pd06fe95 Remarks to the National Governors' Association Meeting...

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off. I'm determined to work with all of them to pass welfare reform, and 
I hope we can make some progress today.
    This is a complex and sometimes divisive issue. But if we put 
partisanship aside, we can come together and solve it around some simple 
and important values: moving from dependence to independence, from 
welfare to work, from childbearing to responsible parenting. Let this be 
the year we end welfare as we know it. And let it also be the year we 
are all able to stop using this issue to divide America. That should be 
our commitment. The American people deserve nothing less.
    Thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 6:08 p.m. on January 27 in the 
Roosevelt Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 
28.

[[Page 137]]


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[Page 137]
 
Monday, February 6, 1995
 
Volume 31--Number 5
Pages 131-191
 
Week Ending Friday, February 3, 1995
 
Statement on the Death of Jim Grant

January 28, 1995

    It was with deep sadness and regret that Hillary and I learned today 
of the death of Jim Grant, executive director of UNICEF. Throughout his 
long career, Jim Grant was a visionary leader, one of the most 
distinguished international public servants of our time. It was in 
recognition of Jim Grant's lifelong contributions that I was honored to 
present him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom last August.
    Under Jim Grant's 15 years of leadership, UNICEF has earned a 
reputation as one of the most effective and esteemed U.N. agencies. 
UNICEF retains its special place in the hearts of all Americans.
    We will remember Jim Grant most for his tireless advocacy on behalf 
of the world's children and for pioneering low-cost, simple techniques 
for alleviating disease, poverty, and suffering among the neediest of 
children. One measure of his legacy lies in the fact that today 80 
percent of children in the developing world receive immunizations 
compared with 20 percent in 1980, when Jim Grant assumed leadership of 
UNICEF.
    Today we have lost a personal friend, an American hero, and champion 
of children throughout the world. We will all miss him.


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[Page 137-138]
 
Monday, February 6, 1995
 
Volume 31--Number 5
Pages 131-191
 
Week Ending Friday, February 3, 1995
 
Remarks at the National Governors' Association Dinner

January 29, 1995

    Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the White House, 
again for many of you, and for the first time for some. This is always 
one of my favorite evenings of the year, one of Hillary's favorite 
evenings, a chance to see old friends and think about old times and look 
to the future.
    Two years ago, when I had the opportunity for the first time to host 
this dinner, after having been on the other end of it for 12 years, I 
pledged to you that I would take the experiences that we had shared 
together and strive to form a new partnership with the Governors and 
with the States. After 2 years, I think it's fair to say that we have 
made good on that pledge. And tonight, I want to renew that pledge as we 
debate the astonishing range of opportunities and challenges that are 
ahead of us.
    I also want to thank those of you who have gone out of your way to 
give me the opportunity to make good on the pledge when you thought we 
were slipping a little. [Laughter] And I want to thank those of you who 
have acknowledged what you thought we were doing right. In particular, 
two of the Governors, not of my party, who went through the line tonight 
and complimented the partnership of the Federal Government and various 
agencies, I appreciate very much.
    I think every American now wants Government to expand opportunity 
and to shrink bureaucracy, to empower people to make the most of their 
own lives, to enhance our security but not to do those things which it 
ought not to do. Working in partnership with us, many of you have 
pioneered ways to reform health care and to reform welfare, free of 
Federal rules and regulations which had previously encumbered you. We 
have done our part to be good partners. We have reduced the deficit; we 
have reduced the size of the Government; we have reduced regulation in 
important areas.
    We have also done what we could to improve our performance. I cited 
in the State of the Union, and I cite again, something that those of you 
who have had the misfortune to have disasters know, which is that the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, and all those who work in the 
disaster area, the Department of Transportation, HUD, and others, are no 
longer a disaster when disaster occurs. They are there working in 
partnership with you, and we want to do more of that.
    In that spirit now, we begin a new year of debates, working on 
welfare, perhaps the most important thing we can do from the point of 
view of all the people of all of our States, without regard to party or 
region or race or income.
    We had a very, very good meeting yesterday with a bipartisan group 
of Governors, local officials, Members of Congress, and I thank those of 
you who participated.
    The Vice President will also be presenting a second round of 
reinventing Government proposals which will cut further spending

[[Page 138]]

and reduce the Federal role and give more responsibilities to the State. 
And as you know, we are proposing a tax relief package which focuses 
primarily on education and giving people tax reductions in return for 
educating their children and themselves.
    I hope as we go forward, we can agree on the things which we don't 
think the Federal Government should be doing. And I hope we'll also be 
agreeing on some things we think we should do. There is a plain national 
interest in protecting the essential needs of the children of this 
country. We clearly can do some things right in a nonbureaucratic, 
creative way. And I think the best example of that is AmeriCorps, our 
national service program, which has worked closely with many of you in 
this room tonight.
    I want to close by saluting your distinguished chair, Governor Dean, 
and Judy, and all of you for all you have done. For those of you who 
have worked with Hillary and with me over the years, and with the 
members of our Cabinet, particularly those who are former Governors--and 
I see Governor Babbitt and Governor Riley here--let me say that there in 
no more rewarding experience than being able to reach across the lines 
that divide us to feel that we are really making a difference in 
peoples' lives; that we are giving the American people a government that 
is leaner, but not meaner; one that really does help them make the most 
of their own lives. I think that's why we all got into this work, and if 
we'll just keep that in mind, I think when we're all done, we'll be very 
proud.
    I'd like to propose a toast to the chair of the National Governors' 
Association and to his fine wife, and to all the Governors and their 
spouses tonight.
    To the Governors and their families, thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 8:41 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont, 
Chair of the National Governors' Association, and his wife, Judith.


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[Page 138]
 
Monday, February 6, 1995
 
Volume 31--Number 5
Pages 131-191
 
Week Ending Friday, February 3, 1995
 
Remarks in a Telephone Conversation Congratulating the Super Bowl 
Champion San Francisco 49ers

January 29, 1995

    The President. Eddie, can you hear me?
    Eddie DeBartolo. Yes, Mr. President, I can.
    The President. It's nice to hear your voice. Congratulations.
    Mr. DeBartolo. Thank you so much, sir.
    The President. I want to say to you and to George and Carmen and to 
all your wonderful players, it was a--the whole season was thrilling for 
all of us, and I think the best thing I can say about the 49ers is, I 
haven't met a single fan anywhere in America who resents all the success 
you've had. And that's a rare thing. And it's a real tribute to you, to 
the coach, and to the players in the way you've won and the way you've 
conducted yourself. We're all happy and proud of you tonight.
    Mr. DeBartolo. Well, Mr. President, I can't thank you enough for 
taking this time, and I know from a very busy schedule. And we're all 
your backers, and I thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
    The President. Thank you. Congratulations to all of you.
    Mr. DeBartolo. Thank you very much.
    The President. I liked seeing George without his glasses. He looks 
good.

Note: The President spoke at 10 p.m. from the Residence at the White 
House. In his remarks, the President referred to San Francisco 49ers 
owner Eddie DeBartolo, head coach George Seifert, and team president 
Carmen Policy.


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[Page 138-139]
 
Monday, February 6, 1995
 
Volume 31--Number 5
Pages 131-191
 
Week Ending Friday, February 3, 1995
 
Remarks at the National Governors' Association Gala

January 29, 1995

    Thank you. Well, we want to thank John and Jonathan and Mary Chapin 
Carpenter. And at least from my part, I know how hard it is to do 
anything when you're hoarse. [Laughter]

[[Page 139]]

    It doesn't get any better than this. You were wonderful. We thank 
you. It's been wonderful for Hillary and for me to have all of you here. 
There will be music out in the foyer and a little dancing if you have a 
little of that spirit.
    I will say this: For all of us who come from small towns all across 
America, I wish I had a nickel for every time I drove through that town 
you sang about tonight. [Laughter]
    Thank you all. God bless you, and good night.

Note: The President spoke at 10:48 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to singer Mary Chapin Carpenter and 
her accompanists, John Jennings and Jonathan Carroll.


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[Page 139-141]
 
Monday, February 6, 1995
 
Volume 31--Number 5
Pages 131-191
 
Week Ending Friday, February 3, 1995
 
Remarks to the National Governors' Association Meeting

January 30, 1995

    Good morning. First, I want to welcome you back to the White House. 
For those of you who were here last night, Hillary and I enjoyed having 
you; it was a great dinner and we enjoyed the conversation and the 
entertainment and the fellowship.
    There are two or three things I'd like to speak about this morning 
before turning the microphone over to Governor Dean and Governor 
Thompson and the Vice President. First, let me thank the executive 
committee for its vote yesterday on our stabilization measure for 
Mexico. And let me urge the NGA as a whole to support that executive 
committee recommendation.
    The United States has a lot at stake in Mexico. We have hundreds of 
thousands of jobs that are tied to the success of the Mexican economy. 
It is now our third largest trading partner--several billions of dollars 
a year. Our future cooperation and our ability to manage some very 
significant immigration problems could be affected by what is going on 
there, and the efforts that we are making to cooperate on the drug issue 
could obviously be affected by what is going on there.
    I want to emphasize that the stabilization initiative is not a gift, 
not a loan, not a bailout; it is a loan guarantee. We are cosigning a 
note. We'll have good collateral. We're doing it because it's in the 
interest of the United States. I worked on it extensively this weekend, 
and I realize that it's not politically popular back home, it's a rather 
complex issue, but it is clearly in the interest of American workers, 
American businesses, and the United States as a whole. So I thank the 
executive committee for your vote, and I hope the NGA as a whole will 
follow the recommendation of the executive committee.
    The second thing I'd like to talk about is, very briefly, is the 
commitment that I made 2 years ago to have a better, stronger 
partnership with the States, to regulate less, to empower more, to try 
to push more responsibilities down to the State and local level. The 
Vice President will say a little more about that, and then tomorrow at 
the NGA I'll have a chance to speak in greater detail.
    But we have worked not simply to reduce the size of the Federal 
Government, although we have by over 100,000 already; not just to reduce 
the burden of regulation, although we have in banking and interstate 
trucking and number of other areas; not just to reduce the cost, 
although we did, last year was the first time in 25 years when the 
Congress voted to reduce both domestic and defense spending, obviously, 
except for Social Security and the health care programs, but also to try 
to move responsibility to the States.
    In the last 2 years, our administration, for example, granted more 
waivers in the area of health care and welfare reform than in the 
previous 12 years combined. And we want to do more of that. We also have 
worked very hard to try to help work through problems that have existed 

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