    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [April 29, 1993]
    [Pages 532-533]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Members of the House Ways and Means
    Committee and an Exchange With Reporters
    April 29, 1993

        The President. Let me just make a brief remark, and then I'll answer
    your questions.
        First, I want to thank these members of the Ways and Means Committee
    for coming in for this meeting. This morning's economic figures on the
    performance of the United States economy in the first 3 months of the
    year clearly, I think, support the policies of this administration. They
    support filling out and implementing the budget commitment that the
    Congress has made to reduce the deficit and to increase targeted
    investments and to generate jobs.
        It also plainly proves, I think, that the administration was right
    in trying to hedge against this economic slow growth by passing the jobs
    bill that the House of Representatives passed and that the Senate wanted
    to pass. It proves that we were right in both reducing the deficit and
    in trying to create some jobs right now in this economy. But it also
    proves that the long-term interests of the country will be served if we
    fulfill our commitments on the budget.
        The budget, I think, is well under way. The Ways and Means Committee
    had a good day yesterday. And I think we can continue to show our
    commitment to bring the deficit down and to target our investments in
    areas that will create jobs. We'll have a long-term plan that's good.
    But it also proves, I think clearly, beyond any doubt, that the strategy
    of the administration to create some more jobs right now was the right
    strategy. The American people still need

    [[Page 533]]

    more employment, and we're going to do our best to give it to them.

    The First 100 Days

        Q. Mr. President, 100 days, have there been mistakes? Are there
    things you would do differently? What have you learned, what lessons?
        The President. Well, I learned that things are not going to change
    quite as fast as I wanted them to. But I noticed there was--one
    columnist a day or two ago in one of the major papers pointed out that
    at least the American people know that the Democratic Party is serious
    and the President is serious about deficit reduction. They know we're
    going to do something about health care reform. They know we're going to
    try to be partners with the private sector in rebuilding the economy.
    And they know we're trying to make the Government work again, with the
    national service program that I will announce tomorrow and a whole other
    range of issues to try to give people educational and other
    opportunities. So I feel basically quite good about what's happened.
        But this country has some serious problems, and we're going to have
    to get everybody serious about dealing with the problems. Now, I am very
    impressed so far with the work that we've been able to do with the House
    and with the majority in the Senate in getting the deficit down and in
    focusing on the investment needs of our people. But we've got a lot of
    work to do.
        I don't know that 100 days is a rational category, but if you look
    at how much we've done and how much is well underway now as compared
    with most previous administrations in a similar time period, I think
    we're doing pretty well.
        Q. Did you take on too much, Mr. President?

    Bosnia

        Q. Have you reached a decision on Bosnia yet, Mr. President?
        The President. Helen [Helen Thomas, United Press International], I
    have not. As you probably know, General Powell was away for most of the
    week in Europe. And I want to see and talk with him personally and have
    some other consultations on some of the military issues. And I have not.
    But we will do so soon, and then we'll begin some pretty aggressive
    consultations with our allies.

    President's Agenda

        Q. [Inaudible]--took on too much, Mr. President? Do you have some
    concerns about that?
        The President. No, I will. You know, it's a question of--the Vice
    President has a word for it, sequence and timing, I think he calls it. I
    believe I got hired to try to do something about the economy and the
    health care issue, and to try to promote political reform and many other
    things we're trying to do. When we put all these things out here, I
    don't expect them all to be resolved right away. But I think we're going
    to focus on the budget first. That's what we're doing today. Then we're
    going to take up, we're going to focus on health care.
        But this country still needs to remember that we've got to do these
    things to put people back to work and to solve their economic problems.
    That is the issue, the economy. And that is what we are spending--I'm
    spending two-thirds of my time or more on the economy and health care.
    And that's what I hope we can do in the Congress in the few weeks ahead.
        Q. So you're more optimistic than Mr. Panetta? You're more
    optimistic than Mr. Panetta?
        The President. I have more faith in Mr. Panetta's colleagues than he
    does. [Laughter]
        I think we're going to bring this deficit down, and I think we're
    going to get some investments passed. I think we're going to turn this
    economy around. I wish we could have done it faster. I still think we
    ought to create some jobs now. I think that was a mistake. But I think
    we just keep going. We'll make the progress we can and go on.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:20 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    these remarks.