[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
[September 28, 1996]
[Pages 1721-1722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Omnibus Budget Agreement and an Exchange With Reporters 
in Boston, Massachusetts
September 28, 1996

    The President. Good evening. Early this morning we reached an 
important agreement with Congress to continue balancing the budget while 
we invest in education, protect the environment,

[[Page 1722]]

and keep our streets safe. This budget agreement was a victory for our 
values and a victory for the American people. It was also, in 
particular, a victory for the people of Massachusetts.
    I want to talk briefly about three things in particular that are 
important to this State. First, the budget agreement includes $50 
million that can be used for shipyard reactivation. Today I have 
instructed Secretary Pena to complete negotiations for a binding letter 
of commitment to revitalize the Quincy Shipyard, which we just flew 
over, and to do it within 30 days after I sign the budget.
    I especially want to thank Senator Kerry, Senator Kennedy, and 
Congressman Studds for their hard work to include this provision in the 
budget agreement. Their work will help to create a world-class 
shipbuilding operation to bring new jobs, new technology, and new 
opportunity to the people of Quincy.
    Second, the budget includes important funds to continue the cleanup 
of Boston Harbor. Last year Senator Kerry and Senator Kennedy joined us 
to stop congressional efforts to walk away from that commitment. And 
because of their work this year we are going to keep moving forward to 
make the Boston Harbor safe, clean, and healthy.
    Finally, I want to say a word about our ongoing effort to streamline 
our Government. We're working hard to overhaul Defense Department 
management while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the best 
equipped, trained Armed Forces in the world. We've closed 228 of the 
Defense Department's more than 300 finance and accounting facilities, 
while working hard to improve training for Defense Department financial 
managers. Today I'm pleased to announce that the budget agreement also 
includes funds to establish a financial management education center at 
Southbridge, Massachusetts. The Pentagon will release $5 million for the 
center's development next week, and classes will begin on March 1, 1997, 
18 months ahead of schedule. The Southbridge center would not be 
happening today without the leadership of Senator Kerry, Senator 
Kennedy, and Congressman Neal.
    This budget agreement shows what we can do when we work hard on 
things that really matter to the American people. It creates opportunity 
by working to revitalize the shipbuilding industry, takes responsibility 
by working to reform our Government in a responsible way while providing 
the best training to our Armed Forces. It strengthens our community by 
continuing our efforts to clean up our environment here at the Boston 
Harbor. We are on the right track to the 21st century, and I am very 
pleased about it.
    Now I'd like to ask the Senators each to say a word.

[At this point, Senator John F. Kerry and Senator Edward M. Kennedy made 
brief remarks.]

    Q. Mr. President, aren't these programs--[inaudible]--election-year 
pork?
    The President. Well, for one reason, I've been working on these 
things for far more than one year. The Southbridge project is a big 
project, goes back several years. The Boston Harbor project was going on 
before I got here. The Quincy project developed when they had a person 
interested in going there.
    So we've been working very hard on it, and I think if they didn't 
have independent merit, it would have been difficult for us to get them 
in these times, which have been particularly contentious. So I think, 
you know, every one of these things will stand on its own merit. But the 
people in Boston have paid an enormous amount out of their own pockets 
to clean up the Boston Harbor, and it would have been unconscionable for 
us to walk away from our continuing commitment to that. These other two 
projects we've been working on, waiting for, for a very long time. It's 
not something that just came up overnight tied to the election cycle. 
This is a multiyear effort, and I want to congratulate all the community 
leaders who are here. They're the ones that ultimately deserve the 
credit for bringing this day to bear.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 6:40 p.m. at Logan Airport.