Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Monday, February 27, 1995 Volume 31ÐNumber 8 Pages 263±313 Contents Addresses and Remarks Interviews With the News Media See also Appointments and Nominations Exchanges with reporters African-American veteransÐ271 Briefing RoomÐ282 Business CouncilÐ287 CapitolÐ284 Canada, President's visit Ottawa, CanadaÐ305 ArrivalÐ294 Roosevelt RoomÐ274 DinnerÐ302 Interview with Brian Lamb of C-SPANÐ263 LuncheonÐ295 News conference with Prime Minister ParliamentÐ296 ChreÂtien of Canada in Ottawa, February 24 House Democratic CaucusÐ284 (No. 86)Ð305 Iwo Jima, 50th anniversaryÐ276 National Basketball Association champion Letters and Messages Houston RocketsÐ274 Presidents' Day, messageÐ263 Radio addressÐ272 Regulatory reformÐ278 Meetings With Foreign Leaders Appointments and Nominations Canada Governor General LeBlancÐ294, 295 White House Office, Chair of National Prime Minister ChreÂtienÐ295, 296, 302, Economic Council, remarksÐ282 305 Communications to Congress Proclamations Budget rescissions and deferrals, message transmittingÐ287 Irish-American Heritage MonthÐ302 Executive Orders Statements by the President Amendment to Executive Order No. 12950 Northern Ireland, peace processÐ286 (Railroad dispute)Ð311 Persian Gulf veterans, compensationÐ286 Establishing an Emergency Board To Investigate a Dispute Between Metro North Supplementary Materials Commuter Railroad and Its Employees by Acts approved by the PresidentÐ313 Certain Labor OrganizationsÐ286 Checklist of White House press releasesÐ312 Release of Imagery Acquired by Space-Based Digest of other White House National Intelligence Reconnaissance announcementsÐ311 SystemsÐ304 Nominations submitted to the SenateÐ312 Editor's Note: The President was in Ottawa, Canada, on February 24, 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. Week Ending Friday, February 24, 1995 Message on the Observance of another PresidentÐ``Dewey Defeats Tru- Presidents' Day, 1995 man.'' February 16, 1995 The President. Well, of course, that's the famous headline from the Chicago Tribune. Greetings to Americans across the country I got it when I was in Independence, Mis- celebrating Presidents' Day, 1995. As citizens souri, at the Truman Library. And I'm a big gather to reflect upon our nation's rich his- admirer of President Truman. He was my tory, I am proud to salute our former Presi- neighborÐyou know, Arkansas and Missouri dents for the legacy of leadership they have border each otherÐand I alwaysÐI like hav- built in this nation. ing that on my desk. It reminds me that From the bold example of George Wash- things are not always what they seem and ington to the timeless courage of Abraham that it's important to keep fighting. I look LincolnÐthe Presidents whose birthdays we at it every day; I have it right there on the commemorate todayÐeach President, in his desk. own way, has sought to use the power of the Mr. Lamb. If you could talk to any past American government to make our country PresidentÐand I know you just got off the better, stronger, and truer to the ideals of golf links with a couple of themÐwho would its charter. Fueled by the mission of our na- it be, and what would you want to talk to tion's citizens, Presidents of each generation him about? have aspired to serve the common good, rec- The President. Well, it's difficult to say ognizing that whether we Americans choose which one President I would talk to. For my- to rise or fall, move forward or backward, self, personally, I would talk to Lincoln be- we will all do so together. On this special cause I admired him so much, personally, occasion, and in honor of that great tradition, and because I believe he grew so much in I ask each of you to join in rededicating your- the job. His personal growth in the job was selves to maintaining the freedoms we hold extraordinary, and his ability to distill all the most dear, for ourselves and for the genera- forces at work into clear and powerful lan- tions to come. guage was so great. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday cele- But there are others. Jefferson, I would bration. like to speak with because he carried around in his very soul the ideals of the Founders. William J. Clinton And he found himself in the same position to some extent I find myself in, in a very NOTE: This item was not received in time for pub- different historical context, in that he be- lication in the appropriate issue. lieved deeply in limited Government, he didn't want Government to oppress people, Interview With Brian Lamb of but he felt that there were occasions in which the national interest demanded a level of ac- C±SPAN tivism. February 17, 1995 In Jefferson's case, he purchased Louisi- ana, for example, which cost the equivalent Former U.S. Presidents of one year's Federal budget. So I think Jef- Mr. Lamb. Mr. President, we're talking ferson understood the kind of complexity in and around President's Day, so I want to that we're facing today. He had a fertile, see if you could tell us the purpose of having complex mind, and he understood how to this little thing on your desk that involves reconcile the bedrock principles and apply 263 VerDate 19-MAR-98 14:47 Mar 19, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\TEMP\P08FE4.021 INET03 264 Feb. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 them to the facts of the case at hand, and because he had more space, in some ways, I like that. to govern and to be President, even though I wish I could have a long conversation there were terrific conflicts. In fact, he had with Truman, because the time we're living much more difficulty with the Congress than in today somewhat parallels the period after I did in the 2 previous years. But there was the Second World War in the sense that a sense of confidence in the American people we're going through a period of transition, and a sense of trust in their elected leaders things are being redefined, the size of the and a willingness to look at things in a more Government is being reduced, but there's balanced way, I think, than exists today. And still a mission for the Federal Government I would ask for his advice about how we to advance the cause of ordinary citizens in could get some of that back. America. There is a new security reality in Mr. Lamb. Did you change your mind at the world, and we have to adapt to that. So all about F.D.R. after you read Doris Kearns the times that we live in now are quite a Goodwin's book? lot like those times. The President. No, I just appreciated him Mr. Lamb. Do you read the Presidents more. I was sad for him in a way, personally. now, since you've been in the White I was sadÐI knew that his life was somewhat HouseÐtheir words? difficult and that Mrs. Roosevelt's was. But The President. Yes, I just readÐinterest- they had a remarkable positive impact on this ingly enough, I just read Benjamin Thomas' country, and I'm grateful for that. But I biography of Lincoln, which was written in didn't change my opinion of him. He was, the fifties, I think. And it's a biography I had in many ways, the most adroit politician who never read. You see over there on my desk ever occupied this office. And he was a per- I've got a new biography of Jefferson, the son who was fortunate enough to be there Randall biography of Jefferson I'm about to at the right time for him. The country some- get into. times brings us the right people for the right I just read Doris Kearns Goodwin's mag- times, and he was, I think, really perfectly nificent biography of Franklin and Eleanor suited, temperamentally and by means of ex- Roosevelt during the war, ``No Ordinary perience, to the times in which he governed. Time.'' It's a terrific book. So I read quite Mr. Lamb. You know, a lot is written a bit about it. I read August Heckscher's bi- about the criticism of you at this point in ography of Woodrow Wilson last year, some- your Presidency. When you read the history, thing which I should have read before, I do you find that other Presidents were hit guess, but I had never gotten around to read- about by their critics as much as you are? ing.