    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [April 4, 1998]
    [Pages 500-501]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    April 4, 1998

        Good morning. The First Lady and I have just returned, exhausted but
    exhilarated, from our trip to Africa. I know that many of you traveled
    along with us day by day through television and the Internet, but I wish
    every American could have seen up close the renewed hope and restored
    pride that is evident in the six countries we visited. We saw parents
    building futures where their children will be free from want, free from
    injustice, free from disease, and free to go as far as their God-given
    talents will allow.
        This morning, I want to report on the progress we're making in our
    country to free children from two of the greatest health and safety
    dangers they face: the cruel and deadly lure of smoking and the lethal
    combination of drinking and driving.
        Three years ago, appalled by how many children were becoming
    addicted to cigarettes every year, the Vice President and I committed
    this administration to stopping the sale and marketing of cigarettes to
    children. Today, thanks to these efforts and the persistence of State
    attorneys general, the public health community, and leaders in Congress,
    we have the best opportunity ever to pass comprehensive antismoking
    legislation that will save millions of our children from a premature,
    painful, and very preventable death.
        This week, in an historic and resounding 19 to 1 vote, a key Senate
    committee gave its stamp of approval to comprehensive legislation
    sponsored by Senator John McCain, a Republican,
    and Senator Fritz Hollings, a Democrat,
    that would cut youth smoking by half over the next decade. This bill
    represents a dramatic step forward. It would raise the price of
    cigarettes, give the FDA full authority to regulate tobacco products,
    ban advertising aimed at children, and protect tobacco farmers.
        We still have work to do on this legislation. Above all, we need to
    put in place tough penalties that will cost the tobacco industry if it
    continues to sell cigarettes to young people. Just this week the Centers
    for Disease Control released a disturbing report that found that more
    than a third of teenagers in the United States now smoke, even though
    it's illegal.
        It is time to hold tobacco companies accountable. Reducing youth
    smoking must be everybody's bottom line. Let's remember, this is not
    about politics or money or seeking revenge against the tobacco industry
    for past practices. We're not trying to put the tobacco companies out of
    business. We want to put them out of the business of selling cigarettes
    to kids. This week's progress in the Senate shows we have real momentum
    in both parties to do just that.
        Unfortunately, this week the Congress also took a step backward on
    efforts to cut down on drunk driving, a horror that has shaken nearly
    every American community. Republican leaders in the House blocked a full
    vote on an important measure to encourage States to adopt a stricter
    definition of drunk driving that has already passed the United States
    Senate. I urge the House leadership to reconsider its unwise action. A
    stricter definition of drunk driving will not prevent adults from
    drinking responsibly, but it will save thousands of lives.
        There are fewer than 75 days remaining on Congress's legislative
    calendar. But as we saw this week in the Senate, when we set aside
    partisan differences and keep our eyes on the prize of dramatically
    improving our children's health, we can make remarkable progress in
    record time. There are still many issues to be worked out and many long
    nights ahead. But we have within our grasp one of the most important
    public health victories our Nation has ever achieved.
        Finally, let me just pause a moment to observe the 30th anniversary
    of the death of one of America's greatest heroes, Dr. Martin Luther
    King. His dream, deeply rooted in the American dream, is a dream for all
    Americans. It's a

    [[Page 501]]

    dream, as I recently saw, shared by millions and millions of people
    around the world. Let us here at home always strive to heed Dr. King's
    words and live up to his legacy.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 10:50 a.m. on April 3 in the Roosevelt
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on April 4.