[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 39 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[Page 1861]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks During Discussions With Prime Minister Obuchi of Japan and an 
Exchange With Reporters in New York City

September 22, 1998

    President Clinton. Thank you. I'd like to say to the members of the 
Japanese press, I'm sorry that you had to go all the way to Tarrytown 
and then come back. But at least you have seen it--we didn't even get to 
see it. [Laughter]
    I want to welcome Prime Minister Obuchi and his team here. We have 
had very good meetings already today. The United States has no more 
important relationship in the world than our relationship with Japan. We 
are very interested in deepening our partnership in the security area, 
in the political area, and in doing what we can economically together to 
restore growth in the world and to stabilize the world financial 
situation. All these matters we have discussed today in a friendly and 
constructive atmosphere.
    I just wanted to say one other thing. I invited Prime Minister 
Obuchi to come back to Washington early next year for an official visit, 
and he accepted, and I thank him for that.
    Prime Minister Obuchi. All the strong and solid partnership between 
Japan and the United States could not lift this fog, and it is 
unfortunate that some of you had to go to Tarrytown and come back, and 
I'm sorry about that. But as the President said just now, I've been 
invited, and I've accepted his invitation to visit the United States in 
the early part of next year. And I look forward to meeting him again in 
Washington.

Legislative Agenda

    Q. Mr. President, you've said how busy you are, but I just wonder if 
you haven't found some time to check with Congress about how things are 
going?
    President Clinton. Well, we're just a few days away from the new 
budget year, and I'd say things need to go a little faster. We need an 
education bill; we need a health bill. We desperately need the IMF 
funding. They need to pass a good Patients' Bill of Rights. There's a 
lot left to be done. Things are not going fast enough to suit me on the 
people's business.

Note: The exchange began at 1:02 p.m. at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. A 
tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.