THE WHITE HOUSE AT WORK
Tuesday, June 6,
2000
PRESIDENT CLINTON:
CALLING ON CONGRESS TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION
ON AMERICA'S AGENDA
"Today is the first full day back to work for members of Congress
since Memorial Day. Three weeks from now, they leave again for the Fourth of
July recess. Those three weeks provide a critical window of opportunity for
Congress to make real progress on some of our nation's most vital priorities. I
urge congressional leaders to seize that opportunity."
President Bill Clinton
Tuesday, June 6, 2000
Today, at the White House, President Clinton called on Congressional
leaders to break the logjam that has delayed action on critical issues such as
disaster relief, the war against drugs, military readiness, LIHEAP cooling
assistance, and air safety. The President insisted that Congress immediately
pass supplemental emergency funding that has languished in the Senate for
months. The President also called on Congress to complete work on a fiscally
responsible budget that invests in the American people, and to pass
common-sense gun safety legislation; a strong, enforceable Patient's Bill of
Rights; a $1 increase in the minimum wage over two years; and an affordable,
voluntary Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Calling for An End To Funding Delays For Critical Needs. In
February, President Clinton sent Congress an urgent $5.5 billion supplemental
funding request to pay for pressing national needs that could not wait for next
year's budget. After quick, bipartisan House action, the Senate has now dragged
its feet for three months. Among other serious consequences, further delays
will result in:
- Reduced air safety inspections and air traffic control system
maintenance;
- Delayed relief to victims of Hurricane Floyd;
- Insufficient firefighting resources on national parks and public
lands;
- No emergency LIHEAP cooling assistance for low-income families;
- Weakened anti-drug efforts in Colombia;
- A delay in providing international debt relief; and
- Insufficient funding for military readiness and American troops
in Kosovo.
Urging Congress to Move Forward on America's Priorities. The
President called on Republican Congressional leaders to complete work on the
following key priorities:
- Raising the minimum wage;
- Permanent normal trade relations for China;
- A strong, enforceable Patient's Bill of Rights;
- An affordable, voluntary Medicare prescription drug benefit
available to all beneficiaries; and
- Common-sense gun safety legislation.
Insisting on a Budget that Invests in our Priorities. The
President has proposed a balanced and fiscally responsible budget that makes
investments in key priorities for the American people, including important
investments in education such as modernizing 6,000 schools, hiring 100,000
quality teachers to reduce class size, identifying and turning around failing
schools, and increasing accountability. However, in order to pay for fiscally
irresponsible tax cuts, Congressional Republicans have cut $24 billion from the
President's domestic priorities. This would result in fewer quality teachers
for our schools, fewer law enforcement officers and prosecutors to fight crime,
reduced environmental protection, and less funding for National Science
Foundation research. This year, as he has for the past seven, President Clinton
will insist that Congress produce a responsible budget that honors our values
and invests in the American people. |
