[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 1995)]
[Pages 2145-2146]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

December 7, 1995

Bosnia and the Budget

    The President. I'd like to just say a couple of opening words. 
First, I want to welcome the bipartisan delegation of House Members who 
are here and thank them for coming as we continue to discuss the 
question of our mission in Bosnia and search for unity on that.
    I also want to say that I took a step today which I hope will help 
us to find unity on the budget. I presented a budget that is a 7-year 
balanced budget that protects Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the 
environ- 

[[Page 2146]]

ment, doesn't raise taxes on working families, and meets the conditions 
that were set out in the resolution to which we all agreed. And I hope 
it will be taken as a gesture in good faith that will start us on the 
road to real negotiations over this budget, and that will bring about a 
constructive resolution for the American people.
    So I'm very hopeful about that, and I'm looking forward to having 
the opportunity to have a discussion about Bosnia with the Members who 
are here present. And some of them I think have recently returned from a 
trip of their own to Bosnia, so I think we'll have a lot to discuss. And 
I thank you for being here. And I thank you for being here.
    Q. Mr. President, Chairman Kasich said late today your budget came 
up there 400 in the hole. And he said by submitting this document you 
have breached the contract you signed with them a few days ago.
    The President. Well, I disagree with that. You know, if you look 
at--we thought there would be new budget estimates coming out of the 
Congressional Budget Office by now, but they haven't been. That's fine, 
and I haven't attacked them for not doing it, even though they said they 
would. And I don't think that's very constructive.
    Our budget--let me point out two things. All this is is a--the 
balanced budget plan is a plan over 7 years. No one can know what will 
happen between now and then, but we do know what's happened for the last 
3 years. For the last 3 years, both the Congressional Budget Office and 
the Office of Management and Budget have underestimated the deficit 
reduction as a result of the 1993 economic plan, although we have been 
closer to accurate than the CBO.
    We know that our plan was submitted based on basically splitting the 
difference of all the experts in America who predict what the economy 
will do. And therefore, it is mainstream, and it's good, and it's a good 
place to start discussions. And I think that's the attitude they ought 
to take. And if they have a--I've made a proposal; now I'd like to see 
what theirs is.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 6:05 p.m. in the Indian Treaty Room at the 
Old Executive Office Building.