INTRODUCTION: The President held a news conference this afternoon concerning Congressional efforts to merge USAID, ACDA and USIA with the State Department and to cut the foreign affairs budget. Excerpts from the press conference follow:
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I want to speak with you today about legislation that Congress is considering which would place new restrictions on how America conducts its foreign policy and slash our budget in foreign affairs. I believe these bills threaten our ability to preserve America's global leadership and to safeguard the security and prosperity of the American people in the post-Cold War world.
The world is still full of dangers but more full of opportunities, and the United States must be able to act aggressively to combat foreign threats and to make commitments, and then to keep those commitments. These bills would deprive us of both those capabilities.
Supporters of the bills call them necessary cost-cutting measures. But in reality, they are the most isolationist proposals to come before the U.S. Congress in the last 50 years. They are the product of those who argue passionately that America must be strong and then turn around and refuse to pay the price of that strength or to give the presidency the means to assert that strength.
The price of conducting our foreign policy is, after all, not very high. Today it's slightly more than 1 percent of the budget. Let me say that again: Slightly more than 1 percent of the budget. That's about 1/15th of what Americans think it is, according to the most recent surveys, and it's only 1/5th of what Americans believe would be about the right amount to spend.
In other words, we don't spend 15 percent of the budget on foreign policy, or even 5, but just a little over 1, and that 1 percent, which includes our contributions to the Multilateral Development Banks, helps to dismantle nuclear weapons, saves lives by preventing famines, immunizing children, and combating terrorists and drug traffickers.
Bills in both the House and the Senate place new restrictions on our ability to meet these dangers, as well as to take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there for the United States. For example, one bill, the American Overseas Interests Act, which is being debated on the House floor just this week, would compromise our efforts to stop North Korea's nuclear program, impose conditions that could derail our support for democratic reform in Russia, and restrict the president's ability to prevent illegal immigration. The bill would also mandate an ill-conceived restructuring of agencies responsible for our foreign affairs. Taken together, these constraints represent nothing less than a frontal assault on the authority of the president to conduct the foreign policy of the United States, and on our nation's ability to respond rapidly and effectively to threats to our security.
Repeatedly I have said there are right ways and wrong ways to cut the deficit. This legislation is the wrong way. We did not win the Cold War to walk away and blow the opportunities of the peace on short-sighted, scatter-shotted budget cuts and attempts to micromanage the United States's foreign policy. That's why Secretaries Christopher, Perry and Rubin and Ambassador Albright have recommended that I veto this bill being considered by the House this week.
But it is not too late to reconsider. These are dangerous proposals. Our administration is ready to work with Congress, and I remain hopeful that the long tradition of bipartisanship in foreign affairs, which I have appreciated and been a part of, will continue throughout this session of Congress.
I urge Congress to send me a bill that protects the fundamental interests of the American people, a bill that I can sign.
Q: Mr. President, are you going to veto the foreign affairs bill on the recommendation of your Cabinet if the changes you ask for are not made?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I can't conceive of permitting it to become law because it is an assault on the ability of the president to protect the interests of the American people and to pursue the foreign policy of the country...I have enjoyed -- I have worked with Congressman Gilman, with Chairman Gilman for two years on many issues. I have worked with Republicans in both the House and the Senate. I have appreciated the support even on controversial issues given to me by the leadership of the House and the Senate when we were dealing with the very difficult issue of Mexico, for example.
We must allow the president to conduct the foreign policy of the United States in ways that make us safe, more secure and more prosperous. This bill will undermine that objective.
And again, I say the one good thing that could come out of this great debate is every single survey shows that the American people think we're spending 15 to 20 percent of their tax money on foreign aid.
When you ask them what the right amount would be, they say, "Oh, about 5 percent." "What would be too little?" "Under 3 percent." Well, we're just spending a little more than 1 percent. We're spending about what the American people think -- maybe they think we should spend more. We should not destroy the foreign aid budget, but furthermore, we should not handcuff the president. That is not the way to conduct the foreign affairs of this country. You cannot micromanage foreign policy. Yes, sir?
Q: Is the answer you will veto it?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: If this bill passes in its present form, I will veto it, yes.
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