    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 10, 1995]
    [Page 1730]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Budget Debate
    November 10, 1995

        Good afternoon. The budget debate we are now engaged in is a serious
    and critical moment for this country. The debate is about whether we
    will balance this budget in a way that is consistent with our
    fundamental values: our responsibility to our parents and to our
    children; our determination to provide opportunity for all Americans to
    make the most of their own lives through good jobs and education and
    technology; our obligation to protect the environment and to maintain
    America's ability to be the world's strongest force for peace and
    freedom, for democracy and prosperity.
        In a larger sense, I believe this budget debate is about two very
    different futures for America: about whether we will continue to go
    forward under our motto, E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one; whether we
    will continue to unite and grow; or whether we will become a more
    divided, winner-take-all society.
        I recognize that the Republican Congress has a very different view.
    The American people deserve a serious debate over these two approaches
    to balancing the budget. But we cannot have that serious debate under
    the threat of a Government default or shutdown. And we cannot cut
    Medicare, education, and the environment as a condition of keeping the
    Government open.
        The bills Congress voted on last night are not ordinary measures
    designed simply to keep the Government open while we continue the debate
    over how to balance the budget. Instead, last night Republicans in
    Congress voted to raise Medicare premiums; they voted to cut education
    and to cut it deeply; and they voted to overturn three decades of
    bipartisan environmental safeguards.
        Beyond that, these measures would make a Government default almost
    inevitable, for the first time in our history, because they take away
    from the Secretary of the Treasury the tools now available to avoid
    default under extraordinary circumstances. This is deeply irresponsible.
    It has never happened before, and it should not happen now.
        Republicans in Congress have a responsibility to keep the Government
    running without cutting Medicare and increasing premiums, without
    cutting education and undercutting the environment. I want to work with
    Congress to resolve these differences and to keep the Government running
    in the interest of the American people. After all, we have shown we can
    work together on this. Just last September we agreed on an appropriate
    measure to keep the Government running while we finish the job of
    balancing the budget. We should simply do now what was done in September
    so that the Government and the budget debate can go on. And I believe
    Congress should stay in this weekend and finish this work.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:05 p.m. in the Briefing Room at the White
    House.