Statement by the President: Foreign Operations (10/25/00)
                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                          October 25,
2000


                        STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

     I commend the House and Senate for passing a foreign operations bill
today that supports our efforts to promote peace and stability around the
world, in turn helping to make our nation more safe and secure.

     I am particularly pleased that this legislation funds our landmark
initiative to provide debt relief to the poorest of the world?s nations.
Our commitment to debt relief  gives these poorest countries a critical
opportunity to combine reform with funds to reduce poverty and provide
basic health care and education for their people.  I applaud the efforts of
all those across the political spectrum who joined forces to secure this
vital funding.

     I also am pleased that this legislation increases funding to fight
HIV/AIDS.  In nations around the world, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of
death and is undermining decades of effort to reduce mortality, improve
health, expand educational opportunities, and lift people out of poverty.

     This legislation also helps strengthen our efforts to support
democracy and stability in Southeastern Europe, the Newly Independent
States, and other key regions. It includes additional resources to combat
terrorism and nuclear proliferation.  It also provides increases for our
Peace Corps volunteers around the world, and for the Export-Import Bank,
which supports the export of American products overseas.

     Finally, I am pleased that this legislation commits additional
critical funding for international family planning organizations, and lifts
the restrictions hampering their work that I have strongly opposed in the
past.

                                 30-30-30


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