    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [June 10, 1993]
    [Pages 832-833]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Prior to a Meeting With the
    Domestic Policy Council
    June 10, 1993

    Economic Program

        The President. I want to make a statement now that we have the
    Domestic Policy Council here, about what is going on in the Senate.
        First of all, I'm very encouraged that the Senate Finance Committee
    is working hard in trying to push the process forward. I want to
    reemphasize that, to me, in the end, we have to have certain basic
    principles satisfied: $500 billion in deficit reduction in the trust
    fund so that all the spending cuts and taxes have to be protected for
    that; $250 billion of spending cuts. The taxes have to fall primarily on
    those best able to pay them. Right now, over two-thirds of the taxes
    fall on people with incomes above $200,000, 75 percent on people with
    incomes above $100,000. I want the energy tax to be pro-conservation and
    as broad-based as possible. And I want the initiatives for growth and
    jobs in there, the earned-income tax credit to encourage the working
    poor to move out of poverty, the empowerment zones for investment in our
    cities, the incentives to create jobs. Those are the principles that I
    want.
        I want to remind you all, too, that the Senate and House will
    naturally have some disagreements. But when we wind up in conference, we
    can perhaps get the best bill of all. The main thing, until the Senate
    acts, we can't go to conference and get a final bill to continue

    [[Page 833]]

    this progress.
        What the final shape of the energy portion of this will be no one
    can now say because that will have to await the conference. But I am
    very encouraged that progress is being made, and I do appreciate the
    fact that the Senate began consultations with the House yesterday, which
    is consistent with the commitments that were made on that.
        Q. Where is the progress?
        Q. Well, what do you say to Democrats in the House who feel like
    they walked the plank on the budget for nothing at this point?
        The President. They didn't walk the plank on the budget for nothing.
    Their budget is going to be part of the conference. And they are being
    consulted now, and no decision has been made by the Senate yet.
        You know, Chairman Moynihan and Senator Mitchell started with the
    Senators who are most hostile to the Btu tax. But they have 11 Senators
    on a committee they have to satisfy. And then they have to get a
    majority in the body of the Senate. So no decisions have been made yet.
    And most of those House Members with whom I talked in the process of
    passing the bill through the House only wanted to make sure that the
    House would also be consulted before the Senate committee finally voted.
    And we took steps to ensure that, and they began the consultative
    process yesterday.
        Q. You've got the Black Caucus apparently so upset that they're not
    coming to a meeting here. What do you tell those people?
        The President. That is not why there's not going to be a meeting
    here. But the Black Caucus, if they want to advocate for the Btu tax,
    you know, I like it. I think it's the best and fairest tax. And I think
    the Secretary of the Treasury made a very good proposal for a
    modification of it. But neither they nor I have a vote on the Senate
    Finance Committee. The Btu levy will be in the conference, and no
    decision has been made. I have not signed off on any energy proposal in
    the Senate yet. I believe that the proposal we made is the best one we
    have. But neither they nor I have a vote on the Senate Finance
    Committee.
        Let me say, in the end, the most important thing is that we bring
    the deficit down, that we cut spending, that we raise taxes on the
    wealthy, and that we invest money to grow this economy. That's the most
    important thing. We've got to find a way to do that consistent with what
    has happened already. And I'm very encouraged. I don't think--the
    American people shouldn't be upset by what's going on. They should go
    talk to their Senators if they have a different view and they want them
    to take a different view toward these particular taxes. That's what I'm
    trying to do, is to get the House and the Senate to work together before
    the Senate Finance Committee even votes.

    Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

        Q. Why are there troops on the ground in Macedonia, Mr. President?
        The President. To limit the conflict. As we said all along, we would
    support the United Nations in limiting the conflict. It's a very limited
    thing. No combat but an attempt to limit the conflict.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:07 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these
    remarks.