Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents 2000-01-24: Vol 36 Iss 3

49 Pages·13 MB·English

Weekly Compilation of
Presidential
Documents
Monday, January 24, 2000
Volume 36—Number 3
Pages 89-132
Contents
Addresses and Remarks Interviews With the News Media—Continued
See also Meetings With Foreign Leaders Interview with Francine Kiefer and Skip
Agenda for higher education and lifetime Thurman of the Christian Science Monitor
learning—117 in Boston—96
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington—
9] Meetings With Foreign Leaders
California, California Institute of Technology Palestinian Authority, Chairman Arafat—120
in Pasadena—122
Democratic National Committee gala—111 Notices
Health insurance initiative—107 Continuation of Emergency Regarding
Israel-Palestinian peace talks—120 Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the
Massachusetts Middle East Peace Process—114
Democratic National Committee dinner in
Boston—105 Proclamations
National firearms enforcement initiative in
National Biotechnology Month—116
Boston—92
Radio address—89 Statements by the President
Communications to Congress Chile, election of Ricardo Lagos as
Comprehensive Trade and Development President—92
Policy for Africa, letter transmitting Federal budget surplus, indications of a third
report—13] consecutive—130
Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Geneva protocol on child soldiers—130
LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, letter Senator Bob Kerrey’s decision not to seek
reporting—89 reelection—122
Terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle University of Mississippi, James and Sally
East peace process, letter transmitting Barksdale’s pledge—122
notice on continuation of emergency—115
Supplementary Materials
Interviews With the News Media
Acts approved by the President—132
Exchanges with reporters Checklist of White House press releases—132
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Digest of other White House
Washington—90 announcements—131
Oval Office—107, 120 Nominations submitted to the Senate—132
Editor’s Note: The President was in Los Angeles, CA, on January 21, 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-
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The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub- There are no restrictions on the republication of material
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ister Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under ments
Week Ending Friday, January 21, 2000
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Through the years, she’s seen her share of
Action on Title III of the Cuban discrimination. A good while ago, she worked
Liberty and Democratic Solidarity at the White House and back then, even
here, she had to use a side door. Well, today
(LIBERTAD) Act of 1996
Charlotte Filmore came to the White House
January 14, 2000
through the front door, and all the way to
the Oval Office. But there is still more to
Dear
do. So, this morning I want to tell you about
Pursuantt o ssee ction 306(c)(2) of the Cuban
what we’re doing to open more doors of op-
Liberty and Democratic Solidarity
portunity for all Americans.
(LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (Public Law 104—
In his last speech, Dr. King reminded us
114), (the “Act”), I hereby determine and
report to the Congress that suspension for that the work of dignity and justice is as old
6 months beyond February 1, 2000, of the as America itself. He said it’s about going
right to bring an action under title III of the back to those great wells of democracy dug
Act is necessary to the national interests of deep by our Founding Fathers and the Con-
the United States and will expedite a transi- stitution. To draw from that well, Dr. King
tion to democracy in Cuba. challenged us to dig deep within our own
Sincerely, hearts to face our flaws, renew our values,
live up to our Nation’s creed.
William J. Clinton
We are doing better. We have the strong-
est economy ina generation, the lowest un-
NoTE: identical letters were sent to Jesse Helms,
employment rate in 30 years, and thankfully,
chairman, and Joseph R. Biden, Jr., ranking mem-
ber, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Ted the lowest African-American and Hispanic
Stevens, chairman, and Robert C. Byrd, ranking unemployment rates ever recorded, the low-
member, Senate Committee on Appropriations; est African-American poverty rate ever re-
Benjamin A. Gilman, chairman, and Sam corded, and the lowest Hispanic poverty rate
Gejdenson, ranking member, House Committee in 25 years. We are coming together as a
on International Relations; and C.W. Bill Young, community. Our social fabric is on the mend.
chairman, and David R. Obey, ranking member,
But still there are people and _ places
House Committee on Appropriations. This letter
throughout America that have been left be-
was released by the Office of the Press Secretary
hind by this economic recovery. Minority un-
on January 15.
employ ment and poverty still is about twice
the national average. Still there are too many
The President’s Radio Address barriers on the road to opportunity, too many
January 15, 2000 examples of Americans facing discrimination
in daily life.
Good morning. On Monday America will No American in the 21st century should
celebrate, through reflection and service, the have to face such discrimination when it
birth of the 20th century’s great champion comes to finding a home, getting a job, going
for justice and civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther to school, securing a loan. That’s why I’m
King. Today I want to talk with you about very proud that my budget for the coming
new steps we're taking to fulfill Dr. King’s year will include the largest ever investment
dream and redeem America’s promise. to enforce our civil rights laws, to help make
Of course, we’ve come a long way. I’m sure that protections in law are protections
joined today by a woman named Charlotte in fact. I'm proposing a 20 percent increase
Filmore. Mrs. Filmore is 100 years old. for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice
89
90 Jan. I1 S / Administration of William J]. Clinton, 2000
Department. That would almost double the Exchange With Reporters at the
annual budget for the office since I became Boys & Girls Club of Greater
President 7 years ago Washington
Under the leadership of — Assistant
January 17, 2000
Attorney General Bill Lann Lee, the Civil
Rights Division has enforced our civil rights
Israel-Syria Peace Talks
laws justly and fairly. And so, again, on behalf
of all Americans, I ask the Senate to confirm Q. Mr. President, are the peace talks still
Mr. Lee as our Nation’s top civil rights en- on track?
The President. We're working on it.
forcer
That’s what I've been doing this morning.
Our budget also includes a 14 percent in-
Q. Who are you talking to?
crease for the Equal Employment Oppor-
The President. Just our team, so far today.
tunity Commission, so that it continue its
Q. Mr. President, the Syrians say there is
work to enforce laws prohibiting employ-
an issue that needs to be resolved before they
ment discrimination. And we're beefing up
can come; they may not come on Wednesday.
our other civil rights enforcements effort
Is that right?
throughout our National Government.
The President. I'll probably put out some-
We must also do more to root out forces
thing later today. I'm working on it, trying
of hate and intolerance. We've seen far too to make sure—we’re trying to figure out what
many acts of violence targeted at others sole- the most effective way to go forward is. The
ly because of who they are, from the dragging good news is I’m convinced they both still
death of James By rd to the brutal killing of want to do it. They're not as far apart as they
Matthew She pard to the murder of the Afri- might be; they're not as far apart as they have
can-American basketball coach and the Ko- been. So that’s the good news.
rean-American student in the Midwest to the The difference is right now about how or
shooting at the Jewish school in Los Angeles what the best way to go forward in the
and the murder of the Filipino postal worker. so I'm working on it. We'll try to make a
Such hate crimes leave deep scars, not just decision by the end of the day, the next cou-
on the victims but on our larger community, ple of days, about what the best way to go
for they take aim at others for who they are. forward is, and we'll let you know.
And when they do, they take aim at America. Q. Meaning a decision as to whether there
So once again, I ask Congress to stop the will actually be talks on Wednesday?
delay and pass ts hate crimes legislation. The President. Yes. The decision about
Taken together, these efforts will move us what the best way is, based on where they
both are, to take the next steps.
closer to building one America in the 21st
century.
Dr. King taught us the most important civil Move to Chappaqua
right is to provide every citizen with the Q. Are you going to start doing this in
chance to live the American dream. This is Chappaqua?
the best chance we've had in my lifetime The President. If I need to. [Laughter]
maybe even in Mrs. Filmore’s lifetime—to I've done a lot of other stuff. We've got a
give every American a shot at that dream. lot of work to do on that place. But it’s a
So as we celebrate Dr. King’s life and leg- great house, and we’re making progress. We
acy, let’s keep following his footsteps to draw did a lot of work the last few days when I
from that deep well of democracy and deep- was up there.
en the meaning of freedom for all Americans.
Thanks for listening. President’s Race Initiative Report
Q. Mr. President, some are curious about
NoTE: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from how your book on race relations is coming
the Oval Office at the White House. on this Martin Luther King Day. Can you
give us an update on that?
Administration of William ]. Clinton, 2000 / Jan. 17 9]
The President. You know, I’m not going and to have had the opportunity to work with
to put it out until I have lots of time person- so many of your local officials.
ally to spend on it. I don’t want it to be some- I see also my good friend Charlene Drew
thing somebody else did that my name is on. Jarvis back there—welcome. And Sharon
The Middle East peace talks took away a lot Ambrose, who is the councilperson for this
of the time that I was going to spend on it, ward, I think is here. Thank you very much.
so I'm a little behind. But I’m working on Where are you? There you go.
it. So this is, to me, a source of immense
pride to see DC really coming back and
NOTE: The exchange began at 11:01 a.m. in the
doing well. But it won’t happen, we cannot
computer lab. A tape was not available for
realize the full potential of this city without
verification of the content of this exchange
Greater DC Cares, without other volunteers,
without people—companies like AT&T
Remarks at the Boys & Girls Club doing their part to help everybody become
of Greater Washington what they ought to be, and to ‘make all these
January 17, 2000 neighborhoods come alive again.
And let me also say a special word of ap-
Thank you very much. Good morning. preciation to the head of our national service
First of all, I want to take my notes out, be- program, who has already been mentioned
cause the older I get the worse my memory several times, Senator Harris Wofford. It is
is. [Laughter] 1 want to begin by thanking actually Harris Wofford and another good
Alex and all the people of DC Cares—the friend of Martin Luther King, Congressman
executive director, Susan Linsky, and all the John Lewis, who had the idea for making the
others who are here with DC Cares. I want King holiday a day on, not a day off. And
to thank the Washington CEO of the Boys AmeriCorps volunteers—when we started—
& Girls Clubs, Pat Shannon. Thank you. And I signed this bill 6 years ago to make the
I want to say, Charles Mann, it’s good to see King holiday a national holiday and a day of
you. Wish you had been on the field. [Laugh- service. And I think we had 10,000 volun-
ter] Next year. We'll get it next year. teers that day. Now we have hundreds of
Let me also say how honored I am to be thousands of volunteers, all across America,
here with your Mayor and your Representa- doing things like what we did today, thanks
tive in Congress. The Mayor use sd to be a in no small measure to you, sir. Anc d we thank
member of our administration,; ) you very much for your ‘leade ership.
lot of people don’t know that. I wor think And now I just want to do one other thing.
that’s why he’s such a successful mayor; he I want to acknowledge the young people who
got good preparation. [Laughter] And every- worked with me today—we were in there
thing he said about Eleanor Holmes Norton staining the bookcases in ‘the computer
is absolutely true. When she asks you for room—because they made sure I didn’t mess
something, there is only one question: Are up too bad. [Laughter] So, thank you,
you going to do it now, or are you going to Dietrich, Marcus, Dedra, Artile, and
do it later? [Laughter] Because, in the end, Shawntesse. Thank you. Raise your hands, all
she always gets what she wants. She’s been the people who worked with me. Thank you
a brilliant Representative. all very much. They're here somewhere.
When Hillary and I moved here to Wash- There they are, back there. [Applause]
ington, we wanted to be good citizens of the I just want to say one final thing that I
District of Columbia. Some of you may re- hope will go across America today. You look
member, one of the first things I did after at all these young people here, with your T-
I moved to Washington was to go to Georgia shirts on, doing good things—Dr. King once
Avenue and walk up and down it, talk to busi- gave a sermon at the National Cathedral here
ness people there. And ever since then, we've in Washington in which he said we are all
tried to be involved in the life of the city. caught up in—and he had a wonderful
And it’s a source of immense pride to me phrase—he said, “in an inescapable web of
to see the success that Washington is having, mutuality,” which is an elegant way of saying
92 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J]. Clinton, 2000
that I can never be fully what I want to be Mann; Mayor Anthony A. Williams of Wash-
unless you have a chance to be fully what ington, DC; Washington, DC, Councilmembers
you want to be. And you can never be fully Charlene Drew Jarvis, ward 4, and Sharon
Ambrose, ward 6; and Boys & Girls Club mem-
what you want to be unless I have a chance
bers Dietrich Williams, Marcus Harrison, Dedra
to be what I want to be: that we are in this
Gamble, Artile Wright, and Shawntesse Jefferson.
together, that we are members of the com-
munity of this city, the community of this
Nation, and the community of humanity. Statement on the Election
And frankly, we all know that in the last of Ricardo Lagos as President of
30-plus years since Martin Luther King left
Chile
this Earth, we have forgotten that too much.
January 17, 2000
And I have done my best to remind the
American people of the truth of that at every
I congratulate Ricardo Lagos on his victory
single opportunity for 7 years now. And it
in Chile’s Presidential election on Sunday,
is a source of immense pride and joy to me
January 16. I also congratulate the Chilean
every time I see people reaching across the
people for an election that was a model of
lines that divide them to do things that lift
civic participation and evidence of their
us all up. This holiday embodies that. All
strong commitment to democratic govern-
these children embody that.
ment.
In my lifetime, and perhaps in the lifetime
I look forward to working with President-
of our country, we have never, ever, ever be-
elect Lagos and to deepening the friendship
fore had at the same time so much economic
and cooperation that have characterized the
prosperity and social progress, with the ab-
excellent relations between our two nations.
sence of internal crisis or external threat. And
that means that we have an enormous obliga-
tion, those of us who are grown now, to make Remarks on the National Firearms
the most of this magic moment; to bring to Enforcement Initiative in Boston,
all the people, the neighborhoods, and the Massachusetts
children who haven't been a part of this eco-
January 18, 2000
nomic prosperity, a chance to live their
dreams, too. To bring to bear—yes, you can Well, Mayor, I was just thinking that you
clap for that. That's all right. [Applause] To should hope that Detective Holmes stays in
bring to bear our best efforts to meet the police work and out of politics. [Laughter]
long-term challenges of this country and not Didn’t she give a good speech? Let's give
to forget that more than a billion people in her another hand. That’s great. [Applause]
this old world of ours still live on less than I thought it was great.
a dollar a day; and that there are people, not Mr. Mayor; Senator Kennedy; Representa-
only at home but around the world, that the . e Joe Moakley; Barney Frank; Mike
United States ought to be lifting up. And if Capuano; to Commissioner Evans and all the
you believe Martin Luther King was right, members of the Boston Police Department
every time we give a child in America a that are here; representatives of law enforce-
chance, every time we give a child in Africa, ment who have come to Boston today to be
Latin America, or Asia a chance, all the rest with us—Jerry Flynn of the International
of us are better off, too. Every time you give Brotherhood of Police Officers, Tom Nee of
a little, you always get more back. the National Association of Police Organiza-
Let’s remember that as Dr. King’s endur- tions—I thank you all for welcoming us.
ing legacy.
I want to say that in addition to the Attor-
Thank you, and God bless you.
ney General, we are joined today by Treasury
Under Secretary Jim Johnson; the Director
NoTE: The President spoke at 11:48 a.m. in the
game room. In his remarks, he referred to Alex of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division,
Orfinger, chairman of the board of directors, and Brad Buckles; and of course, as the Attorney
Susan Linsky, executive director, Greater DC General mentioned, our United States attor-
Cares; former NFL Washington Redskin Charles ney, Don Stern.
Administration of WilliamJ ].C linton, 2000 / Jan. 18 93
I also want to thank Lynn Jackson for wel- people, and we had to have a policy to lower
coming us to Orchard Gardens Community the crime rate.
Center. She was nervous when she got up In Washington, the primary debate then
here to speak. I said, “Go on, you're sup- was whether we needed more prevention or
posed to start.” She said, “I’m not supposed tougher punishment and whether the Fed-
to start until they sit down.” So I said, “You eral Government ought to just give speeches
go up there and speak. I'll make them sit about it, because it was primarily a local
down.” [Laughter] So then when you stood problem, or give money and walk away. Well,
up for Lisa Holmes, she said, “Make them I felt that on both counts, we should do both.
sit down. Make them sit down.” I said, “Not The first elected job I ever had was attor-
on your life.” (Laughter) ney general of my State. Before that, when
Let me say to all of you, I am profoundly I was a young lawyer, and even when I was
grateful to the people of Boston and the State a law student, I used to teach criminal law,
of Massachusetts for being so good to me criminal procedure, and constitutional law to
law enforcement officials. I have always been
and to my family and to our administration.
interested in this, and I have always been
I've been running over in my mind all the
convinced that we had to have the proper
wonderful moments I’ve had here just since
balance of punishment and prevention and
1991 when I first started exploring whether
that the police could never do it alone, not
I should run for President, the first time I
without the community, not without the peo-
visited City Year here in Boston, and the day
ple in the street and the neighborhoods, not
I spent—Commissioner Evans and the
without the parents and the kids, people who
mayor took a half a day with the Attorney
want the blessings of a normal, safe life in
General and me to explain what you'd done
every neighborhood in this country.
to lower juvenile crime and lower dramati-
And so we've been working to try to give
cally the fatalities among children in this
you the tools to do both, to prevent more
community—all the other incredible times I
crime, to save more kids, to effectively punish
have spent in this city and in this State, in-
those who violate the law. In 1993 we passed
cluding the times that Hillary and Chelsea
the Brady bill. Congress passed it. It had pre-
and I have been vacationers here and con-
viously passed, but it had been vetoed by the
tributed, I might add, to the tax base of Mas-
previous President. I signed it and said I
sachusetts. [Laughter]
wanted to sign it, and I believed in it. And
But this is a special day for me, because I heard all that talk about how terrible it was
it is an enormous source of pride for me to going to be and what an awful burden it is.
stand up, after hearing a community leader, And now we have almost halfa million felons,
a police officer, the mayor, your Representa- fugitives, and stalkers who have not been able
tives in the United States Congress, and our to get handguns because of the Brady bill,
Attorney General talk about what you have and not a single hunter in America who's
done to give real life and real freedom back been inconvenienced. It was the right thing
to this community. to do. There are more citizens alive; there
When I ran for President, the biggest issue are more police officers alive today because
on most people’s minds was the economy. the Brady law is in effect.
Here I am in Boston, just south of New In 1994 the crime bill provided funds for
Hampshire—S years ago, I would have been 100,000 police officers over a 6-year period.
up there today—but they were all concerned Thanks to the leadership of the Attorney
about the banks closing and people having General and those working with her, we dis-
their mortgages foreclosed and all these tributed those funds and got those folks
other problems. But I knew that the chal- hired, under budget and ahead of schedule.
lenges facing America were not simply eco- We passed the assault weapons ban, cracked
nomic and that we had to have a policy to down on illegal gun dealing to young people,
try to move people from welfare to work. We kept an eye out also for the most innovative
had to have a policy to try to open up edu- local crimefighting strategies like Operation
cational opportunities to all of our young Cease Fire here in Boston.
94 Jan. 18 / Administrationo f William ]. Clinton, 2000
Now, the things you have done, and the been President and an astonishing oppor-
things we've tried to help you do, have trans- tunity I had back in 1993 to speak in the
formed life in America. As the Attorney Gen- Mason Temple Church of God and Christ
eral said, the crime rate’s dropped now for in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s where Dr.
7 years in a row; the overall crime rate’s at King spoke the night before he was killed.
its lowest level in 25 years; the murder rate We had all the leaders of that great church
is the lowest level nationwide 1 31 years; in America there at a time when America
gun crime down 35 percent; juveniles com- was a much more unsafe place. And I just
mitting homicides with guns down 57 per- started thinking off the top of my head, with
cent; gun prosecutions up at all levels of gov-
the crowd, I said, “You know, if Dr. King
ernment, local, State, and Federal. Federal
could come back to Earth today, what would
firearms prosecutions are higher today than
he say?” He'd say we've done a pretty good
they were in 1992, but they're up 25 percent
job of integrating our society, and we have
just since 1998 to 1999, those convicted of
more African-Americans and other minori-
Federal gun crimes serving longer sentences.
ties moving into the middle class, taking jobs
We are trying to send a message, an unam-
in public service, being fairly compensated
biguous message, to people who violate the
for what they do. But he would be sick by
law: If you commit crimes with guns or vio-
the crime and violence that is ravaging all
late gun laws, you will pay a heavy price. No
city has sent that message more clearly than the poor neighborhoods of this country. And
Boston. But your message is more than that. he would say, “I want you to know I did not
You have made us know that this is not just live and die so that children could destroy
a numbers game. You have shown that to re- children, so that children could destroy
duce crime most, and therefore to increase themselves with drugs and become million-
freedom most, among your families your aires destroying the lives of other children.”
children, and your ne ighborhoods, prosecu- And a lot of you are nodding your heads
tions must be targeted where they'll have the about that. This is a different country today
greatest impact—in Boston’s case, on violent because of you. Yes, those things still happen,
repeat offenders and on gun traffickers who but now America knows we can make it bet-
supply them. ter. All you have to do is tell somebody the
You have also shown that there needs to story of Boston and all cynicism disappears,
be a team effort, partnerships with citizens all ske» pticism disappears. Everybody knows
and leaders in every community, focused on we can make it better. We don’t have to give
saving kids and preventing crime before it up on our kids. We don’t have to give up
occurs And so after all these years of effort on our neighborhoods. We don’t have to tol-
and the leadership of your great mayor and
erate a level of fear and violence and crime
others, you have made Boston one of the
and insecurity that no civilized society will
safest cities in America. It is essential to mak-
tolerate.
ing America what we want it to be in the
Now, that is the good news, and we can
21st century.
all celebrate that good news. But if I were
You know, yesterday we celebrated the an-
to ask you this question—and I won’t make
nual holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther
you do it—but ifI w ere to ask you this ques-
King’s birthday, and I was honored to sign
tion, if Iw ere to say to you, “Now, everybody
the bill that made it not only a national holi-
that now thinks that Boston and Massachu-
day but a national day of service. We call
it a day on, not a day off. Yesterday, in keep- setts and America are safe enough, please
ing with my tradition, I went to the Boys raise your hand,” nobody would raise their
& Girls Clubs of Washington, DC, with a hand, right? Even though we're at a 3l-year
group of citizens called Greater DC Cares low in the murder rate, even though the juve -
and some young AmeriCorps volunteers, and nile murder rate with guns has gone way
we worked on rehabbing a facility. But in down, even though the crime rate’s at a 25-
preparation for that day, I thought about all year low, nobody believes that America is as
the other King holidays we've had since I’ve safe as it ought to be. No one who knows
Administrationo f William] .C linton, 2000 / Jan. 18 95
anything believes that all of our kids are as Fourth, we will create a groundbreaking
safe in their childhood as they ought to be. national ballistics network that eventually will
And so I say to you, what are we going enable us to trace almost any bullet left at
to do with this moment of promise? We don’t a crime scene anywhere in America to the
have any excuses anymore. You know, maybe gun of the criminal who fired it.
7 years ago people could throw up their Fifth, the budget provides local commu-
hands and say, “Oh, we can’t make it better. nities with grants to run the same kind of
Just support the police, lock them up longer, anti-gun-violence media campaigns that have
and hope someday it'll get better.” Nobody been such an important part of the successful
really knew. strategy used to reduce gun crime here in
Now we know. We don’t have any excuses Boston or in Richmond or in other cities
now. We know how to drive the crime rate which have tried it.
down, down, down. And we know how to All together, these efforts represent the
largest national gun enforcement initiative in
keep kids out of trouble in the first place.
the history of the United States. They will
We know how to save children. I think it’s
help communities across America to push
time we had the real goal we ought to have
violent crime rates down by cracking down
as a nation. We ought to say, “Okay, we got
harder on gun criminals and, again, by inter-
the crime rate down. Here’s our real goal:
rupting the flow to prevent more crimes.
We want America to be the safest big country
But I ask Congress to support them and
in the entire world.”
also ask Congress to start this new century
We can do that, not with a silver bullet
by abandoning another stale debate. For in
but by continuing build on what has
addition to the old debate about whether we
worked. And in my new budget and in the
should focus on punishment or prevention
State of the Union Address, I’m going to ask
and whether the Federal Government should
the Congress and the country to continue to
make speeches or give money, there’s a de-
move forward in the direction that has
bate that unfortunately hasn’t died out in
worked. Today I want to announce to you
Washington, and that’s about whether it’s
five specific initiatives that I believe will help
better to strengthen the enforcement of the
us al ot.
existing gun laws or to have strengthened gun
First, in my new budget I will call for hir-
laws.
ing 500 new ATF agents and inspectors, the
The truth is, just like the other questions,
largest increase in ATF firearms enforce- the real answer is, we should do both. That’s
ment ever. These new agents and inspectors what we've done with the Brady bill. That's
will help us to crack down on violent gun what we have done with the assault weapons
criminals, illegal gun traffickers, and bad- ban. And we should do more. The drop in
apple dealers, a small percentage of the deal- the crime rate has been due both to changing
ers who supply a very large percentage of laws and to better enforcement and better
the guns that go to criminals and to kids. prevention.
Senenll we will add, as the Attorney Gen- Last year we passed some sensible meas-
eral said, 1,000 new Federal, State, and local ures in the United States Senate, thanks to
prosecutors to help take dangerous gun the help of Senator Kennedy and with the
criminals out of our communities and put Vice President casting a tie-breaking vote. As
them where they belong, behind bars. he says, whenever he has to vote, we win.
Third, to strengthen the hand of the pros- [Laughter] So by one vote, we were able to
ecutors, we will invest more in the ATF’s na- defeat the high-pressure tactics of the NRA
tional gun tracing center and supply local law to pass an important advance in doing back-
enforcement agencies with the tools they ground checks at gun shows and urban flea
need to utilize that center, from computers markets. having child safety locks for all new
to training. We want to make it possible, and handguns, a ban on importing large capacity
we can make it possible, to trace the origin ammunition clips. But we couldn't pass it in
of every single gun used in every single crime the House of Representatives, even after the
in the United States. travesty of Columbine High School. I believe
96 Jan. 18 / Administration of WilliamJ .C linton, 2000
passing commonsense gun safety legislation nity which is at the root of our greatness.”
should be the very first action of this Con- We saw something about the root of Amer-
gress. ica’s greatness today here in Orchard Gar-
I will say again, to all the people who listen dens: a community leader proud of her cen-
to these arguments, there has been no dis- ter; a police cfficer who grew up just a stone’s
cernible increase in the burden on any law- throw from here; elected leaders who know
abiding sportsperson in this entire country the people who live in this area whom they
with the Brady bill and the assault weapons represent; a mayor proud of the progress that
ban, but we've saved a lot of lives of kids, people working together can do; all these
police officers, and citizens. And closing the people in uniform justifiably proud of what
gun show loophole, which is something I they have achieved. That’s what this is all
baow something about because they're very about, all of us working together and helping
popular in my part of the country, or the each other.
urban flea market loophole or banning the I say again, for all the progress we have
import of these large-cc apacity ammunition made, we should never rest, not any of us,
clips, which people can’t manufacture and as long as there’s one more child whose life
sell here at home anyway, or requiring these needs to be saved, as long as there’s one
child safety locks for kids, is an important more kid that can be turned away from drugs
advance, and it ought to be done. It'll have and guns and violence and kept out of prison
the same impact that the Brady bill and the in the first place, as long as there’s one more
assault weapons ban did. It won't cause any- street to make safe. We shouldn't quit until
body who is law-abiding any hassle, but it'll your country, your State, and your commu-
save lives. It’s important that we do this, too. nity are the safest places in the world.
also want to say I think it’s important Thank you, and God bless you.
that the gun industry take more responsibility
in changing the way it designs, markets, and NOTE: The President spoke at 2:20 p.m. in the
distributes firearms. [Applause] And let me Orchard Gardens Community Center. In his re-
marks, he referred to Mayor Thomas M. Menino
say to all of you who care about this—there
of Boston; Lisa Holmes, detective, and Paul F.
was some spontaneous applause there—you
Evans, commissioner, Boston Police Department;
should know this. There are responsible citi-
Gerald Flynn, alternate national vice president,
zens in the gun industry who actually want International Brotherhood of Police Officers:
to work with us to find new ways to make Thomas J. Nee, executive vice president, National
sure the guns they sell don’t wind up in the Association of Police Organizations; and Lynn
wrong hands and that kids aren’t killed acci- Jackson, director, Orchard Gardens Community
dentally with them. Part of the answer may Center. A tape was not available for verification
be in new technologies that could reduce ac- of the content of these remarks.
cidents.
I want all of you to listen to this. The law
Interview With Francine Kiefer and
enforcement officers probably won't be sur-
Skip Thurman of the Christian
prised by this, but this is important that you
know this. The accidental gun death rate of Science Monitor in Boston
children under 15 in the United States is 9 January 18, 2000
times higher than that in the other 25 biggest
industrial countries combined—combined. Elian Gonzalez
We don’t have to put up with that either. Q. Mr. President, I know your time is valu-
Technologies now exist that could lead to able. Let me start my recorder here. The first
guns that can only be fired by the adults who thing I wanted to ask you, there have only
own them. My budget helps the gun industry been a couple of times in this century that
accelerate the dev elopment of this tech- Congress has come together, got their heads
nology. So we need to support that as well. together enough, both sides of the Congress,
In his last campaign in 1968, Robert Ken- to come together and pass legislation to give
nedy said the fight against crime, and I quote, somebody citizenship. It happened with
“is a fight to preserve that quality of commu- Winston Churchill, a few other people. I