[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.