    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [March 8, 2000]
    [Page 403]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters on Minimum Wage Legislation
    March 8, 2000

        The President. Hi, Helen [Helen Thomas, United Press International].
        Q. Do you have the votes?
        The President. We don't know yet.
        Q. How are the votes going?
        The President. We don't know yet. That's why we're here today. We're
    working it.
        Q. You don't know?
        The President. If we can get the right bill before them, we have the
    votes. I don't know if we've got the votes to get the right bill before
    them, you know, to get through all the thicket of rulemaking. But we're
    working it.

    Note: The exchange began at 11:09 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
    exchange.