    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 19, 1995]
    [Pages 1773-1774]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Action To Reopen the Federal Government
    November 19, 1995

        Today I took concrete steps to put the Government back to work for
    the American people.
        I have signed the Treasury-Postal and Legislative Branch
    appropriations bills. In addition, the Department of Defense is
    recalling to work the people who staff Armed Forces Recruiting Centers.
    And the Department of Housing and Urban Development is recalling
    employees who process public housing funds.
        Last Friday, I took steps that resulted in furloughed employees
    being recalled to work to process Social Security and Medicare claims
    and accept applications for veterans benefits. Earlier in the week, I
    signed the funding bill for the

    [[Page 1774]]

    Department of Transportation. All told, these actions bring back to work
    over 200,000 of the 800,000 Federal employees who were furloughed last
    week.
        These bipartisan bills mark real progress in our efforts to fully
    reopen the Government so it can serve the American people. I am
    determined that we should fully reopen the Government. Then we can
    openly and fairly decide the best way to balance the Federal budget
    while protecting Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment.