastating bur- you got from being flooded out here. [Laugh- den of catastrophic coverage. ter] But let me thank you, Betty, thank you, We will have in our budget, especially with Secretary Shalala, and thank all the Members the improved economy, the funds to deal of Congress. Look at our legislation. We need with catastrophic coverage as well, and we some Republican support. This is a good bill. absolutely should do that. It will make a big difference. The budget I have presented to Congress Thank you, and bless you all. Get in here will continue our efforts to pay down the before you get wet. debt and pay it off by 2013, will be able to NOTE: The President spoke at 10:40 a.m. in the provide protection against catastrophic costs, Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, and will provide voluntary prescription drug he referred to Medicare recipient Betty Dizik. coverage to all Americans. Adding the voluntary prescription drug coverage to Medicare is the smart and the Remarks to the National Conference right thing to do. I will say this one more on Building Prosperity in the Delta time. We would never think of creating in Arlington, Virginia Medicare today without it, and it is high time May 10, 2000 we fixed it. Now, let me say without getting into a fight Thank you very much. Thank you. Good over the legislation that’s been proposed, I afternoon, and welcome. Thank you for com- don’t think it’s enough to stop at $15,000 in- ing here to meet. I know that we’re having come limit to give help on prescription drugs. a reception over at the White House later Half the people who need the help fall within this evening; I hope all of you will come, and the income limits of $15,000 to $50,000. I I look forward to seeing you all there, as well. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1049

I want to begin by thanking Conn Davis ever had. And I really thank you very much for his introduction. He’s an impressive for being here. young man. In addition to going to Boys Na- I won’t go into this in great detail today, tion, you might be interested to know that but I’m going to have in the next few months he’s a football standout and Eagle Scout, and some further proposals on agriculture, which from my point of view, most important, he I think are important. We should not forget plays trombone in his school’s jazz band. the agriculture component of the Delta’s fu- [Laughter] ture and the fact that as I warned when it I also want to thank all the members of passed, the last farm bill we passed basically our administration who have been part of is bad for family farmers except when prices this. And I can’t mention them all, but I espe- are high. When prices are high, everybody’s cially should note, of course, Secretary Slater getting along all right. We need to do better is from the Delta, from Lee County, in Ar- in the next farm bill and with agricultural kansas; Bill Ferris, the head of the National policy to recognize the unique characteristics Endowment for the Humanities, from Mis- of the family farm structure that, thank good- sissippi; our FCC Chairman, Bill Kennard; ness, is still alive in most of the Delta, and our Office of Personnel Management Direc- we need to do what we can to preserve it. tor, Janice Lachance, is here. I thank all of So I thank you, Mike Espy. And all the them and the others who are helping me with farmers that are here, I thank you, and I hope the Delta, as well as all the people on the that we will remember that. White House staff who have worked so hard Finally, just by way of introduction, I on this, Lynn Cutler, Lisa Kountoupes, and would like to say a special word of apprecia- tion to all of the business leaders who are many others. here, large and small. And if I might, I’d like Governor Musgrove, we’re glad to see you to say one special word of appreciation to here. Thank you for coming, sir. And we ap- Wayne Leonard and the folks at Entergy. preciate your leadership, and we’re glad to They have been really devoted to this whole see you down there. I thank Mayor Herenton idea of our new market strategy and rebuild- from Memphis. You know, when I was a boy, ing the Delta. And I’ve had I don’t know we used to go over to the Delta, and every- how many people who have told me in the body who lived east of Little Rock would say last couple of months that they’ve had meet- that they were not from Arkansas. They lived ings with Wayne or various Entergy execu- in the State of Delta, and Memphis was its tives who have said, ‘‘Well, here’s what our capital. So I’m glad to see you here, sir. company’s into. Now, let’s get past that and Thank you very much. let me talk to you about what I really want I want to thank my Arkansas Congressman to talk to you about, which is rebuilding the from the Delta, Marion Berry. I think he’s Delta.’’ still here. And if any of you had any idea So, for all of you in the private sector that how many hours he and Senator Blanche have that kind of commitment—obviously, Lambert Lincoln have spent literally ha- most of this will be done with and through ranguing me about the entire Delta, not just you, and I thank you all very, very much. Arkansas, you would all supplement their sal- Those of you whom I have had the privi- aries generously. They have been wonderful. lege to know in Arkansas over the last several I want to thank Marion Berry and Blanche decades, some of you all my life—there’s my Lincoln for what they have done. State Senator out there, Bud Canada; thank Lieutenant Governor Wood, we’re glad to you for being here—and those of you with have you here. My old friend Jess White, whom I worked on the Delta Development we’ve been working on these issues for more Commission or on the Southern Growth than 15 years together. And I’d like to say Policies Board know that this is more than a special word of appreciation to a former a political issue to me, even more than a pub- Delta Congressman, Mike Espy, who’s lic policy problem. I’ve been interested in here—I think, plainly, one of the two or three the people and the problems and the promise best Agriculture Secretaries this country has of the Delta for 40 years. 1050 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

You know, I loved music when I was a a decade ago when we issued the Lower Mis- child. I was 15 years old when I first went sissippi Delta Development Commission re- to New Orleans. I still remember everything port is still what we ought to be working on, I did. The first place I ever went where ham- to make the people of the Delta full partners burgers cost more than a dollar—I was horri- in America’s future. That’s why we’re here fied. [Laughter] I still remember going to today. The report that I have just been given Preservation Hall and sitting there as a 15- is, in a way, a rededication to our continuing year-old boy for 4 or 5 hours listening to mission. these old guys play music that I would kill I guess what I want you to know more than to be able to play like. I still remember every- anything else is, we’re making progress, and thing about it. I still remember how the we now know more than we did when we Delta looked and the bends in the river. started about how to do better much more And I still remember when I was in col- quickly. I want you to know that the Federal lege—I used to take several days off when Government will do our part, and I will per- I was in college, either during Christmas or sonally work on these issues until the day I summer vacation, just to drive over to the leave office, and then after I do, for the rest Delta and wander around—just me, alone. of my life. This is a big personal issue with I’d get up on the levee and ride up and down me, as I know it is with the Vice President and go into these little old towns along the and all of our people in our administration Delta and talk to people, just trying to get who come from this region. a sense of the pulse of the place. Now, I want to begin with special thanks And I still remember some of the things on the substance of this to Secretary Slater. that weren’t very good, too. I remember We got 24 agencies together to help Sec- the—it was in the Delta that I last saw seg- retary Slater run our Federal task force on regated restrooms marked out. And I re- the Delta, and we’ve put together the report member when we made our campaign come- that he has just given me. It’s given us a back in 1982, and I ran for Governor with chance to look back a decade and to look the help of Rodney Slater and my friend forward to the challenges and opportunities Caroll Willis, who may be here today, two of the decade ahead. sons of the Delta. We told the people of the Since 1990, a great deal has been done. Delta we were never coming to a segregated You know that in the Nation, we have the meeting in the Mississippi Delta again, and longest economic expansion in history and we were going to have to—it was about more the lowest unemployment rate since January than an election—we were going to turn this of 1970, over 21 million new jobs. But the region around, and we were going to have policies we put in place I think had a special to do it together. And a lot of people thought impact in the Delta, especially the expansion I was nuts. And within 30 days, everybody of the earned-income tax credit and the ef- thought I was a genius. forts we’ve made that you heard Conn talk And we’ve all been working together over about to bring computers and access to the there ever since, with some ups and downs Internet to our schools and other public fa- and twists and turns. But I think that I have cilities throughout the Delta. been privileged to be a part of the last 20 Conn’s example is pretty instructive. In years of the history of the Delta. And I loved 1995 his school district in East Prairie had the opportunity I had to do this Delta com- 24 computers. We helped them get 350 more mission, because I got to learn a lot about at a 70 percent discount. Now, thanks to the southern Illinois, for example, which is south E-rate program that the FCC promulgated, of Richmond. A lot of people don’t know that Vice President Gore did so much to fight that. I learned a lot about western Kentucky for, there’s a $2 billion subsidy that goes out and southeastern Missouri, where Conn is to the poorest school districts across America from, and places that I otherwise might never every year which enables people to make the have been able to become acquainted with. most of these computers. And I guess, more than anything else, what In 1994, when we started this program— I want to say is that the pledge we made I’m sure the Vice President went over this— Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1051 but we had only 3 percent of our classrooms the percentage of people without telephones and 16 percent of our schools connected. is 70 percent. I was introduced by a young This year we have over 95 percent of our woman like Conn—a little younger than schools, including 90 percent of the poorest you—a brilliant young girl, a Native Amer- schools in America, connected to the Inter- ican girl, who won a contest and got a beau- net, and almost three-quarters of our class- tiful computer. And she couldn’t log on to rooms. And this will make a big difference, the Internet because she had to take the both educationally and economically, in the computer home to a home without a tele- Delta in the years ahead. phone line. Over the last 7 years, we’ve had over $2 So this is a big deal, the fact that 10,000 billion in transportation improvements, from more Delta residents have gotten telephone ports to highways to airports; over $6 billion service. The Delta unemployment rate has in job training, welfare-to-work, and youth gone from 7.5 percent when I took office opportunity initiatives; and again, $250 mil- to 5.1 percent in February. In Mississippi, lion just to connect the schools that were the Delta counties have created jobs at a rate poor in the Delta to the Internet; more than 13 times greater than the national average, $10 million in direct investment in the enter- which is saying something. prise zones and the empowerment commu- But unemployment is still above the na- nities, a program, again, which the Vice tional average. Wages and homeownership President has led, which has leveraged 10 are still below the national average. Poverty times that much from private resources. and infant mortality have gone down but are I have done what I could to do this in a still too high. And we know that the statistics bipartisan or even a nonpartisan manner. don’t tell the whole story. There are still And I know Rodney said the Speaker of the towns without proper sewage systems and House was coming to the White House to- children sick from pollution and malnutri- night, to the reception. If he is there, I want every one of you to go up and shake his hand tion. There are still millions of Americans and thank him for working with me to pass seeking to live their dreams without a way the new markets legislation in Congress. I’ll to do it in the Delta. say more about that in a minute, but I think I’m here because it’s a big personal issue that is the biggest single thing we could do with me, but I also am here as President be- to help the Delta economy in a quick way. cause it’s in our national interest to do some- And I will say more about it, but I want you thing about this. I’ve said this over and over to thank him for that. again, but I want you to remember this. One Just the tours we have taken in the Delta of the most significant debates we have here have already led to more resources in places in Washington—and one of the things, by the like Hermitage, Arkansas, at the tomato co- way, that as American citizens you’ll be called operative, and Clarksdale, Mississippi. And upon to decide in the coming election—is, the Private Sector Enterprise Corporation of how we can continue this overall economic the Delta has created more than 5,200 jobs expansion? All of us have been there when and helped support more than 600 local busi- times got bad in America. And when times nesses. got bad in America, they were always worse Since the 1990 Delta report, more than in the Delta. When the country got hit hard, 10,000 Delta residents got phone service for we always got hit harder. the first time. It’s hard to talk about the When I served as Governor during the Internet if you don’t have a telephone line. decade of the eighties, until the year I ran And lest you get too discouraged, let me tell for President there was only one month— you what a big problem this still is in other one month—in the last 10 years I was Gov- places, in physically remote areas. I was at ernor when our unemployment rate was at the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, New or below the national average. So we know Mexico, which is in northern New Mexico when times are bad, we suffer more. near the Colorado and Utah borders, where On the other hand, when times are good— the unemployment rate is 58 percent, and you’ve followed this in the press; there is a 1052 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 big debate now. Unemployment is at 3.9 per- we’ve had in the past, it is America’s promise cent. Is inflation just around the corner? for the future, not just yours, that we ought Should the Federal Reserve raise interest to be developing here. rates more? If they raise interest rates more, Now on the other hand, we know that it will it cramp credit so much that it will kill won’t happen by accident. We have to create the expansion? How long can this thing go networks and opportunities and incentives to on? Is this just going to be like a laboratory get this done. I have asked Congress, as Sec- animal that sooner or later just runs out of retary Slater said, to create a Delta Regional steam and keels over? Authority with $30 million to invest in the Well, we had these academic debates up region’s economic future. I’ve asked for an- here, and right underneath our noses in the other $129 million in targeted assistance for Mississippi Delta, in Appalachia, in the inner the region. And I thank my Senator, Blanche cities, on the Indian reservations, there are Lambert Lincoln, and Congressman Marion people who could start jobs, start businesses, Berry. They sponsored the regional authority grow the economy with no inflation what- bill in Congress. I thank Senator Bill Frist ever. If people are unemployed or under- for his strong bipartisan support. We’ve got employed and there are new opportunities a number of bipartisan cosponsors from out there and you create new workers, new across the Delta, and I hope we can bring employers, new taxpayers, and new con- this authority to life. sumers at the same time, there is no inflation And while you’re here today, I hope you in that growth. will ask Senator Cochran and Senator Lott, So every person in America ought to be particularly, to give this thing a shove, be- interested in the Mississippi Delta. If you’re cause I think they could sort of shove it out making money on Wall Street today and there if they wanted to, and we need them. you’d like to keep on making it and you’re I’m sure Jess White has already talked worried that either high interest rates or a about this, but the Appalachian Regional coming recession would hurt you, you should Commission proves that these things do want the Delta to do well. If you’re worried make a difference. They make a difference about where you’re going to sell your next because they institutionalize concentration products in Silicon Valley, you should want on a specific area and its opportunities. And the Delta to do well. it makes a difference when you’ve got some- This is a huge issue for the Nation because body who is paid to get up every day and no one knows how to do this. And as I say, think about you and what you can do in an that will be a big debate in the elections. Are organized, focused way. we now so prosperous we ought to go back We also want to announce today new sup- and try what we did in 1981 and later and port for the Delta in three broad areas: at- have a great, big tax cut and hope it works? tracting new business and economic develop- Or should we have a smaller tax cut and keep ment, investing in basic infrastructure, and paying the debt down and invest in our peo- building strong communities. ple? You know what I prefer, but I think that I know this morning the Vice President it’s important to understand we’re going to presented our new package of $20 million have this debate in the context of, number in Delta economic development initiatives, one, what should we do with our prosperity, loans and grants for small businesses, train- and number two, how do we keep this econ- ing, community technology centers, commu- omy going? And it’s already the longest eco- nity financial institutions, and tourism. That’s nomic expansion in history. an important issue. And right there, before the eyes of every Let me emphasize one part of that, the American who knows anything about this, is community technology centers. The congres- the Delta and every other underdeveloped sional majority took that out of my budget, area in our country. And I’m telling you, and I’m going to try to get it back in. But there are billions upon billions upon billions let me tell you why it counts. The computers of economic growth potential that are totally are great for Conn. And in the districts where noninflationary. Because of the problems they can take the computers home and the Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1053 parents can learn to E-mail the teachers, old building, but inside the public building learn to use it, that’s great. But most places was a brand-spanking new computer. in the Delta, we have a lot of adults who And this lady came in with a newborn could benefit from what they could learn just baby, and she wanted to learn how she could by learning how to use the computers and best take care of her child. And there was learning what resources are available to them someone there to assist her, and the program on the Internet. That’s what these commu- was done in English and Hindi—modified in nity computer centers are all about. They are other languages when they need them, in designed to set up a thousand more of them other parts of the country. And this lady— and to support the few that are out there every piece of information on the Federal now—there’s the network out there now in and State government that they had already the country—so that all the adults in the low was on the net—everything—it was on their income places in America can go in and learn website there. to use the Internet for their own benefit, So she calls up the Health Department both because they developed computer skills website and punches the—she clicks the and to get the information off of it. mouse for ‘‘Early Childhood Care,’’ and a Now, this is a big deal. I’ll just give you couple of pages come up with great visuals, two examples of the potential, because I want so that if you’re virtually illiterate you can all of you to start thinking about this, and still figure out what it says. She punches the I want you to help me get these community printer. She gets this unbelievable informa- computer centers. I’ll just give you two exam- tion, spits right out. And this woman, in a ples. One is an American example, eBay. country with a per capita income of $450, takes home with her newborn information eBay is a site on the web where you can trade just as good as you could get from the best things. You get on. You find out somebody’s suburban medical center in this area. got something to sell, and you can buy it. Now, this is why we need the community If you’ve got something that you want to sell, computer centers. And I hope you will help somebody else can buy it. There are now me get them all over the Delta. And I thank 30,000 people making a living on eBay, not the Vice President for the work he’s done working for the company, making a living on that. trading on eBay, and a significant percentage We also have some basic infrastructure of them are former welfare recipients. needs. There are still communities in the Now, that’s an amazing thing. Why? This Delta that don’t have safe drinking water, is a big deal. What does the Internet do that’s that don’t have adequate sewage systems, different, that’s important for the Delta? It that basically have—their basic public health collapses time and space, the physical isola- infrastructure is inadequate to support any tion that you feel. Conn talked about all the new industrial investment of any size. wonders of smalltown life, which I share, but I remember when I first went to the Delta, being physically isolated. The Internet can running for Governor in ’78. I’d go in these collapse time and space. It can bring any sub- little old towns, and there was sewage open ject to his school. It can bring any piece of in the streets. I gave every penny of Federal information in the Library of Congress. The money I could beg, borrow, or steal to little whole Encyclopedia Britannica’s on the net places that didn’t have any political clout, be- now. And the same thing is true for the econ- cause there was 150 people here and 250 omy. So that’s one example. there, to clean it up, and it changed the lives Second example: I was in India recently, of a lot of these communities. A lot of those as you may remember. I went to one of the places are doing much better 20 years later poorer states in India, Rajasthan, to a little just because we gave them basic infrastruc- village where the village women met me and ture. showed me their dairy cooperative, and the So today we’re going to give $30 million local government people showed me how more to 19 communities like that to improve they were governing. And then they took me the water supply. This is going to be a big to the town’s public building, which was an issue for the whole world for the next 50 1054 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 years—you mark my words—clean water and And what did they do? They had the basic adequate sewage, things that most of us take insulation. They used these new windows for granted—huge issue around the world. that cost a little more money, but they keep Most people believe that AIDS is the big- out a lot more heat and cold, and they let gest public health problem in the world. It in a lot more light. And they used light bulbs is in Africa. Seventy percent of the cases are that cost about twice as much, but they last there. Malaria and TB, they’re the big prob- 3 or 4 times as long and, therefore, they’re lems. But we still have more children every energy efficient. And they had solar panels day die in poor places in the world because that looked just like ordinary tar shingles you of dysentery and other problems—diar- put on a roof. You can’t tell the difference, rhea—directly related to dehydration be- except they’re slightly wider now. And I can cause they don’t have safe water. report to you that after a couple of years So we shouldn’t forget that. So I’m making those working people—a lot of these people this commitment today to $30 million more were working for $25,000 a year. Their aver- as a symbolic one, but I ask you to continue age fuel bills are 65 percent below the State to support these initiatives as well. average for the same square footage in Cali- This is about more than bricks and mortar. fornia. We also have to make communities strong Now, we could build housing like that all and healthy. We also want to do more on over the Delta. It would put people to work safety. You know, I said this a couple of days building the houses. You would probably get ago when we got the last crime report: With the financing worked out for some of the en- crime now down 8 years in a row, we know ergy conservation stuff, working with the util- we can lower the crime rate, but no one be- ities. It would enable them to manage their lieves we’re as safe as we ought to be. And power load better, and it’s like a huge tax I’m trying to put another 50,000 police offi- cut. Can you imagine what it would be like cers out there. Today we’re going to put if your power bill was two-thirds lower every some more in Helena and Greenwood, Lou- month? So there are real opportunities here isiana, and I hope you will continue to sup- I think you ought to look at for economic port that. development and improving the quality of We’re also supporting environmental edu- life. cation and environmentally sound farming, Now, we want to do more, but I need your helping more Delta residents to buy and help on three things that we’re trying to do build their own homes, and funding a new here. First, the new markets initiative, we’re public/private partnership to provide re- working with the Democrats and the Repub- gional planning support that much of the licans in the Congress—and the Speaker has Delta has never had. taken a big personal interest in this because And let me just say this about the housing he’s from rural Illinois—and we’re trying to issue. Again, we now know things we didn’t take the ideas that some of the Republican know 15 years ago. A couple of years ago House Members have who are interested in I went out to California, to the Inland Em- this, and ours, and put it together. But when pire, which is east of L.A. It’s the industrial we get all finished, whatever it’s called and area east of L.A., San Bernardino area. And whatever it looks like, the bottom line is, on the rail line that runs out of L.A., I met here’s what we’re trying to do: We’re trying with HUD and the Energy Department and to give people with money in America the the Home Builders at this joint effort to build same incentives, to invest in poor areas in a low income housing project for low income America that they can get today, in terms working people. And the deal they made of tax credits, loan guarantees, and other in- these folks was: If you’ll live here, even if centives to invest in poor areas in Latin you have to go to Los Angeles to work, we America or Africa or Asia or anywhere else. pledge to you that we will build you a home I think it’s a very important thing. where your power bills will be 40 percent And again, I favor the foreign investment lower, at least, than they would be in a home incentives. You know, we just passed through of this size anywhere else in California. the House, and I think we’re going to pass Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1055 today or tomorrow in the Senate, the Africa/ principals. We also ought to end the practice Caribbean Basin Initiative. I want to be a of social promotion but not call kids failures good neighbor. I like this. But we ought to when the system fails them. So we ought to understand that our biggest markets are give every school district that needs it after- those that are right here before us. So I need school, summer school programs, and all of your help in that. that. And we’ve been working on that. The second thing is, I want you to help Now, here’s my exhibit A for the Delta: us pass this Delta commission legislation. I Western Kentucky, Owensboro. In 1996 want you to talk to all the Senators and all Kentucky said, okay, we’re going to identify the Representatives from all the States from all our failing schools, and here they are, 170 the Delta. This is a totally nonpolitical deal. of them. Within 2 years of just being identi- I don’t care whose name goes on it. I don’t fied and supported and focused on, 91 per- care what happens. I just want to know that cent of those schools were off the list. Now— when we’re not here anymore and our stew- [applause]—no, no it gets better. So here’s ardship is over, that there is an institutional Owensboro, exhibit A; two-thirds of the kids focus where somebody gets up every day and in Owensboro are eligible for free or reduced thinks about this region. And I want you to lunches—not your rich, suburban school, help us pass it. right?—two-thirds of the kids. Now, in 4 Last thing I want you to help us do is to years since they were identified, and this pass our educational initiatives that are nec- school—this elementary school I was in—as essary to turn around these schools. And I a school that was low performing, here’s what want to close with this because it’s really im- has happened. portant. You know as well as I do, if you want Four years ago there were 12 percent of more outside investments, you want people the kids reading at or above grade level; to come in, you’ve got to be able to prove today, 57 percent are. Four years ago there you’ve got good schools, that you’re edu- were 5 percent doing math at or above grade cating people that have good skills and that level; today, 70 percent are. Four years ago people who come in from the outside, their there were zero kids in this school doing kids will be in good schools. science at or above grade level; today, 64 per- So I’m going to close with this story. I just cent are. This school is now the 18th best got back from one of my education tours. grade school in Kentucky, even though two- And I was in Owensboro, Kentucky; which thirds of the kids are at or below—are eligi- is in western Kentucky; therefore, it’s in our ble for school lunches—two-thirds. region. So—is somebody from over there? Now, here’s the other thing. In Kentucky, [Applause] So I’ll tell you this story. Now, 10 of the 20 highest performing grade in 1989 before I became President, I worked schools—10 of the 20—have half or more of with President Bush and the Bush adminis- the kids eligible for free or reduced lunches. tration to define these national education Race, economics, and location are not destiny goals. And then in 1993 we passed this pro- if you’ve got a good education system and gram called Goals 2000 to help States and you give these kids a chance to learn. school districts meet the goals. So again I say, I need your help. Ask the Then, we realized that we needed to do Congress to help us with the new markets. more, so we said—we passed through the Ask the Congress to help us with the Delta Congress in the next couple of years, legisla- commission. Ask the Congress to give tion that said all the States had to have stand- enough money to give every school in the ard, and they had to identify schools that country that’s not performing well a chance were low performing and come up with strat- to give their kids summer school and after- egies to turn them around. Now I’m trying school programs, teacher training programs, to pass legislation that goes further, but let’s the things necessary to make these schools just focus on that. And what I tried to do work. is to say that we ought to give States funds I’d give anything if when I had been Gov- to help these low performing schools work, ernor we knew as much about what to do to train the teachers better, to support the in the schools, in the economy, as we now 1056 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 know. And that’s the last point I want to mission; J. Wayne Leonard, chief executive offi- make. When I took office here, even a lot cer, Entergy Corp.; Caroll Willis, director, com- of people that helped me in ’92 were not munity service division, Democratic National really sure that anything could get better. Committee; Arkansas State Senator Bud Canada; And if I had told you in 1992, ‘‘I want you and student Myra Jodie, Steamboat Navajo Na- tion. to vote for me, and I’ll get rid of this $300- billion a year deficit, and, oh, by the way, we’ll be running surpluses 3 years in a row, and when I leave office we’ll pay off $350 Statement on Congressional Action billion of the national debt,’’ you would have on Appropriations Legislation said, ‘‘You know, he seems like a nice young May 10, 2000 fellow, but he’s slightly deranged. We better send him home.’’ [Laughter] Today both the House and Senate sub- So we know now; so we don’t have an ex- committees passed appropriation bills for cuse. We know we can make the economy Labor, Health and Human Services, and better. We know that we can have schools Education that fail to invest in the Nation’s that are very poor perform at a very high future and turn back our progress in helping level. We know we can lower the crime rate. opportunity and prosperity reach all corners We know we can grow the economy and im- of America. During this period of economic prove the environment. We know we can cut prosperity and budget surplus, we should the welfare rolls in half and still support low seize the opportunity to improve our Nation’s income people who are working and trying schools, advance the health and well-being to do right by their kids, if you give them of our citizens, and train and protect our the right child care and transportation and workers. Regrettably, misguided priorities other support they need. It’s not like we don’t and insufficient resources in the bills adopted know we can do better now. today have led the Congress in a different And I would argue that when you know direction. Unfortunately, these actions today you can do better, when you’re not just living invest too little in our schools and demand on hope but you’ve got evidence, you have too little from them. a heavier responsibility. So I’m glad you’re The House bill shortchanges essential ini- here. I want you to tell us more of what we tiatives and fails to support our Nation’s chil- can do. I want you to give me every chance dren and schools. It fails to provide sufficient you can to do everything I can while I’m in funding to strengthen accountability and office. I want you to help me pass this legisla- help turn around low performing schools, re- tion. duce class size, increase after-school oppor- But when you leave here, more than any- tunities, renovate aging and neglected thing else, I want you to believe we can do schools, close the digital divide, improve this. We can do this. This is not a wing and teacher quality, and provide mentoring to a prayer. This is not hope. This is evidence. help children go to and succeed in college. We can do it. It’s just a question of whether It hurts unemployed and working Americans we’re prepared to pay the price of time and by cutting training and other programs that effort and organization and passion. help them find jobs and work in safe environ- Everybody loves the Delta. It’s about time ments. The bill fails to make key investments we all did something about it. in childcare, preschool, and other important Thank you, and God bless you. services for poor working families. The House bill fails to support key health pro- NOTE: The President spoke at 12:20 p.m. in the grams by reducing funding for mental health Arlington Ballroom at the Crystal Gateway Mar- services, family planning services, and sub- riott. In his remarks, he referred to student Conn Q. Davis, who introduced the President; Gov. stance abuse programs and eliminates fund- David R. (Ronnie) Musgrove of Mississippi; ing to improve access to health care for the Mayor Willie W. Herenton of Memphis, TN; Lt. uninsured. The bill also cut funding needed Gov. Corinne Wood of Illinois; Jesse L. White, to ensure nursing home quality and strength- Jr., Federal cochair, Appalachian Regional Com- en health benefits administration. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1057

The Senate bill provides more acceptable sibilities of home and work and meeting the funding levels for many key programs but changing emotional, educational, and phys- does so by bankrupting the Social Services ical needs of their children. Mothers strive Block Grant, shifting money from children’s to provide a safe and nurturing environment. health insurance, and making other cuts. The They help their children navigate the often bill does not guarantee funding for critical stormy waters of an increasingly complicated education priorities such as school renovation world. They teach their children to approach and reducing class size and underfunds pro- conflict with words, not violence; to cherish grams to help unemployed workers and the richness of our diversity and reject preju- youth get job training. The Senate bill also dice in any form; and to believe in them- fails to support critical health programs, in- selves. cluding funding for HIV/AIDS prevention Each year we set aside this special day to and treatment, mental health and substance abuse services, and nursing home quality acknowledge all that our mothers—whether oversight. biological or foster, adoptive or step- If a bill that fails to address these concerns mothers—have given us. It is a time to reflect were to come to me in its current form, I on all we have gained from their unwavering would have to veto it. I look forward to work- care, guidance, and sacrifice, and a time to ing with Congress to ensure that this bill express openly our deep gratitude and abid- strengthens our Nation’s schools and sup- ing love. The Congress, by a joint resolution ports and enhances other important national approved May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 770), has des- priorities while continuing to honor our com- ignated the second Sunday in May of each mitment to fiscal integrity. year as ‘‘Mother’s Day’’ and requested the President to call for its appropriate observ- Proclamation 7305—Mother’s Day, ance. 2000 Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, May 10, 2000 do hereby proclaim May 14, 2000, as Moth- By the President of the United States er’s Day. Whether we are able to share this of America special day with our mothers in person or are blessed only with our memories of their A Proclamation love, in our hearts they remain with us al- We are living in a new century and a new ways. I urge all Americans to express their age, where the revolution in communications love and respect for their mothers on this technology is changing almost every aspect day, to speak the words of appreciation we of human experience. But even in this new too often neglect to say, and to observe this era of global connections, there is perhaps day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, no more powerful link than the love between and programs. mother and child. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set That bond is a child’s first experience of my hand this tenth day of May, in the year the world, and that love is often the deepest of our Lord two thousand, and of the Inde- source of the self-esteem, courage, and char- pendence of the United States of America acter that children need to thrive. Mothers are their children’s first teachers; they are the two hundred and twenty-fourth. their inspiring role models whose generosity, compassion, and unconditional acceptance William J. Clinton give children the strength and encourage- ment to reach their fullest potential and to [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, make their own contributions to their fami- 11:29 a.m., May 11, 2000] lies, communities, and country. Even in this age of spectacular techno- NOTE: This proclamation was published in the logical advances, mothers still face the Federal Register on May 12. daunting challenges of balancing the respon- 1058 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein nologies and the need to ensure that intellec- on Signing an Executive Order on tual property is protected. Access to HIV/AIDS Pharmaceuticals I know that you preferred that this policy and Medical Technologies be included in the Conference Report on the Trade and Development Act of 2000, as did May 10, 2000 I. However, through this Executive Order, Dear Senator Feinstein: the policy this Administration has pursued I am pleased to inform you that today I with your support will be implemented by will sign an Executive Order that is intended the U.S. Government. The Executive Order to help make HIV/AIDS-related drugs and will encourage beneficiary sub-Saharan Afri- medical technologies more accessible and af- can countries to build a better infrastructure fordable in beneficiary sub-Saharan African to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS as they build countries. The Executive Order, which is better lives for their people. At the same based in large part on your work in connec- time, the Trade and Development Act of tion with the proposed Trade and Develop- 2000 will strengthen African economies, en- ment Act of 2000, formalizes U.S. govern- hance African democracy, and expand U.S.- ment policy in this area. It also directs other African trade. Together, these steps will en- steps to be taken to address the spread of able the United States to forge closer ties HIV and AIDS in Africa, one of the worst with our African allies, broaden export op- health crises the world faces. portunities for our workers and businesses, As you know, the worldwide HIV/AIDS and promote our values around the world. epidemic has taken a terrible toll in terms Thank you for your leadership on this criti- of human suffering. Nowhere has the suf- cally important issue. fering been as great as in Africa, where over Sincerely, 5,500 people per day are dying from AIDS. William J. Clinton Approximately 34 million people in sub-Sa- haran Africa have been infected and, of those NOTE: An original was not available for infected, approximately 11.5 million have verification of the content of this letter. died. These deaths represent more than 80 percent of the total HIV/AIDS-related deaths worldwide. Executive Order 13155—Access to To help those countries most affected by HIV/AIDS Pharmaceuticals and HIV/AIDS fight this terrible disease, the Ex- Medical Technologies ecutive Order directs the U.S. Government May 10, 2000 to refrain from seeking, through negotiation or otherwise, the revocation or revision of By the authority vested in me as President any law or policy imposed by a beneficiary by the Constitution and the laws of the sub-Saharan government that promotes ac- United States of America, including sections cess to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and med- 141 and chapter 1 of title III of the Trade ical technologies. This order will give sub- Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2171, Saharan governments the flexibility to bring 2411–2420), section 307 of the Public Health life saving drugs and medical technologies to Service Act (42 U.S.C. 2421), and section 104 affected populations. At the same time, the of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as order ensures that fundamental intellectual amended (22 U.S.C. 2151b), and in accord- property rights of U.S. businesses and inven- ance with executive branch policy on health- tors are protected by requiring sub-Saharan related intellectual property matters to pro- governments to provide adequate and effec- mote access to essential medicines, it is here- tive intellectual property protection con- by ordered as follows: sistent with World Trade Organization rules. Section 1. Policy. (a) In administering sec- In this way, the order strikes a proper bal- tions 301–310 of the Trade Act of 1974, the ance between the need to enable sub-Saha- United States shall not seek, through negotia- ran governments to increase access to HIV/ tion or otherwise, the revocation or revision AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical tech- of any intellectual property law or policy of Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 10 1059 a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, as lectual property standards designed to foster determined by the President, that regulates pharmaceutical and medical innovation; HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals or medical tech- (3) the overriding priority for responding nologies if the law or policy of the country: to the crisis of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Af- (1) promotes access to HIV/AIDS pharma- rica should be to improve public education ceuticals or medical technologies for affected and to encourage practices that will prevent populations in that country; and further transmission and infection, and to (2) provides adequate and effective intel- stimulate development of the infrastructure lectual property protection consistent with necessary to deliver adequate health care the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of services; Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agree- (4) the United States should work with in- ment) referred to in section 101(d)(15) of the dividual countries in sub-Saharan Africa to Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. assist them in development of effective pub- 3511(d)(15)). lic education campaigns aimed at the preven- (b) The United States shall encourage all tion of HIV/AIDS transmission and infection, beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries to and to improve their health care infrastruc- implement policies designed to address the ture to promote improved access to quality underlying causes of the HIV/AIDS crisis by, health care for their citizens in general, and among other things, making efforts to en- particularly with respect to the HIV/AIDS courage practices that will prevent further epidemic; transmission and infection and to stimulate (5) an effective United States response to development of the infrastructure necessary the crisis in sub-Saharan Africa must focus to deliver adequate health services, and by in the short term on preventive programs de- encouraging policies that provide an incen- signed to reduce the frequency of new infec- tive for public and private research on, and tions and remove the stigma of the disease, development of, vaccines and other medical and should place a priority on basic health innovations that will combat the HIV/AIDS services that can be used to treat opportun- epidemic in Africa. istic infections, sexually transmitted infec- tions, and complications associated with Sec. 2. Rationale: (a) This order finds that: HIV/AIDS so as to prolong the duration and (1) since the onset of the worldwide HIV/ improve the quality of life of those with the AIDS epidemic, approximately 34 million disease; people living in sub-Saharan Africa have (6) an effective United States response to been infected with the disease; the crisis must also focus on the development (2) of those infected, approximately 11.5 of HIV/AIDS vaccines to prevent the spread million have died; of the disease; (3) the deaths represent 83 percent of the (7) the innovative capacity of the United total HIV/AIDS-related deaths worldwide; States in the commercial and public pharma- and ceutical research sectors is unmatched in the (4) access to effective therapeutics for world, and the participation of both these HIV/AIDS is determined by issues of price, sectors will be a critical element in any suc- health system infrastructure for delivery, and cessful program to respond to the HIV/AIDS sustainable financing. crisis in sub-Saharan Africa; (b) In light of these findings, this order (8) the TRIPS Agreement recognizes the recognizes that: importance of promoting effective and ade- (1) it is in the interest of the United States quate protection of intellectual property to take all reasonable steps to prevent further rights and the right of countries to adopt spread of infectious disease, particularly measures necessary to protect public health; HIV/AIDS; (9) individual countries should have the (2) there is critical need for effective in- ability to take measures to address the HIV/ centives to develop new pharmaceuticals, AIDS epidemic, provided that such measures vaccines, and therapies to combat the HIV/ are consistent with their international obliga- AIDS crisis, including effective global intel- tions; and 1060 May 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

(10) successful initiatives will require ef- NOTE: This Executive order was published in the fective partnerships and cooperation among Federal Register on May 12. governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the pri- Interview With Diane Rehm of vate sector, and greater consideration should WAMU National Public Radio be given to financial, legal, and other incen- tives that will promote improved prevention May 10, 2000 and treatment actions. Ms. Rehm. Mr. President, thank you for Sec. 3. Scope. (a) This order prohibits the joining us. United States Government from taking ac- The President. I’m glad to do it. tion pursuant to section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to any law or policy Normal Trade Relations With China and in beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries the Vice President that promotes access to HIV/AIDS pharma- Ms. Rehm. It looks as though the normal- ceuticals or medical technologies and that ized trade relations with China isn’t likely to provides adequate and effective intellectual go through. Would you agree with that? property protection consistent with the The President. I’m not sure yet. TRIPS Agreement. However, this order does Ms. Rehm. You’re still not sure? not prohibit United States Government offi- The President. We don’t have the votes cials from evaluating, determining, or ex- yet. I think we’ll get the votes, because I pressing concern about whether such a law think it’s the right thing for the country. But or policy promotes access to HIV/AIDS I think it will be—I won’t know for a few pharmaceuticals or medical technologies or days yet. provides adequate and effective intellectual Ms. Rehm. If you do, how might that hurt property protection consistent with the or help Mr. Gore in his bid for the Presi- TRIPS Agreement. In addition, this order dency? does not prohibit United States Government The President. Well, I think that, on bal- officials from consulting with or otherwise ance, it will help him because he’s been a discussing with sub-Saharan African govern- very strong supporter of this agreement and, ments whether such law or policy meets the generally, of our trade policy. And even conditions set forth in section 1(a) of this though some of the strongest elements of the order. Moreover, this order does not prohibit Democratic Party and some of our best the United States Government from invoking friends are on the other side of this fight, the dispute settlement procedures of the it shows that he’s willing to take an inde- World Trade Organization to examine pendent stand to do what he believes is right. whether any such law or policy is consistent And I think that’s very, very important. with the Uruguay Round Agreements, re- I think that’s something people will look ferred to in section 101(d) of the Uruguay to, and they might compare that, for exam- Round Agreements Act. ple, with Governor Bush’s going to Bob Jones (b) This order is intended only to improve University and defending his outreach to the internal management of the executive Jerry Falwell and the members of the far branch and is not intended to, and does not right and his party, and conclude that—our create, any right or benefit, substantive or people, the people that we’re disagreeing procedural, enforceable at law or equity by with are good folks, and we’re proud to have a party against the United States, its agencies them as a part of our party; we want them or instrumentalities, its officers or employ- to. But we need a President who will make ees, or any other person. an independent judgment from time to time. William J. Clinton Ms. Rehm. So you think it’s not going to hurt him? The White House, May 10, 2000. The President. Yes, I think it’s a net plus. I think that—let me just say this—I think [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, the reverse is, it would be a problem for our 8:45 a.m., May 11, 2000] country. That’s the most important thing. I Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1061 think it would be a big problem for our coun- to look at the specifics of every proposal. try if it didn’t pass, because it would increase Does this keep any law-abiding hunter out the chance that something bad would happen of the deer woods in deer season? No. Does in that area; it would give aid and comfort it keep any law-abiding sports shooter away to the reactionaries in China; and it would from his or her activities? No. Does it pre- make it possible for people to question vent any law-abiding gun owner who believes whether the Democrats were running away that he’ll be safer having a gun in their home from our global responsibilities. from having a gun in their home? No. Right now, that’s the burden the Repub- So if the answers to those questions is no, licans have to bear, because they defeated but it would clearly keep more guns out of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. They the hands of children and criminals, then we opposed our efforts to lead a global march ought to be for it, and everybody ought to on ending the testing of nuclear weapons. be for it. That’s what I believe. And I think that was a terrible mistake by them. So it’s a problem they’ll have to come to grips with. I just don’t want to see our President’s Disappointments in Office party responsible for walking away from an- Ms. Rehm. You’ve had a number of suc- other big opportunity and responsibility of cesses during your administration. The econ- the United States. omy is up. Unemployment is down. The crime rate is down. What has been your Million Mom March and Gun Safety greatest disappointment or failure? Legislation The President. I’m disappointed that we Ms. Rehm. The Million Mom March takes haven’t been able to make health care avail- place this Sunday. How do you address the able to all the working families of the coun- concerns of law-abiding citizens who own try. You know, the very poorest people have guns, who feel that any additional controls health care through the Government Med- would be an infringement on their personal icaid program. And we have extended health rights, on their second amendment rights? insurance to children of low-income working The President. Well, I’d just disagree with families through the Children’s Health Insur- them. I think that every law-abiding gun ance Program, and we’re still enrolling more owner ought to want to keep guns out of the children in that. But I’m very disappointed hands of criminals and children and should in that. recognize that no strategy will succeed that doesn’t have a lot of prevention. And I’m disappointed that the two parties For example, I don’t see why any gun in Congress, once we became financially able owner could possibly object to closing the to do it when we started running surpluses, gun show loophole and the Brady back- we could save Social Security now for the ground check. We now know these back- baby boom generation. And as yet, they ground checks have kept 500,000 felons, fu- haven’t taken me up on even the easiest part gitives, and stalkers from buying handguns. of my proposal, which is to dedicate the sav- I don’t see why any law-abiding gun owner ings we will get from paying down the debt, would object to having a photo ID and a li- because of the Social Security taxes we pay— cense for anybody buying handguns that dedicate those savings from lower interest proves that, A, you’ve passed the background rates on the debt to the Trust Fund. check and, B, you’ve passed a safety training If we did that, we could take the life of course on a gun. We do that for cars. Social Security out to about 2054—just If you have to get a license to prove you that—which would take it beyond the life ex- can drive a car and that you’re a law-abiding pectancy of all but the most fortunate baby citizen and you have to observe seatbelt laws boomers and get this country over a big and speed limits, you don’t hear people going hump. Now, I think there are further Social around complaining about ‘‘car control.’’ Security reforms that should be enacted, but They don’t call it ‘‘car control.’’ They call it they’ll have to await the election and prob- sensible public safety. I just think we need ably a less—hopefully, a less partisan climate. 1062 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Relations With Republican Congress these people, and I’ve worked with them, and Ms. Rehm. Of course, from the time you I think it’s important to point out that in spite first came into office, there’s been this ani- of all the partisan animosity, we have gotten mosity between you and the Republicans in a great deal done here. We passed the Bal- Congress—and some of the Democrats, as anced Budget Act together. We passed wel- well. What do you think it is that has created fare reform together. We passed the bill to this climate of mistrust between you and the put 100,000 teachers in the schools together Congress? and a lot of other really big—we passed fi- The President. Well first of all, I disagree nancial services reform, telecommunications that there’s very much among the Demo- reform. We got a lot done together because, crats. I have enjoyed, even in my first 2 years, in the end, if we keep working—in the end, I got a higher percentage of Democratic sup- to get anything done, we have to work to- port for my programs than Presidents John- gether. son and Carter did, and Kennedy, as an his- And I’d keep thinking this is easing off, torical fact. We didn’t lose many Democrats. and we’re making improvements. I just—I You always lose—some just disagree with have a lot of people that I have very good you. relationships with in the Republican caucus, So they’ve been quite good to me. I think and I will continue to just try to bring more what happened is, I had more partisan oppo- of them around to the idea that we should sition than at any time in history, and I think all be in the business of governing. We have there were two causes. I think some Repub- these elections on a regular basis, and before licans thought that the Democratic majority you know, it we have another one, and before in Congress had been too hard on their Presi- you know it, there’s a new crowd in town. dents, and so they thought it was payback And it’s a terrible waste of energy to spend time. I think there was some of that. all your time in partisan fights. But the overwhelming reason is that they The thing that I’m most discouraged about resented the fact that they didn’t have the right now is that the Senate has been here White House. They thought that they owned since January and has only approved 11 of the White House, and they thought they had my proposed appointments. I’ve got over 250 found a formula that would always keep proposed appointments up there. And they Democrats out of the White House. They can say, ‘‘Well, this always happens in elec- would say we couldn’t be trusted on the tion year.’’ That’s simply not true. If you look economy and foreign policy and national de- at—it’s true that the appointments process fense and welfare and crime, and we were slows down in election years if you have a going to tax people to death and all the things President of one party and a Senate of an- they always said. And when it didn’t work, other. It slows down. But it doesn’t come I think they were very angry. to a grinding halt like they’re doing now. And And they decided that they would oppose again, this is about political power. But it’s me at every turn and in every way. I’ve had not good for the taxpayers. It’s not good for many of them come up to me and tell me the public interest. And I hope that I’ll be that that’s what they did. It was about power. able to persuade the Senate to resume ful- It wasn’t about all these things, and it had filling their constitutional responsibility to act nothing to do with—oh, some of them may on these appointments. And they ought to have very strong personal adverse feelings, vote against them if they don’t like them. but they’re basically rooted in they thought Ms. Rehm. There seemed to have been that they owned the White House. And the some personal animosity against you, person- people own the White House. I don’t own ally, right from the start, before you left Ar- it. The Democrats don’t own it, either. But kansas. I think that’s really what drove it. The President. Yes, I think there was. But And I certainly hope that after this next it was rooted in—there’s a new book out by election that they will moderate their con- Joe Conason and Gene Lyons called ‘‘The duct. But we’ll just have to see. I don’t per- Hunting of the President’’ that explains what sonally have—you know, I worked with all it was about. It was, they were afraid I was Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1063 going to win. And they thought it would necessary to attack these people personally. upset their automatic hold on the White I mean, most people do what they say they’re House and their little formula. Maybe they going to do. And what Governor Bush said didn’t like me, but I think mostly what they he was going to do is have a tax cut much didn’t like was the prospect that they bigger than the one I vetoed before, defense wouldn’t win the White House for ever and increases bigger than the ones that I pro- ever and ever. posed, and vouchers for our schools. And I I think it’s not too much to say that before believe if that happens, we’ll basically be the ’92 election, they really thought they had back to the Reagan-Bush economic philos- found a formula, and there would never be ophy, which is cut the revenues of the Gov- another Democratic President, not for a long, ernment, even if it means going back to defi- long, long time. Maybe a third party would cits and higher interest rates. And it will have to come up before they’d ever be chal- mean that we won’t have much money left lenged. And it made them very angry. And over to invest in education or the environ- I kept telling them that politics is about ideas ment or health care. That’s what they’ve— and action, and we’ve got elections all the but I think you have to just look at what they time, and nobody stays around forever. They say they’re going to do and ask yourself what need to relax and have a good time and go the consequences are. to work. I think if Al Gore gets elected, he’ll try Whenever they did, we got a lot done. We to grow the economy and keep cleaning up got a lot done together. I enjoyed working the environment. I think if Governor Bush with them. But I think, to me, spending your gets elected, he will do what he did in Texas. time on personal animosity is highly counter- He will let the people who basically are the productive. Life is too short for that. primary polluters control environmental pol- Impact of 2000 Election icy. That’s what he did in Texas. He got rid of all the environmental commissioners, ap- Ms. Rehm. How and to what extent do pointed someone who represented the chem- you think the character and the goals of the ical industry, someone from the Farm Bu- Federal Government might change if either George Bush or Al Gore is elected in Novem- reau, and someone who was a political activ- ber? ist. I think—but that’s what they—we The President. Well, I think both the na- shouldn’t be surprised if people do what they ture and the goals will change. I think if the say they’ll do. Vice President—regardless, because the I think that the next President will get two country is changing. And the environment in to four appointments to the Supreme Court. which our people live and, therefore, in So I think if the Vice President gets elected, which our Government operates will change. he’ll continue to appoint diverse judges who I think if the Vice President is elected, he are committed to individual liberties and ba- will do what he said he would do, which is sically in the mainstream of American con- to stay with the economic policy that has stitutional history, the way I’ve tried to do. brought us this unprecedented prosperity And I think if Governor Bush gets elected, but to modernize it. I think he will imple- he’ll appoint judges more like the ones ap- ment his—keep paying down the debt. He pointed by the previous Reagan and Bush will continue to try to do more for the poor administrations. And if they get two to four areas of our country and the cities and the appointments on the Supreme Court, I think rural areas that have been left behind. And Roe v. Wade will be repealed, and a lot of I think he will try to save enough money to other things that have been a part of the fab- make sure we protect Social Security and ric of our constitutional life will be gone. Be- Medicare and reform it for the baby boom cause—and again, I just think—just look at generation and to continue to invest in edu- what these people say they believe, both can- cation. So I think that’s what he’ll do. didates, what they say they’re going to do If Governor Bush gets elected, I think he’ll and assume that they will do it. There’s been do what he said he would do. I think it’s not a lot of studies which show that, by and large, 1064 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 people who get elected President do what The President. Well, I’m trying to help— they say they’re going to do. first of all, I’m trying to help as many of our Ms. Rehm. What about foreign policy, and candidates as possible. I’m trying to help as the question of how the two might deal dif- many of our candidates for the Senate and ferently with issues of foreign policy? the House of Representatives. I will do what- The President. Well, the Vice President ever I can to help the Vice President in the has a big advantage in the sense that he has fall. I will try to make sure that our side has worked on this for not only 8 years as Vice enough funds to compete with the Repub- President, where he’s had a major role in licans. They will have more money as they issues affecting our nuclear security and always do, but I think we’ve got a better mes- issues affecting biological and chemical war- sage, and so I think if we’ve got enough fare and our relationship with Russia, our re- money to get our message out, we’ll be fine. lationship with South Africa, our relationship So I expect to work on all that. in the Middle East. So he’s got a rich, real I remember in ’98, they outspent us by history here. $100 million, and we still won seats in the Governor Bush, like me when I got elect- House because we had a good message. We ed, is Governor, and he served far less time said we were for 100,000 teachers in our than I did as Governor. But he would say, schools, and we were for modernizing our I’m sure if he were here, ‘‘But my father was school facilities. We were for a Patients’ Bill President, and I know all these big-time Re- of Rights. We had a good specific set of publicans, and they’re all for me. So I can things we were for. And we will in the fall. get them all to come and give me good ad- And so I’m going to do my best to just vice.’’ And so I think, again, the best thing be a messenger for that and support other to do is to say that on the question of experi- people. That’s what I’m doing. I’m not a can- ence and record, I think the Vice President didate anymore, so I get to go back to being has the better claim there. a good citizen and be supportive of other But I’m more concerned about the posi- people. tions that Governor Bush has taken because, again, I think you have to assume these can- Post-Presidential Plans didates are honorable people and they will Ms. Rehm. And what are you going to do do what they say. He’s opposed to the Com- as a good citizen after you leave the White prehensive Test Ban Treaty, and he says that House? he wants to build a much bigger missile de- The President. Well, I haven’t decided fense system than the evidence warrants yet. In terms of any income-earning activities right now—it may support it later—no mat- I might undertake, I think that it’s premature ter what the consequences are to the efforts for me to deal with that, because I need to we’re making to reduce the nuclear weapons wait as long as I possibly can—certainly until threat around the world. after the election and, if possible, when I So I think that that gives me some pause. leave office, to make final decisions on that. I think that’s troublesome, because it could I intend to write a book. I intend to main- cause the country a lot of trouble in the next tain my activities in areas that I care a lot 4 or 5 years. And he says that’s where he about around the world in supporting the says he is, and so I assume he—I believe peaceful resolution of racial and religious and he believes that. ethnic conflicts, supporting my initiatives when I’m gone from office to provide eco- President’s Role in the Democratic Party nomic empowerment to poor people at home Ms. Rehm. Mr. President, as your time and around the world. I’m interested very here in the White House winds down, what much in our continuing efforts to meet the role do you see for yourself in the Demo- challenge of global warming, which I think cratic Party now? will dominate a lot of our concerns for the The President. You mean, right now, or next 20 to 30 years. in the future? Right now? So those are just three things I want to Ms. Rehm. Right now. be involved in. And then I’ve got to build Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1065 a library and a museum and a public policy I’ve spent a lot of time since I’ve been here center in Arkansas—— reading histories of other administrations, Ms. Rehm. Where are you going to live? both ones that are very well-known and those The President. Well, I’m going to live in that aren’t. And I’m amazed at how many New York with my wife, and then I’m going people, beginning with George Washington, to be in Arkansas a few days a week while complained about how hard it was to be I’m building the library and museum. We’re President and how all their motives were sus- going to build an apartment there, so that pect. George Washington said, once he got I’ll have a place there and a place in New to be President, people treated him like he York. So I expect to be back and forth be- was a common criminal. [Laughter] tween the two places and then traveling And of course, in the beginning of the around a little bit. country, the politics was about as rough as You know, I’ll find something useful to do. it is now. The three periods which have been I’ve never—every stage of my life I’ve always most partisan were, in the beginning, Jeffer- enjoyed. I’ve had a good time, and I’m not— son and Adams, and then, around the Civil I love this job. I’d do it forever if I could. War, and this time we’re living through now. But I’m not apprehensive, exactly, about But a lot of people referred to—Harry what I’ll do when I’m gone. I’ll just have to Truman referred to the White House as a think about it, and I don’t want to spend too great white prison and all that, you know. much time thinking about it while I’m here, And if they were serious, I must say I just because I’m trying to squeeze every last drop disagree with them. I think—and I’ve had out of every minute I’ve got to be President. a pretty rough time here, but it’s still—it’s just part of the costs of doing business. And I think the job is a joy. I mean, it’s just a Memorable Aspects of the Presidency gift to be able to do this kind of work. I’ve Ms. Rehm. But you know, at the White just loved it. House Correspondents’ dinner, you certainly received a lot of acclaim as a wonderful co- Family Life in the White House median. I was in the audience, but there cer- Ms. Rehm. What does 8 years in the White tainly seemed to be a little bit of wistfulness House do to a marriage? in your presentation. What are you going to The President. Oh, I think it’s been good miss most about being here? for ours, because I got to live above the store. The President. The job. The work. That’s You know, until Hillary started running for what I’ll miss most. I’ll miss the opportunity the Senate, we actually probably had more every day to push an agenda that I think is time together than we did previously. And good for America and ordinary citizens and of course, in the early years our daughter was the future of this country. I will miss that finishing up junior high school and high terribly, because I love this work. I just love school, and we were together at night a lot. it. You know, we talked about her schoolwork I will miss the people. I will miss living and what was going on in her life, and that in the White House. The people who work was a lot of fun for us. Then, after Chelsea here are wonderful, and it’s a great place to left and went off to college, we were able live. I’ll miss working in this beautiful office to go to Camp David more. we’re sitting in now. It’s the most beautiful This is really quite a wonderful place to place I’ve ever worked because of the shape live. It’s a great place to—there’s a swimming of the room and the size of the windows. pool here, and Hillary and I spent a lot of There’s always light here, even when it’s rain- happy days out there just talking and reading, ing outside. I’ll miss Camp David. I’ll miss or on Sunday afternoons up on the Truman the Marine Band. I’ll miss flying on Air Force balcony. I mean, you can get busy and drift One. I’ll miss a lot of things. But the thing apart, I guess, in any circumstances. But for I’ll miss more than anything else is the us, we worked hard before we got here, and chance to do this work for the American peo- we had a lot of things to do, and we’ve prob- ple every day. It is a joy. ably had more time together in our time here 1066 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 than at any point in our marriage. And I’ve now than other nations will be to America enjoyed that immensely. It’s been wonderful and to others. for us. I think that we will—unless we’re pre- pared to have a much bleaker future, two Outlook for the Future big challenges we’ll have to take on beyond Ms. Rehm. Looking ahead, when Chelsea our borders are global warming, which if we is 50, what kind of a world is she going to don’t deal with it is going to be very serious, see? Is it going to be better or worse than and we’ll also have to view global public it is today? health problems as our own. We’ve got to The President. I think it will be better. roll back the AIDS crisis, and we’ve got to No one can foresee the future, but I believe deal with malaria. We’ve got to deal with TB it will be. I think that it will be a world in in Africa and other places around the world. which, first of all, the average life expectancy And we have to keep working until every will be bumping 100 years, because of the child in the world has access to clean water. human genome discoveries and all the things We still lose as many kids from dysentery that will happen. and diarrhea and just basically poison-pol- I think the world will be even smaller than luted water as we do to these diseases every it is now and that the ability to collapse time year. and space through travel and the Internet So I think that Americans will be much will be greater. I think that our familiarity more in tune to all that and feel much more with, understanding of, different cultures and immediately affected by what goes on in Afri- religions and racial groupings will be greater. ca or Southeast Asia or the Indian subconti- And I think we will be a much more polyglot nent or other places, than they do today. society, and I think we’ll be much more com- fortable with it. President’s Faith Ms. Rehm. So you’re optimistic. Ms. Rehm. I have one last question. What The President. I’m very optimistic. I think is your concept of God, and how has that the problems that we will have will be the belief influenced your Presidency? flip side of the positive changes. That is, I The President. Well, I believe in a God think that the likelihood is that the security who is both a Creator, who created the problems over the next 30 years—that’s what world, who oversees the world, and who has you asked me about—will be from—we may provided an eternal existence for human have a conflict with other nations. I hope we beings. I believe in the eternal life of the won’t. That’s one of the reasons I hope this soul. China initiative will pass. I hope we won’t, And I think that that has helped me a lot. but I think it’s virtually certain that there will It’s given me a lot of perspective. It’s given be kind of a global rough alliance between me a lot of ability to withstand the bad times, the terrorists, the gun runners, the to believe that I could overcome my own narcotraffickers, the organized criminals. I shortcomings, to understand why I had to think it’s virtually certain that the techno- forgive people that I thought were being un- logical advances which may allow us to put fair to me, just as I asked them to forgive computers and DNA strands together in a me and, basically, to keep my eyes on the way that are exponentially powerful may bigger things in life and to keep trying to make it possible for the bad guys to have grow personally, even as I was trying to do very small—I mean, less than the palm of this job for the American people. your hand—sized chemical, biological, and It’s very important to me. And I think if nuclear weapons. We don’t know. you have a concept of the eternity of the So we’re going to have—and I think the human spirit, I think, as the creation of God, enemies of the nation-state, the enemies of I think it makes it a lot easier to live with the ordered society, under the guise of reli- whatever happens. It keeps your head on gious or ideological causes or maybe just straight when things are going well and keeps making their purses bigger, will probably be your back up and your spirits high when a bigger security threat 20 to 30 years from things are going poorly. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1067

See that rock there? I always tell people Remarks on the Observance of this story. That rock came off the Moon. Neil National Equal Pay Day Armstrong picked that off the Moon in 1969, May 11, 2000 and he brought it to me last year for the 30th anniversary of the Moon walk. It’s a vacuum- Forest Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico packed rock. And it’s been carbon dated at The President. Let me welcome you all 3.6 billion years old. here today. And before I acknowledge the Now, when people come in here and they Members of Congress and our participants, get real mad at me or they’re real upset about I need to say just a few words about the ter- something, sometimes I say, ‘‘See that rock? rible fire that has surrounded and engulfed It’s 3.6 million years old. We’re all just pass- part of Los Alamos, New Mexico. I have been ing through here. Chill out. It’s going to be briefed on the situation. The fire is con- all right.’’ [Laughter] tinuing to blaze. The residents have been Presidents need things that help them stay evacuated. We have taken steps to protect centered and keep perspective. It’s very bad our lab and the assets there. And most impor- to think about yourself very much in this job. tant, I just want to give my sympathies to I don’t mean in quiet moments, in reading, the people who have lost their homes. Yesterday I declared an emergency for the trying to build your personal life; I don’t area, making them eligible for disaster assist- mean that. But I mean—most of the time ance, and today our FEMA Administrator, when people attack you it’s just part of the James Lee Witt; Secretary Richardson; our job. They’re supposed to. That’s part of the Forest Service Chief, Mike Dombeck; and deal. the Director of the National Park Service, Presidents need devices, routines, systems, Bob Stanton, are all there, or will be shortly, reminders, and friends and family to keep to assess the situation and to monitor our ef- their focus on the American people. Because forts. you’re just here for a little while, and if you This is a very, very difficult situation, and get all caught up in the things you started I know that the prayers and support of all asking me about, the personal animosities Americans will be with the people out there. and the partisan fights and all that, then you basically give a victory to your adversaries by National Equal Pay Day letting them define how you spend your time I’d like to welcome Senator Harkin, Sen- and how you shape your feelings. ator Feinstein, Representative DeLauro, I used to tell the young people here that Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, our job was to do the job we came here to Representatives Mink, Woolsey, Moore, do for the American people. Their job, they Jackson Lee, and Eddie Bernice Johnson— thought, was to stop us from doing our job. all of whom are here today with Secretary They could only win if we helped them by Herman and Martin Baily, the Chair of our Council of Economic Advisers; Janice letting them get inside our heads and our Lachance; our EEOC Chair, Ida Castro; and hearts. And if we just kind of kept focused all the other people who are here rep- on what we came here to do, it was probably resenting working families. going to work out all right. So far it has. In just a few moments, I’ll introduce the Ms. Rehm. Thank you, Mr. President. woman to my left, who will speak after me The President. Thank you. and is really what this day is all about. The first Mother’s Day of the 21st century NOTE: The interview was taped at 3 p.m. in the is shaping up to be a time of commitment Oval Office at the White House on May 10 for and action led by women in America. On later broadcast, and it was released by the Office Sunday mothers from around the Nation will of the Press Secretary on May 11. In his remarks, march for safer communities free of gun vio- the President referred to Gov. George W. Bush lence. of Texas; and Jerry Falwell, chancellor, Liberty Today women and men are coming to- University. gether to uphold core American values of 1068 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 equality, dignity, and justice. This has been Wages for women are up, and the pay gap designated Equal Pay Day. It marks the fact has narrowed since the passage of the Equal that the average woman had to work more Pay Act. But the gap is still far, far too wide, than 4 months into this year just to earn what and women and their families are paying a the average man earned last year. But equal terrible price. pay is about more than dollars and cents. It’s Today I received a report from the Council about right and wrong, because it’s wrong of Economic Advisers on opportunities for when women still earn about 75 cents for women in the new economy, particularly in every dollar earned by a man in the same information technology fields, jobs such as line of work. It’s wrong that average female computer scientists and programmers. Infor- workers have to work an extra 17 weeks to mation technology now accounts for about catch up to the wages of average male work- a third of our growth, although only 8 percent ers. of direct employment. But these are high It’s true, of course, that some of these dif- wage jobs that pay about 80 percent above ferences can be explained by education, age, the national average. and occupation. But even after adjusting for The CEA study shows that overall employ- these factors, there remains a sizable pay gap. ment in information technology has grown As women grow older, the gap grows wider. by more than 80 percent since 1993. That’s It is widest for women of color. African- amazing. Overall employment has nearly American women earn 64 cents for every dol- doubled since 1983. But fewer than one of lar earned by white men. In other words, three of these high-tech, high wage jobs are they’d have to work all of last year and into filled by women. Moreover, women are most July of this year before they earned as much underrepresented in new economy jobs as the average white male earned in 1999. where the pay is highest. For example, elec- For Hispanic women—listen to this—equal trical engineering is just 10 percent female pay day won’t come until late October. today. That is another digital divide. Equal pay is about all our mothers and sis- The report also found that after accounting ters, our wives and daughters. It’s about fa- for education and age and occupation, the thers and brothers and sons and husbands. pay gap in information technology jobs is, un- It’s a family issue. When women aren’t paid fortunately, about the same as it is in other equally, the entire family pays the price. occupations. If we’re going to make the most We also know the cost extends far beyond of the new economy, we have to close the one’s work life. If you’re making less, you’ll door on discrimination wherever it exists and get less Social Security. You’ll have less to open the door for higher opportunities for put aside for retirement. The average woman all women who wish to work and are quali- who’s about to retire, if she even gets a pen- fied to do so. sion, can expect about half the pension bene- Today I’m announcing a number of steps fits of the average man who retires. to do just that. First, our budget for the com- Now is the time to close the wage gap. ing year includes a new $20 million initiative You have often heard me ask this question for the National Science Foundation for in the context of other national challenges, grants to universities to remove barriers to but if we have the lowest unemployment in career advancement for women scientists over 30 years and the longest economic ex- and engineers and encourage more women pansion in history and over 21 million new to pursue these fields. jobs, with the lowest poverty rate in 20 years This is especially important because we and the lowest African-American and His- know the pay gap narrows sharply for women panic unemployment rates ever recorded, who have higher levels of education. When the lowest female unemployment rate in 40 only one out of 10 engineers is a woman and years and the lowest female household pov- only 30 percent of those in math and com- erty rate on the record, if we can’t solve this puter science jobs are women, we simply problem now, when in the world will we ever have to do more. It’s important for reasons get around to it? Now is the time to deal of fairness and justice. It’s also important for with this. our leadership in the global economy. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1069

Second, I’m establishing an equal pay task The President. I just wanted to say one force at the Equal Employment Opportunity final thing; some of the Members have al- Commission to ensure that our EEOC field luded to it. But because of the way we intro- staff have the full range of support they need duced each other, seriatim, I don’t think we to effectively investigate charges of pay dis- adequately expressed our appreciation to crimination. Karen Simmons-Beathea, who really rep- Third, and perhaps most important, again resents what this is all about, and I think we today I renew my call to Congress to send ought to give her another hand. [Applause] the clear message that wage discrimination And I will just leave you with this thought. against women is just as unacceptable as dis- There are a few issues that we’re working crimination based on race or ethnicity. on today that, unfortunately, tend to get cast The best way to do that is by acting this in Washington, DC, in terms of a partisan year. Support legislation to strengthen exist- divide. But out in the country, there isn’t one. ing wage discrimination laws. Support our You know, when I was a young boy, I lived equal pay initiative in next year’s budget to with a working grandfather and a working provide $10 million for EEOC efforts to help grandmother. I was raised by a working in wage discrimination and $17 million for mother. Nobody has lived in one of these Secretary Herman’s efforts to train women families for any period of time without having in nontraditional jobs, including those in at least one encounter with some kind of high-tech fields. problem we’re talking about. And if it ever Thirty-five years ago, when President happens to you, especially when you are a Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act—now child, you never get over it. more than 35 years ago—he said, I quote, If you go out and talk to Americans around ‘‘It adds to our laws another structure basic this country, Republicans and independents to democracy.’’ For over 7 years now, the and Democrats will all tell you more or less Vice President and I have tried to build on the same thing about this issue. This is not that basic idea, to include more women in a political or a partisan issue anywhere else. every aspect of our administration’s life and Now, you heard Eleanor Holmes Norton say- to create more opportunities for all Ameri- ing if somebody doesn’t like our bills or they cans, women and men equally. We have not want to talk about the practical impact, well, succeeded in closing the pay gap. We need we can talk about how to word the language the help of Congress to do it. It is very, very and deal with the practical consequences. important. But whether we do something or not and We all say we want to support work and whether what we do is meaningful or not is family. We all say we want to open new doors not a political or a partisan issue in America, of opportunity. Now’s our chance, and we and it shouldn’t be here. ought to take it. And if all of the people who have ever ex- I’d like to introduce now someone who perienced anything like what Karen talked knows about the equal pay challenge because about today, would talk to all of the Members she has lived with wage discrimination. She of Congress about it, we would get something has fought against wage discrimination and, done, something meaningful this year. thankfully, she has won. Thank you, and God bless you all. She came here from Baltimore today to tell her story. Ladies and gentlemen, Karen Simmons-Beathea. NOTE: The President spoke at 12:20 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White House. [At this point, Ms. Simmons-Beathea, who was the plaintiff in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission case against the Baltimore Cable Access Corp., Representa- Exchange With Reporters Following tives Rosa L. DeLauro and Eleanor Holmes the Observance of Equal Pay Day Norton, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Tom May 11, 2000 Harkin, and Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman made brief remarks.] [The exchange was joined in progress.] 1070 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Forest Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico The President. Well, they’ve taken ex- Q. ——beyond the usual response which traordinary precautions. They’ve taken ex- is low interest loans and to actually rebuild traordinary precautions. the community? Am I going to what? The President. First of all, we’re exam- ining all that now. We’ve got—I want to know what the facts are. The Forest Service Million Mom March for a very long time has had these controlled burns, but we have to look in to it to see Q. Are you going to march on Sunday? what the real facts are and what the responsi- The President. Well, I’m going to do bility of the Government is. And the rule something to support them. What I want to here ought to be the ‘‘do right’’ rule: What- do is be supportive and do nothing to take ever the right thing to do is, is exactly what away or distract from it. I’m going to do my should be done. best to help them. And we have a plan for Right now we should be focusing on doing a way that we—Hillary and I both want to everything we can to minimize the damage be very supportive, and we will. of the fire and protect the lab assets, deal with the human problems, protect the lab assets. But as we look to rebuild, I think we Gun Safety Legislation ought to ascertain the facts and just do what the right thing to do is. That’s going to be Q. Do you believe that will motivate my policy. And I just don’t know about the Congress—— facts now to be absolutely sure, but as I do The President. I don’t know, but it ought I will be for bending over backwards to do to, because that’s another one of those issues the right thing. That will be my policy. which is far less partisan out in the country than it is here in Washington. It’s like this Elian Gonzalez and Asylum Law equal pay issue. Q. Should Congress put into law whether Q. ——seeing all those women, all those a 6-year-old boy, or what age a child should people down there, will that motivate Con- be able to, of his own free will, seek asylum gress to get this legislation through? in the United States? Because, of course, it’s The President. It might or it might not. not in the law right now. It depends upon whether the Members of The President. It’s not in the law. Well, Congress feel the human impact, which to traditionally, the courts have ruled on these me is the most powerful thing, and also real- things based on the facts, and there have ize that there are more and more people who been certain presumptions about people who care about this issue. It’s becoming what I were above or below a certain age. And this call a voting issue, because that’s the thing decision, like others, has been governed by that very often motivates Congressmen who the assumption that a person below a certain feel torn, want to do something, but are age should be spoken for by a parent if the afraid to do it because of the political impli- parent is a fit parent. Whether clarifying leg- cations. Most of the polls you see on issues islation will be needed, I think no one ever don’t mean anything to them, because the thought so before now. And I think we all real issue is whether this issue affects how ought to just sit and see what the Court of people vote. Appeals says and what happens, and that And I think if a couple hundred thousand court decision may clarify whether we need people show up here and several hundred legislation or not. thousand more at these sites around the country, it ought to send a signal that we Forest Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico want America to be a safe country and com- Q. Have you now been assured that the monsense gun measures is a part of the strat- laboratory is safe? egy. And that, plus just the human impact Q. Are you going to march on Sunday? of the stories, there’s a chance it will break Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1071 through and help us break this logjam. I hope Proclamation 7306—National Equal and pray that it will. Pay Day, 2000 Q. Any suggestion—— The President. What? May 11, 2000 By the President of the United States Elian Gonzalez and Asylum Law of America Q. Any suggestion as to when a child might be of his own free will? A Proclamation The President. I want to wait. I may want to comment on that later, but I think we Long before President Kennedy signed should, in all fairness, let the Court of Ap- into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women peals issue their ruling, see what the state had proved their ability to contribute to of the law is and then make some sort of America’s labor market. During World War judgment about whether legislation is re- II, when labor shortages offered women an quired. unprecedented opportunity to work outside the home, women excelled at jobs tradition- ally reserved for men. Yet, despite their enor- New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani mous contribution to maintaining American Q. Any reaction to the Giuliani news yes- production lines, women in the workforce terday? were paid less than their male counterparts. The President. Well, I wish him and his wife and their children well on the health For most of our Nation’s history, in fact, front and on the domestic front. I think that’s women have served within a sharply seg- all there is—all anybody should want. People regated workforce, enjoying fewer edu- in public life have challenges and difficulties cational and training opportunities than men like people in other kinds of life do. and struggling all too often to disprove con- fining stereotypes about their roles and capa- And I’ve always had a good personal rela- bilities. But throughout the decades, women tionship with Mayor Giuliani. It’s not been of courage, energy, and determination have affected by the fact that I think my wife continued to enter the workforce and open would be a better Senator. And on this, I doors of opportunity for succeeding genera- think everybody in New York and everybody tions. Today, more women are in the labor in America ought to be rooting for the human force than ever before; the female unemploy- side of this to work out. We should wish him ment rate is at its lowest in more than 40 well in his struggle over his illness. We years; the poverty rate for households headed should wish that family well. We should want by women is the lowest ever recorded; and the best for their children, and we should the pay gap has narrowed substantially since want some space for all of them, out of the 1963. glare of publicity, to work their family issues out. That’s what I want, and I hope he gets Despite these gains, the battle for equal it. pay for women is far from over. Although 37 years have passed since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, the average woman today NOTE: The exchange began at 1:10 p.m. in the must still work an additional 17 weeks a year Rose Garden. In his remarks, the President re- ferred to Mayor Giuliani’s wife, Donna Hanover, to earn what the average man earns. That and their children, Andrew and Caroline. The pay gap grows wider as women grow older, press release issued by the Office of the Press and it is widest for women of color. African Secretary did not include the complete opening American women earn 64 cents for every dol- remarks of this exchange. A tape was not available lar earned by white men, and Hispanic for verification of the content of this exchange. women earn just 55 cents. While some of 1072 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 these disparities can be attributed to dif- States of America, do hereby proclaim May ferences in education, experience, and occu- 11, 2000, as National Equal Pay Day. I call pation—which themselves often reflect trou- upon government officials, law enforcement bling inequities—several studies confirm that agencies, business leaders, educators, and the a significant pay gap persists even after we American people to recognize the full value account for these factors. of the skills and contributions of women in My Administration has worked hard to en- the labor force. I urge all employers to review sure that every American is treated with fair- their wage practices and ensure that all their ness and dignity in the workplace, and this employees are paid equitably for their work. year I proposed a $27 million equal pay ini- In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set tiative in my fiscal year 2001 budget to com- my hand this eleventh day of May, in the bat unfair pay practices against women. This year of our Lord two thousand, and of the initiative includes $10 million in funding for Independence of the United States of Amer- the Equal Employment Opportunity Com- ica the two hundred and twenty-fourth. mission (EEOC) to identify more quickly and William J. Clinton respond more effectively to wage discrimina- tion. The initiative would also enable the [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, EEOC to launch a public service campaign 8:45 a.m., May 12, 2000] to educate employees and employers about their rights and responsibilities under equal NOTE: This proclamation was published in the pay laws. In addition, the initiative includes Federal Register on May 15. funding for the Department of Labor to train women for jobs they have not traditionally Remarks Prior to a Meeting With held, such as those in the high-paying tech- nology sector, and to help employers recruit Congressional Conferees on the and train qualified women for nontraditional Patients’ Bill of Rights and an occupations. Exchange With Reporters I have also urged the Congress to strength- May 11, 2000 en existing wage discrimination laws by promptly passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. Africa and Caribbean Basin Trade This proposed legislation would provide in- Legislation creased penalties for equal pay violations; The President. First of all, I would like prohibit employers from punishing employ- to thank this very impressive array of Senate ees who share salary information with co- and House Members for coming, in the workers; and provide funding for research on midst of quite a busy time up on the Hill, wage discrimination and for increased train- as we try to work out the remaining issues ing for EEOC employees who work on wage to get a strong Patients’ Bill of Rights passed. discrimination cases. I’d like to begin just by expressing my grat- Throughout the decades, working women itude to, most recently the Senate, but also have persevered in their struggle for equal to the House, for the truly historic Africa/ pay, buoyed by an unshakable faith in their Caribbean Basin trade bill that passed by, I own skills and self-worth and a firm commit- think, 77 votes in the Senate today. And this ment to the ideals of our democracy. On Na- bill passed with big bipartisan majorities in tional Equal Pay Day, I urge all Americans both Houses. And it’s an example of the kind to join the crusade to secure equal pay for of thing we can do if we work together. And women and to create a just and honorable I’m very grateful to the Congress for that and work environment in which all our citizens very much looking forward to this bill. are rewarded fairly for their talents, experi- ence, and contributions. Patients’ Bill of Rights Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, Last October the House passed the President of the United States of America, Norwood-Dingell bill by a big majority, but by virtue of the authority vested in me by the conferees have not been able to agree the Constitution and laws of the United on a bill which could then be taken back to Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1073 the Senate and the House. So this meeting Permanent Normal Trade Relations is to determine what the issues are, what the Status for China prospects are for resolving them, to make it Q. Mr. President, do you have any concern clear to these Members that I will offer any- about comments by Majority Whip Delay body in the White House, starting with me, yesterday that he may not be doing quite as day or night, to try to help resolve this and well as he had hoped getting Republican hopefully to get a bill out. votes for the China bill? I think it’s fair to say that most of us, The President. No, because I’ve noticed maybe all of us, really want a bill, not an he’s quite effective at getting votes when the issue, not a debate. We’d like to pass a bill. time comes—sometimes when I like it and And so I’m looking forward to this meeting, sometimes when I don’t. And I think he and I want to thank you all for coming. wants us to do our part, and I’m doing my Q. What are the prospects for approving best. I think in the end, especially after Presi- it this year? dent Ford and President Carter and all those The President. Well, you should ask us former administration members came, and all after the meeting. [Laughter] after the, I think, very important reports in the press today about the Chinese dissidents favoring this vote, I think we’ll get there. Security at the State Department We’ve just got a lot of hard work to do. Q. Mr. President, the FBI testified today there are possible intelligence officers oper- Northern Ireland Peace Process ating as accredited reporters at the State De- partment. Does that concern you, sir? Q. Do you have an update on the situation in Northern Ireland, Mr. President? And do The President. Does it concern you? I you foresee a situation where you would be should be asking if it concerns you. [Laugh- able to travel over there to celebrate some ter] No, I don’t want to make light of this. success? Of course, the testimony today was the first The President. Well, we’re not done yet. that I had heard that assertion, and obviously There’s still a matter to be resolved about it has to be looked into. what exactly the new police force would be I would have thought that you might have called and how it can be constituted so that docile intelligence officers masquerading as both Protestants and Catholics will join the hostile reporters. [Laughter] police force and be a part of the unified po- lice force, and what the political problems Social Security this issue present to both sides are. Q. Mr. President, this morning you told I think what the IRA did in agreeing to Diane Rehm about some predictions about put these weapons beyond use and put them in these cachement areas and allow them to what you thought George W. Bush might do be inspected was a terrific step forward and if he’s elected President, in terms of tax cuts, a great credit to Gerry Adams and Michael Supreme Court appointments. Do you also McGuinness—Martin McGuinness—and ev- think that he would destroy Social Security erybody else who worked on it. by privatizing it, as the Vice President has But we’ve got one last issue, and I don’t charged? think anybody ought to be celebrating until The President. I don’t want to talk about we resolve the one last issue. the campaign here. I’m here trying to get something done. I’ll be glad to answer—at some appropriate time, I’ll tell you what I NOTE: The President spoke at 2:15 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White House. In his re- think ought to be done on Social Security, marks, he referred to Sinn Fein leaders Gerry although I’m pretty well on the record on Adams and Martin McGuinness. A tape was not that. But I don’t think this is an appropriate available for verification of the content of these thing for me to discuss right now. remarks. 1074 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Remarks at the Award Ceremony for nize not only the awardee and the awardees the National Teacher of the Year but, indeed, all of our teachers. On that very May 11, 2000 first occasion, President Truman said, ‘‘Next to one’s mother, a teacher has the greatest The President. Thank you very much. influence on what kind of a citizen a child Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Let me grows up to be.’’ begin by welcoming you to the Rose Garden Every day, 5 days a week, 9 months a year, and saying, I’m grateful that it’s not too hot teachers have the future of America in their and it’s not too cold. Sounds like one of those hands. They teach our children to read, to books we used to read when I was 6 years write, to calculate, to sing, to paint, to play, old—it’s just right. [Laughter] Actually, we to listen, to question, to work with others, got rained out here yesterday at an event. and to think for themselves. They excite our And we had two events earlier today, and children’s imagination, lift their aspirations, it was quite warm. So this is—you’re here open their hearts, strengthen their values. at just the right time. I imagine every one of us can recall the I’d also like to thank the representatives names and faces of teachers who influenced of the Marine Band who played for us today. us profoundly; indeed, so profoundly that This is their third event today, and they’ve without them we wouldn’t be sitting here or done a great job. Thank you very much. standing in the Rose Garden today. We tend I want to thank Secretary Riley, my friend to remember the teachers most who chal- and co-worker for better education for well lenged us the most; the ones who held us over 20 years now. Even my adversaries will to high standards and convinced us we could concede that he is the finest Secretary of achieve; teachers who praised us when they Education this country has ever had, and I knew we were doing our very best; and who am very grateful to him. motivated us, sometimes gently and some- I welcome the other representatives of the times not so gently, to do even better; teach- Department of Education and the executive ers who watched with delight the amazement director of the Council of Chief State on our faces when we produced work we Schools, Gordon Ambach; Scholastic, Inc., never imagined we were capable of. Senior Vice President Ernie Fleishman and For 35 years now, Dr. Marilyn Whirry has all those from Scholastic who are here. And been that kind of teacher, instilling in her I want to recognize the president of the Na- students a love of literature. Seniors at Mira tional Education Association, Bob Chase, Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, who has done a wonderful job representing California, vie for spots in her advanced all the teachers of our country here in Wash- placement English class. Even freshmen and ington, including those in the AFT. And I sophomores hope some day to join what are think they would say the same thing. And called the ‘‘Whirryites,’’ in book-lined Room we thank you for all the fights that you’ve 19, to discuss Shakespeare and Camus, Toni waged for us, and with your friends in the Morrison and Dostoyevski. AFT, and people who love education every- Her teaching style, I understand, is like where. We’ve had a good 7 years here, thanks a softer, more nurturing version of Professor in no small measure to you, sir. And we thank Kingsfield’s in ‘‘The Paper Chase.’’ She paces you very much. the room posing questions to each student, We have here 54 or 55 State Teachers of responding to each answer with still more the Year, 36 former National Teachers of the questions, digging deeper and deeper into Year, and our present honoree, Marilyn the toughest texts until their meanings are Whirry of California. And I want to say a revealed. She believes there are no obstacles little more about her in a moment. to learning that cannot be overcome through President Truman presented the first of effort and high standards. And she lives by these awards here at the White House almost that belief. half a century ago. And every year since, A few years ago, she underwent treatment Presidents or members of their family have for cancer, yet almost never missed a day of personally handed out this award to recog- work. She not only beat the cancer but that Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1075 year every one of her students passed the More and more gifted young people start AP tests. She’s traveled America giving work- out teaching, but they don’t stay as long as shops to educators on teaching standards- they used to, and that’s a big challenge. based reading and writing. Thanks to the longest running expansion in For the last 7 years, she’s been Secretary American history, most States have substan- Riley’s appointee to the National Assessment tial budget surpluses now. They have to de- Governing Board. I think I should point out cide how best to use them. States, like the that she was first appointed to NAGB by the Nation, this year must decide what to do with previous administration, so admiration for this magic moment of prosperity in improv- her is bipartisan. [Laughter] ing social conditions If I were a Governor The role of teachers has never been more and I had a surplus, I’d give my teachers the important to our society and our future than pay they deserved, and I hope more and it is today—in a global economy that rewards more States will do that. what we know and what we can learn more We also know that the National Govern- than ever, with the largest and most diverse ment has a role to play. I have proposed $1 student population in our history, and with billion effort to help recruit, train, and sup- 2 million teachers set to retire in the next port teachers, to invest more in teachers even decade, and already a crying need to lower as we demand more of them. I’m dis- class sizes and modernize facilities. appointed, yesterday, that Congress set in motion a budget that, I believe, strongly in- Clearly, recruiting and retaining more and vests too little in our schools and expects and better teachers is one of the greatest chal- demands too little from them, a plan that lenges we face as a nation. And we see un- ignores some of our schools’ most pressing usual efforts now being adopted all across needs, from more well-trained teachers to the country. In the State of Mississippi, they more modern classrooms. We can and must just voted to raise teachers’ salaries $10,000. do better, and we will. In California, they give big bonuses to people Last week I took a school reform tour who come into teaching. And you’ll see more through four States. It was an amazing expe- and more of this as we recognize not only rience for me. I went to western Kentucky, the imperative of having good teachers but and I went to Minnesota. I went to Iowa. also just the sheer challenge of replacing the I went to Ohio. I could have gone to any- retiring teachers as the corps of students con- place, I suppose, and found much the same tinues to grow. thing. But it was so moving for me to have One of the things we have to do to meet a chance to demonstrate to the country, that challenge is to do more to honor and through the good offices of our friends in respect our best teachers, like our honoree. the media, that all children can learn and Everyone who becomes a teacher recognizes our schools are doing better. Test scores are on the front end that this is not the surest up; many of our lowest performing schools path to wealth. People who do it, in the end, are turning around. do it and stay at it because they love it, be- Every teacher here today and every teach- cause they find fulfillment in giving, in the er across the country ought to be proud of spark of learning they see in children’s eyes. the progress that is being made. You have The least the rest of us can do is to pay proved that all students can learn. Now our them adequately, train them well, give them task is to ensure that all students do learn, the facilities and support they need and the that they all receive the world-class education respect that they deserve. And that last intan- they need, they deserve, and the rest of us gible element was conclusion number one of desperately need for them to have. If we con- the Survey of America’s Top Teachers, re- tinue to build on our progress, I have no leased just this week by Scholastic, Inc., and doubt that we can fulfill that promise. the Council of Chief State School Officers. Let me just say one other thing about this The survey also concluded if we want to re- that’s not in the text, but one of the things cruit more and better teachers and hang on that troubled me greatly when I became to those we have, we must pay them more. President in January of 1993 is that even a 1076 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 lot of people who voted for me because they Ladies and gentlemen, the Teacher of the believed in what I was saying, didn’t really Year. believe we could turn the country around. [At this point, the President presented the They didn’t really believe we would ever get award to Ms. Whirry, who then made brief rid of the deficit. They didn’t really believe remarks and gave the President a crystal we would ever reduce the welfare rolls. They apple.] didn’t really believe that we could make crime come down every year. And even The President. Thank you. Well, thank though every single citizen knew some teach- you. I have all kinds of questions I wanted er that they just adored, they didn’t really to ask you, about Dostoyevski and Camus believe that on a sweeping national basis, we and—[laughter] could improve the performance of our stu- Ms. Whirry. Okay. dents. And now that we know, that imposes The President. ——the last novel he a special responsibility on us. wrote that’s just been published. What did When I leave office, we’re going to have Toni Morrison mean when she said I was paid off $355 billion of the Nation’s debt. America’s first black President? [Laughter] We know we can get the country out of debt I thought it was a great compliment. and still keep investing in education. We’ve Let me tell you, I generally believe Presi- got the crime rate coming down 8 years in dents should not receive awards because the a row; the welfare rolls are half what they job is award enough. But I love this. And were. But a lot of people still don’t know every day I have left here, this award will that the schools, against increasing chal- be on my desk in the Oval Office, and I hope lenges, are doing better and better. And I’ll you get to see it on television. just give you one example. Thank you. Bless you all. Thank you. I was in Kentucky, in Owensboro, a little town in western Kentucky, in a school that NOTE: The President spoke at 5:28 p.m. in the was one of the 170 schools in 1996 identified Rose Garden at the White House. as a low performing school. Within 2 years, 91 percent of the schools were off the list. As of last year, in 4 years, in a school with Statement on Congressional Action two-thirds of the kids eligible for free or re- on Africa and Caribbean Basin Trade duced lunches, the number of children read- Legislation ing at or above grade level had gone from May 11, 2000 12 to 57 percent; doing math at or above grade level had gone from 5 to 70 percent; I am pleased that Congress has completed doing science at or above grade level had action on historic legislation that will boost gone from zero to 64 percent. The school investment, growth, and opportunity in Afri- ranked 18th in the State in overall perform- ca and the Caribbean Basin, while improving ance, with two-thirds of the kids eligible for the global competitive position of our own free or reduced lunch. And in Kentucky, 10 industries. This step reaffirms America’s of the 20 best performing grade schools have commitment to open trade and strengthens over half the kids eligible for free or reduced the partnership between the United States lunch. Race, income, and region are not des- and our friends in Africa and the Caribbean tiny, thanks to teachers and schools. And we Basin. It will encourage these nations to con- need to get that out there. tinue building open economies, bolster their And that’s what you represent to me. You efforts to alleviate poverty, and improve long- are the living embodiment that you get more term prospects for democracy and stability from giving than taking in life. And I can’t around the world. I look forward to signing think of anybody who’s given more. My only this measure into law and congratulate Mem- regret today is that I have never been in one bers of Congress from both parties who have of Marilyn Whirry’s classes. [Laughter] So worked so hard to enact the ‘‘African Growth maybe we’ll get the next best thing as I bring and Opportunity Act’’ and the Caribbean her up here and present her her award. Basin trade enhancement legislation. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 11 1077

Statement on House of mediately for the Jordanian elements in Si- Representatives Action on the erra Leone. ‘‘Conservation and Reinvestment We intend to support the commitment Act’’ west African nations have made to send addi- tional troops to Sierra Leone to restore May 11, 2000 peace. A U.S. military team is now in Nigeria to determine what assistance might be need- I am very pleased by the overwhelming ed from the international community to out- bipartisan vote in the House today to provide fit and transport these forces as quickly as significant new resources to meet America’s possible. critical conservation and recreation needs. I welcome the statement west African Today’s vote on H.R. 701, the ‘‘Conservation leaders made on Tuesday at their emergency and Reinvestment Act,’’ is a historic step to- summit in Abuja, Nigeria, calling for the re- ward achieving permanent conservation lease of all hostages and pledging to protect funding—a goal embodied in the lands leg- democratic institutions in Sierra Leone. acy initiative I put forward in my budget this I have asked Rev. Jesse Jackson, my Spe- year. I applaud Chairman Young, Represent- cial Envoy for Democracy in Africa, to return ative Miller, and others for their leadership to the region to work with leaders there for on this effort. a peaceful resolution of this crisis. Reverend We will continue working with Congress Jackson has been actively involved in our dip- to secure protected and permanent conserva- lomatic effort to help the people of Sierra tion funding within the framework of a bal- Leone realize their peaceful aspirations. anced budget that provides for critical budg- et and fiscal priorities, and with no burden- some or unnecessary restrictions on Federal Proclamation 7307—Peace Officers authorities that have proven so effective in Memorial Day and Police Week, preserving America’s natural heritage. I urge 2000 the Senate to move swiftly on this legislation. May 11, 2000 I am confident that working together we can create a permanent conservation endowment By the President of the United States that will be a true gift to future generations. of America A Proclamation From our earliest days as a Nation, Amer- Statement on the Situation ica has been blessed with citizens of courage in Sierra Leone and character who have dedicated their lives May 11, 2000 to keeping the peace in our communities. Five years after the creation of the U.S. Mar- U.N. Secretary-General Annan and I shals Service in 1789, U.S. Marshal Robert agreed this morning that the international Forsyth was shot and killed in the line of community must intensify international ef- duty. He was the first of more than 14,000 forts to restore peace in Sierra Leone and law enforcement personnel since that time to prevent a return to all-out civil war. The to give his life to uphold the law and protect situation there has been grave. But the U.N. the people he was sworn to serve. is determined to fulfill its mission; African Our Nation owes a lasting debt of grati- and other nations are willing to act; and we tude to the men and women of our law en- are ready to help them. forcement community who, each day, put I have instructed our military to provide their lives at risk to protect us and ensure needed assistance to accelerate the deploy- the safety of our families and homes. Because ment of troops to UNAMSIL and informed of their skill, valor, and commitment, we have the U.N. that the United States will help begun to turn the tide on crime in America. transport reinforcements. A U.S. military The murder rate is at its lowest level in more transport aircraft is now in Jordan to move than 30 years, and the overall crime rate is ammunition and supplies that are needed im- at its lowest point in 25 years. There are 1078 May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 many reasons for this progress, but police and all areas under its jurisdiction and con- chiefs, policymakers, and citizens alike agree trol. I also invite all Americans to display the that the dedication of our law enforcement flag at half-staff from their homes on that officers and the spread of community polic- day. ing have been critical factors. Today, in cities In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set and communities across America, residents my hand this eleventh day of May, in the and police officers are working in partner- year of our Lord two thousand, and of the ship, forming neighborhood watch organiza- Independence of the United States of Amer- tions, banding together against drug dealers ica the two hundred and twenty-fourth. and gangs, and building connections that are the core of community life and the founda- William J. Clinton tion of a civil society. Unfortunately, we need look no further [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, than the tragic losses suffered by law enforce- 11:05 a.m., May 12, 2000] ment officers to recognize the risks that these brave men and women face every day. Last NOTE: This proclamation was published in the year, 50 police officers were struck down in Federal Register on May 15. the line of duty, and another 84 lost their lives in accidents. For these heroes, the safe- ty of their fellow citizens was their purpose Letter to Congressional Leaders and passion, and they made the ultimate sac- Transmitting a Report on Chemical rifice to fulfill their duty. and Biological Weapons Defense We can never repay these gallant men and women for their service or adequately com- May 11, 2000 fort their families. We can only honor their Dear lllll : memory—not only in words and ceremony, Attached is a report to the Congress on but in our determination to promote justice, Chemical and Biological Weapons Defense, uphold the law, and preserve the peace and submitted pursuant to Condition 11(F) of the safety they helped purchase with their lives. resolution of advice and consent to ratifica- By a joint resolution approved October 1, tion of the Convention on the Prohibition of 1962 (76 Stat. 676), the Congress has author- the Development, Production, Stockpiling ized and requested the President to des- and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their ignate May 15 of each year as ‘‘Peace Officers Destruction, adopted by the United States Memorial Day’’ and the week in which it falls Senate on April 24, 1997. as ‘‘Police Week,’’ and, by Public Law 103– Sincerely, 322 (36 U.S.C. 136), has directed that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers William J. Clinton Memorial Day. Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, NOTE: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis President of the United States of America, Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives; do hereby proclaim May 15, 2000, as Peace John W. Warner, chairman, and Carl Levin, rank- Officers Memorial Day and May 14 through ing member, Senate Committee on Armed Serv- May 20, 2000, as Police Week. I call upon ices; Jesse Helms, chairman, and Joseph R. Biden, the people of the United States to observe Jr., ranking member, Senate Committee on For- these occasions with appropriate ceremonies, eign Relations; Ted Stevens, chairman, and programs, and activities. I also request the Robert C. Byrd, ranking member, Senate Com- Governors of the United States and of the mittee on Appropriations; Benjamin A. Gilman, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as chairman, and Sam Gejdenson, ranking member, House Committee on International Relations; the appropriate officials of all units of govern- C.W. Bill Young, chairman, and David R. Obey, ment, to direct that the flag of the United ranking member, House Committee on Appro- States be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers priations; Floyd Spence, chairman, and Ike Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and Skelton, ranking member, House Committee on naval vessels throughout the United States Armed Services. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1079

Remarks in an Interview and the specifics, do they make sense or not, do Townhall Meeting on ABC’s they work or not, the answer is yes. ‘‘Good Morning America’’ Frankly, I still don’t understand why any- body would be against these things. And the May 12, 2000 evidence is clear that it works. [‘‘Good Morning America’’ cohosts Charlie Mr. Gibson. But the Congress is jammed Gibson and Diane Sawyer welcomed pro- up. I’ve got here a pile of all the gun legisla- gram participants and described the goals of tion that’s been proposed in the past year, the Million Mom March against gun violence, since we were here before, and none of it scheduled for May 14th in Washington, DC.] has passed. By my count, we have more States rejecting new gun control legislation Charlie Gibson. We are here in the Oval than have passed it. We have 15 States that Office with the President, who is joining us have passed prohibitions on cities suing gun this morning. It’s nice to have—nice to be manufacturers. That hardly seems like here. I shouldn’t say nice to have you with progress. us, since it’s your office. Mr. President, good The President. Well, first of all, I think to see you again. you have to look at the fact that the States, The President. Good to see you. which our Founding Fathers thought would be the laboratories of democracy, have seen Gun Safety Legislation some progress. If you look at what Maryland Mr. Gibson. Diane is going to go over and California and Massachusetts have with the mothers, and we understand you will done—Maryland particularly is interesting join us in there in a few moments. But we’d because it is not what you would think of like to talk a little bit first. a socially or culturally liberal State, and peo- It as a year ago, Mr. President, that we ple from very difficult districts passed some were here with you with the students talking very tough child safety legislation. I think that about gun violence. And you talked to me there has been some movement at the State then about the hopes that you had for new level. gun control legislation. It hasn’t happened. In Colorado, a conservative Republican What went wrong? Governor proposed closing the gun show The President. Well, nothing went wrong. loophole, couldn’t pass it through the legisla- We passed legislation in the Senate—Vice ture, and they’re going to put it on the ballot. President Gore cast the tie-breaking vote to It will be interesting to see what the people require child safety locks, to ban the importa- of Colorado do. tion of large capacity ammunition clips, I think that as a practical matter, until the which would make our assault weapons ban public demonstrates its will on this, there much more effective, and to require back- may not be more substantive progress. The ground checks when handguns are bought people are going to have to decide what they at gun shows and urban flea markets, just believe the right approach is. as they are now at gun stores. Mr. Gibson. When we were here a year It passed in the Senate; it didn’t pass in ago, you gave me a rather stern talking-to the House. And frankly, I think it was be- about the political realities on the issue of cause of the intense lobbying effort against gun control. Isn’t it fair to say that the polit- it and the longstanding ability of the NRA ical realities right now are that nothing is to influence Congressmen. I think that that going to happen for this year, while people was a big part of it. wait to see the results of the November elec- I think, also, the label ‘‘gun control’’ is not tion? nearly as effective as the specific safety meas- The President. I’m not sure. That is one ures. I mean, if I said to you, let’s take these possible outcome. It may be the more likely seatbelts out of cars and repeal the speed outcome. But keep in mind, you’ve still got limits and repeal the requirement that driv- bills that have passed the House and the Sen- ers get licenses because it’s ‘‘car control,’’ you ate. Essentially what’s happened is—though, might be against it, too. When you talk about that this is the part about Washington that 1080 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 drives people crazy. We’ve got a version of a plurality of this country actually thinks that this bill that passed the House, a version of Governor Bush would be stronger on gun this bill that passed the Senate. And the con- control and better equipped to handle the ferees are supposed to get together, both par- issue than the Vice President? ties, both Houses, come up with a bill and The President. No, because I think the send it to me; I sign it or veto it; and then public doesn’t have the information. I don’t they override the veto or they don’t, if I veto think there’s any—I think if you gave—did it. That’s the way the system is supposed to the Gallup poll give the public a test about work. whether—which candidate was for the fol- As a practical matter, what happens is lowing specific measures? I think people they’re just not meeting, and because they form general impressions. And the Repub- don’t want to report out a bill that, again, licans, keep in mind, until our administration they can’t label as ‘‘gun control,’’ but it will came in, because of their tough rhetoric and have specifics, and people either like it or their theory that the answer to every crime not, and it will either pass or not. That’s was just to put more people in jail and keep what’s frustrating. It’s just been stalled. And them there longer, and they talked about it I think the fact that what’s really important like that, they had the overwhelming advan- about it is closing a loophole in a background tage on all crime-related issues. check law that has plainly worked to save But it’s not like there’s no evidence here. lives in America, closing a loophole in an as- I mean, crime has come down 7 years in a sault weapons ban that the American people row—8 years in a row, now. This is the eighth overwhelmingly support, and putting in child year that crime is coming down. Partly it’s trigger locks—those are the three main ele- due to the improved economy, but partly it’s ments—it’s unconscionable that it hasn’t due to the fact that we put 100,000 police been voted out. on the street, that we passed the Brady bill, that we passed the assault weapons, that we Million Mom March increased enforcement as well. No one can Mr. Gibson. As a practical matter, doesn’t dispute the evidence. this administration have something of a stake And so what I think there is, when the in Sunday’s march, hoping that some moth- campaign really starts in earnest, we need ers can do politically what Columbine, what to make sure that voters have all the evi- a preschool shooting out in California, what dence, and then we’ll see what they say. a 6-year-old shooting another 6-year-old didn’t do, which is to create a gun control Gun Safety Legislation lobby as strong as the pro-gun lobby? Mr. Gibson. Don’t you to some extent The President. Well, I think, as a practical make the NRA’s case when you say that, matter, what we really have is hoping that though? They say, ‘‘Enforce existing laws; these mothers will create a sense of aware- you’re not doing enough of enforcing existing ness in America that this is not a debate laws.’’ And yet, you’ve got murder down 25 framed the way the NRA has debated, gun percent since ’93, gun crime down 35 per- control or not, implying that this is the begin- cent since ’92, violent crime overall down 27 ning of a slippery slope to take people’s guns percent. That’s done with a good economy, away no matter how law abiding they are, better policing, and not necessarily such and that it’s about very specific, very concrete stronger gun control laws. measures of prevention to reduce the likeli- The President. That includes the Brady hood of guns falling into the hands of chil- bill, the assault weapons ban, a ban on cop- dren and criminals. That’s what this is about. killer bullets. They were against all those things. When we passed the Brady bill—keep Gun Safety and 2000 Elections in mind, the Brady law, which requires the Mr. Gibson. You have made this very background checks, was vetoed in the pre- much a priority in this administration. Does vious administration of President Bush. We it surprise you when you see the latest polls, passed it again, and I signed it. And what Gallup poll, just out recently, indicating that did they say? The same crowd here who is Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1081 against closing the gun show loophole, what Diane, let me go to you over in the did they say then? Then they said, because Roosevelt Room. they were making a different argument, be- Diane Sawyer. That’s right, Charlie. Sit- cause they’re against all prevention meas- ting in this room, I’ve noticed a lot of women ures, they said then, ‘‘Oh, this Brady law nodding heads and shaking heads and burst- won’t make any difference because criminals ing to ask questions. I’ll give you a preview, do not buy guns at gun stores; they buy guns just one question; what’s it going to be? at these gun shows or flea markets or out At this point, participant Linda Halpin of the back of pickup trucks on streets. It [ asked why gun safety legislation had been won’t make any difference.’’ held up in Congress for so long. Following Okay, now it’s 2000, and since we passed a commercial break, Ms. Sawyer stated that the Brady bill, over 500,000 felons, fugitives, the women assembled in the Roosevelt Room and stalkers have been unable to get hand- represented many sides of the issue, and some guns. There is no question that they used had personal stories of gun violence. Ms. gun stores, and no question that the Brady Halpin then explained that her son was shot bill made a difference, and no question it and killed last Mother’s Day, and she asked would be even better if all handgun sales the President what he could do to prevent were subject to background checks, including such tragedies. the ones at gun shows. ] Now, so we’re not arguing about that. If The President. Well, first of all, the short it’s a prevention measure designed to keep answer is I’m going to do everything I can. more guns out of the hands of criminals, In our country’s history, as far as I know, they’re against it. If it’s punishment for any no administration before ours has taken any kind of gun violation, they’re for it. They say kind of systematic, aggressive approach to that this is the one area of American life this, except after Martin Luther King and where there must be no prevention and Robert Kennedy were killed in 1968, Presi- where people who own guns must be subject dent Johnson tried to do something. He tried to no reasonable efforts to construct a system to pass—he did pass a very weak background of prevention. check law, not as strong as he wanted, and This is not gun control in the sense that he tried to pass licensing. And since then, we’re taking people’s guns away from them until we came in and began with the Brady who make the decision that they’d be safer bill and the assault weapons ban, no one had or better off to have guns or that they want done anything. to engage in a wide range of lawful activities. I have done as many townhall meetings And that’s really—they’ve been working this as I could. I have lobbied the Congress as for a long time, and they’re good at it. They hard as I could. I’ve also taken a lot of execu- just say the same things over and over again. tive action to strengthen the enforcement of But why were they against this banning the laws and to give us some options we cop-killer bullets? Why were they against the didn’t have before. But the truth is, in the Brady bill in the first place? Why were they United States, we have by far the highest gun against the assault weapons ban? What’s death rate of any advanced country in the wrong with banning the importation of large world and by far the highest accidental gun capacity ammunition clips? Let’s get out of death rate in the world, because we have the name calling and labeling and get right taken the position that any sort of sensible down to specifics. Is this going to reduce prevention measures here should not be crime or not in America? Is it going to make passed, we—I say, we, as a people—and I Americans safer? I think it is. think that’s the wrong position. So I’ve tried to change what would hap- Million Mom March pen. I thought surely after Columbine we Mr. Gibson. Let’s get to the specifics of would get some action. The Senate passed, why the mothers are here to march. If you’d 51–50—the Vice President cast the tie- join us across the hall, we’ve got a number breaking vote—I think, a good bill that would of mothers there anxious to talk to you. aggressively move us forward. But there are 1082 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 things we can do at the executive level with- The thing that the mothers coming here out congressional action to continue to in- will do, I hope, is to make this a voting issue. crease the effectiveness of the enforcement But if it’s not, they’re going to keep winning. of the laws we have. And we’re doing that. And you just have to realize that. But we don’t have authority to require, for Mr. Gibson. Mr. President, I want to in- example, background checks on people that terrupt you for just a second. We’re supposed buy guns at gun shows or at flea markets. to take a commercial break here at this point, We have an assault weapons ban, but people but we’re going to keep going. And we just can import large capacity ammunition clips want to tell our local stations we want to keep and then adjust guns here and turn them into going—because you want to follow up, I assault weapons. We have a few States that know. require safety locks on guns for kids. That’s [Ms. Halpin said she needed accountability one thing that not many people talk about, for her son’s death and asked again what but let me just say, the accidental rate of would the President do on the issue in his death from guns of children under 15 in the remaining days in office.] United States is 9 times higher than the acci- dental rate in the other countries combined. The President. Where are you from? So I am doing everything I can do. I am Ms. Halpin. I’m from New York, sir. not a dictator. The Congress believes—I’ll Howard Beach. The President. Well, I’m going to do my just tell you the truth—the Congress be- best to pass this legislation, and I’m going lieves—ask Congresswoman McCarthy, she’s to do my best to make sure that we’re enforc- paid a pretty high price for this—they believe ing the existing laws, and I’m going to do that if they vote with the NRA, they will not my best to find more people like you to tell be defeated. They believe if they vote with your stories in the hope that more people you, they may be defeated. in the Congress will be emboldened to do This is not complicated. You have to un- what, I believe, a majority of them think is derstand, they believe that as long—you the right thing to do. know when Charlie Rose asked me about the This has been a big issue with me, and poll—I mean, Charlie Gibson asked me I have been very frustrated in my inability about the poll—Charlie Rose normally asks to get more done. We did—we got the Brady me about other things—asked me about the bill and the assault weapons ban through. I poll in there. You have to understand what just want to tell you this. This is a very— they believe. They believe that as long as they you just need to know this. We have some can turn it into a gun control, gun control, people on the other side of this issue today, gun control debate and stay away from the so I want to compliment them. specifics, they can scare a bunch of guys into I got the first Congress I had to pass the thinking that they’re going to lose their guns Brady bill and the assault weapons ban, and and that more people will vote against them at least a dozen of them, maybe as many as for voting for gun control measures, if it’s 20 of them in the House lost their seats be- called that instead of the specifics, than vote cause they did that, trying to help people like for it. you—because the NRA beat their brains out, Now look, I know you’re heartbroken. I’m because they went home to their districts and doing everything I can. Let me remind you told people they were going to take their that Mr. LaPierre, the representative of the guns away. Now, 7 years later, none of them NRA, said that I wanted people to die so have lost their guns, and we’ve got a safer I could make an issue out of this. That’s what America. And so now they’re fighting the he said. Now, I can only tell you that I wake new list of prevention measures. But you up every day thinking about this. I am heart- need to know what happened. broken about this. And I am frustrated, be- I know this hurts you. And I’m telling you, cause they do well if they can turn this into we’re—ask Congresswoman McCarthy— a gun control battle. We do well when we we’ve been up here fighting this for all these turn this into a specifics battle. years, and it is very, very frustrating. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1083

Ms. Halpin. It still won’t bring our chil- away from that image; he wants people not dren back. to think that he won’t do anything, that basi- The President. It won’t bring your chil- cally the NRA will control policy on this— dren back. But I’ll tell you what will save which they will if he wins. And if he comes more children, is if they believe people like out and gives away gun trigger locks, then you will mobilize other people to change the he doesn’t have to explain why we’re still im- voting behavior of the American public. That porting large capacity ammunition clips and is what will bring—[applause]. That’s the why he doesn’t want to close the gun show truth. loophole. I know this sounds so cruel in the face I know you have people here from Texas of your human loss. You have to understand who believe that their concealed weapons how things work here. Look, I’m not running law is very effective. I know that, and we for anything. I’m doing what I think is right. could talk about that if you like. But the truth I have taken on these facts; I have done ev- is that everybody is going to want to look erything I know to do. And you heard what like they’re doing something, but the most Charlie said, gun violence is down 30 per- effective measures are opposed by most of cent, gun crime, since I took office—35 per- the people in the Republican Party. I wish cent. The crime rate is down, actually now, that weren’t true. We do have some support to about a 27-year low. The murder rate is from them, and I thank those who are sup- down to a 30-year low. porting us. We are making it better. But this is still way too dangerous a country because we take State Concealed Weapons Laws the position that when it comes to these [Ms. Sawyer said that representatives of the issues, this is the only area of our national Second Amendment Sisters, who plan a coun- life where we will not have prevention. Now, termarch to the Million Mom March, were that’s really what—that is the truth. And it also present. She introduced Texas State Rep- breaks my heart, too. resentative Suzanna Gratia Hupp, an advo- Gun Safety and 2000 Elections cate of concealed weapons laws. However, a video clip about her which was to be shown [Ms. Sawyer cited a newspaper report that had technical difficulties.] Gov. George W. Bush of Texas proposed to distribute free trigger locks if he is elected Mr. Gibson. Well, Suzanna, where are President. Ms. Sawyer asked if the President you? Why don’t you give me a basic of what would support such a program. ] happened in that restaurant. The President. It’s a good idea, but why [Ms. Hupp described the subject of the video, is he doing that? an episode in Texas where a man drove his Ms. Halpin. And why now? truck through a restaurant window and then The President. No, no, wait—yes, that’s shot 23 people.] good—that’s also good. Why now? Because The President. I remember that. he’s running for President. That’s okay. That’s what elections are for. People get bet- [Ms. Hupp said she had stopped her former ter ideas all the time. We can’t hold people— practice of carrying a concealed weapon ille- anybody who wants to join and start doing gally out of fear of losing her chiropractic things should be complimented. So that’s practicing license. She stated that her parents fine. were killed by the man in the truck and that But I think you have to understand what’s laws against carrying a concealed weapon going on here. There was a report in the had left her defenseless in that situation.] newspaper last week that a lobbyist for the Mr. Gibson. And you are now in the state- NRA said they would have an office in the house of Texas? White House if Governor Bush is elected. Ms. Hupp. Yes, sir, I am. And they were, I think, the first or second Mr. Gibson. And there is now a concealed biggest contributor to the annual Republican weapons law in the State of Texas. Party gala last week. So he wants to move Ms. Hupp. Yes. 1084 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

The President. Okay. First of all, let’s again—9 times higher than that in the next concede something. She might be right about 24 biggest industrial countries put together. this. That is, on this particular incidence, if So we say, in order to avoid inconven- there had been someone in that restaurant iencing people who have firearms or might who knew how to use a gun and was lawfully want to get firearms, we will not have sen- carrying it, for example, an off-duty police sible prevention measures, because it scares officer or somebody—or in a State with a everybody because we’ll call it gun control. concealed weapon law, someone who was Now, that’s a decision we’ve made as a soci- properly trained and had it, maybe they ety. could have stopped this horrible incident. Look, there is no perfect system. The level There is no law that covers every set of of violence will depend upon the kind of peo- facts. However, what the truth is in most in- ple you have in your society, the condition stances is, is that a lot of people have guns of the economy, the way the children are who don’t know how to use them. And the raised, the values of the society, the values accidental death rate in America is—again of the community, the effectiveness of law I will say this—9 times higher than that in enforcement—there are many factors in- the next 25 biggest countries combined. So volved here. And there is no perfect system. it’s a question of what makes you safest over- But there is no question that if we want to all. become the safest big country on Earth, But my view of the concealed weapons law without impinging on our freedom, we will is, if a State wants to have one, what do peo- have to do more in the area of prevention. ple have to prove to carry a concealed weap- National Rifle Association Board Mem- on? How well have they been trained? How ber Susan Howard. Excuse me, could I ask likely are they to avoid doing something a question if it’s all right? crazy, so that they’re only used in cases like The President. Sure. this? Ms. Sawyer. And we should point out, you But the second thing is, whether you’ve are Susan Howard. got a concealed weapons law or not should Ms. Howard. Yes, I am. I would like to have nothing to do with whether you close ask this lady—— the loophole in the background check, Ms. Sawyer. Let’s tell people, Susan, who whether you ban the large capacity ammuni- you are, those who don’t know you. You’ve tion clips, and whether you require child trig- seen her in the ads for the NRA. ger locks, including those that are built into Ms. Howard. Yes, for the child safety. the guns, assuming they’re feasible. Was your son killed accidentally with a gun, She may be right about this, about this ex- or was it a crime? ample. But I don’t think that example is an argument against our legislation. Ms. Halpin. It was a crime. Ms. Howard. Mr. President, I really have Gun Safety Legislation to ask you something. You just made the statement that just sent shivers up and down [Ms. Sawyer noted that the Second Amend- my spine. You said, let’s forget the crimes ment Sisters said there was no evidence of and—— a correlation between increased gun control The President. No—— laws and a decrease in violence, using Eng- Ms. Howard. No, no, no, sir, excuse land as an example.] me—— The President. Wait, wait a minute—an The President. This is the way the NRA increase of violence from a very low base. operates. Ms. Sawyer. From a low base. Ms. Howard. No, sir, it’s not. No, sir—— The President. From a low base. In The President. All I did is—I don’t want America, I will say again—forget about the to forget the crimes—— crimes, just look at the accidental gun rate. Ms. Howard. No, sir, you said, let’s forget In America, the death rate of children under the crime and talk about the accidents—be- 15 from accidental gun violence is—I will say cause there is nobody that—— Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1085

The President. You know that’s not what I think the laws should be more vigorously I meant, to forget the crime, Ms. Howard. enforced. I have asked for more resources Ms. Howard. But that’s what you said, to do that. Gun enforcement is up since I’ve Mr. President. And I guess this is—— been President. But I’ve asked for resources The President. Well, what I—I was mak- to do more. ing the prevention—— Look, here’s my argument. Let me just be Ms. Howard. No, sir, let me finish. very careful here. I do not believe that Amer- The President. All right. ica has done enough on the prevention side. Ms. Howard. Please, may I finish, be- And I do not believe this problem can be cause you have a bully pulpit. And I know addressed solely by stiffer punishment, by every single person here in this room, the education, and in the case of the Texas, if majority of them, are really for you, and they a State wants to have a concealed weapons love you, and they trust you, and they believe law. I believe we must do more to try to keep you. But we are right now living in a country, guns out of the hands of criminals and away sir, where our children—it’s not how many from children in the first place. That’s all I gun laws you can continue to pass; it’s about said. That’s my only position. my grandchildren; it’s about their children; But I think the NRA, the education pro- it’s about your daughter and whether she grams, the gun safety education programs, ever has any children or not. Bottom line, are good and would do a lot of good. the issue is about are we ever, ever, ever, Mr. Gibson. Susan, let me address this. ever going to look at the children and say, Marjorie Hardy is here—— that’s the focus? Because right now what this Ms. Sawyer. Marjorie Hardy of Muhlen- is all about is the children have been pushed berg College—she is a psychologist—— out of the side, they do not exist right Mr. Gibson. ——and assistant professor now—— who worked—Marjorie, if I quote you cor- Mr. Gibson. Get to the question. rectly—you worked with your children on education over and over again, correct? Ms. Hardy. That’s correct—— Gun Safety Legislation Mr. Gibson. And you used those children Ms. Howard. No, what I’m saying is, if as part of an experiment that we did on ‘‘20/ we—you are the education President, am I 20.’’ correct? Are you the education President? Ms. Sawyer. ——which we did at ‘‘20/ That is what you have built your—— 20.’’ And we also had the Eddie Eagle edu- The President. Well, that’s what the cation program come in. And we were talking teachers said yesterday when they all came with kids about how—what you do when you here. see a gun in the room, specifically. And they Ms. Howard. I agree, but I think that’s all sat there and nodded, yes, they got it, you what you built your platform on. What is it get an adult, you don’t touch it, you don’t about educating children and gun safety that touch it, including Marjorie’s son, Matthew, you have a problem with? who had grown up with nothing but edu- The President. Nothing. Now, wait a cation against guns. minute. Charlie, I have to answer this. On I’m going to roll the clip. And what hap- many occasions—not one, many occasions— pened with Marjorie’s son was a traditional— I have complimented, as President, in the or typical with what happened with the other face of all the criticism I’ve gotten from the kids as well. And we found that the edu- NRA, on many occasions I have com- cation, by and large, didn’t work with this plimented the NRA on the gun safety legisla- age kid. Here is Marjorie’s son, Matthew. tion, efforts they’ve made, the gun safety The President. How old is your son? education programs. I have talked about Ms. Sawyer. He was age 4 at the time. what they did when I was Governor. I’ve also A video tape was shown. complimented them on some other things [ ] they did when I was Governor to reduce vio- Ms. Sawyer. And I want to point out, lence—but wait a minute, let me finish. Marjorie, that the kids knew these were not 1086 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 toy guns. You could hear them saying, ‘‘This to elevate the penalty to a felony, with great is a real gun,’’ and reacting to the fact that opposition from the NRA. She then noted that it was a real gun. Anything you want to add? the law changing the crime to a felony offense [Ms. Hardy asked what evidence the NRA was signed April 3.] had to prove their Eddie Eagle gun safety The President. There’s a case—let me education program was effective. Ms. just say this. First, I’m very sorry about what Howard responded that the NRA did not happened. It’s a terrible thing. And I think claim to have the only answer to the gun vio- what you did in the legislature was a good lence problem, but that education was an im- thing. But I think there’s a case where people perative.] really do need to be sensitized to the fact Parental Responsibility that bullets that go up will come down. I think there are some of these things where Ms. Sawyer. ——I engage the President a public campaign to educate people would on this issue, if I can, this question of paren- make a difference. And that’s one I think tal responsibility and parental role in general. would make a difference. If I can just move to that. When you talk The larger question for me, going back to about everybody being responsible, the ques- this question of whether there are too many tion really becomes, are there just too many guns in the society—I think that sometimes guns out there for parents to be able to main- there’s a lot of loose talk about this. We ought tain control? to talk specifically about what we mean. A Participants. Yes! lot of these—most of the guns in America Ms. Sawyer. And what do you do about are in the hands of hunters and sports people your neighbors? And I’m going to show you and law enforcement people, are those a tape, and then we’re going to meet Lori guns—most of the guns that are in those peo- Smith, because this is the story of what hap- ple’s hands, I think, they’re safe, and they’re pened to her daughter, Shannon. going to be properly used. Let’s see if we have the tape. But there’s a huge sort of sea of guns that’s [There were technical difficulties with the out there just kind of flowing around. And video tape.] that’s one of the reasons I think that all the Ms. Sawyer. I’m going to go to Lori and sales have to be checked, there has to be let you tell us what happened. a background check on all the sales; and one of the reasons I support these gun buyback [Ms. Smith said that while her 14-year-old programs that a lot of cities are doing. And daughter was talking on the telephone in her we’re trying to put more money into it now, backyard last June 14, a bullet fell from the as well, because—[inaudible]—are law-abid- sky and killed her instantly. Ms. Smith noted ing citizens, and you’ve got as many of these people in the Phoenix, AZ, area where she loose weapons as you can off the street. lives often fire guns randomly into the air Is your film on now? Are they trying to in celebration or for other reasons.] get it on now? Ms. Sawyer. And random accidental Ms. Sawyer. No, no, I think we’ve got you shootings, as we know, take place by the in an echo chamber there for a moment. thousands all the time. Mr. President, what We’re going to take a break, in fact, Mr. about the guns out there? President. And when we come back, we can The President. Well, here’s a case—of explore more issues of, do we hold the par- course, that probably is illegal. And if it isn’t, ents accountable? To what extent? In what it should be. ways? Ms. Smith. It was only a misdemeanor The President. Yes, I think you should. two—— I think you should. The President. Did they ever find out [Following a commercial break, Mr. Gibson who did it? asked if representatives on either side of the [Ms. Smith said the shooter was not found, issue opposed laws enforcing parental re- but she fought the Arizona State Legislature sponsibility.] Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1087

Participant. I have a caveat to it, though. them when they were used in a crime. If Mr. Gibson. All right, but basically not I steal your car, Charlie, and I drive it down opposed. Because I want to get the question to Maryland and rob a bank, and I leave it to the President. People seem to believe in in a shopping center parking lot, and it’s this bill, and yet it’s a law in only 17 States, found, because the registration is on the Na- and in only 3 States is it a felony. tional Crime Information Center computer The President. And we couldn’t get it in system, you can find out within literally 30 the legislation here. Representative seconds after it’s found what happened to McCarthy just pointed out that that was the your car. one provision in my bill I couldn’t get in ei- But we can’t even pass a bill to close the ther the Senate or the House version. So I loophole in the Brady law when we know think maybe—this is something that is en- the Brady law has kept 500,000 felons, fugi- couraging to me, because what you saw on tives, and stalkers from getting handguns in that film with those young children, below the first place. So we can’t pass that now. a certain age you can’t expect an education But should it be done? Well, of course it program to work; you have to keep the guns should be done. away from the kids. I think that’s something we could all agree Gun Safety Locks on, we could get done here. That’s very im- [Following a commercial break, Ms. Sawyer portant. And I think the adults should be asked how many participants opposed gun held responsible. safety locks.] Mr. Gibson. And yet when you proposed Participant. Safety locks, or a law that re- it on a national level, neither House or quires safety locks? Senate—— Ms. Sawyer. Okay. How many of you are The President. In the Kayla Rollins case, for mandatory safety locks? And how many there is no question in my mind that if there of you are for only voluntary? All right, we had been responsible adults in that home, almost have a consensus issue there. At least that child would be alive today. safety locks should be on guns, one way or Ms. Sawyer. That is the Michigan case, the other. we should point out, where a 6-year-old boy Mr. Gibson. You have a comment over killed a 6-year-old classmate. here. Gun Registration Lawsuits Against Gun Industry Mr. Gibson. A question here. Your name? [Johnny Mae Robinson from New York stated [Donna Dee-Thomases, organizer of the Mil- that her son was killed last year and asked lion Mom March, said that education was im- if cities would continue to have the right to portant but that licensing firearms, as one sue the gun industry.] would an automobile, was equally important The President. Well, I think we should. so that guns used in crimes could be more And we supported the development of that easily traced.] lawsuit. But there is a move on by the gun Mr. Gibson. Comment on the manufacturers and their allies to try to get registration—— State legislatures to prohibit cities from being The President. I think—let me back up able to bring such suits, and their theory is— and say, we cannot pass in this Congress li- I’ll make their case for them real quick— censing of handgun owners, which I have they say, ‘‘If a gun is a legal product, it’s proposed. I think when people buy a hand- wrong to be able to sue the person who gun, they ought to pass a Brady background makes it.’’ check, have a gun safety education program, The other side of the argument is there and have a photo ID license, just like when is—if you look at the way the guns are mar- you have a car. That’s what I believe. keted and sold, a relatively large percentage And the registration of guns, the main vir- of guns used in crimes and used illegally are tue of that would be that you could trace sold by a relatively small number of the gun 1088 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 dealers in America, and there is some evi- Conclusion dence that the people who distribute the [Mr. Gibson invited the President to summa- guns know that and do it anyway. And that’s rize the meeting, noting the President’s ear- basically the argument behind the lawsuit. lier statement that he thinks about this issue And lawsuits are supposed to find facts, more than any other.] and this is the fact-finding process we’re going to find, to see if a change in these poli- The President. Domestic—yes, because cies, again, would make us safer. That’s what it’s the one we have made the least—we have it’s about. Do I think they ought to have the both made the most progress on, but we’ve right to bring the suit? I do, and I have sup- got a long way to go. And I think about it ported it, and I’ve done what I could to pro- also because I grew up in a culture where tect it. more people thought like the minority here in this room who are in dissent. Last weekend I was up in the Ozark Trigger Locks Mountains, and I stopped at this little coun- Ms. Sawyer. On that front, Mr. President, try store in the middle of the Ozarks. The I’m going to give the microphone to Lynn last time I was there, 10 years ago, it was Dix, who has a story to tell. because I was out on a turkey hunt. Most of the people I spent time with were either, [ Ms. Dix said that she was suing a gun man- if they weren’t members of the NRA—when ufacturer because her son would still be alive I was hunting, you know, duck hunting, or if the gun that killed him had been equipped whatever—they had favorable opinions. As I with an integral trigger lock or load indi- said, when I was Governor, I had both good cator. She concluded that she cannot under- and one horrible experience with the NRA. stand opposition to prevention measures.] But my view of this is, I think we all have to realize we don’t—none of us claim that The President. I think one of the most any of our positions are absolute and that troubling things that I’ve seen in this whole we can make a perfect world, and nobody episode is a lot of the people who are op- will ever get hurt, no bad person will ever posed to what I want to do say these things get a hold of a gun, nothing wrong will ever should be voluntary, trigger locks should be happen. The people who are coming here voluntary—let me just finish—because I’m to Washington, including many people in this where you are on this. So Smith & Wesson room who have lost members of their fami- comes along and they say, ‘‘Okay, we’ll put lies, understand that not every law they’re the trigger locks in, and we’ll stop dealing advocating might have saved the particular with bad dealers, and we’ll do other things life of the particular loved one they lost. which we think will help.’’ And they didn’t Their loss got them interested in this, and lose a lawsuit to do it; they came in on the they began to ask themselves: How can we front end and said they were going to do it. make a safer country? How can we save more And there was the awfulest reaction to children like my children? How can we save them. They were treated like they had be- more loved ones like my loved one? trayed the country, like they had committed I think, in fairness, the people who oppose treason, and other gun manufacturers and them are good people. They really believe, everybody, they gave them a gut shot—it was I think—I don’t know if they’ll say it, but unbelievable what happened, the reaction to maybe after I’m gone they will—I think they them. And this is something where a free think we have some—we either are weak on corporation decided they would change their enforcement or we have some dark hidden policy in ways that plainly would make Amer- agenda to take guns away from everybody, ica a safer place. And the reward they got including lawful gun owners. And they think was having the other gun manufacturers and that would change America forever for the some of their allies just try to literally take worse. their heads off. And I think it was wrong. I don’t have that agenda. I have never pro- I think what they did was the right thing. posed any such rule. What I’ve tried to do, Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1089

I’ll say again, is I think that this area of our mothers who are leading Ohio’s participation national life is an area where—to go back in Sunday’s Million Mom March for com- to the very first question I was asked—where monsense gun safety laws. I want to thank I think we should not rest until we think we them for their commitment, their determina- have done everything we can to prevent bad tion, and their courage. What they are doing things from happening in the first place. is profoundly important. Every other area of our national life we Like millions of mothers all over America, first choose prevention. Then if things go they are outraged by the senseless acts of haywire, we punish. This should not be the gun violence that continue to plague our area where we say, ‘‘Because we’re worried communities, and they are determined to do about people doing something someday something about it. Every day, nearly a dozen that’s bad, we’re not going to have preven- of our children are killed by guns. Twelve tion; we’ll just start with punishment. But families suffer a wound that never heals. we’ll be for education, but we’ll start with What is almost as senseless is the fact that punishment.’’ That’s my whole take on this. Congress refuses to act on legislation that I think we could do a lot more on preven- would prevent many of these shootings. tion, make it a lot safer country, and achieve These moms will be marching in Wash- the objectives of the Million Mom March, ington and in more than 60 other cities on which is that all these women that are here, Mother’s Day to say to Congress, enough is they want fewer stories like theirs. That’s my enough. It is unconscionable that over a year own take on this. after Columbine, over 10 months since So I just wanted to put this into context. they’ve had a chance to send me meaningful I want you all to talk to each other when legislation, Congress still refuses to act. I leave. I’ve talked too much here. I learn more when I listen. Well, they can ignore my requests to move. Thank you very much. They can ignore the evidence that common- Mr. Gibson. Mr. President, thank you sense prevention won’t cost any law-abiding very much. citizen a gun but will save lives. But this Sun- The President. Thank you all very much. day they will not be able to ignore the fact Ms. Sawyer. Thanks for letting us stay in that the voices of more than one million the house while you’re away. [Laughter] moms across America will be demanding ac- The President. It’s your house, not mine. tion. I’m just passing through. [Laughter] The great sociologist Margaret Mead once said, ‘‘Never doubt that a small group of NOTE: The interview segment of the program, en- thoughtful citizens can change the world. In- titled ‘‘GMA Live at the White House: Moms & deed, it is the only thing that ever has.’’ The Guns,’’ began at 7 a.m. in the Oval Office. The women who are organizing this march are townhall meeting segment originated from the such a group of thoughtful citizens. They un- Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his re- derstand they have to be in this for the long marks, the President referred to Gov. Bill F. haul. They understand that they have a lot Owens of Colorado; Representative Carolyn McCarthy; news talk show host Charlie Rose; and of work to do. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president, Na- But the evidence is on their side. The ar- tional Rifle Association. guments are with them. And the power is on the other side. The whole story of Amer- ica is the story of bringing down established Remarks Following a Meeting With walls of power in the face of argument and Ohio Representatives of the Million evidence, and passionate commitment to lib- Mom March and an Exchange With erty and to the dignity of individuals. That’s Reporters in Akron, Ohio what the Million Mom March represents. I’m May 12, 2000 honored to be here with them today, and again, I thank them for what they will be Good morning everyone. I have just had doing in Ohio. the opportunity to meet this fine group of Thank you. 1090 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Q. Mr. President, do you think that the for signing—What do you see as the status march will have the kind of impact that will of that—— break this logjam and get some gun control The President. Well, I think first of all, legislation through this Congress? Smith & Wesson did a good thing in making The President. The honest answer to that this agreement. And I think it’s very—if you is, I don’t know. But I think it will have a look at what they, what did they agree to seminal impact in the nature of this debate, do? They agreed to attach child safety locks; because for a very long time now, large ma- they agreed to make internal child safety lock jorities of the American people have been mechanisms on their guns as soon as they for commonsense prevention legislation that could do so technologically, which could not has nothing to do with infringing on the right be dismantled by the kids; and to work on to keep arms, to bear arms, to hunt, to sports smart gun technology, which would enable shoot, to keep weapons in self-defense, but guns to be fired only by the adults who law- has everything to do with keeping guns out fully own them. of the hands of criminals and children. Not- They agreed to—this is perhaps most im- withstanding the fact that lopsided majorities portant in the short run—they agreed to of our people favor these specific measures, change the way they market and distribute they don’t pass because of the intensity, their guns to avoid that relatively small num- power, and wealth of the organized opposi- ber of dealers who sell a very high percentage tion to it. of the guns that go to people who use them So I think what these folks are saying is, in crimes. Now, I would think that that would you know, we want to save more lives. We’re have been well-received by everybody. But not trying to take anything away from what instead, the other gun manufacturers and those people legally have who disagree with their allies have subjected Smith & Wesson us. But we don’t intend to let them take away to withering, withering criticism. our chance for prevention and safety any- But the answer to your question is no. I more. And that is the beginning of the shift don’t think it’ll be seen as a pay-off, because in the balance of forces in our society. That’s it’s nowhere near as much money as it will how change always occurs. cost them, given the reaction of the rest of So if they stay at this, they will prevail, the gun industry to what they’re trying to do. because the evidence is on their side, the And we have to have someone in the industry human element is on their side, and because help us with this research; just by the nature they’re not trying to take anything away from of it, it has to be done. And I can assure the other people. All they’re trying to do is you, there was never any quid pro quo or to protect our society from criminal acts and discussion of it. This all came up later. We from avoidable accidents. need to have some allies in the gun industry There are lives at stake. I think they will who really do believe that prevention is an prevail. I hope they will prevail this year. I important part of a safe future for America. hope we will be able to prevail upon the lead- And I hope that Smith & Wesson will keep ers of the conference to meet and work again. all the components of the agreement they But even if they don’t win this battle, they’ll made. They have certainly paid an enormous win over the long run, because they are gal- price for doing it. I mean, it’s truly been vanizing public opinion around specific re- breathtaking to see the reaction against them forms that will make America a better place by the other gun manufacturers and their al- and will give a lot of kids their lives. lies. Yes, sir? Q. Mr. President, is there room for any Smith & Wesson and Gun Safety compromise in this legislation? And if so, in Legislation what area? Q. Mr. President, a $300,000 grant was The President. Well, let me give you an given out to Smith & Wesson to do research example of what I—what we’ve got before on smart gun technology. Aren’t some folks the Congress right now. I think we can work who see that as a pay-off to that company out language on the child trigger locks. I Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1091 would hope that we could get a big majority afternoon. It can’t possibly be in anybody’s for banning the import of large capacity am- computer yet. If you let the insta-check con- munition clips. Surely there is not a constitu- trol that, then a lot of people will get ency for that. There has been absolutely no cleared—not a lot, but a small number that disruption whatever from our banning of as- could be violent—could be cleared anyway. sault weapon. But if you let them import So our people, representing our position these large capacity ammunition clips, then through Mr. Conyers from Michigan, have, you can modify existing guns here and turn I think, made quite a reasonable proposal. them into assault weapons. And I’m hoping that we’ll keep working on The hangup—and this is interesting to it. I think if we just had to work it out in me—the hangup is that the NRA is basically the House, we could probably do it. But right opposed to doing the background checks at now, the Senate—where, ironically, where gun shows unless they’re insta-checks. Now, we passed a stronger bill—but Senator Hatch Ohio is a big State, with a lot of large cities and the Senate conferees are essentially re- spread across the State, and then an awful fusing to go forward with us on this. lot of small towns and rural areas. Their argu- ment is, a lot of these gun shows are held So—I didn’t mean to give you too long on the weekend. You know, if somebody and detailed an answer, but you need to comes in and wants to buy a gun, it’s a real know that what’s so sad about this is I think hassle to wait 3 days for the background we could do the child trigger locks; I think checks. Is there a way to work this out? we could do the assault weapons ban. And Well, here’s my theory about it. Everybody I think—it seems unbelievable to me that we who clears the insta-check, let them buy the would be hung up here on this background gun. Seventy percent of the people clear the check at the gun shows in a way that affects insta-check in a couple of minutes; 90-plus less than 10 percent of the gun buyers, but percent within a day, same day as the gun they’re 20 times more likely to have a prob- show occurs. But of the less than 10 percent lem in their background. It’s very important who don’t clear it, their rejection rate, be- that everybody understand that. If we could cause of a problem in their background, prin- just get focused on that. I can’t believe we cipally, a criminal problem, is 20 times higher couldn’t figure out a way to work this out. than the 90 percent of the people that do Now, there’s much bigger opposition to clear. what—the larger legislative goals of the Mil- So what we’ve been unwilling to do so far lion Mom March, but I think they’re abso- is to say if we don’t clear—see, what the NRA lutely right. As you know, I favor—for exam- position is, if they don’t clear in a day, we ple, I think if somebody buys a handgun, they ought to give that last 9 percent or 8 percent ought to get a license, like a car license. It or however many—they ought to be able to ought to be a photo ID license. It ought to take the guns home, even if they don’t clear show that they passed a background check within a day. And my position is, why would and that they passed a gun safety check, just we defend a population that’s less than 10 like you do when you get a car. That’s what percent of the total, that’s more than 20 times I think. likely to have committed a crime and be in- eligible to get a gun, than the rest of the So I’d like to see the short-term goals re- 90 percent? solved this year, and I want them to keep So it looks to me like we could work an on pushing, because there is so much we can agreement that covers the rest of the 90 per- do. We can make America the safest big cent, and then on the 9 percent, it seems country in the world and still have people to me it’s quite important to do that. And— out there hunting and sports shooting, even you know, let me tell you, that would—even having weapons for protection if they thought that is a compromise from what would be they needed them in their homes. But we the optimal, and here’s why. Suppose a cus- can’t do it without more prevention. tody order or a stop order is listed in a do- mestic dispute that’s very violent, on a Friday 1092 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

National Support for Gun Restrictions dental deaths and injuries? Does it infringe Q. Mr. President, what do you think of the Constitution? polls which suggest that support for gun re- My answer is, look at the facts of what strictions are wavering among men, and they they’re advocating. Would it make us a safer tend to be more sympathetic to—— country? Absolutely. Would it infringe the Constitution? Absolutely not. Therefore, we The President. If you read—let me just ought to do it. I think if we just calm this say this. First, I agree with that. But I think down and look at the facts, we’ll prevail. we’ve got to put it into some perspective. Thank you very much. If you go back and look at the data from the Pew Research survey, they do show that NOTE: The President spoke at 10:35 a.m. outside men, particularly men over 55, have been af- the Ohio Army/National Guard Facility. A tape fected by the claims of the NRA and the ad- was not available for verification of the content vertising that the rights of legitimate gun of these remarks. owners are threatened. But they also show that a majority, a significant majority of the Opening Remarks at a Roundtable people, still respond that we need further Discussion on Permanent Normal gun control measures. Trade Relations Status for China in The real problem is whether you talk in Akron general terms about gun control, or whether you talk in specific terms about closing the May 12, 2000 gun show loophole, banning large capacity Thank you. First of all, I’d like to thank ammunition clips, imposing child trigger Congressman Sawyer for inviting me here locks, or licensing gun owners. If you give today, and I thank all of you for joining us. people the specifics, there are still 70 percent I know we have people here who have a lot of the people with us, maybe more. of different views on this China issue, but But the labeling fears—because it scares I think that’s important. I think this is a big people. I said the other day to our staff, I part of what makes our democracy work is said, this is weird. That’s why the people who that we sit and try to talk through these oppose our position, they always want to talk things. about more gun control and imply that the I’ve got a few notes here that are specific rights of hunters and sports people are to Ohio, so I’d like to just go over them. Ob- threatened. And they use that label. viously, I’ve spent a lot of time on this trade But you know, when we talk about the agreement with China, which was negotiated speed limits on automobiles or people having in order to let them in the World Trade Or- to get a license to drive their cars or laws ganization. And in order for us to benefit that require you to use your seat belts or put from its provisions, we have to grant them in the right kind of baskets, child safety re- normal trading status on a permanent basis. straint seats—you know, all those things are For the last 20 years, ever since the formal laws. You want to drive a car, and you want opening of China in 1979, we’ve been doing to put your child in the car. They’re all laws. it on an annual basis. So this—I want to make Nobody talks about car control. And you have sure we understand, the decision before a constitutional right to travel, too, you know. Congress is whether to go from an annual The Supreme Court says you’ve got a con- review of their trade relationships with us, stitutional right to travel. No one says car to give them permanent normal trading sta- control is threatening our constitutional right tus—that is, the same status that virtually to travel. every other country in the world enjoys. So I think that what we should do is, in- Now, it’s important to recognize that what- stead of having these label wars, we should ever you think the long-term consequences calm down, lower the rhetoric, and say, what are, the sort-term consequences are all run- is it that we have proposed? What is it that ning in our favor, because today we have a they are advocating? Would it make us safer? very large trade deficit with China, and they Would it prevent more crimes and more acci- have very large tariffs and other barriers to Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1093 our doing business with them. What this does there’s trade injury in America. And the is, they take down a lot of their barriers to standard of proof we have to make is lower trade and investment with America in return than the standard of proof we have to make for membership in the World Trade Organi- under our laws for every other country in zation, which puts them in the global trading the world. And they agreed to this. They system and requires them to follow certain agreed to allow us to bring action against rules and gives us some way to appeal if they them if there’s severe dislocation of our mar- don’t follow those rules. But what they get kets under a standard of proof lower than is membership in the club. What they give we have for any other country in the world, us are membership dues. That’s the way you which is what I was asked to do, and we got have to look at this. And the access, on purely that, against surges of imports and dumping economic terms, is, I think, quite impressive. and things like that. Today, Ohio is the leading State in ma- So I think it is a good deal economically. chinery exports. Two-thirds of the industrial But I have to tell you, I think it’s more impor- workers in this State have jobs that benefit tant for our national security. Why? Because in whole or part from exports. In the last if we let China in the WTO, they will be 5 years—or from ’93 to ’98—Akron’s exports inside the world trading system. They will to China have more than doubled. Over the have a strong interest in working with other same period, Ohio’s exports to China also people and cooperating with other people. more than doubled. And this involves almost They will have a strong disincentive not to every sector of the Ohio economy. It’s over have trouble with Taiwan, even though $350 million now. there’s a lot of tension between the two of So if this passes—Secretary Glickman can them, as all of you have heard. And I think talk about it later as well—there will be huge we’ll be able to continue to work with them new markets for agriculture, new markets for and relate to them and make progress on a automobiles, new markets for high-tech whole range of other fronts. equipment, new markets for telecommuni- I think it’s quite interesting that most, not cations equipment. We will be able for the all, but most of the human rights activists first time, for example, to sell cars there or in China, most of the democracy activists in sell auto parts there without either having China are for this agreement. There was a to put a manufacturing plant in China or big article on the cover of one of our—I think transfer manufacturing technology. That’s the Washington Post, yesterday on the front never been possible before. And the tariffs page, where they’d gone and actually inter- will drop on average in some of these areas, viewed dissidents in China who were severely say, from 25 percent to 10 percent over a alienated from the Government, and every- period of just a few years. So it’s a big— body they interviewed said, ‘‘Please do this. it’s in every way an economic winner. If you don’t do this, America won’t have any In addition to that, you should know that influence over the Chinese. You’ll never be last April, a year ago, we had most of this, able to help us. We’ll never be able to move but not all this agreement. And I consulted forward. We’ll be isolated; we’ll be more re- with, among others, the AFL–CIO and other pressed.’’ people who were concerned about whether Martin Lee, the long-time democracy ad- the economics work out fairly, and they asked vocate in Hong Kong—who can’t even go to me to go back and get some new provisions China, has never met the Premier of China, about our trade relations, so that if China for example, Zhu Rongji—in America last dumped a lot of products into our market week said, ‘‘You have to do this. If you don’t in a certain area, which threatened a lot of vote for this, you have no influence. You can’t jobs, we could take immediate and quick ac- help me. Nothing will happen. And the tion. I did that; that’s why we didn’t get this chances of something bad happening in agreement last April. China will be much greater.’’ The President- I went back—China has now agreed to elect of Taiwan, who has previously advo- give us the right, for more than a decade, cated independence from China, wants us to to move against them on a bilateral basis if vote for this. 1094 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

Now, there are people in China who don’t Remarks to the Community in want this to pass. The most militant elements Shakopee, Minnesota in the military, the most traditional elements, May 12, 2000 the people who control the state-owned in- dustries—they don’t want this to pass, be- Thank you. Well, first of all let me say I cause they know if they open up China, their thank you all for coming out today. And I’m control will be undermined. and in one of glad the weather made it easier on us. the great ironies of this whole trade debate, I want to thank Terry and Kitty and Gene I’ve never—it’s an unusual thing to see that Hauer for welcoming us to their farm. I think some of the most progressive people in our we ought to give them a big hand; we have country are taking a position that is sup- invaded them—[applause]. We managed to ported by only the most regressive people find enough unplanted space that I don’t in their country. Because they know that iso- think we’re taking their income away, but we certainly have invaded them today. lation helps them to maintain control and the Dallas, thank you for your introduction status quo. and for your example. Secretary Glickman, I honestly believe this is by far the most thank you very much for the work you’re important national security vote we will take doing, not only on this issue but on so many this year. I think if we pass it, it will strength- others to help the farmers of America. And en and stabilize our position in Asia and re- I want to echo what you said about David duce the likelihood of conflict, even war, Minge. He’s a wonderful person. I’ve loved there for a decade. I think if we don’t pass working with him these years I’ve been Presi- it, it will increase the chances that something dent. He is a straight shooter—although he bad will happen. never tells me any of those Norwegian jokes he’s always telling Glickman—[laughter]—so That’s not a threat, and goodness knows I expect to get my quota before I leave. if I didn’t prevail, I would pray that I was But you should know that he is an extraor- wrong. I can only tell you that I’ve been dinarily attentive Representative for you. I doing this a long time. I believe I know what don’t even know how many times he’s men- I’m talking about, and I think that it’s very, tioned some specific thing of importance to very important. the people of this district and the people of And so, for whatever it’s worth, that’s why Minnesota. But if everybody worked on me as hard as he has the last 7 years, I wouldn’t we’re here. And Tom was good enough to get anything else done, because he really get this panel together so we could just have does a good job for you. a conversation. That’s what this is about, and I want to acknowledge in the audience I want to hear from you. And I’m sure after today the presence of your Lieutenant Gov- this is over all our friends in the media will ernor, Mae Schunk; the attorney general, want to hear what you said to me. [Laughter] Mike Hatch; Treasurer Carol Johnson; your And you feel free to tell them. But I think State Ag Commissioner, Gene Hugoson—I we ought to start now and have that con- think that’s the right pronunciation—and the versation. mayor of Shakopee, Jon Brekke, and his wife Thank you. and beautiful daughter came out to the air- port and met me. And I have here, some- where, a beautiful crayon drawing she made NOTE: The President spoke at 11 a.m. in a class- for me—[laughter]—which I’m going to take room at the Ohio Army/National Guard Facility. back to the White House and save as a mem- In his remarks, he referred to Hong Kong Demo- ory of coming here. It was really beautiful. cratic Party Chair Martin Lee; and President-elect I want to thank Bob Bergland, also, as Dan Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan. Glickman did. And I understand the former Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1095

Governor of North Dakota, Alan Olson, is Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A here. Welcome. I thank you for coming over. whole history of the last 50 years in America But I want to say a special word of appre- was represented in the White House that ciation to a man who’s been my friend for day—except for Vice President Mondale’s 25 years and one of my favorite people in predecessor as Ambassador to Japan, Mike the whole world: our former Vice President, Mansfield, our former Senate majority lead- your former Senator, and my former Ambas- er; he’s 98 years old now. When he was 15, sador to Japan, Walter Mondale. Thank you he lied about his age to get into World War for being here. Thank you so much. I spent I. [Laughter] He’s from Montana, and he’s most of my early life listening to him speak. about—he would give a speech about as I’m just trying to get even now. [Laughter] short as the one Terry gave today. [Laughter] I also want you to know that I brought Sort of consonant with coming from the with me two representatives of American ag- northern part of the United States. riculture today when I came in on Air Force But when we swore Fritz in, Mike One: Scott Shearer with Farmland Indus- Mansfield came, and I said—you know, he tries, Nick Giordano of the National Pork was then, I think, 91 or 92—I said, ‘‘You Producers, and Susan Keith of the National know, he walks 4 miles a day.’’ And Mansfield Corn Growers, and they’re out there working stood up in the back, and he said, ‘‘Five.’’ to help us. I thank them. [Laughter] So when he was 98 I said, ‘‘Mike, I want to also say to the people who are are you still walking every day?’’ He said, here from New Ulm, I’m sorry that I couldn’t ‘‘Yeah, but I’m down to 2 miles a day.’’ So come out to your community. I hope you’ll I figure if we could all walk 2 miles a day give me a raincheck. What really happened at 98, we’d be doing pretty well. was—you know, politicians always give you I also want to thank your Governor, Jesse some sidewinding excuse. Well, I’ll tell you Ventura, who was there. He was the only sit- what happened. What really happened is, ting Governor who came. And he’s been just I’ve got to go back to work in Washington great to support this initiative, and I’m grate- tonight, and I have to get back there an hour ful for him. It’s good for you, and it’s good and a half earlier than I had originally for America. He’s not a member of my party; thought I had to be there. I’m glad I got he didn’t have to do it, and it meant a lot to come to the Hauers’ farm, and I hope I to me that he showed up. I hope that it will get to come back there. mean something to you, too. We have a community in my home State When my staff was boning me up on get- of Arkansas called Ulm. It’s near Almyra, ting ready to come here and briefing me which is near Stuttgart—[laughter]—which about the history of this area, I learned that is near Slovak. [Laughter] And they grow rice the first citizens of Shakopee—I’ll get it down there. right—were pioneers in more than one I’m glad to be back in Minnesota. I was sense. Way back in the 19th century, they in St. Paul last week, at America’s first char- were already trading with China. China was ter school, on my education tour. And I’m then the biggest and richest fur market in coming back in a couple of weeks to speak the world, and many of the pelts they bought at Carleton College. If I come anymore, came from here, from the shores of the you’ll make me pay taxes here, but I’ve had Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. They a good time. [Laughter] found markets in China. I’d like to also acknowledge somebody who Then trade was a small, though interesting can’t be here today, but somebody I really part of your past. It’s going to be a much want to thank. Last week we had an aston- bigger part of your future, one way or the ishing event at the White House with Presi- other. That’s why I wanted to come here to dent Carter and President Ford and virtually talk about expanding trade in China, what every living former Secretary of State, former it means for farmers like you, for States like Secretaries of Agriculture, former Trade Am- Minnesota, and, even more important than bassadors, former Secretaries of Defense, that, for the future of our children and Amer- National Security Advisers, two former ica in this new century. 1096 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

In less than 2 weeks, Congress will vote Minnesota is third in soybean exports and on whether to provide permanent normal production, fourth in corn—feed corn—sev- trading relation status with China. Now, enth in overall agricultural exports. In 1998 PNTR, that’s pretty arcane sounding. But Minnesota sold $2.4 billion in agricultural what it means, as you’ve already heard, is that products to foreign markets, $316 million to China will join about 130 other countries China—more than twice what you sold in with whom we have trading that is governed 1993, when I became President. by international rules of trade, plus whatever As Secretary Glickman described, the specific agreements we have with them. magnitude of the Chinese market virtually In 1979, when President Carter and Vice defies the imagination. There are 1.3 billion President Mondale and Bob Bergland were people in China. It’s no wonder already involved in opening our relationships with China consumes more pork than any other China, we signed a trade agreement. And nation. It is also the world’s largest growth ever since then—and 21 years, now, every market for soybeans and soybean products. year—we have granted them what used to When I was Governor of Arkansas, back 15, be called most-favored-nation, but really was 16 years ago, I used to go to Taiwan. And normal trading relations. We did it on an an- Taiwan was our biggest export market; they nual basis. And the idea behind doing it on have 17 million people. And since the Chi- an annual basis was, we knew we had big nese people are the same, if you extrapolate differences with the Chinese. They were a from 17 million to 1.3 billion, it’s almost in- Communist country; we were a democracy. calculable what this could mean for soybeans. They had labor, human rights, and religious The dairy consumption in China is going up as people’s incomes rise. rights practices with which we did not agree. Now, that’s the way they are today, with We were trying to continue to work with a fairly modest per capita income. It is pro- them to resolve their differences with Taiwan jected that over the next 30 to 50 years, on a peaceful basis. And it was thought that China will have the biggest economy in the the Congress reviewing this every year would world. And obviously, as the people grow give Congress—and through Congress, the wealthier and move more and more to the President, whoever that happened to be— city, the markets will grow, not only because some way of reviewing where we were with more people will be able to buy food but China; whether it was in our larger national the per capita food consumption will go up. interests, as well as our economic interests, What does it mean for China to go into to review this every year. the World Trade Organization? It means So now, I am proposing that we give them they won’t subsidize their farm sector as they permanent normal trading status and let used to. They’re already making adjust- them come into the World Trading Organiza- ments—planting less wheat and less cotton, tion, where they’ll be governed by the same for example. There is no way the Chinese rules that govern us and all the other coun- farmers can keep pace with the growth of tries that are in it. And I came to tell you their own consumers. But America’s farmers why I think we ought to make that change. can. And Congress can give you the chance The biggest benefit, as you have heard to do so, but only if it votes for permanent from Secretary Glickman, will probably go normal trading relations. And I want you to to the agricultural sector, in economic terms. understand why: because in order for the One out of every three American acres grows members of the World Trade Organization exports. We are the world’s largest exporter to let China in, and then to benefit from of agricultural products. During the last 5 whatever trade concessions China makes— years, in spite of the Asian financial collapse and they’ve made the most in their agree- and the terrible thing it’s done to farm prices, ment with us—every one of the members has we’ve still seen our exports nearly double. to agree to treat China like a member. So If you look at gross cash receipts, trade if we don’t vote for permanent normal trad- means about twice as much to America’s ing relations, it’s like we’re saying, well, they farmers as it does to the economy as a whole. may be in there, but we’re not going to treat Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / May 12 1097 them like a member. And if we don’t do that, products than the European Union imposes what it means is, we don’t get the benefit today. of the deal I just described to you. That’s Now, China’s going to grow no matter what this is all about. what we do, and they’re going to get into This agreement, which we negotiated— the WTO. The only issue here—the only and it’s self-serving for me to say, I realize issue is whether we are prepared to give up that, because it was negotiated by our Trade this annual review in return for the economic Ambassador, Charlene Barshefsky, with benefits that we have negotiated. That is the heavy input from Secretary Glickman and decision before the Congress, and it seems Gene Sperling, my National Economic Ad- to me that it’s a pretty easy decision. I think viser, who was there in China with her—but if Congress turns its back on this opportunity, it really is a hundred-to-nothing agreement we’ll spend the next 20 years regretting it. economically. Normally, when we negotiate And I know we’ll spend the next 20 years a trade agreement, we swap out, just like you paying for it, in ways that go far beyond dol- do if you make a deal with somebody. Some- lars in farm families’ pockets. body says, you know, ‘‘I’ll give you this,’’ and This is a vote for our economic security. you say, ‘‘Okay, I’ll give you that.’’ China agrees to play by the same trading This is not a trade agreement in that sense. rules we do, and if we don’t like it, we have This is a membership agreement. They say, two options. One is, we can pursue them in ‘‘If you let us into this world trading unit, the world trading organization mechanisms, we’ll abide by the rules, including rules that which means it won’t just be America against we weren’t governed by before. And, in order China, and they won’t be able to say, ‘‘There to get in it, we’ll agree to modernize our are those big, ugly Americans trying to take economy, which means we will drop our tar- advantage of us.’’ It’ll be us and everybody iffs, open our markets, let you sell into our else who plays by the same rules. markets, let you invest in our markets.’’ It But in addition to that, you need to know is a huge deal. that we negotiated an agreement with China If you look beyond agriculture, it used to unlike any one we have with any other coun- be that if we wanted to sell manufacturing try, which says that we can go against them products in China, they’d say, ‘‘Fine; put a bilaterally, us against them, if they dump plant here.’’ Or if we wanted to sell some products in our market, or if for some reason, high-tech products, they’d say, ‘‘Fine; trans- like changing currency, there’s an enormous fer the technology to us.’’ Now—that’s one surge of their products in our market threat- reason we have representatives from 3M ening to dislocate a lot of Americans. And company here—we’ll be able to sell for the they have agreed to let us bring action with first time into the Chinese market American a lower standard for proof of injury than we cars, for example, without putting up auto have in our own trade laws. Plus which we plants, without transferring the technology. have got money set aside to monitor this But nowhere will the benefits be greater agreement in greater detail than any one than in agriculture. You’ve already heard we’ve ever had. So I think it’s a pretty clear from Dallas that export subsidies have kept issue. American corn and other products from Now, why isn’t everybody for it? Well, being priced competitively. No more. No some people say, ‘‘Well, maybe they won’t more baseless health barriers, which China keep their word.’’ Well, we have trade dis- uses or has used, to keep our beef and poul- putes all the time. We’ve got two outstanding try outside their borders. No more high tar- with Europe still that haven’t been resolved, iffs on feed grains, soybeans, vegetables, where we just keep running around. But meat, and dairy products. Indeed—as Sec- you’ve got a better chance of getting it re- retary Glickman reminds me from time to solved with people in a rules-based, law-abid- time when we have problems with our Euro- ing international system than outside it. pean neighbors and friends—the Chinese Some people say, ‘‘Well, they still do a lot have offered us lower tariffs on some farm of things we don’t like.’’ Well, that’s true. But 1098 May 12 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

I can tell you that we’ll have a lot more influ- China? The most reactionary elements in the ence on Chinese foreign policy, when it military and the people that run those old, comes to the proliferation of dangerous uncompetitive state-owned industries that weapons, and on human rights and religious want to keep those subsidies coming, that rights and political rights in China, if we have want to keep these markets closed, and that an open hand of working with them, than want to keep their thumb on the little folks if we say no, if we turn our backs on them. in China. I am absolutely certain of that. Look, this may or may not work out. I can’t And I just want to point out, that is why tell you what the future will hold. Nobody all of our allies in Asia, the democracies— knows that. And the Chinese will have to de- Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, cide what path they take to the future. All Thailand—these countries want us to give I know is, this is a good economic deal, and them normal trading status. They’re very it’s an imperative national security issue, be- worried that we might not do this and that cause we ought to at least get caught trying it will increase tensions in Asia and increase to give every chance to the Chinese to take the chance of something bad happening be- a responsible path to tomorrow, to have a tween Taiwan and Japan and make China constructive relationship with this country focus more on military buildups than build- when our children are grown, when our ing their economy and their relationships grandchildren are in school. We don’t want with their neighbors. That’s why the Presi- a new arms race. We don’t want every mutt dent-elect of Taiwan wants us to approve in 2010 or 2020 to be calculating—see the this. papers full of stories about whether we’re cal- That’s why Martin Lee, who’s the leader culating whether we’ve got enough nuclear of the democracy movement in Hong missiles against the Chinese. Kong—a man prohibited by law from even We ought to give this a chance. We ought going to China. If anybody ought to have an axe to grind, you’d think he would. He came to give the future a chance to work. It’s a here to America to tell the Congress they great deal for you now. But as much as I had to vote for this because that was the way want to help the farmers here and the farm- to get human rights and political freedom in ers home, in Arkansas—so when I go home, China, to put them in a rule-based system they’ll still let me come around—[laugh- of international law. ter]—it’s far more important to me to do the Yesterday there was a detailed report in right thing by our national security, to give the Washington press interviewing dissidents our children a chance to live in the most in China, people who have been persecuted peaceful world in human history. for their beliefs. Every one interviewed said, And that’s what this is all about. So I hope America has got to approve this, otherwise you will support David Minge. I hope you America will have no influence to try to keep will ask your Senators to vote for this. I hope moving China toward democracy and free- you will ask the other Members of the dom. Minnesota delegation to vote for this. And You know, we get frustrated, but China I hope you will tell people that it is clearly is an old country, and it’s changing fast. Two the right thing to do economically. It is clear- years ago there were 2 million Internet users. ly the next logical step from the historic news Last year there were 9 million. This year made in the Carter/Mondale administration there will be over 20 million. At some point, in 1979. you tell me, when they get to 50 or 100 or But the most important thing is, it gives 150 million—which by then will still be bare- us a chance to build the future of our dreams ly more than 10 percent of their popu- for our children. People ask me all the time, lation—the country will change forever. You ‘‘Now that you’ve been President 7 years, cannot maintain top-down control. what have you learned about foreign policy?’’ And I think it might be interesting for you And I always tell them, it’s a lot more like to know that not everybody in China wants real life than you think. And 9 times out of us to do this. You know who is against it in 10, you get a lot more reaching out a Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 1099 hand of cooperation than you do shaking a May 8 clenched fist. That’s what this is about. In the morning, the President traveled to Now, if they do something that’s terrible New York City to attend funeral services for that we’re offended by, we don’t give up a John Cardinal O’Connor at Saint Patrick’s single right here to suspend our trade rela- Cathedral. tions or do anything else that any emergency In the evening, the President returned to conditions might dictate. All we’re doing is Washington, DC. saying we’d like to build a future with you The White House announced that the if you’re willing to do it. And we’re prepared President has invited President Thabo Mbeki to work over the long run. of South Africa for a state visit on May 22. I thank you for coming here today. I ask you to recognize that this is not a foregone May 9 conclusion. I believe it is by far the most im- The President announced his intention to portant national security vote that Congress nominate Marjorie Ransom to be Ambas- will cast this year. And if you can do anything sador to Yemen. as an American citizen, as well as Minnesota The President announced his intention to farmers, to help us prevail, you’d be doing appoint Jerome A. Stricker as a member of a great thing for our grandchildren. the Advisory Committee to the Pension Ben- Thank you, and God bless you. efit Guaranty Corporation. NOTE: The President spoke at 2:35 p.m. in the The White House announced that the barnyard at the Hauer Farm. In his remarks, he President will meet with President Fernado referred to farmers Terry Hauer, his wife Kitty de la Rua of Argentina on June 13 in the and father Gene; Dallas Bohnsack, chair, Scott Oval Office. County Board of Commissioners, who introduced the President; former Secretary of Agriculture May 10 Robert Bergland, member, University of Min- The President announced his intention to nesota Board of Regents; Scott Shearer, director appoint Eva S. Teig as U.S. Representative of national relations, Farmland Government Rela- tions; Nick Giordano, international trade counsel, to the Southern States Energy Board. National Pork Producers Council; Susan Keith, The President announced his intention to senior director of public policy, National Corn appoint Charles (Chuck) Yancura as a mem- Growers Association; President-elect Chen Shui- ber of the Advisory Council of the Border ban of Taiwan; and Mayor Jon Brekke of Environment Cooperation Commission. Shakopee, MN, and his wife, Barb, and their The President announced his intention to daughter, Maria. appoint John R. Roderick as a member of the Arctic Research Commission. The President declared an emergency in New Mexico and order Federal aid to sup- Digest of Other plement State and local recovery efforts in White House Announcements the area struck by severe fire threats on May 10 and continuing.

The following list includes the President’s public May 12 schedule and other items of general interest an- In the morning, the President traveled to nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this issue. Akron, OH, and in the afternoon, he traveled to Shakopee, MN. Later, the President re- turned to Washington, DC. May 6 The President announced his intention to In the afternoon, the President traveled to nominate Pamela E. Bridgewater to be Am- Fayetteville, AR. bassador to Benin. May 7 The President announced the nomination In the morning, the President and Hillary of Barry E. Carter to be Assistant Adminis- Clinton traveled to Little Rock, AR, and in trator, Bureau of Global Programs, Field the evening, they returned to Washington, Support, and Research at the U.S. Agency DC. for International Development. 1100 Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000

The President announced his intention to Ricardo Morado, nominate Thomas L. Garthwaite to be Under of Texas, to be U.S. District Judge for the Secretary for Health for the Department of Southern District of Texas, vice Filamon B. Veterans Affairs. Vela, retired. Michael J. Reagan, of Illinois, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois, vice an addi- Nominations tional position created December 10, 1999, Submitted to the Senate pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 372(b). The following list does not include promotions of George Z. Singal, members of the Uniformed Services, nominations of Maine, to be U.S. District Judge for the to the Service Academies, or nominations of For- District of Maine, vice Morton A. Brody, de- eign Service officers. ceased.

Submitted May 8 Mark S. Wrighton, of Missouri, to be a member of the National Owen James Sheaks, Science Board, National Science Founda- of Virginia, a career member of the Senior tion, for a term expiring May 10, 2006, vice Executive Service, to be an Assistant Sec- Robert M. Solow, term expired. retary of State (verification and compliance) (new position). Submitted May 9 Checklist Paul C. Huck, of White House Press Releases of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida, vice Kenneth L. Ryskamp, retired. The following list contains releases of the Office of the Press Secretary that are neither printed as Marjorie Ransom, items nor covered by entries in the Digest of of the District of Columbia, a career member Other White House Announcements. of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary Released May 8 and Plenipotentiary of the United States of Statement by the Press Secretary announcing America to the Republic of Yemen. a state visit of President Thabo Mbeki of Submitted May 11 South Africa on May 22 Barry Edward Carter, List of attendees of the President’s meeting of the District of Columbia, to be an Assist- with organizers of the Million Mom March ant Administrator of the United States Agen- Released May 9 cy for International Development, vice Sally A. Shelton. Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- retary Joe Lockhart John W. Darrah, Statement by the Press Secretary announcing of Illinois, to be U.S. District Judge for the that President Fernando de la Rua will meet Northern District of Illinois, vice George M. with the President in the Oval Office on June Marovich, retired. 13 Joan Humphrey Lefkow, Transcript of a May 8 interview of Chief of of Illinois, to be U.S. District Judge for the Staff John Podesta and Secretary of Agri- Northern District of Illinois, vice Ann C. culture Dan Glickman by members of the Williams, elevated. National Association of Farm Broadcasters Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 1101

Released May 10 Acts Approved Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- by the President retary Joe Lockhart Announcement of nomination for U.S. Dis- trict Judge for the Southern District of Flor- Approved May 5 ida

Released May 11 S.J. Res. 40 / Public Law 106–198 Transcript of a press briefing by Deputy Providing for the appointment of Alan G. Press Secretary Jake Siewert and Assistant Spoon as a citizen regent of the Board of Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs P.J. Regents of the Smithsonian Institution Crowley

Released May 12 S.J. Res. 42 / Public Law 106–199 Announcement of nominations for U.S. Dis- Providing for the reappointment of Manuel trict Judge for the Northern and Southern L. Ibanez as a citizen regent of the Board Districts of Illinois, the Southern District of of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution Texas, and the District of Maine