    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [September 22, 1993]
    [Pages 1555-1556]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Congressional Leaders and an Exchange
    With Reporters
    September 22, 1993

        The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to say, in the presence
    here of the press, this is the last meeting I will have a chance to have
    with the large bipartisan leadership in Congress on health care issues.
    But I do want to say a profound word of thanks on behalf of not only
    myself but the entire administration for the work that has been done by
    people in both parties in the Congress since the first bipartisan
    leadership meeting I had on January 26th, when I asked that people be
    designated to work with us from both parties on this health care issue.
        I'm not sure that any consultative process like this has ever been
    carried out before where there's been so much common work, not only
    between and among ourselves but also with people in the country who are
    interested in this issue. We have met with over 1,100 groups, with
    literally thousands of doctors, nurses, and other affected folks in this
    process. But the most important thing to me has been the spirit of
    genuine searching and determination that I have seen from leaders in
    both parties on this issue.
        I just want to say, as I prepare to give this speech tonight, how
    much I appreciate that and how much I look forward to continuing that
    process in the weeks and months ahead. I'm very grateful to you, and
    we're going to talk for about an hour here, and then the Senate has to
    go make a vote, I think. But we're going to have a chance to talk about
    health care one more time before I speak tonight.

    Health Care Reform

        Q. Mr. President, you're about to start something tonight that has
    been tried and failed several times in recent years. Why is this----
        The President. Throughout the whole century.
        Q. Throughout the whole century. Why is this different?
        The President. Well, I think, you know, if you go back and look at
    the history of health care, I think there are two things that are
    different. One is, there is almost unanimous consensus that the cost of
    continuing on the present course is greater than the cost of change.
    With health care costs rising at more than twice the rate of inflation
    and rising much faster than that for small businesses, with more people
    losing their coverage every month so that we're paying more for less
    health care, with the range of choices available for Americans dropping
    dramatically and the administrative cost to the system escalating at a
    breathtaking rate, that the cost of going on is greater than the cost of
    change. I don't think that there has ever been that much consensus
    before.
        The second thing is, I think you've got all of the people trying to
    work together now. If you go back through the whole history of the 20th
    century, you can find times when Republicans wanted to do something
    about health care and Democrats didn't, some when Presidents wanted to
    do something and the Congress didn't. There's one example when, early in
    this century, when the American Medical Association wanted to have a
    national health care bill and the labor movement didn't.
        I mean, these things have been flip-flopped. If you read the history
    of health care, it's like people, you know, passing each other in the
    night. And I think now you've finally got everybody in the country
    focused on it. So I think we have a moment in history when we can seize
    it and move forward if we can maintain this determination to stay in
    touch with the real problems of our people and with this sort of spirit
    that we have now of working together.

    [[Page 1556]]

    Taxes

        Q. Can you tell us what the sin taxes are going to be for people to
    help pay for this?
        The President. Tonight.
        Q. [Inaudible]--tell us tonight--[inaudible]--an hour and a half.
        Q. Are you purposely avoiding that topic today?
        The President. No, no. Lord, no.
        Q. Are you concerned about the story tomorrow----
        The President. No. There will be less than you think, I'll say that.

    Russia

        Q. Mr. President, do you have anything on the situation in Russia?
    Are you more reassured now than yesterday?
        The President. Well, the situation is calm, and I am hopeful. You
    know what my position is on it, and I still think the United States has
    to be on the side of reform and democracy in Russia, and President
    Yeltsin represents that. But I know nothing more today than I knew last
    night when we talked, except that I've obviously gotten my morning
    briefing, and the situation is calm, and we're hopeful.
        Q. Are you trying to contact world leaders, sir, to encourage them
    to come out in support of him as well?
        The President. I called Mr. Kohl last night, and we communicated in
    other ways with Prime Minister Major and President Mitterrand, Prime
    Minister Balladur in France, and others. I noted that Prime Minister
    Major came out today in support, and I know Chancellor Kohl issued a
    statement yesterday. So I very much appreciate that.

    Note: The President spoke at 11 a.m. in the State Dining Room at the
    White House.