pd09fe98 Acts Approved by the President...

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you couldn't do it. They said there is no way to cut the rest of 
Government enough to reduce the deficit and increase investment in 
important areas. But that is an important achievement as well.
    Now it is most important of all that we balance the budget while 
renewing our commitment to save Social Security. When I left Washington 
last week and went to Champaign, Illinois, and La Crosse, Wisconsin, I 
was moved by the strength and depth of the American people's priority 
for the surplus they created. I think they want us to save

[[Page 180]]

Social Security first, as well. And I hope all of you, and Members of 
Congress in both parties, will support that.
    We have a great opportunity now to take action now to avert a crisis 
in the Social Security system. We have a great opportunity now to be 
able to tell all these young people who are shadowing their Cabinet and 
administration leaders that Social Security will be there for them when 
they retire. We have a great opportunity, those of us in the baby boom 
generation, to tell our own children that when we retire and start 
drawing Social Security, it isn't going to bankrupt them to take care of 
us and undermine their ability to take care of their own children. We 
need to do this. We don't need to take any shortcuts; we don't need to 
take any short-term benefits. Before we do anything with that surplus, 
let's save Social Security first. [Applause] Thank you.
    The budget continues our efforts at education reform. As I said, it 
enables us to hire 100,000 new teachers working with States, to reduce 
class size to an average of 18 in the first, second, and third grades, 
and to help modernize or build 5,000 schools. It helps to give our 
parents the tools they need to meet their responsibilities at home and 
at work, among other things allowing people between the ages of 55 and 
65 who lose their health insurance to buy into the Medicare program.
    It includes a breakthrough investment in child care through tax 
credits, vouchers for States, scholarships for care givers. It will help 
America to meet its obligations in international leadership, meet our 
obligations to stabilize the world's financial markets, to pay our dues 
to the United Nations, to continue our support of our military so that 
our men and women in uniform can continue to do the job for us.
    It will provide tax cuts in research and development to help meet 
the challenge of global climate change in a way that enables us to grow 
the economy while actually improving the environment. It continues to 
support our urban empowerment strategy, bringing more private sector 
investments to our hardest-pressed cities and neighborhoods while 
continuing to put 100,000 police officers on the streets and giving our 
children something to do after school, so more of them can stay out of 
trouble and on a path to success.
    It will leave to future generations the gift of scientific and 
medical advances. The 21st Century Research Fund, the largest funding 
increases ever for the National Institute of Health, the National 
Science Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute, will speed the 
progress of biomedical breakthroughs in the fight against many of our 
deadliest diseases.
    The budget funds these initiatives by continued cuts in Government 
programs, by closing unwarranted tax loopholes, and from the passage of 
tobacco legislation, which, as every passing day shows, is critically 
important to the future of our children and therefore of our country.
    This budget meets the test I set out before Congress last week: no 
new spending initiatives, no new tax cuts unless they can actually be 
accomplished without adding a dime to the deficit. For more than two 
centuries, Americans have strengthened our Nation at every critical 
moment with confidence, unity, a determination to meet every challenge. 
For too long, the budget deficit, a worsening crime wave, the seemingly 
unsolvable welfare difficulties--they all seemed to challenge our innate 
American confidence. In the past 5 years, the American people have met 
these challenges and have moved to master them. Now we have a chance, in 
a period of peace and prosperity with renewed confidence, to build for 
the future. That's what this balanced budget does.
    Now, it is--I am going to close my remarks now by asking the Vice 
President to give me a magic marker so that I can be the first person to 
actually certify what the budget will say for the coming year. Even we 
can do this. I am technologically challenged, therefore, we're not doing 
this on a computer. [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 10:44 a.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. At the end of his remarks, he wrote ``$0!'' on a poster labeled 
``1999 Deficit.''

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[Page 181]
 
Monday, February 9, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 6
Pages 175-225
 
Week Ending Friday, February 6, 1998
 
Statement on Land and Water Conservation Fund Acquisitions

February 2, 1998

    Last spring, in concluding an historic balanced budget agreement 
with the Congress, one of my highest priorities was ensuring the funds 
needed to continue our efforts to protect America's natural treasures. 
With those funds now appropriated, I am pleased that today Secretaries 
Babbitt and Glickman are transmitting to Congress a list of sites that 
are particularly precious to Americans and deserving of our stewardship.
    Each of the 100 sites on this list represents an important piece of 
America's natural and historic legacy. With these acquisitions, we will 
put the finishing touches on the renowned Appalachian Trail and secure 
critical winter range for Yellowstone's bison and elk. We will rebuild 
salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest and protect an ancient caldera in 
New Mexico that is home to one of the country's largest elk herds. We 
will preserve Civil War battlefields where Americans fought and died. We 
will safeguard vital swaths of this great land literally from coast to 
coast.
    I am extremely proud of our success in preserving Yellowstone, the 
Everglades, Lake Tahoe, and the red rock canyons of Utah. The budget I 
submit today to Congress--the first balanced budget in a generation--
will allow us to save even more of America's natural and historic 
treasures. I am confident that with the bipartisan support of Congress, 
we can continue not only to protect but to restore nature's magnificent 
gifts. Together, we can assure that future generations know and enjoy 
this land in all its true splendor.


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[Page 181-183]
 
Monday, February 9, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 6
Pages 175-225
 
Week Ending Friday, February 6, 1998
 
Executive Order 13072--White House Millennium Council

February 2, 1998

    By the authority vested as me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and in order to announce the 
formation of a Council to recognize national and local projects that 
commemorate the millennium, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Policy. The White House, the Department of Education, and 
all executive branch agencies shall lead the country in a national and 
educational celebration of our culture, democracy, and citizenry. The 
Federal Government has a special responsibility to inspire the American 
people to reflect upon and commemorate the achievements of this 
country's past and to celebrate the possibilities of the future. To 
carry forward this country's great democratic tradition and enrich the 
lives of our children and the children of the 21st century, the Federal 
Government shall encourage Americans to make plans to mark the new 
millennium in communities across America. By leading this country in a 
grand educational celebration of the past and future, the Federal 
Government has an unprecedented opportunity to energize and unite the 
Nation with a renewed sense of optimism in the accomplishments and 
promise of America.
    Sec. 2. White House Millennium Council. (a) To enable the White 
House, the Department of Education, and executive branch agencies to 
provide national leadership in this historic time, I hereby announce the 
formation of the White House Millennium Council.
    (b) The White House Millennium Council shall be composed of a 
Director, Deputy Director, administrative staff, and a representative 
from each of the following:
(1)         Department of State;
(2)         Department of the Treasury;
(3)         Department of Defense;
(4)         Department of Justice;
(5)         Department of the Interior;
(6)         Department of Agriculture;
(7)         Department of Commerce;
(8)         Department of Labor;
(9)         Department of Health and Human Services;
(10)        Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(11)        Department of Transportation;
(12)        Department of Energy;
(13)        Department of Education;
(14)        Department of Veterans Affairs;
(15)        Environmental Protection Agency;
(16)        Office of Management and Budget;
(17)        Small Business Administration;

[[Page 182]]

(18)        United States Information Agency; and
(19)        General Services Administration.
At the Director's discretion, the Director may request other agencies to 
be represented on the Council.
    (c) The mission of the Council is to lead the country in a 
celebration of the new millennium by initiating and recognizing national 
and local projects that contribute in educational, creative, and 
productive ways to America's commemoration of this historic time. To 
these ends, the Council shall:
(1)         Mark the 200th anniversary of the occupancy of the White 
            House by American Presidents, the 200th anniversary of the 
            establishment of the Federal capital city in Washington, 
            D.C., and the 200th anniversary of the first meeting of the 
            Congress in the Capitol, celebrating these events in the 
            year 2000 as milestones in our democratic system of 
            government;
(2)         Plan events to recognize the history and past 
            accomplishments of America that reflect upon the present 
            forces shaping society and that encourage thoughtful 
            planning for the future;
(3)         Produce informational and resource materials to educate the 
            American people concerning our Nation's past and to inspire 
            thought concerning the future;
(4)         Encourage communities and citizens to initiate and to 
            participate in local projects that inspire Americans to 
            remember their past achievements, understand the present 
            challenges to society, and make concrete contributions to 
            the next generations of their families, communities, and 
            country;
(5)         Work with Federal agencies, the Congress, elected officials, 
            and all citizens to plan activities and programs that will 
            unite the American people in contemplation and celebration 
            of the next century and the new millennium;
(6)         Make recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior 
            regarding the provision of assistance from funds made 
            available for Save America's Treasures in the Historic 
            Preservation Fund to public and private entities that are 
            protecting America's threatened cultural treasures. These 
            treasures include significant documents, works of art, maps, 
            journals, and historic structures that document and 
            illuminate the history and culture of the United States;
(7)         Encourage Federal agencies to develop programs to 
            commemorate and celebrate the new millennium in ways 
            consistent with their individual agency missions and that 
            advance a more unified America in the 21st century;
(8)         Encourage Federal agencies, through local branches and 
            offices, to reach out into communities and inspire citizens 
            to participate in grassroots activities and to give 
            permanent gifts to the future;
(9)         Work in partnership with private-sector and nonprofit 
            entities that initiate productive and worthwhile national 
            and community-based efforts to commemorate the new 
            millennium and encourage citizen participation, 
            volunteerism, and philanthropy;
(10)        Highlight public and private millennium initiatives that 
            promote the goals of the Council; and
(11)        Cooperate with other nations that are planning millennium 
            events to expand the opportunities for international 
            communication and understanding.
    Sec. 3. Administration. To the extent permitted by law, the heads of 
executive departments and agencies shall provide such information and 
assistance as may be necessary for the Council to carry out its 
functions.
    Sec. 4. Judicial Review. This order does not create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by a party 
against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any other 
person.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
February 2, 1998.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., February 4, 
1998]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on February 3, and

[[Page 183]]

it was published in the Federal Register on February 5.


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[Page 183-186]
 
Monday, February 9, 1998
 
Volume 34--Number 6
Pages 175-225
 
Week Ending Friday, February 6, 1998
 
Remarks at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico

February 3, 1998

    Thank you so much for that warm welcome. Thank you, Secretary Pena, 
for being a truly outstanding Energy Secretary. Thank you, Senator 
Bingaman for your long friendship and your leadership. Thank you, 
Congressman Redmond. I really admire a guy who had enough guts to tell 
that joke. [Laughter] I wouldn't do it. [Laughter] But you know, the 
nice thing about that story is everybody knows that 13 doesn't last 
forever. [Laughter] Unfortunately, 18 comes, and they're gone, and you 
wish even they were 13 again, you would take.
    Thank you, Dr. Browne, for a wonderful, but too brief, review of the 
operations here at Los Alamos. And we're delighted to be joined today by 
the directors of the Sandia and Lawrence Livermore Labs, Dr. Paul 
Robinson and Dr. Bruce Tarter. I thank Attorney General Udall for being 
here, the chair of the Corporation Commissioners, Jerome Block, 
Commissioner Serna, the tribal leaders, and others who have joined us. 
Thank you all.

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