[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
[August 13, 1994]
[Pages 1466-1467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
August 13, 1994

    Good morning. As I'm sure you know, a couple of days ago the House 
of Representatives had a chance to pass the toughest attack on crime in 
our history, and they tried to take the easy way out. But the terrible 
threat of crime and violence is too great for us to let them get away 
with it. The easy way out is not an option.
    Two hundred and twenty-five Members of Congress participated in a 
procedural trick orchestrated by the National Rifle Association and 
intensely pushed by the Republican congressional leadership, a trick 
designed with one thing in mind: to put the protection of partisan and 
special interests over the protection of ordinary American families. 
They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
    The American people have been very clear on this. The most important 
job is to keep the streets and the neighborhoods of America safe. The 
first responsibility of Government is law and order. Without it, people 
can never really pursue the American dream. And without it, we're not 
really free. And the American people have said over and over again, 
today they're worried about crime. They're fighting for their personal 
security.
    The House of Representatives has a responsibility to do something 
about it, but this week the House walked away from that responsibility. 
They had a vote on law and order, and law and order lost. But that can't 
be the end of this fight. The hard-working, law-abiding citizens of the 
United States deserve better.
    Yesterday I went to Minnesota where I addressed the National 
Association of Police Organizations. This group represents more than 
160,000 police officers across the country. They strongly support the 
crime bill. Earlier in the week, I met with the heads of every major law 
enforcement group in America. Together they represent over a half-
million law enforcement officers. They don't walk away from their 
responsibility. They put their lives on the line every day for us. And 
we can't let Congress walk away from them.
    The crime bill we're fighting for is a crime bill America's police 
officers and law enforcement officials want. Our prosecutors, our 
teachers, our principals, our parents, our attorneys general, our 
community leaders, they've all joined these police organizations in 
endorsing this crime bill. For 6 years, Congress has bickered and 
battled over a crime bill when the average violent felon only serves 4 
years in prison.
    This crime bill departs from all those labels of the past, from 
liberal or conservative or tough or compassionate. This crime bill 
emphasizes punishment, police, and protection.
    Some people in Congress say it's time for their August vacation. 
Well, the crime plaguing ordinary Americans is not about to take a 
vacation, and it's only fitting that Congress stay in Washington until 
they get this job done. They can't walk away on a procedural trick.
    I want a crime bill that puts 100,000 new police officers on the 
street, one that makes ``three strikes and you're out'' the law of the

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land, one that builds prisons to lock up violent criminals where they 
belong, one that takes handguns away from minors, one that provides 
prevention programs that police officers demand to help steer our kids 
in troubled areas away from crime and drugs in the first place. And the 
bills must be paid for not by raising taxes but by cutting the Federal 
bureaucracy.
    I gave the Congress a plan to reduce the Federal bureaucracy by 
250,000 and more over the next 5 years, to bring the Federal Government 
to its lowest level in 30 years, and to put all the savings in a trust 
fund to pay for the crime bill. And let me be clear about this: The 
crime bill must ban the assault weapons that have no place on our 
streets.
    We don't need any more Washington, DC, games like the House of 
Representatives played last week. Up until that vote, this crime bill 
was bipartisan all the way, with Republicans and Democrats voting for 
everything that must be included. Now the Republicans say, well, there's 
too much money for prevention in this bill. They call it pork. Well, all 
I know is, all the police officers in this country know we need to give 
kids something to say yes to. I know that 65 Republicans voted for a 
bill that had even more prevention funds back in the spring, but only 11 
would stand up to the withering pressure of their leadership when the 
bill came back and was ready to pass just this week.
    The American people have to make it clear to Members of Congress 
from both parties that even if they disagree with a particular measure 
in this crime bill, the overall bill is the best, the smartest bill we 
have ever had in this country, and the American people need it. It's 
time to put politics aside and finish the job. Help our Nation's police 
officers make our streets safer.
    This fight is not over. I am continuing it. I want you to fight with 
me. Our children, our families, our future deserve no less.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from Camp David, MD.