    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [August 7, 1996]
    [Pages 1267-1268]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Possible Discovery of Life on Mars and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    August 7, 1996

        The President. Good afternoon. I'm glad to be joined by my science
    and technology adviser, Dr. Jack Gibbons, to make a few comments about
    today's announcement by NASA.
        This is the product of years of exploration and months of intensive
    study by some of the world's most distinguished scientists. Like all
    discoveries, this one will and should continue to be reviewed, examined,
    and scrutinized. It must be confirmed by other scientists. But clearly,
    the fact that something of this magnitude is being explored is another
    vindication of America's space program and our continuing support for
    it, even in these tough financial times. I am determined that the
    American space program will put its full intellectual power and
    technological prowess behind the search for further evidence of life on
    Mars.
        First, I have asked Administrator Goldin to ensure that this finding
    is subject to a methodical process of further peer review and
    validation. Second, I have asked the Vice President to convene at the
    White House before the end of the year a bipartisan space summit on the
    future of America's space program. A significant purpose of this summit
    will be to discuss how America should pursue answers to the scientific
    questions raised by this finding. Third, we are committed to the
    aggressive plan we have put in place for robotic exploration of Mars.
    America's next unmanned mission to Mars is scheduled to lift off from
    the Kennedy Space Center in November. It will be followed by a second
    mission in December. I should tell you that the first mission is
    scheduled to land on Mars on July 4th, 1997, Independence Day.
        It is well worth contemplating how we reached this moment of
    discovery. More than 4 billion years ago, this piece of rock was formed
    as a part of the original crust of Mars. After billions of years it
    broke from the surface and began a 16-million-year journey through space
    that would end here on Earth. It arrived in a meteor shower 13,000 years
    ago. And in 1984 an American scientist on an annual U.S. Government
    mission to search for meteors on Antarctica picked it up and took it to
    be studied. Appropriately, it was the first rock to be picked up that
    year, rock number 84001.
        Today, rock 84001 speaks to us across all those billions of years
    and millions of miles. It speaks of the possibility of life. If this
    discovery is confirmed, it will surely be one of the most stunning
    insights into our universe that science has ever uncovered. Its
    implications are as far reaching and awe inspiring as can be imagined.
    Even as it promises answers to some of our oldest questions, it poses
    still others even more fundamental. We will continue to listen closely
    to what it has to say as we continue the search for answers and for
    knowledge that is as old as humanity itself but essential to our
    people's future.
        Thank you.

    [[Page 1268]]

    Abortion

        Q. Mr. President, Republicans right now are going through a
    wrenching abortion debate. At the same time, pro-choice advocates have
    created the pro-choice public education project, they're calling it.
    They say abortion rights are under a very grave danger. Would you agree
    with that assessment? And what do you think of the Republicans'
    troubles?
        The President. Well, they are only under grave danger if the
    election results in a change in the occupant of the White House. But
    what I think about the--I'd like to just compare it with what we did in
    the Democratic Party. Some of our pro-life members asked for a
    conscience clause in the Democratic platform. And I thought it was a
    good idea; I recommended it. The platform committee unanimously embraced
    it. And the Democratic Party was proud to do it. We believe this is a
    matter which should be left to private conscience. And we believe that
    people who have pro-life convictions should be respected.
        What you see here in the Republican Party is more of the extremism
    that we saw manifested in their budget proposals, their environmental
    proposals, their opposition to sensible crime proposals in the previous
    2 years. And it's lamentable. It's not good for the country. And I would
    just say that in this convention season, we would welcome thoughtful,
    moderate, concerned Republicans, independents, to join our party this
    year and to help keep moving America forward and bringing America
    together.
        Q. You do not feel the rights are under grave danger at this point?
        The President. Well, right now we have a Supreme Court decision and
    an administration committed to the pro-choice position and committing to
    doing whatever we can to keep the Government out of that decision but to
    take initiatives that would reduce the number of abortions in America,
    including the recent tax credit for adoption that we strongly supported
    that will be part of the minimum wage bill when it comes to me for
    signature. So I'm determined to protect those rights and to keep the
    Government out of it. But it is fair to say that in this election that
    is one of the matters at issue. Yes, it is fair to say that.
        Thank you.

    President's Olympic Tie

        Q. Where did you get that tie?
        The President. It's an Olympic tie. I got it down at the Olympics.
    Do you want to trade? [Laughter]
         Thanks.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:15 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House, prior to his departure for San Jose, CA.