[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 28 (Monday, July 17, 1995)]
[Pages 1216-1217]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Congressional Leaders and an Exchange 
With Reporters

July 11, 1995

Legislative Agenda

    The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome the 
congressional leadership back here today. There are many things that we 
will discuss today. We have a lot of work to do. This summer we are 
working on finishing the rescission bill, and I very much hope we can 
succeed in passing the terrorism legislation and welfare reform.
    And I hope that we can begin as soon as possible the budget debate. 
We have major differences over how the budget ought to be balanced, and 
I think it would be in error to delay it and run the risk of having a 
crisis in Government. I think the quicker we can begin it and the fuller 
and more open it can be and the more the American people can hear of it, 
the better off we'll be.
    So those are the things that I hope we can discuss today and I think 
are very important.

President Boris Yeltsin of Russia

    Q. Mr. President, have you heard anything about the condition of 
Boris Yeltsin?
    The President. No.
    Q. Any reports on his health?
    The President. No. Nothing other than the last time I saw him, he 
was in good health and seemed to be doing well.
    Q. Well, he's been hospitalized this morning for heart problems.
    The President. Yes, I know, but I have heard nothing this morning 
about the condition.

Bosnia

    Q. Sir, the Bosnian Serbs are moving into Srebrenica fast, according 
to the reports. Is it time for NATO air strikes?

[[Page 1217]]

    The President. We may have something to say on that later today. But 
let me say I'm concerned about the people who are there, and I'm also 
concerned about the UNPROFOR troops, the Dutch, who are there. And we 
may have something later today to say about that.

Vietnam

    Q. [Inaudible]--the decision on Vietnam, how much more difficult is 
it for you personally and politically, given your failure to serve in 
Vietnam?
    The President. None.
    Q. Does it enter into your decision at all?
    The President. No.

Base Closings

    Q. Are you going to do base closings----
    The President. I don't know yet. We're working very hard on that, 
worked on it yesterday and last night. We have some more work to do, and 
I'm waiting for some more information to come back this morning. We 
spent quite a bit of time on it. It won't be long, but I can't say for 
sure.

Note: The President spoke at 8:30 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.