    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [March 3, 1998]
    [Pages 316-317]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Signing a Memorandum on Standards To Prevent Drinking and
    Driving
    March 3, 1998

        The President. Thank you, Brenda, and I
    thank the other members of the Frazier family and the friends who are
    here in support of you. Attorney General Reno,
    Senator Lautenberg, Congresswoman
    Lowey, Senator DeWine,
    Chief Flynn, thank you for your work and your
    support. I thank Secretary Slater, Senator
    Dorgan, Senator Hollings, Senator Moseley-Braun, and
    Congressman McGovern for their presence
    and their support. And I thank the Mothers Against Drunk Driving and
    Students Against Destructive Decisions, the organizations for highway
    safety, all of you who are here in this noble endeavor.
        Let me say that after hearing Brenda Frazier's story, there is very little that needs to be said.
    After seeing the photograph of Ashley, there is very little that needs
    to be seen. Every parent in this country, every single one, who has ever
    put his or her child in a car with someone else to go off to some
    destination, has felt that sense of loss of control, that fear that
    something might happen. Every parent of a teenager has spent some moment
    on every weekend of the teenager's life, when the teenager was out,
    wondering, hoping, and praying that nothing would ever happen.
        To be reminded that these things do happen should be all the
    reminder any Member of Congress or any American ever needs. We've heard
    Brenda's story, but there is hardly a family or community in America
    that hasn't been touched by drunk driving. Senator Dorgan, we thank you especially for being here today, because you
    lost your mother, Dorothy, to a drunk driver. And we know that this is a
    national problem. Senator DeWine reminded us
    that in 1984 President Reagan signed into law
    the legislation to help make 21 the national drinking age.
    Senator Lautenberg fought for that law
    in Congress because he knew that, most of all, our young people were
    threatened.
        Eleven years later, I was proud to sign into law the zero tolerance
    legislation that is helping to make it illegal for a person under 21 to
    drive in any State after drinking any measurable amount of alcohol, no
    matter what the legal limit is. I say to you, if we win this battle and
    you want to come back for a lower limit, I'll

    [[Page 317]]

    be glad to stand here with you under those circumstances as well. The
    ``Safe and Sober Streets Act'' takes the next step to lower the legal
    limit to .08 in every State. When Congress passes it, I'll sign it. And
    we'll work hard to pass it.
        Today there is something else I'd like to do. I am instructing
    Secretary Slater to report back to me in 45
    days with a plan to make .08 the legal limit on all Federal property,
    from National Parks to military bases, so that the United States can
    lead the way in making .08 the law of the land all over the land.
        Lowering the legal limit to .08 will not prevent adults from
    enjoying alcoholic beverages. But lowering the limit will make
    responsible Americans take even greater care when they drink alcohol in
    any amounts if they intend to drive.
        To people who disregard the lethal threat they pose when they drink
    and drive, lowering the legal limit will send a strong message that our
    Nation will not tolerate irresponsible acts that endanger our children
    and our Nation. We will, meanwhile, continue to do all we can to protect
    our young people from harm, fighting to keep drugs and guns and alcohol
    out of our schools and our children's lives, fighting to shield them
    from the deadly harm of illegal exposure and use of tobacco.
        With the steps we take today, we will build on that progress to help
    to ensure that the lives of Ashley Frazier, Dorothy Dorgan, and
    thousands of others cut short by drunk driving will not have been lost
    in vain.
        Now, in a few moments I want to ask Ashley's classmates who are
    here, members of my Cabinet, and the Members of Congress who are here to
    join me as I sign the Presidential directive on Federal property. But
    before I do, if you will indulge me, because of the action of the United
    Nations Security Council with regard to Iraq and because this is the
    only chance I have to appear before the press and therefore the American
    people today, I would like to make a brief statement.

    Iraq

        The unanimous vote of the United Nations Security Council last night
    sends a clear message. Iraq must fulfill without obstruction or delay
    its commitment to open all of the nation to the international weapons
    inspectors--anyplace, anytime, without any conditions, deadlines, or
    excuses.
        All the members of the Security Council agree that failure to do so
    will result in severest consequences. The Government of Iraq should be
    under no illusion. The meaning of ``severest consequences'' is clear. It
    provides authority to act if Iraq does not turn the commitment it has
    now made into compliance.
        As the Secretary-General told the Security
    Council yesterday, Iraq's complete fulfillment of these obligations is
    the one and only aim of the agreement. No promise of peace and no policy
    of patience can be without its limits. Iraq's words must be matched by
    deeds. The world is watching.
        Now, I would like to ask Ashley's classmates, the members of the
    Cabinet, and the Members of Congress, as well as Chief Flynn, would you all join us up here now, and
    Brenda, please.

    [At this point, the President signed the memorandum.]

        The President. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:16 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Brenda Frazier, mother of Ashley
    Frazier, who was killed by a drunk driver; Edward Flynn, chief of
    police, Arlington County, VA; and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi
    Annan.