Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Mar. 16 563 when you hear the gun debate, the education the Speaker's annual Saint Patrick's Day debate, the tax versus pay down the debt and luncheon, about three issues. save Social Security and Medicare debate, Yesterday the House took a small but sig- you need to be asking yourself every single nificant step down the long road toward com- time: Which decision is more likely to allow monsense gun safety legislation. House us to come together as one America and to Members from both parties have said it's build the future of our dreams for our chil- time to get to work, after 8 months and other dren? Because when I was a kid, we thought senseless shootings. It's time for the House all this was going on automatic. And then and Senate conference to resolve the dif- one day it came off, the wheels came off, ferences between the two bills and send one and it was gone. And for 35 years I have wait- to me. ed. I have worked as hard as I can for 7 years The American people have spoken clearly to give you this chance. And it is in your and consistently about the need to protect hands. Don't let anybody you know vote in our children from gun violence. The House this election without asking themselves that is listening. I hope the Republican leaders question: How do we build the future of our in the House and the Senate will listen and dreams for our children? get this conference underway. Thank you. God bless you. Of course, a meeting is just a beginning. Congress should keep working until it sends NOTE: The President spoke at 9:30 p.m. in the me a bill I can sign that closes the gun show White Hall Ballroom at the Harbor Court Hotel. loophole, requires child safety locks with all In his remarks, he referred to Peter and Georgia Angelos, dinner hosts; Gov. Parris N. Glendening new handguns, bans the importation of large and Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend of capacity ammunition clips. Again, I hope Maryland; Richard N. Dixon, State treasurer, and they will reconsider and restore the provision president, State board of education; John T. Wil- that hold adults responsible if they knowingly lis, Maryland secretary of state, Casper R. or recklessly let little children have access Taylor, Jr., speaker, and Peter Franchot and How- to guns. ard P. Rawlings, members, Maryland House of A courageous, bipartisan majority in the Delegates; Sheila Dixon, president, Baltimore House has now said no to the attack ads, no City Council; Ronald L. Daniel, commissioner, to the name-calling, and no to the threats. Baltimore City Police Dept.; former Mayors They have stood up for the American people, Thomas D'Alesandro III and Kurt Schmoke of Baltimore; current Mayor Martin O'Malley of Bal- but there are further tests ahead. The clock timore and his wife, Katie; Earl S. Richardson, is ticking, and America is waiting to see president, Morgan State University; Edward G. whether Congress can really produce a bill Rendell, general chair, Democratic National that responds to the interests of our children Committee; Gov. George W. Bush of Texas; and not the intimidation of the NRA. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president, Na- I'd also like to say a few words about the tional Rifle Association; Veronica and Michael budget the House passed yesterday. It is McQueen, mother and stepfather of 6-year-old more than a balance sheet; every budget is. Kayla Rolland, who was shot and mortally wound- It's a blueprint for our future. For 7 years, ed by a 6-year-old classmate in Mount Morris our administration has worked to build a fu- Township, MI; Coretta Scott King, widow of Mar- tin Luther King; civil rights activists Hosea Wil- ture based on fiscal discipline. The budget liams and Dick Gregory; and civil rights leader proposed by the Republican leadership Rev. Jesse Jackson. would erode that discipline. It would weaken, not strengthen, the foundation Americans have worked so hard to build for the future. Remarks on Departure for Capitol Before devoting a single dollar to pay Hill and an Exchange With Reporters down the debt or extend the solvency of So- March 16, 2000 cial Security or Medicare or provide a vol- untary prescription drug benefit or invest in Legislative Agenda/Oil Prices our children's education, the majority's budg- The President. Good afternoon. I'd like et already spends almost half a trillion dollars to say just a few words, before I go up to in tax cutsÐalmost half a trillion, and as the VerDate 02-MAR-2000 05:49 Mar 22, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\PD20MR00.000 ATX006 PsN: ATX006 564 Mar. 16 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 Republican budget makes clear, they're just Oil Prices getting started. Q. Mr. President, have you spoken in per- This is unrealistic, unwise. The risks it son to any of the leaders of the OPEC nations poses are unconscionable. It is as risky and to increaseÐÐ costly as the budget they proposed last year The President. Wait, wait. The answer is, that I vetoed. It would undermine our ability we have made clear what my public position to make America debt-free by 2013, to is. I've said no more to anybody privately strengthen Social Security and take it out be- than I've said in public. I think it is in the yond the life of the baby boom generation, interest of the OPEC nations and in the in- to lengthen the life of Medicare and add a terest of the consuming nations to have a sta- voluntary prescription drug benefit. It would ble price of oil that gives them a fair return slash our most pressing priorities across the on their oil, enables them to run their coun- board, from education and the environment, tries and finance their budgets, but is not from law enforcement to public health, from so high that it runs the risk of promoting in- scientific research to basic nutrition. It would flation or recession, which will reduce the be impossible for them to follow the path demand for oil by cratering the economies that we have all agreed on to modernize our of other countries and hurting ours and hurt- defense forces and improve the quality of life ing a lot of innocent people in the process. So the trick is to find the right balance. of our men and women in uniform. Oil was way too low last year because they This is the wrong path for America. The increased production right as demand only way they could meet their spending pri- dropped after the Asian financial crisis. Now, orities with this tax cut is to go back to huge the price is too high because they cut produc- deficits. I asked the leadership to change tion right as demand increased, when Europe course, to go back and write a budget that and Asia were growing more again. maintains our fiscal discipline and meets our So we've got to get this back into balance. most pressing priorities. That's what I want to do. I think it's very Now, the third issue I would like to men- much in their interest, and I haven't said any tion very briefly is that I have just met with more in private than I'm saying to you in the Secretary of Energy and his team and public, but we are working that. my economic team, and we have talked about the present difficulties that Americans are National Rifle Association facing because of the price of gasoline and Q. Mr. President, Wayne LaPierre, last the high price of oil, and what our short and night on the news, said the blood of Ricky longer term options are. And we've been Byrdsong is on your hands. I was wondering working very hard on this now for several if you would like to respond to that person- weeks, and we hope to have some things to ally, sir, and also go to the underlying issue say about it over the next few days. of enforcement? The NRA contends the ad- ministration has been lax up until very re- But this isÐI'm encouraged by a lot of cently on the enforcement issue. the developments that are going on. I hope The President. Well, first of all, most of there will be some relief soon when the thoseÐI think the television news, some of OPEC meeting occurs. But I do believe we the reports answered the Byrdsong case in need to do more on our own here in America great detail, and I don't have anything to add to deal with some of the things we've learned, to that. And again, I will say, I don't thinkÐ some of the pressure points we've learned getting into a personal spat with Mr. are on our people in these last few months. LaPierre about tactics that I don't think any So I just want to notify you that we are American appreciates and that all Americans working on this, and we will have some more can see through is not worth doing. to say later, and I don't want to be late to I think on the enforcement issue, if you the Speaker's Saint Patrick's Day lunch.