Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Monday, July 20, 1998 Volume 34—Number 29 Pages 1363–1414

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Addresses and Remarks Bill Signings American Legion Girls Nation—1402 Agriculture Export Relief Act of 1998, Arkansas, arrival at Little Rock Air Force Base statement—1388 in Jacksonville—1411 Child Support Performance and Incentive Act Empowerment zone reception—1390 of 1998, statement—1396 Florida, Democratic Congressional Campaign Communications to Congress Committee dinner in Miami—1363 International Monetary Fund financing Comprehensive National Energy Strategy, message transmitting—1382 program for Russia—1377 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Marine Corps Band, 200th anniversary—1367 (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, Title III, letter Maryland, Democratic National Committee reporting—1398 Jefferson Trust dinner in Chevy Chase— Federal advisory committees, message 1398 transmitting report—1381 National treasures tour kick-off—1370 Financial assistance for farmers, letter—1389 New Democratic Network dinner—1373 Patients’ Bill of Rights Communications to Federal Agencies Proposed legislation—1392 Public availability of tobacco documents, Roundtable discussion—1383 memorandum—1410 Radio address—1369 Romania-U.S. cooperation concerning Year 2000 conversion computer problem— peaceful uses of nuclear energy, 1376 memorandum—1389

(Continued on the inside of the back cover.)

Editor’s Note: The President was in Little Rock, AR, on July 17, the closing date of this issue. Releases and announcements issued by the Office of the Press Secretary but not received in time for inclusion in this issue will be printed next week.

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.

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Interviews With the News Media Statements by the President—Continued Exchange with reporters in the Old Executive Comprehensive Nuclear Test Band and Office Building—1402 Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaties, Brazilian ratification—1372 Joint Statements Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, Title III—1397 U.S.-Romanian relations—1395 International Monetary Fund financing program for Russia—1372 Meetings With Foreign Leaders Labor and Health and Human Services Romania, President Constantinescu—1395 Departments appropriations legislation— 1381 Proclamations Senate action on food safety legislation—1396 Integration of the Armed Services, 50th Supplementary Materials anniversary—1372 Acts approved by the President—1413 Checklist of White House press releases— Statements by the President 1413 See also Bill Signings Digest of other White House ‘‘America’s Children: Key National Indicators announcements—1411 of Well-Being,’’ report—1389 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1412

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Remarks at a Democratic Now the time has come for me to deliver Congressional Campaign Committee a few. And I would like to have a few. Dinner in Miami, Florida Let me say to all of you in this magnificent home tonight that I always love coming here, July 9, 1998 and I feel so deeply indebted to the people of Florida and especially to my fellow Demo- Thank you very much. First let me thank my friend Dick Gephardt for his leadership crats, because it was in December of 1991, of our party in the House of Representatives, at the Florida Democratic Convention, that for his wonderful remarks tonight. I thank I won the first victory of any kind when I Martin Frost. We were together in Texas, was out trying to become the nominee of my Martin’s home State, a couple of weeks ago, party. And in 1996 you brought Florida back and I was trying to be helpful and funny at to a Democratic candidate for the first time the same time when I said that I named my in two decades, when your State voted for dog Buddy, but I had considered naming him me and for Al Gore. And I’m very grateful after Martin Frost because Martin Frost is to you for that, and I thank you. like a dog with a bone; when he asks you I want to make a brief case tonight. It’s to do something, you might as well just go late, and all of you know that my family and on and say yes, because it’s the only way to many members of our administration just got get him to let your leg go. [Laughter] And back from China. And they say if there’s a he has had a very thankless job, which he 12-hour time difference, it takes you 12 days has performed magnificently for our people, to get over it. I don’t know about that, but and I thank him for that. for the last four nights, sometime between I thank all the Members of Congress who 9 and 10 o’clock, I hit the skids. And I’ll be are here tonight from Florida and from all right, so if I fall asleep up here in this around the country, and the leaders of Flor- speech, if you’ll just wait about 5 minutes, ida in our Democratic Party here, including I’ll be fine and I may go on to 3 in the morn- Buddy MacKay and his newly announced ing after that. [Laughter] running mate, Senator Dantzler. I’m de- But I’ve given a lot of thought to what I lighted that they’re here, and I’m for them, might say tonight. You know, a lot of you strongly. come to a lot of these dinners, and you won- Mayor Penelas, Attorney General der—I wonder, what could I say that would Butterworth, Commissioner Crawford; and really animate all the people that were here, we also have here the mayor of Akron, Ohio, that would make them say, ‘‘Boy, I made a Don Plusquellic. I don’t know what he’s good investment tonight, and I want to go doing here, but I’m glad to see him. [Laugh- out and talk to my friends and neighbors ter] He’s a good friend of mine, and I’m de- about this tomorrow, and I’m still going to lighted that he and his wife are here. He may feel good about this in October, and I want be running for Congress in Florida for all to talk about it some more’’? I know. But I’m glad he’s here. You know, when I was in China, I thought I’d like to thank the Paxsons and all the it was so fitting that, after I was given this other major sponsors of this event tonight. incredible opportunity on your behalf to And Sylvester Stallone, thank you for having speak for the American people in China and us at your home and for giving me those box- to try to listen to the Chinese people and ing gloves. I can use them. [Laughter] I think their leaders, that I was coming home for I have established that I can take a punch. the Fourth of July. It was a wonderful feeling 1363

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to think about being on Air Force One, hav- surplus in 29 years. We have the lowest infla- ing worked as hard as I could to press Ameri- tion in 32 years, the smallest Federal Govern- ca’s cause, our interests, our values, our de- ment in 35 years, and the highest home own- sire to have a genuine, constructive friend- ership in the history of the United States. ship with the Chinese in the 21st century, I am grateful for that. and that I was coming home for the Fourth I am grateful that we’re giving 5 million of July; that Hillary and Chelsea and I would children, who couldn’t afford it otherwise, be able to see the fireworks on The Mall from health insurance, that we have the highest the White House and celebrate with a lot rate of childhood immunization in our coun- of people who work hard all year for us. And try’s history, that we’ve proved you can clean so I was thinking, what is this election about? the environment and grow the economy. The You know, I’m not on the ballot, and I air is cleaner; the water is cleaner; the food can’t run anymore. I’m here for others and is safer; there are more toxic wastes cleaned for things in which I believe. In 1992, when up. We’ve made a big step toward helping I started running for President, I believed to save the Everglades and protect Yellow- that our country was in trouble and that stone Park from a gold mine and done a lot Washington was paralyzed by partisan poli- of other things to try to prove that we can tics and old ideas. I wanted to try to modern- have a healthy economy in America and ize our party and come up with some new honor our responsibilities to the environ- ideas without violating our most deeply held ment. principles. And I’ve tried to do that. And you should know, when you’re asking I tried to stick with the things that made yourself, ‘‘What am I doing here?’’ number us a great party and the things that made one, that I think the evidence is we were us a great country: opportunity for all, re- right on the economy. And Dick Gephardt sponsibility from all, an American commu- and these other Members here supported us, nity of all people. And I said to the American and the other party said that if my economic people, if you will elect me, here are the poli- policy were implemented, it would lead to cies I will pursue in the economy and welfare a recession in America. Well, we now have and education and crime, health care, foreign some evidence; we know they were wrong. policy. I think we were right on crime, to try to As Dick said, I would never say that I, as put 100,000 police on the street and to stop President, or our party were completely re- selling handguns to people with criminal sponsible for a lot of the good things, all the records and mental health histories. And they good things that have happened in this coun- went out there and told everybody we were try in the last 51⁄2 years. I appreciate very trying to take guns away, but I think they much what Bud said about the telecommuni- are wrong. cations bill, because we worked very hard to I think we were right to say, okay, we’re create opportunities there. But I will tell you going to require able-bodied people to go to this, there is a connection between the deci- work if they’re on welfare, but we’re not sions made by the leaders in this country and going to punish them in their most important the consequences that flow from them and job, which is taking care of their children. the options that are available to Americans. So we’re going to give them money for child And there are profound differences between care, and we’re going to support their kids the two parties in the House of Representa- with health care. I think we were right. And tives about whether we’ve been right and I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve got what we should do going forward. the lowest welfare rolls now in 29 years. And when I was coming home and I made And there was a difference of opinion on a list of all the things I’m grateful for for this between the two parties. I think we were America—I mean, I’m very grateful for all right to say we’re a nation of immigrants, and of us that we have the lowest crime rate in we ought not to discriminate against immi- 25 years, the lowest unemployment rate in grants who are here legally. We’re proud of 28 years, the lowest welfare rolls in 29 years. that. And we had a difference of opinion on We’re having the first balanced budget and that.

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When I was up at Daytona Beach today, little booth, and anybody in the State could I saw a lot of young AmeriCorps volunteers come up and talk to me about anything they from all over America who had come here wanted. to help fight these fires—young people who And this guy came up to me one day in were giving up a year or two of their lives overalls, and he said, ‘‘Bill, you going to run to serve their country in local communities for Governor again?’’ And I said, ‘‘Well, I and earning credit for college. I did might. If I do, will you vote for me? He said, AmeriCorps because I thought it would help ‘‘Yeah, I guess I will. I always have.’’ And us to make one America in the 21st century I said, ‘‘Well, aren’t you sick of me after 10 if we got more young people serving in their years?’’ He said, ‘‘No, but nearly all my communities, dealing with people that were friends are.’’ [Laughter] And I said, ‘‘Well, different from them in terms of income and don’t you think I’ve done a good job?’’ He background and race and religion, and prov- said, ‘‘Yeah, I do, but you drew a paycheck ing that people who worked together and every two weeks, too, didn’t you?’’ [Laugh- learned together and served together can live ter] He said, ‘‘That’s what we hired you to together, because we then appreciate each do. Why do you want credit for that?’’ other’s differences instead of being afraid of So I say to you—I mentioned all these them. And we know that we’ve got more in things about the record only to point out that common than we have dividing us. there are differences between the parties. I think we were right to set up that But if you look ahead, there’s first a question AmeriCorps program. I saw those kids today, of attitude. You know, when times are good happy, proud after fighting those fires, and after they haven’t been so good for a while, I realized we had a big difference between we’re tempted to just relax—especially in a the two parties on that. They thought it was place like Florida—and kind of sit in the Sun. a waste of money. Well, I think we were But this is a very dynamic time in which we right, and they were wrong. live. There are lots of changes going on. And And I think that—I say that not to be par- if you think about the confidence the Amer- tisan, because I’m grateful for the handful ican people have now, it seems to me self- of Republicans that supported us on the evident that, as Mr. Gephardt said, this is crime bill, that supported us on our immigra- a time when we ought to be saying, ‘‘Hey, tion position, that support our education po- what are the remaining challenges facing this sition, but because I think it’s important that country as we move into the 21st century, you understand this is not just another dinner and what should we be doing about them where you pick your politician and take your now?’’ And that, I would argue, is the most choice and listen to a speech. There are real important reason to support the candidates differences and ideas with real consequences who are here and our congressional commit- for the life and future of America. And you tee. can see it in the last 51⁄2 years. And let me just give you a couple of exam- And if you look up the road, which is more ples about the future. Number one, in the important, you can see more. And again, I’m House of Representatives, only our party is not here telling you that we deserve credit clear and unambiguous that we don’t want for every good thing that’s happened in the to go around spending this surplus until we country. But it’s not an accident, and we had have saved Social Security for the 21st cen- something to do with it. And I’m proud of tury and fixed it so the baby boomers don’t what we did, and I think our ideas were right. bankrupt our children and our grand- But every election—as I learned when I children. was a Governor, every election is about the You know, sometimes I think I’m lost in future. I’ll never forget, after I had been a funhouse in Washington; people start talk- Governor 10 years, I was thinking about run- ing about spending a surplus that hasn’t ma- ning again for another term, and every year terialized yet, after we have punished our- in Arkansas we had this great State Fair. And selves for 29 years of profligate spending. We I would go out to the fairgrounds and have have a Social Security challenge out there Governor’s Day at the fair. And I’d sit in a because the baby boomers are a very big

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group—and I’m the oldest one of them, so we now know that the 5 hottest years re- I know. And none of us, people I grew up corded since the 1400’s all have occurred in with in my hometown, most of whom who the 1990’s—every one of them. Last year was are middle class people, none of them want the hottest year ever recorded. This year is to think they’re hurting their children or their going to be hotter if present temperature children’s ability to raise their grandchildren trends are maintained through December. by having Social Security become unbearably Now, the overwhelming opinion of sci- expensive. We have to reform it in a way that entists is that the climate is getting warmer keeps the country together and moves the at a rate that is unsustainable. The over- country forward. whelming evidence is that we can slow it The second thing we have to do is to give down without slowing down the growth of America the best system of elementary and the economy. Why? Well, greenhouse gas secondary education in the world. No one emissions, CO2 basically warm up the cli- doubts that we have the best college edu- mate. A third of it comes from automobiles cation system in the world, and no one and trains and trucks and other travel. A third doubts that we do not have the best elemen- of it comes from buildings, residential and tary and secondary education system in the commercial. A third of it comes from fac- world. We have some money to do something tories and powerplants. about it now. And we have a program in In every case, there is presently available Washington: smaller class sizes, modernize technology—or in the case of automobiles, schools, 5,000 new and improved schools— now-being-developed technology—that will big deal in Florida, where you’ve got school dramatically cut these emissions, slow the district after school district after school dis- rate of climate change, and move our chil- trict, with people—kids going to school in dren and grandchildren’s Earth away from trailers because they’ve grown so much— potential disaster without hurting the econ- connecting all the classrooms to the Internet, omy. higher standards, reading programs for chil- dren so they can all read independently in So I presented a program to the Congress English by the end of the third grade. of tax incentives and investment, nothing in We have an agenda there. If you look at the way of regulation to slow down economic how the Republican majority in the House growth; every bit of it rejected by the Repub- has voted in their committees on the budget, lican majority. And they’re now trying to pass they have consistently voted against our edu- a bill to stop me from even doing what is cation agenda. They don’t want to do any of now legal to do to try to protect the economy it, and they want to undo some of the things for our children and grandchildren, in spite we’ve done. It’s a choice you have to make. of the overwhelming majority opinion of sci- If you look at the environment, which is entists all over the world that this is happen- very important to me—look at these wildfires ing and the commonsense experience of peo- in Florida. You know what the background ple like those firefighters in Florida. of it is; most of you know. In the fall and The first time I met Mr. Stallone was last winter, you had 4 of the wettest months— summer up in Massachusetts at a party for the 4 wettest months consecutively in the his- a friend of mine, and he said—I’d never met tory of Florida, followed by 3 or 4 of the him before—and he said, ‘‘You know, I think driest months in the history of Florida, fol- I have seen the climate change, just because lowed by June, the hottest month in the his- I’m outside every year—every day for the last tory of Florida—ever—hotter than any July 10 years.’’ or August ever in Florida’s history. Now, you have to decide. They act like When I was in China, I was reminded that it’s an act of faith to destroy everything I’m one of the reasons we have weather records trying to do to raise the awareness of the going back hundreds of years is that the Chi- American people about this major environ- nese weather people—what we now call the mental issue. meteorologists—have literally been keeping When I was in Shanghai speaking to the detailed records since the 15th century. And American Chamber of Commerce—this is

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hardly a liberal Democratic group, the Amer- time. Every Member of the Democratic cau- ican Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai— cus in the House here tonight, every single I got two rounds of spontaneous applause, one of them has disagreed with me about and one of them was when I asked them to something that I felt fairly strongly about. I work with the people of China so that they don’t ask them all to be rubber stamps for could take a different route into the future me. All I ask them to do is to be builders, in terms of their energy use, so we could not wreckers; unifiers, not dividers. save the planet, and that we did not have And so I want—when you leave here to- to pollute the environment of China by see- night, I want you to leave with some of these ing them make the same mistakes we’d made issues that I have raised in your mind. If you to grow economically. And the business peo- want a health care bill of rights and you want ple starting applauding. Why? Because they us to be able to have managed care but still knew I was telling the truth, and because protect the quality of health care, if you want they’ve seen it with their own eyes in China, high-class education and you want the Na- because the number one health problem of tional Government to do its part, if you don’t the children there are lung problems, bron- want us to squander this balanced budget chial problems, because of air pollution. until we have fixed Social Security, in short, If you look at something that’s closer to if you want us to build the country for the home in Florida, I’m really proud of the fact 21st century and put progress ahead of par- that we had what I thought was a bipartisan tisanship, then you have made a very good commitment to invest lots of Federal money investment here tonight. in the Everglades to help to save the Ever- And when people ask you tomorrow morn- glades. It was part of our bipartisan balanced ing or a month from now or 2 months from budget agreement. now, why you did it, tell them you did it be- But in this year, as the present Republican cause you wanted the schools to be better, majority prepares their budget for next year, because you wanted health care to be better, they have so far rejected my call for more because you wanted the environment to be investments in the Everglades, and they have protected, because you wanted to build your cast some votes which imply that they’re country for the 21st century. And if you pre- going to walk away from the commitment vail, and if they prevail, I promise you this made last year to save the Everglades. Marjo- country will be a better, stronger place. rie Stoneman Douglas once said, ‘‘The Ever- Thank you, and God bless you all. glades is a test; if we pass, we get to keep the planet.’’ So far, Dick Gephardt and the NOTE: The President spoke at 10:30 p.m. at a pri- Democrats pass the Everglades test, and the vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. members of the other party, this year, have Gov. Buddy MacKay, candidate for Governor of so far flunked it. It’s not too late, and I hope Florida, and his running mate for Lieutenant Gov- this dinner will send them a message to shape ernor, former State Senator Rick Dantzler; Mayor up and do their part on the Everglades. Alexander Penelas of Metro-Dade County; State But these—I say this to you because I Attorney General Bob Butterworth; State Agri- wasn’t a particularly partisan person when I culture Commissioner Bob Crawford; and dinner cohosts Lowell (Bud) Paxson, chairman, Paxson went to Washington. I was a Governor. I was Communications Corp., and his wife, Marla; and used to working with Republicans and actor Sylvester Stallone. This item was not re- Democrats. I was a Democrat by heritage, ceived in time for publication in the appropriate instinct, and conviction, but I wanted people issue. to work together. And I thought I could learn something from everybody. The atmosphere in Washington is too partisan, and we have Remarks on the 200th Anniversary of blinders on—some of the decisionmakers not the United States Marine Corps doing what is plainly in the long-term best Band interest of this country. July 10, 1998 So I’m here today for these people because they will choose progress over partisanship, Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Please not because they all agree with me all the be seated. Thank you so much, General

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Krulak. Colonel Foley, to the officials of the Marine Band led us in mourning in the fu- Pentagon, the leaders of our military services, neral procession for President Kennedy. Members of Congress, the Medal of Honor You have played for kings and prime min- winners, and especially to the Ingram fam- isters, in great halls overseas, for people in ily—all of you who are here today—it’s a parks and theaters across our country, nearly great honor for Hillary and I to welcome you every day, in so many different musical styles, to the White House on what is not only a which you shared with us on this day. You’ve very important occasion for our Nation but accompanied great artists, from Sinatra to which, as you have heard from my wife and Baryshnikov. It is entirely fitting that our Ma- others, is one of the most important occa- rine Band was among the very first class of sions for me personally since I’ve been Presi- inductees into the American Classical Music dent. Hall of Fame. Through long summers you We’re also delighted to have a number of play in oppressive heat, as you have today. distinguished composers in the audience of And you’re always ready to go on Inaugura- music which has been played by our Marine tion Day, no matter how bitter the cold. Band. And I can’t let the moment go by with- As time has marched on, you have com- out noticing that this is also the birthday of memorated changes in band leadership by the wife of the Commandant of the Marine the passing of a cherished symbol: a gold- Corps. Mrs. Krulak, happy birthday to you. tipped baton owned by your most famous We hope you have a great day. conductor. John Philip Sousa was born just On July 11, 1798, my predecessor and the two blocks from the band’s home at the Ma- first President to live in the House just be- rine Barracks here. He was a determined hind me, John Adams, approved the bill es- young man who joined the band as an ap- tablishing this band. As a footnote, I might prentice musician at the age of 13, after his also add it established the Marine Corps father, one of the band’s trombonists, had itself. Of course, the Marines had already foiled his plot to run away with the circus. been proudly serving our people, starting Thank goodness Dad succeeded. back in 1775. At age 25, after 5 years of touring with Since its founding, the Marine Band’s his- orchestras and vaudeville shows, Sousa re- tory has been in large measure the history turned to become the Marine Band’s direc- of America. The band played at Thomas Jef- tor, and he served there for 12 years. But ferson’s Inauguration in 1801 and hasn’t until his dying day, he never stopped con- missed a single one since. Jefferson was a ducting or promoting music education or violin player who loved music almost as much fighting for composers’ rights. Just weeks be- as he loved freedom. He named the band fore his death, at the age of 77, Sousa rose ‘‘The President’s Own,’’ and it has stuck ever at a gathering here in Washington to lead since. this band in his greatest march, ‘‘The Stars The Marine Band was there to play ‘‘The and Stripes Forever.’’ Marseillaise’’ when President John Quincy John Philip Sousa’s drive, his love of inno- Adams, in 1825, gave the first White House vation, his desire to thrill the crowd while toast ever, in honor of General Lafayette in taking musical excellence to new heights, that his services to the American Revolution. The legacy still guides the United States Marine Marine Band was by President Abraham Lin- Band. That spirit still keeps your music soar- coln’s side when he delivered the Gettysburg ing on the edge of a new century and a new Address. millennium. No President could fail to be The Marine Band were among the first proud to say, you are ‘‘The President’s Own.’’ musicians ever to be captured for posterity Happy birthday. Congratulations to all of on Thomas Edison’s revolutionary phono- you. God bless you, and God bless America. graph. The Marine Band’s broadcasts were a highlight of radio’s first years. The Marine NOTE: The President spoke at 4:34 p.m. on the Band was at MIT in 1949 to accompany Win- South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, ston Churchill as he proudly sang every sin- he referred to Gen. Charles C. Krulak, USMC, gle word of ‘‘The Marines’ Hymn.’’ And the Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps, and his wife,

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Zandra; Lt. Col. Timothy W. Foley, USMC, Di- of their arrest. We already know that many rector, United States Marine Band; and Congres- of these offenders will commit more crimes sional Medal of Honor recipient Robert R. if they are released with their drug habits Ingram. This item was not received in time for intact. Now, if we want to continue to make publication in the appropriate issue. our communities safer, we simply must get more crime-committing addicts to kick the The President’s Radio Address habit. July 11, 1998 In 1989 Attorney General Reno helped to pioneer one of the most successful ways of Good morning. This week General Barry getting criminals to give up drugs. Her inno- McCaffrey, Attorney General Reno, and I vation, known as a drug court, gives non- were in Atlanta to launch an unprecedented violent offenders a simple deal: If you submit antidrug campaign to ensure that when to regular drug testing, enroll in court-super- young people watch television, listen to the vised drug treatment, and keep yourself radio, read the newspaper, or surf the Web, clean, you can stay out of jail; but if you fail they will get the powerful message that drugs tests or fail to show up, you’ll be punished are wrong, illegal, and can kill. They’re both to the full extent of the law. with me here today. This morning I’d like In 1994, through our historic crime bill, to talk to you about how we are working to we helped to expand drug courts from a mere sever the dangerous link between illegal handful back then to more than 400 today. drugs and violent crime. The results have been remarkable. In some There is no greater threat to our families cities, drug court participants have recidi- and communities than the abuse of illegal vism, or repeater rates, as low as 4 percent. drugs. For the last 51⁄2 years, we’ve worked hard to fight drugs on every front: on our So today we’ll take another step to break streets, in our schools, at our borders, in our the cycle of drugs and crime by awarding homes. We’ve made real progress. Today grants to build and enhance drug courts in there are 50 percent fewer Americans using more than 150 communities across our Na- drugs than just 15 years ago. tion. To stop the revolving door of crime and This morning the Justice Department will narcotics, we must make offenders stop abus- release a study that highlights several areas ing drugs. where we have more work to do. On the posi- Now Congress must get involved. I’ve tive side, it shows that crack cocaine, which asked Congress to fund an $85 million testing once ravaged whole neighborhoods, is now and treatment initiative like the ones passed on the decline. In Manhattan, for example, just this year in Connecticut and Maryland, the number of young criminals testing posi- initiatives that will help to support even more tive for crack cocaine dropped from 77 per- drug courts, as well as mandatory drug treat- cent in 1988 to just 21 percent last year. ment and testing programs for probationers, However, abuse of methamphetamine— prisoners, and parolees. So far, Congress has after falling for 2 years—is now rising in the taken no action on this request, despite the West and Southwest. Clearly, we have more indisputable evidence that mandatory drug to do. testing and treatment works for probationers, In six cities where methamphetamine is prisoners, and parolees, and that drug courts prevalent, we will help local governments at- clearly work. tack this outbreak with the same community I know all Members of Congress, regard- policing strategies that are allowing us to get less of party, want drug use and crime in crack cocaine off the streets. America to keep going down. On Thursday The Justice Department study also shows Speaker Gingrich stood with us in Atlanta that we must do more to make criminals and pledged to attack the Nation’s drug prob- make a clean break from illegal drugs. The lem in a nonpartisan manner. The best way study reports that between one-half and to do that is for Congress to work with me three-quarters of the people charged with in the remaining days of this legislative ses- crimes have drugs in their system at the time sion to create even more drug courts and to

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expand mandatory testing and treatment of gallantly during the fight, standing uncon- those who commit crimes. quered in the dawn’s early light. Think how By putting progress ahead of partisanship, you would have felt if you had seen it then. we can enhance responsibility, fight drugs, This Star-Spangled Banner and all its suc- cut crime, and strengthen our Nation for the cessors have come to embody our country, 21st century. what we think of as America. It may not be Thank you for listening. quite the same for every one of us who looks NOTE: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from at it, but in the end, we all pretty much come the Oval Office at the White House. out where the framers did. We know we have a country founded on the then revolutionary idea that all of us are created equal and Remarks at the Kick-Off of the equally entitled to life, liberty, and the pur- National Treasures Tour suit of happiness; that this whole country was July 13, 1998 put together out of an understanding that no individual can maximize the pursuit of life, Thank you very much. Is this a great way liberty, and the pursuit of happiness alone, to start the week, or what? [Laughter] Thank you, Secretary Heyman, Ms. Rimel, Mr. and so we had to join together to reinforce Mayor and members of the city council, Mr. each other’s efforts. Moe. Thank you, Denyce, as always for being And then there was another great insight, so wonderful. Thank you, Ralph Lauren, for which is that in the joining we couldn’t repeat this incredible act of generosity and, I think, the mistakes of the monarchies from which foresight. And I want to thank the First Lady we fled and give anyone absolute power over for once again creating something of endur- anyone else. And so we created this written ing value to our country in this Millennium Constitution to say that, okay, we’ve got to Project. join together, and some people have to be You know, Hillary mentioned this, but our representatives and they should be given 1814 was not a particularly good year for authority to make certain decisions, but America. And the British did burn the White never unlimited and never forever. House, and we’ve just finished a 15-year ren- And I’d say that system has worked pretty ovation of the White House, and we left two well over the last 220-plus years. And that’s of the great stones unpainted to remind peo- what that flag embodies—at a moment when ple that it only became the White House we could have lost it all, when the White after the British burned it. And when the House itself was burned, when a lot of people burn marks couldn’t be scrubbed off, the didn’t think that we had such a good idea. beautiful stone had to be painted white to And so, now it’s standing there—a little cover the memory of what had happened. worse for the wear—but quite ready to be It’s rather nice, actually, to have a couple of restored. And in that sense, it is a metaphor the stones unpainted so that we don’t com- for our country, which is always ready to be pletely forget. restored. Not since that time has the United States When Hillary and I were talking about been invaded. And so the confidence of all the people who were involved was well- what we should do to commemorate the mil- founded. Francis Scott Key wrote ‘‘The Star- lennium, and she came up with this phrase, Spangled Banner’’ in the midst of a very ‘‘honoring the past and imagining the fu- fierce battle. He was standing on the deck ture,’’ I loved it because it seems to me to of a ship, behind enemy lines, looking into be so much two sides of the same coin. You darkness, searching for the fate of the flag. heard her only slightly making fun of me The poem he wrote about it became our na- there about my obsession with the history of tional anthem. the United States and the White House and If you remember the words and then you this great city. When I became President, I look at this massive flag, you can imagine was often made fun of for my obsession about what it must have been like in 1814, waving

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the future and trying to modernize the coun- destroying it. There will be new and different try, and to me, the two things are not incon- challenges, but we can meet them best if we sistent at all, because America is a country remember what got us here. That’s why sav- that has always been in the act of becoming. ing the Star-Spangled Banner is important. You heard—if you listened carefully to the That’s why I asked the American people to remarkable statement by Secretary Heyman, do it in the State of the Union. That’s why he mentioned the phrase of the Founders I’m very grateful to Ralph Lauren today for to ‘‘form a more perfect Union.’’ If you think stepping forward. about it, that is the enduring mission of You know, most of us have—well, maybe America. They were very smart people, and not most of us, but a lot of us, including Hil- they understood that any great nation is al- lary and me—have those great Polo sweaters ways a work in progress. They understood with the American flag on it. I wish I had that they could never imagine the far reaches one with the Star-Spangled Banner on it be- of America’s future. They understood that cause that’s the gift that he’s given America these ideals they set up would never be per- today. fectly realized. Now, I want to echo what Hillary said. And so they gave us a mission that will There is more to do. President Lincoln and be just as good for our grandchildren as it his family and many other Presidents’ fami- is for us, just as good as it was for George lies used to stay in a little cabin up with the Washington and Abraham Lincoln, ‘‘to form Old Soldiers Home here in Washington, DC, a more perfect Union,’’ because there will in the summertime because the Potomac was always be something there to do better, al- so hot. That ought to be preserved for all ways a new challenge. And I agree that if time to come. And this committee has identi- you look at where we are today, we have both fied dozens of other sites. the traditional responsibilities of every gen- But I also want to emphasize something eration of Americans to deepen the meaning else Hillary said, as she begins this tour over of our freedom and to widen the circle of the next 4 days to identify nationally signifi- opportunity, and all these new challenges. cant treasures. Every community in this One of them is to deal with our phenome- country has got some piece of itself that nally increasing diversity. needs to endure. And I hope that the public Didn’t you get a kick out of seeing all those airing that this event receives today will make kids standing there doing the Pledge of Alle- people in every community across our coun- giance, from all their backgrounds? Who try once again say, ‘‘What have we got here were their grandparents? Who were their that we should preserve for our grand- great-great-grandparents? Where did they children and for all time to come?’’ Ameri- come from? What was their story? It doesn’t cans need to know the stories of their coun- matter, because they now have a chance to try, their States, their communities, their live the dream that was promised to all of families. us so long ago. That’s what that flag em- Let me especially thank the History Chan- bodies. nel for doing its part to share the story of We have all kinds of responsibilities now the Star-Spangled Banner by producing its to the rest of the world we didn’t have before, own TV documentary and providing teachers because now the world is yearning for free- with educational packets about it. dom, and there is no cold war, and we must Again let me say to all of you, too, we must summon ourselves to understand that in the continue to imagine the future. I asked the 21st century, preserving everything good Congress to pass the Save America’s Treas- about America at home requires us to be ures program, as well as the biggest research more involved with our neighbors around the program for the future in history, and to put world than ever before. them together so that our people could see We have new challenges when it comes that the story of America is a seamless one. to our natural environment, to prove that we I hope all of you in this room and all of can continue to enjoy the fruits of material the people who are involved in this endeavor, prosperity while replenishing the Earth, not every time you see the Star-Spangled Banner

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for the rest of your life will think about pre- confidence. Strong implementation by the serving our past, honoring it, but also will Russian Government of these important re- think about imagining the future. What an form measures is essential. I continue to be- imagination it took in 1814 to believe that lieve that a partnership with a stable, demo- America had a boundless future. cratic, and prosperous Russia is a vital U.S. The Continental Congress said when it au- national interest. thorized the first flag of 13 stars that they were ‘‘a new constellation.’’ They were right. When I looked at all those children today Statement on Brazil’s Ratification of saying the Pledge of Allegiance, I thought, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test now we are a newer constellation—different Ban and Nuclear Non-Proliferation than they could have imagined—racially, reli- Treaties giously. We have no longer a small country July 13, 1998 on the eastern seaboard, but a continental nation, with the greatest influence for good Today Brazil ratified the Comprehensive the world has ever seen and an enormous Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and acceded to the responsibility for the future. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). I And that is the last point I would like to want to congratulate President Cardoso and make today. You can neither honor the past, the Government of Brazil for taking this his- nor imagine the future, nor achieve it without toric step. the kind of citizenship embodied by all of Brazil’s decision renews momentum for our memories of the flag. So as you see this the international effort to halt the spread of flag and leave this place, promise yourself nuclear weapons and promote disarmament that when your great-grandchildren are here, around the world. At a time when actions they’ll not only be able to see the Star-Span- by India and Pakistan threaten a nuclear gled Banner, it will mean just as much to competition in South Asia, Brazil has chosen them then as it does to you today. a different course—to invest in its people, Thank you, and God bless you. not in a costly arms race. Brazil’s action today to ratify the CTBT NOTE: The President spoke at 8:48 a.m. at the makes it all the more important for the U.S. National Museum of American History. In his re- to do the same. I call on our Senate to act marks, he referred to I. Michael Heyman, Sec- expeditiously to approve the CTBT—already retary, Smithsonian Institution; Rebecca W. signed by 149 nations and supported by the Rimel, president, Pew Charitable Trusts; Mayor Joint Chiefs of Staff—so that the United Marion S. Barry, Jr., of Washington, DC; Richard States can lead in this vital endeavor. Moe, president, National Trust for Historic Pres- ervation; singer Denyce Graves; and Ralph Lauren, chairman and chief executive officer, Polo Proclamation 7108—50th Ralph Lauren Corp. Anniversary of the Integration of the Armed Services, 1998 Statement on the Proposed July 13, 1998 International Monetary Fund By the President of the United States Financing Program for Russia of America July 13, 1998 A Proclamation I welcome the announcement this morn- On July 26, 1948, with the stroke of a pen, ing by Michel Camdessus, managing director President Harry Truman changed the course of the International Monetary Fund, that he of American history. By signing Executive will recommend a new financing program for Order 9981, ‘‘Establishing the President’s Russia to the Fund’s Executive Board. This Committee on Equality of Treatment and new program of Russian policy commitments Opportunity in the Armed Services,’’ he offi- and international financial support can pro- cially declared that ‘‘there shall be equality vide a sound basis for increased stability and of treatment and opportunity for all persons

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in the armed services without regard to race, In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set color, religion or national origin.’’ His action my hand this thirteenth day of July, in the reflected the growing realization by more year of our Lord nineteen hundred and nine- and more Americans that our Nation could ty-eight, and of the Independence of the no longer reconcile segregation with the val- United States of America the two hundred ues we had fought a war to uphold. and twenty-third. The United States had emerged from William J. Clinton World War II with a new understanding of the importance of racial and ethnic diversity [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, to our Nation’s strength and unity. Nazi rac- 8:45 a.m., July 14, 1998] ism and the horrors of the concentration NOTE: This proclamation was published in the camps shocked Americans and revealed the Federal Register on July 15. true dangers of prejudice and discrimination. Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens from many different ethnic and racial back- Remarks at a New Democratic grounds served and sacrificed in the war. The Network Dinner valor of segregated African American sol- July 13, 1998 diers—from the Tuskegee Airmen and the 761st Tank Battalion to individuals like Gen- Thank you very much. Well, Joe, I agree eral Benjamin O. Davis and General Daniel with Hadassah; this is pretty impressive. I ‘‘Chappie’’ James—could not be ignored. would like to thank all the members who are These heroes risked their lives for our coun- here, all the candidates who are here, the sponsors of this event, and those of you who try overseas, and yet still faced discrimination have contributed, because this group is going here at home. By signing Executive Order to give the American people a chance to fi- 9981, President Truman set America on the nally and fully ratify the ideas that we have path to right this wrong. been pursuing the last 6 years. We have come a long way in the subse- I want to thank Simon—I did tell Senator quent 50 years, and the United States Armed Lieberman I thought Simon had given a good Forces have been in the vanguard of our cru- talk. One of the things that I always think sade to abolish discrimination in our society. that all of us should be doing is trying to Today our men and women in uniform rep- recruit good young people and lift them up. resent so many aspects of the diversity that Simon self-selected—we didn’t have to re- has made our Nation great, and they have cruit him at all. [Laughter] After surviving proved that different people, sharing the the War Room in ’92, he understands that same values, can work together as a mighty all you have to do is just sort of stand there force for peace and freedom at home and and keep going, and it will be all right. around the world. We still have much to ac- I’m delighted to see so many of you here, complish in our journey to become a society so many old friends and some people who that respects our differences, celebrates our are getting involved in this. And I will be diversity, and unites around our shared val- a little brief tonight. I rewrote my talk; here ues, but we should proudly mark the mile- it is. Even I can’t read it, so it will be less. stones on that journey and rejoice in the Well, I’d like to just kind of recap how progress we have made thus far. this all began. I’ll never forget the first time Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, or two I talked to Al From and the first en- President of the United States of America, counter I had with many of you through the by virtue of the authority vested in me by DLC, and how strongly we felt that our the Constitution and laws of the United party, which we had no intention of leaving, States, do hereby proclaim July 26, 1998, as was being rendered irrelevant in national the 50th Anniversary of the Integration of elections, partly by being caricatured suc- the Armed Services. I call upon all Americans cessfully by the very adroit tactics of our to observe this day with appropriate pro- friends in the Republican Party and partly grams, ceremonies, and activities. because we seemed unable to break out of

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the conventional wisdom which had worked know what a principle is; a principle is an for us in the past but which seemed inad- old liberal idea or a new conservative idea. equate to the dynamic present. And that had That’s what a principle is. And that way we been the case for some years. don’t have to think anymore. We were re- If you look around the world today—and lieved of all the burden of thinking about the I don’t want to make any untoward foreign complexities of the modern world if we just policy comments—but if you look around the put you in some box. And if you guys don’t world today, you see that there is always fit, it must mean that there is no core there.’’ quite a high price to pay if you stay with a But we sort of pressed ahead. And when strategy that once worked for you, or with I started running in ’92, a lot of you helped ideas and policies that once worked for you, me, even though you honestly didn’t believe when circumstances change, and they no I had a chance to win. [Laughter] Only my longer fit. We find that in business, we find mother thought I could win. That’s not true; that in our personal lives, in virtually every Hillary did. And the American people gave form of human endeavor. us a chance. And we set about the business And so more than a decade ago, those of of doing this. us that loved and believed in the Democratic And along the way, we found that, as all Party as the instrument of progressive gov- people do, it wasn’t always easy to take your ernment, lifting people up, giving them a general principles and turn them into specific chance, building the American community, bills and specific policies. From time to time, and expecting responsibility from every citi- we had disagreements, but it’s clear the path zen, started, through the Democratic Lead- we have followed. And it was clear to us very ership Council, to try to come up with the often even when it wasn’t clear to people who ideas that would carry America forward. were commenting on it. It is true that we built it on the old bedrock I remember when we had the debate on values of our party, and I think of our coun- welfare reform, for example, and I vetoed try, of opportunity, responsibility, and com- the first two bills and I signed the third one, munity. It’s also true that we said some things so people said, ‘‘Well, obviously, the Presi- which made everybody angry and often con- dent just didn’t want the Democrats to be fused our friends in the press. And they exposed to another veto in an election year.’’ sometimes said, ‘‘Well, if you don’t fit into I never read a single article which analyzed these old categories, you must not have any the difference in the bill I signed and the principles.’’ I mean, whoever—it’s obviously two I vetoed. The two I vetoed said, ‘‘We’re stupid to believe you could reduce the deficit going to make you go to work if you’re able- and balance the budget and still keep invest- bodied, and if you have to give up being a ing more in education and science and tech- good parent, that’s fine with us. We’re not nology, for example. going to give your kids Medicaid. We’re not Hard to believe that, on crime, the only going to give your kids food stamps. We’re thing that would ever work would be to be not going to provide adequate child care for tough on people who should be properly you. The most important thing is work, and punished but to do smart things to prevent if you can’t be a good parent, that’s tough.’’ crime in the first place. On welfare, to say I still believe that’s the most important job that if you’re able-bodied you ought to go in America. So when they fixed the bill, I to work, but we don’t expect you to give up signed it. your most important job, which is raising So fast-forward to the present. If you look your child. Or on the environment, to say back on the last 6 years, if somebody told that it’s crazy to believe that we can ever have you on the day of inauguration in 1993 that long-term economic growth without preserv- after 6 years we’d have the lowest crime rate ing the environment, but we think we can in 25 years, the lowest unemployment rate do it and still grow the economy. in 28 years and 16 million new jobs, the low- And when we said these things, for years est welfare rolls in 29 years, the first balanced people said, ‘‘Well, those people, they don’t budget in 29 years, the lowest inflation in have any principles, because, after all, we 32 years, the smallest Federal Government

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in 35 years, the highest rate of home owner- hear a lot of my Republican friends say, ship in history, a quarter of a million people ‘‘Well, you know, you go all the way back who couldn’t buy guns because they had to the Civil War, and the party of the Presi- mental health histories or criminal records, dent always loses seats in the midterm elec- cleaner air, cleaner water, safer food, fewer tion, especially in the second term of the toxic waste dumps, 90 percent of our kids President.’’ And I said, ‘‘Well, that’s because immunized, and a foreign policy that’s they think they’re sort of retiring.’’ I’m not helped to advance the cause of freedom from sitting in the Sun here; we’ve got an agenda. Bosnia to the Middle East to Northern Ire- We don’t believe America should be sitting land to Haiti—that’s expanded trade and on its laurels. We believe, first of all, that stood up for human rights in places like we hadn’t had a balanced budget and a sur- China and other places around the world— plus for 29 years, and we don’t want the ma- you would have said, ‘‘Never happen in 51⁄2 jority in Congress to spend it before we save years.’’ Social Security. We want to reform Medicare The American people did it. We had some- in a way that is relevant to the 21st century, thing to do with it because we gave them that protects the health care of seniors. And the ability to do it, because we said the role we don’t want Social Security and Medicare of Government should be to give people the to bankrupt the children and grandchildren power, the tools, to make the most of their of the baby boomers. And we believe we can own lives and then to provide the conditions do both things. And we think, as Democrats, within which they can accomplish that but we’re better suited to that path. always to remind people that one of the big We want to continue to reform education, differences between ourselves and the other even as they try to eviscerate our agenda, party historically, and still, is that we believe as I speak, in the House of Representatives. that we are fundamentally interdependent, We want to continue to advance the environ- and that our personal independence can only mental agenda with market technology and really be manifested when we’re working to- research to prove that we can improve the gether for the greater good. And those who environment while we grow the economy. say that’s a flaky idea and inappropriate to We want to continue to prove that we can the moment need only go back and read our be one America, across all the lines that di- founding documents. vide us, because what we have in common Our Founders pledged their lives and for- is more important. tunes and sacred honor to the proposition We have a lot of big things to do. We want that we should all be able to pursue life, lib- to prove that we can go into inner-city neigh- erty, and happiness within the context of a borhoods and isolated rural areas and Native free government, of limited power but un- American reservations and bring the prin- limited potential and that our eternal mission ciples of market economy and the right kind as a country was to form a more perfect of support and prove that even in the poorest Union, not to form a more perfect collection parts of America we can create a system of of swarming individuals but to form a more opportunity that will work for people and perfect Union. that they ought to have a chance to be a part And I’m very grateful that I was given the of. chance to serve. And it’s a good thing we We have a lot to do. This country still has got that constitutional amendment, or I’d try responsibilities in the world that we are not to get another chance. [Laughter] fully meeting. If we’re going to create the But I want to tell you, I am absolutely con- kind of world trading system we want, if vinced that we have not finished the job of we’re going to continue to be a force for convincing the American people that the human rights and democracy, if we’re going prospects for the future depend upon the to organize ourselves against the security continued embrace and development of the threats of the 21st century—including bio- ideas which have produced the results of the logical and chemical warfare, small-scale nu- last 6 years. That’s what this election is all clear warfare, terrorism, narcotrafficking— about. They say, ‘‘Oh well, you know,’’—I we have other things to do.

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And if we keep these ideas up front, I think at what they stand for and what we stand that the people we have seen here tonight, for, and have an honest choice of the ideas the Members of Congress and the can- before them, they would say, ‘‘I think I like didates, have an excellent chance of winning. that New Democrat way; I think that’s right.’’ And I think we have an excellent chance to So don’t get discouraged when you’re still genuinely build a majority party not based shedding the shackles of history. Don’t get on the success of one person from, as one discouraged when you’re still scrubbing the of my adversaries once said, a small Southern barnacles off the tarnished image that we had State. for too long. Don’t get discouraged when I am very grateful for the chance I had you’re still moving against the preconcep- to serve and run. I’m grateful for the chance tions that people have embedded over 20 that I’ve had to win elections. I’ve loved every years. The hardest thing in the world to day, every month, every year of my life in change is a mind. But ideas move people; politics. But the success America enjoys they drive countries; they change destinies— today is fundamentally due first to the char- in people’s individual lives and family lives acter and effort and ingenuity of the Amer- and work lives and in the course of a coun- ican people, and secondly, to the fact that try’s life. And this country has had a good we have done the right thing. Ideas matter; 6 years because of the ideas that all of you there are consequences that flow from ac- worked hard on for years and years and years, tions taken or foregone. And you know and before I had the extreme good fortune to I know—and I can tell you agree with me serve as President in 1993. because you’re quiet and you’re listening— So don’t give up on that, and don’t get that two Presidential elections in good discouraged. And don’t think that just be- times—the second one in good times—do cause every election since the Civil War, in not necessarily ratify what we’re doing. an off year, has turned out a certain way that We have worked like crazy to hammer this one will, because there’s something dif- these ideas into policies. And we’ve had hon- ferent about now. The country is doing well. est debates and arguments and sometimes We’ve got the ideas, and we’ve got youth. we still disagree, but we know we’re moving And if you keep your spirits up and you un- the country in a certain direction and we derstand the historic mission you’re on and know it works. And we’ve got to go out there you think about what your country ought to in this election season and tell the American look like when your children are your age, people that, ‘‘Hey, you know, I like the Presi- I think you’ll be very pleased by how it turns dent, too, but this is not a personality contest; out. this is the struggle for the ideas that should Thank you very much, and God bless you. properly dominate the public policy of this country, that should guide this country where NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 8:05 we’re going, and should lift us up and give p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom at the Sheraton us a chance to do even better in the 21st Carlton Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to Simon Rosenberg, executive director, and Senator century.’’ Joseph I. Lieberman, cofounder, New Democratic What you’re doing is very, very important. Network, and his wife, Hadassah; and Al From, And if you’re undertaking one of these con- president, Democratic Leadership Council. gressional races out there in an open seat— maybe it’s held by a Republican; maybe it was held by a Republican—and it gets tough, Remarks on the Year 2000 and you get discouraged, just remember, you Conversion Computer Problem know in the very marrow of your being that July 14, 1998 two-thirds of the American people, if they could get rid of all the cardboard, cut-out, Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President, superficial, negative images that our friends Dr. Alberts, to all of our platform guests, in the Republican Party have laid on us for Senator Bennett, Senator Dodd, Congress- 20 years relentlessly, cleverly, and often ef- men Horn, Kucinich, LaFalce, and Turner, fectively, and strip all that away and just look and members of the administration who are

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here and all the rest of you who are commit- To protect our economic strength, there- ted to dealing with this challenge. fore, it is imperative that Congress act now This is one of those days that I never to promote global economic stability by pay- thought would ever arrive, where Al Gore ing in America’s share to the IMF. Earlier has to listen to me give a speech about com- this year, the Senate, in an overwhelming bi- puters. [Laughter] Being President has its partisan vote, endorsed legislation to moments. [Laughter] strengthen the IMF and to pay our fair share into it. Since then, the legislation has lan- International Monetary Fund Financing guished in the House. If we fail to act respon- of Russia sibly at a time when there is so much finan- I have to ask your indulgence because this cial uncertainty in the world, we will be put- is my only opportunity to appear before the ting our farmers, our workers, and our busi- press today, and I need to make a brief com- nesses at risk. This is a time to put progress ment about something that is also of impor- ahead of partisanship, and I ask Congress to tance to all of you, and that is the agreement proceed to do so. [Applause] Thank you. that was reached yesterday between Russia Let me also say at the outset, I want to and the International Monetary Fund to sta- say a special word of thanks, as the Vice bilize the Russian economy. President did, to John Koskinen and his I think all of us understand that a stable whole team for the work they are doing and and democratic and prosperous Russia is crit- to all the people that are working with them. ical to our long-term national interests. Ever We have, just on this platform, representative since the fall of communism there, there has people from utilities, from transportation, been a strong bipartisan consensus in our Na- from finance, from telecommunications, and tional Government, and I believe in our from small business. And this really is a joint country, to working toward that end. effort we are all making. The commitments that Russia made in But I thank you, John. You know, before connection with yesterday’s agreement will I became President, John Koskinen was a substantially advance economic reform and personal friend of mine—I doubt if he still stability there. Now it is critical that those is now that I got him to do this. [Laughter] commitments be implemented to strengthen But what’s a friendship to save the country’s confidence in their economy. wires, so I thank him. [Laughter] It is clear, I think, to all of us now that I asked Bruce Alberts this—I remembered our prosperity here at home in America is that Richard Berks’ magnificent statue of Al- deeply affected by the economic conditions bert Einstein is right outside here, and I wish elsewhere in the world. About a third of our we could bring him to life for this moment. economic expansion that the Vice President But I think I’ll drive by it on the way out referred to, which has given us 16 million for inspiration. new jobs and the lowest unemployment rate It seems unbelievable that it’s only 535 in 28 years with the lowest inflation rate in days from now, at the stroke of midnight, 32 years, has come from our exports and our when we will usher in a new year, a new economic relations with the rest of the world. century, a new millennium. It will be, to be We, therefore, have a clear interest in playing sure, an astonishing age of possibility, of re- a leading role to advance freedom and pros- markable advances in science and tech- perity and stability. nology, a time when information clearly will One of the most cost-effective ways of widen the circle of opportunity to more peo- doing that is through the International Mon- ple in the world than ever before and when etary Fund, the world’s financial firefighter. technology will continue to shrink our small For the first time in 20 years now, the IMF planet and require us to deal with challenges has had to draw on special emergency re- together, including that climate change chal- serves to underwrite this Russian financial lenge that Dr. Alberts referred to. package, because its resources were It is fitting, if more than a little ironic, that stretched dangerously thin due to the finan- this same stroke of midnight will pose a sharp cial difficulties throughout Asia, principally. and signal test of whether we have prepared

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ourselves for the challenges of the informa- to put in place backup plans so that essential tion age. The Vice President discussed the business and government services are not in- design flaw in millions of the world’s comput- terrupted. ers that will mean they will be unable to rec- With millions of hours needed to rewrite ognize the year 2000. And if they can’t, then billions of lines of code and hundreds of we will see a series of shutdowns, inaccurate thousands of interdependent organizations, data, faulty calculations. this is clearly one of the most complex man- Because the difficulty is as far flung as the agement challenges in history. Consider just billions of microchips that run everything one major bank, Chase Manhattan. It must from farm equipment to VCR’s, this is not work through 200 million lines of code, check a challenge that is susceptible to a single 70,000 desktop computers, check 1,000 soft- Government program or an easy fix. It is a ware packages from 600 separate software complex test that requires us all to work to- vendors. gether, every government agency, every uni- The Government’s Health Care Financing versity, every hospital, every business, large Administration, known affectionately by the and small. Governors and others as HCFA, which runs I came here today because I wanted to Medicare, processes almost one billion trans- stress the urgency of the challenge to people actions a year. Its computer vendors must who are not in this room. So often one of painstakingly renovate 42 million lines of the wry and amusing aspects of the nature computer code. of my work is that when I give a speech like All told, the worldwide cost will run into this, I am typically preaching to the choir, as we say back home. But hopefully the ser- the tens, perhaps the hundreds of billions of mon is heard beyond the four walls of this dollars, and that’s the cost of fixing the prob- room because, clearly, we must set forth lem, not the cost if something actually goes what the Government is doing, what business wrong. is doing, but also what all of us have yet to Already extraordinary efforts are underway do to meet this challenge together. And there by the people on the platform, many of you is still a pressing need for action. out here, and others, but more must be done. The consequences of the millennium bug, We know first we have to put our own house if not addressed, could simply be a rash of in order to make certain the Government will annoyances, like being unable to use a credit be able to continue to guard our borders, card at the supermarket, or the video store guide air traffic, send out Social Security and losing track of the tape you have already re- Medicare checks, and fulfill our other duties. turned. Has that ever happened to you? We’ve worked hard to be ready. I set a gov- [Laughter] It really is aggravating. It could ernmentwide goal of full compliance by affect electric power—I just wanted to re- March of 1999. John Koskinen is heading our mind you that I used to have a life, and I council on the Y2K problem. I’ve met with know about things like that. [Laughter] It the Cabinet and charged them personally to could affect electric power, phone service, produce results and report quarterly to OMB air travel, major governmental service. on progress. We’re working with State and As the Vice President said, we’re not just local governments to do the same thing. talking about computer networks but billions We have made progress. As has already of embedded chips built into everyday prod- been said, the Social Security Administration ucts. And it’s worth remembering that the has more than 90 percent of its critical sys- typical family home today has more com- tems ready. Other agencies, like EPA, puter power in it than the entire MIT cam- FEMA, and the VA, are well on their way pus had 20 years ago. An oil drilling rig alone to meeting our goal. But not every agency may include 10,000 separate chips. is as far along as it should be. I have made The solution, unfortunately, is massive, it clear to every member of my Cabinet that painstaking, and labor intensive. It will take the American people have a right to expect a lot of time to rewrite lines of computer uninterrupted service from Government, and code in existing systems, to buy new ones, I expect them to deliver.

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I want to thank the thousands of individ- erally only begun just to think about the uals who are working to prepare our Govern- problem. ment and to make sure we can stay open So I think it is important that the United for business. I especially want to thank the States recognize that the more we can do Vice President and John Koskinen and the to help other countries meet this challenge people who are working with them at OMB in a timely fashion, the better off our own and elsewhere. And I very much appreciate economy is going to be and the more smooth- these Members of Congress who are here ly our own businesses will be able to function and the extraordinary bipartisan interest and as we pass over into the new millennium. support meeting this challenge has engen- The United States, to try to help, will provide dered. $12 million to support the World Bank’s Year In my proposed balanced budget for 1999, 2000 Fund for developing countries. I asked Congress to fund this initiative on I also want to say what we all know and a one-time basis, because it is literally a once- what you can see from the platform, which in-a-lifetime challenge. I urged the Congress is this is not a Government problem alone. to fully fund it and to provide contingency By far, the most significant potential risks fall funding so that we can respond to unforeseen in the private sector. Large firms already difficulties that are sure to arise as we near have spent hundreds of millions of dollars January of 2000. We have worked closely to make sure their systems are ready. Many with Senators Bennett and Dodd and Con- have spearheaded remarkable efforts to gressman Horn and Congressman Kucinich make sure their firms and their whole indus- and the other Members who are here, Con- tries are ready. We’re encouraged that doz- gressmen LaFalce and Turner and others in ens of firms and thousands of people on Wall Street last night began a simulation to test the Congress. As I said, there has been a whether they are ready. And the tele- heartening amount of interest in this by peo- communication, banking, electric power, and ple who actually know quite a lot about it airline industries all deserve praise for the in the Congress, and that’s a very good thing. seriousness with which they are taking the I think we all understand that this is a case challenge. where we cannot allow, even in this election I want to compliment one person back season, any shred of partisanship to impinge here in particular. Steve Wolf came all the on the national interest. We, after all, only way back from Africa, got here at 3 o’clock have 17 months to go. in the morning to show up to manifest his I believe we also have a role to play in understanding of the importance of this chal- helping to meet this challenge around the lenge to the airline industry, and he is still world. Surely we can’t be responsible for the breathing the rarefied air of Kilimanjaro, so preparedness of other countries, but I can we thank him especially for doing that. make the same argument I just made about But let me say, in spite of all this progress, the IMF and Russia: If increasingly our pros- in the business sector just as in the Govern- perity is tied to the well-being of other na- ment sector, there are still gaping holes. Far tions, it would obviously have adverse con- too many businesses, especially small- and sequences for us here at home if a number medium-sized firms, will not be ready unless of our trading partners had major malfunc- they begin to act. A recent Wells Fargo Bank tions. survey shows that of the small businesses that When I was meeting with the world’s even know about the problem, roughly half major industrial organizations in Bir- intend to do nothing about it. Now, this is mingham, England, a few months ago, I not one of the summer movies where you brought this up, and I found that we had can close your eyes during the scary parts. become far more invested in this and in- Every business, of every size, with eyes wide volved in this than some other major nations. open, must face the future and act. When I was in Santiago, Chile, at the Summit So today I would issue three challenges of the Americas, I brought it up in our private to our business community. First, every busi- meeting, and a number of countries had lit- ness must take responsibility for making sure

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it is ready. Any business that approaches the fearing legal complications. We have to take new year armed only with a bottle of cham- prudent steps to clear away any legal barriers pagne and a noisemaker is likely to have a to effective action. Earlier this month, the very big hangover on New Year’s morning. Justice Department stated that competitors [Laughter] Every business should assess its who merely share information on how to exposure, ask vendors and suppliers to be solve this problem are not in violation of the ready as well, and develop contingency plans, Nation’s antitrust laws. We need to get that as we are, in case critical systems or systems message out there loud and clear: No one of vendors fail as we move into the year 2000. should be afraid to help another company I want to especially thank Aida Alvarez and to deal with this challenge. the Small Business Administration and its There is more we can do. This week I will supporters in Congress. And I thank you, Mr. propose good samaritan legislation to guaran- LaFalce, in particular, for the work that has tee that businesses which share information been done to spread the message in the small about their readiness with the public or with business community. each other, and do it honestly and carefully, And I’d like to salute one firm represented cannot be held liable for the exchange of that here, the Torrington Research Company, information if it turns out to be inaccurate. which makes fans for cars and computers. And here, too, time is of the essence. It has only 55 employees, but they’ve taken Our third challenge to business is that you the time to check their systems and by the should take responsibility to accurately and end of this year they will be ready—by the fully tell your customers how you’re doing end of this year. I want every small business and what you’re doing. By letting customers in America to follow their lead. know they are on top of the problem, busi- As the Vice President said, we need lit- nesses can help to maintain confidence and erally an army of programmers and informa- avoid overreaction. This is very important. It tion technology experts to finish the task. is important that we act and not be in denial; Many of the computers involved are decades it is also very important that we avoid over- old; some of them use programming lan- reaction from people who hear, ‘‘Oh my guage no longer used or even taught. There goodness, this problem is out there.’’ And so is a wealth of knowledge in America’s tens we have to do both things. of thousands of retirees who once worked The proposed good samaritan law will give in the computer industry or Government as companies the confidence they need to en- programmers or information technology sure that they keep their customers in- managers. I’m pleased to announce that the formed. If ordinary citizens believe they’re Department of Labor will expand its job being told the full story, they’ll be far less bank and talent bank to help to meet this likely to act in ways that could themselves challenge. And I thank Secretary Herman hurt our economy. and Deputy Secretary Higgins for that. We can do more to help businesses reach The AARP has also agreed to help out. these goals. Later this month, our Council And we’re reaching out to civilian and mili- on the Year 2000 Conversion will launch a tary retirees who did this work for Govern- national campaign for year 2000 solutions, to ment before. I will ask these older Americans promote partnerships between industry to set aside their well-earned rest and help groups and Government agencies, with the our Nation to meet this challenge. goal of sharing information about what actu- Second, businesses should exchange and ally works and to prod organizations at every pool information among themselves. It level to get ready, making certain Govern- makes no sense for every firm to have to re- ment services are not interrupted, minimiz- invent the digital wheel. Businesses should ing disruption to commerce, encouraging be able to benefit from the experiences of businesses to share with each other and re- other firms in the same situation that have port honestly to customers, and above all, found solutions or identified new obstacles. every business in America taking responsibil- Today, too many businesses are under- ity for being a part of the solution in the standably reluctant to share information, year 2000 conversion. These are the ways we,

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the American people, can be prepared to schools, invests in technology, and puts an meet this challenge. end to social promotion. These initiatives Now, no one will ever find every embed- would help ensure that every 8-year-old can ded microchip, every line of code that needs read, every 14-year-old can sign onto the to be rewritten. But if companies, agencies, Internet, and every 18-year-old can be ready and organizations are ready, if they under- for college. stand the threat and have backup plans, then That is why I am deeply concerned with we will meet this challenge. the Labor/HHS appropriations bill that Con- The millennium bug is a vivid and power- gress is considering today. This legislation de- ful reminder of the ways that we are growing nies essential educational opportunities to ever more independent as we rise to the chal- young people across the country and impor- lenges of this new era. When our Founding tant training and job opportunities for all Fathers urged us to form a more perfect Americans. Union, I don’t think they had this in mind, On balance, this bill fails to provide young but they might be quite pleased. The power- Americans with the schooling and training ful forces of change that have created that will be essential to their success as work- unimagined abundance also bear within ing adults and to our success as a nation. The them, as is consistent with human nature, the bill is fundamentally flawed. Overall, it cuts possibilities of new and unexpected chal- $2 billion from our request for education in- lenges. vestment, short-changing initiatives on edu- But if we act properly, we won’t look back cation reform, on raising educational on this as a headache, sort of the last failed achievement for our children, and on provid- challenge of the 20th century. It will be the ing focused help for students who need it first challenge of the 21st century success- most. In addition, the bill fails to fund my fully met. That is the American way, and to- childcare initiatives, eliminates current job gether we can do it. training and other programs for low-income Thank you very much. Americans, and has many other problems as well. NOTE: The President spoke at 11:13 a.m. at the By turning their backs on America’s young National Academy of Sciences. In his remarks, he in this bill, the House Republicans are taking referred to Bruce Alberts, president, National Academy of Sciences; and Stephen M. Wolf, a step backward. I urge the committee to chairman and chief executive officer, US Airways provide the funds necessary for this bill to Group, Inc. move America into the future, not backward. This bill shortchanges investments in edu- cation, and if it were sent to me in its current Statement on the Departments of form, I would have no choice but to veto Labor and Health and Human it. Services Appropriations Legislation July 14, 1998 Message to the Congress Making strategic investments in our peo- Transmitting a Report on Federal ple, especially our children, has been a criti- Advisory Committees cal component of my economic strategy from July 14, 1998 the start. Last year we worked together on a bipartisan basis to open the doors of col- To the Congress of the United States: lege, expanding Pell grants and creating As provided by the Federal Advisory Com- $1,500 HOPE scholarships to advance the mittee Act (FACA), as amended (Public Law critical goal of making college universally 92–463; 5 U.S.C. App. 2, 6(c)), I am submit- available. This year I have proposed strategic ting the Twenty-sixth Annual Report on Fed- investments to improve and reform K–12 eral Advisory Committees, covering fiscal education by putting standards, accountabil- year 1997. ity, and choice back into our public schools. Consistent with my commitment to create My agenda reduces class size, modernizes a more responsive government, the executive

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branch continues to implement my policy of ested stakeholders to participate in activities maintaining the number of advisory commit- undertaken by committees established by the tees within the ceiling of 534 required by Academies in support of executive branch Executive Order 12838 of February 10, 1993. decisionmaking processes. As a result, the number of discretionary advi- As FACA enters its second quarter-cen- sory committees (established under general tury during fiscal year 1998, it is appropriate congressional authorizations) was held to for both the Congress and my Administration 467, or 42 percent fewer than those 801 com- to continue examining opportunities for mittees in existence at the beginning of my strengthening the Act’s role in encouraging Administration. and promoting public participation. Accord- Through the advisory committee planning ingly, I am asking the Administrator of Gen- process required by Executive Order 12838, eral Services to prepare a legislative proposal the total number of advisory committees spe- for my consideration that addresses an over- cifically mandated by statute has declined. all policy framework for leveraging the The 391 such groups supported at the end public’s role in Federal decisionmaking of fiscal year 1997 represents a 4 percent de- through a wide variety of mechanisms, in- crease over the 407 in existence at the end cluding advisory committees. of fiscal year 1996. Compared to the 439 ad- By jointly pursuing this goal, we can fortify visory committees mandated by statute at the what has been a uniquely American approach beginning of my Administration, the net total toward collaboration. As so aptly noted by for fiscal year 1997 reflects an 11 percent Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in Amer- decrease since 1993. ica (1835), ‘‘In democratic countries knowl- Furthermore, my Administration will as- edge of how to combine is the mother of sure that the total estimated costs to fund all other forms of knowledge; on its progress these groups in fiscal year 1998, or $43.8 mil- depends that of all the others.’’ This observa- lion, are dedicated to support the highest pri- tion strongly resonates at this moment in our ority public involvement efforts. We will con- history as we seek to combine policy opportu- tinue to work with the Congress to assure nities with advances in collaboration made that all advisory committees that are required possible by new technologies, and an in- by statute are regularly reviewed through the creased desire of the Nation’s citizens to congressional reauthorization process and make meaningful contributions to their indi- that any such new committees proposed vidual communities and their country. through legislation are closely linked to na- William J. Clinton tional interests. The White House, Combined savings achieved through ac- July 14, 1998. tions taken by the executive branch to elimi- nate unneeded advisory committees during fiscal year 1997 were $2.7 million, including Message to the Congress $545,000 saved through the termination of Transmitting the Comprehensive five advisory committees established under National Energy Strategy Presidential authority. July 14, 1998 During fiscal year 1997, my Administration successfully worked with the Congress to To the Congress of the United States: clarify further the applicability of FACA to I am pleased to transmit the Comprehen- committees sponsored by the National Acad- sive National Energy Strategy (Strategy) to emy of Sciences (NAS) and the National the Congress. This report required by section Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). 801 of the Department of Energy Organiza- This initiative resulted in the enactment of tion Act (Public Law 95–91; 42 U.S.C. the Federal Advisory Committee Act 7321(b)), highlights our national energy pol- Amendments of 1997 (Public Law 105–153), icy. It contains specific objectives and plans which I signed into law on December 17, for meeting five essential, common sense 1997. The Act provides for new and impor- goals enumerated in the accompanying mes- tant means for the public and other inter- sage from Secretary Pen˜ a.

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Energy is a global commodity of strategic whoever’s about to turn that tape recorder importance. It is also a key contributor to off. [Laughter] I’d like to thank Dr. Dickey, our economic performance, and its produc- Dr. Smoak, Dr. Anderson, and all the people tion and use affect the environment in many at the AMA for having us. I thank the mem- ways. Thus, affordable, adequate, and envi- bers of our roundtable for joining us, includ- ronmentally benign supplies of energy are ing Secretary Shalala, Secretary Herman, critical to our Nation’s economic, environ- Secretary West, Dr. Kizer, the director of the mental, and national security. health agency at the VA. And I want to say The Strategy reflects the emergence and to the members of the press who are here, interconnection of three preeminent chal- I am joined today by patients and their fami- lenges in the late 1990s: how to maintain en- lies, by doctors, nurses, and other health care ergy security in increasingly globalized en- providers who have widely different experi- ergy markets; how to harness competition in ences and perspectives, but all agree that we energy markets both here and abroad; and very badly need a Patients’ Bill of Rights. how to respond to local and global environ- More than 160 million Americans are in mental concerns, including the threat of cli- managed care today. At best, the system can mate change. The need for research and de- drive health care costs down and make health velopment underlies the Strategy, which in- care more affordable and accessible for more corporates recommendations of my Commit- Americans. We should all be encouraged tee of Advisors on Science and Technology representing at best that a coalition of 25 pro- (PCAST) for improvements in energy tech- gressive HMO’s this week endorsed the Pa- nologies that will enable the United States tients’ Bill of Rights. But as we will hear in to address our energy-related challenges. Ad- a few minutes, at its worst, managed care vances in energy technology can strengthen can also dehumanize health care, our economy, reduce our vulnerability to oil hamstringing doctors’ decisions, alienating shocks, lower the cost of energy to consum- patients, even endangering lives. ers, and cut emissions of air pollutants as well In an increasingly complicated health care as greenhouse gases. system we need a simple standard. Tradi- This Strategy was developed over several tional care or managed care, all Americans months in an open process. Three public are entitled to quality care. That is why in hearings were held earlier this year in Cali- my State of the Union Address I asked Con- fornia, Texas, and Washington, D.C., and gress to put progress ahead of partisanship more than 300 public comments were re- and to pass a Patients’ Bill of Rights. ceived. This Strategy is not a static docu- To do our part to meet this challenge, I ment; its specifics can be modified to reflect signed an Executive order back in February evolving conditions, while the framework to extend the protections of the Patients’ Bill provides policy guidance into the 21st cen- of Rights to 85 million Americans in Federal tury. My Administration looks forward to health plans. Today we’re taking further ac- working with the Congress to implement the tion. I am pleased to announce that the De- Strategy and to achieve its goals in the most partment of Veterans Affairs, which provides effective manner possible. health services to more than 3 million veter- William J. Clinton ans, is putting in place a new procedure to help those veterans appeal health decisions, The White House, July 14, 1998. one of the most important protections in our Patients’ Bill of Rights, and I thank Secretary West for that action. Remarks in a Roundtable Discussion To ensure, however, that every American on the Patients’ Bill of Rights is protected by a Patients’ Bill of Rights, Con- July 15, 1998 gress has to act. In the remaining days left in this legislative session, once again I ask The President. Hello, everybody. I’d like Congress to pass a strong and enforceable to make a very brief opening statement, be- Patients’ Bill of Rights that guarantees access ginning with expressing my thanks to to specialists so that people with cancer,

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heart disease, and other life-threatening ill- but they kicked it out, too, because of the nesses can get the health care they need; that bill, ERISA—— guarantees continuity of care—for example, The President. But ours would take care so that pregnant women can have the same of that; our legislation would take care of the doctor throughout their pregnancy, even if legal bar to your remedy. a doctor is dropped from a health plan; a Ms. Kuhl. I would be very happy that no- bill that makes these rights real by guarantee- body else had to go through this. ing a remedy to people who have been in- The President. Thank you. jured or lost family members as a result of Mr. Garvey. bad decisions; a bill that guarantees there will David Garvey told the story of his wife, who be no secret financial incentives for doctors [ was diagnosed with aplastic anemia while on to limit care. That is the kind of comprehen- vacation in Hawaii in 1994 and was rec- sive Patients’ Bill of Rights America needs ommended for a bone marrow transplant. It and deserves. We need, again I say, progress, was determined by doctors in Hawaii that not partisanship. Mrs. Garvey’s condition made it dangerous And now I would like to hear from all of for her to travel home to Chicago for treat- you. I would just start—I have a few ques- ment. Her HMO physician in Chicago agreed tions I want to ask, but I think it’s important with treating her in Hawaii, but was imme- for you basically to make a brief opening diately taken off her case and the new doctor, statement and tell us what your experiences without examination or consultation with have been. And, Mary, if you don’t mind, doctors on the case, insisted she return to I’d like to begin with you. Chicago for treatment or her bills would not [Mary Kuhl described her experience with a be covered. Mrs. Garvey’s condition left her health maintenance organization (HMO) in without an immune system. On her flight the aftermath of her husband’s heart attack. home, she suffered a stroke, developed a The HMO denied rehabilitation services and fungal infection, which kept her too unstable diagnostic procedures because the Kuhls for bone marrow transplants, and died 9 days were not certified. Ms. Kuhl related her frus- later. Mr. Garvey described the devastation trations with how HMO rules of procedure his wife’s death had caused his family and limited her husband’s ability to get the care expressed his belief that HMO’s are more in- he needed and would not allow the rec- terested in money than human life.] ommended time in a hospital. ] The President. If this legislation were to The President. You mean the HMO pass, one of the things that would happen— would only let you stay 2 days? this would also have been relevant to your Ms. Kuhl. Yes, they would only let him situation in St. Louis—is that people would stay 2 days. We did all that, and he never be eligible for out of the network—the so- got on the list, he just—on December 28, called out of the network treatment—if it was 1989, he dropped dead in our front yard and indicated as being in the best interest of the died in my arms. And I just don’t think patient, and also always held the same serv- HMO’s should have that right to make a deci- ices that are in the nature of an emergency. sion whether you’re going to live or die. I We hear stories like this all the time. think it should be up to the doctors, because Thank goodness very few of them result in all the doctors agreed that he needed to be death. But someone who’s not there on the in St. Louis on July 6. So that’s my story, scene, who’s not a physician, should not be Mr. President. second-guessing a doctor who’s there on the The President. Well, if we had this kind scene prescribing a certain treatment. of legislation, you would have had that right. Mr. Garvey. Yes. It’s a shame, but that’s Ms. Kuhl. Well, he did start a lawsuit what happens. against the insurance company and it went The President. I don’t think that’s ever through all the courts. It went through the what anyone intended to happen from man- Federal court; it went to the court of appeals; aged care, and I think that it’s clear to me and then finally it was in the Supreme Court, that just looking around the country, that

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even though a lot of States have passed these The President. Well, thank you for stick- Patients’ Bill of Rights, there’s no real uni- ing up for your folks. formity to it, and there ought to be a clear Dr. Evjy. Thank you. national rule that would cover both of the The President. Beverly Malone is the cases here that you have mentioned. president of the American Nurses Associa- Dr. Evjy, do you want to comment on this? tion, and maybe she would like to talk a little And if you could all speak up a little bit so bit about this from her perspective. they can hear you. I know we’re getting it— this is feeding into the mult box, but we need [Ms. Malone told a similar story of a young to talk a little bit louder. woman who discovered lumps in her breast but was told by her provider that malignancy [Jack Evjy, a medical oncologist, recalled in someone her age was unlikely. By the time when his daughter discovered a lump in her her symptoms required seeing a specialist, breast and had to persuade her managed care her condition had advanced significantly. Ms. provider to properly diagnose the problem Malone said as a nurse she sees a lot of this with a biopsy. She eventually had to change kind of thing, and she expressed her support doctors to get anything done and ultimately for a Patients’ Bill of Rights and thanked the lost both breasts. Dr. Evjy also told the story President for his work on the issue.] of a patient who suffered from lymphedema, and when he recommended that the patient The President. Thank you. see specialists, the patient’s health care pro- Mr. Fleming, tell us your story. vider took months to give permission for the treatment. Dr. Evjy expressed his support for [Mick Fleming told the story of his younger a Patients’ Bill of Rights.] sister who also discovered a lump in her breast. After a mastectomy, it was discovered The President. Did your daughter, when that the cancer had spread to her lungs. Spe- she had these tests, did she have to change cialists explained to her that there was only doctors and medical plans? a 2 to 3 month window for a procedure where Dr. Evjy. She did. She didn’t change high-dose chemotherapy and a bone marrow plans, but she changed doctors. transplant could save her life. Mr. Fleming The President. Because one of the things said it required preauthorization from her in- that we hear a lot of complaints about that surance carrier or $250,000 in cash before is not totally unrelated to the story that Mary doctors could begin treatment. Her insurance and David had in their lives, but has more carrier did not preauthorize and after a 4- specific application to a person like you, is month delay, the insurance carrier told Mr. that a lot of people complain that basically Fleming’s sister that the procedure was ex- there’s not access to specialists and specialist perimental and it was denied. The Fleming care at the time they needed them in these family hired attorneys to challenge the deci- plans. Your daughter deserves a lot of cred- sion, and the insurance carrier then author- it—— ized the treatment. However, the cancer had Dr. Evjy. She’s feisty—— by then spread to her brain, and she died The President. That’s what we really 10 months later. Mr. Fleming said congres- need, is aggressive health care providers urg- sional action is necessary to change the sys- ing people to get these tests, not flip them tem, and he expressed support for a Patients’ off. Because a lot of people go into denial, Bill of Rights.] and they don’t want to deal with these tests, and the responsible thing is for the physician The President. Carol Anderson is a billing to get them to do that. manager in an oncologist office. You’ve heard Dr. Evjy. I mean, when you’re sick, Mr. all these stories. Have you seen this happen President, and you have the burden of worry- a lot? I think it’s important, since you do this, ing about your life and well-being, the last and that we’ve got the press coverage here, thing you need is to have to fight with a that you say whether or not you think we bunch of other people to get the care which looked around and found all these people is essential to well-being. It’s just not right. who are just needles in haystacks or if they’re

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typical stories. That’s what we have to con- this because—look, I deal with this all the vince the Congress of. This is not unusual. time in other less tragic contracts. We have We haven’t found the only three people in trade disputes with other countries. They America who could tell these stories. know that if we’re right and they’re wrong and they can drag it out until kingdom come, [Ms. Anderson agreed, saying denials such it doesn’t matter if we win. And I can give as the ones in the participants’ experiences you lots of other examples. are common and that appeals processes are I’m a lawyer. From the time I was in law not effective. She offered her own example school, we were taught that justice delayed of this by telling of a 12-year-old boy who is justice denied. And we spend literally— developed a cancerous bone lesion on his leg. the legal profession spends years and years The doctor recommended a treatment, but and years of time trying to figure out how the insurance carrier would only authorize to expedite processes without doing injustice amputation. After a 4-month appeal of the to either side. This is a clear case of that treatment dispute, the boy’s leg had to be am- principle where the stakes are a heck of a putated. She said had he been given the treat- lot higher than they are in virtually any other ment initially, he would have his leg today. area of our national life. And so I think— Ms. Anderson said most hospitals operate in I don’t see how anybody could listen to all debt and require the money from patients up of you and walk away from the responsibility front, and the problems with getting author- to pass this bill. ization from carriers hinders proper care. Nancy, would you like to say anything? She expressed her hope that political par- tisanship would not delay progress on resolv- [Dr. Nancy W. Dickey, president, American ing such problems.] Medical Association, said the solution does indeed appear to be political. She said the The President. I honestly believe that— health care delivery system is too often today I don’t see how—I don’t think that this has hampered by accountants and clerks that af- anything to do with any kind of—it’s not a fect the decisionmaking. She said State laws political issue. And I think everybody who’s in the country have attempted to strike the ever personally experienced it feels the same balance between proper care and delivery way. processes, but those laws were instantly ap- And the only thing I would like to empha- pealed in court. Dr. Dickey thanked the size for the—especially for the public record President for his leadership on the issue, but here is that one of the things that we have stated that the medical community has been proposed, that the insurers have been so re- waiting for legislative action since the 103d sistant to in our bill, is an appeals process— Congress. She also supported the Patients’ some way of enforcing the substantive guar- Bill of Rights.] antees of the Patients’ Bill of Rights. But you have—we just sat here now and heard all The President. Secretary Shalala and Sec- these examples of your tragedy, your tragedy, retary Herman cochaired this quality health your tragedy, and your daughter slipped the care commission for me, and we had rep- noose so she saved her life, which dem- resentations from the nurses, the doctors, onstrates that medical care delayed might as and consumer groups, from business groups well be denied. I mean, delayed medical care and insurers. And they came up with the rec- can be a death sentence, pure and simple. ommendation of passing a strong Patients’ And maybe you save money that way if you’re Bill of Rights. And I wondered if either one running the operation, but that’s not what of them would like to say something or ask it is set up to do. any of you a question and to comment about I just want to say, from my point of view, where we are. your very brave and moving statements today [Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman spoke have made an utterly overwhelming case of the need to strengthen the Employee Re- that, yes, we need very clear substantive tirement Income Security Act of 1974 rights and disclosure, as Mick said, in the law, (ERISA) and said a right without a remedy but you’ve got to have some way of enforcing is really no right at all. Secretary Herman

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suggested looking into three things to to somebody that even knew as much as you strengthen ERISA protection: the relation- do about it, much less as much as a doctor ship between right and remedy, faster and does. So, what is the right answer, practically, fairer appeals, and protections for those who to the systems that the HMO’s and the insur- are wrongly denied care. Secretary of Health ers should have for making these decisions and Human Services Donna E. Shalala noted in a timely fashion so we’re not out there that there is a lot of discussion about Ameri- letting people die just by kicking the can cans wanting less Government, but this is an down the road? issue where they would like Government at- tention. She said a Patients’ Bill of Rights is [Ms. Anderson answered that if a clerk can- necessary for people to get the medical atten- not give authorization for a procedure, the tion they deserve.] request should be passed up to a more profes- sional level immediately and addressed in a The President. I would like to just say, timely fashion rather than denied.] again, I think it’s important to point out that there are a lot of good managed care oper- The President. Dr. Dickey, has the AMA ations. They are put at an unfair advantage spoken to this directly? when other people behave in an unscrupu- [Dr. Dickey said the AMA has a number of lous way. If you were running a managed recommendations, including more straight- care operation and you did everything you forward processes with fewer stages to pass could do to make sure these decisions were through so that patients know their options made like this—[at this point, the President faster and establishing a timeline on author- snapped his fingers]—so nobody ever died ization. She also noted the effectiveness of from delay, and you were willing to pay a forcing providers to take responsibility by little more to do it and risk a little more and taking names for the possibility of future legal invest a little more—why should you be put action.] at a competitive disadvantage because some- body else is out there putting lives at risk? The President. It looks to me like, too, So I think the industry itself, the good peo- there ought to be very, very clear rules when- ple in the industry, deserve this. And they ever a doctor certifies that the condition is would be better off if we had this bill, be- life-threatening. They ought to—I think they cause the people who are out there doing ought to be able to kick it right up to the— the right thing anyway shouldn’t ever be at make a decision in 72 hours, then that any kind of financial disadvantage. gives—then they ought to have no more than Alexis asked a question—I don’t know, a week for reconsideration, and then you maybe Carol or some of the doctors, some- ought to have your remedy kick in so you body else would like to answer it—but when can get—the whole thing will be over. And you think about all the experiences that we I think the court should give whatever—how- heard about, the delays—how come his wife ever the remedies work—it depends on got put on a plane when she should have whether our bill passes as it is, but that ought been taken care of in Hawaii; why didn’t they to be resolved in a limited amount of time. get an answer in 30 days so this procedure I mean, they are—when my mother got could be performed; why didn’t his sister get sick and was considered for various kinds of her answer quicker? How do you deal with treatment, most of which she turned down what—even if this bill passes exactly as we because she thought she was too old and proposed it, okay—even if the bill passes ex- didn’t want to bump anybody else out of it, actly as we’ve proposed it, there will be but I really, just by sort of filling my head health care plans that have certain premiums with all of this, I became much more sen- in return for certain coverage, and somebody sitive about the time. I mean, to a lot of these has to make a judgment about whether— people, the difference in 48 hours is an eter- what is covered. What’s the right way? nity about whether a given procedure will Well, I was struck when Carol was describ- work or not—and you’re just out there fid- ing this, about how long—how many times dling around. I mean, it’s just—it’s absolutely she had to keep calling back before she got inexcusable.

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And a lot of these people—like when you really not only proud of America, but they ask them for their name—a lot of these peo- can feel that it is a fair and decent place ple are following the path of least resistance. where everybody has a chance. And that ob- They’re doing what they think will please the viously has to apply to decisions of life or people for whom they work. They’re not out death in the health care field, just as much there trying to kill your patients. They’re out as going to vote, getting a job, living in a there doing what they think is going to please safe neighborhood. the people that cut them a check every 2 These stories are not the kind of stories weeks. And we’ve got to change that. any American of conscience would ever want [Secretary Shalala suggested that the Pa- to be told in the United States. And it’s not tients’ Bill of Rights would actually save the United States we want, as we stand on money because it would reduce the cases of the verge of a new century. I know it’s been wrongly denied coverage for symptoms of a painful for you, but you’ve done your country disease at an early, perhaps curable, and less a great service today, and I thank you very expensive stage. Dr. Evjy agreed, and noted much. Thank you. that the insurance system has a responsibility to provide patients with accurate options NOTE: The President spoke at 2 p.m. at the Amer- much the way doctors must explain condi- ican Medical Association. In his remarks, he re- tions to their patients. Mr. Fleming noted ferred to Randolph D. Smoak, Jr., M.D., chair- that the ERISA laws that govern the majority man, and E. Ratcliffe Anderson, Jr., M.D., execu- of health plans are outdated and out of pace tive vice president, American Medical Association. with medical technology and that insurance carriers must also keep pace with modernity. Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer, Under Secretary for Statement on Signing the Agriculture Health at the Veterans Health Administra- Export Relief Act of 1998 tion, endorsed Mr. Fleming’s point and stressed the importance of definite timelines July 15, 1998 in providing care. Secretary Shalala said con- gressional action is necessary to give the pub- Late last night, I was pleased to sign into lic the rights the President gave to those in law a bill that exempts agriculture credits Federal plans. A participant noted that the from the nuclear sanctions imposed on Paki- Patients’ Bill of Rights is instrumental in en- stan and India. suring information and that information will We need to make sure that our sanctions empower patients and providers to work col- policy furthers our foreign policy goals with- lectively. Dr. Dickey agreed, expressed her out imposing undue burdens on our farmers. appreciation for the President’s leadership on That’s why I supported this legislation to en- the issue, and said she looks forward to work- sure that U.S. wheat and other farm products ing with him to enact such legislation.] will not be the unintended victims of an im- The President. I want to thank all of you. portant nonproliferation law. When imple- This has been very helpful to me and to menting sanctions, we must never forget members of our administration and I hope their humanitarian impact. to the press and to the public. So thank you This action allows us to send a strong mes- for hosting us. And I want to say a special sage abroad without ignoring the real needs word of thanks to Mary and to David and of those here at home. After Congress to Mick and Dr. Evjy and to Carol for relat- phased out Federal farm supports, it became ing some painful personal experiences. more essential for American farmers to sell And I would just leave you with this their grains, meats, fruits, and vegetables to thought: For me, this is about even more markets around the world. And today, prod- than health care; this is about how people ucts from one of every three acres planted feel about America. I mean, for 6 years I’ve in America are sold abroad. Whenever we worked hard to make this country work again, can, we should look for ways to expand our to give people the sense that they can be agricultural exports, not restrict them.

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NOTE: S. 2282, approved July 14, was assigned Memorandum on Romania-United Public Law No. 105–194. States Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy Statement on the Report Entitled July 15, 1998 ‘‘America’s Children: Key National Presidential Determination No. 98–33 Indicators of Well-Being’’ July 15, 1998 Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy Today, my administration released an im- portant report card on our Nation’s children, Subject: Presidential Determination on the ‘‘America’s Children: Key National Indica- Proposed Agreement for Cooperation tors of Well-Being.’’ Last year I called for Between the Government of the United this yearly report to provide the American States of America and the Government of people with a portrait of our children in criti- Romania Concerning Peaceful Uses of cal areas such as health, education, and eco- Nuclear Energy nomic security. I have considered the proposed Agree- In this second annual report, we find much ment for Cooperation Between the Govern- to be grateful for—infant mortality is at an ment of the United States of America and all-time low; the number of children with the Government of Romania Concerning high blood lead levels, which can cause IQ Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, along with or behavioral problems, has declined dra- the views, recommendations, and statements matically; more toddlers are up-to-date on of the interested agencies. their immunizations; more children are en- I have determined that the performance tering preschool, improving in math, and of the agreement will promote, and will not moving on to graduate from college; teen constitute an unreasonable risk to, the com- pregnancy has decreased; and a majority of mon defense and security. Pursuant to sec- parents are reporting that their children are tion 123 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, in very good or excellent health. These as amended (42 U.S.C. 2153(b)), I hereby strides reflect strategic investments in our approve the proposed agreement and author- Nation’s children, which have always been ize you to arrange for its execution. central to my agenda to prepare America for The Secretary of State is authorized and the 21st century. directed to publish this determination in the The report released today also dem- Federal Register. onstrates that we must now commit ourselves to making further progress for our children. William J. Clinton Unfortunately, substance abuse and cigarette smoking among children are at unacceptable levels; reading scores are stagnant; and too Letter to Congressional Leaders on many of our Nation’s children live in poverty. Financial Assistance for Farmers We have demonstrated that we can work July 15, 1998 on a bipartisan basis to address the chal- lenges our children face. That’s why, as I said Dear Mr. Leader: yesterday, I am extremely disappointed that I am very concerned about the financial some in Congress have taken actions that stress facing farmers and ranchers in many threaten to undermine the important regions of the country. Natural disasters, progress we have made by failing to provide combined with a downturn in crop prices and critical investments for our young people. farm income, expected by the Department Our children deserve progress, not partisan- of Agriculture (USDA) to remain weak for ship. As we pause to consider this report card some time, cause me to question again the on our children, I urge Members of Congress adequacy of the safety net provided by the to work together to build a stronger future 1996 farm bill. In some areas of the U.S., for our Nation’s children. as many as five consecutive years of weather

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and disease-related disasters have dem- in agricultural trade, and I encourage the onstrated weaknesses in the risk protection Congress to take emergency action quickly. available through crop insurance. Sincerely, During the debate on the 1996 farm bill, William J. Clinton I encouraged Congress to maintain a suffi- cient farm safety net, and since its enactment NOTE: Identical letters were sent to Thomas A. my Administration has repeated that call, Daschle, Senate minority leader, and Richard A. Gephardt, minority leader, House of Representa- proposing measures to buttress the safety net tives. An original was not available for verification that are consistent with the market-oriented of the content of this letter. policy of the 1996 farm bill. The 1994 Crop Insurance Reform Act established a policy of improving the crop insurance program in Remarks at an Empowerment Zone order to remove the need for ad hoc disaster Reception payments. This commitment to crop insur- July 15, 1998 ance as the preferred means of managing Thank you so much. Welcome to the crop loss risks was reaffirmed in the 1996 White House. Thank you for the good work farm bill. Farmers have responded to this you’ve been doing. I want to thank all the policy by maintaining their enrollment in people who are responsible for this recep- crop insurance at very high levels, especially tion. I thank my Cabinet members and the in the Northern Plains states. Members of Congress for coming. I welcome Therefore, I am instructing the Secretary all of you here, including the many, many of Agriculture to redouble his efforts to aug- elected officials, and especially Mayor ment the current crop insurance program to Corradini. We wish her well as she assumes more adequately meet farmers’ needs to pro- the helm of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. tect against farm income losses. In the in- I’d like to thank the Marine Band for play- terim, to respond to the current unusual situ- ing for you. They just celebrated their 200th ations, I urge the Congress to take emer- birthday last weekend. As far as I know, there gency action to address specific stresses now are no members of the original band still afflicting sectors of the farm economy. playing—[laughter]—but they have a mag- I agree with the intent of Senator Conrad’s nificent sense of tradition. amendment and recommend that funding to I am so happy to have you here, to look address these problems be designated as out and see all of you, because you are the emergency spending. A supplemental crop living embodiment of the political philosophy insurance program for farmers who experi- I have sought to bring alive in this country. ence repeated crop losses, a compensation You are the living embodiment of how I be- program for farmers and ranchers whose pro- lieve Washington, DC, should work: putting ductive land continues to be under water, progress and people over partisanship, com- and extended authority for the livestock dis- munity over division, tomorrow’s hopes over yesterday’s fears. aster program are examples of the type of I cannot thank the Vice President enough emergency actions that could help farmers for shepherding this community empower- and ranchers. ment process these last several years from It is also crucial that the Congress provide what was just a gleam in our eyes over one the level of funding proposed in my FY 1999 of our weekly lunches to this vast array of budget in the regular appropriations bills and Americans. And if you look around this that the Congress pass the full IMF package crowd, if this isn’t one America for the 21st to support the efforts of American farmers. century, I don’t know what is. I thank you. I am confident that you and your col- I want you to take away from here, in addi- leagues share my concern for American tion to all the practical things you’ve learned farmers and ranchers who are experiencing and the sense of enthusiasm and positive out- financial stress from natural disasters and low look you have, a couple of very brief points. prices, exacerbated by the global downturn So I want to repeat briefly some of the things

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the Vice President said, because we still need You know we still have work to do to give your help. this country the world’s best system of ele- You know, when we came here, we had mentary and secondary education. We’ve got a philosophy of Government that we thought the best college system in the world, but ev- was appropriate to the 1990’s and beyond. erybody knows we can’t stop until our chil- We wanted to get beyond what I thought was dren, from the first day of school, know that a completely sterile debate in Washington their schools are the best in the world. about whether Government could solve all You know we’ve still got work to do to the problems or Government was the source prove that we can deal with these enormous of all the problems. We thought our job was environmental challenges we have—from to empower people, to be a catalyst, to be brownfields in the cities to still work we need a partner, to give people the tools to solve to do with clean water to saving our oceans their own problems and make the most of to dealing with the challenge of climate their own lives and build strong personal change. And I take it, after having the 5 hot- lives, strong families, strong neighborhoods, test years in the last 600 years in the 1990’s, strong communities. You have been the in- no one seriously quarrels with the idea that strument of that, and many of you were just the Vice President was right years ago when doing that anyway. We have tried to be good he told us that global warming was real, and partners to you, and you have certainly been we have to find a way to grow the economy all we could ever have asked for. and preserve our environment. If anybody had told me in 1993 when I And in spite of this great, wonderful took the oath of office as President and began crowd, we still have work to do to prove that to implement the ideas that we ran on, that we can all live together, across the lines of in less than 6 years we’d have over 16 million race and religion and other differences that jobs, the lowest unemployment rate in 28 divide us, because what we share in common years, the lowest crime rate in 25 years, the is more important. That’s what you live. You lowest percentage of our people on welfare live that philosophy every day in your com- at 29 years, the first balanced budget and munities, and we need our political leaders surplus in 29 years, the lowest inflation rate to be as good as you are. And if America in 32 years, the highest homeownership in is going to lead the world to a better place, history, millions of people taking advantage America has to always be striving to be bet- of the family leave law, getting pensions they ter, to really, truly be one America where couldn’t get before, 5 million more kids get- everybody has a chance and everybody has ting health insurance, the highest immuniza- a role to play. tion rates of children in our history, opening We have to save Social Security and Medi- the doors of college to all Americans through care for the 21st century so that when the the HOPE scholarship—and we do all that baby boomers like me retire we’ve got a de- with the smallest Federal Government in 35 cent retirement, but we don’t bankrupt our years—I would say, I’ll take that, and be children and our grandchildren. No person grateful for America. in the baby boom generation I have ever But I have been urging the American peo- talked to—without regard to their income, ple and urging this Congress to use these their race, or what they did for a living— good times, not simply to enjoy them but to did not want desperately to make the changes see them as the solemn responsibility to our now that have to be made so that when we children and grandchildren to take on the retire we do not impose an unconscionable larger challenges that we face moving into burden on the future generations. We have the 21st century. And you know what they to work on that. And we can do it if we do are as well as I do. You know we still have it together in a fair and decent and honorable a lot of work to do to make the world a place way. of peace and freedom and prosperity. That’s And I would say the last big challenge we why I went to China to do my best to make face is the one that you’re here working on. a constructive partnership with the people Yes, we have the best economy in a genera- of the world’s most populous nation. tion, maybe the best economy we have ever

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had. But there’s still a lot of farming commu- small, rural communities in this country. We nities that don’t know it. I got a letter from can do it, and we need your help to do it. a farmer in North Dakota today who said that So I say to you, we need these things. And Arkansas is not the only town with a place finally, all of you deserve a full and fair count called Hope. But there’s not much of it left of the American people in the 2000 census in Hope, North Dakota, because of the prob- so you’re not shortchanged just because you lems they face. And I saw the pictures of don’t have the political power that money his little town, and it looked like so many brings. You represent people in this country, towns in my home State back in the eighties. and you’re entitled to your fair share of our There are a lot of Native American tribes future. When you think about how far we’ve represented here, and a lot of them still don’t come and you know how far you could take have the jobs they need, the education they your communities, when you think about need, the support they need. There are a lot how desperately America needs every child, of urban neighborhoods represented here, every mind, every able-bodied adult at work, where the unemployment rate is still too every person with a new idea with a chance high; the crime rate is still too high; and the to start a business—if you really believe in children still don’t have enough hope for the the American community, it must mean that future. every American should be part of a strong And so I say to you, we want to be good and growing and thriving and united commu- partners. But to do it you have to help us nity. convince the Congress to put progress and So I say to you, I’m happy you’re here. people over partisanship. We need another I’m proud of your success. I am so grateful round of empowerment zones in this 1999 that I had a chance to be President during budget. these last 6 years. But we need to bear down Secretary Cuomo has got a budget that and do more so that when we are all done would provide for another 180,000 units of we can look back and say, we built our affordable housing, 50,000 housing vouchers bridge; we prepared our country; we went for people moving from welfare to work, into the 21st century with everybody making hundreds of millions of dollars for economic the trip. development in our most distressed commu- Thank you, and God bless you. nities. We have an education empowerment zones initiative that deserves to pass so that we’ll have more places like Chicago, which NOTE: The President spoke at 7:27 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, now has the sixth biggest school district in he referred to Mayor Deedee Corradini of Salt the country in summer school, which now Lake City, UT. is feeding tens of thousands of kids three square meals a day. We need to pass our ini- tiative to help more communities provide after-school programs for kids to keep them Remarks on Proposed Patients’ Bill out of trouble and to keep them learning. of Rights Legislation We have a lot to do. July 16, 1998 We still have brownfields to clean up. We still have toxic waste dumps to clean up. We Thank you very much, all of you, for your still have work to do. We want to expand obvious passion and concern for this issue. the Community Development Financial In- I thank Senator Daschle and Congressman stitution so we can make more of those Gephardt. I thank Congressman Ganske for microcredit loans. We made 2 million of his very moving and highly illustrative argu- those microcredit loans with American tax ment. I don’t think any of you will ever forget dollars in Africa and Latin America and Asia it. I thank Barbara Blakeney and Dr. Smoak last year. If they work there, 2 million loans for their strong representation of health care like that could revolutionize inner-city Amer- providers throughout our country. I thank all ica, could revolutionize the Native American the health care advocates who are here today, communities, could revolutionize a lot of all the Members of Congress, especially I

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thank also Senator Kennedy and Congress- be achieved just by running the system bet- man Dingell, and Secretary Shalala and Sec- ter. But what’s happened is that the impera- retary Herman who cochaired our quality tives of managed care have overtaken the ob- health care commission that produced our jective of the health system so often that recommendation for a health care bill of often doctors are hamstrung, patients are rights for patients. alienated, and as you’ve heard, lives are en- Let me say, first of all, I hope that the dangered. presence of Congressman Ganske and Con- Our job, representing all the American gressman Forbes will be appreciated not just people, is not to abolish managed care. Our by Democrats on Capitol Hill but by Repub- job is to restore managed care to its proper licans out in America. I don’t believe this is role in American life, which is to give us the a partisan issue any place but Washington, most efficient and cost-effective system pos- DC. I’ve tried for years to talk them out of sible consistent with our first goal, which is— it, but I think most doctors are still Repub- managed care or regular care, the first goal lican. [Laughter] I’ve tried for years to turn is quality health care for the American peo- them around, but most voters in most parts ple. That is our job. of my country still vote Republican. But And I just want to—the previous speakers when you show up at a hospital in an emer- have talked very movingly about examples gency room, or you test positive on a biopsy, and about the specific provisions of the bill. nobody asks you what political party you be- There’s no need in repeating all that, but I long to. would like to make two points very briefly. You know, this period and the period in Number one, the panel of people from whom which we’re about to enter in the 21st cen- we heard yesterday—Dr. Smoak referred to tury will be looked at 100–200 years from them—are not atypical. The woman who told now, the last 50 years and the next 50 years, me that she and her husband were celebrat- as one of the most remarkable times in ing their 25th anniversary and she realized human history for advances in health: aver- he had a terrible heart problem, and the doc- age life expectancy going up; the quality of tor recommended a certain procedure and our lives improving, not only because we’re it was delayed and delayed and delayed until learning to manage our own lives better but finally it was too late, and so when he was because of immunizations against dreaded 45 years old he collapsed in his own yard childhood diseases, organ transplants, bio- and died in her arms—at 45. The man who engineered drugs, promising new therapies talked about his wife having a serious medical for repairing human genes. condition; she had a difficulty when they And it is, indeed, ironic that at this mo- were in Hawaii on vacation; the doctor plead- ment when medicine is becoming more and ed to perform the necessary procedure in more successful, and, I might add—we talk Hawaii. The HMO said, ‘‘No, put her on a about the work of nurses and other medical plane’’; make her fly 4,000 miles or however professionals—when we’re more and more many miles it is back to the United States. knowledgeable about how to get the benefits And so she died on the way, because her of medicine to people everywhere and tech- system couldn’t stand the pressure of the nology is making it possible to bring them transatlantic plane flight. The man who to rural areas, for example—that this aspect talked about how he lost his sister to cancer of the medical system is so desperately in because the only thing that had a chance to need of repair. save her life was denied until finally it was Now, I have always tried to say at every too late to do and, oh, then got approved. one of these events that managed care has I think, in a way, the most moving witness not been an unmixed curse for America. we had yesterday was a women who works There was a reason that we developed man- in a doctor’s office and handles the insurance aged care systems. Health inflation was going claims and has to get the approval from the up at 3 times the rate of inflation in our econ- insurance companies for the procedures. She omy. It was simply unsustainable. And there just broke down and started crying because were management economies which could she said, ‘‘You can’t imagine how awful it is.

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I’m the one who has to look into the eyes of people hear it, because people say, ‘‘Gosh, of all those patients and tell them ‘no’ or ‘not I don’t want—I can’t imagine—I don’t want yet’ or ‘maybe’ when my doctor is saying any more lawyers; I don’t want any more law- ‘now, yes, immediately.’ ’’ suits; I don’t want any more problems like So the first point I want to make is these that.’’ stories are not examples that we’ve all seen But let me say again, the thing that struck in other areas—and everyone who’s elected me yesterday at this hearing that we had at is guilty of using them—these are not iso- the AMA building was in three cases where lated anecdotes. These are representative ex- people died, in all three cases, what the doc- amples of systematic abuse. That’s the first tor told the patient the patient needed was point. Don’t let anybody tell you—[ap- ultimately approved. And in all three cases, plause]. it was approved so late that it was too late Now, second point I want to make is, we to do the procedure. So they died anyway. have to have comprehensive national legisla- So you can write all the guarantees you want tion. That is one of the biggest problems with into the law here in Washington, and if no- the bill offered by the Republican leadership: body can enforce them, the delay in the sys- it covers too few people. It is not true that tem will still cause people to die. We have you can leave this issue up to the States. We to do something about this. have to have comprehensive, national legisla- Now again I say to you, we need to do tion. this for America. We need to do everything I’ve already signed an executive memoran- we can to stop this from being a partisan po- dum to extend the protection of the Patients’ litical issue, because it isn’t anywhere but Bill of Rights to the 85 million Americans Washington. It’s a people issue. It’s about the who are enrolled in Federal health plans or integrity of the health care system. It’s about covered by Federally funded plans. But as how people feel about our country. all the doctors, the nurses, the benefit man- We’ve got a lot of young people here, agers—25 progressive HMO’s have endorsed working here, probably some of them just this legislation. Why? Because they know we for the summer, in Washington. I hope when have to have national, comprehensive legisla- they leave here and they go back to whatever tion. else they’re doing, they’ll feel better about Today we are going to have some more America than they did when they came here. evidence of it. Families USA will release a And I hope they’ll communicate that to other report showing that most States that have people all around their communities or their acted have enacted only a few of the basic universities or wherever they are. protections for patients, and not a single How do you think the people yesterday State in America has passed all the protec- who were telling me their stories feel about tions contained in the Patients’ Bill of Rights. America? This is not even about just health Americans deserve a bill that provides all the care; this is about how American citizens feel protections for all the people. It requires a about our country. Are we a fair place? Are national solution. we a decent place? Are we a place where Now, the bill sponsored by Representa- everybody counts? This is a huge issue. And tives Dingell and Ganske and Senators Ken- we must do everything we can to make it nedy and Daschle does that, and you’ve al- a bipartisan issue or a nonpartisan issue, to ready heard what their provisions are. I want put progress ahead of partisanship. That’s to make one last point because I expect, as how we achieved a balanced budget. That’s we see the debate unfold in the few next how we achieved the Kennedy-Kassebaum weeks, this will be one of the major sticking bill. That’s how we got the Senate to pass points. Some people will come to us, and the Chemical Weapons Convention and the they say, ‘‘Okay, we’ll be for all the sub- expansion of NATO. stantive positions in your bill, or most of In the end, all the really big, important them, as long as you don’t give the patients things we do around here are when we be- a right to sue or some other enforceable legal have here the way the American people be- right.’’ And that will be appealing when a lot have every day wherever they live, doing

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whatever they’re doing. And that’s what we of the Partnership. The two militaries col- have to do on this issue. This is a huge thing laborated on Partnership for Peace and bilat- for millions and millions and millions of eral exercises, exchanged students at military Americans. But for all of us—for all of us— institutions, and agreed to establish a re- even if we live our entire lives and never get gional center for defense resources manage- sick, we should always remember the picture ment in Romania. U.S. and Romanian law that Dr. Ganske showed us and the story he enforcement agencies are working closely to- told, because if you love America and you gether in the fight against global threats such believe in the promise of America, everyone as drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal of you, without regard to your party or your migration and organized crime. The two philosophy, has a personal, deep, vested in- sides also discussed plans to establish a cen- terest in seeing every child like that treated ter for regional cooperation in the fight with the dignity that we say in our Constitu- against cross-border crime in Bucharest. Bi- tion and Bill of Rights is the God-given inher- lateral agreements on civil aviation, on sci- ent right of every person on Earth. entific and technological cooperation, on cus- Thank you, and God bless you. toms cooperation, and on peaceful nuclear cooperation were signed during President NOTE: The President spoke at 12:45 p.m. in the Constantinescu’s visit. Dirksen Senate Office Building. In his remarks, In the coming year, the two governments he referred to Barbara A. Blakeney, second vice have agreed the Partnership will place great- president, American Nurses Association; and Ran- dolph D. Smoak, Jr., M.D., chairman, American er emphasis on the economic sector, focusing Medical Association. on energy, information technology and on the development of small- and medium-size enterprises. President Clinton reiterated the Joint Statement on United States- U.S. commitment under the Strategic Part- Romanian Relations nership to help make Romania the strongest July 16, 1998 possible candidate for NATO membership and integration into other Western struc- President Clinton and President Emil tures. Partnership activities aimed at increas- Constantinescu met today at the White ing political cooperation, and coordinating House to discuss ongoing efforts to strength- efforts to combat non-traditional threats will en bilateral relations through the U.S.-Roma- also continue to progress. nia Strategic Partnership, as well as common The Presidents reviewed the pace of free efforts to advance regional cooperation, secu- market reforms in Romania as a part of Ro- rity and stability in Southeast Europe. They mania’s efforts to consolidate its political also discussed NATO’s open door policy and transition, reinvigorate its economic transi- Romania’s aspirations to join the Alliance. tion, and hasten its full integration into The two Presidents expressed great satis- Euroatlantic institutions. They emphasized faction with the status of the bilateral rela- the crucial need to accelerate privatization tionship, which has expanded significantly of large state enterprises and banks, to push over the past year. They noted in particular forward restructuring of privatized compa- the deepening of relations through the devel- nies, and to refocus reforms with the aim of opment of the U.S.-Romania Strategic Part- negotiating a new IMF agreement. The nership, announced during President Clin- Presidents agreed that these reforms, com- ton’s visit to Bucharest last July, and the key bined with a stable legal environment, will role it plays in the U.S. Action Plan for attract greater U.S. investment, which in turn Southeastern Europe as well as for the over- will further Romania’s overall development. all stability of Central and Eastern Europe. President Constantinescu noted that Min- The Presidents reviewed the outcome of ister for Privatization Sorin Dimitriu has the latest round of Strategic Partnership been named Trade and Investment Ombuds- talks, held July 15 at the Department of man, to help U.S. and other foreign investors State. A wide variety of joint projects have expedite and streamline bureaucratic proce- been completed successfully in the first year dures to successfully do business in Romania.

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President Clinton expressed appreciation ditional tough penalties for States that fail for Romania’s ongoing assistance on issues to automate their child support computer affecting the two countries’ security, includ- systems on time. Under this new law, States ing participation in Dayton implementation that fail to establish these State-wide systems efforts in Bosnia and offer to contribute to face automatic and escalating penalties, rang- the post-UNPREDEP mission in FYR Mac- ing from 4 percent of Federal child support edonia as well as to other missions in the enforcement funds for the first year to 30 region. The two Presidents expressed their percent for the fifth year in which a State mutual concern over the situation in Kosovo fails to meet national certification standards. and reiterated their determination to work Second, H.R. 3130 incorporates a proposal together with other interested parties to pro- that my Administration sent to the Congress mote a diplomatic resolution of this crisis. last year to reward States for their perform- ance on a wide range of key child support NOTE: An original was not available for verifica- goals, such as the number of paternity estab- tion of the content of this joint statement. lishments and child support orders, rather than only on cost-effectiveness, as current Statement on Signing the Child law provides. Third, the law will make it easi- Support Performance and Incentive er for States to secure medical support for Act of 1998 children in cases in which the non-custodial July 16, 1998 parent has private health coverage, by facili- tating the creation of a medical support no- Today, I am pleased to sign into law H.R. tice that all health plans will recognize. 3130, the ‘‘Child Support Performance and Many members of Congress, Administra- Incentive Act of 1998.’’ My Administration tion officials, State officials, experts, and chil- has conducted an unprecedented campaign dren’s advocates worked together construc- to increase parental responsibility to ensure tively in a bipartisan fashion to craft this valu- that parents support their children. We have able piece of legislation, and I wish to thank had many successes. Through tougher en- them for their efforts. In particular, I would forcement, we have collected a record $13.4 like to thank Representatives Levin and billion in child support, an increase of 68 per- Shaw, and Senators Moynihan, Roth, Rocke- cent since 1992, with 1.4 million more fami- feller, and Baucus. lies now receiving child support. In addition, William J. Clinton we located one million delinquent parents during the first 9 months of using a new col- The White House, lection system that tracks parents across State July 16, 1998. lines—a system initiated as part of the 1996 NOTE: H.R. 3130, approved July 16, was assigned welfare law, and first proposed by my Admin- Public Law No. 105–200. istration in 1994. On paternity establishment, which is often the crucial first step in child support cases, in 1997, a record 1.3 million Statement on Senate Action on Food paternities were established, two and a half Safety Legislation times as many as in 1992. Last month, I July 16, 1998 signed the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act of 1998, a law based on my Administra- I welcome today’s 66–33 vote to restore tion’s 1996 proposal to crack down on egre- much needed funds to our food safety pro- gious child support evaders by creating a new grams. Food safety should not be about poli- felony offense for those who flee across State tics; instead it must be about protecting our lines to avoid supporting their children. families and children. Today, the Senate put However, there is much more that we can Americans first and partisanship last. With and must do. H.R. 3130 will build on this this money we will be able to improve safety progress and help ensure that parents give inspections of foods, better educate the pub- their children all the support they need and lic on how to handle food safely, improve deserve. First, the new law puts in place ad- research, and aid the effort to track food

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borne outbreaks such as salmonella and E. committing them to take concrete steps to- coli. We must continue to work together in ward that end. The EU has continued to urge the coming months on this issue and on the Cuba to release imprisoned dissidents and many other issues which the American peo- stop harassing people who seek peaceful ple care about. The American people want democratic change. The EU Working Group action, not political wrangling. on Human Rights, formed last year among embassies in Havana, has met with Cuban dissidents. These are positive steps, and we Statement on Action on Title III of encourage the EU to be even more active the Cuban Liberty and Democratic in their efforts. Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 On May 18, we and our EU allies reached July 16, 1998 the Understanding with Respect to Dis- ciplines on Expropriated Property, a major Today I am notifying the Congress of my advance in our efforts to protect property decision to suspend for an additional 6 rights worldwide, including in Cuba. By dis- months the provision of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act (LIBERTAD couraging investment in illegally expropri- Act) allowing U.S. nationals to file suit ated property, the Understanding sends a against foreign firms trafficking in con- strong signal that Cuba must follow the rule fiscated properties in Cuba. I have made this of law and respect fundamental rights. Of decision because of my strong commitment particular importance, the EU nations ex- to implementing the Act in a way that best pressly acknowledged that the Cuban Gov- advances U.S. national interests and hastens ernment’s expropriation of property from a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba. U.S. citizens appears to have been contrary In January 1997 I said that I expected to to international law. We will work with the continue suspending this provision of the Act Congress to bring this important U.S.–EU so long as our friends and allies continue understanding into effect. their stepped-up efforts to promote a demo- Nations of the Americas are also working cratic transition in Cuba. I made this decision for democracy in Cuba. In the last 6 months, to take advantage of the growing realization the Presidents of Argentina, Brazil, El Sal- throughout the world, in Europe and Latin vador, and Nicaragua have restated calls for America especially, that Cuba must change. Cuba to begin a democratic transition. Bra- We and our allies agree on the importance zil’s foreign minister met with a leading dis- of promoting democracy, human rights, and sident in Cuba and took the opportunity to fundamental freedoms in Cuba, and over the voice strong support for human rights. past 2 years we have worked together to sup- Government cooperation has been rein- port concrete measures that promote peace- forced by the efforts of international non- ful change. governmental organizations (NGO’s), which Events in the past 6 months reaffirm that have increased support for dissidents and international cooperation for Cuban democ- helped focus attention on Cuban Govern- racy is increasing. The January visit of His ment repression. The Dutch group Pax Holiness John Paul II inspired the Cuban people and gave encouragement to the Christi has reported on political and religious Cuban Catholic Church and Cuban advo- repression. Amnesty International has main- cates for democratic change. The Pope gave tained pressure on Cuba to release members hope to the Cuban people when he called of the Dissident Working Group who were for greater freedom and respect for individ- arrested in July 1997, and issued a special ual rights. report on new cases of imprisonment for po- Building on the Pope’s important visit, Eu- litical offenses. The international effort to ropean Union (EU) member states have reit- promote ‘‘best business practices’’ in Cuba erated their commitment to democratic tran- is also advancing, with several NGO’s devel- sition in Cuba and, in June, as a group re- oping a working group to encourage busi- affirmed their Common Position on Cuba, nesses to support fundamental rights.

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Thus, we see progress on many fronts in plause]—and for giving us the opportunity our effort to promote international coopera- to meet your family. Thank you very much. tion to bring democracy and human rights I want to thank one of our distinguished to the Cuban people. There is still much to former chairmen, Chuck Mannet, who also be done, and we will continue to work with led this party in a very difficult time, for our friends and allies on effective measures being here, and to say to all of you—I kept to bring a peaceful transition to a free Cuba. trying to think what could I say to all of you tonight who have had to endure so many of my speeches. [Laughter] Letter to Congressional Leaders on Audience member. We love them! Title III of the Cuban Liberty and [Laughter] Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) The President. I think alternative A is just Act of 1996 to do it all over again. [Laughter] I once— July 16, 1998 when I was a younger man, or as Hillary and I refer to it, back when we had a life—[laugh- Dear lllll: ter]—Tina Turner gave a concert in Little Pursuant to subsection 306(c)(2) of the Rock one night. And she—you know, Tina Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Turner went into a big decline and dis- (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (Public Law 104– appeared and then made this remarkable re- 114), (the ‘‘Act’’), I hereby determine and surgence and is now still enormously popular report to the Congress that suspension for around the world. But anyway, she came to 6 months beyond August 1, 1998, of the right Little Rock to the place where we had our to bring an action under title III of the Act concerts. And I took about six people to the is necessary to the national interests of the concert. And the guy that normally seated United States and will expedite a transition me when I was Governor, knowing that it to democracy in Cuba. was not prudent for the Governor to be on Sincerely, the front row at a rock concert, always put me back about 15 rows but gave me good William J. Clinton seats. But he knew I was especially fond of Tina Turner, and so on this night he put me NOTE: Identical letters were sent to Robert L. on the front row. Livingston, chairman, and David R. Obey, ranking And I never will forget this concert. She member, House Committee on Appropriations; sang all these new songs, and she had all of Benjamin A. Gilman, chairman, and Lee H. Ham- ilton, ranking member, House Committee on her new musicians. And then at the end, the International Relations; Jesse Helms, chairman, band began to play ‘‘Proud Mary,’’ which was and Joseph R. Biden, Jr., ranking member, Senate her first hit. And every time she walked up Committee on Foreign Relations; and Ted Ste- to the microphone the crowd would scream. vens, chairman, and Robert C. Byrd, ranking So she’d back off and walk up, back off and member, Senate Committee on Appropriations. walk up. Finally she said, ‘‘You know, I have been singing this song for 25 years, but it gets better every time I do it.’’ [Laughter] Remarks at a Democratic National So I could do that. [Laughter] Committee Jefferson Trust Dinner Instead, I think I’d like to just make a cou- in Chevy Chase, Maryland ple points tonight about this. First, it’s almost July 16, 1998 impossible to remember just what a miser- able condition we were in as a party after The President. Thank you very much, we had won the first two Presidential elec- Alan, for all the wonderful work you’ve done. tions back-to-back since Franklin Roosevelt. And I thank all the members of the Jefferson And there was an almost bitter determination Trust. I want to thank Steve Grossman and to try to bring to an end our ability to func- Carol Pensky and Len Barrack. I want to es- tion, notwithstanding the fact that we had pecially thank Cynthia Friedman for having been, as compared with others, far more us in her beautiful home and for—[ap- open and up front, helpful, and forthcoming

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in trying to deal with the campaign finance grounds there in this one little class—a real questions which were asked. And a number picture of our future. of lionhearted women and men decided that Today Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle we would not die, and we did not. And you spoke passionately in favor of the Patients’ know what the announcement was about our Bill of Rights at a big caucus meeting of the debt being paid down to $3 million from a Democrats in the Congress, but we invited staggering sum less than 2 years ago. Republicans to come. And two were brave So you have done a very great thing, and enough to show. [Laughter] One of them, I hope you will always be proud of it. But Greg Ganske, is a Congressman from Iowa, I think it’s important to remember that what and I wish he were a member of our caucus. you’ve done is basically to give America a But I want to tell you what happened. chance to keep moving forward. You know, We were talking about the—the Repub- I’ve had a number of interesting experiences licans have offered this alternative patients’ in the last few days that have really ham- bill of rights which, oh, by the way, doesn’t mered home to me the incredible oppor- cover about 100 million Americans and tunity the American people, with your help, doesn’t give anybody any of the substantive have given me to serve at this pivotal moment guarantees, and if you get shafted by your in our history. HMO, you don’t have any right to appeal I had quite a magnificent trip to China. to anybody, so the bill doesn’t do anything But being given the opportunity to debate really. political liberty and human rights, the role But this doctor—this brave Republican of dissent in society, the role of religious free- doctor who is in the Congress, who’s a co- dom in a society, on Chinese television, di- sponsor with John Dingell of the House ver- rectly to the people of China for the first time in history—and I’m not sure I was even sion of the bill we’re supporting, got up and aware of the magnitude of it until it was all said—he was introduced by Dick Gep- over, because I was concentrating so hard hardt—and said that when he wasn’t an ac- on not messing up for you—[laughter]—but tive Member of Congress, he gave of his free it was—when it was over, I thought to myself, time to go to Central America, because he this is what America can be for people in was a plastic surgeon, to deal with children the 21st century. We can help lift people’s with cleft palates. material conditions but also to change the So Dr.—Congressman Ganske got up way they think about the nature of life, the there, in a crowd in which he was one of nature of their relations with their neighbors, only two Republican Congressmen, and he and the nature of their relations with the rest had a staff person there—he said, ‘‘I want of the world. you to look at this picture.’’ And the staff Today the President of Romania came to member held up this huge picture of this lit- see me, and he gave me this incredible pic- tle boy with a horrible, unfixed cleft palate. ture. I was in Romania almost a year ago And the crowd gasped. And he said, ‘‘This today—just a little more than a year ago— is not an Indian child from Central America; and there were somewhere between 150,000 this is an American citizen. And this young and 200,000 people in the streets in Bucha- boy was denied the surgery necessary to fix rest—this vast sea of people. They didn’t this cleft palate by a company that said it come to see me. They came to see the United was ‘cosmetic’ and not covered by the insur- States, what they think we can represent to ance policy.’’ the world and to the future. And then he showed the next picture of A couple of days ago, Hillary and I kicked a young boy with his face fixed anyway. And off this Millennium Project she conceived he was this beautiful, bright-eyed, young boy, and is executing—some of you are helping smile—I mean, it was unbelievable. You on—to save the Star-Spangled Banner. And could not breathe in that room. I—we said the Pledge of Allegiance with a And I say that to make the point that we class of kids—just one class of about 20 invited all of the Republicans in Congress school kids. And there were people from at who wanted to come today because our party least eight different racial and ethnic back- is trying to advance the cause of America.

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We belong to a party not so that we can beat failure; that times change. What people want up on the other party; we belong to a party to know is, what is the direction we are tak- because we think it offers us the best vehicle ing? And I’ll just remind you that in 1992 to do what we think is right for our country. we ran a campaign that was the most specific, And I was very proud to be there with just detailed campaign, literally, in American his- those two House Members—the other was tory, where a candidate for President said, Congressman Forbes from Long Island. But these are the ideas on which I am running; we kept the door open to everybody, and these are the policies I will implement. And more important, we tried to lift the sights a distinguished scholar of the Presidency of the country. said, as of 1995—and that was 3 years ago— Hillary spoke at Saratoga Springs to 20,000 we had already kept more of our campaign people today on the 150th anniversary of the promises than the last five Presidents. And dawn of the women’s movement, in this re- now almost everything we’ve—almost every- markable tour they’ve had around the North- thing—we’ve pledged to do in ’92 has been east trying to save our national treasures. done. They went to George Washington’s head- And what I want you to do now is to talk quarters in the Revolutionary War, some- to your friends and neighbors and to help thing which, unbelievably to me, has never us to continue to get the message out that, been adequately protected. It was the first yes, we won two elections, and, yes, I helped military shrine of America, arguably. the President, but we represent a certain set So I say all of this just to give you little of ideas. We believed that you could balance pieces of the picture that my life is every the budget and still invest in the people of day with the job that the American people this country. We believed you can protect have given me. And what I believe so strongly the environment and still grow the economy. is that our party has always had a mission We believed you could require able-bodied of being the instrument of progress. people on welfare to go to work without hurt- Thomas Jefferson—this is the Jefferson ing their children and taking food and medi- Trust, so I got this little quote I thought you cine away from them, and without undermin- might be interested—Thomas Jefferson said, ing the ability of people who move from wel- ‘‘The ground of liberty must be gained by fare to work to be good parents. We believed inches, for it takes time to persuade men to that you could be tough on people who vio- do even what is in their own interest.’’ And late the law and should be punished, and still goodness knows we’ve had examples of that recognize that we’ll never solve the problem in the last 6 years. But what I want you to until we keep more kids out of trouble in think about on the eve of this ’98 election the first place. is, since the Civil War, it has been unfailingly true that the party of the President loses seats Boston didn’t go 2 years without a single in the midterm election if the President is kid being killed by a gun by jailing all the in his second term. In the first term it has people who might have done it. They did it only failed to happen two or three times. We by having the most aggressive, systematic, are going to change that if we continue to people-oriented prevention strategy in the put progress ahead of partisanship, people United States. ahead of politics, unity ahead of division, and We had different ideas. We believed that we have good ideas for America’s future. we could pursue America’s commercial inter- Because all over the world there are peo- est in the world in a way that was consistent ple who are looking to us, and in this country with both our national security and our ad- there are people looking to us to have a genu- vancement of human rights and freedom. In ine sense of direction. People are smart other words, we believed that a lot of the enough to know that you’ll never solve all debates that had dominated Washington for the problems of any country at any time; that the last 20 to 30 years were not relevant to endemic to human nature is the prospect of the 21st century.

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In education, we believed that you could almost nobody takes issue with—you look at be for preserving public education and put- the way Florida has—Florida had the wettest ting more money into programs and still lift- winter, the driest spring, in history. And then ing standards and having more accountabil- June in Florida was the hottest month in ity. We thought all these dichotomies that Florida’s history, hotter than any July or Au- tend to dominate the easy language of poli- gust in history. The 5 hottest years since 1400 tics were essentially not relevant to the way have all been in the 1990’s; 1997 was the people wanted to live and the America we hottest year ever recorded; 1998 is going to wanted to build for the 21st century. be hotter unless it changes dramatically. We And the consequences have been indis- have to prove that we can come to grips with putable. It was not just that we had the right this responsibly, lead other countries to do people; we were doing the right things. so, and still grow our economy. That’s what we have to convince the Amer- I spoke to the American Chamber of Com- ican people of now. If it takes time to per- merce in Shanghai, not exactly a liberal suade people to do what is in their own inter- Democratic stronghold, right? [Laughter] ests, if the ground of liberty has to be gained The American Chamber of Commerce in in inches, then it is not enough for my leader- Shanghai—I got two rounds of applause, ship to have been ratified in two national spontaneous—one of them was when I said, elections. We have to persuade people not you have got to take a leadership role in con- just that we had the right people but that vincing the Chinese to grow their economy we did the right things; that there is a con- with different energy patterns that we used; nection between what is happening in Amer- otherwise, they’re going to choke off their ica and what was done in Washington; that future and destroy their environment and it cannot be by accident that we have the ruin the health of their people and make it lowest crime rate in 25 years and the lowest impossible for us to meet the challenge of unemployment rate in 28 years and the low- climate change. All these conservative busi- est welfare rolls in 29 years and the first bal- ness people started applauding. Why? Be- anced budget in 29 years and the lowest infla- cause they know it’s true. tion rate in 32 years and the highest home- We have to prove that we can bring the ownership in history and the fact that we’ve spirit of enterprise to the urban communities, opened the doors to college to everybody the rural communities, and the Native Amer- now who’s willing to work for a college edu- ican reservations that still haven’t felt this cation and added 5 million children to the economic recovery. We’ve never done that— ranks of those with health insurance and kept not really. And if we can’t do it when we’ve a quarter of a million people with criminal got the lowest unemployment rate in 28 backgrounds from getting handguns. And we years, we’ll never get around to it. have cleaner water, cleaner air, safer food, We have to prove that we’re serious about and we set aside more land in national trust health care reform and pass this Patients’ Bill than any administration except those of the of Rights. We have to prove that we’re seri- two Roosevelts. And we did it all while giving ous about making our elementary and sec- people the smallest Government we’ve had ondary education the world’s best, just as our in 35 years. higher education is now. We have to prove Those things did not occur by accident. we’re serious about building one America. The ideas were right. And if we can get that And we have to prove that we’re serious message over here, and furthermore, if we about engaging the rest of the world to take can say, look, in spite of all this, all we’ve it where we want to go. That’s why—even really done is make America work again, now though I got all those attacks about going it’s time to face the big challenges of the 21st to China, it never once crossed my mind to century—fixing Social Security and Medicare cancel the trip. I didn’t care if I only had so the baby boomers have something to retire 10 percent support for it, because I knew on without bankrupting our children and our it was the right thing to do for America. grandchildren; proving we can meet the chal- So we can beat the odds in this congres- lenge of global warming, which now, I take sional election, and we can do just fine in

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2000—if we deserve it. And what we have wherever I go to always introduce me. to do is to sort of cut through all the continu- [Laughter] I think she’s a great advertise- ous fog and incoming fire and all this partisan ment for Girls Nation. And someday before stuff that happens and say, ‘‘We didn’t just long, a number of you will have these oppor- have the right people; we did the right tunities as well. things.’’ Our ideas are good—point one. I’d like to welcome your president, Alana Point two: ‘‘We’re not tired; we’re just getting Aldag, and your vice president, Jennifer Hall, warmed up. We still have big challenges out and thank Diane Duscheck and Barbara there, and we want you to join us in facing Kranig and the other members of the Amer- those challenges.’’ ican Legion Auxiliary for what they do for We’ve got to make your investment good. Girls Nation. I hope you’ve had a very good You saved the Democratic Party, and our ad- week in Washington. Some of you may know versaries thought they were going to destroy that, this week, these 2 days here, the 35th it. They thought they had a moment in which reunion class of my Boys Nation group is also they could absolutely try to reverse the re- meeting here. I happened to turn on the tele- sults of the last election, and in the process, vision last night to see that Ted Koppel on destroy the Democratic Party, and you said, Nightline was doing a two-day review of it. ‘‘I don’t think so.’’ And I thought to myself, it wasn’t all that It is a very great thing you have done, and long ago, but all of us are aging rather grace- you should be very proud of that. But you fully. [Laughter] did not do it for the purpose—as much fun Let me say to all of you, the people I met as we’re having—of being here with me. then, many of whom have been my friends [Laughter] You did it so we could continue over all these 35 years, made me believe that to move this country forward. anything was possible. President Kennedy So go out there and tell them that: We spoke to us and made me believe that, to- did the right things. We’ve got good ideas. gether, we could change the world. I think You now have the evidence; come with us. that is certainly no less true for you and your Secondly, we have an agenda for the future: generation because you will live in the time put people over politics, put progress over of greatest possibility in all human history. partisanship, put the unity of country over If you think of the revolutionary changes division, think about your grandchildren in that have taken place just in the course of the 21st century. That is the message of the your still relatively short lifetimes: The cold Democratic Party. You’ve made it possible war cast a shadow over my childhood; it has for us to take it out there. Now let’s go out ended. Technology has advanced at a breath- and do it. taking pace, fundamentally altering the way Thank you. God bless you. all of us live and work and learn. A typical laptop computer today has more computer NOTE: The President spoke at 8:45 p.m. at a pri- power in it than the world’s largest super- vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to Alan computer did in the year you were born. D. Solomont, former national finance chair, Steve Many of the barriers that kept women Grossman, national chair, Carol Pensky, treasurer, and Leonard Barrack, national finance chair, from making the most of their potential and Democratic National Committee; and Cynthia contributing their talents to our society have Friedman, national cochair, Women’s Leadership fallen away. Yesterday, the First Lady was Forum. up in New York commemorating the 150th anniversary of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and 68 other women and 32 brave men gathering Remarks to the American Legion in New York with their statement of senti- Girls Nation and an Exchange With ments, with their 18 objections against men Reporters in America, which included the fact that they July 17, 1998 did not have the right to own property—even the clothes married women had on their The President. Thank you very much. I backs belonged to their husbands 150 years think I should take Janet Murguia with me ago—they couldn’t inherit; they didn’t vote.

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And what a long way we have come in the country. The results have been, I think, quite last 150 years and in your lifetime. good. America has the lowest crime rate in I met my wife in law school when it was 25 years, the lowest unemployment rate in still a relatively unusual thing to find a law 28 years, the smallest percentage of people school with any significant number of women on welfare in 29 years. in it. Today, a lawyer in America is 12 times We’re about to have our first balanced more likely to be a woman than a lawyer was budget and surplus in 29 years, the lowest in 1963, when I came to Boys Nation. inflation rate in 32 years, and the highest Women are earning more college degrees homeownership in the history of the country. than men; they outnumber men in graduate We have also opened the doors of college school. Women-owned businesses are grow- to virtually every American through our ing faster than the national economy. Forty- HOPE scholarships and other tax credits for one percent of our administration’s ap- college education, through a better student pointees, including the Secretary of State, loan program, through more work-study po- the Secretary of Health and Human Services, sitions and more Pell grant scholarships. the Attorney General, the Director of the We have added 5 million people who are Environmental Protection Agency, the Sec- children to the ranks of people with health retary of Labor, our Trade Ambassador, and insurance; we are in the process of doing many others, are women—by far the highest that. We have the highest rates of childhood percentage of women in high positions in any immunization in history. We have worked administration in the history of the United hard on the environment, and the water is States. cleaner; the air is cleaner; the food is safer. I look forward to the day when I read in There are fewer toxic waste dumps, and we the newspaper that America’s new President have put more land aside to preserve forever has invited her own Girls Nation reunion than any administration in the history except class back to the White House to gather. those of the two Roosevelts. In the meantime, we need to be working We started the AmeriCorps program and together to strengthen our country for this now have had almost 100,000 young people, new century, because it is a time of dramatic like you, just a little older than you, serving change. Five and half years ago, I came here in their communities, earning money for col- to move America in a new direction based lege, making America a better place. With on our old values of opportunity for all, re- our America Reads program alone, which is sponsibility from all, in an American commu- designed to get young college students to go nity of all citizens. We took a new direction in and help make sure all of our third graders in economic policy and education policy and can read independently by the end of the environmental policy, in welfare policy, in third grade, we now have 1,000 colleges par- health care policy, in crime policy, and for- ticipating. eign policy. We also articulated a new role While all this has happened, we’ve actually for Government. We tried to break through reduced the size of Government. The Fed- the debate that had then dominated Wash- eral Government is now the smallest it has ington for nearly 20 years, some people say- been since I came here to meet President ing Government could solve all our problems Kennedy 35 years ago. So I believe that this and others saying Government was the country is moving in the right direction. source of all of our problems. I had been Now, I think one of the great decisions a Governor for a dozen years, and I thought facing the American people now is what to the argument was frankly ridiculous. I do about this. I like the fact that there is thought that neither extreme was true. a good sense of well-being in America. I like And we have sought to create a Govern- the fact that, after over 20 years of downhill ment whose primary role is to create the con- movement, public confidence in Govern- ditions and give people the tools to solve ment and the role of Government in our lives their own problems and make the most of is going back up again. I like that very much. their own lives and build good lives, good But I feel very strongly, and I predict that families, good communities, and a strong if you just read the paper, I think you can

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see, I think, support from my point of view professed family values in a way that does that is a grave mistake to say, ‘‘Okay, things not bankrupt our children and grandchildren. are going well in America, and we don’t need Everybody I know my age is obsessed with to do much. We should relax now.’’ Why? the idea that we must not have the cost of For two reasons. One is, you will see, the our retirement be lowering your standard of older you get, no condition lasts forever. The living, be undermining your ability to raise good times don’t last forever but neither do your own children. the bad ones—and that’s the good news. Now, if we’re going to have a surplus, we [Laughter] ought to make sure we’ve got a long-term Secondly, we are living in a very dynamic plan to save Social Security before we squan- time. We are enjoying the success that we der that surplus on tax cuts, which may be are enjoying today partly because the Amer- very popular in the short run but which may ican people have been very aggressive, be- leave us with a terrible problem that will cost cause, you know, we live in a country where us a lot more than you could ever get in a citizens deserve most of the credit. What we small tax cut by the time you have to be tak- have done to get these impressive numbers ing responsibility for your parents’ retire- again is to create the right conditions, the ments and your children’s education. And we right environment, the right incentives for should do it now when times are good and the American people then to take advantage we’re projecting a surplus. of it and go forward. But we have to—this Number two, we should recognize that is a very dynamic time. And there are all while we have the best system of higher edu- kinds of difficulties and challenges out there. cation in the world, no one believes our So, for America to sit back now would be schools are yet the best in the world. And a great mistake. When times are good but we should take advantage of this moment to dynamic, that’s the time to bear down, to take make sure all American young people have on the big challenges, the long-term chal- access to world-class education with higher lenges, the things that will affect your life- standards, with technology that hooks up time when you begin to have children and every American classroom to the Internet you begin to do your work and you begin and all the riches that it holds by the year to take full responsibility for the welfare of 2000, with smaller classes and with more ac- the country. What are those things? Let me cess to more constructive choices through just mention a few of them. things like the charter school movement, Number one, I am the oldest of the baby which is very prominent in many of your boomers, the largest generation of young States. people ever in—to grow up, except the gen- Number three, we should recognize that eration of which you are the oldest. That is, the environmental challenges we have are we—for the last year, for the first time since real and global. If there is anybody here from I was in high school, we had a bigger group Florida—and I’m sure there is—if you—all of children in kindergarten through 12th the rest of us have been watching those fires. grade than the baby boom generation. Now, I went down and saw and flew over those what does that mean? It means, among other areas that have been burned up. Florida had things, that if we continue to retire at present the wettest fall and winter than they had ever trends and the birth rates continue as they had. They had the driest spring they had ever are and the immigration rates continue as had, and then the month of June in Florida they are, by the time all of our baby boomers was the hottest month in the history of the retire we’ll only have about two people work- State, hotter than any July or August; and ing for every one person eligible for Social in Florida, that’s saying something. Security. And that is unsustainable. Medicare There is ample evidence now that what would be unsustainable. my wonderful Vice President has been saying So what’s the answer? The answer is to for years and years and years is true, that find a way to preserve these fundamental the climate of the globe is warming at a rate programs that have lifted the elderly out of which is unsustainable, which will lead us to poverty and given dignity and strength to our more extreme weather conditions. We now

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have records going back over 500 years which That’s a great, great advantage to America we can use to measure what the temperature in a global society, a global economy. Look was on this planet. The 5 hottest years ever around the world at all of the problems we recorded have been in the 1990’s. Nineteen have that are based on racial, ethnic, and reli- ninety-seven was the hottest year on record; gious differences. Why did those three little 1998 is going to be hotter if it continues. children have to die in that firebomb in Ire- A big part of the problem is the way coun- land a few days ago? Because somebody just tries get rich with their use of energy. We cannot give up the idea that they ought to have to prove—and by the way, we can fight until the end of time over their religious prove—that we can grow the economy and differences. improve the environment at the same time. Why can we not achieve a lasting peace The young people of this country, without in the Middle East? What is at the root of regard to their other differences of region the problem in Bosnia, in Kosovo? Why did and political party and philosophy, by and hundreds of thousands of people die in large are much more committed to this prop- Rwanda in a matter of days in 1994? All over osition than older people are. Young peo- the world you see this. If America wants to ple—I find even young people in grade do good in a world like that, we must be school are just instinctive environmentalists. good at home. We must be able to live in We are depending on you to provide the pha- all of our communities like you’re working lanx of brainpower and voting power to move and living together here. And you can lead America to the proposition that we can pre- the way on that. serve our environment and grow the econ- It is very important that we continue, fi- omy. nally, to be engaged in the world. That’s why Next, we have to prove that we can bring I went to China, even though some people the benefits of this new economy to people who don’t have it yet. Believe it or not, there said I shouldn’t—not because we agree with are still some urban neighborhoods that have everything the Chinese do, but because we unemployment rates above 10 percent, some respect the progress they have made in the above 15 percent, while the national unem- last several years and because they are going ployment rate is below 5 percent. If you talk to be the biggest country in the world. And to the delegates here from North Dakota it is much better if we work with them to where they’re having a collapse of farm try to build the kind of world we want than prices in the aftermath of a terrible, terrible if we’re forced into a situation of continuous set of natural disasters all through the high conflict and estrangement. And I feel a moral plains, it’s hard—you could walk down the obligation to you and your future and your street in a lot of towns in North Dakota, and children to try to create that kind of world. they’d have a hard time believing we’ve got But first, the power of the American example the strongest economy in a generation. is important, and you must never forget that. If any of you have ever been on a Native Now, against that background, you need American reservation that doesn’t have a lot to evaluate everything we’re doing here. How of money from gaming enterprises, you know are we doing to keep America working today; that there are still an awful lot of the first are we dealing with the long-term challenges Americans who have received no tangible of the country? Every issue should be evalu- benefit from this economic growth. Now that ated in that context. the economy is strong, we should be working One of the things that’s most troubling to to implement strategies that will bring this me is that we have the best health care in growth to them to make sure that all Ameri- the world but we don’t have the best health cans feel that they’re a part of our future. care system in the world, and we don’t have Just two more things, quickly. Over the the healthiest people in the world, partly be- long run, we have got to prove that we can cause of institutional problems. One we’ve be one America. I like it. I look around this been talking about is the necessity to pass room; I see all of you come from different the Patients’ Bill of Rights so we get the ben- racial and ethnic and religious backgrounds. efit of managed care without the burden of

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having accountants make decisions doctors ing, quote, ‘‘Creating a fad in the 14- to 20- should make in the medical area. year-old market can be a great bonanza.’’ Another big problem we have—it’s prob- And even as they insisted that young people ably the most prominent health problem are off limits for advertising, one company your generation faces—is the problem of, document from 1984 recommended target- epidemic of teen smoking, with 3,000 young ing younger adult smokers as the only source people starting to smoke every day; 1,000 will of replacement smokers in the future. Well, have their lives shortened as a result of it. children are the future of America, not the More people die from smoking than acci- future of the tobacco companies. And that dents and murders and AIDS and other un- future should not go up in smoke. related maladies put together in this country. These documents contain a treasure trove So it is a very, very serious problem. of information that can be used to save lives. I have been working very hard now for Public health experts can design more effec- a long time to pass legislation that will raise tive antismoking strategies by studying the the price of cigarettes, give the FDA the au- marketing plans of the cigarette companies. thority to regulate tobacco as a drug, stop Scientists can look to documents for findings the marketing of cigarettes to teenagers, that can aid their research into nicotine ad- launch new antismoking research and edu- diction and tobacco-related illnesses. And all cation drives, protect the tobacco farmers Americans can understand the role the in- and their communities, and use the money dustry has played in hooking our children to to pay for health care and medical research, the habit of smoking. education, and child care, and any tax cuts There are tens of millions of pages of these that the Congress wanted to pass, so it didn’t documents. While some of them are already affect our surplus and our commitment to on the Internet, most are stored in deposi- save Social Security. tories all across our Nation and as far away Now, right now, our legislative drive has as England. They aren’t easy to find. So I’ve been stalled in the face of a $40-million ad- decided to use this moment with you to show vertising campaign by the tobacco companies you one thing that the President can do with that has been unanswered by the public executive authority that has nothing to do health advocates because they don’t have that with legislative action in Congress. I am di- kind of money. But the facts are clear, and recting the Secretary of Health and Human if we keep working, I think we will prevail Services to report back to me in 90 days with on the issue. Why? Well, the main reason a plan to make these documents more acces- is the evidence that the tobacco companies sible to all Americans, so anybody that can themselves have given us about the dangers get on the Internet can get them all and can of smoking and their strategy. We now have, understand them all. as a result of all these lawsuits, internal to- The plan should include a strategy for in- bacco company documents that show that dexing them and for making that index wide- even as they publicly denied that nicotine ly available through both the Internet and was addictive, they conducted secret re- other methods. It should also have a strategy search in their labs, devised secret marketing for broad and rigorous analysis of the infor- strategies in their boardrooms to addict chil- mation contained in all these documents. I’m dren to smoking for life, and they knew ex- also pleased that the Attorney General will actly what they were doing. file a brief in support of the State of Min- How do we know it? Again, look at the nesota’s efforts to make the tobacco indus- documents that they, themselves, have pro- try’s own currently existing index to all of duced in the court cases. These documents these millions of documents available to the tell us in the tobacco companies’ own words general public. how children and minorities became the pri- We must lift the veil of secrecy on the to- mary targets they saw as new customers. bacco industry so that all Americans under- There are memos admitting in plain English, stand that there is an epidemic of teen smok- for example, quote, ‘‘The base of our busi- ing and how it came about. Let us use the ness is the high school student.’’ Memos say- darkest secrets of the industry to save a new

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generation of children from this habit and person in equal portion—the right to life, lib- to help us fight and win. erty, and the pursuit of happiness. They say, This administration and many of our Na- we’ve got to create this Government because tion’s leaders are working to make sure that there’s no way we can individually protect this challenge, along with these larger, and enhance these rights. That’s why we’re longer-term challenges that I’ve men- doing this. tioned—education, climate change, Social And then they gave us—all of us, every Security—do not become intractable prob- American until time immemorial—a mission: lems of your future. I don’t want your gen- They said, ‘‘We must work together to form eration of Americans to have to face a prob- a more perfect Union.’’ They were really lem like the magnitude of the deficit that I smart, those guys. [Laughter] They were faced here when we took office, really smart. They understood that every gen- I can tell you that the tougher problems eration would have its own challenges. They are, the harder the resolution is, and the understood the work of liberty would never more controversial the resolution is, and the be over. They understood all that. They un- more painful the price to pay is. We had to derstood it all. And they gave us a permanent make a lot of tough decisions in 1993 to get mission. And keep in mind, they created a that deficit under control, and a lot of brave limited Government which means that in this Members of Congress lost their seats in Con- country, the most important players will al- gress because they voted for an economic ways be the citizens. As great as the leaders program in 1993, the benefits of which were are, and all the monuments you’ve seen to not apparent in 1994 when they were up. our great leaders around this city since you’ve But when we got ready to pass the Balanced been here this week, none of them could Budget Act in 1997 on a bipartisan basis, have accomplished anything if the people guess what? Over 92 percent of the deficit hadn’t said, ‘‘Okay, we agree; we’ll do our had already disappeared because of what had part.’’ been done in 1993. So again, I say, you’ve had a remarkable The best thing for a smart country to do opportunity this week to learn more about is to take these challenges when they come how your country works. You have, your- up and deal with them quickly, looking to selves, been good citizen servants by doing the long run, not waiting for those things to it. You’ve had a chance to manifest your love fester and become infected and become a in America and your belief in America. For wound in the Nation’s psyche. That is what the rest of your life, I hope you’ll do what we’re trying to do here. you can to make our Union more perfect. That’s why I think programs like Girls Na- Good luck, and God bless you. [Applause] tion are so important, because they enlist Thank you. people in the work of citizenship as a dis- ciplined habit, not as something that you Now, I’m just going to go sign this order, think about when an emergency comes and I’m going to ask your president and vice along. I hope you will be able to do that to president to stand with me and then I’m your friends and your neighbors and your going to turn the microphone over to them. family members when you go home. I hope Come on. you will always continue now to help raise [At this point, the President signed the memo- awareness of the issues you care about and randum.] propose solutions to them. I hope you will always continue to lobby your elected leaders Q. Mr. President, do you think that the and to participate until you become one. court ruling can—— Our democracy is only as strong as its citi- The President. I’ll answer questions, but zens. Think about this when you go home: let’s do—let us finish the program, and then Our Founders did a revolutionary thing. I’ll answer a few questions. That’ll be fun They created a whole country based on the for them; they’ll see a little press conference idea, at the time totally unheard of, that God here. [Laughter] gave every person in equal portion—every Okay, you’ve got the floor.

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[At this point, Jennifer Hall, vice president, sional way, not a political way. They have 1998 Girls Nation Session, made brief re- strong convictions. They have manifested marks and presented the President with a those convictions. The Attorney General has Girls Nation sweatshirt.] determined that there is sufficient legal merit The President. That’s wonderful. Thank in their position that they ought to be rep- you. resented, and they are pursuing their case, which they have a right to do. I believe that [At this point, Alana Aldag, president, 1998 they should speak for themselves, and I Girls Nation Session, made brief remarks and should not interject myself into it. presented to the President legislation passed Q. Mr. President, I wonder if you could by the 1998 Girls Nation Senate.] respond to the ruling yesterday by the Ap- The President. This is the largest legisla- peals Court, and specifically the opinion of tive package that’s passed in Washington so one judge when he said that the White far this week. [Laughter] And I thank you House had effectively declared war on the very much. Independent Counsel— Thank you. I will have our people review The President. I think you have to con- this for good ideas. [Laughter] sider the source of that comment. And that Now, go ahead. Helen [Helen Thomas, is simply not true. The judge should—can United Press International], first—we’ll take have a right to his legal opinion about what two or three questions. Go head. the Treasury Department and Justice De- partment said, but I have told you that this Court Rulings on Secret Service Agent case is about their professional judgment Testimony about what’s necessary to do their job. And Q. Well, do you think that the court rulings I have not—neither I nor the White House are jeopardizing the duties of the Secret has been involved in it in any way, shape, Service? or form—nor will we, nor will I complicate The President. Well, they believe—that it by commenting further on what he said. is, the Treasury Department and the Secret Q. But in a larger sense, you don’t believe Service, based on their experience not just that the White House is—— with me but with all the Presidents, in the The President. Well, in a larger sense, I institutional memory of the Secret Service— am spoken for on that by Mr. Kendall. I think they believe that. And so, they are deter- the facts speak for themselves. I think— mined to pursue it, and the Attorney General again, I say you’ve got to consider the source has agreed to represent them in that. But of that comment. that is their professional judgment. I have Press Secretary Mike McCurry. Last decided that it would be inappropriate for question. me to express an opinion, and I have not done so. And I believe that I should stay out U.S. Trade Deficit and Asian Economies of it. But they have a very strong professional Q. Mr. President, the trade deficit in May opinion about it, and they are pursuing it. was up around $15 billion. Are you willing Q. But you have an opinion, surely. to overlook that while the Asian financial cri- The President. I do have an opinion. I sis plays itself out? have an opinion. I have a legal opinion, and The President. Well, I don’t think—no, I have a personal opinion, but I think that’s I don’t think we should overlook it, I think not—I think it’s important, and I think it it ought to prompt us to action. But let’s un- would be completely inappropriate for me derstand why the trade deficit is so large. The to be involved in this. I want the American trade deficit is large because we live in an people to understand that, notwithstanding integrated global economy, and our economy what some have said, and others have im- has been strong while the Asian economy has plied, this was a decision that came out of been in trouble. What does that mean? When the Secret Service about which they feel very their economy is in trouble, the value of their strongly. And these people risk their lives to currency goes down. What does that mean? protect me and other Presidents in a profes- That means that compared to yesterday, if

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their currency goes down, their money is Tax Cuts worth less than ours in the same amounts. Q. What do you think of the Speaker’s pro- That means it becomes their goods that they posal to use this budget surplus for big tax sell to us become cheaper, and it means our cuts? goods that we would sell to them become The President. I think, first of all, let’s more expensive. remember how we got where we are. We Almost the entire increase in the trade def- got the strength of our economy to the point icit is due to the Asian economic trouble, where it is now by being determined to bring which is why, since January, I have been say- down the deficit until we balanced the budg- ing we should make our proper contribution et, by expanding trade to sell more American to the International Monetary Fund to pro- products around the world, and by investing mote economic reform and economic recov- in education, in training, in technology, in ery in Asia. And the fact that we have not scientific research. Those are the engines of done so is endangering the livelihood of our economic recovery. American farmers and American factory workers because we are not making the ex- Now, we have not had a balanced budget ports—especially to Asia—that we otherwise for 29 years. And now, before we’ve had the could be making if those economies were first year, the first year of a surplus, to be coming back. And a critical part of that is talking about spending hundreds of billions our contribution to the International Mone- of dollars on a tax cut based on projected tary Fund. surpluses that may or may not materialize be- So, we should not ignore it, because, as fore we have spent the first dollar to save I said in the State of the Union Address way Social Security so that you aren’t going to back in January, our welfare is tied to the have to support your parents in a way that welfare of Asia. We’ve got 16 million new diminishes your standard of living, I think jobs in the last 51⁄2 years, 30 percent of our is a mistake. So I’ll go back to my position: economic growth is due to exports. A signifi- I think we should save Social Security first. cant area of export growth has been Asia. Let’s show the American people this bal- That’s why I worked hard to—the other anced budget. Let’s show the American peo- big area of real growth has been in Latin ple this surplus. Let’s try to keep this econ- America. And what I’ve tried to do is to head omy going and get our growth going, and these things off. You may remember a couple when we have passed a plan to save Social of years ago when we moved in aggressively Security, let’s see what it costs and then make to help Mexico when their economy was in a decision on the tax issue. trouble and a lot of people criticized that. We don’t want to count our chickens be- But Mexico paid back their loan ahead of fore they hatch. Now, the end of the fiscal schedule and at profit to the United States. year here is September 30th. And it’s now And they are now a functioning economic projected that we’ll have a $63-billion sur- partner with us again. That’s what we need plus, and I earnestly hope we do. But it in Asia. wouldn’t do any harm to rack one up before So, the American people should be con- we start spending it. We had 29 years of defi- cerned about this, but we should know that cits. Between 1981 and 1983—in 12 years there is a disciplined answer. We need to alone, we increased by 4 times the total debt restore growth in Japan, restore growth in of the United States. We quadrupled the Asia, and our major goal here for our own debt of the United States in 12 years that action should be to pay our fair share to the we had amassed in the previous 200. It won’t International Monetary Fund so we can sup- do us any harm to take one year and enjoy port economic recovery, so they can afford the fact that we’ve balanced our books, ran to buy our products, and so there’s some up a surplus, and planned to save Social Se- greater parity in the prices of our products. curity. That will not do us any harm. It will Meanwhile, what you see is a product of the keep our economy stronger, and it’s better strength, not the weakness, of the American for America’s future. economy. Thank you very much.

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NOTE: The President spoke at 9:30 a.m. in Room ments, there is no comprehensive public 450 of the Old Executive Office Building. In his index to help researchers locate information remarks, he referred to Diane Duscheck, director, contained in the documents. Only a small 1998 Girls Nation Session; Barbara Kranig, na- percentage of the documents are posted on tional president, American Legion Auxiliary; ABC the Internet and it is difficult to search News anchor Ted Koppel; brothers Richard, Mark, and Jason Quinn, who died in a through them in their current format. firebombing attack on their home in Ballymoney, The State of Minnesota is currently in- Northern Ireland, on July 12; Judge Laurence H. volved in litigation to obtain the public re- Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the lease of a computerized index (the so-called District of Columbia; and attorney David E. Ken- 4–A Index), created by the tobacco industry dall. for use during litigation. The tobacco indus- try has fought to prevent the release of this Memorandum on Public Availability index. It is the industry’s road map to its own of Tobacco Documents documents and could improve significantly the ability of public health experts, scientists, July 17, 1998 State and Federal officials, and the public Memorandum for the Secretary of Health to search through industry documents. The and Human Services bipartisan comprehensive tobacco legislation recently considered in the Senate contained Subject: Public Availability of Tobacco strong provisions for public disclosure of to- Documents bacco industry documents. While I will con- For decades, the tobacco industry sought tinue to fight to enact comprehensive to- to hide from the American people critically bacco legislation, I am determined to move important information about the health haz- forward to protect America’s children from ards of tobacco and the industry’s efforts to tobacco. induce children to smoke. Recently, court Therefore, I hereby direct you, working cases and congressional subpoenas have with the Attorney General, the States, public forced the tobacco companies to make many health professionals, librarians, and other of their documents public. concerned Americans, to report back to me These documents confirm that for decades in 90 days with a plan to make the tobacco the tobacco companies did intensive research industry documents more readily accessible on the smoking habits of children, knew to- to the public health community, the scientific bacco products were addictive and deadly, community, the States, and the public at understood that a price increase would drive large. This plan should: down the number of young people who (1) Propose a method for coordinating re- smoke, and deliberately marketed their prod- view of the documents and making available ucts to young people and minorities. an easily searchable index and/or digest of Because they provide new information the reviewed documents. about which types of advertising appeal to (2) Propose a plan to disseminate widely children, these documents can help public the index and/or digest as well as the docu- health experts design counter-advertising ments themselves, including expanded use of campaigns and other strategies to protect the Internet. children. These documents also can assist sci- (3) Provide a strategy for coordinating a entists in understanding more about the ad- broad public and private review and analysis dictive nature of nicotine, the health con- of the documents to gain critical public sequences of tobacco use, and the effects of health information. Issues to be considered certain tobacco product designs and ingredi- as part of this analysis include: nicotine ad- ents. It is therefore critical to the fight against diction and pharmacology; biomedical re- youth smoking that the Nation’s scientists search, including ingredient safety; product and public health experts carefully examine design; and youth marketing strategies. and analyze these documents. To help ensure greater access to these doc- Although many tobacco industry docu- uments, the Department of Justice plans to ments are now public, most are not readily file an amicus brief in the trial court in sup- accessible. While many public health leaders port of the State of Minnesota’s motion to have found and highlighted important docu- unseal the industry-created 4–A index.

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I remain committed to using every power you will too. Thank you for what you do every of my office to protect children from the dan- day. gers of tobacco. Through these actions, we Now, let me say one of the things that the can use the industry’s darkest secrets to save President cannot do anything about, at least a new generation of children from this deadly in the short run, is the heat. [Laughter] So habit. I think it’s time to stop the speeches and start the greeting, so you can get out of here be- William J. Clinton fore anything too bad happens. But I’m glad to be back. Thank you. Thank you for everything. God bless you. Thank Remarks on Arrival at Little Rock Air you. Force Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas July 17, 1998 NOTE: The President spoke at 2:10 p.m. on the Little Rock Air Force Base flight line. In his re- Thank you very much. Thank you very marks, he referred to Brig. Gen. Jack R. Holbein, much, General. First let me say I am de- USAF, Commander, 314th Airlift Wing; and lighted to be back home. I’m glad to be with Mayor Tommy Swaim of Jacksonville, AR. A tape your Congressman, Vic Snyder, and our Sec- was not available for verification of the content retary of Transportation, Rodney Slater. of these remarks. They’re doing a great job for you. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming out to make me wel- come, and thank all of you for coming out. I want to spend most of my time just saying Digest of Other hello to people in the crowd, but let me just White House Announcements make a couple of points. First of all, I am so grateful to the people of Arkansas for all that you did to give me a chance to serve The following list includes the President’s public as President. And I hope you take a certain schedule and other items of general interest an- amount of personal pride in the role you nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and played when you read every day the news not included elsewhere in this issue. of our country’s progress. I’m very grateful that I had a chance to serve in a time when, working together, July 11 we’ve got the lowest crime rate in 25 years, In the evening, the President and Hillary the lowest unemployment rate in 28 years, Clinton attended a concert at the John F. the first balanced budget in 29 years, the low- Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts est welfare rolls in 29 years, the lowest infla- honoring the 200th anniversary of the Marine tion rate in 32 years, and the highest home- Corps Band. ownership in the history of America. I’m proud of that. You should be proud of that. July 13 I’m also very, very proud of the work that In the afternoon, the President had a America is doing, and the role that the peo- luncheon with Senator Thomas A. Daschle ple who serve at this base have in it, in ad- and Representative Richard A. Gephardt in vancing peace and freedom and prosperity the Oval Office Dining Room. and security around the world. And I know The President announced his intention to you have some folks overseas right now doing nominate Karl J. Sandstrom to serve as a important missions—we thank them for that. Commissioner of the Federal Election Com- I also want to know that I consider the mission. training mission of this base vital, and I’m The President announced his intention to very pleased with the Air Force report, which nominate Christopher W.S. Ross for the rank has been embraced by the Defense Depart- of Ambassador during his tenure of service ment, to continue the important mission of as Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the the base here, and I will support that. I know State Department.

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July 14 dren, Youth, and Families at the Department The President announced his intention to of Health and Human Services. nominate Charles R. Rawls to serve as Gen- eral Counsel at the Department of Agri- culture. The President announced his intention to nominate Mike Walker to serve as Deputy Nominations Director of the Federal Emergency Manage- Submitted to the Senate ment Agency. The President announced his intention to nominate George M. Staples as Ambassador The following list does not include promotions of members of the Uniformed Services, nominations to Rwanda. to the Service Academies, or nominations of For- July 15 eign Service officers. The President announced his intention to nominate John J. Pikarski, Jr., to be a mem- Submitted July 14 ber of the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Bill Richardson, July 16 of New Mexico, to be Secretary of Energy, In the morning, the President met with vice Federico Pen˜ a, resigned. President Emil Constantinescu of Romania in the Oval Office. Later, he attended a Submitted July 15 meeting with National Security Adviser Sam- uel Berger and NATO Secretary General Charles R. Rawls, Javier Solana in Mr. Berger’s office at the of North Carolina, to be General Counsel of White House. In the evening, he traveled to the Department of Agriculture, vice James Chevy Chase, MD. S. Gilliland, resigned. The President announced his intention to nominate John D. Hawke, Jr., to serve as George McDade Staples, Comptroller of the Currency at the Depart- of Kentucky, a career member of the Senior ment of the Treasury. Foreign Service, class of Counselor, to be The President announced his intention to Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleni- nominate John Melvin Yates to be Ambas- potentiary of the United States of America sador to Cameroon. to the Republic of Rwanda. July 17 Robert M. Walker, In the morning, the President attended an of Tennessee, to be Deputy Director of the American Legion Boys Nation reunion re- Federal Emergency Management Agency, ception in the State Dining Room at the vice Harvey G. Ryland, resigned. White House. In the afternoon, he traveled to Little Rock, AR. Submitted July 16 The President announced his intention to nominate Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., to serve as John D. Hawke, Jr., Assistant Administrator for Administration of the District of Columbia, to be Comptrol- and Resources Management at the Environ- ler of the Currency for a term of 5 years, mental Protection Agency. vice Eugene Allan Ludwig, resigned. The President announced his intention to nominate J. Charles Fox to serve as Assistant John Melvin Yates, Administrator for Water at the Environ- of Washington, a career member of the Sen- mental Protection Agency. ior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Coun- The President announced his intention to selor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and nominate Patricia T. Montoya to serve as Plenipotentiary of the United States of Commissioner of the Administration on Chil- America to the Republic of Cameroon.

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Submitted July 17 Released July 13 Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- of the District of Columbia, to be an Assist- retary Mike McCurry ant Administrator of the Environmental Pro- tection Agency, vice Jonathan Z. Cannon, re- Released July 14 signed. Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- retary Mike McCurry J. Charles Fox, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Administrator Transcript of remarks by Vice President Gore of the Environmental Protection Agency, on the Year 2000 conversion computer prob- vice Mary Delores Nichols. lem Paul Steven Miller, Transcript of a press briefing by the Presi- of California, to be a member of the Equal dent’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion Employment Opportunity Commission for Chair John Koskinen on the Year 2000 con- the remainder of the term expiring July 1, version computer problem 1999, vice Gilbert F. Casellas, resigned. Released July 15 John J. Pikarski, Jr., Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- of Illinois, to be a member of the Board of retary Mike McCurry Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation for the remainder of the term Statement by the Press Secretary on inves- expiring December 17, 1998, vice Gerald S. tigations by the Russian Government into ex- McGowan. port control violations John J. Pikarski, Jr., Statement by the Press Secretary: Congres- of Illinois, to be a member of the Board of sional Consideration of Legislation to In- Directors of the Overseas Private Investment crease the Number of H–1B Visas Corporation for a term expiring December Transcript of a press briefing by Health and 17, 2001 (reappointment). Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala on the Patients’ Bill of Rights Released July 16 Checklist Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- of White House Press Releases retary Mike McCurry Released July 17 The following list contains releases of the Office of the Press Secretary that are neither printed as Transcript of Press Secretary Mike items nor covered by entries in the Digest of McCurry’s morning press gaggle Other White House Announcements. Statement by the Press Secretary: State Visit by President Havel of the Czech Republic Released July 11 1 Transcript of a press briefing by National In- stitute of Justice Director Jeremy Travis and Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program Acts Approved Director Jack Riley on the President’s radio by the President address Released July 12 Approved July 14 Statement by the Press Secretary: Violence in Northern Ireland H.R. 651 / Public Law 105–189 To extend the deadline under the Federal 1 This release was made available by the Office Power Act for the construction of a hydro- of the Press Secretary on July 10 but was embar- electric project located in the State of Wash- goed for release until 10:06 a.m., July 11. ington, and for other purposes

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H.R. 652 / Public Law 105–190 H.R. 2202 / Public Law 105–196 To extend the deadline under the Federal National Bone Marrow Registry Reauthor- Power Act for the construction of a hydro- ization Act of 1998 electric project located in the State of Wash- ington, and for other purposes H.R. 2864 / Public Law 105–197 H.R. 848 / Public Law 105–191 Occupational Safety and Health Administra- To extend the deadline under the Federal tion Compliance Assistance Authorization Power Act applicable to the construction of Act of 1998 the AuSable Hydroelectric Project in New York, and for other purposes H.R. 2877 / Public Law 105–198 H.R. 1184 / Public Law 105–192 To amend the Occupational Safety and To extend the deadline under the Federal Health Act of 1970 Power Act for the construction of the Bear Creek Hydroelectric Project in the State of H.R. 3035 / Public Law 105–199 Washington, and for other purposes National Drought Policy Act of 1998 H.R. 1217 / Public Law 105–193 To extend the deadline under the Federal H.R. 3130 / Public Law 105–200 Power Act for the construction of a hydro- Child Support Performance and Incentive electric project located in the State of Wash- Act of 1998 ington, and for other purposes S. 2282 / Public Law 105–194 H.J. Res. 113 / Public Law 105–201 Agriculture Export Relief Act of 1998 Approving the location of a Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial in the Nation’s Capital Approved July 16 H.R. 960 / Public Law 105–195 S. 731 / Public Law 105–202 To validate certain conveyances in the City To extend the legislative authority for con- of Tulare, Tulare County, California, and for struction of the National Peace Garden me- other purposes morial, and for other purposes

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