[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
[October 23, 1994]
[Pages 1846-1847]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum in Seattle
October 23, 1994

    I'd like to make a very brief statement about the Alice Rivlin memo 
on the options for deficit reduction.
    First of all, my position is what it was in the campaign of '92 and 
what it has been through the first 2 budget years. I do not support cuts 
in Social Security, and I believe any savings we achieve in the Medicare 
program should be used in health care. That has always been my position.
    The memo was a list of options that grew out of a consideration of 
what might be the recommendations of the Kerrey commission, what might 
come out of the budgeting process next year, and the kinds of problems 
that might be created if the Republican contract that the Republican 
House leader and the Senate leader and others have embraced. We have 
serious problems with the deficit still, in the future because of the 
escalating costs of health care. And if they were to have a huge tax cut 
for the wealthy, increase defense, increase Star Wars, we would be 
looking at an explosion in the deficit that could only be dealt with 
with massive cuts in other programs, all other programs.

[[Page 1847]]

    But there is nothing in that memo and nothing in the record which 
should indicate that I have changed my position on these two fundamental 
issues.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 3:13 p.m. at the Seattle Center.