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Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Monday, June 19, 2000 Volume 36ÐNumber 24 Pages 1331±1383 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:05 Jun 21, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 W:\DISC\PD19JN00.PRE ATX006 PsN: ATX006 Contents Addresses and Remarks Addresses and RemarksÐContinued See also Meetings With Foreign Leaders Senator Christopher J. Dodd, remarks Death of President Hafiz al-Asad of SyriaÐ honoringÐ1352 13371 U.S. Dream Academy participantsÐ1369 Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, White House Strategy Session on Improving receptionÐ1360 Hispanic Student AchievementÐ1366 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Hispanic Caucus receptionÐ Communications to Congress 1358 Bankruptcy reform legislation, letterÐ1332 Gun laws, funding for enforcementÐ1362 Export Administration Act of 1979, message Mayor Anthony A. Williams of the District of transmitting report on national emergency Columbia, receptionÐ1371 with respect to the lapseÐ1366 Medicare prescription drug coverageÐ1354, Weapons of mass destruction, message 1362 transmitting report on proliferationÐ1366 Middle East peace processÐ1366 Wekiva River and tributaries in Florida, Millennium Matinee at the White HouseÐ message transmitting reportÐ1357 1347 Minnesota Communications to Federal Agencies Arrival in MinneapolisÐ1337 Actions To Further Improve the Management Carleton College, commencement in of Federal Human Resources, NorthfieldÐ1334 memorandumÐ1346 Democratic National Committee luncheon New Era of Ocean Exploration, in MinneapolisÐ1338 memorandumÐ1350 New Leadership Network reception in MinneapolisÐ1343 Interviews With the News Media New York City Exchanges with reporters Abigail Adams Elementary SchoolÐ1378 Minneapolis, MNÐ1337 ``VH1 Save The Music Today'' campaignÐ Oval OfficeÐ1366 1376 Roosevelt RoomÐ1362 Patients' Bill of RightsÐ1354 Interview with Matt Lauer of NBC's ``Today Radio addressÐ1333 Show'' in New York CityÐ1373 (Continued on the inside of the back cover.) Editor's Note: The President was in New York City on June 16, 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. VerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:05 Jun 21, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 W:\DISC\PD19JN00.PRE ATX006 PsN: ATX006 ContentsÐContinued Meetings With Foreign Leaders Statements by the PresidentÐContinued Palestinian Authority, Chairman ArafatÐ1366 Korean summitÐ1369 Nazi slave and forced labor, agreement for Proclamations redress to victimsÐ1352 Father's DayÐ1380 Senate action Flag Day and National Flag WeekÐ1331 Electronic signatures legislationÐ1380 225th Anniversary of the United States National blood alcohol content standard to ArmyÐ1357 combat drunk drivingÐ1356, 1369 Statements by the President Supplementary Materials Deaths Acts approved by the PresidentÐ1383 Frank PattersonÐ1351 President Hafiz al-Asad of SyriaÐ1338 Checklist of White House press releasesÐ 1383 House of Representatives action Electronic signatures legislationÐ1365 Digest of other White House Estate tax legislationÐ1331 announcementsÐ1381 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Nominations submitted to the SenateÐ1382 Education appropriations legislationÐ 1365 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:05 Jun 21, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 W:\DISC\PD19JN00.PRE ATX006 PsN: ATX006 Week Ending Friday, June 16, 2000 Statement on House of Proclamation 7321ÐFlag Day and Representatives Action on National Flag Week, 2000 the Estate Tax Legislation June 9, 2000 June 9, 2000 By the President of the United States The House has jeopardized our fiscal dis- of America cipline by passing a costly, irresponsible, and regressive plan to eliminate the estate tax. A Proclamation If this bill were presented to me in its current Our long national journey has brought the form, I would veto it without hesitation. United States safely to a new century and Repealing the estate tax would undermine to a position of unprecedented leadership in our record of fiscal discipline as well as the the world. Throughout that journey, one progressivity, fairness, and integrity of the tax symbol has endured as a badge of honor for system. The cost of this bill explodes from every American and a beacon of hope for $100 billion this decade to over $750 billion the oppressed: the flag of the United States. in the following decade, just as the baby For more than two centuries, ``Old Glory'' boom generation is retiring and Medicare has challenged us to make real the highest and Social Security are coming under strain. ideals of the patriots and visionaries who This bill gives the largest estates a windfall chose it as our national symbol in the early while steering only a tiny fraction of the ben- days of our Republic. The flag of the United efits to small businesses and family farms. By States has inspired us in battle, reassured us the end of the decade, the bill would provide in times of peace, and comforted us at mo- a $50 billion tax break that would provide ments of great national grief. In its white only 54,000 estatesÐabout 2 percent of all stripes, we recognize the sanctity of the decedentsÐwith an average tax cut of American ideals on which our Republic was $800,000. Furthermore, studies by econo- founded: liberty, justice, equality, and the mists have found that repealing the estate guarantee of individual rights. In its red tax would reduce charitable donations by $5 stripes, we salute the generations of Amer- billion to $6 billion per year. ican patriots who have shed their blood to I am supportive of targeted, fiscally re- keep our flag flying over a free Nation. And sponsible legislation, such as the Democratic in the cluster of white stars on an unchanging alternative, to make the estate tax fairer, sim- blue field, we read the story of America's re- markable evolution from 13 small colonies pler, and more efficient. I urge the congres- to 50 great States, with millions of citizens sional leadership to work with me to relieve from every race, creed, and country united the burden of estate taxes for small busi- by the hopes and history we share as Ameri- nesses and family farms in a fiscally respon- cans. sible manner this year. We can do this while To commemorate the adoption of our flag, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, the Congress, by joint resolution approved investing in key priorities, and paying down August 3, 1949 (63 Stat. 492), designated the debt by 2013. June 14 of each year as ``Flag Day'' and re- quested the President to issue an annual proclamation calling for a national observ- NOTE: This item was not received in time for pub- ance and for the display of the flag of the lication in the appropriate issue. United States on all Federal Government 1331 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:09 Jun 21, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\PD19JN00.000 ATX006 PsN: ATX006 1332 June 9 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 buildings. In a second joint resolution ap- the part of debtors and creditors alike. We proved June 9, 1966 (80 Stat. 194), the Con- also must ensure that a reasonable fresh start gress requested the President also to issue is available for those who turn to bankruptcy annually a proclamation designating the week as a last resort when facing divorce, unem- during which June 14 falls as ``National Flag ployment, illness, and uninsured medical ex- Week'' and calling upon all citizens of the penses. Bankruptcy reform legislation should United States to display the flag during that strike the right balance. week. The House-passed bill was so one-sided Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, that I would have vetoed it. The Senate- President of the United States of America, passed bill's bankruptcy provisions rep- do hereby proclaim June 14, 2000, as Flag resented a better attempt to balance legiti- Day and the week beginning June 11, 2000, mate debtor and creditor interests, although as National Flag Week. I direct the appro- I had serious concerns about some aspects. priate officials to display the flag on all Fed- My Administration has watched carefully as eral Government buildings during that week, the staff and informal conferees have sought and I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day to reconcile these two bills. While there ap- and National Flag Week by flying the Stars pears to be some informal progress on some and Stripes from their homes and other suit- outstanding issues, it is very important that able places. the resolution of these issues be fair and that I also call upon the people of the United we ensure that we do not erode protections States to observe with pride and all due cere- for all debtorsÐwhen targeting the few who mony those days from Flag Day through abuse the system.