[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 47 (Monday, November 27, 1995)]
[Pages 2046-2047]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Action To Reopen the Federal Government

November 19, 1995

    Today I took concrete steps to put the Government back to work for 
the American people.

[[Page 2047]]

    I have signed the Treasury-Postal and Legislative Branch 
appropriations bills. In addition, the Department of Defense is 
recalling to work the people who staff Armed Forces Recruiting Centers. 
And the Department of Housing and Urban Development is recalling 
employees who process public housing funds.
    Last Friday, I took steps that resulted in furloughed employees 
being recalled to work to process Social Security and Medicare claims 
and accept applications for veterans benefits. Earlier in the week, I 
signed the funding bill for the Department of Transportation. All told, 
these actions bring back to work over 200,000 of the 800,000 Federal 
employees who were furloughed last week.
    These bipartisan bills mark real progress in our efforts to fully 
reopen the Government so it can serve the American people. I am 
determined that we should fully reopen the Government. Then we can 
openly and fairly decide the best way to balance the Federal budget 
while protecting Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment.