[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 1 (Monday, January 8, 1996)]
[Pages 3-4]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

December 30, 1995

Budget Negotiations

    The President. I want to be brief today because we're getting off to 
a little late start. We've got a lot to do. I have three things to say: 
I think we made a good start yesterday; we're making progress; and I 
believe we need to open the Government. I hope we can agree to do all 
that.

[[Page 4]]

Bosnia

    Q. Sir, do you know any more information on the soldier who was 
wounded in Bosnia?
    The President. Our reports are sketchy, and I have tried to get an 
update, but what I do know is that there were apparently two vehicles 
and four soldiers involved. Only one was seriously hurt, and he has been 
medevaced to Croatia, in a hospital there, and we understand he's in 
stable condition.
    But mines have always been our biggest concern, and we're working 
very hard on it, but that's what happened. And we'll continue to monitor 
it and do the best we can. The mission itself is going very well. The 
people have received our soldiers very well, and I'm very well satisfied 
with the progress. And I'm obviously very sorry this happened, but 
they're making good progress on the mine problem, but it's going to be 
difficult to get rid of them all.

Budget Negotiations

    Q. [Inaudible]--the measure to get the workers back that's going to 
get through Congress?
    Senator Dole. Well, it passed the House. We hope we can pass it in 
the Senate today, so make some progress.
    Senator Daschle. We tried to pass a clean CR, one without any 
conditions. And that was objected to, but I hope we can work something 
out.
    Q. But isn't the fact now that the Democrats are holding things up?
    Senator Daschle. Not at all. As a matter of fact, as I said, we 
passed a continuing resolution--we had no conditions. It sent people 
back to work, and that was objected to. So we're not trying to hold 
anything up here. We hope we can get some sort of an agreement as early 
as today.
    Q. Well, what's it going to take to get a deal?
    Speaker Gingrich. Well, let me just say something. I think the 
President had a right--we're glad to have you all in. We have a lot of 
work to do. We made, I thought, real progress last night. It is not 
easy. We have very significant areas we have to work on, but I thought 
the spirit was very positive. We don't just want to get the Federal 
workers back, we want to get them paid. And in order to do that, I think 
we've got to get this whole thing worked out. But I thought we had a 
great start last night. And with you all's permission, I think we can 
get a lot more done in the next few hours.
    Q. Mr. President, is the message from the Democrats basically that 
they don't trust you?
    The President. We've got to go to work.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 11:35 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Spec. Martin J. Begosh, USA, 
wounded when his vehicle hit a land mine in Bosnia on December 30. A 
tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.