    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [June 23, 1993]
    [Pages 921-922]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters on the Economic Program
    June 23, 1993

        Q. Mr. President, is there any way the Republicans can put a plan
    together that meets your criteria without taxes?
        The President. Well, I don't see how. You know, we've already cut
    $250 billion in spending. We've cut Medicare, Medicaid, veterans,

    [[Page 922]]

    farmers, defense, foreign aid, every part of the Federal Government. The
    Republican leader said a couple of days ago he was willing to raise
    taxes on the wealthy, but apparently the people in his caucus who want
    to protect high income people and the tax cuts they got in the eighties,
    while the middle class got a tax increase, are going to win once again.
    So what he'll have to do is come up with some version of the same plan
    they have in the House. The Republican plan in the House, I will remind
    you, lost more Republican votes than the Democratic plan lost Democratic
    votes. And the reason is it was unfair to the middle class, the working
    people, the elderly, and to others because it protected upper income
    people. And I think you're going to see the same thing. We'll see what
    they have to say, but I can't imagine what else they can do.
        We've got a 5-year freeze on domestic discretionary spending. We're
    cutting defense all we should, in my opinion, and then some. The only
    thing that's going up in this budget is health care next year. The only
    thing that's going up is health care. So it's going to be very
    interesting to see when they have to face the music what they'll say.
    But we're all eagerly waiting.
        Q. When do you think you can get this reconciliation through a
    conference committee, assuming the Senate passes it?
        The President. Well, one step at a time. We have to get it through
    the Senate first. We have to get the Senate Finance Committee bill on
    the floor, watch the amendments come forward, see what happens, and try
    to pass a bill in the Senate to go on to Congress. And then once we do
    that, we'll talk about the conference committee.
        Q. Leon Panetta said yesterday that one of the goals was going to be
    to restore veterans. How are you going to do that, go more toward the
    House plan of raising taxes or the Senate plan, which is more cutting
    entitlements?
        The President. We're going to do a good job of that. Just watch.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:45 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House, prior to a meeting with congressional leaders. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of this exchange.