    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 2, 1999]
    [Pages 1950-1951]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Action on Appropriations Legislation for the
    District of Columbia and Labor, Health, and Education Programs
    November 2, 1999

        Today, by a narrow margin, Congress completed action on a deeply
    flawed spending bill that I will veto. This bill is a catalog of missed
    opportunities, misguided priorities, and mindless cuts. It forces
    America's schoolchildren to pay the price for Congress' failure to make
    responsible choices. I will not let it become law.
        The bill, which includes the Labor/Health and Human Services/
    Education appropriations measure, makes a blind, across-the-board cut
    that will hurt everything from national defense to veterans' programs,
    from education to the environment. It reneges on last year's bipartisan
    commitment to fund 100,000 teachers and reduce class size in the early
    grades, replacing this proven approach with a risky block grant that
    opens the door to private school vouchers. It fails to include a key
    accountability initiative to help turn around failing schools. And it
    shortchanges many other priorities, including efforts to enhance worker
    safety, expand child care,

    [[Page 1951]]

    detect emerging infectious diseases, and protect Americans from the
    threat of bioterrorism.
        This debate is not just about how much we spend but also how wisely
    we spend. I sent Congress a budget, for education, health care, and
    other programs, that invests in results and is fully paid for. But
    Congress continues to pursue an agenda of irresponsible cuts and ill-
    conceived allocations. The patience of the American public is wearing
    thin. It is time for Congress to put aside partisanship and make the
    targeted investments our Nation's future demands.