    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [August 3, 1999]
    [Pages 1376-1377]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to Heat Relief Volunteers in Chicago
    August 3, 1999

        Thank you very much. I want to say, first of all, I came here mostly
    just to say thank you. Thank you to the volunteers, the firefighters,
    the police officers, the emergency workers.
        I am joined by three members of our Cabinet over here: our Secretary
    of Labor, Alexis Herman, Secretary of
    Transportation Rodney Slater, and Chicago's
    own, Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley.
        Every time I come to Chicago, I get excited. I tell everybody all
    across America, you know, this is the way cities ought to work. It's a
    well-organized, beautiful, clean, ever-changing, dynamic city, and one
    that doesn't run away from its problems but embraces them and tries to
    work through them; and that is what I want America to be like.
        I know this has been a very difficult time. This heat wave has
    claimed over 190 lives nationwide. It has been very, very tough. And I
    just wanted to join the mayor in saying
    thank you. Normally, you know, when something like this happens, the
    role of the Federal Government is to declare emergencies, provide help
    to the farmers or the business people, or extra help to the seniors and
    others who are vulnerable. And I rarely get an opportunity to go out and
    see the people who do the work, save the lives, and help people get
    through the tough times. And so mostly I am here just to tell

    [[Page 1377]]

    you, you've done a great job, and I am profoundly grateful. Thank you.
        As we can all see, thankfully the blast-furnace heat has subsided a
    little bit here in Chicago, and believe it or not, it was a little
    better in Washington yesterday and today. Over the weekend, it was
    scorching. But we probably haven't seen the last of the heat for the
    season. And we know that many low income people in this area and
    throughout our country are now saddled with energy bills they can't
    begin to afford. So earlier today I authorized the release of another
    $55 million in emergency funding to help them.
        The funding will be used in Illinois and eight other States in the
    Midwest and the South to help people pay for air-conditioning and pay
    off their high utility bills. About $16 million will go to the State of
    Illinois alone. We have now provided $150 million-plus for cooling
    assistance this summer across America, and I hope it will be enough.
        We know that some of the elderly people who died in this heat wave
    were people on fixed incomes who were reluctant to turn their air-
    conditioning on. We know they were afraid they wouldn't be able to pay
    their bills at the end of the month. So the one news item I would hope
    would come out of this meeting is that through this announcement the
    seniors in this area and in any other area that might be hit by this
    kind of heat wave will know that there is Federal help available,
    Congress has set aside the money for this purpose. We know that when
    heat waves like this come along that are virtually unprecedented there
    will be people who need to be cool who can't afford to pay the bill.
        So turn on the air-conditioner, and if you don't have one, send for
    a fan or a room unit; send for something that will keep you alive. That
    is the message we want to come out of here. I want your efforts all to
    be successful, and I hope that that message will go out across the
    country today. People should never have to worry in this country about
    risking their lives because they can't pay their power bills.
        Again, let me say, I want to thank you. The executive director of
    the Chicago Housing Authority, I understand, said recently, there is no
    substitute for human contact. That's probably a good general rule, but
    it is certainly true in this case. You have provided that human contact,
    and the rest of us are very grateful.
        Thank you, and God bless you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:42 p.m. at the Lake Shore Park Pavilion.
    In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago; and
    Phillip Jackson, chief executive officer, Chicago Housing Authority. A
    portion of these remarks could not be verified because the tape was
    incomplete.