Presidential Documents

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Monday, October 4, 1999 Volume 35—Number 39 Pages 1821–1886

1 Contents

Addresses and Remarks Bill Signings—Continued See also Bill Signings; Meetings With Foreign Extension of the Airport Improvement Leaders Program Act, statement—1857 Arts and Humanities Awards Treasury and General Government Dinner—1858 Appropriations Act 2000, statements—1856 Presentation—1847 Democratic National Committee dinner— Bill Vetoes 1821 Economy, national—1825 ‘‘District of Columbia Appropriations Act International Monetary Fund, annual 2000’’ meeting—1853 Message—1846 Japanese nuclear accident—1879 Statement—1845 Louisiana Departure for New Orleans—1825 Communications to Congress Dinner for Representative William J. See also Bill Vetoes Jefferson in New Orleans—1834 Angola (UNITA), message transmitting report Luncheon for Representative William J. on national emergency—1834 Jefferson in New Orleans—1829 Sophie B. Wright Middle School in New Communications to Federal Agencies Orleans—1827 Nevada, departure for Las Vegas—1879 Counter-drug assistance to Colombia, Peru, New York, National Education Summit in Ecuador, and Panama, memorandum—1869 Palisades—1865 Delegation of authority under the Radio address—1824 Immigration and Nationality Act, Religious leaders, breakfast—1839 memorandum—1839 Social Security benefits statement—1879 Korean Peninsula Energy Development World Bank, annual meeting—1853 Organization funding, memorandum—1857 Bill Signings Liberians in the United States, memorandum on measures regarding—1834 Continuing resolution, remarks—1859 Energy and Water Development Pakistan and India, memorandum—1878 Appropriations Act, 2000, statement—1859 Refugee admissions, memorandum—1878

(Continued on the inside of the back cover.)

Editor’s Note: The President was in Las Vegas, NV, on October 1, 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.

2 Contents—Continued

Executive Orders Proclamations—Continued Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory National Domestic Violence Awareness Committees—1873 Month—1872 Improving Health Protection of Military 100th Anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Personnel Participating in Particular Wars—1857 Military Operations—1875 Statements by the President Interviews With the News Media See also Bill Signing; Bill Vetoes Exchanges with reporters Death of Oseola McCarty—1833 Briefing Room—1859 Education appropriations legislation—1845 Oval Office—1844 Global climate change, action against—1833 Rose Garden—1825 Liberians in the United States, measures South Lawn—1879 regarding—1833 Rental assistance vouchers—1882 Meetings With Foreign Leaders World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn’s decision to serve a second term as President—1845 Turkey, Prime Minister Ecevit—1844 Supplementary Materials Proclamations Acts approved by the President—1885 Gold Star Mother’s Day—1821 Checklist of White House press releases— National Breast Cancer Awareness Month— 1885 1870 Digest of other White House National Disability Employment Awareness announcements—1883 Month—1871 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1884

3 Week Ending Friday, October 1, 1999

Proclamation 7226—Gold Star and requested the President to issue a procla- Mother’s Day, 1999 mation in observance of this day. Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, September 24, 1999 President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 26, 1999, as By the President of the United States Gold Star Mother’s Day. I call on all govern- of America ment officials to display the United States flag on government buildings on this day. I A Proclamation also urge the American people to display the For generations, the brave men and flag to hold appropriate meetings in their women of our Armed Forces have answered homes, places of worship, or other suitable our Nation’s call to service. In the air, on places as a public expression of the sympathy the sea, and across the world’s battlefields, and the respect that our Nation holds for its they have fought with valor and determina- Gold Star Mothers. tion so that we might continue to live in free- In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set dom. The blessings of liberty and peace we my hand this twenty-fourth day of Sep- know today have been paid for with the lives tember, in the year of our Lord nineteen of those who never returned home. hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Inde- The Gold Star Mothers of America know pendence of the United States of America the price of freedom all too well. They have the two hundred and twenty-fourth. experienced one of life’s greatest joys in be- William J. Clinton coming a parent and have endured one of life’s greatest sorrows in losing a son or [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, daughter. The spirit of sacrifices made by our 8:45 a.m., September 28, 1999] fallen warriors lives on in the hearts of our NOTE: This proclamation was published in the Gold Star Mothers. Federal Register on September 29. This item was Their sacrifice lives on as well in the work not received in time for publication in the appro- Gold Star Mothers perform in communities priate issue. throughout our country, working with dis- abled veterans and their families, nurturing patriotism in a new generation of young Remarks at a Democratic National Americans, reaching out to others who have Committee Dinner lost a child in the service of our Nation, and September 24, 1999 ensuring that the contributions of their own sons and daughters are never forgotten. The Thank you very much. Ladies and gentle- generous and compassionate work of Gold men, you can see I’m a little hoarse tonight. Star Mothers is a powerful legacy of service I lost my voice coming back from New Zea- that they carry on in loving memory of their land; then I got it back today, and I’m losing children. it again. It’s 10 o’clock on Friday night, and We have a profound obligation to honor you’ve heard me give this speech before. the service and sacrifice of these remarkable [Laughter] women as we honor their children. That is I’ll never forget, once I went to hear Tina why the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution Turner, that great political philosopher— 115 of June 23, 1936 (49 Stat. 1895), has des- [laughter]—in a concert, and she sang all of ignated the last Sunday in September as her new songs since she made her comeback, ‘‘Gold Star Mother’s Day’’ and authorized about 10 years ago. And then at the end she

1821 1822 Sept. 24 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 started singing ‘‘Proud Mary,’’ which was her scholar of the Presidency says we have kept first hit 25 years ago. And everybody went a higher percentage of our commitments nuts—25 years ago or 10 years ago—every- than the last five administrations, even body went nuts. And they were clapping, and though we have given far more than any. she walked up to the microphone and she Now why is that? And not because—is it be- said, ‘‘I’ve been singing this song for 25 years. cause we’re more honest than they were? No. And it gets better every time I sing it.’’ It’s because we thought through what we be- [Laughter] lieved, and analyzed where we thought the So I won’t keep you long. But let me join country was; and said, okay, if this is true the Vice President in thanking Bob and Ar- then, therefore, we have to do these things. lene, Bob and Clarice for hosting this dinner. We’ve got to get rid of this deficit; we’ve I always love to come back to this beautiful got to expand America’s business; we’ve got home; I’ve been coming here for years. I to bring opportunity to people who don’t would never tire of it. I thank Lieutenant have it; we’ve got to invest in education. We Governor Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend for had ideas. And we were following on 12 years being here, for being our friend, and for of the Reagan/Bush era, which was premised being, I believe, by any measure, the finest on two great ideas. One was that the Govern- Lieutenant Governor in the United States— ment was the problem—you remember all for her ideas and her actions. [Applause] those speeches—America’s in trouble be- Thank you. cause the Government is the problem— I thank Joe Andrew, Roy Romer, Beth 1980. Dozoretz, Andy Tobias, my good friend The second was the interesting proposition Mayor Archer, all the officials of the Demo- that we would balance the budget and grow cratic Party. And most of all, I thank you. the economy forever if we just cut taxes and Now I want to give a brief but, maybe, unconventional speech here. I want to sort increased spending. Shall I say it again? of unpack where we are, what the Vice Presi- [Laughter] That’s what they thought. So we dent said, what Bob and Bob said—all the didn’t believe that. We just said, let’s go back nice things they said about our record and to arithmetic and get America ready for the all that—what it really means for where we modern world. And it worked, and you’ve are and where we’re going, because that’s talked about that. what matters. Now, in 1998—I want to talk about a little When I asked Al Gore to become my Vice more arithmetic—we won seats in the Con- Presidential partner, we put out a book gress in the midterm elections for the first called, ‘‘Putting People First.’’ And a lot of time since 1822, in the sixth year of a Presi- experts said we were crazy. They said, ‘‘This dency, because people like you gave us whole thing is crazy; these two guys are the enough money to get our message across, same age’’—I look 100 years older than him even though we were outspent $100 million. now. [Laughter] They said, ‘‘These two guys Doesn’t matter how much money they have, are the same age; they come from States that if you’ve got enough. [Laughter] Right? We border each other; they more or less think had enough. alike; this is nuts. Why are they doing this?’’ We need your help now. And what I want Then we put out this book. And as evi- to say to you is, that’s all that matters now. dence of the sort of cynicism of the political We’ve got to have enough. Because when process, people said, ‘‘Now this is really nuts. young people come up to me and say, ‘‘I’m Here they put out this book; they’ve given interested in politics, Mr. President. What all these specific commitments to the Amer- should I do, and how should I do it?’’ I always ican people; and, you know how politics is, say, ‘‘Well, if you run, try to make sure that they’re not going to do any of this. Then this on election day, everyone who votes against book will be used to beat them over the head you knows exactly what they’re doing.’’ with.’’ And if you think about it, that’s what de- You never hear about our book, do you? mocracy should be. If everybody knows what Do you know why? Because a respected they’re doing, and you lose, you can’t gripe. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 24 1823

You are making sure, with your contribu- The Democrats are supposed to be the lib- tions, that when people vote, they’ll know eral, progressive party. Why should they be what they’re doing. for a debt-free America? Because average The other thing I want to tell you is, you people are better off if the interest rates are should be of good cheer. You should be opti- lower, and inflation’s lower, and growth is mistic. You should be confident. Why? Be- higher. cause we’ve got a good record. You just heard He’s got ideas that would make this the we’ve got good plans for the future. And be- safest big country in the world. It’s really im- cause most Americans aren’t thinking about portant. I’m proud, you know—I’m on my this yet, and all the pundits that want you way out, so I tell everybody we’ve got the to believe it’s all over are the same crowd lowest crime rate in 26 years. And that’s that have buried me 9 or 10 times already. good; it makes me sound good. But the truth [Laughter] You should be of good cheer. is, about all we have done is to restore this Normally, at a time like this, you would country to basic sanity. The county is still expect a reasonably close election, and I be- too violent. There’s still too many crazy peo- lieve it will be reasonably close. And I believe ple out there with guns killing innocent peo- we’ll win. And that’s what I really believe is ple, walking into churches, and doing all this going to happen, because we’ve got a good stuff that’s going on. record, good ideas, and because right now, We’ve got a plan to put more police where people think they want change. And what they ought to be, take reasonable measures they need to understand is, we want change, to keep guns out of the wrong hands. They’ll too. I would vote against the Vice President turn our crime policy back over to the NRA. if he said, ‘‘Vote for me, and I’ll do everything And it’ll get worse. That’s just one example. that Bill Clinton would do.’’ I would say, ‘‘I’m So the issue is not—and you need to talk sorry, Al; I can’t vote for you.’’ to people about this—the issue is not, are This country’s still around here after 223 we going to change? The issue is, what kind years because we keep changing. We’re con- of change are we for? stantly reimagining ourselves and exploring I’m really proud that we thought ideas new possibilities. That’s why we’re still here. were important and that we worked to imple- So that’s not the question. The question is ment them. The Vice President’s votes will not, are we going to be for change? The ques- become famous as the election wears on, and tion is, what kind of change are we going everybody will know that, as he points out, to be for? And you need to go tell people every time he votes, we win. And he voted that. and we won the economic plan. And he voted Are we going to build on what we have and we won in the Senate the right to close done, that’s brought all these good things in the loophole in the Brady bill affecting the America, and deal with the aging of America? gun shows. Are we going to deal with the fact that in But he also ran our technology policy, that 30 years we’ll have twice as many people over led to the Telecommunications Act, which 65, when all the baby boomers retire—two has produced already over 300,000 high- people working for every one person drawing wage jobs. He managed our empowerment Social Security—and use this period to fix zone and enterprise community program, Social Security and Medicare? which is—well, ask Mayor Archer about it. Are we going to deal with the global econ- Ask Mayor Archer. Detroit—don’t take my omy and what it means for us, and not squan- word for it; on the way out of here, before der this money until we pay down the debt? you go out, just go ask him. Detroit’s unem- We could have this country debt-free in 15 ployment rate today is one-half of what it was years for the first time since 1835 and leave on the day we were elected in 1992. One- all the borrowing for the private sector. half. Part of it’s their brilliant mayor, but part Lower interest rates, more jobs, higher in- of it is the empowerment zone program. comes, lower car payments, home mortgage Now, I say that to say ideas matter and payments, college payments—we could do making sure people know about them matter. that. And I want you to go out there and talk about 1824 Sept. 24 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 them. But I think our ideas are right. I think The President’s Radio Address we ought to stay out of debt and pay this debt down. I think we ought to keep trying September 25, 1999 to improve the environment and grow the Good morning. With only 5 days left in economy. I think we were right with the fam- the current fiscal year, Congress still has a ily and medical leave law; we ought to keep lot of work to do. For almost 7 years now, working to help people balance work and Vice President Gore and I have pursued a family. new economic strategy that focused on fiscal I think we ought to keep trying to build discipline, expanding trade in American a community and be for this ‘‘Employment products and services, and investing in our Non-Discrimination Act’’ and be for the hate people and new technology. crimes legislation, because I think that when The results are now clear. The past 61⁄2 everybody who’s law-abiding can work to- years have produced the longest peacetime gether, we do better in a global society, and expansion in history: more than 19 million people are happier, and life is more inter- new jobs; rising wages; the lowest unemploy- esting. And that’s what we’re for. And you ment, welfare, and crime rates in a genera- need to be in a good humor about this. tion; the highest levels of homeownership I thank you for giving this money. We can ever; a balanced budget; and the largest sur- make sure that everybody who votes knows plus ever. It has given the American people what they’re doing. But you need to go out more money in their paychecks, lower inter- and repeat these arguments and be of good est rates for homes and cars, more help cheer. through efforts like the HOPE scholarship to open the doors of college to all. We’re Let me tell you one other thing. Except on a path of progress and prosperity. The in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Washington, American people want it to continue. DC, most people aren’t thinking about the That’s why 2 days ago I vetoed the Repub- Presidential election yet. In Conway, Arkan- licans’ risky $792 billion tax plan. It was just sas, they’re worried about the price of cattle. too big, too bloated; it would place too big But they will worry. Their minds and their a burden on our economy and run the risk hearts will kick in. And almost every time, of higher interest rates and lower growth. the American people get it right. If we do Also, it didn’t add a day to the Social Security our job, they’ll get it right. That’s why we’re Trust Fund or a dollar to Medicare. And it still around here. would have forced cuts of nearly 50 percent So trust them. Stay with us. Consider it in everything from education to health care a privilege to give; we consider it a privilege to the environment to veterans programs to to serve. We’re going to give this country its national security, even in air traffic safety. best days in the 21st century. It would have created an untenable choice Thank you, and God bless you. for the Congress: these irresponsible cuts on the one hand; or on the other, diverting ever more funds from the Social Security surplus NOTE: The President spoke at 10 p.m. at a private and from debt reduction. We said, all of us residence. In his remarks, he referred to dinner did just a few months ago, that we shouldn’t hosts Robert and Arlene Kogod and Bob and Clarice Smith; Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy-Town- spend the Social Security surplus anymore. send of Maryland; Joseph J. Andrew, national Today I say again to the congressional ma- chair, Roy Romer, former general chair, Beth jority, we don’t have to do that. I gave them Dozoretz, national finance chair; Andy Tobias, a plan to expand the life of the Social Security treasurer, and Mayor Dennis W. Archer of De- Trust Fund 50 years, to extend Medicare troit, general cochair, Democratic National Com- over 25 years, and add prescription drug cov- mittee. This item was not received in time for erage, to invest in education and other prior- publication in the appropriate issue. ities, to provide an affordable tax cut, and Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1825 still to pay down the debt and make us debt- Thursday I asked the Republicans to work free as a nation for the first time since 1835. with me on bipartisan Medicare proposal, to But the congressional majority continues modernize Medicare and provide voluntary on a track that doesn’t adequately fund prescription drug benefits and keep it solvent America’s real priorities, while already until 2027. Following a meeting with my ad- spending large amounts of the Social Security visers, the Chairman of the Senate Finance surplus, instead of preserving it for debt re- Committee, Bill Roth, has agreed to engage duction. A month ago their own Congres- in serious discussion on meaningful Medi- sional Budget Office estimated they’d used care reform. $16 to $19 billion of the surplus for Social I’m reaching out to the Republicans to en- Security, and steps they’ve taken since then gage with us on Medicare. I want to do the have only made it go higher. They have used same on education, on Social Security, on what the Wall Street Journal, the New York paying down our debt. We owe it to the Times, and others have called budget gim- American people to give it our best efforts. micks to give the impression that they have The results could make the 21st century simply created $17 billion out of thin air. America’s best days. At the same time, they’re still not pro- Thanks for listening. viding nearly enough for education and other vital priorities. In fact, the very same day I NOTE: The address was recorded at 5:27 p.m. on vetoed their budget-busting tax plan, they September 24 in the Oval Office at the White passed a bill out of committee that would House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on September seriously undermine our efforts to strengthen 25. The transcript was made available by the Of- education. It would eliminate our effort to fice of the Press Secretary on September 24 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. hire 100,000 quality teachers and reduce class size—something they themselves en- dorsed last year at election time. It would Remarks on Departure for New deny hundreds of thousands of young people Orleans, Louisiana, and an Exchange access to after-school programs. It would eliminate our mentoring program, which is With Reporters designed to get poor children into college. September 27, 1999 It doesn’t improve or expand Head Start. It cuts the successful America Reads program, National Economy which now involves students from a thousand The President. Good morning. In a few colleges going to tens of thousands of our moments I will be leaving for Louisiana. But young children to make sure then can read. before I depart, I want to say a few words It cuts our efforts to connect all our class- about the course we’re charting for America’s rooms and schools to the Internet by the year future. 2000. And, again, there’s not any funding for Seven years ago, when I ran for President, our plan to build or modernize 6,000 schools. it was a time of low growth, high interest All this at a time when we need to be doing rates, and high unemployment, a vicious more, not less, to prepare for the 21st cen- cycle, driven by deepening deficits. Irrespon- tury—for what is now the largest group of sible policies had quadrupled our national schoolchildren in our history. debt and risked our future. Vice President There’s a better way. The Republicans Gore and I took office determined to change should work with us to create a budget that all that. We put in place a new strategy for pays for itself with straightforward proposals the new economy, one founded on fiscal dis- like our tobacco policy. They should work cipline, expanded trade, and investment in with us to create a real Social Security our people and modern technology. lockbox that would devote the entire surplus The success of that strategy now is clearer to debt reduction from Social Security taxes than ever. By balancing the budget, we put and extend the life of Social Security until in motion a virtuous cycle of budget sur- the middle of the next century—something pluses, low interest rates, and low unemploy- their plan doesn’t do. ment. For business, this makes it easier to 1826 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 invest, to create jobs, wealth, and oppor- free for the first time since 1835 when tunity. And for working people, lower inter- Andrew Jackson was President. I will work est rates makes it easier to own a home, af- with members of both parties to fulfill these ford a car, send a child to college. fundamental obligations to our people and Today we received more good news that to our future. I hope they will work with me. our strategy is working. According to the Thank you very much. Office of Management and Budget, this year’s budget surplus will be at least—I’m Appropriations Legislation Veto going to write this in; enjoy it—at least $115 Q. Mr. President—— billion. This triple-digit surplus is larger than Q. Will you veto Republican spending bills projected, larger than last year’s, and larger, if they exceed the caps? in fact, than any dollar surplus in the history The President. Well, I gave them a budg- of the United States. It is a landmark achieve- et, of course, that did not break the caps, ment for our economy. And when you con- but it would require them to raise some reve- sider where we were just 7 years ago, it’s nues from tobacco. But the main thing that as great an American comeback as the Ryder I would say is, I want them to work with Cup was yesterday. It is further proof that me to meet our fundamental priorities. We we’re on the right road to prosperity. can give the American people an honest, Our Nation has come a long way in a short credible budget that extends the life of Social time. In 1992 the budget deficit was $290 Security and Medicare, meets our respon- billion, projected to rise above $400 billion sibilities in education and other important this year. Instead, as you can see, we have areas, and leaves us free to pay down that posted back-to-back surpluses for 2 years in debt and to put America on a target to be a row and, believe it or not, that’s the first debt-free in the next 15 years. I hope they time this has happened since 1957. Now, in will work with me in that spirit. 1957, well, that was the year John Lennon We have to come together and work to- first met Paul McCartney, and the Braves gether to get anything done, and we can do won the World Series—not the Atlanta that. I cite these examples over and over Braves, the Milwaukee Braves. again, but the Welfare Reform Act in 1996, Our prosperity now gives us an unprece- coming on top of the initiatives we had taken dented opportunity and an unprecedented in the previous 3 years has now given us the responsibility to shape America’s future by lowest welfare rolls in 32 years. And the Bal- putting first things first, by moving forward anced Budget Act completed the work of the with an economic strategy that is successful economic package of 1993, and we now have and sound, and by meeting America’s long- this $115 billion surplus. So the American term challenges. In that spirit, I have asked people know we can do things together, and the Republicans in Congress not to throw in that’s how we’re going to have to do this. the towel, but to work with me and congres- sional Democrats to do the work the people Social Security elected us to do—to save Social Security with Q. Do you still plan to offer a plan to re- a lockbox that extends in solvency until 2050, form Social Security? The White House had to strengthen and modernize Medicare with promised more than a year ago that there a long-overdue prescription drug benefit, to would be one after the last election. invest in world-class education for our chil- The President. We have met several dren, and to protect important priorities, times, as you probably know, at various levels from national security to the environment with Members in the House, and we have and agriculture, to medical research and tried to get close to an agreement on that. modern technology, to investment incentives The reason I said what I said today is that for rural and urban areas that have not yet if they would just agree to my plan on paying been touched by our prosperity. down the debt and then dedicating a few We can do all that and still have an afford- years of the interest savings by locking up able tax cut for the middle class and pay the Social Security taxes, which would hap- down our debt so that by 2015, we are debt- pen a few years in the future, but if they Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1827 would agree to do that, then that, alone, This is a time of great instability and un- would extend the life of Social Security to certainty for them. We should stand against 2050, which would take us out beyond the those actions which violate human rights and life expectancy of all but the most fortunate which are wrong, but we should also hope baby boomers. So I would hope that at least that both stability and humane policies will we could do that. be returned to Indonesia as soon as possible. Obviously, I would like to do more, and It is a very large country with 200 million we’re still working on that. But at the min- people, the largest Muslim country in the imum, we could do this. world and capable, as we have seen periodi- cally over the last few years, of enormous Working With Congress progress and capable of playing an important, positive role in the future of Asia, and that’s Q. Sir, there’s every indication Repub- what I hope and pray will happen. But it will licans will not work with you. But in the require responsible leadership from Indo- meantime, where does the American tax- nesia, as well as appropriate responses from payer stand in this battle between your rock the United States and others. and their hard place? Thank you very much. The President. Oh, I think if the past is any measure, one way or the other, the tax- payers are going to be all right, because we NOTE: The President spoke at 8:11 a.m. in the can do pretty well by conflict, I suppose, and Rose Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to former Beatles Paul McCartney and eventually drag this out to where we’ve at the late John Lennon. least got a decent education budget and we’re still paying down the debt. But they have to work with me if we’re going to extend Remarks at Sophie B. Wright Middle the life of Medicare and Social Security and School in New Orleans, Louisiana do some of these other very important things. I’m not pessimistic; we’ve still got plenty September 27, 1999 of time. I know it’s almost the end of the Thank you. Thank you so very much. My fiscal year, but they know how to extend that; good friend Congressman Jefferson—I want they’ve done that several times by passing to say more about him in a minute—and to a continuing resolution, and there’s still plen- his wonderful wife, Dr. Andrea Jefferson. ty of time to do this, and I hope they’ll do Senator Landrieu, thank you for your friend- it with me. ship and support. Mayor Morial, you were very kind to talk about the role that we play Indonesia-U.S. Relations in helping to lower the crime rate in New Q. Mr. President, will our relations with Orleans, but it never could have happened Indonesia remain the same while they’re tor- if we hadn’t had a visionary mayor down here turing the villages? who made the most of the policies that were The President. Will their what? there. Q. Will relations with Indonesia remain Colonel Davis, thank you for taking on the the same as the villages are being tortured— challenge of educating the children of this torched, torched, sorry. parish. To Gail Glapion, thank you very much The President. They’ve already been for what you said. And Scott Shea, thank you. somewhat altered, as you know, by the ces- And Brenda Mitchell, the leader of our sation of military cooperation, and obviously, teachers, and especially to our principal, our relationships with them will have to be Charlotte Matthew, thank you for leading dictated by the course of their conduct. As this school and for making me feel so wel- you know, they have a somewhat unusual sys- come here. tem where they have elections. They had And I want to say a special word of thanks elections several weeks ago, but they still to all the people of Louisiana. As Congress- haven’t settled on who the new leader of the man Jefferson said, in 1992 and 1996 you country will be. gave your electoral votes to Bill Clinton and 1828 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Al Gore, and we are profoundly grateful, and the early grades, as Congressman Jefferson we’ve tried to be worthy of them. wants to do. I also want to thank the McDonogh High Already 108 more teachers have been School Band. I want to thank them for being hired in this parish. And your parish got $12 here. The rest of you are hot—they’re in million under the E-rate program that the those band uniforms. I used to be in one, Vice President developed—have cut the cost and I know how hot they are. And I want of hooking up every classroom in America to thank them for being here. to the Internet by the year 2000. One other thing I’d like to say about this Now, what we’ve done in education is a school, I want to compliment this school on part of an overall strategy to bring America your school uniforms. I like them, and I’m back. We balanced the Federal budget and glad so many schools in this parish have have a surplus of $115 billion this year. them. I’ve been trying to promote them all When I took office, we were deep in debt across America for years now, and I thank 7 years ago, and we had high unemployment you for that. rates, high welfare rates, and high crime You know, folks, I may have visited more rates. We were committed to economic re- schools than any President in history. I’ve form, welfare reform, reform of the criminal justice system, and education reform. Now certainly tried to. And I have never met a we’ve got the longest peacetime expansion child that couldn’t learn or a school that in history, over 19 million new jobs, the low- couldn’t do better and be turned around. est unemployment rate in 29 years, the low- There is a student standing behind me, and est welfare rolls in 32 years, the lowest crime I don’t want to embarrass her, but I want rate in 26 years, the first time we’ve had two her to raise her hand—named Nonya Grove, budget surpluses in a row in 42 years, when who scored at the 95th percentile on the I was young enough to be in this school. science portion of the Iowa basic skills test. The question is, what are we going to do Good for you. with our prosperity? You know we’ve got a Let me tell you, too, I have been in schools lot of challenges out there. And you know in all kinds of places—I’ve been in schools— as well as I do that the modern economy re- I went to a junior high school in Chicago quires more education from all people. in a neighborhood with the highest murder We’ve got the largest student population in rate in the city, which was, therefore, the the history of our country, and we will never highest murder rate in the State. But there do what America ought to do until every was no violence in the school; there were no child in America can live up to his or her weapons; there were no problems. Hundreds God-given potential. of parents came to the school every week, Last week the congressional majority in and there were no dropouts, and almost all the other party in the House unveiled an the kids went on to college. Why? Because education budget that was $3 billion below they had a good plan, and they worked it what I asked for—no money to finish hiring hard. And they believe that all kids could the 100,000 teachers; no money to help mod- learn. ernize or build 6,000 schools—I know you Now, the Federal Government does have need that now. We need—it can be hot out an obligation to help you. And I want to here, but every school ought to be air- thank Senator Landrieu and Congressman conditioned in Louisiana, and I know they’re Jefferson and Senator Breaux and the others not. It would deny access to hundreds of in your delegation and our party who have thousands of children to after-school pro- supported what we have tried to do to help grams, so important to improving learning the States, to help the States adopt higher and keeping that juvenile crime rate down— academic standards in the Goals 2000 pro- keep kids in school, off the street, and out gram, to help them crack down on drugs and of trouble—that’s very important—and many gangs and violence. And last fall we fought other programs. to get a downpayment on 100,000 new highly Now, Congressman Jefferson had it right. trained teachers to lower those class sizes in We have to demand more of our schools and Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1829 invest more in them. Our balanced budget To a major extent, the economic prosperity calls for spending $200 million to help America enjoys today belongs to one vote, schools turn around if they’re not performing and it carried in one vote. If Bill Jefferson well or shut them down and let parents hadn’t been in Congress and voted the right choose other public schools if they don’t turn way, we might not be standing here today. around. But it is wrong to blame the kid, So let me say, I don’t want him to leave, and it’s wrong not to give the schools a especially while I’m still in Washington. chance. And we know these schools can be [Laughter] But he really can do even more turned around if they have the resources and good in Baton Rouge. And remember, twice a good plan and they work the plan. he was voted the Outstanding State Legis- We’ve got to do better in Washington, and lator in the Louisiana Legislature. He’s that’s my job. But I was, 12 years, Governor fought for you in Washington; he’ll fight for of your neighboring State of Arkansas. And you and our children’s education in Baton I know—I know—how important education Rouge. And I am honored to be here with is. You know, as President, the future of our him today at this wonderful school. children is the most important thing of all. Thank you, and God bless you. But I have to pursue it in many ways. I have to preserve the national security. I have to NOTE: The President spoke at 11:45 a.m. in the work on making sure that we have Social Se- courtyard. In his remarks, he referred to Mayor curity and Medicare in a solid way, so that Marc H. Morial of New Orleans; Col. A.G. Davis, when the baby boomers retire, it doesn’t USMC, (Ret.), New Orleans superintendent of schools; Gail M. Glapion, president, and Scott P. bankrupt our kids and their ability to raise Shea, vice president, New Orleans Parish School our grandkids. But if you’re the Governor, Board; Brenda Mitchell, president, United Teach- the most important thing you ever have to ers of New Orleans, and Representative do is see to the education of our children. Jefferson’s daughters: Jamila, Jalila, Jelani, Nailah, Now, here’s why I know Bill Jefferson and Akilah. cares about that. He was too modest to say this, but he was born very poor in a small town, and his parents and his teachers and Remarks at a Luncheon for his school helped him work his way all the Representative William J. way to Harvard University. Then he married Jefferson in New Orleans a wonderful woman who is even smarter than September 27, 1999 he is. [Laughter] And they have had five magnificent daughters who have all had bril- Thank you very much. Ladies and gentle- liant academic careers, four of them already men, I’ve had a wonderful day here. I don’t gone through Harvard. Why? Because they think I’ve ever had a bad day in New Orleans. had a good plan. They believed in education. [Laughter] And I’m honored to be here with They had parents and teachers and schools Bill and Andrea, with Vic and Fran Bussie. and students, and they worked at it steadily. And Vic, you’ve done a lot of great things So, no matter what I do as your President, in your life, but you haven’t given many bet- you still need in Louisiana a Governor you ter talks. That was very, very good. know will fight for more teachers, for better I’m honored to be here with your bright teacher training, for better pay, for smaller young mayor, who has established such a fine classes, and for modern school buildings, for record and has recently joined the ranks of high standards and strong support. the happily married. [Laughter] We’re proud I can tell you, he’s fought with me every of him for that, too. step of the way in Washington. When we had Let me say to all of you—I was just sitting to vote in 1993 to bring down the deficit and here listening to what everybody else was increase spending in education, and I said saying, wondering if I could offer any unique we had to balance the budget, but we weren’t perspective. I first came to New Orleans 50 going to cut education. We were going to years ago—I hate that. [Laughter] I was just do more, all the members of the other party a little boy. My mother was in nursing school were against me. The bill carried by one vote. here. And one of the most vivid memories 1830 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 of my lifetime was seeing my mother kneel in the Congress, and together they quad- by the side of the railroad tracks and cry rupled the debt of the country; and that we when I went home with my grandmother, were in a terrible recession. Interest rates because she had been widowed early, before were high. Unemployment was high. Wages my father—before I was born. My father had been stagnant for more than a decade. died 3 months before I was born. And she We didn’t like the fact that people thought came down here to get some education so because we believed in the United States she could support me. Constitution and we were against racial dis- I came back here when I was 15 and a crimination, that somehow we were soft on budding musician. [Laughter] And they crime or we thought able-bodied people wouldn’t let me in anyplace to hear any- shouldn’t work instead of being on welfare. body—[laughter]—because I was so young. We thought that the Democratic Party, And I saw—I never will forget this—I was and African-Americans in general, had been walking away from my mother and I saw Al twisted and distorted and used as political Hirt sitting there in some big English lim- whipping boys in campaigns. And we thought ousine, reading a newspaper, and he was Washington was divided by gridlock, and we going to go in and perform. I knocked on wanted a change. his window, told him who I was, and said So I said, give me a chance to change I had come all the way down here from Hot America, to change the direction of the coun- Springs, Arkansas, and all I cared about was try, change our party, to change our leader- music. I didn’t want to drink anything; I ship in Washington. I have a simple philos- didn’t want to gamble; I didn’t want anything; ophy: I want America in the 21st century to I just wanted to go hear him play. He took be a place where every person, without re- me in and put me on the front table. It’s gard to race, creed, gender, or anything else, funny what you remember, isn’t it? has a chance to live up to his or her God- I’ve never forgotten that, and that sort of given potential. I want America to be a place embodies the generosity that the people of where we’re all coming together, not being this city and this State have exhibited to me driven apart. And I want America to be the throughout my life. And you did give Al Gore world’s strongest force for peace and free- and me, Hillary and Tipper, and our adminis- dom and justice and prosperity. tration the electoral votes of the people of And my strategy for getting there is to do Louisiana twice, and I’m profoundly grateful everything I know how to do to give oppor- for that. tunity for all, demand responsibility from all I want to say three or four things I think Americans, and create a community of all you ought to think about in this election. Americans. That’s what we said we’d do. When I became President, I ran a long, hard Now, in 1992, it was an argument. And campaign. I was written off for dead three the people decided to give me a chance, even or four times along the way—and three or though I was, in the rather disparaging char- four dozen times since. [Laughter] But Bill acterization of the incumbent President, just Jefferson was one of my first supporters. I a Governor from a small Southern State. remember the first time I came here, when [Laughter] The people decided to give me the Jeffersons had me in their home. I met a chance. They bought our side of the argu- their beautiful, brilliant daughters, and their ment. family members—many of whom are here By 1996, there was no argument anymore today. The Congressman’s father is here, because the results were beginning to pour mother-in-law is here, many others here. in. And now, in 1999, I can look back and And we went through that campaign, and say with gratitude and thanks and humility I found that, to a remarkable degree, we that it has worked out. The results speak for shared the same philosophy. We were proud themselves. We have the longest peacetime members of the Democratic Party, but we expansion in history; 19.4 million jobs; the didn’t like the fact that our party had been lowest unemployment rate in 29 years; the a part of the leadership of 12 years of Repub- lowest welfare rate in 32 years; the lowest lican Presidents when we had the majority crime rate in 26 years. Today I announced Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1831 that this year’s surplus will be $115 billion, Latin America, to Africa—to expand trade of the first time in 42 years we’ve had a surplus American products, to build up the Port of 2 years in a row. New Orleans, to bring us closer to other peo- And I say that to make this point—and ple in other countries. I’m grateful to Bill along the way, by the way, with the HOPE Jefferson for supporting the anticrime agen- scholarship and other financial incentives, da that Mayor Morial talks about all the time: we’ve opened the doors of college to virtually get guns out of the wrong hands; put more every American. The air is cleaner; the water community police on the street; give our kids is cleaner; the food is safer; 90 percent of something good to do. our kids are immunized against serious child- And I’m grateful to Bill Jefferson for sup- hood diseases for the first time; 100,000 porting my education agenda every step of young Americans have served in the way, including our plan to hire 100,000 AmeriCorps, in their communities all over more teachers to get class size down in the this country, including this one, and earned early grades—something he’s running on; some money for college. And we’ve been a our plan to build or modernize 6,000 schools, force for peace and freedom throughout the which would include his commitment to air- world. And I’m proud of that. condition the schools that don’t have it. Our What’s that got to do with this? Well, I’ll plan to triple the number of our young peo- just give you a few examples. And what’s that ple who are eligible for after-school pro- got to do with the Governor’s race, even if grams; set high standards for failing schools, it has something to do with our record? And and if they don’t turn around, let the parents I’ll give you a few examples of that. go to another public school with their kid, Number one, all this started with one vote but help the schools turn around. in August of 1993. The economy started get- We can do that. I’ve seen that all over ting better after the election, as soon as I announced my economic plan. But it did not America. I’m telling you, I’ve been in the get voted on in Congress until August, be- schools in the worst neighborhoods you can cause it was fairly controversial. I had cut imagine in terms of adversity, and I’ve seen hundreds of programs but dramatically in- children learning at a high level because of creased education. And I asked the wealthi- what was done in the school. est Americans to pay more taxes, and cut So, yes, I’m grateful to Bill Jefferson. And taxes on 15 million Americans who were a lot of what we enjoy today came as a direct working for modest wages, lower wages, with result of policies he supported that he played children in their home. a critical role in bringing to bear. And there was a lot of controversy, and The second point I’d like to make to you the Republican Party in Congress decided is that I believe I’m the only person in this that they would vote against this to the per- room who has actually been a Governor. I son, that they would not give me one vote, know something about this. [Laughter] And and that they would tell everybody it was a I did it quite a long time. I served 12 years. just a tax increase, even though they knew I served for 12 years and would have served only a tiny fraction of Americans were going for 14 if the people hadn’t elected me Presi- to have one. dent. [Laughter] And I’m telling you, I loved Now, that bill passed by one vote in the every day of it. It is a wonderful job—if you United States Senate—Al Gore’s vote. And love people and if you care about good it passed by one vote in the United States schools, good jobs, and creating strong, House of Representatives. If Bill Jefferson healthy, vibrant communities. hadn’t voted for that, it wouldn’t have hap- We have done more in the education area pened, the recovery probably wouldn’t have probably than any administration, certainly occurred, and none of us would probably be since the Johnson administration. But most standing here today doing this. So I am grate- of the money for schools and most of the ful to Bill Jefferson. direction for schools, by State constitutional I’m grateful to him for supporting our law, comes from the State—in every State agenda to reach out to other countries—to in America. So it is very important. 1832 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

You know, education is very important to the last 7 years—one thing we have done, me, personally, and to Hillary and to all of by the way, on a bipartisan basis—to speed our administration. But the President has to up adoptions. And I got down here today, protect the American people in many ways— and when I was over at the school, a woman the national security has to come first, and stopped me and said, ‘‘Mr. President, thank then you have to deal with a whole range you for helping to fix the adoption laws. I of other issues. But a Governor has no more just adopted two children.’’ So we’ve worked important job, none, than education. on this. And a Governor also has to be able to get Now, I want to say that I want you to think people together to really get things done. about this as a place where children once What you want in a Governor is somebody lived who had no family. This man knows who is smart, committed, with a good heart, what it’s like to have a difficult time. He who is passionate about what he or she be- knows what it’s like to have the support of lieves but is not particularly partisan. And I a good family. He knows what it’s like to can tell you, Bill and I—we all came out of build a good family, and he and his wife have State Government; he and I both did. We’re both, frankly, mortified by how partisan that five magnificent daughters who have done crowd is in Washington. [Laughter] I mean, superbly well because they have good parents I always tell him there’s plenty of things for and a good home. us to argue about in the next election, but In the end, having now served 12 years the people give us a paycheck every 2 weeks as a Governor and 7 years as President, I to show up for work in the meanwhile. And can tell you, a lot of times you have to make we’re not supposed to fight about everything; decisions that nobody is smart enough to we’re supposed to work out things and get make. A lot of times decisions come to me things done. That’s the sort of person he is. that, no matter how smart I think I am, I And he has a lot of friends in the Congress cannot think my way through. And all you who are Republicans because they know that can do is pray to God to give you the wisdom he has not responded in kind to the harsh to do it, and listen to your heart, not your partisanship of their leaders and that he is head. still willing to work with people of good will So the last thing I’ll say is, remember ev- to get things done. You cannot be a good erything—the man has proven he’s had the Governor unless you are both open to people courage to take a tough decision. He cast a in both parties but absolutely aggressive in decisive vote on the most important bill that what you believe and what you want to brought us the prosperity we enjoy today. He achieve. You need both an agenda and an has wide experience in State Government. ability to bring people together. He can do He has the capacity to get people together. that. And I did this for 12 years; I’m telling He clearly has the right agenda. There is no you, this is important, and he can do it su- more important agenda for Louisiana’s fu- perbly well. ture than getting the education up to world- The other thing that has not been men- class levels. tioned—Vic talked about his service in the legislature—he was twice voted, twice, the But when it’s all said and done, what really best member of the Louisiana Legislature. counts is, do you have a good heart. Keep So he knows about this job. in mind, 50 years later I still remember my The last thing I’ll say is this, and I think mother loved me enough to kneel down on it’s important. I want to thank Anne and Stan those railroad tracks and cry when I had to and Chris Rice for having us in this magnifi- go away. When it’s all said and done, you cent facility. But this facility used to be an don’t remember first and foremost in the last orphanage, and I got to thinking—Hillary moments of your life the honors you had, and I had a very moving event at the White the riches you had; you remember who you House this week to celebrate our attempts liked and who you loved, how it felt when to move people—kids—from foster care into the seasons changed, and what it felt like to adoption, and all the work we’ve done over be really, really important, to matter in the Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1833 lives of other people. The people of Lou- like soot, smog, and air toxics. Finally, I call isiana will matter to Bill Jefferson if he is on Congress to withdraw all appropriations the Governor. ‘‘riders’’ aimed at strangling programs that I agree with what has been said. You save energy, save consumers and businesses should only vote for him if you think he’d money, and reduce global warming pollution. be the best Governor. But if you think he’d I look forward to working with local lead- be the best Governor and you let him be ers to meet this pressing environmental chal- defeated, it would be a terrible thing, be- lenge, and I applaud their leadership and cause the children here, the children of this dedication. State deserve the very best person they can get in experience, in mind, and in heart. Thank you. God bless you. Statement on the Death of Oseola McCarty NOTE: The President spoke at 2:25 p.m. in the September 27, 1999 Green Velvet Ballroom at St. Elizabeth’s Orphan- age. In his remarks, he referred to luncheon hosts Hillary and I were saddened to learn of Anne and Stan Rice and their son, Christopher; the passing of Oseola McCarty of Hatties- Representative Jefferson’s father, Mose, mother- burg, Mississippi. Ms. McCarty is a true in-law, Bernice Green, wife, Andrea, and their American hero. In 1995 she donated daughters Jamila, Jalili, Jelani, Nailah, and Akilah; Victor Bussie, president emeritus, Louisiana $150,000 to the University of Southern Mis- AFL–CIO, and his wife, Fran; and Mayor Marc sissippi for scholarships for needy students. H. Morial of New Orleans. The extraordinary thing about this gift was that Ms. McCarty accumulated the money from working 75 years washing and ironing Statement on Action Against Global people’s clothes. Climate Change I had the pleasure of awarding this extraor- September 27, 1999 dinary woman the Presidential Citizens’ Medal for her extraordinary act of generosity. I commend the hundreds of mayors and While we mourn her passing, Oseola other local officials across the country who McCarty’s commitment to the dignity of today are committing themselves to the fight work, her belief in the power of education, against global climate change. The commu- and her extraordinary generosity ensure that nities they represent understand that the her memory will live on for generations to threat of global warming is real. They also come. Our country needs more people like understand that we can begin to address this her, who don’t just talk about responsibility threat through actions that both help our en- and community but who live those values ev- vironment and save money for taxpayers, eryday. consumers, and businesses. Today’s pledge will help encourage other communities across American to do their part to meet this Statement on Measures Regarding global challenge. Certain Liberians in the United Regrettably, even as ordinary citizens, States local leaders, and a growing number of lead- September 27, 1999 ing corporations are taking action, many in Congress are ignoring the mounting evi- Today I directed the Attorney General and dence of global warming and thwarting com- the Immigration and Naturalization Service monsense efforts to address it. I urge Con- to defer for one year from September 29 the gress to fully fund my proposed package of deportation of certain Liberians who are investments to accelerate the deployment of present in the United States on that date. clean energy technologies for the 21st cen- This action is aimed at promoting stability tury—including the proposed Clean Air Part- in Liberia and west Africa. In particular, I nership Fund, which will provide grants to am concerned that a decision by our Govern- State and local governments for projects that ment to deport Liberians who have enjoyed reduce both greenhouse gases and pollutants the protection of our country for many years 1834 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 could cause governments in west Africa to 2. authorization for employment for 1 deport many thousands of Liberians in their year from September 29, 1999. own countries. This would severely burden This directive shall not apply to any Libe- Liberia and threaten the fragile peace that rian national: (1) who is ineligible for Tem- has been recently achieved in west Africa. porary Protected Status for the reasons pro- Furthermore, this action preserves the status vided in section 244(c)(2)(B) of the Immigra- quo for these Liberians while the Congress tion and Nationality Act; (2) whose removal actively considers legislative relief for them. you determine is in the interest of the United States; (3) whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State has rea- Memorandum on Measures sonable grounds to believe would have po- Regarding Certain Liberians tentially serious adverse foreign policy con- in the United States sequences for the United States; (4) who vol- untarily returned or returns to Liberia or his September 27, 1999 or her country of last habitual residence out- Memorandum for the Attorney General side the United States; (5) who was deported, excluded, or removed prior to the date of Subject: Measures Regarding Certain this memorandum; or (6) who is subject to Liberians in the United States extradition. Over the past 10 years, many Liberians These measures shall be taken as of the have been forced to flee their country due date of this memorandum. to civil war and widespread violence. From William J. Clinton 1991 through 1999, we have provided Libe- rians in the United States with Temporary Protected Status because of these difficulties. Message to the Congress Although the civil war in Liberia ended in Transmitting a Report on the 1996 and conditions have improved such that National Emergency With a further extension of Temporary Protected Respect to Angola (UNITA) Status is no longer warranted, the political September 27, 1999 and economic situation continues to be frag- ile. There are compelling foreign policy rea- To the Congress of the United States: sons not to deport these Liberians at this As required by section 401(c) of the Na- time, including the significant risk that such tional Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), a decision would cause other countries in and section 204(c) of the International Emer- West Africa to repatriate involuntarily many gency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. thousands of Liberian refugees, leading to in- 1703(c), I transmit herewith a 6-month peri- stability in Liberia and potentially threat- odic report on the national emergency with ening peace along the Liberian border. respect to the National Union for the Total Pursuant to my constitutional authority to Independence of Angola (UNITA) that was conduct the foreign relations of the United declared in Executive Order 12865 of Sep- States, I have determined that it is in the tember 26, 1993. foreign policy interest of the United States William J. Clinton to defer for 1 year the deportation of any The White House, Liberian national who is present in the September 27, 1999. United States as of September 29, 1999, ex- cept for the categories of individuals listed below. Remarks at a Dinner for Accordingly, I now direct you to take the Representative William J. necessary steps to implement for these Libe- Jefferson in New Orleans rians: September 27, 1999 1. deferral of enforced departure from the United States for 1 year from Sep- The President. Thank you very much. tember 29, 1999; and First of all, like everyone else, I want to thank Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1835 the Davises for having us in this magnificent First of all, my handicap on my home home. And thank you for the tour through course is a 12. [Laughter] And that’s what all the art and all the books and all the history it is and that’s what I play, even—[laugh- of your life. It was fascinating. And I didn’t ter]—unless I play a strange course from long steal any books or artwork. [Laughter] And tees, and sometimes I play to a 14. But other- I can’t afford the discount price, either. wise, I normally play to a 12, and that’s about [Laughter] But it’s really wonderful, and we what I shoot. thank you for having us here. Secondly, I do most of my music in my Q. What about the golf—— music room. Hillary built me a music room The President. I’m getting there. [Laugh- on the third floor of the White House, in ter] I want to thank the mayor for making a little end room. And I have saxophones me so welcome in New Orleans and tell you there from all over the world, from China, that he has done a truly magnificent job. New Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, two Orleans has had one of the biggest drops in magnificent horns from Germany, two from violent crime of any major city in America France, three from Japan, and goodness under his leadership. And I applaud him for knows where else. Then I’ve got a bunch of that. American horns. And I play a 1935 Selmer, and I have a 1915 Buescher soprano saxo- I would like to thank Sheriff Harry Lee, phone. So I’ve been into this a long time, who is back there, for many things—being and that’s where I play, because it’s so far my friend for a long time. But you should away I can’t hurt anybody else’s ears. [Laugh- know that he came with a group of people ter] So I don’t take it on that plane with me from Louisiana to the White House and when I go. And I do have one at Camp stayed 2 days this week and provided good David. And if you have any other questions, cajun cooking for the annual congressional I’ll try to answer them. [Laughter] picnic, with all the families there—and the But let me make some points very quick- annual press picnic. And while he is a strong ly—and I want you to know why I’m here supporter of mine, he did not taint the food tonight. Bill Jefferson started with me in of any of the Members of Congress of the 1991, when I was running for President— other party—[laughter]—or any of the hos- and nobody but my mother thought I could tile press members. [Laughter] He was to- win—well, my wife did; no one else, those tally generous to everybody. two. And we did it because we thought that I want to thank the people who came from the country couldn’t go on the way it was, out of town here—Tommy Boggs, my good with this sort of gridlock in Washington friend; and my friend Mack McLarty, the where 12 years of the previous administra- former Chief of Staff and Special Envoy to tions had quadrupled the national debt, and the Americas. We’re all glad to be in New they basically had reached an accommoda- Orleans tonight, and we only wish we didn’t tion with Congress where every year we have to go home. would embody President Reagan’s idea that And I thank Bill for running for Governor. if you cut revenues and increased spending, I didn’t thank him in the beginning because you would balance the budget. It defied basic I didn’t want him to leave the Congress. You arithmetic; it didn’t work in 1981, and it know, whenever you run for an office like didn’t work in 1991. And in between we this and you run against an incumbent and quadrupled the national debt, and we got big, times are good, you wonder and worry. But big increases in interest rates and high unem- I have seen, myself, a marked movement in ployment. The unemployment rate in Lou- the polls and enough to justify your invest- isiana when I took office was about 71⁄2 per- ment here tonight. cent, I think, and it’s 4.2 percent today. So I just want to make some substantive So we said—we had been involved with points that have nothing to do with politics. this sort of new Democratic movement. And First of all—they have to do with policy more we thought the Democratic Party had to and people—and, incidentally, a political prove that you could be pro-business and campaign. pro-labor; that you could be for equality and 1836 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 education and for high standards; that you 191⁄2 million new jobs, the longest peacetime could be for growing the economy and im- expansion in history, the lowest unemploy- proving the environment; that you could be ment rate in 29 years, the lowest welfare for respecting individuals and people of all rates in 32 years, the lowest crime rates in different races and ethnic groups and reli- 26 years. This year we announced that this gious groups, and still believe that what binds year’s budget surplus was going to be $115 us together as Americans is more important billion, and it’s the first time in 42 years we’ve than what divides us. had 2 years of budget surpluses in a row. In other words, we felt that American poli- Now, those are facts. And while the econ- tics had fallen into this sort of liberal/conserv- omy has been growing, I signed the family ative, right/left, business/labor, environment/ and medical leave law, and millions of people economy. Everything was one way or the have taken advantage of it. Every year we’ve other, and nobody was ever getting anything had a record number of new small busi- done, and the country was getting deeper in nesses. I signed the Brady bill, and 400,000 the ditch. And our social divisions were deep- people with criminal backgrounds or mental ening. health histories haven’t gotten handguns. And I know that the previous President, And not a single hunter or sports person has with whom I had a very cordial, personal re- been inconvenienced, but a lot of lives have lationship, vetoed the Brady bill to do back- been saved. ground checks because the NRA wasn’t for The air is cleaner; the water is cleaner; the it and the Republicans had to be with them; food is safer. We’ve tripled the number of and then vetoed the family and medical leave toxic waste dump cleanups. And the economy law because some people in the business has grown, not been hurt, by strengthening community said, ‘‘Well, that’s an anti-busi- our commitment to the environment. Ninety ness measure’’—even though, clearly, one of percent of our kids are immunized against the biggest challenges that we have is to bal- serious childhood diseases. And the HOPE ance work and family. scholarship gives virtually a universal tax So I really believed—and I had some of credit that opens the doors of college to any- the same arguments with my friends in our body who will work hard enough to go. party. If this whole business is about having This country is moving in the right direc- to make choices between these two things, tion, because of the ideas that we shared. we’re going to leave America the loser. And And one of the reasons that I would go any- the evidence was pretty compelling in where for him is that none of this would have 1991—we had high unemployment, stagnant happened, in my judgment, if we hadn’t en- wages, terrible recession, and increasing so- acted the economic plan of 1993, which cial division. And so I asked Bill and a num- helped to cost us the Congress in ’94 because ber of other people in Louisiana to help me people knew that it was controversial. We cut run for President, when I was, in the words spending and raised taxes both, and every- of my predecessor, just a Governor from a body was mad and nobody felt the benefits small Southern State. And the people gave yet. And it passed by one vote. us a chance. They gave Al Gore and me a So if he hadn’t been there to vote for it, chance. And they basically listened to our ar- or if he had said, ‘‘You know, I come from gument about putting people first, and they Louisiana; it’s a conservative State,’’ and he’d said, ‘‘We’ll try it.’’ But it was just an argu- taken a dive, none of us would be here to- ment; they didn’t know. night, because I wouldn’t have been re- By 1996, we were reelected, and with a elected; the economy wouldn’t be in good much bigger margin of victory in Louisiana— shape; and we’d all be singing another tune. thank you very much—because it wasn’t an But he was there because he knew it was argument anymore; it was an established fact. the right thing to do. And he supported our You didn’t have to argue anymore; you knew crime package and all the other initiatives. whether this was working or not, and it was. So I think his philosophy is right, and I Now we’re nearly 7 years into it, 62⁄3 years, know he’s got the courage of his convictions. and the facts make the case. We have almost That’s the first thing. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 27 1837

The second thing that I would like to say generation. That’s what we’ve got to do. It’s is that every election is about where you’re the first thing we ought to do. going, not where you’ve been. I love to tell The second thing we need to do is to rec- this story, but when I was Governor I used ognize that not everybody has been a part to go out to the State Fair every year and of this economic recovery. And we need to have Governor’s day. And I’d just sit there keep working to get more investment to peo- in some little booth in one of the big pavil- ple and places that haven’t had it yet, and ions. Anybody that wanted to come up could to keep this expansion going. come up and say whatever they wanted. In So I want to do two things. Number one, 1990 I had been Governor for 10 years, and I want to give the same tax incentives to in- we had an election coming up. So this old vestors to invest in America we give them boy in overalls, who was about 75 years old, to invest in the Caribbean or Latin America comes up to me and he says, ‘‘Well,’’ he said, or Africa or any other place in the world. ‘‘Bill, are you going to run for Governor I like those incentives to invest overseas in again?’’ I said, ‘‘I don’t know; if I do, will poor countries, but we ought to give the same you vote for me?’’ He said, ‘‘Yeah, I guess incentives to people to invest in poor neigh- so. I always have.’’ And I said ‘‘Well, aren’t borhoods, poor communities, the Mississippi you sick of me after all this time?’’ He said, Delta, the Indian reservations, the inner cit- ‘‘No, I’m not—but,’’ he said, ‘‘nearly every- ies in the United States of America. That’s body else I know is.’’ [Laughter] And I got very important. If we can’t bring investment kind of hurt, and I said, ‘‘Well, don’t you and jobs to these places now, we will never think I’ve done a good job?’’ He said, ‘‘Sure, get around to doing it. This country has never but you drew a paycheck every 2 weeks, had greater prosperity. didn’t you? That’s what we hired you to do.’’ And it was a stunning insight. And the other thing that we have to do, So every election is not about yesterday; in my judgment, is not to squander this sur- it’s about tomorrow. Yesterday is important plus. We need to save enough of this surplus because it’s evidence of what you’ll do tomor- to lengthen the life of Social Security and row. Medicare and to pay down the debt. Do you So what are we going to do with all this realize that this country could be out of debt prosperity? And what’s still out there? And in 15 years for the first time since 1835, when what does that got to do with this Governor’s Andrew Jackson was President? Just think race? Number one, I believe with all my about—here in New Orleans, you think heart we need to use this time to deal with about how long ago that is—a guy that got the long-term challenges of this country. to be President because he won the Battle What are they? The aging of America. The of New Orleans in 1814, a guy that got to baby boomers like me—I’m the oldest of the be President because of a battle he won in baby boomers—people between the ages of 1814 was the last person to have this country 35 and 53 are in the baby boom generation. out of debt. We retire—we’re much bigger than any But in a global economy, it’s a good deal. other group our age except until these kids Why should liberals be for a debt-free Amer- that are in school today. Thirty years from ica? Because money moves around the world now there will be twice as many people over in a hurry. That’s what happened to Asia. You 65—twice as many—two people working for remember a couple years ago when they all every one person drawing Social Security. went belly up at once. And if a government Now, with the surpluses, now is the time is not borrowing money, that means you get to deal with the challenge of Social Security to borrow money for lower cost, your interest and Medicare, to add a prescription drug rates are lower. Lower business rates means coverage to the Medicare program—we’d more jobs and higher incomes. Lower per- never start Medicare without prescription sonal rates means lower house loans, lower drugs today—to lengthen the life of the So- car loans, lower college loans, lower credit cial Security Trust Fund until 2050, anyway, card payments, a longer, more protracted, to get through the lifetimes of the baby boom more prosperous future for America. That’s 1838 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 important. And all that could be done en- ents speak a hundred different languages, in tirely by the Federal Government. one school district. But the third big challenge cannot be. The Now, that means we have work to do. And third big challenge is doing right by the chil- there is no more important responsibility for dren of this country, and, specifically, giving the Governor. If I were a citizen of Lou- them all world-class education. Do you be- isiana, if I were back home just voting in Ar- lieve all kids can learn? I do. Do you believe kansas—I hate to ever be a single-issue voter, we need to challenge them to do better? I but I would be almost completely a single- do. Do you believe we need to identify failing issue voter in a Governor’s race, based on schools and require them to turn around and the person I thought was most likely to do do better, or shut them down and let the the most for the schools of my State, because kids go to other schools? I do. if these kids don’t have the education they I’m not for vouchers because we don’t put need, nothing else the rest of us do will mat- enough money in the schools in the first ter for their future. It is the most important place. So if you give vouchers, you take a thing. relatively large amount of money away from Last point—I’m the only person here who the school budget for a relatively small num- has been a Governor, and I did if for 12 years, ber of people. That’s why I’m not for it. But and I loved it every day. And I did not get on the other hand, I think to just justify the tired of it. I didn’t get bored with it. And status quo is wrong. when I left to go be President, I was having So I’ve offered the Congress a plan which more fun being Governor before I started would say you can have your Federal money running for President than I had ever had for education, but if you want it, you’ve got in my whole life. It’s a wonderful job. to have a plan to hold schools accountable And if you like it, if you like people, if for the performance of their students, to turn you like to work hard, if you believe in good around failing schools or shut them down, schools and good jobs, and if it thrills you but we’re not going to blame the kids for to get things done for your State, it’s a won- the failures of the system. We’re going to give derful job. But to be really good at it, you you some money to turn these schools need to be passionate about your convictions, around, and we’re going to triple the money and you need to have a real vision you’ll fight we give for after-school programs, which will for. But you can’t be too partisan and mean- help you keep the crime rate coming down. spirited. You’ve got to be someone who can Won’t it? get people together, work with all kinds of Now, this is where we come to the Gov- different people, and convince people that ernor’s race. No matter what I do, under the your vision is the right one. And when other American system and the constitution of people have a good idea, then do that, too. every State, the primary responsibility for That’s the kind of person Bill is. That’s why education is vested in the State. And most he was voted the ‘‘Best Legislator’’ in the of the money for education is paid by tax- State legislature two different times when he payers to the State or to the local govern- was a State legislator. And I can tell you as ment. Today, in a global economy, with mod- someone who has done this job for 12 years, ern technology, more education is critical. he has the right temperament. He has plenty And yet, it is more difficult than ever in of sense. He has a magnificent wife to keep America because our student bodies are his head balanced and to help remind him more and more diverse. I mean, today I saw that education is his first priority—[laugh- people from at least four different ethnic ter]—and he has years and years and years groups in that little group of school children of knowledge and skill in getting things done, you had gathered up for me today—just look- including in the Congress, that money can’t ing at the faces of those kids. buy and that you can only get by living the Believe it or not, in the Alexandria school way he has lived. district, across the river from the White So I think what you ought to do is go out House, in Virginia, there are kids from 180 there and say, listen, to everybody—he hasn’t different racial and ethnic groups whose par- asked anybody to vote for him because of Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 28 1839 his race. All he has asked is that nobody votes (b) Undertake any other appropriate ac- against him because of his race. All he said tions with respect to such aliens per- is—he wants to treat everybody the same and mitted by law. give every child the chance to live up to his With respect to the function delegated by or her God-given capacities. this order, all actions taken after April 16, But I’m telling you, if you look at a man’s 1999, for or on behalf of the President that life, his record, his personal skills, and what would have been valid if taken pursuant to the State needs at this time, and how it fits this memorandum are ratified. with what we’re doing to move America into This memorandum is not intended to cre- the 21st century, I can hardly think of any- ate, and should not be construed to create, body who is as well qualified, remotely, as any right or benefit, substantive or proce- he would be to be the Governor not only dural, legally enforceable by any party against of this State but any State. You’re lucky to the United States, its agencies or instrumen- have him running, and I hope you’ll keep talities, officers, employees, or any other per- helping him. son, or to require any procedures to deter- Thank you very much. mine whether a person is a refugee. You are authorized and directed to publish NOTE: The President spoke at 6:50 p.m. at a pri- this memorandum in the Federal Register. vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to din- William J. Clinton ner hosts Arthur Q. and Mary Wineman Davis; Mayor Marc H. Morial of New Orleans; Jefferson NOTE: This message was released by the Office Parish Sheriff Harry Lee; lobbyist Tommy Boggs; of the Press Secretary on September 28. and Representative Jefferson’s wife, Andrea.

Remarks at a Breakfast With Memorandum on Delegation of Religious Leaders Authority Under the Immigration September 28, 1999 and Nationality Act Thank you very much and good morning. September 24, 1999 I, first of all, would like to thank you for the Memorandum for the Attorney General invocation and let you know that, as with many other Americans, we have been think- Subject: Delegation of Authority Under ing about you and your people in your Sections 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of the church. Immigration and Nationality Act Hillary and I welcome you here today. As By the authority vested in me as President you know, the Vice President and Mrs. Gore by the Constitution and the laws of the are normally here, but he is often otherwise United States of America, including sections occupied these days. [Laughter] And I hope 212(f) and 215(a)(1) of the Immigration and you will forgive their absence. They really Nationality Act, as amended (8 U.S.C. wanted to be here. 1182(f) and 1185(a)(1)), and in light of Proc- I would like to thank Secretary Shalala, lamation 4865 of September 29, 1981, I here- Secretary Riley, Jack Lew for being here. I by delegate to the Attorney General the au- would also like to thank Barry McCaffrey, thority to: the Director of our Office of National Drug (a) Maintain custody, at any location she Control Policy. And to those of you who deems appropriate, and conduct any come nearly every year, welcome back. To screening she deems appropriate in her those of you who are here for the first time, unreviewable discretion, of any undocu- welcome. We are delighted that you are all mented person she has reason to believe here. is seeking to enter the United States and I have looked forward to this day every who is encountered in a vessel inter- year for as long as I have been President and dicted on the high seas through Decem- we have been doing this. All of you know ber 31, 2000; and that, if you’ve come to some of the others, 1840 Sept. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 that each one of these days has been special. who are in public office from pursuing their And, as in the 1990’s, as America has grown own religious convictions and from stating more involved with the rest of the world and them, but we must beware, as those of us more diverse, because of our history of reli- who are Christians are warned, of practicing gious liberty and the way our Constitution piety before others in order to be seen by has worked, more and more religious convic- them. We must be humble in this endeavor tions and affiliations have flowered in our and work together. country. And you can look around this room We also must recognize that there will al- today—see, it would be very unusual if you ways be differences of opinion, honestly held could have this kind of gathering in any other and earnestly pursued, about what is the country in the world. And for that I am pro- proper role for the government, what is the foundly grateful. proper relationship between church and Last year was one of the most difficult state, in the well-timed and well-used Amer- years in my life, and this occasion, because ican phrase. But it seems to me that there it has come to mean so much to me, was is kind of an emerging consensus about the a very difficult one. For those of you who ways in which faith organizations and our were part of that, I want to express my par- government can work together, both at the ticular appreciation. I’d like to say a special national level and at the State and local lev- word of thanks to my good friend Reverend els, in a way that reinforce values that are Wogaman and to Gordon MacDonald—I universally held, and increase the leverage think he is here back there—and to Tony of the good things that the government is Campolo, who is not here, who have kept funding. their word to meet with me over the last year, I could just mention one or two. Some of both to help me and to hold me accountable. you are involved in faith-based organizations And I have kept my word to meet with them that have received funding for AmeriCorps and to work with them. slots. We now have thousands of young vol- I would like to say only this about that: unteers who have worked in AmeriCorps I have been profoundly moved, as few people through various faith-based organizations have, by the pure power of grace— rendering community service. I don’t think unmerited forgiveness through grace—most that’s a violation of the Constitution’s estab- of all to my wife and daughter, but to the lishment clause, and we sure have helped a people I work with, to the legions of Amer- lot of people out there. And I feel good about ican people, and to the God in whom I be- that. lieve. And I am very grateful to all of you Some of you have worked in organizations who have had any role in that, and I thank which have helped poor families move from you. welfare to work, in a way that reinforces not I also want you to know that we are con- only the value of work but the value of family, tinuing our work. It is interesting and not which is even more important. And that’s a always comfortable, but always rewarding. continuing challenge for us, but I’m encour- And I hope you will pray for us as we do. aged by the progress that has been made What I would like to talk about today, fol- there. lowing up on what Hillary said when she wel- Many of you have been involved with us comed you here, is what we can do together in our efforts to advance the cause of reli- to deal with the question of violence, particu- gious freedom at home and around the larly against our children. And I would like world. I don’t know if Bob Seiple is here to talk about it first of all to say we’ve been today, but I’m very pleased about what we’re trying to work out what the proper relation- doing in that, and I’m grateful for the work ship is between religious individuals and reli- that you have—those of you who have helped gious groups, and government activity, since us with that. And that continues to be a con- we got started as a country. cern of mine in many places throughout the We’ve been working on this for a long time world, and I think it will continue to be some- now. It probably will always be a work in thing the United States will have to work and progress. We don’t want to discourage people work and work on. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 28 1841

If you have followed—and I’m sure almost eral public interested in the so-called Y2K all of you have—the recent troubling events problem. You know, we live in a world that in East Timor, you know that there is a reli- is dominated by computers, and now we’re gious as well as an ethnic element to what trying to make sure we’re Y2K ready and ev- is going on there and to the difficulties. erybody just has all these horrible scenarios And finally, let me say that as we move of what might happen when the computers toward the millennium, I have been very turn to 2000 and all the old computers revert moved by the way many faith-based organiza- back to 1900 and what might happen. We’ve tions have engaged and challenged those of been working on this steadily. The United us in public life to reawaken our responsibil- States has worked very hard here, and we’ve ities to poor people, both within and beyond worked very hard to help other countries our borders. throughout the world, and especially to avoid A couple of people on the way in today any disasters in military operations, in airline mentioned the global initiative to reduce dra- operations, things that could really have a matically the debt of the poorest nations in profound impact on us. the world. And I was very pleased by the But I think at this prayer breakfast today recent moves that the IMF and the World I would like to say that there is more to get- Bank have made in that direction. The ting ready for Y2K than fixing the computers. United States has pushed very hard for it. And when this kind of seminal event occurs It is an entirely appropriate thing to do. But it gives us the opportunity to ask ourselves I have to tell you, I don’t want this to wind what it would take to be really ready for the up being like our dues to the United Nations. year 2000. Now that we have advocated this and gotten I don’t think it’s good enough for us to everybody else to agree to it, we have to pay enter the new century as the most pros- our fair share. So I hope all of you will help us pass the legislation through Congress to perous and powerful country in the world, do that. with the lowest unemployment rate in 29 There is also much, much more we need years and the lowest welfare rolls in 32 years to do here at home, especially for our chil- and the first back-to-back budget surpluses dren. And I think one of the most wonderful in 42 years and the longest peacetime expan- experiences I’ve had as President was taking sion ever. That’s all very impressive, but I my so-called new markets tour around the think it’s worth noting, as I have on occasion country—to Appalachia, to the Mississippi before, that when Alexis de Tocqueville came Delta, to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation here over 150 years ago and traveled around in South Dakota, to many of our inner-city America and he noticed how profoundly reli- areas. And I intend to continue to do these gious our people were, even though we had for the remainder of my term, to highlight no government religion—and in fact, govern- what we can do, what more we can do to ment could not interfere with it—he thought try to get investment and opportunity and we were the most religious people on Earth. alleviate poverty among people who have not And after he had done a good deal of his felt the warm glow of this economic pros- tour, de Tocqueville wrote a powerful sen- perity of ours. And there are still altogether tence. He said, ‘‘America is great because too many of them. [Applause] Thank you. America is good.’’ Not rich, not powerful, But today I want to just focus just for a certainly not perfect, but good. few minutes, and then we’ll have breakfast, And the question I think we ought to focus and then we’ll have a talk about it—but I on today is, are we good enough? And if we wanted to ask you to think about this. And wanted to be better, what’s the most impor- that’s why I’m so grateful to our pastor, for tant place to start? I think this is especially his invocation, and for, after what he’s been important when it comes to children. There’s through, for coming here and sharing with too much trouble in too many of their lives. us today. Even here, the trend lines all look good. You All the rage in Washington today is we fi- have teen pregnancy, divorce, drug abuse, nally succeeded in getting, I think, the gen- poverty, all going down in America. That’s 1842 Sept. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 the good news. The bad news is that by com- and difficult streets, sometimes they’re not parative standards, all these problems are still the lead story; sometimes they’re not any far too rampant, and there are too many chil- story on the evening news. But their numbers dren with troubled lives. add up. And some of you minister to the fam- We could spend all day talking about those ilies of those children. things. But today I would like to ask you to Beyond that, children die with truly alarm- focus on this problem of violence, which has ing frequency in this country from accidental dominated so many of our headlines in the gun deaths. Yesterday I was in New Orleans, last 2 years. Now, even here, you could say and this whole big neighborhood was just al- it’s a mixed picture. It’s true we have the most groaning with grief over the death of lowest crime rate in 26 years, the lowest mur- a much-beloved 4-year-old child who shot der rate in 30 years. But it’s also true that himself to death playing with a loaded gun the crime rate in this country is way too high, he found in his own home. much higher than virtually any place else. Now, can we say America is good enough It is true that we have seen over the last if we still have the highest murder rate in 2 years a rash of high-profile shootings, often the world and—listen to this—and the rate with children as both the victims and the per- of accidental shooting deaths for children petrators. The mass killing of innocent peo- under 15 in the United States is 9 times high- ple I think has been the most painful thing er than the rate for the other 25 industri- that Hillary and I and Al and Tipper Gore alized nations in the world combined? have had to deal with in the discharge of our Now, if you go back to what de Tocqueville public responsibilities—the bombing in said, that America is great because America Oklahoma City; the school violence at Little- is good, and then you realize somehow we’ve ton and so many other places; the dragging managed to make the most of this incredibly death of James Byrd in Jasper, Texas; the complex, modern economy, it seems strange, torture death of Matthew Shepard in Wyo- if the murder rate is higher here and the acci- ming; the murder of Won-Joon Yoon outside dental death rate is exponentially higher, why his church in Bloomington, Indiana, on the is that? Is that because we’re not good, but Fourth of July, and the other killings in that we’re evil? Is it because we’re not smart, but spree by a deranged young man who had we’re stupid? been a member of a so-called church of white We kind of laugh uncomfortably, but it’s supremacy. There were the office killings in worth thinking about. I say the answer to Atlanta and the family killings associated with those questions is, of course not. Some peo- it; the shootings at the Jewish community ple say, well, the reason this happens is we’re center in Los Angeles; the killing of a Filipino just not tough enough on offenders, whether postal worker in that spree; of course, the they commit crimes with guns or let kids get recent murderous rampage at Wedgewood guns or don’t take good enough care of their Baptist Church in Fort Worth. guns, that we just ought to punish people Now, some of these crimes were motivated more. But the truth is we have longer sen- by hatred of the victims, because of their tences and we keep people in jail longer and race, their religion, their homosexuality. I we’ve got a higher percentage of our people think we must do more to prosecute such behind bars than I think all the countries in crimes. I hope Congress will soon send me the world but one. the hate crimes legislation. But some of these So that’s not a very good explanation. And crimes do not fit into the category of hate I have concluded long since that the truth crimes. The murderers were in the grip of is we’re in the fix we’re in because we don’t some evil force or mental illness. do enough to keep guns out of the hands And, in addition to these high-profile of criminals and children; because we don’t crimes where children were involved, we do enough to lead our children away from should never forget a couple of other things. violent paths into positive paths; and because Thirteen children die in this country every we don’t do enough to intervene in the lives day from gun violence. And because they die of people who are disturbed, angry, unstable, in ones and twos, in tough neighborhoods and mentally ill before it’s too late. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 28 1843

In all of these areas, I believe that people And I think there are a lot of people who of faith could do more to help those of us would maybe be less reluctant to ask for help in public life, to give our children back their from someone like you than to show up at childhoods. And I will be very brief about the social service office of the government, that, and we’ll have breakfast and we’ll go or walk right through the front door of a psy- on with our discussions. I say that because chiatrist’s or a psychologist’s office. And we to those who say, well, this is about evil, of need to think about this. There is no big course, that’s right; but most of you believe magic national solution for this, but I have that evil is a darkness within us all that just examined this. metastasizes and explodes in a few. If Amer- There are many of you here from New ica is to be good, at least according to my York City. There was a profoundly disturbing faith, we must do more to prevent and over- article on the cover of the New York Times come evil with good. Sunday magazine a few months ago about And so it’s not enough to say that shootings the breakdown of the mental health network. in Los Angeles and Atlanta were evil, or the It was talking about New York, but it could rampage in Fort Worth was evil. Praying and have been a story about any State in America. working for peace is good. Starting grassroots It just happened to be about New York. And campaigns against youth violence, as we’re I think that this is something we need to give now trying to do all across the Nation—that’s serious attention to and something I think good. Putting more uniform community po- we could get strong bipartisan support in lice officers in our most dangerous neighbor- Congress to work with you on. hoods is good. These gun buy-back programs The other day I was talking to Mrs. Gore that are springing up across the country that about this. You all know how interested she is. And I had Senator Domenici from New we’re trying to help finance here, they’re Mexico in the White House on a totally good. And I believe passing commonsense other, different issue, and I talked to him gun legislation to keep guns out of the wrong about it. And I said, you know, we’ve got hands is a good thing to do. to do something about this. And he looked I am convinced that the faith community at me and said, ‘‘You know, a lot of these can play a major role in protecting our chil- people are mentally ill, but we’re not reach- dren from violence, in supporting common- ing them in time, and people know that sense gun legislation, in participating in our they’re troubled before these things hap- campaign against youth violence, in forming pen.’’ community partnerships to identify and in- So I ask you to think about this. I think tervene in the lives of people before it is too that we have to do more. We’ve got to do late. everything we can and much more than we On this last point, I had a very good talk have to protect our children and to give them with the pastor of the Wedgewood Baptist back their childhoods. If you think about it, Church just a few days ago. You know, so we can hardly do more to make America’s many of your places of worship and your or- spirit Y2K ready. ganizations have good counseling and out- Thank you, and God bless you. reach programs. But they’re not necessarily connected to the mental health networks and NOTE: The President spoke at 9:30 a.m. in the the social service networks and the law en- State Dining Room at the White House. In his forcement networks in your community. And remarks, the President referred to Rev. I’m convinced a lot of these people are Byungchill Hahn, pastor, Korean United Meth- known to be profoundly disturbed by others odist Church, Bloomington, IN, whose parish- well before they go out and kill people. And ioner, Won-Joon Yoon, was murdered near the church on July 4; spiritual counselors Rev. J. Phil- somehow—and also a lot of these people— lip Wogaman, Rev. Gordon MacDonald, and Rev. especially this is true of men, I think—are Tony Campolo; Ambassador at Large for Inter- still really hung up about asking for help. I national Religious Freedom Robert A. Seiple; and know about that. That’s a hard thing for men Rev. Albert R. Meredith, senior pastor, to do. I know about that. Wedgewood Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX. 1844 Sept. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Remarks Prior to Discussions With and from your perspective, what are the Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit of major obstacles barring Turkey from having Turkey and an Exchange With better ties and full membership? Reporters The President. Well, first of all, I believe that there has been some progress. There’s September 28, 1999 been the change in attitude in some of the The President. Let me say it’s a great European capitals about Turkey’s integration pleasure and an honor for me to welcome into EU. I think that the actions that have the Prime Minister here to the White House. been taken to improve relations with Greece I would like to begin by expressing my deep have helped. I think some of the actions on appreciation to Turkey for the outstanding human rights have helped. And I think more leadership exhibited during the crisis in movement in those directions will eventually Kosovo and the role Turkey played working get the results that Turkey wants. with our NATO Allies there. You know, the United States—from the But we have much to discuss today, includ- first day I got here as President, almost 7 ing the progress in dealing with the aftermath years ago, I have strongly supported Turkey’s of the earthquake; the improving relation- integration into Europe—into the economic ships between Turkey and Greece and the structures of the European Union as well as, European Union; questions involving Cy- obviously, in NATO and other networks. I prus, human rights, economic reform, many think it’s very, very important to the future other things. But this meeting is occurring of the world, particularly the critical part of in an atmosphere of hope and a positive at- the world that you occupy. But we have to mosphere that recognizes not only our long- make some progress on these other issues. time strategic partnership with Turkey but And I think we’re moving in the right direc- recent developments and this Prime Min- tion. ister’s leadership. And I appreciate it very much. Kosovo Oil Pipeline in Turkey Q. Mr. President, if the Kosovars opt for Q. ——on the pipeline issue. Are you independence, will that be a betrayal of our planning to help Turkey about that? reason for going in there? And are we sup- The President. Well, you know, we feel porting independence? very strongly about the pipeline. We’ve made The President. Well, we have supported that very clear and unambiguous, and we will for Kosovar, and we continue to support— continue to support it. for Kosovo, excuse me—autonomy, which is Q. Are you going to give more aid? not protected autonomy because of the con- The President. You had a question? duct of the Serbs and the government of Mr. Milosevic. And that continues to be our posi- Cyprus tion. We need to do our best to implement Q. Yes, Mr. President. What would you the agreements that we have made within like to see from Turkey to see some progress the policy framework that both NATO and in Cyprus? Do you need to see some move- the United Nations have approved. And we ment from the Turkish side? intend to do that. The President. Well, what we’ve been Press Secretary Joe Lockhart. Thank working for all along is the resumption of you very much, everyone. U.N.-sponsored talks without preconditions. The President. Thank you. And we hope that somehow we can find a way to get there. NOTE: The President spoke at 12:55 p.m. in the Q. How about more aid? Oval Office at the White House. In his remarks, Turkey and the European Union he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Q. Mr. President, Washington watches Montenegro). A tape was not available for very closely Turkey’s relations with the EU, verification of the content of these remarks. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 28 1845

Statement on James D. Wolfensohn’s We need accountability from our schools— Decision To Serve a Second Term as and from our Congress, too. President of the World Bank In addition, the reduction in funding for the social services block grant could severely September 28, 1999 undermine State and local efforts to provide I am very pleased that Jim Wolfensohn will child care, child welfare programs, and serv- serve a second term as World Bank presi- ices for the disabled. By failing to fund the dent. During a precarious period for the family caregiver initiative, the bill also with- world economy, Jim has shown a true passion holds critical aid to families caring for elderly for helping people who live in the poorest or ill relatives. The legislation also short- countries of the world weather the financial changes public health priorities in preventive crisis and making sure they have a voice in and mental health and underfunds programs decisions that affect them. that would give millions of Americans im- Jim’s hands-on style has served the World proved access to health care. Bank well. He has traveled to more than 100 If this bill were to come to me in its cur- countries to see for himself what is working rent form, I would have to veto it. I believe, and what needs to be done to create jobs, however, that we can avoid this course. I sent improve education, fight hunger, and attack the Congress a budget for the programs cov- diseases like AIDS. And he has shown an ered by this bill that provided for essential abiding commitment to reinventing the investments in America’s needs, and that was World Bank—to make sure that it is fully paid for. I look forward to working with equipped to meet the challenges of Congress on a bipartisan basis to ensure that globalization. In addition to improving gov- this bill strengthens public education and ernance and broadening participation, he has other important national priorities. been working hard to improve transparency and clamp down on corruption. Statement on Returning Without His leadership, imagination, and deep moral commitment make him an outstanding Approval to the House of choice for the World Bank as it enters the Representatives the ‘‘District of next century. Columbia Appropriations Act, 2000’’ September 28, 1999 Statement on Education H.R. 2587, the ‘‘District of Columbia Ap- Appropriations Legislation propriations Act, 2000,’’ approves local fund- September 28, 1999 ing and provides for targeted Federal fund- ing for the District of Columbia that we all Today the Senate Labor, Health and support. The bill includes essential funding Human Services, and Education appropria- for District Courts and Corrections and the tions committee passed a spending bill that DC Offender Supervision Agency and makes fails to invest in key initiatives to raise student some progress towards providing requested achievement. While its funding levels are funds for a new tuition assistance program better than those of the House version, the for District of Columbia residents. Senate bill still falls short of what we need However, I have decided to veto this bill to strengthen America’s schools. It does not because Congress has added a number of un- guarantee a single dollar for our efforts to acceptable riders that prevent local residents hire quality teachers and reduce class size from making their own decisions about local in the early grades. It cuts funding for edu- matters. Congress has interfered in local de- cation technology and underfunds such ef- cisions in this bill in a way that it would not forts as GEAR UP and after-school pro- have done to any other local jurisdiction in grams. And it does not provide funding to the country. For example, this bill bars the turn around failing schools. District from spending its own funds to seek To develop world-class schools, we need voting rights for the citizens of the District to invest more and demand more in return. of Columbia. Congress should not impose 1846 Sept. 28 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 such conditions on the District of Columbia. peditiously to prevent the interruption of im- And it is wrong for some in Congress to portant funding for the District of Columbia: threaten to cut funding that would fight • Voting Representation. H.R. 2587 crime, expand educational opportunity by would prohibit not only the use of Fed- providing tuition assistance, and improve eral, but also District funds to provide children’s health simply because they are un- assistance for petition drives or civil ac- willing to let the people of the District of tion that seek to obtain voting represen- Columbia make local decisions about local tation in the Congress for residents of matters, as they should under home rule. the District of Columbia. • Limit on Access to Representation in Message to the House of Special Education Cases. The bill would cap the award of plaintiffs’ attorneys’ Representatives Returning Without fees in cases brought by parents of Dis- Approval the ‘‘District of Columbia trict schoolchildren against the District Appropriations Act, 2000’’ of Columbia Public Schools under the September 28, 1999 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In the long run, this provi- To the House of Representatives: sion would likely limit the access of the I am returning herewith without my ap- District’s poor families to quality legal proval, H.R. 2587, the ‘‘District of Columbia representation, thus impairing their due Appropriations Act, 2000.’’ Although the bill process protections provided by the provides important funding for the District IDEA. of Columbia, I am vetoing this bill because • Abortion. The bill would prohibit the it includes a number of highly objectionable use of not only Federal, but also District provisions that are unwarranted intrusions funds to pay for abortions except in into local citizens’ decisions about local mat- those cases where the life of the mother ters. is endangered or in situations involving I commend the Congress for developing rape or incest. a bill that includes requested funding for the • District of Columbia. The bill includes essen- Domestic Partners Act. The bill would tial funding for District Courts and Correc- prohibit the use of not only Federal, but tions and the D.C. Offender Supervision also District funds to implement or en- Agency and goes a long way toward providing force the Health Care Benefits Expan- requested funds for a new tuition assistance sion Act of 1992. • program for District of Columbia residents. Needle Exchange Programs. The bill I appreciate the additional funding included contains a ban that would seriously dis- in the bill to promote the adoption of chil- rupt current AIDS/HIV prevention ef- dren in the District’s foster care system, to forts by prohibiting the use of Federal support the Children’s National Medical and local funds for needle exchange Center, to assist the Metropolitan Police De- programs. H.R. 2587 denies not only partment in eliminating open-air drug traf- Federal, but also District funding to any ficking in the District, and for drug testing public or private agency, including pro- and treatment, among other programs. viders of HIV/AIDS-related services, in However, I am disappointed that the Con- the District of Columbia that uses the gress has added to the bill a number of highly public or private agency’s own funds for objectionable provisions that would interfere needle exchange programs, under- with local decisions about local matters. mining the principle of home rule in the Were it not for these provisions, I would sign District. the bill into law. Many of the Members who • Controlled Substances. The bill would voted for this legislation represent States and prohibit the District from legislating localities that do not impose similar restric- with respect to certain controlled sub- tions on their own citizens. I urge the Con- stances, in a manner that all States are gress to remove the following provisions ex- free to do. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1847

• Restriction on City Council Salaries. achievements have enriched our lives The bill would limit the amount of sal- through the songs they sing, the stories they ary that can be paid to members of the tell, the books they write, the art they shape, District of Columbia Council. the gifts they share. I urge the Congress to send me a bill that Eighteen women and men, one edu- maintains the important funding for the Dis- cational institution, all having defined in their trict provided in this bill and that eliminates own unique ways a part of who we are as these highly objectionable provisions as well a people and what we’re about as a nation as other provisions that undermine the ability as we enter a new century in a new millen- of residents of the District of Columbia to nium. make decisions about local matters. First I present the National Medal of the William J. Clinton Arts winners. Irene Diamond, one of America’s leading The White House, patrons of the arts, has dedicated her life to September 28, 1999. discovery. As an early Hollywood talent scout, she discovered Burt Lancaster and Remarks on Presenting the Arts and Robert Redford. For that alone, some people Humanities Awards think she should get this award. [Laughter] September 29, 1999 As one of the movie industry’s first female story editors, she discovered the script that The President. Thank you very much. became ‘‘Casablanca.’’ I believe when the Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. film industry issued its list of 100 greatest Welcome. I want to welcome all of our hon- films, ‘‘Casablanca’’ only ranked second, orees here; Bill Ivey and all the people from Irene, but some of us voted for it number the National Endowment for the Human- one. [Laughter] ities; Bill Ferris and all the people from the As the president of the Aaron Diamond National Endowment for the Arts; the people Foundation, she helped fuel the path- from Library and Museum Services; Mem- breaking research that led to the discovery bers of Congress. I have seen Senator of protease inhibitors, which are now helping Wellstone and Congressman Houghton, people with HIV lead longer and healthier Representative Morella and Nadler. There lives. As a generous supporter of the arts, may be others here. she has given more than $70 million to help I want to thank the people of our shared more Americans discover the magic of the- homeland, the Irish band and the step danc- ater, dance, and song. ers, for doing such a wonderful job today. It has been said that discovery consists of I thought they were great. If George Mitchell seeing what everyone has seen and thinking doesn’t get us over the final hump in the last what no one has thought. We are all far rich- steps of the Irish peace process, I may just er for the vision, the insight, and the discov- send them back until everybody—[laugh- eries of this most precious Diamond. ter]—is smiling so much they can’t think of Colonel, read the citation. anything other than ending the conflict. [Lt. Col. Carlton D. Everhart, USAF, Air I’d also like to thank the wonderful strings Force Aide to the President, read the citation, from the Marine Corps for doing such a great and the President presented the medal.] job for us here today. In one of his final speeches, President The President. The Reverend C.L. Kennedy said he looked forward to an Amer- Franklin, then pastor of Detroit’s New Beth- ica which rewards achievement in the arts el Baptist Church, was a powerfully emo- as we reward achievement in business; an tional preacher. But one Sunday in 1954 it America which commands respect through- was the heavenly voice of a 12-year-old that out the world not only for its strength but brought the congregation to its feet. The for its civilization. Today we recognize an ex- voice belonged to his own daughter, Aretha, traordinary group of Americans who have the woman now idolized throughout the strengthened our civilization and whose world as the Queen of Soul. 1848 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

No matter where she has traveled, she has [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- never left behind the sound of those Sundays tion, and the President presented the medal.] in church. You could hear it ranging over four The President. When it comes to training full octaves when she sang Dr. King to heav- in the performing arts, the Juilliard School en and in electrifying performances at our stands alone. Juilliard has cultivated the ge- Inaugural celebrations. You can hear it in nius of artists of world renown. We hear it every one of her nearly 50 albums, and I am in the flawless voice of Leontyne Price, in so grateful that she has allowed me to hear the virtuoso violin of Itzhak Perlman, the nar- it time after time here at the White House. rative jazz of Wynton Marsalis, the uninhib- Aretha’s voice once was designated a nat- ited humor of Robin Williams. ural resource of the State of Michigan. But Juilliard does more than develop the [Laughter] She will probably never know skills of gifted artists. It instills in every stu- how many people whose lives she has en- dent the obligation to share that talent with riched, whose hearts she has lifted, how others through performances in hospitals, many people she gave a spring in the step nursing homes, hundreds of free shows every that would not have been there, and brought year at the Lincoln Center. sunshine to a rainy day and tenderness to In honoring the artist in society, Juilliard a hardened heart. opens the doors of art to the world. We honor Today we honor her for all she has given it today for all it has done and all it will do with the magnificent talent God gave her. in taking the best and making them even bet- Colonel, read the citation. ter. [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- I’d like to ask Dr. Joe Polisi, the president tion, and the President presented the medal.] of the Juilliard School, to come forward, and I’d like to ask the Colonel to read the citation. The President. Michael Graves is a rare individual who finds equal wonder in things [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- both large and small. As one of our century’s tion, and the President presented the medal.] most important designers and architects, he The President. Norman Lear has held up has said he gets as much pleasure planning a mirror to American society and changed a large building as he does designing a spat- the way we look at it. From Archie Bunker’s ula. [Laughter] living room in Queens to Fred Sanford’s So it’s little wonder that Michael Graves’ junkyard in Watts, he has employed the work can be found from our shopping malls power of humor in the service of human un- to our National Mall, from an award- derstanding. His departure from traditional, winning office building to a tea kettle, to the two-dimensional television characters was creative scaffolding around the Washington risky. It showed the enormous respect he has Monument—which, I might say, has en- for the judgment, the sense, and the heart riched the lives of every person in Wash- of the American people. ington, DC—[laughter]—and made those He gave us something real. He tackled often stuck in what is now America’s most issues head on. Archie Bunker, after all, was crowded traffic patterned city have their time the best argument against his own bigotry. pass a little better; Michael Graves has cre- By laying it out unvarnished, Norman Lear ated art that surrounds our lives. took it apart and, in the process, made us He calls himself a great practitioner, but laugh out loud. His commitment to pro- in some ways his challenge is more daunting moting understanding and tolerance extends than that of a physician. As Frank Lloyd far beyond the screen. As founder of People Wright once said, ‘‘After all, the doctor can For the American Way and the Business En- bury his mistake,’’—[laughter]—‘‘but the ar- terprise Trust, he continues his work to deep- chitect can only advise his client to plant en freedom, defend liberties, and reward so- vines.’’ [Laughter] The only thing that grows cial responsibility. and covers Michael Graves’ work is our admi- The first time I ever met Norman Lear ration, appreciation, and respect. was in early 1981, shortly after the Presi- Colonel, read the citation. dential election of 1980, in which I became Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1849 the youngest former Governor in American emy of Music, he sparked the stunning ca- history. [Laughter] Norman Lear invited me reers of Twyla Tharp, Philip Glass, Mark to come talk about a project with him in New Morris, so many other artists Manhattan had York, and he took me to a play on Broadway overlooked. He launched the wonderful new that he produced. We went to opening night. Next Wave festival and the BAM Opera. He It closed 3 days later. [Laughter] We are here proved that art challenges can also be wildly today because the intervening years have popular. been kinder to both of us. [Laughter] I’m He truly changed the way we think. Al- not sure Archie Bunker would approve, but though he just made his curtain call at the Meathead would be proud and so are we. Brooklyn Academy, we know he will continue Colonel, read the citation. to be New York’s stellar steward of the arts. Colonel, read the citation. [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- tion, and the President presented the medal.] [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- tion, and the President presented the medal. The President. When she was 7, Rosetta ] LeNoire broke both her legs, actually, doc- The President. Lydia Mendoza’s unique tors broke them for her. She was born with musical career spans most of the entire rickets; it was the only way the bones could course of the 20th century. She recorded her grow in place. Her godfather Bill ‘‘Bojangles’’ first song in a San Antonio hotel room in Robinson, said that dancing could strengthen 1928. More than 70 years and a thousand her legs and took her on the road. songs later, her legacy is as wide and deep She moved on to success—Broadway, film as the Rio Grande valley. and, of course, television, where we remem- Lydia learned much from the oral tradition ber her as Mother Winslow on ‘‘Family Mat- of Mexican music that her mother and grand- ters’’ and Nell Carter’s mother on ‘‘Gimme mother shared with her. In turn, she shared a Break.’’ But with all her talent and drive it with the world, becoming the first rural through the years, discrimination was never American woman performer to garner a large far behind. So Rosetta did more than dream following throughout Latin America. of a theater with no color bar, she actually With the artistry of her voice and the gift built one. of her songs, she bridged the gap between For more than 30 years, the AMAS Musi- generations and cultures. Lydia Mendoza is cal Theatre in New York City has been a a true American pioneer, and she paved the place where performers are judged by the way for a whole new generation of Latino caliber of their skills, not the color of their performers, who today are making all Ameri- skin. As a courageous child, Rosetta learned cans sing. that sometimes you have to break things to Colonel, read the citation. put them in the right place. Today America Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- thanks her for breaking barriers to set our [ tion, and the President presented the medal. Nation right. ] Colonel, read the citation. The President. In late 1949, in the coffee- houses of San Francisco, a young classically Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- [ trained singer named Odetta fell in love with tion, and the President presented the medal. ] folk music and found her true voice. Soon The President. In 1967 Harvey she began recording unforgettably soulful al- Lichtenstein was given an impossible task, to bums and touring the world’s great stages. breathe life into the Brooklyn Academy of In the words of one early admirer, ‘‘She has Music, a neighborhood relic on the verge of such a strong voice and presence that I am being razed for tennis courts. Not only did left with the irreverent but irresistible feeling he save the academy, he turned it into one that if she had been the captain of the Ti- of the most important avant-garde institu- tanic, the ship would not have sunk.’’ [Laugh- tions in the entire world. ter] In his 32 years as a charismatic impresario, For 50 years now Odetta has used her visionary, and father of the Brooklyn Acad- commanding power and amazing grace not 1850 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 just to entertain but to inspire. She has sung but also, I would add, the story of America for freedom with Dr. King, lifted the pride conquering ballet. of millions of children, shaped the careers Maria Tallchief took what had been a Eu- of young performers like Joan Baez, Bob ropean art form and made it America’s own. Dylan and Tracy Chapman. She is the reign- How fitting that a Native American woman ing queen of American folk music, reminding would do that. With magic, mystery, and us all that songs have the power to change style, she soared above all. the heart and change the world. Colonel, read the citation. Colonel, read the citation. [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart, read the cita- tion, and the President presented the medal.] tion, and the President presented the medal.] The President. And now, ladies and gen- The President. It started out as just an- tlemen, for the National Humanities Medals. other odd job for this aspiring artist, re- Patricia Battin is saving history. The high searching the artistic possibilities of plaster acidic content of paper threatens to destroy used to cast broken bones. ‘‘I had my wife millions of old books, but she has led the cover me head to foot in the stuff,’’ he said. national campaign to raise awareness about ‘‘Once it dried, I broke out of it, breaking this challenge and preserve the genius of the the mold in the process; then I put it back past. together. It was white, spectral, full of elusive As the first president of the Commission potential, just what I had been after.’’ on Preservation and Access, she has helped George Segal’s art may be inanimate, but to spur America’s libraries and archives to more that a few of us have had to look twice transfer information from so-called brittle just to be sure. [Laughter] His silent cre- books to microfilm and optical disks. As a ations speak volumes about the human con- result, more than 770,000 books have already dition and give life to the spaces where they been preserved. She’s also one of our Na- are displayed. His sculptures at the Franklin tion’s leading authorities on changing learn- Roosevelt Memorial of the Depression ing patterns of the digital age. From 19th breadline and the fireside chat transport us century books to 21st century technology, back to that time and place. Patricia Battin is strengthening our store- Through all of his work, George Segal has house of knowledge for the future. brought elegance to the everyday and mys- Thank you for saving the knowledge of the tery to the commonplace. Decades after his past for the children of tomorrow. first experiments with plaster, he continues Colonel, read the citation. to break the mold. Colonel, read the citation. [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- tion, and the President presented the medal.] [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- tion, and the President presented the medal.] The President. When it comes to the struggle for peace, justice, and freedom, The President. George Balanchine once Taylor Branch literally has written the book. told audiences not to analyze ballet. ‘‘Words With vivid prose and clear-eyed detail, his cannot describe it,’’ he said. ‘‘You cannot ex- two volumes on the Martin Luther King plain a flower.’’ So it’s impossible to explain years recount a man and a movement that the radiance and grace of Maria Tallchief. changed America for good. As Taylor has She leapt from Oklahoma’s Osage Indian said, ‘‘It is really the story of ordinary people territory to the center stages of the world. who took risks to enlarge freedom. And we Her partnership with Balanchine trans- have a much better country for it.’’ formed the ballet world for the ages. She was Those aren’t just Taylor Branch’s words; his inspiration for the title role in the ‘‘Fire- they also reflect his life. Growing up in seg- bird.’’ She was the first Sugarplum Fairy. regated Atlanta, Taylor Branch saw discrimi- A reviewer once said that hers will always nation everywhere he looked. But through be the story of ballet conquering America, it all, he also saw something else, an America Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1851 where we heal our racial wounds, celebrate [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- our differences, and move forward together. tion, and the President presented the medal.] We grew up in the same sort of South, The President. He was born in Anoka, affected by the limits, the longing, and the Minnesota, but we know him as the man language of race, in all of its myriad mani- from Lake Wobegon. A town with a name festations. I met Taylor Branch 30 years ago derived, he tells us, from the Native Amer- this month. I knew then he was a remarkable ican phrase meaning, ‘‘We sat in the rain all young man. And I must tell you, I am very day waiting for you,’’—[laughter]—a place he proud of the gifts he has given America in confesses, settled by pioneers who had the years since. stopped a little short, having misread their In an early sermon, Dr. King said, ‘‘After map but refused to admit it. [Laughter] Well, one has discovered what he is made for, he Garrison Keillor has never stopped short. should seek to do it so well that no one could Just ask the Governor of Minnesota. [Laugh- do it better.’’ Anyone who has read the work ter] of Taylor Branch knows, no one does it bet- Millions of listeners plan their weekends ter. around his ‘‘Prairie Home Companion.’’ It’s Colonel, read the citation. always blaring on the radio in the White House. No one wants to miss a minute of [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- his homespun humor, homegrown music, tion, and the President presented the medal.] and stories of hometown America. And he The President. More than two decades never leaves it behind. ago, Jacquelyn Dowd Hall explained to an Today when I shook hands with Garrison elderly woman why she wanted to tape her he said, ‘‘Well, I understand that you had memories. After listening closely to all of a cancellation and had to put me in at the Professor Hall’s words, the senior citizen last minute.’’ [Laughter] I didn’t have the looked up and said, ‘‘I understand. You don’t heart to tell him how sorry I was that Rush have to be famous for your life to be history.’’ Limbaugh couldn’t make it today. [Laughter] That became the motto of the Southern Oral With imagination and wit, but also with History Program directed by Jacquelyn a steel-trap mind and deep conviction, Dowd Hall, and the rest is truly history. Garrison Keillor has brought us together and The program, centered at the University constantly reminds us how we’re all con- of North Carolina, rings with the voices of nected and how it ought to keep us a little millworkers who have lost their jobs, civil humble. rights leaders marching for freedom, ordi- We all have a little Lake Wobegon in us, nary folks building their communities. And and our homes will always have a place for I might add, there is a young person from Garrison Keillor, our modern-day Mark Arkansas by the name of Clinton whose voice Twain. is on one of those tapes who was on the verge Colonel, read the citation. of something really big, losing his first elec- tion. [Laughter] [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- Anyone who grew up in the South knows tion, and the President presented the medal.] that no book can capture the color and the The President. While studying to be a vibrancy that you hear in the everyday con- newspaperman in a small Texas town, Jim versations on Main Street, in general stores, Lehrer worked nights at a bus depot calling on the front porches, and the backyards. So out departures and arrivals over a micro- all of us, whether we are from the South or phone. You might say that’s what he had to not, can say thank you, Jacquelyn Dowd Hall, do for politicians after he assumed his posi- for capturing that unique and wonderful tion on television. [Laughter] He learned to voice, for recording history through the lives speak clearly, be polite, stick to the facts, of ordinary people, and, in so doing, for mak- traits that would become his signature style ing history. as one of the most respected and beloved Colonel, read the citation. figures in American broadcast journalism. 1852 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

When sound bites and sensationalism his insatiable moral and imaginative hunger began taking over TV news in the early drove him to create such resident master- 1970’s, he teamed up with broadcaster Robin pieces as ‘‘Schindler’s List,’’ one of the most MacNeil to start a nightly newscast that of- important movies of the 20th century, and fered the opposite: long, in-depth stories and the remarkable, ‘‘Saving Private Ryan,’’ we interviews on the serious topics of the day; saw that he was an astonishing historian, as a show where guests are treated as guests; well. viewers are treated as intelligent; viewpoints On top of his creative mastery, Steven has are treated with respect. devoted enormous time and resources to pre- Novelist, playwright, journalist, moderator serving Holocaust testimonies, supporting of Presidential debates, asker of hard and righteous causes, unleashing the power of en- probing questions—[laughter]—in a decep- tertainment and technology to help seriously tively civilized way—[laughter]—Jim Lehrer ill children to heal. is a modern man of letters who has left us Steven Spielberg could have gotten the a gift of professionalism and civility, of true National Medal of the Arts, but I think he learning and the enlargement of our citizen- would want most to be remembered for his ship by his work. contributions to humanity. I also want to Colonel, read the citation. thank him for all the many times that he and Kate and their wonderful children have en- Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- [ riched our lives and all the things he tells tion, and the President presented the medal. ] me that keep me thinking. The President. John Rawls is perhaps the Today I was talking to Steven and he said, greatest political philosopher of the 20th cen- ‘‘How are you,’’ and I said, ‘‘I’m doing pretty tury. In 1971, when Hillary and I were in good for an older guy.’’ He said, ‘‘Yes, but law school, we were among the millions did you see that article that says that our chil- moved by a remarkable book he wrote, ‘‘A dren, certainly our grandchildren, will live to Theory of Justice,’’ that placed our rights to be 150?’’ And I got to thinking that—Hillary liberty and justice upon a strong and brilliant talked Steven into making the movie that we new foundation of reason. will show at the American Millennial Cele- Almost singlehandedly, John Rawls revived bration on The Mall on New Year’s Eve, as the disciplines of political and ethical philos- we see the turning of the millennium. And ophy with his argument that a society in Steven has agreed to create this 18-minute which the most fortunate helped the least movie of the century—100 years in 18 min- fortunate is not only a moral society but a utes, so we’ll feel like we’re 150. [Laughter] logical one. Just as impressively, he has He always finds a way to make it work. helped a whole generation of learned Ameri- Colonel, read the citation. cans revive their faith in democracy itself. Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- Ladies and gentlemen, Margaret Rawls [ tion, and the President presented the medal. will accept the medal on behalf of her hus- ] band. The President. Long before ‘‘Fences,’’ Colonel, read the citation. before ‘‘Seven Guitars,’’ before ‘‘Two Trains Running,’’ before his two Pulitzers, August Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- [ Wilson wrote an essay. He was in high school, tion, and the President presented the medal. ] and his teacher refused to believe that a black The President. Any time we look at all student could have produced something that that Steven Spielberg has managed to create good. Disgusted by the low expectations of on film, we know that that is what God put his teacher, August Wilson took refuge in the him here to do. Like Orson Wells, he was library. This is what he said: ‘‘I found books a true cinematic prodigy. He shot his first by black writers and realized I could do that. movies at the age of 12. By the ripe old age I could have a book on a shelf.’’ of 35, he was already one of our most gifted From the dimly lit library stacks to the storytellers, with ‘‘Close Encounters,’’ ‘‘Raid- bright lights of the stage, he has chronicled ers of the Lost Ark’’, and ‘‘E.T.’’ But when the African-American experience throughout Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1853 the 20th century, decade by decade, with economy since the end of the Second World epic plays of dreams and doubts, humor and War, a grave challenge to the IMF and the heartbreak, mystery and music. World Bank. Thanks to the hard work that Years ago, August Wilson asked a friend you and your countries have done, economies and fellow writer, ‘‘How do you make your that were sliding down are rising again. characters talk?’’ His friend replied, ‘‘You We have also worked hard, as Secretary don’t; you listen to them.’’ America is richer Summers said, in the wake of these crises for the listening voice, and the landmark to prevent future ones, to respond more drama of August Wilson. quickly and effectively, to lessen the toll they Colonel, read the citation. take on ordinary citizens. We have intensified [Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the cita- our efforts to construct a global financial ar- tion, and the President presented the medal.] chitecture that is stable and strong in the new conditions of the new economy. The President. Ladies and gentlemen, we Still, those who were hit by this crisis were thank you for sharing in this celebration and hit very hard, and many are still reeling. Peo- being a part of this last arts and humanities ple lost jobs and businesses and dreams. So awards ceremony of the 20th century. On be- this can only be considered a continuing chal- half of our Nation, I thank our honorees for lenge for us, certainly not a time for compla- all they have done for us, and I thank you cency. We have more to do to restore peo- all for supporting their work, for helping to ple’s faith in the future and to restore their shape our society, lift our spirits, expand our faith, frankly, in the global economy and in boundaries, and share our gifts with the global markets. Therefore, we have more to world. do to reform the global financial foundation Thank you, and goodbye. Thank you. upon which the future will be built. As we approach the 21st century, we must NOTE: The President spoke at 12:55 p.m. at Con- also ask ourselves, however, is it enough just stitution Hall. In his remarks, he referred to former Senator George J. Mitchell, who chaired to fix the market that is? Should we accept the multiparty talks in Northern Ireland. the fact that, at a time when the people in the United States are enjoying perhaps the strongest economy in their history, 1.3 billion Remarks to the Annual Meeting of of our fellow human beings survive on less the International Monetary Fund than a dollar a day? Should we accept the and the World Bank fact that nearly 40 million people—after the September 29, 1999 green revolution, when most of us discuss agriculture and food as a cause for inter- Thank you very much, Secretary Summers, national trade conflicts because we want to President Wolfensohn, Chairman Acharya, fight over who sells the most food, since Director Camdessus, Vice President Fall, there are so many places that can produce Secretary Anjaria. more than their own people need—are we Let me begin by saying how very grateful supposed to accept the fact that nearly 40 I am to be here with all of you. I appreciate million people a year die of hunger? That’s the generous introduction. Some of you may nearly equal to the number of all the people have heard me say this before, but the intro- killed in World War II. duction that Secretary Summers just gave me Are we supposed to accept the fact that is an illustration of one of my unbending laws even though technology has changed the of political life: Whenever possible, be intro- equation of the role of energy in the produc- duced by someone you have appointed to tion of wealth; even though technology has high office. [Laughter] It is much easier be- changed the distances in time and space nec- cause he’s done such a superb job, and I essary for learning and for business as well thank him. as educational interchanges—are we sup- Let me say, all of you know that a year posed to face the fact that some people and ago we were here in a time of crisis, perhaps nations are doomed to be left behind for- the most severe financial crisis in the global ever? 1854 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

I hope we will not accept that. I hope we I hope we’ll keep working to give the least will start the new millennium with a new re- developed countries greater access to global solve: to give every person in the world, markets. Here in the United States, I am through trade and technology, through in- working hard to persuade our Congress to vestments in education and health care, the pass my trade proposals for Africa and the chance to be part of a widely shared pros- Caribbean Basin this year. perity, in which all the peoples’ potential can But the wealth of nations depends on more be developed more fully. This is the chal- than trade. It also depends on the health of lenge of the second half-century of the life nations. Last week at the United Nations I of the IMF and the World Bank. And for committed the United States to accelerating me, it is a personal priority of the highest the development and delivery of vaccines for order. AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other dis- Open trade already has improved the pros- eases which disproportionately afflict poor pects of hundreds of millions by marketing citizens in the developing world. the fruits of their labors and creativity be- At the same time, we must help these na- yond their borders. In this way, both the IMF tions avert the health costs and pollution of and the World Bank have played a vital role the industrial age, using clean technologies in helping more nations to thrive. We need that not only improve the environment but you to work with the WTO to build a rules- grow the economy. Institutions like the based framework for global trade. We need World Bank play a special role here. Your you to help developing countries provide energy strategy is a very good start, and I education and training to lift wages and to thank you for it. I urge the Bank to continue establish social safety nets for tough transi- setting aggressive targets for lending that tions. promotes clean energy. It is no longer nec- I applaud the strong commitment you’ve essary to have industrial-age energy use pat- made at these meetings for concrete mani- terns to grow a modern, powerful economy. festations of support. We all must work to In fact, those economies will emerge more keep the economies we have influence over quickly with more sustainable development open and trade growing for developing and strategies. industrial powers alike. Some of you in this room, a minority still, In 2 months, I want to launch a new type are nodding your heads ‘‘yes’’ as I say this. of trade round in Seattle at the WTO min- If you believe it, we must work together to isterial. I want this round to be about jobs achieve it. These efforts must be part of a and development. I want it to raise working broader approach that ensures the integrity conditions for all. I want it to advance our and openness of emerging economies. Last shared goal of sustainable development. By Saturday the G–7 finance ministers outlined breaking down barriers to trade, leveling the specific safeguards for Russia and called for playing field, we will give more workers and comprehensive review by the World Bank farmers in those countries that are struggling and the IMF to make sure that funds are for tomorrow—and in leading industrial na- used appropriately in high-risk environ- tions, as well—more opportunities to ments. The United States will continue to produce for the global marketplace. insist on such accountability. In Seattle, I hope we will pledge to keep For many developing countries, however, cyberspace tariff-free, to help developing there is a greater obstacle in the path to countries make better and wider use of tech- progress. For many of them, excessive and nology, whether biotechnology or the Inter- completely unsustainable debt can halt net. I hope we will pledge to open markets progress, drag down growth, drain resources in agriculture and industrial products and that are needed to meet the most basic services, creating new activities for growth human conditions, like clean water, shelter, and development. health care, and education. Debt and debt I hope we will also work to advance the relief are normally subjects for economists. admission of the 38 developing countries But there is nothing academic about them. who’ve applied for WTO membership. And Simply put, unsustainable debt is helping to Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1855 keep too many poor countries and poor peo- adequate assistance flowing to the devel- ple in poverty. That is clearly why the Pope oping countries, especially through the Inter- and so many other world leaders from all national Development Association. I’m en- walks of life have asked us all to do more couraged by the financial commitments to reduce the debt of the poorest nations as made by some of the other donor countries a gift to the new millennium, not just to them this past week. And I call on our Congress but to all the rest of us, as well. to respond to the moral and economic ur- Personally, I don’t believe we can possibly gency of this issue and see to it that America agree to the idea that these nations that are does its part. I have asked for the money and so terribly poor should always be that way. shown how it would be paid for, and I ask I don’t think we can, in good conscience, say the Congress to keep our country shoul- we support the idea that they should choose dering its fair share of the responsibility. between making interest payments on their Now, let me made one final commitment. debt and investing in their children’s edu- Today I am directing my administration to cation. It is an economic and moral impera- make it possible to forgive 100 percent of tive that we use this moment of global con- the debt these countries owe to the United sensus to do better. I will do everything I States when—and this is quite important— can to aid this trend. Any country, committed when needed to help them finance basic to reforming its economy, to vaccinating and human needs and when the money will be educating its children, should be able to used to do so. In this context, we will work make those kinds of commitments and keep closely with other countries to maximize the them. benefits of the debt reduction initiative. In June, at the G–7 summit in Cologne, We believe the agreements reached this the world’s wealthiest nations made an his- weekend will make it possible for three-quar- toric pledge to help developing nations. The debt relief program we agreed upon is a big ters of the highly indebted poorest countries, step in the right direction, dedicating faster committed to implementing poverty and and deeper debt relief to countries that dedi- growth strategies, to start receiving benefits cate themselves to fundamental reform. This sometime next year—actually receiving the initiative seeks to tie debt relief to poverty benefits sometime next year. reduction and to make sure that savings are If we do these things as nations, as inter- spent where they should be, on education, national institutions, as a global community, on fighting AIDS and preventing it, on other then we can build a trading system that critical needs. It will help heavily indebted strengthens our economy and supports our poor countries to help themselves and help values. We can build a global economy and to build a framework to support similar and a global society that leaves no one behind, important efforts by the IMF, the World that carries all countries into a new century Bank, and international financial institutions. that we hope will be marked by greater peace More than 430 million people could ben- and greater prosperity for all people. efit from this effort. In Bolivia, for example, We have before us perhaps as great an op- debt relief could help the Government nearly portunity as the people of the world have double the people’s access to clean water by ever seen. We will be judged by our children 2004. In Uganda, it could allow health and and grandchildren by whether we seize that education spending to increase by 15 percent opportunity. I hope and believe that we all between 1998 and 2001—50 percent, excuse will do so. me. Rural development expenditures there Thank you very much. would more than double. That’s why we all must provide our fair share of financing to NOTE: The President spoke at 2:07 p.m. in the global debt relief. main ballroom at the Marriott Wardman Park Last week, to make good on America’s Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to James D. commitment, I amended my budget request Wolfensohn, President, World Bank Group; to Congress and asked for nearly $1 billion Mahesh Acharya, Chairman of the Board of Gov- over 4 years for this purpose. We must keep ernors, Michel Camdessus, Managing Director, 1856 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Cheikh Ibrahima Fall, Vice President and Cor- to fund important law enforcement efforts porate Secretary, and Shailendra J. Anjaria, Sec- and other programs. retary, International Monetary Fund. The bill provides $12.4 billion for the De- partment of the Treasury, including $132 Statement on Signing the Treasury million for violent crime reduction programs. and General Government The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is fund- ed at $8.2 billion. I believe that these funds Appropriations Act, FY 2000 will strengthen the IRS’s ability to provide September 29, 1999 timely and accurate data for American tax- payers. The bill also includes $144 million Today I signed H.R. 2490, ‘‘Treasury and for the Earned Income Tax Credit compli- General Government Appropriations Act, FY ance initiative and $250 million for Year 2000 2000’’, a bill that contains several important conversion requirements for IRS computer improvements in family planning and child systems. Law enforcement bureaus within care. This bipartisan bill will give people who the Department of the Treasury are funded work for the Federal Government access to at $3.4 billion. I am pleased that the Con- more affordable child care and flexibility in gress has fully funded my request for the ex- family planning. It will require health plans pansion of the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction participating in the Federal Employees Initiative. Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) that pro- The bill provides $185 million for the Of- vide prescription drug coverage to provide fice of National Drug Control Policy’s prescription contraceptive coverage as well, (ONDCP) national youth anti-drug media while providing an exception for plans that campaign. This money will enable ONDCP’s object to this requirement on religious national media campaign to continue its ef- grounds. The bill also gives Government fort to change youth attitudes about drug use agencies new flexibility that will allow them and its consequences. The campaign is a to make child care more affordable for lower- model public-private partnership, exposing income Federal employees. While this bill 90 percent of all 9- to 17-year-olds to anti- is not perfect, it does show that we can make drug messages at least four times a week. progress when we work in a bipartisan fash- I am pleased that the enrolled bill requires ion. health plans participating in the Federal Em- NOTE: H.R. 2490, approved September 29, was ployees Health Benefits Program that pro- assigned Public Law No. 106–58. vide prescription drug coverage to provide prescription contraceptive coverage as well. I am also pleased that the enrolled bill allows Statement on Signing the Treasury agencies to use appropriated funds to sup- and General Government port day care centers at Federal facilities. Appropriations Act, 2000 This provision should improve the afford- September 29, 1999 ability of child care for lower-income Federal employees. I have signed into law today H.R. 2490, Several provisions in the Act purport to the ‘‘Treasury and General Government Ap- condition my authority or that of certain offi- propriations Act, 2000,’’ which provides cers to use funds appropriated by the Act $13.7 billion in discretionary budget author- on the approval of congressional committees. ity for programs in the Department of the My Administration will interpret such provi- Treasury, the United States Postal Service, sions to require notification only, since any the General Services Administration, the Of- other interpretation would contradict the Su- fice of Personnel Management, the Execu- preme Court’s ruling in INS v. Chadha. tive Office of the President, and several Section 622 of the Treasury/General Gov- smaller agencies. I commend the Congress ernment Appropriations Act prohibits the for producing a bipartisan bill that allows us use of appropriations to pay the salary of any to continue the IRS reform effort and the employee who interferes with certain com- national youth anti-drug media campaign and munications between Federal employees and Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 29 1857

Members of Congress. I do not interpret this Memorandum on Funding for the provision to detract from my constitutional Korean Peninsula Energy authority and that of my appointed heads of Development Organization departments to supervise and control the op- erations and communications of the execu- September 29, 1999 tive branch, including the control of privi- Presidential Determination No. 99–42 leged and national security information. I urge the Congress to complete action on Memorandum for the Secretary of State the remaining FY 2000 appropriations bills as quickly as possible and send them to me Subject: Use of $18.1 Million in Unallocated in an acceptable form. Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs Funds for a U.S. William J. Clinton Contribution to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) The White House, Pursuant to the authority vested in me by September 29, 1999. section 614(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. NOTE: H.R. 2490, approved September 29, was 2364(a)(1) (the ‘‘Act’’), I hereby determine assigned Public Law No. 106–58. that it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $18.1 million in funds made available under the Statement on Signing the Extension heading ‘‘Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, of the Airport Improvement Demining and Related Programs’’ in title II Program Act of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, September 29, 1999 1999, as enacted in Public Law 105–277, for assistance for KEDO without regard to any I am pleased to sign S. 1637, the ‘‘Exten- provision of law within the scope of section sion of the Airport Improvement Program 614(a)(1). I hereby authorize the furnishing Act,’’ releasing the final $290 million of FY99 of this assistance. funds for the Federal Aviation Administra- Your are hereby authorized and directed tion’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). to transmit this determination to the Con- These funds will help communities across the gress and to arrange for its publication in the country finance critical projects to enhance Federal Register. airport safety and capacity and reduce noise. Some $71 million of the AIP funds will go William J. Clinton to help lessen the growing problem of air- port-related noise, by insulating nearby Proclamation 7227—100th schools and residential neighborhoods and Anniversary of the Veterans of other noise mitigation efforts. These and Foreign Wars other efforts by the Federal Government will mean that, by next year, only 600,000 Ameri- September 29, 1999 cans will be adversely affected by aircraft By the President of the United States noise, compared to the 2.3 million Americans of America who faced that problem in 1995. A significant portion of the funds released today will go A Proclamation to help smaller airports, which have fewer As a free Nation, we must always remem- financial resources and are more dependent ber that our achievements in peace have on Federal assistance to meet their capital been built on the sacrifices of our veterans requirements than are larger airports. in war. We owe a profound debt to brave Americans like the members of the Veterans NOTE: S. 1637, approved September 29, was as- of Foreign Wars of the United States who signed Public Law No. 106–59. knew their duty and did it well—even at the 1858 Sept. 29 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 risk of their freedom and their lives, and we ber with gratitude the contributions of the are proud to honor the VFW as it celebrates many loyal and courageous veterans who its 100th anniversary. have given so much of themselves both at Each VFW member has given double serv- home and around the world to preserve our ice to our Nation by answering the call to freedom. duty in the Armed Forces and by joining the Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, VFW. Whether raising the morale of our President of the United States of America, men and women in uniform, helping veterans do hereby proclaim September 29, 1999, as receive their much-deserved benefits, pro- the 100th Anniversary of the Veterans of For- viding scholarships for our youth, or bringing eign Wars. I urge all Americans to recognize hope and help to families and communities this day with appropriate programs, cere- in need, these veterans have upheld the high- monies, and activities. est standards of service and citizenship. Per- In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set haps most important, they are the living re- my hand this twenty-ninth day of September, minder of the countless men and women who in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred have served and sacrificed throughout past and ninety-nine, and of the Independence decades to defend our Nation and preserve of the United States of America, the two hun- the liberties we hold so dear. VFW members dred and twenty-fourth. and their fallen comrades have carried the William J. Clinton torch of freedom both at home and in distant lands, and America remains forever grateful. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, We have a solemn responsibility to ensure 9:23 a.m., October 1, 1999] that all our veterans enjoy the quality of life NOTE: This proclamation was published in the they deserve. On Veterans Day last year, I Federal Register on October 4. was proud to sign into law the Veterans Pro- grams Enhancement Act. This legislation im- proves a wide range of benefits and pro- Remarks at the Arts and Humanities grams, including an increase in compensation Awards Dinner payments to veterans with disabilities as well September 29, 1999 as benefits to the survivors of Americans who died serving our country. The President. Ladies and gentlemen, The small groups of Spanish-American welcome to the White House. A special wel- War veterans who first banded together in come to all of our honorees of the National 1899 could not have envisioned that their Medals of Arts and Humanities. The nice numbers would grow to more than two mil- thing about this evening, apart from being lion strong, or that the VFW would come here in America’s house slightly before we to have such an enormous positive influence celebrate its 200th birthday, is that there are on the lives of generations of veterans, their no speeches and lots of entertainment— families, and communities throughout our [laughter]—unless, of course, Mr. Keillor Nation. As we celebrate the centennial of the wants to substitute for me at this moment. VFW, we honor these veterans for all they [Laughter] I’ll be living down that crack I have done to build a proud past for our Na- made about him for the rest of my life. tion and to ensure a brighter future for us [Laughter] all. I want to say again, as I did today and as Recognizing the contribution of the Vet- Hillary did, that this is one of the most enjoy- erans of Foreign Wars to the continued able and important days of every year to us, strength of our country and success of our because it gives America a chance to recog- democracy, the Congress, by H.J. Res. 34, nize our sons and daughters who have en- has called on the President to issue a procla- riched our lives, made us laugh, made us mation in observance of September 29, 1999, think, made us cry, lifted us up when we as the ‘‘100th Anniversary of the Veterans of were down. In so many ways, all of you have Foreign Wars.’’ On this day, let us reflect touched so many people that you will never with pride on our great country and remem- know. But in all of them accumulated, you Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1859 have made America a better place; you’ve Corps of Engineers from studying the full made the world a finer place. range of options for salmon recovery in the And as we look to the new century, I hope Pacific Northwest. I will continue to work that as time goes on we will be known more with the Congress on this important national and more for things beyond our wealth and priority. Finally, I am disappointed that the power, that go to the wealth and power of Congress has not enacted my Harbor Serv- our spirit. Insofar as that happens, it will be ices Fund proposal, which would provide a because of you and people like you. And it stable source of funding for port and harbor was a privilege for all of us to honor you activities and free up funds for other priority today. projects and programs. My Administration I would like to ask all of you here to join will work with the Congress on options for me in a toast to the 1999 winners of the financing and increasing support for these Medal of Arts and the Medal of Humanities. initiatives in the future. [At this point, the participants drank a toast.] William J. Clinton The President. And welcome. Thank you. The White House, September 29, 1999. NOTE: The President spoke at 8:40 p.m. in the East Room at the White House. In his remarks, NOTE: H.R. 2605, approved September 29, was the President referred to humorist Garrison assigned Public Law No. 106–60. This statement Keillor, recipient, National Humanities Medal. was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on September 30. Statement on Signing the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Remarks on Signing the Continuing Act, 2000 Resolution and an Exchange With September 30, 1999 Reporters September 30, 1999 I have signed into law H.R. 2605, the ‘‘En- ergy and Water Development Appropriations The President. Good afternoon. I wanted Act, 2000,’’ which provides $21.4 billion in to talk to you before I leave for New York discretionary budget authority for the pro- about two developments affecting our econ- grams of the Department of Energy, the De- omy and the progress we are making to build partment of the Interior’s Bureau of Rec- a stronger one. lamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and Today we have further evidence that our several smaller agencies. economic strategy of fiscal discipline, invest- The Act provides necessary funding to ment in our people, and expanded trade is maintain my Administration’s commitment working. In the 12 years before I came to to ensuring the safety and reliability of our Washington, irresponsible policies here Nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile without quadrupled our debt. That led us to high in- nuclear testing. The Act also provides fund- terest rates and high unemployment, stag- ing to develop and protect the Nation’s water nant wages, and low growth. The Vice Presi- resources. dent and I came here determined to change I am disappointed that the Congress has all that, to put the American people first and not included full funding for my request for give them the tools to turn around the Amer- the Spallation Neutron Source, for additional ican economy. safeguards and security reforms at the De- Over the last 61⁄2 years, the results speak partment of Energy laboratories, or for re- for themselves: the longest peacetime expan- search and development of renewable energy sion in history, more than 19 million new sources. I am also disappointed that the Con- jobs, the lowest unemployment in 29 years, gress has provided no funding for the Next the lowest welfare rolls in 32 years, the first Generation Internet and Information Tech- back-to-back surpluses in 42 years, the larg- nology Initiatives. Also, I note that the bill est surplus and the highest homeownership contains language that prohibits the Army in history. 1860 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Today I am pleased to announce another that meet the great challenges and opportu- economic milestone in the implementation nities before us, that protect and strengthen of this strategy. In its annual study on income Social Security, that strengthen and mod- and poverty in America, the Census Bureau ernize Medicare with prescription drug cov- reports that a typical household income rose erage, that make vital investments in edu- $1,304 in just one year, from $37,581 in 1997 cation, national security, the environment, to $38,885 in 1998. That’s a 3.5 percent in- medical research, and other critical areas, crease in a year, tied for the largest since and that enable us to pay down the American 1978, allowing American families more debt so that we can pay it off, for the first money for things that matter, sending their time since 1835, over the next 15 years. children to college, buying a home, pur- Now, a few minutes ago, just before I chasing a car, saving for retirement. came out here, I signed that continuing The report also shows that since we spending bill, not because I wanted to, but launched our economic plan in 1993, median because it was the only way to prevent an- family income is the highest it has ever been, other Government shutdown. Months ago I increasing from $41,691 in ’93 to $46,737 in ’98. That’s over $5,000 more that hard- presented a responsible budget plan that working families can put to good use. But pays for itself, invests in education, saves So- the best news is that these gains finally are cial Security and Medicare, puts us on the * being shared with all groups in America, path to paying America out of debt by 2015 . from the wealthiest to the poorest. Regrettably, the majority in Congress, the In the 1980’s, most working families saw Republican majority, has chosen to disregard their incomes stagnate, with the worst per- the way I put this budget together and to formance at the bottom of the economic disregard the path of fiscal discipline. scale. In the last 5 years, finally, we have Instead of making the difficult choices to stemmed the tide of rising inequality, and finish their work and crafting a responsible this new report documents the strong income budget, they’ve resorted to gimmicks and growth among all groups of people. gamesmanship, like using two sets of books This broadbased growth has helped to lift and designating the fully predictable census, millions of hardworking families out of pov- for example, as emergency spending. erty. The report shows that the poverty rate But they’re doing something else that trou- fell to 12.7 percent. That is the lowest pov- bles me more. To disguise the fact that erty rate since 1979, the lowest rate in 20 they’re spending the Social Security surplus, years. the congressional majority wants to delay While we still have room for improvement, earned-income tax payments to nearly 20 the African-American poverty rate is now at million families. Now, the income and pov- its lowest level on record; the Hispanic pov- erty figures I announced earlier show that erty rate its lowest level in 20 years. And we 4.3 million Americans were lifted out of pov- know that 4.3 million Americans were lifted erty last year, twice the number that were out of poverty last year because of our ex- lifted out of poverty by the earned-income panded earned-income tax credit, which was tax credit before we expanded it in 1993. a critical part of the economic reform plan in 1993. It is now, inexplicably to me, under We’ve worked hard to eliminate barriers attack by some in Congress. to families who are working their way out Our economy is now working for all the of poverty. We’ve got record numbers of peo- American people, and it has to continue. ple moving from welfare to work, often at That brings me to my second point. very modest wages, eligible for this earned- Today is the last day of the current fiscal income tax credit. Delaying their EITC pay- year. Because the Congress has not finished ments would put one more roadblock in their its work, it must send me a continuing resolu- way. tion, a temporary spending measure to keep the Government working for 3 more weeks. But it should be sending me spending bills * White House correction. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1861

So let me be clear: I will not sign a bill but I said, ‘‘Okay, I’ll do my part. I’ll try to that turns its back on these hardworking fam- do this. But we’re going to have to make ilies. They’re doing all they can to lift them- some tough decisions here if we’re going to selves out of poverty, to raise their children meet the need of people in both parties— with dignity. I don’t think we should be put- the investment priorities.’’ ting more roadblocks in their way. Delaying Then they said, ‘‘No, we don’t want to do the earned-income tax credit payment is that.’’ The Republican majority said, ‘‘No, we more than a gimmick. It is an effective tax don’t want to do that. We don’t want a ciga- increase on the most hard-pressed working rette tax, and we don’t want to ask the pol- Americans. luters to pay more for the toxic waste.’’ Once Now, one of the most interesting develop- they said that, to be fair, there was no way ments of the last week in this budget fight, they could avoid at least one more year of which as I said, I was hoping would not be spending Social Security funds. a fight and I still hope will be resolved— Now, that’s where we are on this. That’s but one of the most interesting things to me really what’s going on. And there is another about this last week is that the Republican way. We don’t have to do this. We don’t have majority actually launched an ad campaign to get into an ad war where they accuse us that plays the worst kind of politics with this of doing what they’re doing, that their own issue. Instead of spending their time creating Congressional Budget Office says they’re an honest budget, they’re spending millions doing. And they don’t have to act like if they of dollars creating phony ads to accuse the get caught doing it, they’ve, in effect, com- Democrats in Congress, who are in the mi- mitted a felony. nority, of doing what the Congressional There was a decision they had to make. Budget Office, their own Congressional When we decided we were going to try to Budget Office, says they are doing. That is, get out of spending Social Security funds this spending the Social Security surplus. year, instead of next year, they had to make In fact, just yesterday, the very day they a decision. And the decision was to close cor- were announcing these misleading and unfair porate loopholes, deal with the toxic waste ads, their own Congressional Budget Office dumps by asking polluters to pay more, and sent them a letter that shows they are spend- raise the cigarette tax. If they weren’t willing ing $18 billion from the Social Security sur- to make that decision, they were going to plus. Now, I can’t help noting that these are be in the pickle they’re in now. Now, that’s the same people who told us they could what happened. spend all this money and cut taxes $792 bil- It doesn’t have to be this way. We can work lion, and never touch the Social Security sur- together. We can fashion a budget that builds plus. on our economic prosperity and eliminates Let’s back up and look at where we are the public debt by the year 2015 and extends here, really. I had a lot of difficult decisions the life of the Social Security Trust Fund to in my budget. I had a cigarette tax; I had 2050, past the life expectancy of the baby a tax on polluters to clean up toxic waste boomers, rendering this momentary debate dumps. Why did I put that in there, knowing completely irrelevant by dealing with the it would be controversial? Because there was long-term security of the country. And that a general consensus here that with the sec- is what we ought to do. ond year of a budget surplus, we ought to I also would say it is profoundly important move as quickly as possible to divide the sur- that we fund the right kind of education pluses, if you will, the Social Security from budget that has 100,000 teachers, that sup- the non-Social Security, and that we would ports our efforts to mentor poor kids and get move this year to try to stop spending Social them to college, that supports our efforts to Security funds that the Government had help young people read, and that gives our been spending since 1983, at least since kids access to after-school programs; that 1983, when the revenues were raised. doesn’t undercut our efforts to connect all And so we all said, ‘‘Okay, let’s try to do the classrooms to the Internet next year, that it this year.’’ And so, I knew it would be hard, helps us to build or modernize 6,000 schools, 1862 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 that helps us to have some real accountability The President. Yes. The most important so we get what works and we stop funding thing you need to know about that is—I was what doesn’t. briefed on it this morning—is that Secretary That’s the other big, outstanding question Cohen has said that he wants to look into in this budget debate that has nothing to do this. He wants to get to the bottom of it. with what the ads are about: What kind of He wants to examine all the available infor- education policy we’re going to have; what mation and evidence. And he has assured us kind of future are we going to give our kids. that he will do that. And that was his imme- Then there’s the whole criminal justice issue diate instinct, too. And I appreciated it. which we’ve argued about since 1994, that we’ve got the lowest crime rate in 26 years, 2000 Presidential Election but it’s still too high, and I want to fund an- other 50,000 police to go out there in the Q. Mr. President, the Vice President most dangerous neighborhoods to prevent seems to be in some political trouble, despite crime from happening in the first place, the good economic numbers that you cite. through the community policing program. Mr. Bradley, former Senator Bradley, has So that is what I wanted to say. We don’t out-raised him in the last quarter. I would need gimmicks in the budget, and we don’t like to know whether you counseled him to need gimmicks on the airwaves. What we move his headquarters, whether you thought need to do is to roll up our sleeves and go he panicked, and why you think that people to work together and make decisions and tell like Senator Moynihan say that he can’t be the American people why we made them and elected—Senator Moynihan who, of course, what they are and what the long-term con- backs Mrs. Clinton. sequences are. The President. I gave you enough time The Congress now has 3 weeks to finish to put all of your little twists in there, didn’t the job the American people sent them to I? [Laughter] Washington to do. I will work with Congress First of all, let me say I think it’s a good on a budget that honors our commitments, decision, the decision he made to move his that protects Social Security and Medicare. headquarters to Tennessee. I suppose I think If we work together to meet these objec- that because I had such a good experience tives—keep in mind, if we work together to when I stayed home and close to my roots. meet these objectives, we could pass a long- We discussed it a long time ago. But I can term budget that no only gets us out of debt tell you I’m absolutely—he called me yester- by 2015 but actually has an affordable pro- day morning, he said that he had made a gram for middle-class tax relief. decision to do this. And we had not discussed But this argument that’s being held now, it in, I don’t know, a good while. I’m abso- and this sort of ad war is, I think, the worst lutely—he told me a week or so ago that he kind of—first of all, it’s misleading. And sec- was thinking about some things that he ondly, it’s a waste of time and money. What thought would help his campaign and make we need to do is to roll up our sleeves and it more consistent with the kind of message do the job the American people sent us here that he wanted to convey to the American to do. people and the kind of campaign he person- ally wanted to run. And he announced those So, thank you. three decisions yesterday, and I approve of all of them. I think they were good decisions. Korean War Massacre And I think they’ll get good results. And the Q.Mr. President, what’s you’re reaction to most important thing is, he made them, and the Associated Press report of a massacre of he believes in them. And that’s all you can hundreds of refugees by American service- do in one of these campaigns. men during the Korean war? There is—a Q. What’s the problem? Has it been you? dozen veterans of that war are quoted as cor- Has it been the record of the administration? roborating this account. Do you think there The President. Well, first of all, I think should be an investigation? he’s, by all reports I get, he’s personally doing Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1863 quite well out there, and I think he will con- shouldn’t try to get them all tied up in knots tinue to do well. So I don’t have the same and pretend that something is going on that take on it you do. I’m not a political analyst isn’t. We know we are going to now have, anymore. I have to stay here and do my job. in the future years, a surplus that will—ex- But the only thing I would say is, when you cept when we have economic downturns— run for President, you need to know what but on average, a surplus that will be large you want America to look like, and then you enough, projected, that we can meet the fu- need to have good ideas, and you need to ture needs of education, the environment, try to share them with people in a way they national security, out of non-Social Security can relate to. And I believe he’ll be—I be- revenues. lieve he’ll do quite well. Now, this is a—let me remind you all, this Keep in mind, we’re a long way from the is a new development. When we were in the end of the road here. deficit spending mode all during the eighties—all of you know this; you wrote Tax Policy and Federal Spending about it a lot—the deficits were made to Q. On the budget, if the Republicans seem smaller than they were because Social won’t give you the taxes you want, what’s the Security revenues were in surplus over Social alternative? Cut back on the spending you Security payments. They are still in surplus want? How do you get out of this pickle? over Social Security payments, but now other The President. Well, the alternative is, revenues are in surplus over other spending just mechanically—if they won’t raise money, this year. the alternative is, you either have to say— But the ’97 budget caps were very tight; well, let me say what the alternative is not, they were for the teaching hospitals; they first. The alternative is not their gimmicks, were for a lot of other things; they were when and then we’ll come up with our gimmicks, it comes to continuing to improve education. and we’ll all see who can out-gimmick some- And we do need to spend some more on na- one else. That is not the alternative. tional defense, as all of you know—at least The alternative should be that we decide I feel that way, and the Republicans do, too, we’re going to cut back on the spending for because of the problems for the military fam- a year. Or if it’s too severe—and from what ilies and some modernization problems. So we hear out there in the country from—and this whole question that there is just so much what we know about the needs of education, agitation on and all these ads filling the air- what we know about what we both want to waves, it’s really about the fact that when do to help restore our ability to recruit in they started looking at their budget, they the military and help our military families couldn’t get out of the Social Security funds with a pay increase there, what we know in until next year either unless they were willing a number of other areas—if we decide to to raise some money this year from the ciga- spend this money together, if we jointly agree rette tax, from closing corporate loopholes, on it, and it won’t allow us to have a divided or the toxic waste dumps. surplus, which keep in mind, we want to do So all I’m suggesting is, we need to sort this year, then both parties need to agree on of stop misleading the American people— that. they need to, with their television ads—and Now, I strongly prefer to go on and get we need to sit down and work this out and out of the Social Security surplus this year. figure out what’s right for the people, make And what I proposed is not all that onerous— the right disciplined choices and go forward. I mean, dealing with—the corporate loop- Q. Mr. President, you said you need to holes I proposed to close, the cigarette tax, sit down and talk, and yet there are some and the toxic waste dump fees. That’s not Republicans on the Hill who make it clear all that bad. You could always compromise. that that’s the last thing they want to do, is You could raise less and spend a little less. to sit down with the White House and start But my point is, the most important thing negotiating. What is the status—— is, we should be straightforward with the The President. That’s the last thing they American people about this, and we want to do. 1864 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Q. Right. facts are. This is going to be a very hard day The President. Yes, that’s right. for the people of Japan. Q. So what is the status of communication And we are doing our best to determine right now, and how can you get out of this what, in fact, has happened and what assist- if you all don’t start communicating? ance we can give. And we will do whatever The President. Well, I don’t think we can we possibly can that will be helpful to them. if we don’t start communicating. But all I’m And we will try to be as comprehensive and telling you is—they’ve had a debate, appar- prompt about it as possible. ently, within their caucus in both houses Mortgage for New York Residence about whether we ought to join hands and do the, evidently, right thing for the Amer- Q. Mr. President, what about your mort- ican people, and also be candid about this gage, sir? Do you now understand why some budget problem that they have—because people felt that it was improper for you to they’re philosophically opposed to raising the arrange a mortgage with a loan guarantee cigarette tax and they don’t want to close any from Mr. McAuliffe? And are you now plan- corporate loopholes right now. We’ve just got ning to get a different kind of mortgage? to figure out if there is a resolution to that. The President. Well, I will stay with what And then there are those who believe that Mr. Lockhart has told you about that. We they can somehow create this whole other had just a day or two to get that house; a issue, spending the Social Security surplus, lot of people wanted it for the same reason and then say that they’re not doing it, we’re we liked it. A lot of people like the house. doing it, even though they’re in the majority It’s a nice place. We liked it. So we did what and they approve all the money; or they can was necessary to secure it. say, well, I made them do it somehow. That’s Now, we’re going to close on it in a little what’s going on here. more than a month. And if we change the So there are people who believe in their financing between now and then, we’ll let caucus that somehow they can make some you know as soon as we do. But we did not big political issue out of this. And then there do it before we got an opinion from the Of- are those who want to get something done. fice of Government Ethics about the me- I had a long talk with a committee chairman chanics of it, and that it did not constitute yesterday, and I won’t identify him for fear a gift under Federal law. of hurting him. But we talked a long time Q. Why wouldn’t Bowles and Rubin help? about how we need to make an honest effort The President. They were—I don’t have to resolve the differences between where anything to say about that. McAuliffe called they are and where we are on the areas with- me the first thing when I was talking to him, in his jurisdiction. and he said, ‘‘Look, if you can get somebody So I think there is a difference of opinion. else to do it, fine.’’ I think because—every- I think a lot of them would like to just show body thought it was a legitimate business ar- up for work tomorrow. And that’s what I rangement. No one thought there was any- hope we’ll do. thing wrong with it, all the people I talked to about it, and all the people anybody else talked to about it. Japanese Nuclear Accident I think some people didn’t want to do it Q. Has Japan asked for American help in because they know they live in a world where dealing with its nuclear accident? And how they live in the Larry Klayman political press would the United States treat such a request? world in which what’s true is not as important The President. Well, first of all—and I as whether you can be dragged around; you should have said this the very first thing— have to spend a lot of money you don’t have we are all very concerned, and our thoughts or you’d rather not spend for reasons that and prayers are with the people in Japan have nothing to do with anything that’s real. today because of this uranium plant accident. It’s like this television ad campaign, to go You can only imagine how difficult this must back to the budget issue. There is the rest be for them, quite apart from whatever the of the world and the way it works and the Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1865 way people view things, and then there is forget it and go on to something else. And the way a lot of things around here work. you haven’t done it, and I’m very grateful. And so I don’t—anybody that’s ever been And for all of you who were here 31⁄2 years through it knows that’s true. ago, who stayed involved in this, I thank you. You’re all smiling because you think, I Governor Hunt—I was watching him on wonder if the President made a mistake by the monitor outside—talked about the committing the truth in that last remark. I issuance of the ‘‘Nation At Risk’’ report 16 can see you all smiling and thinking that. years ago, the meeting we had 15 years ago. [Laughter] So all I can tell you is, I feel good The first National Education Summit was in about where we are on it. We’re going to Charlottesville 10 years ago this week. And close on it in a month, and we’re excited some of us were there then. President Bush, about it. And if we change the financing, his Education Department, education lead- we’ll let you know. ers from around the country, we were all to- Thank you. gether. And we came together to embrace the concept and specifics of national edu- NOTE: The President spoke at 12:55 p.m. in the cation goals. Briefing Room at the White House. In his re- At the second summit, here in Palisades marks, he referred to Larry Klayman, chairman, 31⁄2 years ago, we supported the idea that Judicial Watch, Inc.; former Chief of Staff to the every State should set standards. At this third President Erskine B. Bowles; former Secretary of summit I hope we will embrace with equal the Treasury Robert E. Rubin; and Terence fervor the idea of accountability, for only by McAuliffe, loan guarantor of the First Family’s holding educators, schools, students, and residence Chappaqua, NY. ourselves accountable for meeting the stand- ards we have set will we reach the goals we seek. Remarks at the National Education We have made significant progress, par- Summit in Palisades, New York ticularly in the ideas governing the way we September 30, 1999 look at this. More and more we’re leaving behind the old divisions between one side Thank you very much. Good afternoon, saying ‘‘We need more money,’’ and the Governors, education leaders, business lead- other side saying ‘‘We shouldn’t invest any ers. I am delighted to be here. I thank my more money in our public schools, it’s hope- good friend, Governor Hunt, for his remarks. less.’’ By and large, there is a new consensus This year marks the 20-year anniversary from for greater investment and greater account- the time you and Secretary Riley and I start- ability, greater investment and higher stand- ed working together on education. ards and higher quality teachers to help stu- I want to thank Governor Thompson for dents reach the standards; holding the his interest in this, and so many other issues. schools accountable for the results. That’s the Tommy Thompson is the first Governor who agenda of Achieve, the agenda of our admin- told me that he thought that he could really istration, clearly the right agenda for the move, literally, every able-bodied welfare re- United States. cipient in Wisconsin to work. And I think I think it is another mark of progress and they’ve had a 91 percent drop in the rolls. something that many of you in this room can He nearly got it done. Congratulations, that’s feel profoundly both proud of and grateful an amazing achievement. for, that 10 full years after Charlottesville and And I want to especially thank Lou now more than 16 years after the issuance Gerstner and all the business leaders here, of the ‘‘Nation at Risk’’ report, there is still because you kept the idea of the summit alive a passionate sense of national urgency about and understood the importance of consistent school reform and about lifting education and systematic followup with the Governors, standards. And there are people who get up with the educators. I am very grateful to you every day full of energy about it, not cynical, for doing this. Most people like you do a not skeptical, not jaded, not tired, still eager project like this for a year or 2 and then they to learn. People in Governors’ offices, people 1866 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 in the schools of our country, business lead- in America in 20 years. I am very grateful ers, education leaders of all kind. for that. But I’m also grateful that during this This is quite an astonishing thing. You can- period we were able to early double the Fed- not think of a single other issue that has had eral investment in education, to help you pro- this long a life at this level of intense commit- vide your children and your schools with ment. And I think it is a tribute to the love more of the tools they need. We’ve increased of the American people for their children, early childhood investment through Head a tribute to the understanding of the Amer- Start. We’ve opened the doors of college ican people of the importance of education wide by basically modeling a national version in the global economy, and a sense that we of Georgia’s HOPE scholarship and pro- know that we have both the largest and the viding tax credits for beyond the first 2 years most diverse student population in our his- of high school. tory. We have increased Pell grants and estab- But if you just think about how people get lished education IRA’s. We’ve begun to orga- tired of political issues, how everybody is sup- nize an army of tutors. We now have a thou- posed to want to read something new in the sand colleges and universities, I believe in paper or seeing something new on the every State in the country, involving them- evening news, month-in and month-out, and selves in America Reads, to try to make sure you think about how long ago it was when all 8-year-olds can read when they finish the Governor Caperton there decided to make third grade. all of his elementary students computer lit- We’ve made an enormous amount of erate; how long Governor Engler has been progress, and a lot of you have been active in office; how long ago it was that Secretary on this, in hooking up every school and li- Riley and Governor Hunt and I started fool- brary in the country to the Internet and with ing with all this—and the country is as hot the e-rate making sure that the poorest to do the right thing, to improve the edu- schools can afford to participate in the infor- cation of our children today as it was the day mation superhighway. after the ‘‘Nation At Risk’’ report was issued. Last fall we fought for and won a big bipar- And that’s a great source of comfort to me, tisan consensus to make a downpayment of and reassurance. And the business leaders, 30,000 teachers, on getting 100,000 more the educators, and the political leaders here teachers out in the country to lower class in this room and like-minded people sizes in the early grades. And we have sup- throughout this country deserve a lot of cred- ported a huge increase in the number of it for that. charter schools in America. When I became When I came to Washington 61⁄2 years ago, President in January of ‘93 there was only all of you know that the number one problem one charter school in the whole country, in I had to deal with was the deficit, because the State of Minnesota. There are now 1,300. we quadrupled the debt in 4 years, interest We’re in New York; the New York Legisla- rates were high, the economy was stagnant. ture, I think, just authorized the establish- We had to cut hundreds of programs, and ment of the first charter schools here. In we were determined to try to do it in a way California, they just took the cap off the num- that would increase our investment, not de- ber of charter schools that they could have. crease our investment in education at the na- We still have a lot of interest in magnet tional level, and to do it in a way that, spear- schools and other public school choice initia- headed by Secretary Riley, to give you more tives along with the other debates on this flexibility, but also to focus on the pressure subject. But I think that we are well on our points of reform that would likely give us the way to having 3,000 charter schools in the greatest returns. United States by next year, which is the goal I am very grateful that we have seen our that I set for our administration when we deficit of $290 billion turn into a surplus of started down this path 6 years ago. $115 billion. This year we’ll have the first Now, in addition to what we’ve done, back-to-back surpluses in 42 years. And today what’s more important is what you’ve done we learned we have the lowest rate of poverty and what the country’s done. We have made Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1867 truly remarkable progress in the standards gone—didn’t score at the appropriate level. movement, thanks in no small measure to the They went to summer school. Many that leadership of Governors and those of you went to summer school are being prompted, who gathered here 31⁄2 years ago. Our Goals but a few that went to summer school aren’t, 2000 legislation and the reforms in Title I and all the ones that refused to go aren’t. we made have supported that. Today, almost And there may be some mistakes made. every State has standards for what children But as long as we send the message to these should know in English, math, science, his- kids that ‘‘We’re doing this for you. This tory, social studies. Next year, virtually every doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with State will be testing students to see if they’re you, but we’ll be hurting you worse if we meeting the standards. tell you you’re learning something when Now, that is all very good news. My friend, you’re not. We’ll be basically participating in Hugh Price, who is sitting back there to my a fraud which, ultimately, will cost you more left, leader of the Urban League, recently personally, psychically and, of course, even- observed that people didn’t talk much about tually financially, than any pain that comes standards and test scores 50 years ago be- in the moment.’’ cause the output of the schools, whether it But in order to do this, this whole issue was good, bad or indifferent, more or less will have to be really taken out of and kept matched with the demands of a blue collar out of the closet. Governors will have to look economy that needed strong backs more than dead in the eye of some child that was held well-developed minds. The problem now is back and say, ‘‘That’s okay, you can do it,’’ that the economy has changed much faster and lift them up. We won’t have to pretend than the schools. that there will never be a moment of pain People used to say, ‘‘You know, the schools for anybody in any of this. just aren’t what they used to be.’’ The prob- And similarly, business people and Gov- lem may be that too many of our schools are ernors will have to know that we have done too much like they used to be, but the world everything we absolutely can to give every the children move out into is not at all as kid we can the chance not to be taken down it used to be. And that, of course, is what by the system. It’s one of the things that I a lot of you are trying to help to change. liked about Chicago, where the summer Now, as we move into this period of not school now for the children that don’t make only having standards but having account- the grade is now the sixth biggest school dis- ability—that is consequences for the failure trict in the entire United States of America— to meet them—there will be people who will, the Chicago summer school, the sixth biggest first of all, be elated at the evidence of im- school district in America. Why? Because provement, which you can see all over the they don’t want to brand the kids as failures country where such things have been done when the system didn’t do for them what it from California to Houston to Chicago to should have. Dade County to many other places in the And Secretary Riley and I have met with country. Then there will be those who will parents whose children have been through want to shrink back because they fear the the system there, including parents of chil- adverse consequences of failure and many dren who were held back and had to go to people really don’t believe all kids can learn. summer school. I have been into a poor I think it would be a mistake to give into neighborhood there where virtually all the those fears. kids had to go to summer school in a couple And one of the things that I would hope of the classes. And because they believed the will come out of this summit, Lou, is that system is honest and because they believe all of you, in encouraging accountability, that the purpose of what is being done is which is, I know, something you believe in, not for some politician or educator to look ask people not to be afraid when there are tough or run up numbers in the polls or, say, consequences. have some easy sloganeering answer, but the I just saw the results in New York City, purpose is to make sure these kids learn what where the first group of children have they need to learn to have good lives, they 1868 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 support it. They support the standards. They gress supported last year, by the way, to help support the mandatory summer school. They mentor kids that are in trouble in junior high support what’s being done in the after-school school, to try to get them into college by get- programs. ting them over that rough patch. So I hope And it will happen everywhere in America. we can get that done. But we all have to commit the truth about I also wanted to say, emphasize something this. And we can’t pretend there will never that I think is very important, our budget be any painful consequences. But where would provide $200 million to help you turn there are painful consequences, all the Gov- around low-performing schools. I believe ernors can do a world of good by going into that it is not enough to say, no social pro- those schools and say, ‘‘I’m doing this be- motion, strict accountability, and even sum- cause I want you to have a good life. I’m mer school and after-school programs for doing this because it’s not too late for you. kids, unless there is a strategy to turn around This is just the beginning of your life. I’m the low-performing schools. And I know that doing this because your teachers and your in North Carolina and in several other places principals and your parents and the business leaders in this community, we care about where this has been done—I mentioned your future, and we’re going to make this them earlier, Houston, Dade County, Chi- work.’’ And I hope we can do that. cago, and there are other places—but there Let me just say very quickly, I think we is evidence now—we don’t have to question have to have these basic standards in every this either—there is a lot of evidence that State, and we have to make it possible, as these low-performing schools can be turned Achieve has recommended, not only know around. whether the standards are being met but to I went to an elementary school in Chicago, give the parents some comparative informa- in the Robert Taylor housing project, where tion about how children in other States and the reading scores had tripled and the math other nations are doing. I think we have to scores had doubled in 2 years. Were they recommit ourselves to extra support. on a low base? Yes. Were they where they And Congress, when I sent this Education ought to be? No. But does it prove you can Accountability Act to Congress, saying that turn things around, even in the most adverse school districts accepting Federal money circumstances? Absolutely. So I think that if must ensure that teachers know the subject we’re going to have genuine accountability they’re teaching, have reasonable discipline for standards, it is important that we have codes, empower parents with report cards, something to turn the schools around. have a strategy—and I think this is very im- And again, I say—a lot of people in Con- portant—to turn around failing schools or gress don’t want to adopt this accountability close them down and, finally, a strategy to standard for Federal funds because they say end social promotion that empowers children that we shouldn’t impose that on you. But who aren’t making the grade through the I think all of you know that the five elements after-school programs, the summer school in the Federal bill were basically ideas we programs, and all the rest. got straight out of local school districts and Now, we’re having a big argument in Washington on the budget today. I don’t States. They weren’t something that Dick want to get into a partisan rerun of that, but Riley cooked up. It was something that the let me just say this: We can have the kind Education Department developed based on of budget we need that will help you to do the proven experience and results of local what you need to do without—and we can school districts and States. meet the budget targets without coming up Finally, let me just give you something to short in education, whether it’s for Head feel good about again, at the end. In 1996, Start or more teachers or the initiative to there were only 14 States with measurable help States build and modernize 6,000 new standards. Today there are 50. That’s the schools or the American Reads program or good news. Here’s why you ought to focus this Gear Up program, all of which the Con- on accountability. In 1996, there were only Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1869

11 States with systems that identify and sanc- in terms of their backgrounds and their lan- tion low-performing schools. Today there are guages is a godsend for us for the 21st cen- only 16. This is the hard part. tury in a global society if, but only if, we But again, I say, we’ve got to give the prove not only that they can all learn but schools the tools they need to do the job. that we can teach them all. We know they And the Federal Government has an impor- can all learn from—you can do a brain scan tant role to play. We don’t provide an enor- and determine that. That’s always been— mous amount of the total funds for schools, that’s the wrong question. The question is, but that amount was slipping for a while, and can we teach them all, and are we prepared we got it going back up now. And I feel very to do it, and are we prepared to have con- strongly, as the Secretary of Education, that structive compassion for their present dif- with the largest student population in history ficulties by having genuine accountability and and with all this educational evidence about also heartfelt support. the benefits of smaller classes and with the The reason that there is still so much en- imperative of ending the practice of social thusiasm for all this after—10 years after the promotion, finishing the work of 100,000 Charlottesville Summit, 16 years after the teachers, helping you to build or remodel ‘‘Nation at Risk,’’ 20 or 30 years after all the 6,000 schools so they’ll be modern, and doing Southerners figured out that it’s the only way these other things are quite important. to lift our States out of the dirt—is that every- Now, let me just make one other point. body knows that deep down inside it’s still I’m encouraged by the movement to stand- the most important public work. ards in the 31⁄2 years since you had your last Thank you very much. summit here, and you should be, too. That’s NOTE: The President spoke at 3:40 p.m. in the a rather astonishing move. And it shows what Watson Room at the IBM Palisades Executive can happen if you meet in an environment Conference Center. In his remarks, he referred where you’ve got business and education and to North Carolina Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr.; Wis- the political leadership working together, and consin Gov. Tommy G. Thompson; Louis V. Republicans and Democrats leave the party Gerstner, Jr., chairman and chief executive offi- labels at the door, and everybody just works cer, IBM Corp.; former Gov. Gaston Caperton on what’s good for the kids. of West Virginia; Gov. John Engler of Michigan; But this is the hard part. It’s not an acci- and Hugh B. Price, president and chief executive dent that we’ve gone from 16 to 50 standards officer, Urban League. and 11 to 16 in genuine accountability. It’s hard. But you also can take a lot of pride Memorandum on Counter-Drug in the fact that you have evidence, even in Assistance to Colombia, Peru, big urban areas with a lot of trouble, where Ecuador, and Panama this has worked. And the consequences are good. September 30, 1999 Now, last February when the Governors Presidential Determination No. 99-43 were in the White House, I just noted that it took 100 years for laws mandating compul- Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the sory, free elementary education to spread Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of from a few States to the whole Nation. When Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary it comes to this accountability agenda, will of Transportation we follow the model of the last 31⁄2 years with standards and go from 16 to 50 in a Subject: Drawdown Under Section 506(a)(2) hurry, or will we go back to the model of of the Foreign Assistance Act to Provide the earlier time? I think all of you know what Counter-Drug Assistance to Colombia, Peru, we ought to do. Ecuador, and Panama And I will say again, I think the fact that Pursuant to the authority vested in me by we have the largest number of children in section 506(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance our public schools in history, I think the fact Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. that they are more diverse than ever before 2318(a)(2) (the ‘‘Act’’), I hereby determine 1870 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 that it is in the national interest of the United diagnosis casts a shadow across their lives. States to draw down articles and services This year alone, an estimated 175,000 new from the inventory and resources of the De- cases will be diagnosed, and more than partment of Defense, military education and 43,000 women will die from breast cancer. training from the Department of Defense, Despite these tragic statistics, we are be- and articles and services from the inventory ginning to see real progress in our national and resources of the Departments of Justice, crusade against this disease. The breast can- State, Transportation, and the Treasury for cer mortality rate in the United States has the purpose of providing international anti- steadily declined over the past 10 years, and narcotics assistance to Colombia, Peru, Ecua- currently 2 million American women are win- dor, and Panama. ning the battle against this cancer. Therefore, I direct the drawdown of up Our steadfast commitment to breast can- to $72.55 million of articles and services from cer research is finally bearing fruit and has the inventory and resources of the Depart- led the way to new preventative treatments. ments of Defense, Transportation, Justice, Last year, the National Cancer Institute’s State, and the Treasury, and military edu- (NCI) landmark Breast Cancer Prevention cation and training from the Department of Trial revealed that there were 49 percent Defense, for Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and fewer reported diagnoses among women who Panama for the purposes and under the au- took tamoxifen. In another promising effort, thorities of chapter 8 of part I of the Act. researchers are looking at an alternate drug As a matter of policy and consistent with to see if we can achieve the same results but past practice, my Administration will seek to with fewer side effects. ensure that the assistance furnished under Researchers are also conducting studies to this drawdown is not provided to any unit determine if other medications can provide of any foreign country’s security forces if that an effective weapon in our war against breast unit is credibly alleged to have committed cancer. The Food and Drug Administration gross violations of human rights unless the has recently approved the use of a new drug government of such country is taking effec- that has proved to be effective in the treat- tive measures to bring the responsible mem- ment of patients already in the advanced bers of that unit to justice. stages of this disease. Studies indicate that The Secretary of State is authorized and the drug may benefit 25 to 30 percent of directed to report this determination to the women with advanced breast cancer. En- Congress immediately and to arrange for its couraged by these findings, the NCI has rap- publication in the Federal Register. idly expanded its study to include earlier William J. Clinton stages of breast cancer and the treatment of other cancers, such as ovarian cancer. We have also made promising strides in Proclamation 7228—National Breast promoting the early detection of breast can- Cancer Awareness Month, 1999 cer, which is critical to prolonging patients’ September 30, 1999 lives. A recent survey conducted by the NCI and the Health Care Financing Administra- By the President of the United States tion (HCFA) showed that 88 percent of of America women 65 years of age and older had under- gone at least one mammogram during their A Proclamation lifetime—a 25 percent increase from 1992. Across America today, women are living Of the women who had a mammogram, 80 challenging, fulfilling lives, skillfully bal- percent received their most recent test with- ancing the responsibilities of work, family, in the past 2 years, and more than 75 percent and community, and making plans for a knew of Medicare’s mammography coverage. bright future. But for thousands of these The NCI and HCFA hope to build on this women each year, the diagnosis of breast progress through their joint campaign to cancer shatters the pattern of everyday exist- raise women’s awareness of the importance ence. For millions more, the fear of such a of regularly scheduled mammograms and the Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1871 availability of Medicare mammography bene- Proclamation 7229—National fits. Disability Employment Awareness The Centers for Disease Control and Pre- Month, 1999 vention (CDC) has also played a vital role September 30, 1999 in combating breast cancer by providing ac- cess to screenings for medically underserved By the President of the United States women. Authorized by the Breast and Cer- of America vical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990, the CDC’s early detection program A Proclamation provides breast and cervical cancer screening As Americans, we define ourselves in many services for women who might otherwise not ways—not only by our families and commu- receive them, such as older women, women nities, but also by our work; not only by who with lower incomes, and women of color. we are, but also by what we do for a living. This program has provided nearly 1 million Millions of Americans with disabilities, how- mammograms, resulting in the diagnosis of ever, do not share that experience because more than 5,800 breast cancer cases. their path to the world of work has been Having lost my own mother to this dev- strewn with barriers. At a time when the un- astating disease, I know all too well the pain employment rate in our Nation is at the low- and hardship that breast cancer inflicts on est level in a generation—4.2 percent—a women and their families. I urge all Ameri- staggering 75 percent of Americans with dis- cans to join me in the crusade to prevent, abilities remain unemployed, even though treat, and ultimately eradicate breast cancer. the vast majority of them want to work. By building on the breakthroughs we have One of the greatest barriers to employ- achieved in research, prevention, and treat- ment for people with disabilities is that, ment and by promoting continued education under current law, they often become ineli- and awareness, we can ensure that millions gible for Medicaid or Medicare if they work. of women can look forward to longer lives That is why I have challenged the Congress and a brighter future. to pass the bipartisan Work Incentives Im- Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, provement Act. This proposed legislation President of the United States of America, would extent Medicare coverage for people by virtue of the authority vested in me by with disabilities who return to work and im- the Constitution and laws of the United prove access to health care through Med- States, do hereby proclaim October 1999 as icaid. No American should ever be forced National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I to choose between health care coverage and call upon government officials, businesses, employment, and this legislation will help en- communities, health care professionals, edu- sure that no one has to make that choice. cators, volunteers, and all the people of the In addition to fully funding the Work In- United States to publicly reaffirm our Na- centives Improvement Act, my Administra- tion’s strong and continuing commitment to tion’s proposed budget includes a $1,000 tax controlling and curing breast cancer. credit to help people with disabilities offset In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set the cost of special transportation and other my hand this thirtieth day of September, in work-related expenses. We are also seeking the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and to double our investment in such assistive ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the technology as braille translators, mobile United States of America the two hundred phones, and voice recognition software that and twenty-fourth. give disabled citizens the tools they need to make the transition to work. And in June of William J. Clinton this year, I signed an Executive order to ex- pand employment opportunities for people [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., October 4, 1999] with psychiatric disabilities and set an exam- ple for the private sector by ensuring that NOTE: This proclamation was published in the the Federal Government’s hiring and pro- Federal Register on October 5. motion standards are the same for these 1872 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 workers as they are for people with mental ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the retardation or severe physical disabilities. United States of America the two hundred Next year our Nation will celebrate the and twenty-fourth. 10th anniversary of the Americans with Dis- William J. Clinton abilities Act and the 25th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act— [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, the two landmark pieces of legislation that 8:45 a.m., October 5, 1999] transformed our country’s disability policy NOTE: This proclamation was published in the and set a standard for other nations around Federal Register on October 4. the world. However, putting an end to nega- tive attitudes and shattering destructive stereotypes will require the concerted efforts Proclamation 7230—National of all sectors of society. Until we integrate Domestic Violence Awareness Americans with disabilities as full partici- Month, 1999 pants in our social fabric, we will never reach September 30, 1999 our employment goals. This year, in addition to rededicating our- By the President of the United States selves to breaking down employment bar- of America riers, we will highlight the achievements of people with disabilities in areas such as jour- A Proclamation nalism, entertainment, and the arts. People Most families provide a nurturing web of like journalist John Hockenberry prove that relationships where children learn to love a wheelchair need not be an obstacle to trav- and respect others and themselves and ab- eling the world to report breaking news. Art- sorb the values that will shape them as adults ists like blind sculptor Michael Naranjo and and citizens. But for millions of Americans, deaf painter Alex Wilhite illustrate that hav- family life has become a battlefield where ing a disability can be the vehicle for advanc- women, children, and sometimes the elderly ing the arts in novel ways. Performers like become casualties. The tragedy of domestic Laurie Rubin, a classically trained vocalist, violence touches all our lives by weakening show us that blindness need not prevent one families, leaving emotional scars as dev- from taking the great stage of the opera. astating as physical ones, and creating a de- To recognize the enormous potential of in- structive cycle of violence where those who dividuals with disabilities and to encourage were abused as children may become abusers all Americans to work toward their full inte- themselves. gration into the workforce, the Congress, by My Administration has taken important joint resolution approved August 11, 1945, steps to reduce domestic violence by creating as amended (36 U.S.C. 121), has designated a system that punishes offenders and pro- October of each year as ‘‘National Disability vides victims with the information and assist- Employment Awareness Month.’’ ance they need to escape destructive family Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, environments. The cornerstone of this effort President of the United States of America, has been the Violence Against Women Act do hereby proclaim October 1999 as National (VAWA), which was part of the historic Disability Employment Awareness Month. I Crime Bill I signed into law in 1994. This call upon Government officials, educators, landmark legislation combined tough new labor leaders, employers, and the people of penalties for offenders with funding for the United States to observe this month with much-needed shelters, counseling services, appropriate programs and activities that reaf- public education, and research to help the firm our determination to fulfill both the let- victims of violence. ter and spirit of the Americans with Disabil- We also have established a toll-free Na- ities Act. tional Domestic Violence Hotline (1–800– In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set 799–SAFE) where staff responds to as many my hand this thirtieth day of September, in as 10,000 calls each month; worked to raise the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and awareness in the workplace and among Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1873 health care providers about domestic vio- enforcement agencies, health professionals, lence; and more than tripled resources for educators, community leaders, and the programs to combat violence against women. American people to join together to end the To build on the success of the VAWA and domestic violence that threatens so many of the Crime Bill, in May of this year I unveiled our people. my proposal for additional legislation—the In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set 21st Century Crime Bill—that will reauthor- my hand this thirtieth day of September, in ize the Violence Against Women Act and the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and toughen penalties for those who commit vio- ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the lent crimes in the presence of children. United States of America the two hundred We have increased funding for State ma- and twenty-fourth. ternal and child health programs that include William J. Clinton child protection and family preservation serv- ices. We have worked with the Congress to [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, pass legislation that strengthens law enforce- 8:45 a.m., October 4, 1999] ment, enhances child predator tracking and NOTE: This proclamation will be published in the protection mechanisms, and supports child Federal Register on October 5. abuse prevention efforts in State and local jurisdictions. And, at the end of last year, we launched the Children Exposed to Violence Executive Order 13138— Initiative (CEVI), designed in part to reform Continuance of Certain Federal Federal and State laws to provide swift and Advisory Committees certain punishment for those who commit September 30, 1999 child abuse and neglect. CEVI will also strengthen local programs in hopes of reduc- By the authority vested in me as President ing the number of children who are exposed by the Constitution and the laws of the to violence or become victims of violence United States of America, and in accordance themselves; it will also encourage alliances with the provisions of the Federal Advisory that include government as a partner with Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), schools, communities, parents, and other it is hereby ordered as follows: family members in an effort to prevent child Section 1. Each advisory committee listed abuse. below is continued until September 30, 2001. We can take heart in our progress and at (a) Committee for the Preservation of the the outpouring of concern and compassion White House; Executive Order 11145, as we see for the victims of domestic violence. amended (Department of the Interior). Whether members of the law enforcement (b) Federal Advisory Council on Occupa- community, health care professionals, edu- tional Safety and Health; Executive Order cators, religious and community leaders, pol- 12196, as amended (Department of Labor). icymakers, or concerned private citizens, (c) National Partnership Council; Execu- Americans have united in the crusade against tive Order 12871, as amended (Office of Per- domestic violence. With increased aware- sonnel Management). ness, strengthened prevention, and commu- (d) President’s Advisory Commission on nities united in common cause, we are mak- Educational Excellence for Hispanic Ameri- ing the reduction of domestic violence a re- cans; Executive Order 12900 (Department of ality and the dream of ending it one day a Education). possibility. (e) President’s Board of Advisors on His- Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, torically Black Colleges and Universities; Ex- President of the United States of America, ecutive Order 12876 (Department of Edu- by virtue of the authority vested in me by cation). the Constitution and laws of the United (f) President’s Board of Advisors on Tribal States, do hereby proclaim October 1999 as Colleges and Universities; Executive Order National Domestic Violence Awareness 13021, as amended (Department of Edu- Month. I call upon government officials, law cation). 1874 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

(g) President’s Commission on White (a) Executive Order 13017, as amended by House Fellowships; Executive Order 11183, Executive Orders 13040 and 13056, estab- as amended (Office of Personnel Manage- lishing the Advisory Commission on Con- ment). sumer Protection and Quality in the Health (h) President’s Committee of Advisors on Care Industry; Science and Technology; Executive Order (b) Executive Order 13038, establishing 12882 (Office of Science and Technology the Advisory Committee on Public Interest Policy). Obligation of Digital Television Broad- (i) President’s Committee on the Arts and casters, as amended by section 5 of Executive the Humanities; Executive Order 12367, as Order 13062, and Executive Orders 13065, amended (National Endowment for the 13081, and 13102; Arts). (c) Section 5 and that part of section 6(f) (j) President’s Committee on the Inter- of Executive Order 13010, as amended by national Labor Organization; Executive section 3 of Executive Order 13025, Execu- Order 12216, as amended (Department of tive Order 13041, sections 1, 2, and that part Labor). of section 3 of Executive Order 13064, and (k) President’s Committee on the National Executive Order 13077, establishing the Ad- Medal of Science; Executive Order 11287, visory Committee to the President’s Com- as amended (National Science Foundation). mission on Critical Infrastructure Protection; (d) Executive Order 13037, as amended (l) President’s Committee on Mental Re- by Executive Orders 13066 and 13108, estab- tardation, Executive Order 12994 (Depart- lishing the Commission to Study Capital ment of Health and Human Services). Budgeting; (m) President’s Council on Physical Fit- (e) Executive Order 13050, establishing ness and Sports; Executive Order 12345, as the President’s Advisory Board on Race; amended (Department of Health and (f) Executive Order 12852, as amended by Human Services). Executive Orders 12855, 12965, 12980, (n) President’s National Security Tele- 13053, and 13114, establishing the Presi- communications Advisory Committee, Exec- dent’s Council on Sustainable Development; utive Order 12382, as amended (Department and of Defense). (g) Executive Order 12961, as amended (o) Trade and Environment Policy Advi- by Executive Order 13034, establishing the sory Committee; Executive Order 12905 (Of- Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf fice of the United States Trade Representa- War Veterans’ Illnesses. tive). Sec. 4. Sections 1 through 4 of Executive (p) President’s Export Council; Executive Order 13062 are superseded. Order 12131, as amended (Department of Sec. 5. Executive Order 12131, as amend- Commerce). ed, is further amended by adding in section Sec. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of 1–102(a) a new paragraph as follows: ‘‘(9) any other Executive order, the functions of Department of Energy.’’ the President under the Federal Advisory Sec. 6. Executive Order 13115 is amended Committee Act that are applicable to the by adding the Department of the Treasury committees listed in section 1 of this order, and the Office of National Drug Control Pol- except that of reporting annually to the Con- icy to the Interagency Task Force on the gress, shall be performed by the head of the Roles and Mission of the United States Coast department or agency designated after each Guard, so that the list in section 1(b) of that committee, in accordance with the guidelines order shall read as follows: and procedures established by the Adminis- ‘‘(1) Department of State; trator of General Services. (2) Department of the Treasury; Sec. 3. The following Executive orders, or (3) Department of Defense; sections thereof, which established commit- (4) Department of Justice; tees that have terminated and whose work (5) Department of Commerce; is completed, are revoked: (6) Department of Labor; Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1875

(7) Department of Transportation; continue to serve after the expiration of their (8) Environmental Protection Agency; term until a successor is appointed. A mem- (9) Office of Management and Budget; ber appointed to fill an unexpired term will (10) National Security Council; be appointed for the remainder of such (11) Office of National Drug Control Pol- term.’’ icy; Sec. 9. This order shall be effective Sep- (12) Council on Environmental Quality; tember 30, 1999. (13) Office of Cabinet Affairs; William J. Clinton (14) National Economic Council; (15) Domestic Policy Council; and The White House, (16) United States Coast Guard.’’ September 30, 1999. Sec. 7. Executive Order 12367, as amend- ed, is further amended as follows: [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, (a) in section 1, the text ‘‘the director of 9:23 a.m., October 1, 1999] the International Communication Agency,’’ NOTE: This Executive order was published in the is deleted; Federal Register on October 4. (b) in section 2, delete the first sentence and insert in lieu thereof ‘‘The Committee shall advise, provide recommendations to, Executive Order 13139—Improving and assist the President, the National En- Health Protection of Military dowment of the Arts, the National Endow- Personnel Participating in Particular ment for the Humanities, and the Institute Military Operations of Museum and Library Services on matters September 30, 1999 relating to the arts and the humanities. The Committee shall initiate and assist in the de- By the authority vested in me as President velopment of (i) ways to promote public un- by the Constitution and the laws of the derstanding and appreciation of the arts and United States of America, including section the humanities; (ii) ways to promote private 1107 of title 10, United States Code, and in sector support for the arts and humanities; order to provide the best health protection (iii) ways to evaluate the effectiveness of Fed- to military personnel participating in par- eral support for the arts and humanities and ticular military operations, it is hereby or- their relationship with the private sector; (iv) dered as follows: the planning and coordination of appropriate Section 1. Policy. Military personnel de- participation (including productions and ployed in particular military operations could projects) in major national cultural events, in- potentially be exposed to a range of chemical, cluding the Millennium; (v) activities that in- biological, and radiological weapons as well corporate the arts and the humanities in gov- as diseases endemic to an area of operations. ernment objectives; and (vi) ways to promote It is the policy of the United States Govern- the recognition of excellence in the fields of ment to provide our military personnel with the arts and the humanities.’’; and safe and effective vaccines, antidotes, and (c) in section 3(b), add the following sen- treatments that will negate or minimize the tence after the first sentence: ‘‘Private funds effects of these health threats. accepted under the National Endowment for Sec. 2. Administration of Investigational the Arts’ or the National Endowment for the New Drugs to Members of the Armed Forces. Humanities’ gift authority may also be used (a) The Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to pay expenses of the Committee.’’ shall collect intelligence on potential health Sec. 8. Executive Order 12345, as amend- threats that might be encountered in an area ed, is further amended by deleting the first of operations. The Secretary shall work to- sentence of section 2(b) and inserting in lieu gether with the Secretary of Health and thereof the following three sentences. ‘‘The Human Services to ensure appropriate coun- council shall be composed of twenty mem- termeasures are developed. When the Sec- bers appointed by the President. Each mem- retary considers an investigational new drug ber shall serve a term of 2 years and may or a drug unapproved for its intended use 1876 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

(investigational drug) to represent the most in the relevant FDA regulations, 21 CFR appropriate countermeasure, it shall be stud- 50.23(d). In determining a waiver based on ied through scientifically based research and subsection (b)(3) of this section, the Presi- development protocols to determine whether dent will also consider the standards and cri- it is safe and effective for its intended use. teria of the relevant FDA regulations. (b) It is the expectation that the United (d) The Secretary may request that the States Government will administer products President waive the informed consent re- approved for their intended use by the Food quirement with respect to the administration and Drug Administration (FDA). However, of an investigational drug. The Secretary may in the event that the Secretary considers a not delegate the authority to make this waiv- product to represent the most appropriate er request. At a minimum, the waiver request countermeasure for diseases endemic to the shall contain: area of operations or to protect against pos- (1) A full description of the threat, in- sible chemical, biological, or radiological cluding the potential for exposure. If weapons, but the product has not yet been the threat is a chemical, biological, or approved by the FDA for its intended use, radiological weapon, the waiver re- the product may, under certain cir- quest shall contain an analysis of the cumstances and strict controls, be adminis- probability the weapon will be used, tered to provide potential protection for the the method or methods of delivery, health and well-being of deployed military and the likely magnitude of its affect personnel in order to ensure the success of on an exposed individual. the military operation. The provisions of 21 (2) Documentation that the Secretary has CFR Part 312 contain the FDA require- complied with 21 CFR 50.23(d). This ments for investigational new drugs. documentation shall include: Sec. 3. Informed Consent Requirements (A) A statement that certifies and a writ- and Waiver Provisions. ten justification that documents that (a) Before administering an investigational each of the criteria and standards set drug to members of the Armed Forces, the forth in 21 CFR 50.23(d) has been Department of Defense (DoD) must obtain met; or informed consent from each individual un- (B) If the Secretary finds it highly imprac- less the Secretary can justify to the President ticable to certify that the criteria and a need for a waiver of informed consent in standards set forth in 21 CFR accordance with 10 U.S.C. 1107(f). Waivers 50.23(d) have been fully met because of informed consent will be granted only doing so would significantly impair when absolutely necessary. the Secretary’s ability to carry out the (b) In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 1107(f), particular military mission, a written the President may waive the informed con- justification that documents which sent requirement for the administration of criteria and standards have or have an investigational drug to a member of the not been met, explains the reasons for Armed Forces in connection with the mem- failing to meet any of the criteria and ber’s participation in a particular military op- standards, and provides additional eration, upon a written determination by the justification why a waiver should be President that obtaining consent: granted solely in the interests of na- (1) is not feasible; tional security. (2) is contrary to the best interests of the (3) Any additional information pertinent member; or to the Secretary’s determination, in- (3) is not in the interests of national secu- cluding the minutes of the Institu- rity. tional Review Board’s (IRB) delibera- (c) In making a determination to waive the tions and the IRB members’ voting informed consent requirement on a ground record. described in subsection (b)(1) or (b)(2) of (e) The Secretary shall develop the waiver this section, the President is required by law request in consultation with the FDA. to apply the standards and criteria set forth Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Sept. 30 1877

(f) The Secretary shall submit the waiver eral Register describing each waiver of in- request to the President and provide a copy formed consent determination and a sum- to the Commissioner of the FDA (Commis- mary of the most updated scientific informa- sioner). tion on the products used, as well as other (g) The Commissioner shall expeditiously information the President determines is ap- review the waiver request and certify to the propriate. Assistant to the President for National Secu- (d) The waiver will expire at the end of rity Affairs (APNSA) and the Assistant to the 1 year (or an alternative time period not to President for Science and Technology exceed 1 year, specified by the President at (APST) whether the standards and criteria the time of approval), or when the Secretary of the relevant FDA regulations have been informs the President that the particular adequately addressed and whether the inves- military operation creating the need for the tigational new drug protocol may proceed use of the investigational drug has ended, subject to a decision by the President on the whichever is earlier. The President may re- informed consent waiver request. FDA shall voke the waiver based on changed cir- base its decision on, and the certification cumstances or for any other reason. If the shall include an analysis describing, the ex- Secretary seeks to renew a waiver prior to tent and strength of the evidence on the safe- its expiration, the Secretary must submit to ty and effectiveness of the investigational the President an updated request, specifically new drug in relation to the medical risk that identifying any new information available rel- could be encountered during the military op- evant to the standards and criteria under 21 eration. CFR 50.23(d). To request to renew a waiver, (h) The APNSA and APST will prepare the Secretary must satisfy the criteria for a a joint advisory opinion as to whether the waiver as described in section 3 of this order. waiver of informed consent should be grant- ed and will forward it, along with the waiver (e) The Secretary shall notify the President request and the FDA certification to the and the Commissioner if the threat coun- President. tered by the investigational drug changes sig- (i) The President will approve or deny the nificantly or if significant new information on waiver request and will provide written noti- the investigational drug is received. fication of the decision to the Secretary and Sec. 5. Training for Military Personnel. (a) the Commissioner. The DoD shall provide ongoing training and Sec. 4. Required Action After Waiver is health risk communication on the require- Issued. (a) Following a Presidential waiver ments of using an investigational drug in sup- under 10 U.S.C. 1107(f), the DoD offices re- port of a military operation to all military per- sponsible for implementing the waiver, sonnel, including those in leadership posi- DoD’s Office of the Inspector General, and tions, during chemical and biological warfare the FDA, consistent with its regulatory role, defense training and other training, as appro- will conduct an ongoing review and moni- priate. This ongoing training and health risk toring to assess adherence to the standards communication shall include general infor- and criteria under 21 CFR 50.23(d) and this mation about 10 U.S.C. 1107 and 21 CFR order. The responsible DoD offices shall also 50.23(d). adhere to any periodic reporting require- (b) If the President grants a waiver under ments specified by the President at the time 10 U.S.C. 1107(f), the DoD shall provide of the waiver approval. The Secretary shall training to all military personnel conducting submit the findings to the President and pro- the waiver protocol and health risk commu- vide a copy to the Commissioner. nication to all military personnel receiving (b) The Secretary shall, as soon as prac- the specific investigational drug to be admin- ticable, make the congressional notifications istered prior to its use. required by 10 U.S.C. 1107(f)(2)(B). (c) The Secretary shall submit the training (c) The Secretary shall, as soon as prac- and health risk communication plans as part ticable and consistent with classification re- of the investigational new drug protocol sub- quirements, issue a public notice in the Fed- mission to the FDA and the reviewing IRB. 1878 Sept. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Training and health risk communication shall under section 902 of the India-Pakistan Re- include at a minimum: lief Act of 1998 (as enacted in Public Law (1) The basis for any determination by 105–277), to the extent provided in that sec- the President that informed consent tion, I hereby waive until October 21, 1999, is not or may not be feasible; the sanctions and prohibitions contained in (2) The means for tracking use and ad- sections 101 and 102 of the Arms Export verse effects of the investigational Control Act, section 620E(e) of the Foreign drug; Assistance Act of 1961, and section 2(b)(4) (3) The benefits and risks of using the of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, inso- investigational drug; and far as such sanctions and prohibitions would (4) A statement that the investigational otherwise apply to any credit, credit guar- drug is not approved (or not approved antee, or financial assistance provided by the for the intended use). Department of Agriculture to support the (d) The DoD shall keep operational com- purchase of food or other agricultural com- manders informed of the overall require- modity. ments of successful protocol execution and The Secretary of State is hereby author- their role, with the support of medical per- ized and directed to report this determina- sonnel, in ensuring successful execution of tion to the Congress and to arrange for its the protocol. publication in the Federal Register. Sec. 6. Scope. (a) This order applies to William J. Clinton the consideration and Presidential approval of a waiver of informed consent under 10 NOTE: This memorandum was released by the Of- U.S.C. 1107 and does not apply to other fice of the Press Secretary on October 1. FDA regulations. (b) This order is intended only to improve Memorandum on Fiscal Year 2000 the internal management of the Federal Refugee Admissions Government. Nothing contained in this order shall create any right or benefit, substantive September 30, 1999 or procedural, enforceable by any party Presidential Determination No. 99–45 against the United States, its agencies or in- strumentalities, its officers or employees, or Memorandum for the Secretary of State any other person. Subject: Presidential Determination on FY William J. Clinton 2000 Refugee Admissions Numbers and The White House, Authorizations of In-Country Refugee Status September 30, 1999. Pursuant to Sections 207 and 101(a)(42), Respectively, of the Immigration and [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, Nationality Act, and Determination Pursuant 8:45 a.m., October 4, 1999] to Section 2(b)(2) of the Migration and NOTE: This Executive order will be published in Refugee Assistance Act, as Amended the Federal Register on October 5. In accordance with section 207 of the Im- migration and Nationality Act (the ‘‘Act’’) (8 Memorandum on Pakistan and India U.S.C. 1157), as amended, and after appro- September 30, 1999 priate consultation with the Congress, I here- by make the following determinations and Presidential Determination No. 99–44 authorize the following actions: The admission of up to 90,000 refugees Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the to the United States during FY 2000 is justi- Secretary of Agriculture fied by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest; provided, however, Subject: Pakistan and India that this number shall be understood as in- Pursuant to the authority vested in me as cluding persons admitted to the United President of the United States, including States during FY 2000 with Federal refugee Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Oct. 1 1879 resettlement assistance under the Amerasian policy interests of the United States and des- immigrant admissions program, as provided ignate such persons for this purpose. below. An additional 10,000 refugee admissions The 90,000 admissions numbers shall be numbers shall be made available during FY allocated among refugees of special humani- 2000 for the adjustment to permanent resi- tarian concern to the United States in accord- dent status under section 209(b) of the Immi- ance with the following regional allocations; gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. provided, however, that the number allo- 1159(b)) of aliens who have been granted cated to the East Asia region shall include asylum in the United States under section persons admitted to the United States during 208 of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1158), as this is justi- FY 2000 with Federal refugee resettlement fied by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise assistance under section 584 of the Foreign in the national interest. Operations, Export Financing, and Related In accordance with section 101(a)(42) of Programs Appropriations Act of 1988, as con- the Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42)) and after ap- tained in section 101(e) of Public Law 100– propriate consultation with the Congress, I 202 (Amerasian immigrants and their family also specify that, for FY 2000, the following members); provided further that the number persons may, if otherwise qualified, be con- allocated to the former Soviet Union shall sidered refugees for the purpose of admis- include persons admitted who were nationals sion to the United States within their coun- of the former Soviet Union, or in the case tries of nationality or habitual residence: of persons having no nationality, who were a Persons in Vietnam habitual residents of the former Soviet b Persons in Cuba c Persons in the former Soviet Union Union, prior to September 2, 1991: You are authorized and directed to report Africa ...... 18,000 this determination to the Congress imme- East Asia ...... 8,000 diately and to publish it in the Federal Reg- Former Yugoslavia ...... 17,000 ister. Kosovo Crisis ...... 10,000 William J. Clinton NIS/Baltics ...... 20,000 The Attorney General Latin America/Caribbean ...... 3,000 The Secretary of Health and Human Services Near East/South Asia ...... 8,000 Unallocated ...... 6,000 NOTE: This memorandum was released by the Of- fice of the Press Secretary on October 1. The 6,000 unallocated numbers shall be allocated as needed to regional ceilings where shortfalls develop. Unused admissions Remarks on Departure for Las numbers allocated to a particular region may Vegas, Nevada, and an Exchange be transferred to one or more other regions With Reporters if there is an overriding need for greater October 1,1999 numbers for the region or regions to which the numbers are being transferred. You are Japanese Nuclear Accident/Social hereby authorized and directed to consult Security Benefits Statement with the Judiciary Committees of the Con- The President. Good morning. This gress prior to any such use of the unallocated morning before I leave for California, I numbers or reallocation of numbers from would like to talk about two issues briefly; one region to another. first, the tragic nuclear accident in Japan. I Pursuant to section 2(b)(2) of the Migra- have just spoken with Prime Minister Obuchi tion and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, as to express our sympathy to those who have amended, 22 U.S.C. 2601(b)(2), I hereby de- been affected, and our readiness to help in termine that assistance to or on behalf of per- any way we can. sons applying for admission to the United He told me the Japanese authorities have States as part of the overseas refugee admis- been able to bring the situation under con- sions program will contribute to the foreign trol, and he thanked me for the outpouring 1880 Oct. 1 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 of support from the United States. Over the more Americans understand what Social Se- last day we’ve been providing information to curity means to them. It will form a vital part Japan on our experiences in dealing with of any family’s financial planning and help similar incidents in the United States, and more Americans chart a course to retirement making available our experts in atmospheric that is clear and secure. monitoring and any other areas that might be useful. For many Americans Social Security, along Secretary Richardson has been meeting with savings and pensions, is the foundation with his counterparts in Russia and dis- of retirement security. It’s a rock-solid guar- cussing ways we can all coordinate our assist- antee. In this time of prosperity we have our ance with them. Japan has been our friend best chance yet to see that it remains so. I and our ally, and we’re ready to work to- hope we will do so and extend the life of gether to address the situation and to prevent the Social Security Trust Fund. I will con- future accidents. tinue to do all I can, not only to strengthen I would also like to talk about a new impor- Social Security but also to strengthen and re- tant step we’re taking to help more Ameri- form Medicare for the next century. To fulfill cans make their retirement years more se- our obligation not only to our older Ameri- cure. Through war and peace, from recession cans but to their children and their grand- to expansion, our Nation has always fulfilled children. Thank you very much. its obligation to older Americans. Thankfully, it’s hard to remember the time when growing old usually meant growing poor. It seems im- Federal Bureau of Investigation possible to believe, but in many cases, retire- ment before Social Security meant being sent Q. Mr. President, do you believe the FBI off to long, lonely years of dependence. The is being operated professionally, and what normal aches of aging were accompanied by makes you think that? the unbearable pain of becoming a burden The President. You already know the an- on one’s children. That’s why Social Security swer? means so much to the life of our Nation. For almost 65 years now it’s been an unshakable Q. You made a comment about it the other covenant among generations, between work- day. ers and retirees, between the disabled and The President. No, I think—I made a the able bodied. comment, I believe, in the context of the But too many Americans, when planning Waco situation. And there is now a provision their retirement, take too little account of So- for Senator Danforth to look into it. I think cial Security. Of course it’s hard to fully plan that was the appropriate thing to do. That for tomorrow if you don’t know where you was, of course, agreed on by both the Attor- stand today. Most Americans receive annual ney General and Director of the FBI. And statements of their earnings, their savings, I think that is the way that it should proceed. and their private pensions. Until today, how- ever, they’ve never received annual state- Several years ago, as you know, the FBI ments on Social Security, the largest source director was set up in a different way by Con- of income for many, many elderly Americans. gress, given a term of years, and essentially, I am pleased to announce that today the I think, it was designed to insulate it more Social Security Administration is launching from the executive branch generally, al- a new effort to help workers know what they though the Attorney General clearly still has can plan on, what they can count on, and supervisory responsibilities there. And I if need be, what they can rely on during re- think that under these circumstances what tirement. One hundred twenty-five million I have said is all I should say. And I think American can now look forward to annual that both Mr. Freeh and the Attorney Gen- estimates of their Social Security benefits. eral did the right thing in asking for this inde- The first half million mailings go out today. pendent review. I don’t think there is much This new Social Security statement will help more to say about it. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Oct. 1 1881

Republican Budget Proposal that’s right. I wish I had the specifics. But Q. Mr. President, what do you make of we had a general conversation about it, and Governor Bush’s comments that House Re- I said that I thought that we ought to have publican leaders should not balance the all of our people learn everything we could budget on the backs of the proof? about what happened there, analyze our sys- The President. Well, I was delighted to tems here, and make sure we’ve done every- see that he, or that any prominent Repub- thing we can to protect ourselves. lican, finally had joined our position on this. There was a pretty good level of con- We’ve been saying this since the proposal was fidence that we had done that, yesterday. But first floated. What they propose to do is un- I think that when something like this hap- conscionable, and basically, instead of those pens we realize we live in a world where per- people getting their tax returns on time like fection eludes us, and we’ve got to keep other Americans do, they would get it once working on this. So that’s what I’ve asked a month, and it would cost them a lot of to be done. money not only in—they would actually lose I also think, by the way though if I could some money and then the rest of the money just reemphasize, that this should again sen- they would get much later in the year. I think sitize us to the importance of issues of nu- it’s wrong, and I intend to do everything I clear safety. And if I could just mention one; can to stop it. And I believe I can stop it. once again I’m in a dispute with a majority But I will also say, as I said yesterday, that of Members of Congress over this Yucca this is a difficult thing for the Republicans Mountain Facility in Nevada. And my feeling because unlike us, they don’t want to provide that at the time it was selected, there was reasonable offsets so that we can begin this some science in there but perhaps some poli- year to segregate the Social Security surplus tics too, since Nevada is a small State and from the general revenue surplus and not dip I have wanted not to see this issue politicized into the Social Security surplus any more. but to bend over backwards to make sure That requires good, firm decisions with rea- we do everything we can to deal with the sonable offsets, and we’ve given them to the nuclear safety issue before we adopt this Congress. And I hope that the reaction across course. I still feel that way. the country to their idea to raise taxes on I hope that generally all Americans will the poor will provoke them to reconsider the want to see us proceed in every area where offsets we have offered. we’re dealing with nuclear safety. Let me emphasize again, however, that Social Security and Federal Spending this only underscores my judgment that I did the right thing in vetoing their tax cut. They Q. Mr. President, given the political cross- can’t even pay for this year’s spending with- fire over dipping into the Social Security sur- out getting into the Social Security surplus. plus fund why don’t you take the lead and They certainly couldn’t pay for this year’s invite GOP leaders down to the White House spending, the spending it will necessitate in to discuss reasonable offsets and, as a last the years to come, and the tax cut on top resort if need be, agree to spend money to- of that. gether? The President. Well, I am certainly will- Japanese Nuclear Accident ing to talk to them, and we are, as I’m sure Q. Mr. President, are you confident that you know, we’re trying to keep the lines of the kind of accident that happened in Japan communication open. And I hope that there can’t happen here in America, or do you will come a time when we can get the leaders think that some additional steps need to be of both parties in Congress together and taken? agree on a future course. I think that is im- The President. Well, I’ve asked our peo- portant. ple to look at that, the appropriate authori- But they have to be also willing to have ties, to take a look at that. We had a similar that sort of discussion first, and we’re work- incident in this country, I was informed yes- ing on it. I’m very hopeful that they will de- terday, I think about 30 years ago. I think cide that, as is usually the case in the United 1882 Oct. 1 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

States, that doing the right thing for the there is supposedly a conclusion today to that American people is the best politics. situation. What are your thoughts? There They have decided that the right thing to have been several bombings at Florida A&M. do is to spend money that goes beyond the The President. Well, I would like to know budget caps of ’97, which is certainly under- more about the source of them, whether standable, particularly in the Medicare area, they’re racially motivated, whether they’re that they are too tight and that it would go politically motivated. When I do, then I think beyond what the non-Social Security surplus I should make a statement. Obviously we de- is. As I said yesterday, that has been the case plore violence of any kind and bombings, by at least since 1983 when the last Social Secu- their very nature, are terroristic. But I would rity reform was done and the revenues of like to know more about what the roots of Social Security came in, but no one really it are or what we believe they are, and then noticed it because we were always running I will be glad to say more. a deficit. Q. Were you made aware of the incidents Then the Congress decided, and I agreed, before this week? that it would be a good thing, since we now The President. Just in the general way project surpluses, to segregate out these two. that you’ve described them, but no more. That’s a good thing. But they found out that Thank you. they had committed to do it a year before they could do that and meet their spending NOTE: The President spoke at 9:59 a.m. on the goals. South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, So, there are three choices here. Either he referred to Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi of really do harm to the country by not making Japan; former Senator John C. Danforth, Special Counsel investigating the Justice Department’s some of these investments, which they don’t role in the 1993 siege in Waco, TX; and Gov. want to do and I don’t either; or cut some George W. Bush of Texas. A portion of this news things that I think would be a big mistake, conference could not be verified because the tape like education or our responsibilities around was incomplete. the world; or find reasonable offsets; or oth- erwise make a principled agreement and tell the American people what we’re doing; or Statement on Rental Assistance look for the gimmicks. Vouchers And I think they’ve got to move away from October 1, 1999 the—they chose the third alternative, gim- micks plus television ads, to try to blame us The Department of Housing and Urban for doing what they are, in fact, doing. And Development yesterday released $280 mil- I just think that’s a mistake. I am perfectly lion in rental assistance vouchers to help willing to work with them and talk with them 50,000 families in 35 States move from wel- and tell the American people, whatever deci- fare to work. These housing vouchers are an sion we wind up making, what we did and integral part of our efforts to reform welfare, why if we can reach a principled agreement. reward work, and provide affordable housing Yesterday, at least, it looked to me like they for low-income families. They will help fami- wanted to stick with the course they’re on. lies move close to a job, reduce a long com- I think it’s a big mistake, and I think eventu- mute, or secure more stable housing that will ally we’ll get where we need to go and do help them get or keep a job. the right thing. And they will find when we Today, our economy is strong, incomes are do, that politically it’s almost always the best up, and poverty is at the lowest rate in 20 politics to do the right by the country. years. But there are still more than 5 million low-income families who need affordable Florida A&M Bombings housing. That is why I have asked Congress Q. You’ve been sounding out against ter- for an additional 100,000 rental assistance rorism and there is a quiet story coming out vouchers to meet the critical housing needs of Florida, Florida A&M—have you heard of families moving from welfare to work, the about the bombings at Florida A&M? And homeless, and the elderly. As Members of Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 1883 the House and Senate meet in conference iting Bulgaria before the summit and Italy to debate this year’s budget for the Depart- and Greece after the summit. ment of Housing and Urban Development, I want to underscore my strong commitment September 28 to this initiative. Congress should not turn The President announced his intention to its back on families that are playing by the nominate Charles Manatt to be Ambassador rules and moving from welfare to work. A to the Dominican Republic. budget without new vouchers would short- The President announced his intention to change the American dream. nominate Avis Thayer Bohlen to be Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Arms Control at the Department of State. The President announced his intention to Digest of Other nominate Alan C. Kessler and LeGree S. White House Announcements Daniels to be members of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. The President announced his intention to The following list includes the President’s public appoint Ronnie Fern Liebowitz as a member schedule and other items of general interest an- of the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors. nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this issue. September 29 The President announced his intention to appoint Richard N. Zare as Chair and Sandra September 25 M. Faber and Jay Patel as members of the In the morning, the President went to the President’s Committee on the National National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Medal of Science. MD, for his annual physical. The President announced his intention to appoint Marvin E. Johnson and John G. September 27 Wofford as members of the Federal Service In the morning, the President traveled to Impasses Panel. New Orleans, LA, and in the evening, he re- turned to Washington, DC. The President announced his intention to September 30 nominate Frank H. Cruz and Ernest J. Wil- In the afternoon, the President traveled to son III to be members of the Board of Direc- Palisades, NY, and in the evening, he re- tors of the Corporation for Public Broad- turned to Washington, DC. casting. The President announced his intention to The President announced his intention to nominate Joseph R. Crapa to be Assistant appoint Richard H. Brown as a member of Administrator for Legislative and Public Af- the Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy fairs for the U.S. Agency for International Negotiations. Development. The President announced his intention to The President announced his intention to appoint Sara Castro-Klaren, Hoyt H. Purvis, appoint John Gage, Nancy E. Pfund, and and Lee Williams to the J. William Fulbright Susan R. Collins as members of the Web- Foreign Scholarship Board. Based Education Commission. The White House announced that the The President announced his intention to President will travel to Canada on October appoint Martin E. Marty as a member of the 8, to address the Forum of Federations in President’s Committee on the Arts and the Mont Tremblant and to meet with Prime Humanities. Minister Jean Chretien in Ottawa. The White House announced that the October 1 President will attend the Organization for Se- In the morning, the President traveled to curity and Cooperation in Europe Summit Las Vegas, NV, and in the afternoon, he trav- in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 18–19, vis- eled to Palo Alto, CA. 1884 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Nominations Submitted September 29 Submitted to the Senate Skila Harris, of Kentucky, to be a member of the Board The following list does not include promotions of of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Author- members of the Uniformed Services, nominations ity for a term expiring May 18, 2008, vice to the Service Academies, or nominations of For- William H. Kennoy, term expired. eign Service officers. Glenn L. McCullough, Jr., of Mississippi, to be a member of the Board Submitted September 27 of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Author- Gerald V. Poje, ity for the remainder of the term expiring of Virginia, to be a member of the Chemical May 18, 2005, vice Johnny H. Hayes, re- Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a signed. term of 5 years (reappointment). Withdrawn September 29 Submitted September 28 Skila Harris, Gary L. Ackerman, of Kentucky, to be a member of the Board of New York, to be a Representative of the of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Author- United States of America to the Fifty-fourth ity for the remainder of the term expiring Session of the General Assembly of the May 18, 2005, vice Johnny H. Hayes, re- United Nations. signed, which was sent to the Senate on Sep- tember 23, 1999. Thomas L. Ambro, of Delaware, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for Glenn L. McCullough, Jr., the Third Circuit, vice Walter K. Stapleton, of Mississippi, to be a member of the Board retired. of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Author- ity for a term expiring May 18, 2008, vice Frank Henry Cruz, William H. Kennoy, term expired, which was of California, to be a member of the Board sent to the Senate on September 23, 1999. of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, Submitted October 1 2006 (reappointment). Avis Thayer Bohlen, Peter T. King, of the District of Columbia, a career member of New York, to be a Representative of the of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Min- United States of America to the Fifty-fourth ister-Counselor, to be an Assistant Secretary Session of the General Assembly of the of State (Arms Control) (new position). United Nations. Joseph R. Crapa, Richard Linn, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of Virginia, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the of the U.S. Agency for International Devel- Federal Circuit, vice Giles S. Rich, deceased. opment, vice Jill B. Buckley. Charles Taylor Manatt, LeGree Sylvia Daniels, of the District of Columbia, to be Ambas- of Pennsylvania, to be a Governor of the U.S. sador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Postal Service for a term expiring December the United States of America to the Domini- 8, 2007 (reappointment). can Republic. Greta Joy Dicus, Quenton I. White, of Arkansas, to be an Alternate Representa- of Tennessee, to be U.S. Attorney for the tive of the United States of America to the Middle District of Tennessee for the term Forty-third Session of the General Con- of 4 years, vice John Marshall Roberts, re- ference of the International Atomic Energy signed. Agency. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 1885

William A. Halter, Announcement of nomination for U.S. Attor- of Arkansas, to be Deputy Commissioner of ney for the Middle District of Tennessee Social Security for the term expiring January Announcement of nomination for U.S. Court 19, 2001 (new position). of Appeals Judge for the Third Circuit Alan Craig Kessler, Released September 29 of Pennsylvania, to be a Governor of the U.S. Postal Service for a term expiring December Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- 8, 2008, vice J. Sam Winters. retary Joe Lockhart J. Stapleton Roy, Released September 30 of Pennsylvania, a career member of the Sen- Transcript of a press briefing by Office of ior Foreign Service with the personal rank Management and Budget Director Jack Lew, of Career Ambassador, to be an Assistant National Economic Council Director Gene Secretary of State (Intelligence and Re- Sperling, and Council of Economic Advisers search), vice Phyllis E. Oakley. Chair Martin Bailey on the continuing reso- lution and Census Bureau income and pov- Norman A. Wulf, erty statistics of Virginia, to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Forty- Statement by the Press Secretary on National third Session of the General Conference of Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger’s meeting the International Atomic Energy Agency. with Jose Alexandre Gusmao (Xanana), presi- dent of the National Council for the Timor- ese Resistance Advance text of remarks by National Security Checklist of White House Press Adviser Samuel R. Berger on the challenges Releases in Kosovo at the U.S. Institute for Peace

The following list contains releases of the Office of the Press Secretary that are neither printed as items nor covered by entries in the Digest of Acts Approved Other White House Announcements. by the President

Released September 25 Approved September 29 Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- H.R. 1905 / Public Law 106–57 retary Joe Lockhart and Dr. Connie Mariano Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 on the President’s physical H.R. 2490 / Public Law 106–58 Released September 27 Treasury and General Government Appro- Statement by the Press Secretary: Presi- priations Act, 2000 dential Travel to Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, and Greece S. 1637 / Public Law 106–59 To extend through the end of the current Statement by the Press Secretary: President fiscal year certain expiring Federal Aviation Clinton Visit to Canada Administration authorizations Released September 28 H.R. 2605 / Public Law 106–60 Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- Energy and Water Development Appropria- retary Joe Lockhart tions Act, 2000 Prepared text of remarks by National Secu- H.J. Res. 34 / Public Law 106–61 rity Adviser Samuel R. Berger at the Africare Congratulating and commending the Vet- dinner erans of Foreign Wars 1886 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

Approved September 30 Approved October 1

H.J. Res. 68 / Public Law 106–62 S. 380 / Public Law 106–63 Making continuing appropriations for the fis- To reauthorize the Congressional Award Act cal year 2000, and for other purposes