[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 46 (Monday, November 20, 1995)]
[Pages 2025-2026]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Returning Without Approval Continuing Resolution 
Legislation

November 13, 1995

To the House of Representatives:

    I am returning herewith without my approval H.J. 115, the Second 
Continuing Resolution for fiscal year 1996.
    This legislation would raise Medicare premiums on senior citizens, 
and deeply cut education and environmental protection, as the cost for 
keeping the government running. Those are conditions that are not 
necessary to meet my goal of balancing the budget.
    If I signed my name to this bill now, millions of elderly couples 
all across this country would be forced to sign away $264 more in 
Medicare premiums next year, premium hikes that are not necessary to 
balance the budget. If America must close down access to quality 
education, a clean environment and affordable health care for our 
seniors, in order to keep the government open, then that price is too 
high.
    We don't need these cuts to balance the budget. And we do not need 
big cuts in education and the environment to balance the budget. I have 
proposed a balanced budget without these cuts.
    I will continue to fight for my principles: a balanced budget that 
does not undermine Medicare, education or the environment, and that does 
not raise taxes on working families. I will not take steps that I 
believe will weaken our nation, harm our people and limit our future as 
the cost of temporarily keeping the government open.
    I continue to be hopeful that we can find common ground on balancing 
the budget. With this veto, it is now up to the Congress to take the 
reasonable and responsible course. They can still avoid a government 
shutdown.
    Congress still has the opportunity to pass clean continuing 
resolution and debt ceiling bills. These straightforward measures would 
allow the United States government to keep functioning and meet its 
obligations, without attempting to force the acceptance of Republican 
budget priorities.
    Indeed, when Congress did not pass the 13 appropriations bills to 
fund the government for fiscal year 1996 by September 30, we agreed on a 
fair continuing resolution that kept the Government operating and 
established a level playing field while Congress completed its work.
    Now, more than six weeks later, Congress still has sent me only 
three bills that I have been able to sign. Indeed, I am pleased to be 
signing the Energy and Water bill today. This bill is the result of a 
cooperative effort between my Administration and the Congress. It shows 
that when we work together, we can produce good legislation.
    We can have a fair and open debate about the best way to balance the 
budget. America can balance the budget without extreme cuts in Medicare, 
Medicaid, education or the environment--and that is what we must do.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
November 13, 1995.

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