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<DOC> [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents] [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [Page i-ii] Monday, August 23, 1999 Volume 35--Number 33 Pages 1633-1654 Contents [[Page i]] Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents [[Page ii]] Addresses and Remarks Baby boom echo education initiative--1649 Missouri, 100th anniversary convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. in Kansas City--1635 NCAA football champion Tennessee Volunteers--1647 Radio address--1633 School violence, public service announcements--1641 Turkey, earthquake--1641 Bill Signings Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000, statement--1644 Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999, statement--1644 Water Resources Development Act of 1999, statement--1645 Communications to Congress Cyprus, letter transmitting report--1652 Haiti, letter reporting on elections--1640 Communications to Federal Agencies Delegation of Responsibilities Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, memorandum--1647 Communications to Federal Agencies--Continued Military assistance to the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Group, memorandum--1635 Refugee admissions, memorandum on additional--1634 U.N. War Crimes Tribunal established with regard to the former Yugoslavia, memorandum authorizing support--1647 Statements by the President See also Bill Signings Deaths Ignaz Bubis--1646 Lane Kirkland--1634 Federal budget surplus--1652 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse--1648 Supplementary Materials Acts approved by the President--1654 Checklist of White House press releases--1654 Digest of other White House announcements--1653 Nominations submitted to the Senate--1653 Editor's Note: The President was in Martha's Vineyard, MA, on August 20, the closing date of this issue. Releases and announcements issued by the Office of the Press Secretary but not received in time for inclusion in this issue will be printed next week. WEEKLY COMPILATION OF ------------------------------ PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents contains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials released by the White House during the preceding week. The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Register Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under regulations prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10). Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished by mail to domestic subscribers for $80.00 per year ($137.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for $93.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The charge for a single copy is $3.00 ($3.75 for foreign mailing). There are no restrictions on the republication of material appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. [[Page 1633]] <DOC> [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents] [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [Page 1633-1634] Monday, August 23, 1999 Volume 35--Number 33 Pages 1633-1654 Week Ending Friday, August 20, 1999 The President's Radio Address August 14, 1999 Good morning. Throughout our history, American families have spent the summer enjoying the natural beauty of our Nation's waterways. Today more Americans than ever are spending their vacations by our beaches, our lakes, our rivers. And it's important to ensure that the water our families swim and fish in is as clean and safe as we can possibly make it. Clean water is the most simple necessity of our lives, and we almost take it for granted. But 25 years ago, many of our waterways were so dirty they actually posed a serious threat to public health. Then Congress passed the Clean Water Act, and we began the long process of reclaiming our waterways and preserving them for the future. For more than 6\1/2\ years now, Vice President Gore and I have worked to continue that legacy. We've strengthened the Safe Drinking Water Act, helping communities upgrade water treatment plants. We demanded more industries publicly disclose the chemicals they release into the air and water. We required water systems across the country to give customers regular reports on the safety of the water flowing from their taps. We strengthened protections for vital wetlands. And last year we launched a new clean water action plan to help finish the job the Clean Water Act started 25 years ago. We can all be proud of the progress we've made so far, but when 40 percent of our Nation's surveyed waterways are still too polluted for swimming or fishing, we know we have to do more. Like many Americans, I was shocked to learn that several young children became gravely ill last week after swimming in a lake that may have been contaminated with E. coli bacteria. That is simply unacceptable. Parents have a right to expect that our recreational waters are safe for their children to swim in. All Americans have a right to expect we're doing all we can to clean up our waterways. So today I'm pleased to announce that we're taking new action to ensure that every river, lake, and bay in America is clean and safe. The EPA will work in partnership with States to assess the state of all our waterways, to identify the most polluted waters, and to develop strong, enforceable plans to restore them to health. These steps will chart a course to clean up 20,000 waterways, and ensure that they remain safe for generations to come. But just as we're taking new action to preserve our environment for future generations, the Republican leadership in Congress is laying plans to roll back more than a quarter century of bipartisan progress in public health and environmental protection. Without explanation or excuse, the Republicans' spending bills slash important environmental initiatives, like our lands legacy program to preserve natural treasures, farms, urban parks, wetlands, and other green spaces. They shortchange vital research and development programs that address the threat of global warming, that help us to develop alternative fuels in vehicles that pollute less and to make the maximum use of available energy conservation technologies. And their spending bills are also loaded with unrelated provisions that would sacrifice crucial environmental protections for the sake of special interests. I vetoed bills before because they contain such anti-environmental riders, and if necessary, I'm prepared to do it again. The budget of the Republican leadership isn't simply turning back the clock on environmental protection. It's also turning its back on 6 years of fiscal responsibility and prudent investment, a policy that's produced the strongest economy in a generation, the longest peacetime expansion in our history, the largest surplus in our history. [[Page 1634]] Their budget plan, because it contains such a large tax cut, would actually threaten our environment because it would require big cuts in environmental enforcement, letting toxic waste dumps fester, even shutting down national parks. In addition to that, we'd have across-the- board cuts in everything from education to medical research to defense, and they wouldn't add a day to the life of the Social Security or Medicare Trust Fund, nor would they pay off the debt. Our budget continues to invest in the environment and education and medical research and defense. It pays off the debt in 15 years for the first time since 1835, and it lengthens the life of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. It's a good budget, and it also provides for a modest tax cut. We have proved time and again that we don't have to choose between growing our economy or preserving our environment. We can do both with discipline. So again, I ask Congress, let's put politics aside and continue the commonsense course that is already leading us toward a cleaner environment, a stronger economy, and a stronger America for the 21st century. Let's work together to give our children the gift of a better, healthier world. Thanks for listening. Note: The address was recorded at 5:04 p.m. on August 12 in the Oval Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 14. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on August 13 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. <DOC> [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents] [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [Page 1634] Monday, August 23, 1999 Volume 35--Number 33 Pages 1633-1654 Week Ending Friday, August 20, 1999 Statement on the Death of Lane Kirkland August 14, 1999 Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Lane Kirkland, one of the towering figures in the American labor movement. For nearly five decades, he was a guiding force for workplace fairness, dignity, and innovation, and a catalyst for international democracy. Lane led the AFL-CIO during 15 of the most challenging years in labor's history. With skill, determination, and unparalleled intellect, he reunited the major unions and reaffirmed labor's place at the table of American democracy. With his unflagging support of free trade unionism internationally, especially in Poland, he helped hasten the fall of the Iron Curtain while showing America that it is possible to stand up to communism abroad while standing up for working men and women here at home. From his days as a merchant marine during World War II to his work on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Peace, he was always ready and willing to serve his country. I valued his friendship, strong support, and keen advice. He was a great American, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Irena, and his family in this time of mourning. <DOC> [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents] [frwais.access.gpo.gov] [Page 1634-1635] Monday, August 23, 1999 Volume 35--Number 33 Pages 1633-1654 Week Ending Friday, August 20, 1999 Memorandum on Additional Refugee Admissions August 12, 1999 Presidential Determination No. 99-33 Memorandum for the Secretary of State Subject: Emergency Presidential Determination on Additional FY 99 Refugee Admissions Numbers Pursuant to Section 207(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act In accordance with section 207(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the ``Act'') (8 U.S.C. 1157(b)), and after appropriate consultations with the Congress, I hereby determine that an unforeseen refugee emergency exists in Europe, and that the admission to the United States of Kosovar refugees in response to this emergency is justified by grave humanitarian concerns and is in the national interest. The admission of these refugees cannot be accomplished under the worldwide refugee admissions ceiling of 78,000 for Fiscal Year 1999, as authorized in Presidential Determination 98-39 of September 30, 1998, and an increase to 91,000 is warranted. The revised regional allocations are as Other Popular 1999 Presidential Documents Documents:
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