[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[October 14, 2000]
[Pages 2190-2191]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Third Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 
2001
October 14, 2000

    Two weeks ago the fiscal 2000 budget year ended. Since then, I have 
had to sign two short-term continuing resolutions to keep the Government 
open. Yet Congress has yet to complete and send me 8 of 13 spending 
bills. Last night I signed another one-week extension. Let me serve 
notice now: If Congress fails to meet this deadline, any further 
extensions must be at most for a very few days. Congress needs to finish 
its work and send me a budget. It should be a budget that is fiscally 
responsible, that reflects the values of the American people, and that 
invests in the future, especially in the education of our children.
    I sent such a budget to Congress in February. Among other things, my 
budget calls for tax credits to help communities build or modernize 
6,000 schools, and grants and loans for emergency repairs in 5,000 
schools a year for 5 years. The need is undeniable. The average American 
school building is now more than 40 years old. At least 60 percent of 
the schools in every State are in need of repair, and some schools 
actually pose health risks to students. I received a letter yesterday 
from some of the Nation's top health organizations, including the 
American Lung Association and the National Association of School Nurses. 
They point out that in many of our older school buildings, the air is 
polluted with lead, radon gas, and other substances harmful to our 
children's health.
    These groups endorse my proposal to rebuild and repair our schools. 
A bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives is ready right now 
to pass school construction tax credits. Unfortunately, the Republican 
leadership continues to stand in the way and refuses to bring it to a 
vote. It's time for Congress to act. It's unfair to ask America's 
children to lift themselves up in school buildings that are falling 
down.
    The majority party's education budget also fails to make other vital 
investments in education. It does not ensure the hiring of another 
20,000 teachers to reduce class sizes. It denies after-school to over 
1.6 million children who would get it under my balanced budget proposal. 
It shortchanges efforts to improve teacher quality. And it invests 
nothing to help States turn around failing schools or shut them down and 
reopen them under new management.
    The continuing resolution I signed last night gives Congress 7 more 
days to act. That is enough time to pass a responsible budget that 
modernizes our schools, strengthens accountability, lowers class sizes, 
expands after-school, mentoring, and college opportunities for young

[[Page 2191]]

people, and helps put a qualified teacher in every classroom. It should 
also be a budget that puts more police on the street, that enforces 
civil rights, ensures equal pay, expands health care, and creates 
opportunities for all Americans to share in our strong economy through 
our new markets initiative.
    At this time of unprecedented prosperity, there is no reason we 
can't put partisanship aside and make the investments we know will move 
our Nation forward, especially in the education of our children. By 
building stronger schools, we'll build a stronger America in the future.

Note: H.J. Res. 111, approved October 13, was assigned Public Law No. 
106-306.