[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 51 (Monday, December 25, 1995)]
[Pages 2217-2218]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

December 22, 1995

Federal Budget Negotiations

    The President. I hope--as you see, we're running a little behind 
today, so I hope you'll forgive us if we don't do a lot of questions; we 
have a lot of work to do. But let me just say from my point of view, I 
am pleased that our representatives met yesterday. They did make some 
progress. Obviously, a lot of the biggest issues remain. But the process 
seems to be working and I'm encouraged, and I want to continue to do it 
until we reach agreement on a balanced budget. That's what I think 
clearly we all want.
    I would say here that 2 days before Christmas I hope some way can be 
found to get the checks for the 3\1/2\ million veterans and the aid to 
the 8 million children who need it just to exist. And there are almost 
half a million Federal workers who have been working who won't get their 
paychecks today that they would otherwise get. So I think those problems 
need to be addressed.
    But on the other issue, I at least believe that we made some good 
progress yesterday, and I'm looking forward to the report today and 
continuing this process until we succeed, until we get this job done.
    Q. Can we ask the leaders, Mr. President, if they will get the 
checks out and----
    Q. Do you think the Congress should go home when millions are denied 
subsistence checks over Christmas?

[[Page 2218]]

    Speaker Gingrich. Well, let me just say, if I could for a second, 
Mr. President, I think both the House and Senate hope to get those bills 
down here today so that the--the AFDC and the--as the President 
mentioned the other day on television.
    Q. What are the chances of reopening the Government, Mr. Speaker?
    Speaker Gingrich. I think we're going to talk about that now.
    Q. Mr. Speaker, do you feel like a dog being wagged by its tail? 
[Laughter]
    Speaker Gingrich. It's amazing you guys get paid for some of these 
questions, on the eve of Christmas. Merry Christmas.
    Q. No, it's not my expression; it's the President's analysis.
    The President. I never called the Speaker a dog. [Laughter]
    Q. No, I know you didn't.
    Speaker Gingrich. And I'm deeply grateful. [Laughter]
    Q. Mr. President, do you think you can get a framework of a deal by 
Christmas?
    The President. I'm prepared to--let me just say, I'm prepared to 
just keep working. I think all of us want to have Christmas with our 
families, but beyond that, I'm prepared to keep working. And I'm going 
to do everything I can to succeed, and that's what we're going to talk 
about.
    Q. Mr. Speaker----
    The President. Thank you. We really need to go to work.

Note: The President spoke at 12:52 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.