    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [June 11, 1999]
    [Page 923]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Excerpt of Videotaped Remarks to the to the United States Conference of
    Mayors Annual Meeting
    June 11, 1999

        The Senate majority even wants to kill our successful COPS program,
    the very community police who help cut crime in neighborhoods all across
    America. My balanced budget, on the other hand, extends our commitment
    to community police into the 21st century, to put even more officers on
    our streets, especially in the toughest neighborhoods, and give them the
    tools they need to make those streets safe.
        Now is the time to build on our success, not to undermine it. And
    it's also time--high time--to do more to keep guns out of the wrong
    hands. But the House leadership seems intent on ignoring the lessons of
    Littleton, the lessons of all of our recent past. They want to water
    down the commonsense, modest gun bill passed by the Senate. According to
    news reports, the NRA is crowing that the House leadership gave them 90
    percent of the new loopholes they wanted in the gun show law.
        Now, clearly, there's a difference of approach here. We have a
    simple strategy that is already reducing crime all across America. We
    want more police on the street and fewer guns in the hands of criminals
    and children. They want more guns on the street and fewer cops. I think
    that's the wrong approach for America. The House leadership should heed
    the clear voice of the American people and stop listening to the deadly
    backstage whispers of the gun lobby.

    Note: The President's remarks were videotaped at approximately 4:25 p.m.
    in the Roosevelt Room for later transmission to the U.S. Conference of
    Mayors meeting in New Orleans, LA. The release made available by the
    Office of the Press Secretary was a partial transcript of the
    President's remarks. A tape was not available for verification of the
    content of these remarks.