pd05se94 Statement on Withdrawal of Russian Forces From Eastern Europe...

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piece of legislation that's really good for America. And it shows that 
it is possible to do something like this in what has been too often a 
too partisan environment. So I'm not prepared to make a final judgment 
on that at this time.
    Q. Mr. President, you said just a moment ago that you didn't want to 
embrace an approach that would do more harm than good. That sounds like 
you'd be willing to wait.
    The President. Well, I think the less I say right now, the better. 
Let me talk to Senator Mitchell. This debate is now going on in the 
Congress. It depends on what Congress is capable of producing. And I 
think we need to wait on that. That's the counsel I've been given by a 
number of Senators who do want health care reform and want it as quickly 
as we can get it. They think we ought to let the dust settle a couple of 
days and give Senator Mitchell a chance to do a little talking with some 
others for a couple of days, and then we'll see where we are.

Cuba

    Q. Mr. President, do you think you've stemmed the tide of the Cuban 
refugees?
    The President. Well, we're working at it, that's all I can tell you. 
I'm encouraged that the numbers are down. The weather may or may not 
have something to do with that. We have made it clear that we're willing 
to discuss, through the appropriate channels, the whole issue of 
immigration. And we do have laws on the books which will permit us to do 
some more on legal immigration than we have done. So we're working at 
this.
    And I just want to say what I said yesterday: The Attorney General's 
doing a great job; the Immigration and Naturalization Service folks are 
doing a good job. We just need to be calm, steady, and firm, and I think 
we'll work through it just fine.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 3:20 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White 
House. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.


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[Page 1723-1724]
 
Monday, September 5, 1994
 
Volume 30--Number 35
Pages 1721-1731
 
Week Ending Friday, September 2, 1994
 
Statement on Signing the Hazardous Materials Transportation 
Authorization Act of 1994

August 26, 1994

    I am very pleased today to sign H.R. 2178, the ``Hazardous Materials 
Transportation Authorization Act of 1994.'' This accomplishes two 
important objectives of my Administration--reducing outmoded and 
unnecessary Government regulation and enhancing public safety on our 
Nation's roads.
    This is the second piece of important legislation that I have 
approved this summer to reduce unnecessary government regulation of the 
trucking industry, thereby helping to keep our economy strong and 
competitive. Title VI of the Federal Aviation Administration 
Authorization Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-305) removed the heavy burden 
of inconsistent State regulation of the trucking industry, which costs 
consumers up to $8 billion a year in added freight transportation costs 
for virtually everything we buy. Title II of the Act that I am signing 
today provides additional regulatory reforms at the Federal level.

[[Page 1724]]

    Title II will greatly reduce the massive Interstate Commerce 
Commission (ICC) paperwork burdens faced by the trucking industry, while 
preserving existing Federal safety regulations. The Act also continues 
the process of streamlining the ICC's programs, and requires a study of 
how to do even more to reduce further the scope of regulatory 
requirements that have outlived their usefulness. I expect the Secretary 
of Transportation and the Chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission 
to be both deliberate and thorough in identifying the remaining reforms 
that are necessary.
    In addition to streamlining regulatory requirements, this Act 
authorizes a strong Federal program to regulate hazardous materials 
transportation. It authorizes additional appropriations for the training 
of emergency response personnel; makes Indian tribes eligible for 
emergency response planning grants; and ensures that the National 
Intelligent Vehicle Highway System Program addresses the use of its 
technologies to promote hazardous materials safety. These measures will 
promote the continued safe transportation of hazardous materials and aid 
in our efforts to increase the safe operation of all commercial motor 
vehicles.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
August 26, 1994.

Note: H.R. 2178, approved August 26, was assigned Public Law No. 103-
311. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.


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[Page 1724-1725]
 
Monday, September 5, 1994
 
Volume 30--Number 35
Pages 1721-1731
 
Week Ending Friday, September 2, 1994
 
Statement on Signing the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, 
the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

August 26, 1994

     Today I have signed into law, H.R. 4603, the ``Departments of 
Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, FY 1995, and Supplemental Appropriations for FY 
1994.''
    This Act provides funding for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, 
and State; the Judiciary; and several smaller agencies.
    This Act marks a bold first step in our effort to combat violent 
crime in America. In this Act, the Congress has provided $2.3 billion in 
funding to support the key new programs in the newly-passed Crime Bill. 
Foremost, the bill makes good on the promise of the Crime Bill by 
providing $1.3 billion to begin putting 100,000 new police officers on 
the street over the next 6 years.
    The Act will enable the Justice Department to escalate its efforts 
to secure the border and to control illegal immigration. Resources are 
provided to expand the number of agents at high-risk crossing points to 
deter illegal immigration, improve the equipment available to agents to 
increase their effectiveness, expedite deportations of criminal illegal 
aliens, and increase asylum adjudications. The Act also provides, for 
the first time, a funding source to help States that are burdened by 
large numbers of criminal illegal aliens in their prisons. This $130 
million initiative highlights the Federal Government's commitment to 
share the responsibility for reducing the fiscal impact of illegal 
immigration with affected States.
    A total of $100 million is provided to States to upgrade their 
criminal records databases, continuing implementation of the Brady Bill 
to ensure that handguns stay out of the hands of criminals. Innovative 
programs such as boot camps and drug courts are supported to promote 
cost-effective methods of dealing with young nonviolent offenders. 
Finally, funds are provided to stop or penalize those criminals who 
prey, intentionally, on women.
    This Act, coupled with the Crime Bill, will provide the foundation 
for our bold new strategy of fighting crime in the United States.
    The Act also provides important funding for some of my investment 
priorities, including development of the information highway, the 
defense conversion projects of the Economic Development Administration, 
and projects to foster high technology at the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology.
    In addition to providing important funding for fiscal year 1995, the 
Act provides urgently needed emergency funding for fiscal year 1994. Due 
to an increased need for disaster assistance, stemming primarily from 
the Northridge earthquake in California and the

[[Page 1725]]

recent flooding in the Southeast, the Disaster Loan Program of the Small 
Business Administration (SBA) is out of funds. This Act provides $470 
million for SBA's Disaster Loan Program. Concurrently with signing H.R. 
4603 into law, I am informing the Congress of my designation of these 
funds as an emergency requirement, thereby making them available.
    Finally, this Act provides important funding for our contribution to 
United Nations international peacekeeping efforts around the world. 
These efforts are essential to reducing regional tensions and preventing 
or stopping the horror of war.
    Unfortunately, the Act does not provide sufficient funding for the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for fiscal year 1995. If the 
Congress does not provide additional funds for the SEC before adjourning 
in October, the SEC will have to shut down before the Congress returns 
next year. To avoid this, I urge the Congress to enact legislation 
providing the necessary budgetary resources for the SEC prior to the 
start of the new fiscal year.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
August 26, 1994.

Note: H.R. 4603, approved August 26, was assigned Public Law No. 103-
317. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.


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[Page 1725]
 
Monday, September 5, 1994
 
Volume 30--Number 35
Pages 1721-1731
 
Week Ending Friday, September 2, 1994
 
Appointment for the President's Committee on Mental Retardation

August 26, 1994

    The President today announced the appointment of Ann M. Forts of 
Center Harbor, New Hampshire, as a member of the President's Committee 
on Mental Retardation (PCMR).
    Ms. Forts will become the second self-advocate [a person with mental 
retardation] to serve as a member of the President's Committee on Mental 
Retardation and the second self-advocate appointed by the President to 
serve on the Committee.
    In appointing Ms. Forts, the President praised the contribution that 
she will make as a self-advocate on the PCMR Board: ``Ann Forts 
represents the goal of my administration in meeting the needs of 
citizens with disabilities. By listening to citizens with disabilities, 
as experts about their lives and what they need to live healthy and 
productive lives, we will be able to pursue our common vision of moving 
from exclusion to inclusion, from dependence to independence, from 
paternalism to empowerment. I look forward to the insight and wisdom Ann 
Forts will share with the members of the President's Committee on Mental 
Retardation.''

Note: A biography of the appointee was made available by the Office of 
the Press Secretary. This item was not received in time for publication 
in the appropriate issue.


<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
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[Page 1725-1726]
 
Monday, September 5, 1994
 
Volume 30--Number 35
Pages 1721-1731
 
Week Ending Friday, September 2, 1994
 
The President's Radio Address

August 27, 1994

    Good morning. This has been an historic week for the American 
people. After 6 years of talking about crime, Members of Congress in 
both Houses from both parties overcame their partisan divisions and the 
false choices of the past to pass the toughest attack on crime in 
history. With a little good faith and an awful lot of hard work, both 
Democrats and Republicans took a stand against crime as the American 
people had demanded they do for years.
    For all those Americans who want Washington to work for them, 
passing the crime bill shows we can break the stranglehold of politics-
as-usual and solve the problems you sent us all here to solve.
    Crime and violence have been increasing for a long time. Too many 
law-abiding citizens have been killed on their streets and in their 
homes. Too many of our children have been terrified on their streets and 
in their schools. Too many police officers have been killed in the line 
of duty, too many families torn apart. But for 6 years, Washington just 
talked about the crime problem and failed to act. But this week, 
Congress acted. The special interests lost. The public interest won. 
Democrats and Republicans came together without regard to party to make 
America safer, and every American can take heart.

[[Page 1726]]

    This is how Washington should work. It's how I wanted a Washington 
to work when I came here as President, and how I hope it will work in 
the future. All the elements of an anticrime program I talked about in 
my campaign for President are present in this bill and a lot more good 
things as well.

    This crime bill will put 100,000 more police on our streets in 
community policing, walking the beat, preventing crime, as well as 
catching criminals. That's a 20 percent increase in the number of police 
officers in America. It will provide more prisons and longer sentences 
for violent criminals. It will lock up the most dangerous criminals for 
good by making ``three strikes and you're out'' the law of the land. It 
will provide greater protection to women and children by imposing 
tougher penalties on those who prey on them. It will say to anyone who 
kills a police officer, ``You, too, can pay with your life.''

    The crime bill answers the call of police officers everywhere to do 
more to prevent crime from happening in the first place. It will help to 
steer young people away from gangs and drugs by helping them learn right 
from wrong and giving them something to say yes to as well as something 
to say no to.

    This bill does make it clear that some things are very wrong and 
young people must say no to them. That's why it prohibits juveniles from 
owning handguns and prohibits them from using them except under the 
supervision of a qualified adult. And this bill does something else that 
police officers have wanted us to do for a very long time. It bans 
assault weapons that were designed for soldiers to use in war but that 
have been used instead by gang members and gangsters to make war on 

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