Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents 1998-01-26: Vol 34 Iss 4

47 Pages·13.5 MB·English

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Pages 85-126
Contents
Addresses and Remarks Joint Statements
See also Meetings With Foreign Leaders Charter of Partnership Among the United
Baltic-U.S. charter, signing ceremony—S85 States of America and the Republic of
Cardozo High School volunteers—94 Estonia, Republic of Latvia, and Republic
Congressional Medal of Honor of Lithuania—87
presentation 96
Letters and Messages
Democratic National Committee dinner—98
Middle East peace process—123 Lunar New Year, message—95
Radio address—91
Roe \ Wade, 25th anniversary 124 Meetings With Foreign Leaders
White House Endowment dinner 122 Estonia, President Meri—85, 87
Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu—95
Appointments and Nominations Latvia, President Ulmanis—85, 87
Lithuania, President Brazauskas—S85, 87
National Bipartisan Commission on the
Palestinian Authority, Chairman Arafat—123
Future of Medicare, Chairman, statement
9] Notices
Continuation of Emergency Regarding
Communications to Congress Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the
Albania, letter transmitting report—122 Middle East Process—121
Middle East peace process, continuation of
Statements by the President
emergency regarding terrorists, letter
transmitting notice—122 See also Appointments and Nominations
Mongolia, letter transmitting report—104 Apprehension of Goran Jelisic 125
Representative Louis Stokes’ decision not to
seek reelection—92
Interviews With the News Media
Special Advisory Committee to the Secretary
Exchanges with reporters of State on Religious Freedom Abroad,
Cardozo High School—93 interim report—125
Oval Office —95, 123
Interviews Supplementary Materials
lim Lehrer of the PBS “News Hour 104 Acts approved by the President—126
Mara Liasson and Robert Siegel of National Checklist of White House press releases—126
Public Radio—116 Digest of other White House
Morton Kondrake and Ed Henry of Roll announcements 125
Call, excerpt—115 Nominations submitted to the Senate 126
WEEKLY COMPILATION OIF gulati prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the
Federal Rey pp ed by the President (37 FR 23607
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19 Stat. 500, as ments
Week Ending Friday, January 23, 1998
Remarks at the Signing Ceremony moting harmony and human dignity within
for the Baltic Nations-United States our societies; it stresses our interest in close
Charter of Partnership cooperation among the Baltic States and with
all their neighbors; it launches new working
January 16, 1998
groups on economic development to spur
The President. President Meri; President greater trade, investment, and growth, com-
Brazauskas; President Ulmanis; members of plementing the efforts of our European
the Estonian, Lithuanian, and Latvian dele- friends; and it furthers America’s commit-
gations; Secretary Albright; Mr. Berger; ment to help Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia
Members of Congress; Senator Dole; Mr. to deepen their integration and prepare for
Brzezinski; and all friends of the Baltic na- membership in the European Union and
tions who are here. NATO.
The Vice President and I and our adminis- Of course, there can be no guarantees of
tration were honored to welcome President admission to the alliance. Only NATO’s lead-
Meri, President Brazauskas, and President ers, operating by consensus, can offer mem-
Ulmanis to Washington to reaffirm our com- bership to an aspiring state. But America’s
mon vision of a Europe whole and free security is tied to Europe, and Europe will
where Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia play never be fully secure if Baltic security is in
their full and rightful roles, and to sign a doubt. NATO’s door is and will remain open
charter of partnership to build that Europe to every partner nation, and America is deter-
together. mined to create the conditions under which
To the three Presidents, let me say thank Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia can one day
you. Thank you for the key role you have walk through that door.
played in making this moment possible; hold- The hopes that fuel the goals of this char-
ing to the difficult path of political and eco- ter must be matched by our will to achieve
nomic reform; leading Estonia, Latvia, and them. That’s why we're forming a new part-
Lithuania back to the community of free na- nership commission which Deputy Secretary
tions where they belong. This charter of part- of State Strobe Talbott will chair. I’m pleased
nership underscores how far your nations to report that the charter is making a dif-
have come. Almost exactly7 years ago today, ference already. Yesterday our nations signed
Baltic citizens were facing down tanks in the treaties to eliminate double taxation, which
struggle to reclaim their inde ~pendence. will encourage American business to play an
Today, your democracies have taken root even greater role in Baltic prosperity. We're
You stand among Europe’s fastest growing also expanding our common efforts to com-
economies. Your nations are a source of sta- bat organize -d crime with better information-
bility within your region and beyond, through sharing and more joint operations.
the Partne rship For Peace, the Baltic Peace- And this year the United States, in a
keeping Battalion, and your contributions in unique public-private partnership with the
Bosnia. Soros Open Society Institute, will be creating
America has been proud to support this Baltic-American partnership fund to pro-
progress through our SEED assistance pro- mote the development of civic organizations.
gram, more than 500 Peace Corps volun- Nothing is more crucial to democracy’s suc-
teers, and in many other ways. We share a cess than a vibrant network of local groups
stake in your success. And with this charter committed to their communities and their
we set out a framework to achieve our com- nation. I want to thank George Soros for his
mon goals. It affirms our commitment to pro- visionary generosity.
85
86 Jan. 16 / Administration of WilliamJ .C linton, 1998
I also want to say a special thanks to the framework that promotes the furtherance of
Baltic-American communities. For 50 years, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, recip-
Lithuanian-, Latvian-, and Estonian-Ameri- rocal support to the Euro-Atlantic integra-
cans kept alive the dream of Baltic freedom. tion, and common efforts designed for the
Now, on the verge of a new century, they consolidation of security, prosperity, and sta-
are working here at home and with their Bal- bility within the region and Euro-Atlantic
tic brothers and sisters to make sure the area as the whole.
hard-won blessings of liberty will never be The U.S.-Baltic charter confirms repeat-
lost again. edly that Lithuania is a serious candidate for
President Meri, President Brazauskas, accession to NATO, as well as that the
President Ulmanis, we recall the August day United States support the Baltic States’ aspi-
in 1989 when hundreds of thousands of peo- rations and their efforts to become members
ple linked hands from Tallinn to Riga to of the alliance.
Vilnius, forming a human chain as strong as Lithuania values the charter first and fore-
the values for which it stood. Today, that Bal- most as the commitment to its further role
tic chain extends across the Atlantic Ocean. as the promoter of stability within our region
America’s hands and hearts and hopes are and Europe as a whole, its commitment to
joined as one with yours. Working together, progress, economic reforms, and further en-
we can build a new Europe of democracy, hancement of defense system effectiveness
prosperity, and peace, where security is the and interoperability with the North Atlantic
province of every nation and the future be- alliance. We appreciate and are supportive
longs to the free. of President Clinton’s and the U.S. role of
Thank you very much. leadership in opening up to Central Euro-
President Guntis Ulmanis of Latvia. pean democracies the doors to history’s most
Dear President, ladies and gentlemen, today successful alliance. It is our hope that this
is a happy day as we are signing the U.S.A.- openness to new members will enhance the
Baltic charter. This charter will serve as a security and stability for all the present and
key for the next century. It makes us allies. aspiring members, as well as other European
Our signatures write the strategic philosophy nations.
for the next century. They mark strong Thank you.
Atlanticism and also the formation of a new President Lennart Meri of Estonia. Mr.
Europe. The Baltic region is a success story President, Excellencies, ladies and gentle-
for all who shape it by their everyday work. men, today is an historic day in the history
I call on President Clinton and his admin- of our four nations. With the signing of the
istration to get actively involved in the forma- charter of partnership among the United
tion of its future. The symbolic meaning of States of America and the Republic of Esto-
the charter has been expressed in its first nia, the Republic of Latvia, and the Republic
words, which speak about our common vision of Lithuania, we enter a new phase of even
of the future. It has been created by people closer United States-Baltic relations.
of our countries in continuous work by mu- Seventy-five years ago last summer, the
tual enrichment. I am proud of my people United States and Estonia—[inaudible|—
and its strengths. I am proud of my friends diplomatic relations, thus launching a special
who I am happy to welcome here. relationship based in mutual respect and
Thank you. trust. There is an old saying that one recog-
President Algirdas Brazauskas of Lith- nizes a true friend in times of need. With
uania. Dear Presidents, ladies and gentle- its bipartisan support for nonrecognition pol-
men, today we are signing the particularly icy, America was a true friend of the Baltics
important document with the United States in a time of need, acting as a beacon of hope
of America, with which we not only share throughout the long, dark, and cold years of
common values but are also linked by a num- the Soviet occupation.
ber of American Lithuanians who have found You, Mr. President, were a true friend
home in the United States. The charter of when, 4 years ago, you personally contrib-
partnership establishes the _ institutional uted to making sure that occupation would
Administration of WilliamJ .C linton, 1998 / Jan. 16 87
end and the foreign troops were withdrawn. NoTE: The President spoke at 2:45 p.m. in the
This principled behavior is one quality of East Room at the White House. In his remarks,
United States foreign policy that we greatly he referred to former Senator Bob Dole; former
National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski;
admire. The fact that morals play a major
and philanthropist George Soros, chairman, Soros
role in Americans’ foreign policy is what de-
Fund Management, LCC. He also referred to the
fines the United States as the world’s remain- Support for East European Democracy (SEED)
ing superpower. Program. This item was not received in time for
Estonia sees the United States-Baltic char- publication in the appropriate issue.
ter as the latest expression of that principled
approach. The charter recognizes the Baltic
A Charter of Partnership Among the
States’ role in the American strategy to guar-
United States of America and the
antee security and stability on the European
Continent, and spells out that the United Republic of Estonia, Republic of
States has a real, profound, and enduring in- Latvia, and Republic of Lithuania
terest in the security and sovereignty of the January 16, 1998
Baltic States.
Preamble
An important element in our security strat-
egy is eventual full membership in NATO. The United States of America, the Repub-
We believe that NATO continues to be the lic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, and
the Republic of Lithuania, hereafter referred
sole guarantor of security and stability in Eu-
to as Partners.
rope. Estonia applauds President Clinton for
Sharing a common vision of a peaceful and
his leadership in starting the process of
increasingly integrated Europe, free of divi-
NATO enlargement which has already rede-
sions, dedicated to democracy, the rule of
fined the terms of security policy in Europe.
law, free markets, and respect for the human
Estonia also understands that NATO en-
rights and fundamental freedoms of all peo-
largement through the Baltics will be the
ple;
next big project of the alliance. We believe
Recognizing the historic opportunity to
that the question of Baltic membership in
build a new Europe, in which each state is
NATO will become the real test of post-Ma-
secure in its internationally-recognized bor-
drid security thinking—that is, that countries
ders and respects the independence and ter-
shall be able to choose their sec urity arrange-
ritorial integrity of all members of the trans-
ments regardless of geography. We are con-
atlantic community;
fident that, with American leadership, this
Determined to strengthen their bilateral
test will be met with success.
relations as a contribution to building this
Thank you. new Europe, and to enhance the security of
The President. 1 thank you all. We are all states through the adaptation and enlarge-
now going to sign our charter. Before we do, ment of European and transatlantic institu-
[ just want to say again how much I appre- tions;
ciate all of our guests coming here, all from Committed to the full development of
the three nations, their American counter- human potential within just and inclusive so-
parts. And thank you, Senator Durbin, Con- cieties attentive to the promotion of harmo-
gresswoman Pelosi, Congressman Shimkus, nious and equitable relations among individ-
Congressman Kucinich. Thank you, Senator uals belonging to diverse ethnic and religious
Dole and Mr. Brzezinski. groups; ;
And I'd also like to point out—I didn’t ear- Avowing a common interest in developing
lier—we have a very large, unusually large, cooperative, mutually respectful relations
representation from the diplomatic corps with all other states in the region;
here, which is a tribute to the importance Recalling the friendly relations that have
of this moment that the rest of the world been continuously maintained between the
community attaches to it. And I thank all the United States of America and the Republic
ambassadors who are here. Thank you all of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, and the
very much for your presence. Republic of Lithuania since 1922;
88 Jan. 16 / Administration of WilliamJ .C linton, 1998
Further recalling that the United States of The Partners underscore their shared
America never recognized the forcible incor- commitment to the principles and obligations
poration of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania contained in the United Nations Charter.
into the USSR in 1940 but rather regards The Partners reaffirm their shared com-
their statehood as uninterrupted since the es- mitment to the purposes, principles, and pro-
tablishment of their independence, a policy visions of the Helsinki Final Act and subse-
which the United States has restated continu- quent OSCE documents, including the Char-
ously for five decades; ter of Paris and the documents adopted at
Celebrating the rich contributions that im- the Lisbon OSCE Summit.
migrants from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania The Partners will observe in good faith
have made to the multi-ethnic culture of the their commitments to promote and respect
United States of America, as well as the Eu- the standards for human rights embodied in
ropean heritage enjoyed by the United States the above-mentioned Organization for Secu-
as a beneficiary of the contributions of intel- rity and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) doc-
lectuals, artists, and Hanseatic traders from uments and in the Universal Declaration on
the Baltic states to the development of Eu- Human Rights. They will implement their
legislation protecting such human rights fully
rope; pouting the contributions of U.S. citi-
and equitably.
zens to the liberation and rebuilding of Esto-
nia, Latvia and Lithuania. The United States of America commends
the measures taken by Estonia, Latvia, and
Affirm as a political commitment declared
Lithuania to advance the integration of Eu-
at the highest level, the following principles
rope by establishing close cooperative rela-
and procedures to guide their individual and
tions among themselves and with their neigh-
joint efforts to achieve the goals of this Char-
bors, as well as their promotion of regional
ter.
cooperation through their participation in
fora such as the Baltic Assembly, Baltic
Principles of Partnership Council of Ministers, and the Council of Bal-
The United States of America has a real, tic Sea States.
profound and enduring interest in the inde- Viewing good neighborly relations as fun-
pe ndence, sovereignty, and territorial integ- damental to overall security and stability in
rity, and security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lith- the transatlantic community, Estonia, Latvia,
uania. and Lithuania reaffirm their determination
The United States of America warmly wel- to further enhance bilateral relations be-
comes the success of Estonia, Latvia, and tween themselves and with other neighbor-
Lithuania in regaining their freedom and re- ing states.
suming their rightful places in the commu- The Partners will intensify their efforts to
nity of nations. promottehe security, prosperity, and stability
The United States of America respects the of the region. The Partners will draw on the
points noted below in focusing their efforts
sacrifices and hardships undertaken by the
to deepen the integration of the Baltic states
people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to
into transatlantic and European institutions,
re-establish their independence. It encour-
promote cooperation in security and defense,
ages efforts by these states to continue to ex-
and develop the economies of Estonia, Lat-
pand their political, economic, security, and
via, and Lithuania.
social ties with other nations as full members
of the transatlantic community.
The Partners affirm their commitment to A Commitment to Integration
the rule of law as a foundation for a trans- As part of a common vision of a Europe
atlantic community of free and democratic whole and free, the Partners declare that
nations, and to the responsibility of all just their shared goal is the full integration of Es-
societies to protect and respect the human tonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into European
rights and civil liberties of all individuals re- and transatlantic political, economic, security
siding within their territories. and defense institutions. Europe will not be
Administration of William] .C linton, 1998 / Jan. 16 89
fully secure unless Estonia, Latvia, and Lith- The Partners believe that the enlargement
uania each are secure. of NATO will enhance the security of the
The Partners reaffirm their commitment United States, Canada, and all the countries
to the principle, established in the Helsinki in Europe, including those states not imme-
Final Act, repeated in the Budapest and Lis- diately invited to membership or not cur-
bon OSCE summit declarations, and also rently interested in membership.
contained in the OSCE Code of Conduct on The United States of America welcomes
Politico-Military Aspects of Security, that the the aspirations and supports the efforts of Es-
security of all states in the Euro-Atlantic tonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to join NATO.
community is indivisible. It affirms its view that NATO’s partners can
The Partners further share a commitment become members as each aspirant proves
to the core principle, also articulated in the itself able and willing to assume the respon-
OSCE Code of Conduct and reiterated in sibilities and obligations of membership, and
as NATO determines that the inclusion of
subsequent OSCE summit declarations, that
each state has the inherent right to individual these nations would serve European stability
and the strategic interests of the Alliance.
and collective self-defense as well as the right
The United States of America reiterates
freely to choose its own security arrange-
its view that the enlargement of NATO is
ments, including treaties of alliance.
an on-going process. It looks forward to fu-
The Partners support the vital role being
ture enlargements, and remains convinced
played by a number of complementary insti-
that not only will NATO’s door remain open
tutions and hodies—including the OSCE,
to new members, but that the first countries
the European Union (EU), the West Euro-
invited to membership will not be the last.
pean Union (WEU) th2 North Atlantic Trea-
No non-NATO country has a veto over Alli-
ty Organization (NATO), the Euro-Atlantic
ance decisions. The United States notes the
Partnership Council (EAPC), the Council of
Alliance is prepared to strergthen its con-
Europe (COE), and the Council of Baltic Sea
sultations with aspirant countries on the full
States (CBSS)—in achieving the partners’
range of issues related to possible NATO
shared goal of an integrated, secure, and un-
membership.
divided Europe.
The Partners welcome the results of the
They believe that, irrespective of factors
Madrid Summit. They support the Alliance’s
related to history or geography, such institu-
commitment to an open door policy and wel-
tions should be open to all European democ-
come the Alliance’s recognition of the Baltic
racies willing and able to shoulder the re-
states as aspiring members of NATO. Esto-
sponsibilities and obligations of membership,
nia, Latvia, and Lithuania pledge to deepen
as determined by those institutions.
their close relations with the Alliance
The Partners welcome a strong and vibrant through the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Coun-
OSCE dedicated to promoting democratic cil, the Partnership for Peace, and the inten-
institutions, human rights, and fundamental sified dialogue process.
freedoms. They strongly support the OSCE’s The Partners underscore their interest in
role as a mechanism to prevent, manage, and Russia’s democratic and stable development
resolve conflicts and crises. and support a strengthened NATO-Russia
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania each reaf- relationship as a core element of their shared
firm their goal to become full members of vision of a new and peaceful Europe. They
all European and transatlantic institutions, welcome the signing of the NATO-Russia
including the European Union and NATO. Founding Act and the NATO-Ukraine Char-
The United States of America recalls its ter, both of which further improve European
longstanding support for the enlargement of security.
the EU, affirming it as a core institution in
the new Europe and declaring that a strong- Security Cooperation
er, larger, and outward-looking European The Partners will consult together, as well
Union will further security and prosperity for as with other countries, in the event that a
all of Europe. Partner perceives that its territorial integrity,
90 Jan. 16 / Administration of WilliamJ . Clinton, 1998
independence, or security is threatened or omy, based on the principles of free move-
at risk. The Partners will use bilateral and ment of people, goods, capital and services.
multilateral mechanisms for such consulta- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania underscore
tions. their commitment to continue market-ori-
The United States welcomes and appre- ented economic reforms and to express their
ciates the contributions that Estonia, Latvia, resolve to achieve full integration into global
and Lithuania have already made to Euro- economic bodies, such as the World Trade
pean security through the peaceful restora- Organization (WTO) while creating condi-
tion of independence and their active partici- tions for smoothly acceding to the European
pation in the Partnership for Peace. The Union.
United States also welcomes their contribu-
Noting this objective, the United States of
tions to IFOR, SFOR, and other inter-
America will work to facilitate the integration
national peacekeeping missions.
of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with the
Building on the existing cooperation
world economy and appropriate international
among their respective ministries of defense
economic organizations, in particular the
and armed forces, the United States of Amer-
WTO and the Organization for Economic
ica supports the efforts of Estonia, Latvia,
Cooperation and Development (OECD), on
and Lithuania to provide for their legitimate
appropriate commercial terms.
defense needs, including development of ap-
The Partners will work individually and to-
propriate and interoperable military forces.
gether to develop legal and financial condi-
The Partners welcome the establishment
of the Baltic Security Assistance Group tions in their countries conducive to inter-
national investment. Estonia, Latvia, and
(BALTSEA) as an effective body for inter-
national coordination of security assistance to Lithuania welcome U.S. investment in their
Estonia's, Latvia’s and Lithuania’s defense economies.
forces. The Partners will continue to strive for
The Partners will cooperate further in the mutually advantageous economic relations
development and expansion of defense initia- building on the principles of equality and
tives such as the Baltic Peacekeeping Battal- non-discrimination to create the conditions
ion (BaltBat), the Baltic Squadron (Baltron), necessary for such cooperation.
and the Baltic airspace management regime The Partners will commence regular con-
(BaltNet), which provide a tangible dem- sultations to further cooperation and provide
onstration of practical cooperation enhancing for regular assessment of progress in the
the common security of Estonia, Latvia, and areas of economic development, trade, in-
Lithuania, and the transatlantic community. vestment, and related fields. These consulta-
The Partners intend to continue mutually tions will be chaired at the appropriately high
beneficial military cooperation and will main- level.
tain regular consultations, using the estab- Recognizing that combating international
lished Bilateral Working Group on Defense organized crime requires a multilateral ef-
and Military Relations. fort, the partners agree to cooperate fully in
the fight against this threat to the world econ-
Economic Cooperation
omy and political stability. Estonia, Latvia,
The Partners affirm their commitment to and Lithuania remain committed to develop-
free market mechanisms as the best means ing sound legislation in this field and to en-
to meet the material needs of their people. hance the implementation of this legislation
The United States of America commends through the strengthening of a fair and well-
the substantial progress its Baltic Partners
functioning judicial system.
have made to implement economic reform
and development and their transition to free
The U.S.-Baltic Relationship
market economies.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania emphasize In all of these spheres of common endeav-
their intention to deepen their economic in- or, the Partners, building on their shared his-
tegration with Europe and the global econ- tory of friendship and cooperation, solemnly
Administration of WilliamJ .C linton, 1998 / Jan. 17 91
reaffirm their commitment to a rich and dy- Senator John Breaux (D-LA) as Chairman
namic Baltic-American partnership for the of the National Bipartisan Commission on
21st century the Future of Medicare.
The Partners view their partnership in the In addition, I am grateful that Representa-
areas of political, economic, security, de- tive Bill Thomas (R-CA) has agreed to be-
fense, cultural, and environmental affairs as come Administrative Chair, working with the
contributing to closer ties between their peo- Chairman on this important Commission.
ple and facilitating the full integration of Es- Over the past 5 years, we have strength-
tonia, Latvia and Lithuania into European ened and modernized the Medicare system
and transatlantic structures. by providing Americans with more choice
In order to further strengthen these ties, and preventative care, reducing fraud and
the Partners will establish a Partnership waste within the system, and extending the
Commission chaired at the appropriately life of the Trust Fund for more than a dec-
high level to evaluate common efforts. This ade.
Commission will meet once a year or as Despite these advances, there is more
needed to take stock of the Partnership, as- work to do to ensure that Medicare stays
sess results of bilateral consultations on eco- strong and solvent for the generations to
nomic, military and other areas, and review come.
progress achieved towards meeting the goals I look forward to working with the Com-
of this Charter. mission and to receiving their analysis of and
In order to better reflect changes in the recommendations for the future challenges
European and transatlantic political and se- facing the Medicare program.
curity environment, signing Partners are
NOTE: This item was not received in time for put
committed regularly at the highest level to
lication in the appropriate issue.
review this agreement.
The President’s Radio Address
William J. Clinton Lennart Meri
President President January 17, 1998
United States of America Republic ot Estonia
Good morning. Today I want to talk about
the steps we must take to protect our chil-
Guntis Ulmanis Algirdas Brazauskas
President President dren and the public health from one of the
Republic of Latvia Republic of Lithuania greatest threats they face—tobacco. For
years, tobacco companies have sworn they do
not market their deadly products to children,
Washington D.C.,
but this week disturbing documents came to
January 16, 1998
light that confirm our worst suspicions
NotE: An original was not available for verifica For years one f our Nation’s biggest to-
tion of the content of this agreement. This item bacco companies appears to have singled out
was not received in time for publication in the our children, carefully studying their habits
appropriate issue. und pursuing a marketing strategy designed
to prey on their insecurities in order to get
them to smoke.
Statement on the Appointment of Let me read you two of the most startling
Senator John Breaux as Chairman of lines from an internal tobacco company pres-
the National Bipartisan Commission entation proposing a marketing campaign
on the Future of Medicare targeted at children as young as 14. Quote,
January 16, 1998 “Our strategy becomes clear: direct advertis-
ing appeal to younger smokers.” Younger
smokers, this document says also, and |
quote, “represent tomorrow’s cigarette busi-
I am pleased to join with Senate Majority
ness.” The message of these documents is
Leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Newt
Gingrich in announcing the appointment of all too clear: Marketing to children sells
cigarettes.
92 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998
Today I want to send a very different mes- all across our country to focus public atten-
sage to those who would endanger our chil- tion on the issue.
dren: Young people are not the future of the In a few weeks, my balanced budget pro-
tobacco industry; they are the future of posal will make specific recommendations on
America. And we must take immediate, deci- how much the tobacco industry should pay
sive action to protect them. and how we can best use those funds to pro-
We know that every day 3,000 young peo- tect the public health and our children.
ple will start smoking and 1,000 of them will Today I want to let Members of Congress
die prematurely due to tobacco-related dis- know that our administration will sit down
ease. We know that 90 percent of adults who with them anytime, anywhere to work out
smoke—90 percent—began using tobacco bipartisan legislation.
before the age of 18. That is why, starting Reducing teen smoking has always been
in 1995, we launched a historic nationwide American’s bottom line and always our ad-
effort with the FDA to stop our children ministration’s bottom line. But to make it the
from smoking before they start, reducing tobacco industry's bottom line, we have to
their access to tobacco products and severely have legislation. This is not about politics.
restricting tobacco companies from advertis- This is not about money. It is about our chil-
ing to young people. The balanced budget dren.
agreement I signed into law last summer in- The 1998 Congress should be remem-
cludes a $24 billion children’s health initia- bered as the Congress that passed com-
tive, providing health coverage to up to 5 mil- prehensive tobacco legislation, not the Con-
lion uninsured children, paid for by tobacco gress that passed up this historic opportunity
taxes. to protect our children and our future.
But even these efforts are not enough to Thanks for listening.
fully protect our children from the dangers
of smoking. To do that we need comprehen-
NoTE: The address was recorded at 10 = a.m
sive, bipartisan legislation. Last September I
on January 16 in the Oval Office at the White
proposed five key elements that must be at House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on Pawel 17.
the heart of that legislation. First, and most
important, it must mandate the development
of a comprehensive plan to reduce teen
Statement on Representative Louis
smoking with tough penalties for companies
Stokes’ Decision Not To Seek
that don’t comply. Second, it must affirm the
FDA’s full authority to regulate tobacco Reelection
products. Third, it must include measures to January 18, 1998
hold the tobacco industry accountable, espe-
cially for marketing tobacco to children. Throughout his illustrious career in the
Fourth, it must include concrete measures United States Congress, Representative
to improve the public health, from reducing Louis Stokes has been a champion of Ameri-
secondhand smoke to expanding smoking ca’s finest values. He has worked tirelessly
cessation programs to funding medical re- to better the lives of our children and our
search on the effects of tobacco. And finally, veterans and has stood steadfast in an effort
it must protect tobacco farmers and their to bring our country together amid all of our
communities from the loss of income caused diversity to build a stronger community.
by our efforts to reduce smoking by young Representative Stokes has been a true ad-
people. vocate for the people of Cleveland and for
If Congress sends me a bill that mandates all Americans who support giving people the
those steps, I will sign it. My administration tools they need to make the most of their
will do all it can to ensure that Congress own lives. He has served our country from
passes this legislation. In September I asked the bottom of his heart, and his retirement
the Vice President to build bipartisan support after three decades of dedicated service will
for the legislation, and he has held forums be a loss felt by all.