    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 24, 1993]
    [Pages 2067-2068]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Covenant Baptist Church
    November 24, 1993

        The President. Thank you. First of all, let me say to you, Pastor,
    and to the whole staff and family of Covenant Baptist Church, I thank
    you for taking us in here and letting us be a part of what Hillary and I
    have always done at Thanksgiving, being a part of some ministry to take
    Thanksgiving to people who would otherwise not have it. I want to also
    thank the Coalition for the Homeless that's working with you for the
    work that they have done to try to turn homelessness into a temporary
    condition by moving people through shelters into having the skills and
    the strength and the power to take control of their own lives.
        I think it's important that the people of America know, all the
    people of America know, that in our cities where people have many
    problems, most of the people who live there are good, God-fearing, law-
    abiding, hard-working people who are doing things like this to help
    their friends and neighbors and who want things to work better.
        So my commitment to you is to do what I can as President to help you
    succeed here, in your church and on your streets. And I hope that all
    Americans on this Thanksgiving, including many Americans like me and
    Hillary and our family who have more than they could ever have asked
    for, will take some time out to work, as you are working, so that other
    people who don't have so much can also have something to be thankful for
    on Thanksgiving and throughout the year.
        Thank you, and God bless you all.

    [At this point, the President and Hillary Clinton were presented with T-
    shirts.]

        The President. Let me say one other thing, Reverend Wiley. I like
    this church also because you've got a husband and wife team here who are
    both pastors, both pastors of this church, and making this thing work as
    a family, along with your distinguished father who preceded you in the
    pulpit. Reverend Wiley, it's good to see you. And we like to see people
    working together like this and all of you doing that. I appreciate it
    and respect it very much. Thank you for your service and your ministry.
    I'll wear this jogging. Thank you.

    Handgun Control Legislation

        Q. Mr. President, did you get a deal on the Brady bill?
        The President. It looks like the Brady bill is going to be passed
    any minute, and I am very happy. Right before I left to come over here,
    it appeared that an agreement could be

    [[Page 2068]]

    reached between Senator Mitchell and Senator Dole to end the Republican
    filibuster of the Brady bill. I am elated. It is a wonderful
    Thanksgiving present for the American people. It will enable us
    nationwide for the first time in history to check people who are trying
    to buy handguns for their age, for their mental health history, for
    their criminal history. It will be a beginning in what must be a long
    and relentless assault on the problems of crime and violence in this
    country. And we are beginning. It's a great Thanksgiving present, and
    next year I look forward to passing the crime bill and to continuing to
    do this work for as long as I'm in this job. It's very important.
        We're going to rebuild the families, the neighborhoods, the
    communities, the schools, and safety and security, from the grassroots
    up. This is the first step. I am very happy. Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:46 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Dennis and Christine Wiley, pastors, Covenant Baptist Church.