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Veterans of Foreign Wars--Washington Conference 3/6/89 [OA 6343] [1]
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Veterans of Foreign Wars--Washington Conference 3/6/89 [OA 6343] [1]
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Veterans of Foreign Wars-Washington Conference 3/6/89 [OA 6343] [1]
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26
18
6
7
(McGroarty)
March 1, 1989
10:30am
dan1
REMARKS: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 6, 1989
Thank you. {Acknowledgements, Secretary-designate Derwinski,
Adv.
Mr. Cooper Holt, Executive Director of VFW, Mr. Larry Rivers,
Commander-in-Chief, VFW.} It is always an honor to meet with the
Veterans of Foreign Wars. The love of liberty is the birthright
of all men -- certainly of all Americans. That is why our nation
owes a special debt of gratitude to its veterans, who freely and
courageously took up the defense of freedom.
I am especially pleased to welcome the Department of
Veterans Affairs to a place in the cabinet. It is a sign of
America's commitment to her veterans -- of the importance we
place in repaying, in some way, the sacrifices veterans have made
in answering their country's call.
I want to speak this morning about a matter of the utmost
importance to the VFW: keeping America strong -- today, and into
the 21st Century.
iX
Opinion is nearly unanimous that today is a time of
Brilding
transition in world affairs. That means our powers of
observation and analysis -- our ability to sort out change and
continuity -- will be put to the test.
When it comes to predicting the future, Winston Churchill's
Phone
rule is still the best. "I always avoid prophesying beforehand
-- because it is much better policy to prophesy after the event
has already taken place."
That's sound advice. We can't predict the future -- but we
must do all we can to turn the opportunities it presents to our
advantage.
I am confident we can.
We are, as you know, in the midst of a serious and
systematic strategic review. I've asked the members of my
national security team to look hard at the international
landscape -- and to look forward, to assess the combination of
security threats, technological change, and political and
economic developments that will shape our security horizon well
into the next century.
I am convinced that this important exercise will have
Building
lasting benefits on our national security strategy. In my
address to Congress last month, I set a ninety-day deadline for
this review. I won't rush the final result. The insights it
will provide into the forces we will face in the decades ahead
are worth waiting for.
Today, I want to speak about the foundations of an adequate
national defense program, about the world we live in, and the
challenges and opportunities we'll encounter -- and about the
approach I'll take on issues integral to our national security.
Feb.
9
Building Better
First, the foundations. Nearly two months ago, I presented
P.137
Congress a defense spending plan that is sound, and makes
sense -- both strategically and fiscally. As a sign that my
Administration is serious about the deficit, I called for
a
P.138
freeze in defense spending in 1990, adjusting only for inflation.
I am well aware that our national strength rests ultimately on
the health and vigor of the American economy, and I mean to
preserve both.
But our crucial military modernization plans -- and the
diverse defense commitments we must keep -- cannot be achieved
without additional defense funding. That is why my budget plan
p.138
follows the freeze for 1990 with real increases of 1 percent in
1991 and 1992, and a 2 percent increase for 1993.
My aim is to put defense spending on a modest, manageable
wilding
path of growth -- one that will allow us to modernize and
P138
maintain forces that are formidable, flexible, and ready.
Now, we've all heard the critics who tell us America can't
afford the defenses I'm talking about. Well, the critics are
wrong. The defense expenditures I am calling for are well within
pavid 4624 Marison OMB
In 50s & 60s dit. bud. 1 090 Aver, offlot And there
SWO
our economic means.
substantial econ. growth.
X
34
But in the defense debate, what we can and can't afford
isn't just a matter of economics. It's a matter of vital
national security, and America's place in the world. I say:
We can't afford to continue the downward trend in defense
Davida ckay Mort OMB
spending. 1989 is the fourth straight year defense spending has
declined in real terms. We've worked hard to rebuild America's
strength -- and it's paid off. Today, America is strong, its
Bugget R.R. Parts
part
voice is heard, and the values we stand for are more secure.
We can't afford to mistake a more stable international
environment as proof we can spend less on national security.
The secret to our success can be summed up in a single word:
strength. Let's sustain the military strength that helped turn
the world situation around.
And finally, we can afford adequate defenses. The defense
4624 0MB Morrisson OMB GNP.
budget I am calling for in 1990 represents 5.5% of our annual
That's a far smaller share of our national wealth than
OMB
the United States spent on defense at any point throughout the
1950s or 1960s -- periods of rapid and sustained economic growth.
1950 it was 5.10
All other yrs in 503 & 60s it was
The bottom line is not a question of cost, or a question of
resources. It is simply a question of will.
You have my word: as long as I'm President, America will
stand fast and on the front line in defense of freedom.
VEH
Today, the world scene looks relatively stable and secure.
Around the world, a number of long-standing regional conflicts
are closer now to resolution than ever before. The stirrings of
contradict
freedom, and the advance of democratic rule are evident and
Smilding
undeniable. In the economic sphere, the free market is
increasingly seen as an engine of growth and development
unmatched by any other system.
Yes, freedom is on the march. But there are still forces
arrayed against it -- regimes whose interests and systems are at
odds with our own and with our allies'. And the spread of
weapons of mass destruction -- along with the means to deliver
them -- is likely to make the flashpoints that always exist more
dangerous than ever before.
On the key issue of change within the Soviet Union, there
P.168
are still far more questions than answers. There is no doubt
that the changes taking place are significant and far-reaching --
but it is equally true that the ultimate outcome of the events
unfolding in the USSR remains uncertain.
Bilding ABeller
My view is that we should press for progress that
Building
contributes to a more stable relationship between the U.S. and
P.160
USSR -- whether in the areas of arms control, human rights, or
regional conflicts. But we must combine our readiness to build
P.137
better relations with a resolve to maintain defenses adequate to
secure our interests. America and her allies must recognize
that -- even in light of the military cuts proposed by President
Gorbachev -- the Soviet Union remains the most formidable
military power facing the free world.
We must be ready to cope with change and favorable
opportunities -- and ready in any event to defend our interests
and ideals.
What this means in terms of national security should be
clear:
We need to maintain and modernize our forces -- strategic
and conventional. For America and its allies, a survivable
nuclear force will remain the ultimate deterrent of aggression.
We need to make a concerted effort to turn our technological
strengths into a source of advantage to our national security.
And that includes an active and aggressive pursuit of SDI.
Building 7.160
A Butter
We need to make an active effort in arms control -- to
strive for increased stability at lower levels of armaments.
Smilding 134 Better
We need to keep our forces ready and well-trained. Our
dedicated servicemen and servicewomen deserve no less.
Building p.138 D.Better
We need to reform our procurement process to deliver a
dollar's worth of defense for every dollar we spend. The place
to begin is to follow through on the sensible reforms suggested
in the Packard Commission report on defense management.
And we need to maintain the alliance of like-minded nations
that has helped us keep the peace in the post-war era. As strong
as we are, America cannot go it alone. Our allies in Europe and
in Asia share a common form of government, and a common interest
in peace and freedom. We must continue to work together to
sustain the great collective strength and sense of common purpose
that have created the conditions for unparalleled peace, freedom,
and prosperity.
endership P.14
For forty years, our alliance structure has been the
cornerstone of American security. Now, perfect agreement will
never exist in an alliance of free nations. But there can be no
doubt that the benefits of alliance far outweigh the inevitable
differences of interest and outlook -- and the partnership of
free nations has never been a more potent force than it is today.
*****
Before I close today, I want to focus for a moment on a
threat no less real than the adversaries you have battled.
I am speaking about that insidious threat to our society and
our values: drug abuse. The notion that America is a nation at
peace is only partly true, as long as the violence and
destructive power of drugs assaults our communities.
I have sworn myself and members of my Administration to wage
a war on drug abuse. This war is unconditional -- and this war
must be won.
I mean to mobilize all our resources, and wage this war on
readership
all fronts. We're going to combat drug abuse with education,
p.209
treatment, enforcement and interdiction -- and, yes, with our
nation's Armed Services when that is what it takes. We need to
break the deadly grip of drugs where it exists, and prevent the
drug scourge from taking hold.
The VFW can help. Two million members, 10,000 chapters
nationwide -- the VFW is a well-respected member of
communities across our nation.
Today, I call on you to form a community of action. "For
W
America, whatever it takes" -- that's the proud motto of the VFW.
Chizis
blid
You've fought for your nation once. Your nation needs you
again. Today, I want to enlist you in the anti-drug campaign.
-- Meet with other leaders in your community: church and
clergy, law enforcement officers. Tell them the VFW volunteers
are ready to help.
-- Go to the schools. Put the full weight of the VFW behind the
anti-drug education effort that provides our children the reasons
and the will-power they need to resist drugs.
-- Speak to your state and local elected officials. Urge them
to make the passage of strong anti-drug legislation a prioirity.
I'm reaching out to you, so I want to extend my help as
well.
Bill Bennett, the point man in our anti-drug campaign,
stands ready to meet with VFW leadership, to share ideas that can
help you map a strategy.
The VFW has proven many times over its dedication to the
health and well-being of our nation. I know we can count on the
veterans of America to help us wage and win the war on drugs.
Veterans share a special bond. We have seen the face of
war. We know its terrible costs. We know that Americans never
willingly choose conflict. But we know as well that we must be
ready and willing to respond when our interests and ideals come
under threat.
Let me be clear. I prefer the diplomatic approach. Nations
can and should explore every avenue toward working out their
differences without resort to force or military intimidation.
But I am also a realist. I know that there is no substitute
for a nation's ability to defend its ideals and interests.
Too often, we hear that we face a stark choice in coping
with conflict. We can pursue a diplomatic solution -- or we can
seek a resolution through military means. One, we're told, is
incompatible with the other.
Well, this doesn't square with real-world experience. The
fact is that diplomacy and military capability are complementary
-- not contradictory. I know that creative diplomacy can help us
avert conflict -- and I know that negotiations stand the greatest
chance of success when they proceed from a position of strength.
The fundamental lesson of the decade now drawing to a close
13-1
is simply this: strength secures peace.
America can continue to be a force for peace and stability
in the world -- provided we stay strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
REMARKS: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
fines/
WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
MARCH 6, 1989
THANK YOU. CONGRESSMAN DERWINSKI, COMMANDER-IN-
CHIEF RIVERS: IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS
MORNING. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY BEST WISHES TO A REAL
VFW INSTITUTION, MY GOOD FRIEND COOPER HOLT, WHO IS
STEPPING DOWN THIS YEAR AFTER MORE THAN A QUARTER
- 2 -
CENTURY OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AS VFW's EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR. COOPER, YOU'VE EARNED THE GRATITUDE OF
VETERANS EVERYWHERE FOR MAKING THE VFW YOUR LIFELONG
CAUSE.
BEFORE I BEGIN LET ME SAY A WORD ABOUT AN ISSUE
THAT I AM SURE IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE
PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. You KNOW JOHN TOWER AS A FELLOW
VETERAN, AND AS A LIFELONG PUBLIC SERVANT. You ALSO
KNOW HIM AS A FIGHTER. HE HAS FOUGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY
- 3 -
AS A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD IN THE NAVY, AND NOW HE AND I
ARE FIGHTING FOR SOME VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES.
PRINCIPLES LIKE FAIRNESS AND TRUTH.
PRINCIPLES LIKE THE PREROGATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT TO
ASSEMBLE THE MOST TALENTED AND QUALIFIED TEAM TO GUIDE
THIS NATION FORWARD.
I HAVE ASKED THE SENATE TO VOTE ON THIS NOMINATION
WITH THOSE PRINCIPLES IN MIND. I'VE ASKED SENATORS TO
PUT ASIDE PARTISANSHIP. I'VE ASKED THEM TO USE THEIR
- 4 -
OWN EXPERIENCE WITH JOHN TOWER AS AN EXPERT ON DEFENSE
ISSUES, AS A FORMER COLLEAGUE, AND AS A TOUGH, HARD-
NOSED NEGOTIATOR, TO GUIDE THEM AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS A
VOTE ON HIS NOMINATION.
IT IS VERY INTERESTING THAT NOT ONE SINGLE SENATOR
HAS CHALLENGED JOHN TOWER'S KNOWLEDGE ON DEFENSE
MATTERS -- NOT ONE.
- 5 -
I STAND BY JOHN TOWER
BECAUSE HE IS UNIQUELY
QUALIFIED AS THE RIGHT MAN TO TAKE CHARGE AT THE
PENTAGON.
IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO MEET WITH THE VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WARS. THE LOVE OF LIBERTY IS THE BIRTHRIGHT OF
ALL MEN -- CERTAINLY OF ALL AMERICANS. THAT IS WHY OUR
NATION OWES A SPECIAL DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ITS
VETERANS, WHO FREELY AND COURAGEOUSLY TOOK UP THE
DEFENSE OF FREEDOM.
- 6 -
I AM ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO WELCOME THE DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO A PLACE IN THE CABINET. IT IS A
SIGN OF AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO HER VETERANS -- OF THE
IMPORTANCE WE PLACE IN REPAYING, IN SOME WAY, THE
SACRIFICES VETERANS HAVE MADE IN ANSWERING THEIR
COUNTRY'S CALL.
AND IN MY VIEW, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FIRST
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS SOMEONE WHO IS CLOSE
TO THE PRESIDENT - WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT'S FULL
- 7 -
CONFIDENCE ON A PERSONAL BASIS. WELL, ED DERWINSKI, MY
FORMER COLLEAGUE IN CONGRESS AND MY FRIEND OF LONG
STANDING FITS THAT DESCRIPTION TO A " T ".
TODAY, THERE ARE SIX TIMES AS MANY VETERANS ALIVE
AS THERE WERE WHEN THE VA WAS CREATED IN 1930. ED
DERWINSKI'S ALREADY COME TO SEE ME TO DISCUSS SOME OF
THE CHALLENGES FACING US IN VETERANS PROGRAMS. WITH
THE PRESSURES THE COUNTRY IS UNDER TO SOLVE OUR MASSIVE
FEDERAL DEFICIT, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE To DO EVERYTHING
- 8 -
WE'D LIKE TO DO IN THE WAY OF ADDING RESOURCES FOR
VETERANS PROGRAMS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ED IS A STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR VETERANS. LIKE ME, HE UNDERSTANDS THE
NEEDS, INCLUDING THE CRYING NEED FOR STRONG HEALTH CARE
FOR THE VETERANS.
I WANT TO SPEAK THIS MORNING ABOUT A MATTER OF THE
UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE VFW: KEEPING AMERICA STRONG -
- TODAY, AND INTO THE 21st CENTURY.
- 9 -
OPINION IS NEARLY UNANIMOUS THAT TODAY IS A TIME OF
TRANSITION IN WORLD AFFAIRS. THAT MEANS OUR POWERS OF
OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS -- OUR ABILITY TO SORT OUT
CHANGE AND CONTINUITY -- WILL BE PUT To THE TEST.
WHEN IT COMES TO PREDICTING THE FUTURE, WINSTON
CHURCHILL'S RULE IS STILL THE BEST.
- 10 -
"I ALWAYS AVOID PROPHESYING BEFOREHAND -- BECAUSE IT IS
MUCH BETTER POLICY To PROPHESY AFTER THE EVENT HAS
ALREADY TAKEN PLACE."
[ MAYBE I'M THE ONE TO DO THAT. LAST YEAR I TOLD
THE AMERICAN LEGION ABOUT PEARL HARBOR BEING ON
SEPTEMBER 7TH. IF ROOSEVELT HAD LISTENED TO ME, BACK
THEN, WE MIGHT HAVE AVERTED THE DISASTER. ]
WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDST OF A SERIES OF
SYSTEMATIC STRATEGIC REVIEWS. I'VE ASKED THE MEMBERS
- 11 -
OF MY NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM TO LOOK HARD AT THE
INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE --AND -- TO LOOK FORWARD, TO
ASSESS THE COMBINATION OF SECURITY THREATS,
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, AND POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL SHAPE OUR SECURITY HORIZON WELL
INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IMPORTANT EXERCISE WILL
HAVE LASTING BENEFITS ON OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. IN MY
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS LAST MONTH,
- 12 -
I SET A NINETY-DAY DEADLINE FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK
AND, I WON'T RUSH THE FINAL RESULTS. THE INSIGHTS WE
WILL GAIN INTO THE PROBLEMS WE WILL FACE IN THE DECADES
AHEAD ARE WORTH WAITING FOR.
TODAY, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN
ADEQUATE NATIONAL DEFENSE PROGRAM, ABOUT THE WORLD WE
LIVE IN, AND THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WE'LL
ENCOUNTER -- AND ABOUT THE APPROACH I'LL TAKE ON ISSUES
INTEGRAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
13 -
FIRST, THE FOUNDATIONS. A MONTH AGO, I PRESENTED
TO CONGRESS A SOUND DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN THAT MAKES
SENSE -- BOTH STRATEGICALLY AND FISCALLY. As A SIGN
THAT MY ADMINISTRATION IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE DEFICIT, I
CALLED FOR A FREEZE IN DEFENSE SPENDING IN 1990,
ADJUSTED ONLY FOR INFLATION. I AM WELL AWARE THAT OUR
NATIONAL STRENGTH RESTS ULTIMATELY ON THE HEALTH AND
VIGOR OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, AND I MEAN TO PRESERVE
BOTH -- A STRONG ECONOMY AND A STRONG DEFENSE.
- 14 -
BUT OUR CRUCIAL MILITARY MODERNIZATION PLANS -- AND
THE DIVERSE DEFENSE COMMITMENTS WE MUST KEEP -- CANNOT
BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL DEFENSE FUNDING.
THAT IS WHY MY BUDGET PLAN FOLLOWS THE FREEZE FOR
1990 WITH REAL INCREASES OF 1 PERCENT IN 1991 AND 1992,
AND A 2 PERCENT INCREASE FOR 1993.
MY AIM IS TO PUT DEFENSE SPENDING ON A MODEST,
MANAGEABLE GROWTH PATH -- ONE WE CAN AFFORD,
- 15 -
AND ONE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MODERNIZE AND MAINTAIN
FORCES THAT ARE FORMIDABLE, FLEXIBLE, AND READY.
BUT IN THE DEFENSE DEBATE, WHAT WE CAN AND
CAN'T AFFORD ISN'T JUST A MATTER OF ECONOMICS. It's A
MATTER OF VITAL NATIONAL SECURITY. I SAY:
-- WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE THE DOWNWARD TREND IN
DEFENSE SPENDING. 1989 WILL BE THE FOURTH STRAIGHT
YEAR BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR DEFENSE HAS DECLINED IN
REAL TERMS.
- 16 -
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO REBUILD AMERICA'S STRENGTH -- AND
IT'S PAID OFF. TODAY, AMERICA IS STRONG, ITS VOICE IS
HEARD, AND THE VALUES WE STAND FOR ARE MORE SECURE.
-- WE CAN'T AFFORD To MISTAKE A MORE STABLE
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AS PROOF WE CAN SPEND
LESS ON NATIONAL SECURITY. THE SECRET TO OUR
SUCCESS CAN BE SUMMED UP IN A SINGLE WORD:
STRENGTH. LET'S SUSTAIN THE MILITARY STRENGTH THAT
HELPED TURN THE WORLD SITUATION AROUND.
- 17 -
-- AND FINALLY, WE CAN AFFORD ADEQUATE DEFENSES. THE
DEFENSE BUDGET I AM CALLING FOR IN 1990 REPRESENTS
5.5% OF OUR ANNUAL GNP. THAT'S A FAR SMALLER SHARE
OF OUR NATIONAL WEALTH THAT THE UNITED STATES SPENT
ON DEFENSE AT ANY POINT THROUGHOUT THE 1950s OR
1960s -- PERIODS OF RAPID AND SUSTAINED ECONOMIC
GROWTH.
- 18 -
THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOT A QUESTION OF COST, OR A
QUESTION OF RESOURCES. IT IS SIMPLY A QUESTION OF
WILL.
You HAVE MY WORD: AS LONG AS I'M PRESIDENT,
AMERICA WILL STAND FAST AND ON THE FRONT LINE IN
DEFENSE OF FREEDOM.
TODAY, AROUND THE WORLD, A NUMBER OF LONG-STANDING
REGIONAL CONFLICTS ARE CLOSER NOW TO RESOLUTION THAN
EVER BEFORE.
- 19 -
THE STIRRINGS OF FREEDOM, -AND THE ADVANCE OF DEMOCRATIC
RULE ARE EVIDENT AND UNDENIABLE. IN THE ECONOMIC
SPHERE, THE FREE MARKET IS INCREASINGLY SEEN AS AN
ENGINE OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER
SYSTEM.
YES, FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH. BUT THERE ARE STILL
FORCES ARRAYED AGAINST IT -- REGIMES WHOSE INTERESTS
AND SYSTEMS ARE AT ODDS WITH OUR OWN AND WITH THOSE OF
OUR ALLIES.
- 20 -
AND THE SPREAD OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS --
ALONG WITH THE MEANS TO DELIVER THEM -- IS LIKELY TO
MAKE THE FLASHPOINTS THAT ALWAYS EXIST MORE DANGEROUS
THAN EVER BEFORE.
ON THE KEY ISSUE OF CHANGE WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION,
THERE ARE STILL FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. THERE
IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE ARE
SIGNIFICANT AND FAR-REACHING -- BUT IT IS EQUALLY TRUE
- 21 -
THAT THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF THE EVENTS UNFOLDING IN
THE USSR REMAINS UNCERTAIN.
MY VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULD PRESS FOR PROGRESS THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO A MORE STABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
U.S. AND USSR. BUT WE MUST COMBINE OUR READINESS TO
BUILD BETTER RELATIONS WITH A RESOLVE TO MAINTAIN
DEFENSES ADEQUATE TO SECURE OUR INTERESTS. AMERICA AND
HER ALLIES MUST RECOGNIZE THAT -- EVEN IN LIGHT OF THE
MILITARY CUTS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT GORBACHEV --
- 22 -
THE SOVIET UNION REMAINS THE MOST FORMIDABLE MILITARY
POWER FACING THE FREE WORLD.
WE MUST BE READY TO COPE WITH CHANGE AND FAVORABLE
OPPORTUNITIES --AND READY IN ANY EVENT TO DEFEND OUR
INTERESTS AND IDEALS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF NATIONAL SECURITY
SHOULD BE CLEAR:
WE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND MODERNIZE OUR FORCES --
NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL. FOR AMERICA AND ITS ALLIES,
- 23 -
A SURVIVABLE NUCLEAR FORCE WILL REMAIN THE ULTIMATE
DETERRENT OF AGGRESSION.
-
WE NEED TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TURN OUR
TECHNOLOGICAL STRENGTHS INTO A SOURCE OF ADVANTAGE TO
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. AND THAT INCLUDES VIGOROUS
PURSUIT OF SDI.
WE NEED TO MAKE AN ACTIVE EFFORT IN ARMS CONTROL --
TO STRIVE FOR INCREASED STABILITY AT LOWER LEVELS OF
ARMAMENTS.
- 24 -
BUT I WILL STRONGLY OPPOSE LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPTS TO
WITHDRAW U.S. TROOPS FROM EUROPE UNILATERALLY.
IMPRUDENT UNILATERAL REDUCTIONS ARE NOT THE PATH TO
PEACE, SECURITY, AND FREEDOM.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR FORCES READY AND WELL-TRAINED.
THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY
DESERVE NO LESS.
- 25 -
WE NEED TO REFORM OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO
DELIVER A DOLLAR'S WORTH OF DEFENSE FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE
SPEND. THE WAY TO BEGIN IS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE
SENSIBLE REFORMS SUGGESTED IN THE PACKARD COMMISSION
REPORT, AND THE FINDINGS OF THE DEFENSE MANAGEMENT
REVIEW NOW UNDERWAY.
- 26 -
AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE ALLIANCE OF LIKE-MINDED
NATIONS IN EUROPE AND ASIA THAT HAVE HELPED US KEEP THE
PEACE IN THE POST-WAR ERA. As STRONG AS WE ARE,
AMERICA CANNOT GO IT ALONE.
BEFORE I CLOSE TODAY, I WANT TO FOCUS FOR A
MOMENT ON A THREAT NO LESS REAL THAN THE ADVERSARIES
YOU HAVE BATTLED.
I AM SPEAKING ABOUT THAT INSIDIOUS THREAT TO OUR
SOCIETY AND OUR VALUES: DRUG ABUSE. THE NOTION THAT
- 27 -
AMERICA IS A NATION AT PEACE IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE, AS
LONG AS THE VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF DRUGS
ASSAULTS OUR COMMUNITIES.
As I TALK, OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL IS HOLDING A SERIES
OF TALKS WITH THREE SOUTH AMERICAN PRESIDENTS - SEEKING
THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION IN THIS WAR AND OFFERING OUR
FULL COOPERATION.
MY ABLE "DRUG CZAR," BILL BENNETT WILL BE CONFIRMED
AS MY HARD HITTING POINT MAN TO BE AT MY SIDE IN THE
- 28 -
WHITE HOUSE - TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON WINNING THIS
UNCONDITIONAL WAR.
I MEAN TO MOBILIZE ALL OUR RESOURCES, AND WAGE THIS
WAR ON ALL FRONTS. WE'RE GOING TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSE
WITH EDUCATION, TREATMENT, ENFORCEMENT AND INTERDICTION
-- AND, YES, WITH OUR NATION'S ARMED SERVICES WHEN THAT
IS WHAT IT TAKES. WE NEED TO BREAK THE DEADLY GRIP OF
DRUGS, AND PREVENT THE DRUG SCOURGE FROM TAKING HOLD.
- 29 -
THE VFW CAN HELP. 2.3 MILLION MEMBERS, 750,000
AUXILIARY MEMBERS, AND 10,000 CHAPTERS NATIONWIDE --
THE VFW IS A WELL-RESPECTED MEMBER OF COMMUNITIES
ACROSS OUR NATION.
TODAY, I CALL ON YOU TO FORM A COMMUNITY OF ACTION.
"FOR AMERICA, WHATEVER IT TAKES" -- THAT'S THE PROUD
MOTTO OF THE VFW.
- 30 -
You've FOUGHT FOR YOU NATION ONCE. YOUR NATION
NEEDS YOU AGAIN. TODAY, I WANT TO ENLIST YOU IN THE
ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN.
-- MEET WITH OTHER LEADERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY: CHURCH
AND CLEASY, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. TELL THEM
THE VFW VOLUNTEERS ARE READY TO HELP.
-- Go TO THE
OLS. PUT THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE VFW
BEHIND in
TI-DRUG EDUCATION EFFORT THAT PROVIDES
- 31 -
OUR CHILDREN WITH THE REASONS AND WILL-POWER THEY
NEED TO RESIST DRUGS.
-- SPEAK TO YOUR STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
URGE THEM TO MAKE THE PASSAGE OF STRONG ANTI-DRUG
LEGISLATION A PRIORITY.
I'M REACHING OUT TO YOU, so I WANT To EXTEND MY
HELP AS WELL. BILL BENNETT, STANDS READY TO MEET WITH
VFW LEADERSHIP, TO SHARE IDEAS THAT CAN HELP YOU MAP A
STRATEGY.
- 32 -
THE VFW HAS PROVEN MANY TIMES OVER ITS DEDICATION
TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION. THE FIFTY
YOUNG PEOPLE YOU'VE HONORED HERE TODAY UNDERSCORE THE
VFW's INTEREST IN OUR NATION'S YOUTH AND FUTURE.
I KNOW WE CAN COUNT ON THE VETERANS OF AMERICA TO
HELP US WAGE AND WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS.
[ PAUSE ]
VETERANS SHARE A SPECIAL BOND. WE HAVE SEEN THE
FACE OF WAR. WE KNOW ITS TERRIBLE COSTS. WE KNOW THAT
- 33 -
AMERICANS NEVER WILLINGLY CHOOSE CONFLICT. BUT WE KNOW
AS WELL THAT WE MUST BE READY AND WILLING TO RESPOND
WHEN OUR INTERESTS AND IDEALS COME UNDER THREAT.
LET ME BE CLEAR. I PREFER THE DIPLOMATIC APPROACH.
NATIONS CAN AND SHOULD EXPLORE EVERY AVENUE TOWARD
WORKING OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES WITHOUT RESORTING TO
FORCE OR MILITARY INTIMIDATION.
- 34 -
BUT I AM ALSO A REALIST. I KNOW THAT THERE IS NO
SUBSTITUTE FOR A MATION'S ABILITY TO DEFEND ITS IDEALS
AND INTERESTS.
Too OFTEN, WE HEAR THAT WE FACE A STARK CHOICE IN
COPING WITH CONFLICT. WE CAN PURSUE A DIPLOMATIC
SOLUTION -- OR WE CAN SEEK A RESOLUTION THROUGH
MILITARY MEANS. ONE, WE'RE RE TOLD, IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH
THE OTHER.
- 35 -
WELL, THIS DOESN'T SQUARE WITH REAL-WORLD
EXPERIENCE. DIPLOMACY AND MILITARY CAPABILITY ARE
COMPLEMENTARY -- NOT CONTRADICTORY. CREATIVE DIPLOMACY
CAN HELP US AVERT CONFLICT -- NEGOTIATIONS STAND THE
GREATEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS WHEN THEY PROCEED FROM A
POSITION OF STRENGTH.
THE FUNDAMENTAL LESSON OF THE DECADE NOW DRAWING TO
A CLOSE IS SIMPLY THIS: STRENGTH SECURES PEACE.
- 36 -
AMERICA WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FORCE FOR PEACE AND
STABILITY IN THE WORLD -- PROVIDED WE STAY STRONG.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
TOWER INSERT/VFW
Before I begin let me say a word about an issue that I'm
sure is of particular importance to the people in this room. You
know John Tower as a fellow veteran, and as a lifelong public
servant. You also know him as a fighter. He has fought for his
country as a seventeen-year-old in the Navy, and now he and I are
fighting for some very important principles.
Principles like fairness and truth.
Principles like the prerogative of the President to assemble
the most talented and qualified team to guide this nation
forward.
I have asked the Senate to vote on this nomination with
those principles in mind. I've asked Senators to put aside
partisanship. I've asked them to use their own experience with
John Tower as an expert on defense issues, as a former colleague,
and as a tough, hard-nosed negotiator, to guide them as they move
towards a vote on his nomination.
I stand by John Tower
not just because he is my friend,
but more importantly because he is uniquely qualified as the
right man to take charge at the Pentagon.
###
TOWER INSERT/VFW
Before I begin let me say a word about an issue that I'm
sure is of particular importance to the people in this room. You
know John Tower as a fellow veteran, and as a lifelong public
servant. You also know him as a fighter. He has fought for his
country as a seventeen-year-old in the Navy, and now he and I are
fighting for some very important principles.
Principles like fairness and truth.
Principles like the prerogative of the President to assemble
the most talented and qualified team to guide this nation
forward.
I have asked the Senate to vote on this nomination with
those principles in mind. I've asked Senators to put aside
partisanship. I've asked them to use their own experience with
John Tower as an expert on defense issues, as a former colleague,
and as a tough, hard-nosed negotiator, to guide them as they move
towards a vote on his nomination.
I stand by John Tower
not just because he is my friend,
but more importantly because he is uniquely qualified as the
right man to take charge at the Pentagon.
# # #
REMARKS: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
draft
WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
MARCH 6, 1989
THANK YOU. CONGRESSMAN DERWINSKI, COMMANDER-IN-
CHIEF RIVERS: IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS
MORNING. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY BEST WISHES TO A REAL
VFW INSTITUTION, MY GOOD FRIEND COOPER HOLT, WHO IS
STEPPING DOWN THIS YEAR AFTER MORE THAN A QUARTER
- 2 - -
CENTURY OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AS VFW's EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR. COOPER, YOU'VE EARNED THE GRATITUDE OF
VETERANS EVERYWHERE FOR MAKING THE VFW YOUR LIFELONG
CAUSE.
IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO MEET WITH THE VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WARS. THE LOVE OF LIBERTY IS THE BIRTHRIGHT OF
ALL MEN CERTAINLY OF ALL AMERICANS. THAT IS WHY OUR
NATION OWES A SPECIAL DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ITS
- 3 -
VETERANS, WHO FREELY AND COURAGEOUSLY TOOK UP THE
DEFENSE OF FREEDOM.
I AM ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO WELCOME THE DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO A PLACE IN THE CABINET. IT IS A
SIGN OF AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO HER VETERANS - -- OF THE
IMPORTANCE WE PLACE IN REPAYING, IN SOME WAY, THE
SACRIFICES VETERANS HAVE MADE IN ANSWERING THEIR
COUNTRY'S CALL.
- 4 -
AND IN MY VIEW, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FIRST
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS SOMEONE WHO IS CLOSE
TO THE PRESIDENT - WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT'S FULL
CONFIDENCE ON A PERSONAL BASIS. WELL, ED DERWINSKI, MY
FORMER COLLEAGUE IN CONGRESS AND MY FRIEND OF LONG
STANDING FITS THAT DESCRIPTION To A "T".
TODAY, THERE ARE SIX TIMES AS MANY VETERANS ALIVE
AS THERE WERE WHEN THE VA WAS CREATED IN 1930. ED
DERWINSKI'S ALREADY COME TO SEE ME TO DISCUSS SOME OF
- 5 -
THE CHALLENGES FACING US IN VETERANS PROGRAMS. WITH
THE PRESSURES THE COUNTRY IS UNDER TO SOLVE OUR MASSIVE
FEDERAL DEFICIT, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING
WE'D LIKE To DO IN THE WAY OF ADDING RESOURCES FOR
VETERANS PROGRAMS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ED IS A STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR VETERANS. LIKE ME, HE UNDERSTANDS THE
NEEDS, INCLUDING THE CRYING NEED FOR STRONG HEALTH CARE
FOR THE VETERANS.
- 6 -
I WANT TO SPEAK THIS MORNING ABOUT A MATTER OF THE
UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE VFW: KEEPING AMERICA STRONG -
- TODAY, AND INTO THE 21st CENTURY.
OPINION IS NEARLY UNANIMOUS THAT TODAY IS A TIME OF
TRANSITION IN WORLD AFFAIRS. THAT MEANS OUR POWERS OF
OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS -- OUR ABILITY TO SORT OUT
CHANGE AND CONTINUITY -- WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST.
WHEN IT COMES TO PREDICTING THE FUTURE, WINSTON
CHURCHILL'S RULE IS STILL THE BEST
- 7 -
"I ALWAYS AVOID PROPHESYING BEFOREHAND - BECAUSE IT IS
MUCH BETTER POLICY TO PROPHESY AFTER THE EVENT HAS
ALREADY TAKEN PLACE."
[ MAYBE I'M THE ONE TO DO THAT. LAST YEAR I TOLD
THE AMERICAN LEGION ABOUT PEARL HARBOR BEING ON
SEPTEMBER 7TH. IF ROOSEVELT HAD LISTENED TO ME, BACK
THEN, WE MIGHT HAVE AVERTED THE DISASTER. ]
WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDST OF A SERIES OF
SYSTEMATIC STRATEGIC REVIEWS. I'VE ASKED THE MEMBERS
- 8 -
OF MY NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM TO LOOK HARD AT THE
INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE -- AND TO LOOK FORWARD, TO
ASSESS THE COMBINATION OF SECURITY THREATS,
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, AND POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL SHAPE OUR SECURITY HORIZON WELL
INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IMPORTANT EXERCISE WILL
HAVE LASTING BENEFITS ON OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. IN MY
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS LAST MONTH,
- 9 -
I SET A NINETY-DAY DEADLINE FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK
AND, I WON'T RUSH THE FINAL RESULTS. THE INSIGHTS WE
WILL GAIN INTO THE PROBLEMS WE WILL FACE IN THE DECADES
AHEAD ARE WORTH WAITING FOR.
TODAY, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN
ADEQUATE NATIONAL DEFENSE PROGRAM, ABOUT THE WORLD WE
LIVE IN, AND THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WE'LL
ENCOUNTER -- AND ABOUT THE APPROACH I'LL TAKE ON ISSUES
INTEGRAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
- 10 -
FIRST, THE FOUNDATIONS. A MONTH AGO, I PRESENTED
To CONGRESS A SOUND DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN THAT MAKES
SENSE -- BOTH STRATEGICALLY AND FISCALLY. As A SIGN
THAT MY ADMINISTRATION IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE DEFICIT, I
CALLED FOR A FREEZE IN DEFENSE SPENDING IN 1990,
ADJUSTED ONLY FOR INFLATION. I AM WELL AWARE THAT OUR
NATIONAL STRENGTH RESTS ULTIMATELY ON THE HEALTH AND
VIGOR OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, AND I MEAN To PRESERVE
BOTH -- A STRONG ECONOMY AND A STRONG DEFENSE.
- 11 -
BUT OUR CRUCIAL MILITARY MODERNIZATION PLANS -- AND
THE DIVERSE DEFENSE COMMITMENTS WE MUST KEEP -- CANNOT
BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL DEFENSE FUNDING.
THAT IS WHY MY BUDGET PLAN FOLLOWS THE FREEZE FOR
1990 WITH REAL INCREASES OF 1 PERCENT IN 1991 AND 1992,
AND A 2 PERCENT INCREASE FOR 1993.
MY AIM IS TO PUT DEFENSE SPENDING ON A MODEST,
MANAGEABLE GROWTH PATH -- ONE WE CAN AFFORD,
- 12 -
AND ONE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MODERNIZE AND MAINTAIN
FORCES THAT ARE FORMIDABLE, FLEXIBLE, AND READY.
BUT IN THE DEFENSE DEBATE, WHAT WE CAN AND
CAN'T AFFORD ISN'T JUST A MATTER OF ECONOMICS. IT'S A
MATTER OF VITAL NATIONAL SECURITY. I SAY:
-- WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE THE DOWNWARD TREND IN
DEFENSE SPENDING. 1989 WILL BE THE FOURTH STRAIGHT
YEAR BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR DEFENSE HAS DECLINED IN
REAL TERMS.
- 13 -
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO REBUILD AMERICA'S STRENGTH -- AND
IT'S PAID OFF. TODAY, AMERICA IS STRONG, ITS VOICE IS
HEARD, AND THE VALUES WE STAND FOR ARE MORE SECURE.
-- WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MISTAKE A MORE STABLE
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AS PROOF WE CAN SPEND
LESS ON NATIONAL SECURITY. THE SECRET TO OUR
SUCCESS CAN BE SUMMED UP IN A SINGLE WORD:
STRENGTH. LET'S SUSTAIN THE MILITARY STRENGTH THAT
HELPED TURN THE WORLD SITUATION AROUND.
- 14 -
-- AND FINALLY, WE CAN AFFORD ADEQUATE DEFENSES. THE
DEFENSE BUDGET I AM CALLING FOR IN 1990 REPRESENTS
5.5% OF OUR ANNUAL GNP. THAT'S A FAR SMALLER SHARE
OF OUR NATIONAL WEALTH THAT THE UNITED STATES SPENT
ON DEFENSE AT ANY POINT THROUGHOUT THE 1950s OR
1960s -- PERIODS OF RAPID AND SUSTAINED ECONOMIC
GROWTH.
- 15 -
THE BOTTOM LINE IS NOT A QUESTION OF COST, OR A
QUESTION OF RESOURCES. IT IS SIMPLY A QUESTION OF
WILL.
You HAVE MY WORD: AS LONG AS I'M PRESIDENT,
AMERICA WILL STAND FAST AND ON THE FRONT LINE IN
DEFENSE OF FREEDOM.
TODAY, AROUND THE WORLD, A NUMBER OF LONG-STANDING
REGIONAL CONFLICTS ARE CLOSER NOW TO RESOLUTION THAN
EVER BEFORE.
- 16 -
THE STIRRINGS OF FREEDOM, AND THE ADVANCE OF DEMOCRATIC
RULE ARE EVIDENT AND UNDENIABLE. IN THE ECONOMIC
SPHERE, THE FREE MARKET IS INCREASINGLY SEEN AS AN
ENGINE OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER
SYSTEM.
YES, FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH. BUT THERE ARE STILL
FORCES ARRAYED AGAINST IT -- REGIMES WHOSE INTERESTS
AND SYSTEMS ARE AT ODDS WITH OUR OWN AND WITH THOSE OF
OUR ALLIES.
- 17 -
AND THE SPREAD OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS --
ALONG WITH THE MEANS TO DELIVER THEM --- IS LIKELY TO
MAKE THE FLASHPOINTS THAT ALWAYS EXIST MORE DANGEROUS
THAN EVER BEFORE.
ON THE KEY ISSUE OF CHANGE WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION,
THERE ARE STILL FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. THERE
IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE ARE
SIGNIFICANT AND FAR-REACHING -- BUT IT IS EQUALLY TRUE
- 18 -
THAT THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF THE EVENTS UNFOLDING IN
THE USSR REMAINS UNCERTAIN.
My VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULD PRESS FOR PROGRESS THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO A MORE STABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
U.S. AND USSR. BUT WE MUST COMBINE OUR READINESS To
BUILD BETTER RELATIONS WITH A RESOLVE TO MAINTAIN
DEFENSES ADEQUATE TO SECURE OUR INTERESTS. AMERICA AND
HER ALLIES MUST RECOGNIZE THAT -- EVEN IN LIGHT OF THE
MILITARY CUTS PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT GORBACHEV --
- 19 -
THE SOVIET UNION REMAINS THE MOST FORMIDABLE MILITARY
POWER FACING THE FREE WORLD.
WE MUST BE READY TO COPE WITH CHANGE AND FAVORABLE
OPPORTUNITIES --AND READY IN ANY EVENT TO DEFEND OUR
INTERESTS AND IDEALS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF NATIONAL SECURITY
SHOULD BE CLEAR:
WE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND MODERNIZE OUR FORCES --
NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL. FOR AMERICA AND ITS ALLIES,
- 20 -
A SURVIVABLE NUCLEAR FORCE WILL REMAIN THE ULTIMATE
DETERRENT OF AGGRESSION.
WE NEED TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TURN OUR
TECHNOLOGICAL STRENGTHS INTO A SOURCE OF ADVANTAGE TO
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. AND THAT INCLUDES VIGOROUS
PURSUIT OF SDI.
WE NEED TO MAKE AN ACTIVE EFFORT IN ARMS CONTROL --
TO STRIVE FOR INCREASED STABILITY AT LOWER LEVELS OF
ARMAMENTS.
- 21 -
BUT I WILL STRONGLY OPPOSE LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPTS TO
WITHDRAW U.S. TROOPS FROM EUROPE UNILATERALLY.
IMPRUDENT UNILATERAL REDUCTIONS ARE NOT THE PATH TO
PEACE, SECURITY, AND FREEDOM.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR FORCES READY AND WELL-TRAINED.
THE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY
DESERVE NO LESS.
- 22 -
WE NEED TO REFORM OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO
DELIVER A DOLLAR'S WORTH OF DEFENSE FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE
SPEND. THE WAY TO BEGIN IS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE
SENSIBLE REFORMS SUGGESTED IN THE PACKARD COMMISSION
REPORT, AND THE FINDINGS OF THE DEFENSE MANAGEMENT
REVIEW NOW UNDERWAY.
- 23 -
AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE ALLIANCE OF LIKE-MINDED
NATIONS IN EUROPE AND ASIA THAT HAVE HELPED US KEEP THE
PEACE IN THE POST-WAR ERA. As STRONG AS WE ARE,
AMERICA CANNOT GO IT ALONE.
BEFORE I CLOSE TODAY, I WANT TO FOCUS FOR A
MOMENT ON A THREAT NO LESS REAL THAN THE ADVERSARIES
YOU HAVE BATTLED.
I AM SPEAKING ABOUT THAT INSIDIOUS THREAT TO OUR
SOCIETY AND OUR VALUES: DRUG ABUSE. THE NOTION THAT
- 24 -
AMERICA IS A NATION AT PEACE IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE, AS
LONG AS THE VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF DRUGS
ASSAULTS OUR COMMUNITIES.
As I TALK, OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL IS HOLDING A SERIES
OF TALKS WITH THREE SOUTH AMERICAN PRESIDENTS - SEEKING
THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION IN THIS WAR AND OFFERING OUR
FULL COOPERATION.
MY ABLE "DRUG CZAR," BILL BENNETT WILL BE CONFIRMED
AS MY HARD HITTING POINT MAN TO BE AT MY SIDE IN THE
- 25 -
WHITE HOUSE - TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON WINNING THIS
UNCONDITIONAL WAR.
I MEAN To MOBILIZE ALL OUR RESOURCES, AND WAGE THIS
WAR ON ALL FRONTS. WE'RE GOING TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSE
WITH EDUCATION, TREATMENT, ENFORCEMENT AND INTERDICTION
-- AND, YES, WITH OUR NATION'S ARMED SERVICES WHEN THAT
IS WHAT IT TAKES. WE NEED TO BREAK THE DEADLY GRIP OF
DRUGS, AND PREVENT THE DRUG SCOURGE FROM TAKING HOLD.
- 26 -
THE VFW CAN HELP. 2.3 MILLION MEMBERS, 750,000
AUXILIARY MEMBERS, AND 10,000 CHAPTERS NATIONWIDE --
THE VFW IS A WELL-RESPECTED MEMBER OF COMMUNITIES
ACROSS OUR NATION.
TODAY, I CALL ON YOU TO FORM A COMMUNITY OF ACTION.
"FOR AMERICA, WHATEVER IT TAKES" -- THAT'S THE PROUD
MOTTO OF THE VFW.
- 27 -
YOU'VE FOUGHT FOR YOU NATION ONCE. YOUR NATION
NEEDS YOU AGAIN. TODAY, I WANT To ENLIST YOU IN THE
ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN.
-- MEET WITH OTHER LEADERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY: CHURCH
AND CLERGY, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. TELL THEM
THE VFW VOLUNTEERS ARE READY TO HELP.
-- Go TO THE SCHOOLS. PUT THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE VFW
BEHIND THE ANTI-DRUG EDUCATION EFFORT THAT PROVIDES
- 28 -
OUR CHILDREN WITH THE REASONS AND WILL-POWER THEY
NEED TO RESIST DRUGS.
-- SPEAK TO YOUR STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
URGE THEM TO MAKE THE PASSAGE OF STRONG ANTI-DRUG
LEGISLATION A PRIORITY.
I'M REACHING OUT TO YOU, so I WANT TO EXTEND MY
HELP AS WELL. BILL BENNETT, STANDS READY TO MEET WITH
VFW LEADERSHIP, To SHARE IDEAS THAT CAN HELP YOU MAP A
STRATEGY.
- 29 -
THE VFW HAS PROVEN MANY TIMES OVER ITS DEDICATION
To THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION. THE FIFTY
YOUNG PEOPLE YOU'VE HONORED HERE TODAY UNDERSCORE THE
VFW's INTEREST IN OUR NATION'S YOUTH AND FUTURE.
I KNOW WE CAN COUNT ON THE VETERANS OF AMERICA TO
HELP US WAGE AND WIN THE WAR ON DRUGS.
[ PAUSE ]
VETERANS SHARE A SPECIAL BOND. WE HAVE SEEN THE
FACE OF WAR. WE KNOW ITS TERRIBLE COSTS. WE KNOW THAT
- 30 -
AMERICANS NEVER WILLINGLY CHOOSE CONFLICT. BUT WE KNOW
AS WELL THAT WE MUST BE READY AND WILLING TO RESPOND
WHEN OUR INTERESTS AND IDEALS COME UNDER THREAT.
LET ME BE CLEAR. I PREFER THE DIPLOMATIC APPROACH.
NATIONS CAN AND SHOULD EXPLORE EVERY AVENUE TOWARD
WORKING OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES WITHOUT RESORTING TO
FORCE OR MILITARY INTIMIDATION.
- 31 -
BUT I AM ALSO A REALIST. I KNOW THAT THERE IS NO
SUBSTITUTE FOR A NATION'S ABILITY TO DEFEND ITS IDEALS
AND INTERESTS.
Too OFTEN, WE HEAR THAT WE FACE A STARK CHOICE IN
COPING WITH CONFLICT. WE CAN PURSUE A DIPLOMATIC
SOLUTION -- OR WE CAN SEEK A RESOLUTION THROUGH
MILITARY MEANS. ONE, WE'RE TOLD, IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH
THE OTHER.
- 32 -
WELL, THIS DOESN'T SQUARE WITH REAL-WORLD
EXPERIENCE. DIPLOMACY AND MILITARY CAPABILITY ARE
COMPLEMENTARY -- NOT CONTRADICTORY. CREATIVE DIPLOMACY
CAN HELP US AVERT CONFLICT -- NEGOTIATIONS STAND THE
GREATEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS WHEN THEY PROCEED FROM A
POSITION OF STRENGTH.
THE FUNDAMENTAL LESSON OF THE DECADE NOW DRAWING TO
A CLOSE IS SIMPLY THIS: STRENGTH SECURES PEACE.
- 33 -
AMERICA WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FORCE FOR PEACE AND
STABILITY IN THE WORLD -- PROVIDED WE STAY STRONG.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
TOWER INSERT/VFW
BEFORE I BEGIN LET ME SAY A WORD ABOUT AN ISSUE
THAT I'M SURE IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE PEOPLE
IN THIS ROOM. You KNOW JOHN TOWER AS A FELLOW VETERAN,
AND AS A LIFELONG PUBLIC SERVANT. You ALSO KNOW HIM AS
A FIGHTER. HE HAS FOUGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY AS A
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD IN THE NAVY, AND NOW HE AND I ARE
FIGHTING FOR SOME VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES.
PRINCIPLES LIKE FAIRNESS AND TRUTH.
- 2 -
PRINCIPLES LIKE THE PREROGATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT TO
ASSEMBLE THE MOST TALENTED AND QUALIFIED TEAM TO GUIDE
THIS NATION FORWARD.
I HAVE ASKED THE SENATE TO VOTE ON THIS NOMINATION
WITH THOSE PRINCIPLES IN MIND. I'VE ASKED SENATORS TO
PUT ASIDE PARTISANSHIP. I'VE ASKED THEM TO USE THEIR
OWN EXPERIENCE WITH JOHN TOWER AS AN EXPERT ON DEFENSE
ISSUES, AS A FORMER COLLEAGUE, AND AS A TOUGH, HARD-
- 3 -
NOSED NEGOTIATOR, TO GUIDE THEM AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS A
VOTE ON HIS NOMINATION.
I STAND BY JOHN TOWER ... NOT JUST BECAUSE HE IS MY
FRIEND, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE HE IS UNIQUELY
QUALIFIED AS THE RIGHT MAN TO TAKE CHARGE AT THE
PENTAGON.
###
TOWER INSERT/VFW
Before I begin let me say a word about an issue that I'm
sure is of particular importance to the people in this room. You
know John Tower as a fellow veteran, and as a lifelong public
servant. You also know him as a fighter. He has fought for his
country as a seventeen-year-old in the Navy, and now he and I are
fighting for some very important principles.
Principles like fairness and truth.
Principles like the prerogative of the President to assemble
the most talented and qualified team to guide this nation
forward.
I have asked the Senate to vote on this nomination with
those principles in mind. I've asked Senators to put aside
partisanship. I've asked them to use their own experience with
John Tower as an expert on defense issues, as a former colleague,
and as a tough, hard-nosed negotiator, to guide them as they move
towards a vote on his nomination.
I stand by John Tower
not just because he is my friend,
but more importantly because he is uniquely qualified as the
right man to take charge at the Pentagon.
# # #
THE white house
washington
Stephanie -
John burdner called about
VFW speech.
You should call find
the Executive Clerk to find out
when Deawinski tabes outh
is administrator of the VA.
He was confirmed yesterday
by the Senate
You may have to check
again on Monday.
(McGroarty)
March 2, 1989
6:00pm
dan1
REMARKS: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 6, 1989
Thank you. Congressman Derwinski, Commander-in-Chief
Rivers: it is a pleasure to be here this morning. I want to
express my best wishes to a real VFW institution, my good friend
Cooper Holt, who is stepping down this year after more than a
quarter century of distinguished service as VFW's Executive
Director. Cooper, you've earned the gratitude of veterans
everywhere for making the VFW your lifelong cause.
It is always an honor to meet with the Veterans of Foreign
Wars. The love of liberty is the birthright of all men --
certainly of all Americans. That is why our nation owes a
special debt of gratitude to its veterans, who freely and
courageously took up the defense of freedom.
I am especially pleased to welcome the Department of
Veterans Affairs to a place in the cabinet. It is a sign of
America's commitment to her veterans -- of the importance we
place in repaying, in some way, the sacrifices veterans have made
in answering their country's call.
- 2 -
Today, there are six times as many veterans alive as there
Afrom
were when the VA was created in 1930. Counting their dependents
and survivors, about one-third of our population now has an
immediate family involvement in veterans affairs.
Ed Derwinski's already come to see me to discuss some of the
challenges facing us in veterans programs. With the pressures
the country is under to solve our massive Federal deficit, we may
not be able to do everything we'd like to do in the way of adding
resources for veterans programs, but I can tell you Ed is a
strong advocate for veterans.
I want to speak this morning about a matter of the utmost
importance to the VFW: keeping America strong -- today, and into
the 21st Century.
Opinion is nearly unanimous that today is a time of
transition in world affairs. That means our powers of
observation and analysis -- our ability to sort out change and
continuity -- will be put to the test.
When it comes to predicting the future, Winston Churchill's
rule is still the best. "I always avoid prophesying beforehand
-- because it is much better policy to prophesy after the event
has already taken place."
- 3 -
That's sound advice. We can't predict the future -- but we
must do all we can to turn the opportunities it presents to our
advantage.
I am confident we can.
We are, as you know, in the midst of a series of systematic
strategic reviews. I've asked the members of my national
security team to look hard at the international landscape -- and
WSC
to look forward, to assess the combination of security threats,
Aes
technological change, and political and economic developments
that will shape our security horizon well into the next century.
I am convinced that this important exercise will have.
lasting benefits on our national security. In my address to
Congress last month, I set a ninety-day deadline for this
important work. And although some of the reviews may be finished
NSC
earlier, I won't rush the final results. The insights we will
gain into the problems we will face in the decades ahead are
worth waiting for.
Today, I want to speak about the foundations of an adequate
national defense program, about the world we live in, and the
challenges and opportunities we'll encounter -- and about the
approach I'll take on issues integral to our national security.
- 4 -
First, the foundations. A month ago, I presented to
Congress a sound defense spending plan that makes sense -- both
strategically and fiscally. As a sign that my Administration is
serious about the deficit, I called for a freeze in defense
spending in 1990, adjusted only for inflation. I am well aware
that our national strength rests ultimately on the health and
vigor of the American economy, and I mean to preserve both.
But our crucial military modernization plans -- and the
diverse defense commitments we must keep -- cannot be achieved
without additional defense funding. That is why my budget plan
follows the freeze for 1990 with real increases of 1 percent in
1991 and 1992, and a 2 percent increase for 1993.
My aim is to put defense spending on a modest, manageable
growth path -- one that will allow us to modernize and maintain
forces that are formidable, flexible, and ready.
Now, we've all heard the critics who tell us America can't
afford the defenses I'm talking about. Well, the critics are
wrong. The defense expenditures I am calling for are well within
our economic means.
But in the defense debate, what we can and can't afford
isn't just a matter of economics. It's a matter of vital
national security, and America's place in the world. I say:
- 5 -
--
We can't afford to continue the downward trend in defense
spending. 1989 will be the fourth straight year budget authority
for defense has declined in real terms. We've worked hard to
rebuild America's strength -- and it's paid off. Today, America
is strong, its voice is heard, and the values we stand for are
more secure.
--
We can't afford to mistake a more stable international
environment as proof we can spend less on national security.
The secret to our success can be summed up in a single word:
strength. Let's sustain the military strength that helped turn
the world situation around.
-- And finally, we can afford adequate defenses. The defense
budget I am calling for in 1990 represents 5.5% of our annual
GNP. That's a far smaller share of our national wealth than
the United States spent on defense at any point throughout the
1950s or 1960s -- periods of rapid and sustained economic growth.
The bottom line is not a question of cost, or a question of
resources. It is simply a question of will.
You have my word: as long as I'm President, America will
stand fast and on the front line in defense of freedom.
Today, around the world, a number of long-standing regional
conflicts are closer now to resolution than ever before. The
- 6 -
stirrings of freedom, and the advance of democratic rule are
evident and undeniable. In the economic sphere, the free market
is increasingly seen as an engine of growth and development
unmatched by any other system.
Yes, freedom is on the march. But there are still forces
arrayed against it -- regimes whose interests and systems are at
odds with our own and with those of our allies. And the spread
chemical and biological weapons -- along with the means to
deliver them -- is likely to make the flashpoints that always
exist more dangerous than ever before.
On the key issue of change within the Soviet Union, there
are still far more questions than answers. There is no doubt
that the changes taking place are significant and far-reaching --
but it is equally true that the ultimate outcome of the events
unfolding in the USSR remains uncertain.
My view is that we should press for progress that
contributes to a more stable relationship between the U.S. and
USSR -- whether in the areas of arms reduction, human rights,
regional conflicts, or other global challenges. But we must
combine our readiness to build better relations with a resolve to
maintain defenses adequate to secure our interests. America and
her allies must recognize that -- even in light of the military
cuts proposed by President Gorbachev -- the Soviet Union remains
the most formidable military power facing the free world.
- 7 -
We must be ready to cope with change and favorable
opportunities -- and ready in any event to defend our interests
and ideals.
What this means in terms of national security should be
clear:
We need to maintain and modernize our forces -- nuclear and
conventional. For America and its allies, a survivable nuclear
force will remain the ultimate deterrent of aggression.
We need to make a concerted effort to turn our technological
strengths into a source of advantage to our national security.
And that includes vigorous pursuit of SDI.
We need to make an active effort in arms control -- to
strive for increased stability at lower levels of armaments. But
I will strongly oppose legislative attempts to withdraw U.S.
troops from Europe unilaterally. Unilateral disarmament is not
the path to peace, security, and freedom.
We need to keep our forces ready and well-trained. The
dedicated men and women who serve our country deserve no less.
We need to reform our procurement process to deliver a
dollar's worth of defense for every dollar we spend. The way to
begin is to follow through on the sensible reforms suggested in
- 9 -
I have sworn myself and members of my Administration to wage
a war on drug abuse. This war is unconditional -- and it must be
won.
I mean to mobilize all our resources, and wage this war on
all fronts. We're going to combat drug abuse with education,
treatment, enforcement and interdiction -- and, yes, with our
nation's Armed Services when that is what it takes. We need to
break the deadly grip of drugs, and prevent the drug scourge from
taking hold.
The VFW can help. 2.3 million members, 750,000 auxiliary
members, and 10,000 chapters nationwide -- the VFW is a
well-respected member of communities across our nation.
Today, I call on you to form a community of action. "For
America, whatever it takes" -- that's the proud motto of the VFW.
You've fought for your nation once. Your nation needs you
again. Today, I want to enlist you in the anti-drug campaign.
-- Meet with other leaders in your community: church and
clergy, law enforcement officers. Tell them the VFW volunteers
are ready to help.
- 11 -
Let me be clear. I prefer the diplomatic approach. Nations
can and should explore every avenue toward working out their
differences without resorting to force or military intimidation.
But I am also a realist. I know that there is no substitute
for a nation's ability to defend its ideals and interests.
Too often, we hear that we face a stark choice in coping
with conflict. We can pursue a diplomatic solution -- or we can
seek a resolution through military means. One, we're told, is
incompatible with the other.
Well, this doesn't square with real-world experience.
Diplomacy and military capability are complementary -- not
contradictory. Creative diplomacy can help us avert conflict --
negotiations stand the greatest chance of success when they
proceed from a position of strength.
The fundamental lesson of the decade now drawing to a close
is simply this: strength secures peace.
America will continue to be a force for peace and stability
in the world -- provided we stay strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
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# 2
Principal Speaker
The Honorable John Goodwin Tower
United States Senator
A native Texan, John Tower was born in
Houston on September 29, 1925, the son and
grandson of Methodist ministers. While growing
up, he lived in a number of east Texas communities,
graduating from Beaumont High School. He now
makes his home in Dallas, with offices in both
Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Tower enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17, during
World War II, and saw combat on a gunboat in the
Western Pacific. He is a Master Chief Boatswain's
Mate in the United States Naval Reserve.
Tower received a bachelor's degree in history and
political science from Southwestern University, a
master's degree in political science from Southern
Methodist University, and did graduate work at the
London School of Economics and Political Science.
A former professor of government at Midwestern
investment opportunities. He is an independent
University in Wichita Falls, Texas, Tower won a
consultant in defense and national security affairs.
special election for the Senate seat of Lyndon B.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of British
Johnson in 1961. He was reelected in 1966, 1972 and
Aerospace, Inc., and Astrotech International
1978, and retired from the Senate on January 3,
Corporation. Tower is also Chairman of the Board
1985.
of Pergamon-Brassey's International Defense
While in the Senate, Tower was chairman of both
Publishers, Inc., and the Armed Forces Journal
the Senate Armed Services Committee and the
International. Tower is the Chairman of the United
Senate Republican Policy Committee. He also
States Navy Memorial Foundation. He serves on
served on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
the Board of Trustees of Southwestern University
Committee and the Budget Committee. From
(Georgetown, Texas), and is a Distinguished
January 1985 until April 1986, Tower served as U.S.
Lecturer in Political Science at Southern Methodist
Negotiator on Strategic Nuclear Arms, with the rank
University.
of Ambassador, at the Negotiations on Nuclear and
Tower has been awarded the Order of Merit of the
Space Arms with the Soviet Union in Geneva.
Republic of Tunisia and the Knight Commander's
In November 1986, President Reagan called
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic
Tower out of retirement to chair the Special Review
of Germany. He is a 33rd-degree Mason and Shriner
Board (often referred to as the Tower Commission),
and is a member of the American Association of
which studied the role and functions of the National
University Professors, the American Legion, the
Security. Advisor, the National Security Council
Texas Historical Society, the Texas Philosophical
and the NSC Staff. He now serves on the President's
Society, and the United Methodist Church. He is a
Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.
past Worthy Grand Master of the Kappa Sigma
Tower is Chairman of the Board of Tower, Egger
Fraternity.
& Green, Consultants, Inc., a national and inter-
Tower's three daughters, Penny Tower, Marian
national consulting firm specializing in business and
Tower, and Mrs. Berry Cox (Jeanne), live in Dallas.
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3
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
AREA CODE legal #45
FTR 406-, AV 143-
NAMEL RESERVE PERSONNEL CENTER
-1814
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70149-7800
IN REPLY REFER to
1820
Code 25:mrn:1
451-46-9866
:1 JAN 1989
From: Commanding Officer
To:
BMCM John G. Tower, USNR
3525 Turtle Creek Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75219
Subj: TRANSFER TO THE RETIRED RESERVE
Ref: (a) Title 10, U. S. Code, Sections 1376(a) and 274
(b) DOD Directive 1200.15
(c) Title 10, D. S. Code, Chapter 67
Encl: (1) Certificate of Transfer to the Retired Reserve
1. Your request to be transferred to the Retired Reserve has
been approved.
2. You are therefore given an honorary transfer to the Retired
Reserve in accordance with reference (a) and (b) effective 1
February 1989 as a Master Chief Boatswain's Mate but without pay
or allowances authorized by reference (c). Your certificate of
transfer to the Retired Reserve is forwarded as enclosure (1).
3. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to you and to others of
your caliber who, during your most productive years sacrificed go
much by making your services. available to your country. Your
devotion to duty in maintaining a strong Naval Reserve which is
so vital to our National defense has contributed in a Large
measure to the security of this Nation. I know that the Navy can
depend upon your support during the years to come.
C. T. SOFGE
Copy to: (w/o encl)
COMNAVMILPERSCOM (NMPC-313)
BMCM John G. Tower, USNR (Advance Copy)
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# 4
ADVANCEMENT HISTORY
RATE/
DATE OF
TIR RATE
RATING
ADVANCEMENT
REQUIREMENT
AUTHORITY FOR PROMOTION
BM3
2 JAN 67
YES
TIR COMPUTED
SPECIAL ENLISTED SELECTION
BOARD CONDUCTED BY
FROM 2 JAN 67
PERS-B2233
BM2
16 AUG 70
YES
TIR COMPUTED
SPECIAL ENLISTED SELECTION
BOARD CONDUCTED BY
FROM 16 AUG 70
PERS-B2233
BM1
16 AUG 72
YES
TIR COMPUTED
SPECIAL ENLISTED SELECTION
BOARD CONDUCTED BY
FROM 16 AUG 72
PERS-B2233
BMC
16 AUG 75
YES
TIR COMPUTED
SPECIAL ENLISTED SELECTION
BOARD CONDUCTED BY
FROM 16 AUG 75
PERS-B2233
BMCS
11 JAN 82
YES
TIR COMPUTED
MERITORIOUS ADVANCEMENT PER
1 JUL 81
CNP MEMO PERS 5-32/NMPC-93D
: gm OF 19 DEC 81
(ATTACHMENT )
BMCM
20 MAR 83
NO
TIR COMPUTED
MERITORIOUS ADVANCEMENT PER
1 JAN 83
CNP LTR OF 21 MAR 83
(ATTACHMENT )
Budget 1990
NATIONAL DEFENSE
5-5
NATIONAL DEFENSE
The objectives of the national defense program are to protect the
United States and its allies from foreign aggression and to main-
tain sufficient military strength to deter both nuclear and conven-
tional war. Should armed conflict nonetheless occur, we must be
prepared to defend ourselves successfully, while limiting the scope
and intensity of the conflict.
Carrying out these objectives requires a full range of defense
capabilities. These include survivable and flexible capabilities for
nuclear deterrence; strong maritime, air, and ground forces for-
ward deployed in Europe and other critical areas; and the means to
deploy reinforcements rapidly from the United States and to sus-
tain our military forces anywhere in the world.
Budget authority for national defense declined in real terms for
the fourth straight year with funding of $298.8 billion provided in
1989. This decline in real defense funding levels has resulted in
smaller annual procurements of equipment, ammunition, and war
reserve stocks than previously planned, slower development of new
weapons, and delays in equipment maintenance. To reverse this
adverse trend, the budget proposes sustained, moderate real growth
of about 2 percent per year in 1990 and after. In comparison to last
year's estimates, total 1989-1993 funding for national defense is
lower by $19.1 billion.
As required by the Defense Authorization Act of 1986, a two-year
budget for 1990 and 1991 is submitted for national defense. The
budget proposes $315.2 billion in budget authority and estimates
$303.0 billion in outlays for the national defense function in 1990
and $330.8 billion in budget authority and $314.4 billion in outlays
for 1991. These levels are below those projected in last year's
budget request, ($316.4 billion and $333.7 billion, respectively, for
budget authority).
The accompanying table shows budget authority and outlays for
the three national defense subfunctions: military functions of the
Department of Defense, atomic energy defense activities, and de-
fense-related activities of other agencies.
Department of Defense-Military.-Budget authority of $305.6
billion in 1990 and $320.9 billion in 1991 is requested for the
military functions of the Department of Defense (DOD). The budget
provides for continuing efforts to:
modernize all components of U.S. strategic forces to ensure
that they deter nuclear attack by virtue of their ability to
survive and retaliate should an attack occur;
develop and procure conventional equipment for essential
modernization of U.S. conventional forces;
HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS AND SECURITY
o
Ensuring that every law enforcement officer in the nation who wants
body armor has access to it.
To those who think America will shrink from this war against drugs,
say this: We have not spent the last 200 years defending our country from
despots and dictators, only to lose our streets to drug dealers and gangs.
We are all the victims of these thugs our families and
our communities, peaceful, orderly places that are all too often now just a
memory places where doors weren't always locked, and parents didn't
worry about their children when they went out to play, where school
corridors were safe, and teachers didn't worry about going home alive.
To fight this war -- to recapture America -- we've got to do, in
the words of Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates, "whatever it takes, for
as long as it takes."
***
DRUGS
George Bush believes that to win the war on drugs everyone must be a
soldier: students must reach out to peers in trouble; parents must learn
the signs of troubled children; communities must pull together; every level
of government must respond; the federal government must lead.
Drugs are a complex social problem of national and international
importance. The situation demands an ongoing, consistent effort by
families, schools, churches, community leaders, health organizations, law
enforcement and heads of state. We must wage this battle on four fronts:
education/prevention, treatment, eradication/interdiction, and enforcement.
George Bush Will Lead The Fight Against Drugs On Four Fronts:
Establishing "zero tolerance" as an attitude and a way of
life by educating our children at home and at school, from
kindergarten through college on the dangers of even
experimenting with drugs;
Encouraging those who fail to heed the signals and do use
drugs to seek treatment -- we want to reclaim lives, not
abandon them;
Obliterating drugs at the source by stopping them before
they cross our borders and eradicating domestic production
in our own country;
Enacting and enforcing tough drug enforcement laws,
including the death penalty for drug kingpins and
drug-related murders.
-- 209 --
Building A Better America
OVERVIEW
The restoration of our Nation's military strength in the past decade has been one of the
major factors in securing international peace and opening broad prospects for constructive rela-
tions with our adversaries. The responsibility to safeguard security and freedom is therefore
not only the most important obligation shared by the President and Congress; it is perhaps
the most important responsibility of the United States in the world.
Recent history demonstrates dramatically that when America is weakened, the world is a
more dangerous place. When America is stronger, the world is safer. Thus, the benefit of
restoring and maintaining our strength comes not only in improved readiness, modernization,
and morale in our Armed Forces, but in the prospects for peace and freedom.
"We have to continue with our policy of peace through strength if we want an endur-
x
ing improvement in U.S.-Soviet relations.
"To the world, we offer new engagement and a renewed vow: we will stay strong to
protect the peace."
George Bush
PRINCIPLES
Our strategic forces must continue to be modernized, including ground, sea and air-based
systems. This is essential for maintaining deterrence and making productive arms con-
trol negotiations possible.
Arms control agreements must be judged not merely by the numbers of specific weapons
they may reduce, but by how well they ensure a safer, more stable structure of security
and peace lasting into the 21st century.
The equipment available to our conventional forces, which defend our interests over a
broad range of potential conflicts, must continue to be upgraded. We will also maintain
the combat readiness of these forces by providing sufficient training and military exer-
cises.
Technological leadership must be maintained by supporting research necessary to the
A
development of future systems. This includes the active pursuit of the Strategic Defense
Initiative.
We must build on the success of the recent past in recruiting and retaining high-quality
military personnel.
All opportunities must be pursued to make defense programs more efficient, to avoid
waste and realize maximum capabilities from our investment in defense.
"I firmly believe that the vital first step to broadening our national consensus on defense
is to wring the last drop of waste and mismanagement out of the way we buy our weapons.
And that's what we intend to do."
George Bush
137
POLICIES
In the current context, the President is prepared to agree to a one-year freeze on the real
growth of the defense budget, but only on condition that:
The savings must be allocated to his priority initiatives for reducing the scourge of drugs
and increasing our long-term economic growth.
The defense spending level must be part of a comprehensive budget agreement that
meets the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings targets without a tax increase and incorporates
reforms in the budget process.
Under a freeze on real growth, there would be an increase of $9.1 billion in budget authority
over the 1989 level and an increase of $1.4 billion in outlays. For the out-years, the President
proposes real increases of 1 percent, 1 percent and 2 percent.
The President would like to embrace, even for the short term, the defense budget projec-
tions which are in the Reagan budget. Unfortunately, the current economic situation requires
defense budget savings. The defense projections for the out-years must be based on perceptions
of risk and the national security challenges facing America. They must also be reconciled with
the demands of our economy and the state of international relationships. The President's basic
task is to assure the national security of the United States. Therefore should conditions change,
the President will obviously seek whatever adjustments are necessary to protect our security.
PROPOSED CHANGE
(In billions of dollars)
Dollar
Percent
1989
1990
Change
Change
Budget Authority
290.2
299.3
+9.1
+3.1
Outlays
289.8
291.2
+1.4
+0.5
To produce the needed savings to meet this freeze in the defense budget:
The President has instructed the National Security Council to review our national security
policies and defense strategies with a view to ensuring compatibility among our commit-
ments, strategies, capabilities, and resources. The National Security Council will recom-
mend to the President within 90 days options for United States policy.
The President charges the Secretary of Defense to improve the defense procurement
process. The Secretary will develop a plan to implement the spirit as well as the letter
of the Packard Commission report and the Goldwater-Nichols Act. The Secretary is
charged to make the hard choices to reduce management overhead by eliminating
unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, improving the quality of defense personnel at all
layers, and eliminating or deferring lower-priority programs. Finally, the Secretary is
charged to develop a plan for more efficient acquisition practices, such as streamlining
some 40,000 defense regulations and laws, and using more commercial-style competi-
tion, off-the-shelf systems and subsystems, and services available in the private sector.
It is necessary to recognize that many of these problems-such as the miasma of laws
and procedures-stem from Congressional micromanagement. These reforms cannot be
accomplished unless Congress does its share by streamlining its procedures of oversight
138
and budgeting, including more efficient practices such as two-year budgeting and multi-
year procurement.
The Secretary of Defense will report to the President in not more than 90 days with recom-
mendations to improve defense management, including steps that must be taken by Congress
to improve management practices and procurement procedures. Within 60 days, the Secretary
will provide specific program recommendations to meet 1990-91 budget targets without
impairing national security.
FUNDING SUMMARY
(In billions of dollars)
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
Budget Authority
290.2
299.3
311.0
322.0
335.9
Outlays
289.8
291.2
298.8
306.8
317.4
139
FUNDAMENTAL VALUES AND VITAL ISSUES
NATO, under U.S. leadership, has been the most successful alliance in
history. Next year, in 1989, celebrate 40 years of keeping the peace.
And as we celebrate this happy anniversary and take stock of what we've
accomplished, it is even more important to face up to our challenges. We
must assess our military posture in a post-INF environment, which is also
marked by fiscal constraint. He're got to evaluate the consequences -- as
an alliance -- of ferment in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Today
Eastern Europe is shaken by economic failure. Political change is coming
and its peoples are demanding mocracy. They want more freedom.
I went to Eastern Europe last year. I've seen the conditions in Warsaw
and Gdansk and I've met with Lech Walesa. The affection for our great
American experiment in democracy just has to be felt first hand.
I will state my convictions simply. The survival of both peace and
freedom will continue to depend on the Atlantic Alliance for the
foreseeable future. There can be no substitute for the greatest coalition
of free nations in history. And within that coalition, America's leadership
is essential to its success.
That's why the United States and Western Europe must draw even closer
together as we face the challenging times ahead. We stand today on the
threshold of negotiations with the Soviet Union that could usher in a new
era of European peace and harmony. Transatlantic unity is the key to
opening the door. We can turn that key, open that door together if we
strengthen our partnership.
The United States can start by ruling out unilateral American troop
withdrawals. Now, after the INF Treaty, when conventional defense is
receiving renewed attention, about the worst thing we could do would be to
shake European confidence and to worsen the conventional imbalance through
such a move.
Just as it would be a strategic error to pursue START negotiations by
eliminating American nuclear modernization, or SDI, so it would be an
equally dangerous move to prepare for conventional force negotiations by
removing U.S. troops. We are not going to reduce our troops in Europe
unilaterally! There can be no wavering on this vital point.
In the course of this campaign, I have declared that conventional
military imbalances deserve equal attention with nuclear weapons in our
policy. Prevention of war in Europe -- any war, nuclear or conventional --
remains at the heart of our strategy. What is required is both continuity
-- continued adherence to the proven doctrine of flexible response -- and
for fresh thinking on our part, including the "competitive strategies"
concept. But it also calls for something more.
NATO is not just a military alliance and our policy must be more than
defense initiatives, however well meant. We share a community of values, of
freedom, of democracy. To lead this alliance of free nations calls for
careful, experienced understanding of how to move free peoples and their
-- 14
OVERVIEW
As the last decade of the 20th century approaches, the world is in transition as rarely
before in history. It is poised between the post-World War II era and a new era whose outlines
can begin to be discerned-and shaped. It is a world that affects American lives and livelihoods
as never before. It is a world of rare opportunities-and some serious challenges.
"We know what works: freedom works. We know what's right: freedom is right. We
know how to secure a more just and prosperous life for men on earth: through free markets,
free speech, free elections and the exercise of free will unhampered by the state."
George Bush
The free nations-the United States and its democratic allies and friends-can take pride
as witnesses of trends in the world that represent the vindication of our values and our way
of life:
There is a close and prosperous partnership among us.
A tide of freedom is flowing, with democracy flourishing in more and more countries
around the globe and the cause of freedom and human rights proving itself the most
powerful political force on the planet.
There is a new appreciation of our philosophy of economic freedom, in developing and
developed countries alike, and even in the Communist world. It is more broadly under-
stood that free markets and private initiative are the engine of prosperity, technological
advance and social progress.
America's adversaries face a profound systemic crisis, with their economic and political
theories discredited.
There is an easing of tension between East and West, firmly grounded in concrete progress
on a broad agenda of issues, from arms reduction to cooperative exchanges to human
rights to resolving regional conflicts.
The free nations are also confronted by many challenges, but these are challenges to wise
policy, not to the essence of the free system:
There is the challenge to maintain unity even as a new era of more constructive rela-
tions with our adversaries begins. It is, after all, our strength and solidarity that brought
the United States and its allies to this hopeful point.
There are a host of economic challenges: correcting trade imbalances; maintaining free
and fair trade, and preventing trading blocs or barriers; addressing debt problems that
threaten emerging democracies and others. The free nations must look to the health and
growth of a world economy in which all nations will feel a stake, resolving disputes and
maintaining a robust and open world trading system.
Technological advance brings with it unprecedented blessings. Yet it also brings the
danger of proliferation of nuclear, chemical/biological, and ballistic missile weaponry.
The world community must work practically and cooperatively to control and counter
these dangers. The scourge of terrorism must also be combatted.
There remain regions of conflict that call for intensified efforts for just and peaceful solu-
tions: the Middle East, Indochina, Southern Africa, Central America, and elsewhere.
159
The first priority is relations with allies and friends. The neighboring countries in this
hemisphere have a special claim on United States friendship and concern in building a vital
partnership. The other industrial democracies, particularly in the Atlantic Community but also
in East Asia and the Pacific, are allies sharing profound moral as well as strategic interests.
And a new partnership with this nation's allies is needed to respond to the new global challenges.
Vice President Quayle's first trip was to Latin America. The Prime Minister of Japan just
paid a successful visit to Washington. The President has asked Secretary of State Baker to
consult with European allies in the coming week. The President looks forward to an early meet-
ing with NATO leaders.
The changes taking place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are among the historic
events of this era. The United States acknowledges that change, and hopes to see further
change in that positive direction. This nation is ready to work with the Soviet Union in many
areas, building on the significant progress that has been made. The agenda for the future in-
cludes regional conflicts, arms reduction, human rights, and bilateral exchanges as well as a
host of new transnational challenges: the global environment, terrorism, narcotics, the proliferat-
ing technology of modern weaponry.
The United States welcomes the Soviet Union's expressions of its "new thinking," of its
new approach to the world, and looks forward to concrete cooperation to give effect to those
expressions. The United States is realistic, knowing that a significant clash of interests and
philosophy still remains. But U.S. policy will probe in all parts of the expanded agenda with
the Soviets and seize the positive opportunities as they become visible.
PRINCIPLES
In a world of fundamental change, and of many flourishing democracies, one key principle
remains valid: the American role of leadership remains as central and vital as ever. This
nation is blessed with partners who share its values and efforts, but the United States
also bears inescapable responsibilities as the most powerful democracy and the back-
bone of nuclear deterrence.
To sustain the U.S. role of leadership in the world there must be a spirit of bipartisan-
ship and cooperation at home. Where the President and Congress have worked together
in the past, foreign policies have succeeded brilliantly. Where the two branches have
been at odds, they have thwarted each other and the Nation's policies have suffered
grievously.
In an interdependent world, as America's stake in a healthy global economy grows,
prosperity and progress depend more and more on the bedrock principle of freedom-a
fair and open trading system that nurtures global expansion; freedom for entrepreneur-
ship that is the most powerful engine of economic development and growth. The laws of
economics do not discriminate; this is the formula for success for both advanced and
developing nations.
POLICIES
The President has instructed the National Security Council to review the range of foreign
policy and national security challenges facing the Nation. The National Security Council will
recommend to the President within 90 days options for United States policy, designed to help
shape events in furtherance of United States goals and ideals.
These policy reviews are underway.
The President and Secretary of State are pledged to consult and collaborate with Congress,
as appropriate, as they design and implement policies for a new era.
160
FUNDING SUMMARY
(In millions of dollars)
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
Budget Authority
17,598
19,314
19,130
19,278
19,454
Outlays
16,660
17,677
17,777
18,491
18,410
161
Bush
Quayle
*
******
CONTACT: Alixe Glen
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(202) 842-1988
Monday, August 22, 1988
EXCERPTS OF REMARKS BY
VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS 89TH ANNUAL CONVENTION
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1988
Thank you, Commander Stock.
President Katkus and members of the Ladies Auxiliary, fellow
members of the VFW, it's a pleasure to be with you here in
Chicago.
I suppose it's fitting that I should speak to you this
morning in "the city with the big shoulders," because I have come
to talk about American strength, American security, America's
commitment to her veterans and fundamental, solid American
values.
As you know, I have just come from another convention ---
our Party's national convention in New Orleans. It was an
exciting week -- full of hoopla to be sure, but also devoted to
some very serious business.
I left that convention for this heartland of our country,
the Midwest, energized and ready to go to every corner of America
-- because there is one thing I must tell you about this
election: I mean to run hard -- fight hard -- I mean to win.
The choice before you is serious business -- because my
opponent and I have very different philosophies when it comes to
leading this country.
Fifty years ago, appeasement tempted Nazi aggression -- and
the world was plunged into war.
since then, American Presidents -- Democratic and Republican
alike -- have been united on one point.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said: "We have learned the old, old
lesson that the probability of an attack is mightily decreased by
the assurance of an ever ready defense."
733 15th Street, NW. Suite 800 Washington, D.C 20005 202/842 1988
Part for by Bush Onlyle 88
2
John F. Kennedy said: "Only when our arms are sufficient
beyond doubt can we be certain-beyond-doubt that they will never
be employed."
And the other night, on a podium in the New Orleans
Superdome, I explained that the Administration in which I have
proudly served had acted on the ancient knowledge that strength
and clarity lead to peace -- weakness and ambivalence lead to
war. Weakness tempts aggressors. Strength stops them. It is
that simple.
Today, the world is changing fast. We stand on the edge not
only of a new decade, but of a new century.
Let's take stock of our changing world as we enter this new
era.
The spirit of democracy is sweeping the Pacific rim. New
democracies assert themselves throughout Latin America. The
Soviets are withdrawing from Afghanistan. The Vietnamese are
withdrawing from Cambodia. Iran and Iraq are silencing the guns
of war. And the Cubans may even be ready to withdraw from
Angola.
And we have a new relationship with the Soviet Union. One
that demands continued caution and realism; but one that has
allowed us to sign a treaty which -- for the first time in
history -- eliminates an entire class of nuclear weapons.
Peace is breaking out all over -- and it is no accident.
It happened because we as a country recognized and pursued
the truth for which the VFW has stood since its inception. Peace
through strength works. So let me say this morning: I will not
allow this country to be made weak again.
As veterans, you know better than anyone else the terrible
cost of war.
I, too, almost lost my life in one.
I hate war. I love peace. We have peace -- and I am not
going to let anyone take it away from us.
I think it is fair to ask this morning whether my opponent
understands this fundamental truth: that strength deters
aggression. That the way to peace is through strength.
For many years, he supported the nuclear freeze. And what
would that freeze have done?
- It would have locked in Soviet superiority in a range of
strategic areas;
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3
- It would have prevented us from deploying the Pershing
Missiles in Europe. How else would we have convinced the Soviets
that we were serious about having them remove their 1,000 SS-20
warheads at a time when we had none.
- Ultimately, for precisely that reason, the freeze would
have failed to bring the Soviets back to the negotiating table to
sign the INF Treaty.
In the microwave oven of the campaign, my opponent's
position on the freeze has started to melt -- in belated
recognition of the fact that our policies are working.
After this convenient switch of policies, my opponent would
have you believe that he's closer to Ronald Reagan on defense
policy than I am.
Jeane Kirkpatrick tells about the "blame America first"
crowd. Governor Tom Kean tells about the crowd that sent America
around the world in the 1970's with a "xick me" sign on its back.
Well, I do not need lessons from that crowd. I've never
apologized for the United States of America -- never have, never
will. And I don't believe in making unilateral concessions to
the Soviet Union or anyone else.
only a willingness to keep our arms up to date makes the
Soviet Union respect America's deterrent. Only the constant
modernization of our forces, complete with the testing of new
systems, gives the Soviets the incentive to negotiate real arms
control agreements.
I plan, to negotiate strategic arms reductions with the
Soviets. And I plan to put priority on eliminating Soviet
superiority in conventinal forces. But I will not do what my
opponent has suggested -- get rid of the MX, the Midgetman, the
B-1 bomber and two carrier battle groups. I will not make such
unilateral cuts in our defense.
I believe that we as a nation should be proud, that we must
be realistic and strong, that we have a special responsibility in
this world to lead, to remain engaged, and to defend and advance
the cause of freedom around the world.
Pride. Realism. Strength. Engagement. These are the
principles which have made us the strongest, freest nation on
earth. And they are the pillars on which we should depend in the
next century. And to these, I would add: honor for those who
have served.
Our veterans have made a special sacrifice to this country
-- and we should honor that sacrifice by meeting our duty to
them.
4
I'll be President who favors veterans -- after all, I'm
one of you.
I know how we can start. For about 25 years, bills have
been introduced in Congress to make the Veterans Administration a
full Cabinet department. I support having the VA at my Cabinet
table.
I will make sure that veterans preference in Federal hiring
is not diluted -- if anything, it should be strengthened.
I will do everything I can to resolve the fates of our
prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. None of us can
forget -- none of us can totally be at peace until all our POWs
and MIAs are accounted for.
And I would pay attention to something else: America's
veterans are- getting older -- over six million are over age 65.
In this Administration, we've opened 10 geriatric care centers in
VA hospitals around the country. But we can do more. I would
work to build a health care policy for older veterans that could
serve as a model for all Americans.
Vietnam Veterans deserve our help as well -- they will not
be forgotten. They' 11 get the services and treatment they need
and deserve.
Keeping the faith with veterans is not just a matter of
trust -- it's a pillar of a sound national security policy, and
I'm going to do it.
What of the other pillars?
Let's start with pride. I've seen a lot in my life since I
first stepped into a plane to defend my country. I've worked in
China, at the U.N., met dozens of world leaders, and I ran the
intelligence community of this country as Director of Central
Intelligence. But nothing prepared me -- nothing -- for the
shock that we felt in 1981 when we got a good look at our
military.
Aircraft that couldn't fly because of lack of spare parts.
Ships that couldn't sail for lack of crews and ammunition. A one
and one half ocean Navy for a three ocean commitment. An Army
unable to recruit the people it needed. More than half our
divisions rated not ready. A military headed for high tech in its
weapons and low tech in its skills.
It was pathetic!
We don't ever want to see that again. And if I'm elected
President, we won't.
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5
Look at what we have already done. Our military people had
to know that our government was four-square behind them. Respect
for the uniform. Respect and honor for the young men and women
who defend our values. And ultimately, of course, that meant
respect for the United States of America.
We've been working toward a 600-ship Navy with 15 aircraft
carriers ready to go. We're giving soldiers the beans and the
bullets to do the job. Trained pilots in capable planes. The
Marines, proud and ready. The highest level of skills we've ever
had in the military. The right people with the right stuff.
You know, George C. Marshall was once asked what America's
fighting secret was. And his answer was simple: "The best damn
kids in the world."
Well, every single member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has
told me that we have never had finer young men and women in the
services than we do today. I'm proud of them, and I'm happy to
say that once again America is, too.
The second point I mentioned was realism. A word about the
Soviet Union, in this regard. I've spent some time with Mr.
Gorbachev. Andrei Gromyko was right. He's got a nice smile.
He's also got teeth of iron. And one major reason why he favors
agreements now -- is because we're strong.
The improvements made to our nuclear deterrent over the last
eight years have helped turn the arms control process in a
constructive direction. But we're not out of the woods yet. The
Soviets are now deploying two new ICBM's, the SS-24 and SS-25.
so even with perestroika, Soviet military modernization,
including their own research into strategic defense, has not
slackened. Soviet military spending continues to rise.
so what's the answer? Do the practical thing. Reduce
offensive weapons through arms control in a way that stabilizes
the balance. But keep the balance, keep deterrence working to
prevent war by modernizing our weapons. And invest in the
Strategic Defense Initiative.
In the event of a crisis, we certainly would want the best
information possible. A President would need the most up to date
communications system in the world -- 50 that he would have the
ability to send and receive secret messages as rapidly as
possible in the event of an attack.
Our nation has designed such a communications system --
which spans the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
It's called the Ground Wave Emergency Network -- or GWEN for
short. My friend James Schlesinger, a former Secretary of
Defense, reported that of the 56 planned GWEN sites around the
country, 52 have been completed. Only one Governor refused to
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6
have a site anywhere in his state -- the Governor of
Massachusetts. Only one!
Building America's strength costs money, and many people
rightly ask 1f we can afford it. Perhaps a little historical
comparison is in order here.
President Kennedy's name has been invoked for all sorts of
things lately. But here's a figure that surprised me and I'm
sure it will surprise you. In 1960, when Kennedy became
President, 45 percent of the federal budget went for defense.
Well, guess what the figures are now, even after what I'm
proud to call the Reagan-Bush defense build-up. Defense outlays
account for 27% of the federal budget. That's right. The
defense budget takes less -- far less -- of a percentage of our
budget than it did in John Kennedy's times.
The trick now is to keep our defense budget on an even keel,
not to run it down so low that suddenly we've got to invest not
only for the future but also to make up for the failures of the
past.
The real issue now is not huge increases in defense which we
don it need or huge cuts which we can't afford. The issue is
ensuring that we get the best bang for our buck.
A word in that regard about the Pentagon. There is no more
need to tolerate waste in defense resources than there is to
tolerate fraud Like espionage, fraud and waste weaken us
secretly.
It's time to ferret out all corruption at the Pentagon.
Congress can help, too, by cutting down on its
micro-management, and -- as an example -- having the courage to
close unneeded bases.
I've reviewed the report of the Commission headed by David
Packard, and I endorse most of its findings.
Specifically we should:
- Get Congress to change our complex procurement laws to
combine all of them into one single government-wide procurement
statute. The more complicated our system, the more spread out it
is in different laws, the more wide open it is to fraud, abuse,
and just plain old waste.
- Move to a multi-year budgeting process. If ever there was
an argument for planning ahead; it is in national defense.
America's security shouldn't have to get on the Congressional
budget roller coaster every year. The ride should be smooth and
steady. I will work with Congress to make this change.
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7
- And we must cut the bureaucracy, and I don't mean cutting
the guys who repair the ships and fix the planes. I mean
eliminating unnecessary layers of senior and middle management
that just make for more paperwork and not more security.
Finally, I mentioned engagement.
We do have a special mission in the world, we are the.
flagship of freedom.
Ever since we helped rebuild Europe and Japan after the war,
we have had a partnership with our allies. Today, they are
stronger -- and better able to help in meeting new challenges.
They should do more, and they will do more, if I am elected.
We led the fight in combatting terrorism by striking against
Qadhafi in Libya. Not everybody liked it but today we have
stronger cooperation in meeting the terrorist threat. My
opponent refused to support this action, but let me say this: if
terrorists murder innocent Americans, and we have the evidence as
we did in the case of Libya, I will strike again.
We showed leadership in protecting the flow of oil to the
free world through the Persian Gulf. But now some, including my
opponent, were quick to criticize our efforts but the parties are
talking peace. And just imagine the cost to the economic growth
of the free world if that oil supply had been shut down. The
verdict is clear: with Iran-Iraq talking peace our policy was
right in the Gulf, and our hand-wringing critics were wrong.
And thank God we didn't listen to my opponent who wanted us
to finesse our responsibility to lead by turning the United
Nations to put together some international fleet.
Yesterday was a sad anniversary. On that day in August of
1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to a
non-aggression pact that helped set the stage for the War in
which many of you fought. In no time, they were greedily
dividing up Poland. And not long after, they started fighting
each other.
Stalin and Hitler. What a fitting reminder that the world
is a dangerous place.
In this kind of a world, full of both danger and hope, full
of new technologies and old desires, full of unlimited promise
but potentially devastating crisis, the question I put before you
is who should lead this great country -- this last best hope of
man on earth.
Because what it all comes down to, when you strip away all
the political rhetoric and all the campaigning, when you reduce
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all the fancy names for new weapons and complex international
situations to the cold hard truth of decisions -- is the man at
the desk.
Who do you want at that desk? A man who has stood at the
side of our President for the last eight years, who has been in
battle, seen tragedy and victory, who has read the urgent cables,
faced the tough choices, and seen the tears in the eye of a dead
soldier's mother.
The man at the desk. I think America wants tough, tested,
And experienced leadership in the man who sits at that desk as we
begin the 1990s. My friends, I am that man.
Thank you very much.
....
TATE
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
AT 9:00 PM (EST)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1989
PRESIDENT BUSH'S AGENDA: BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
FACT SHEET
Less than three weeks into his Presidency, President Bush
addressed a Joint Session of the Congress and outlined a
comprehensive agenda for building a better America. The
President's Message is accompanied by a supplementary discussion
of plans and proposals entitled Building a Better America.
Together, the Message and the 193-page supplement describe the
President's priorities and approach.
The President outlined a realistic plan that establishes clear
priorities and meets. the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget targets,
without raising taxes. While dealing with problems from the past
(the Savings and Loan crisis and nuclear clean-up), and meeting
tight fiscal constraints, the President's priorities nonetheless
focus attention on investing in America's future.
The President's agenda has six basic parts -- each of which is
summarized below:
1. Restoring Fiscal Balance
2.
Advancing Priorities for Growth and Competitiveness
3. Ending the Scourge of Drugs
4. Making a Kinder and Gentler Nation
5. Managing America's Government Better
6.
Securing a More Peaceful World
In seeking to advance his agenda, the President again extended
his hand to the Congress in a cooperative bipartisan spirit. He
repeated his observation that "the people did not send us here to
bicker," emphasizing that Americans want to see their elected
leaders produce. To this end, he offered to have members of his
Administration negotiate in good faith -- day and night if that
is what it takes -- in order to reach bipartisan agreement with
the Congress.
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I. RESTORING FISCAL BALANCE
A. Ordering Budget Priorities
The President's budget plan adopts a common-sense approach to
budgeting. It no longer measures changes against the
Wonderland concept of "current services baseline" but rather
from this year to next year. In this approach the starting
point is the large revenue growth expected in FY 1990 over
1989 -- almost $82 billion. This growth is then allocated to
a reduction of the deficit by 40 percent, required increases
in such areas as interest on the national debt, and to the
President's priorities and initiatives.
B. Budget Process Reforms
The President's budget process reform proposals include:
A Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment, to end the
chronic affliction of spending that exceeds revenues and
to assure future fiscal responsibility.
A Line Item Veto, a tool possessed by 43 state governors,
to help the President control spending.
Enhanced rescission authority that would require an up-
or-down vote by Congress on Presidential rescission
proposals.
Biennial Budgeting, to make the budget process easier
and more efficient and encourage longer term policy
development by the President and Congress.
Enactment of Individual Appropriations bills, to avoid
crisis-born, thousand-page omnibus "continuing
resolutions."
A Joint Budget Resolution, requiring approval of the
President, to guarantee early negotiations and make it
more likely that the resolution would ultimately be
reflected in law.
Enforcement of the Budget Resolution as a guideline for
legislative action, ending differing policy
interpretations.
Credit Reform, to identify the true subsidy cost of
direct and guaranteed loan programs.
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Heightened Attention to Capital Expenditures without
changing the measurement of a budget surplus or deficit.
Longer Horizons, to assure that major budget problems
such as FSLIC insolvency are anticipated.
II. ADVANCING PRIORITIES FOR GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS
A.
Investing in R&D and Long Term Productive Capacity
The President's initiatives to assure the continued economic
health of future generations include:
Encouraging Long-Term Investment by reducing the capital
gains tax rate to a maximum of 15 percent for long-held
assets and eliminating capital gains taxes for taxpayers
with adjusted gross incomes below $20,000 a year.
Elevating Science and Technology in national policy-
making by making the White House Science Advisor an
Assistant to the President, reporting directly to the
President.
Enhancing the Federal investment in basic research by
increasing research programs of the National Science
Foundation and the Department of Energy by $360 million.
Maintaining America's leadership in space. The
President proposes a 22 percent increase in funding for
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
providing for the continued development of Space Station
Freedom and a build-up of the flight rate of the space
shuttle. Viable commercial space initiatives are also
encouraged.
Making the Research & Experimentation (R&E) tax credit
permanent and improving R&E expense allocation rules to
encourage continued growth of private domestic research
and experimentation.
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0'
Stimulating Domestic Oil and Gas Production and reducing
dependence on foreign oil by:
- providing tax incentives for exploratory drilling
costs; and
-
urging decontrol of natural gas.
Constructing the Super Conducting Supercollider which
will be used by research scientists around the world and
will assure our technological leadership in high-energy
physics.
Expanding Biomedical Research. The President will
propose a seven percent increase in funding for basic
research and will encourage new partnerships with
industry for applied research.
Promoting International Competitiveness. The President
will create a Council on Competitiveness to be chaired by
the Vice President.
Improving Opportunities for Disabled Americans. The
President will establish a policy working group of
senior Administration officials to recommend changes
needed to promote self-sufficiency and to rationalize
services across government programs.
B. Investing in People: Education
Educational achievement of our Nation's children is a major
determinant of future productivity and our competitive
position in the world. The President will help to reward
success through public recognition and financial rewards for
those schools, students and teachers who have excelled. The
President's initiatives include:
Rewarding Successful Schools whose students demonstrate
substantial progress with a new program starting at $250
million and rising to $500 million. The awards can be
used by the winning schools for any educational purpose.
Recognizing Superior Teachers across the country with
public recognition and cash awards to provide incentives
for excellence and to demonstrate that highly motivated
educators will not go unnoticed.
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Establishing a National Science Scholars Program to
foster a greater commitment to science and mathematics
education. Scholarships and opportunities for hands-on
experience in federal research laboratories will be
provided to top high school students across the country.
Creating a new $100 million addition to the magnet
schools program to encourage curriculum innovation and
provide better opportunities for motivated students.
Helping states develop alternative certification systems
to remove unnecessary barriers so that talented and
motivated people can become teachers or principals.
Providing additional Federal funds to increase support
for experimentation and innovation in the schools and to
assure timely distribution of knowledge about what works
in education.
Providing $60 million over four years in new Federal
matching grants for Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to create incentives for increased
endowments, to assure continued progress of these
important institutions.
Assuring proper accountability in Federal education
programs to provide for the best use of tax dollars and
the achievement of educational goals.
C.
Expanding Economic Opportunities: Enterprise Zones
Create Enterprise Zones to expand economic opportunity
for economically distressed areas, using tax incentives
and regulatory relief to stimulate growth.
III. ENDING THE SCOURGE OF DRUGS
The President believes in zero tolerance of illegal drug use.
No amount of illegal drug use is acceptable to the President.
Action on multiple fronts is needed. The President is
requesting $6 billion in FY 1990 to fight drugs, including
nearly $1 billion in new outlays for drug education,
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treatment, and enforcement, and will support stiffer drug
penalties. The Director of National Drug Control Policy
will develop a national drug control strategy.
A. Educating the Young: Drug Prevention
Funding for the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act
will be increased.
A new $25 million Emergency Urban Grants program is
created for the special needs of those urban school
systems with the worst drug problems.
A new $35 million community partnership grant program
will also be added to stimulate more community
involvement in drug prevention activities.
B. Reclaiming Lives with Improved Drug Treatment
Funding for drug abuse treatment will be increased 18
percent, including new grants to reduce the waiting
periods for admittance into drug treatment programs.
A grant program will be created to assist areas of
the country identified as having the greatest need
for more treatment for the indigent, disadvantaged,
youth and expectant mothers.
C. Going to the Source: Drug Law Enforcement
Substantial funding increases are requested for the
Drug Enforcement Agency, the Customs Service, the
State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics
Matters, and the drug interdiction budget of the
Coast Guard, to strengthen inspection, interdiction,
intelligence efforts and crop eradication programs.
The Justice Department will receive funding for
grants for local law enforcement agencies and for
additional U.S. Attorney prosecutorial staff, as well
as for FBI investigations and local law enforcement
training.
D. Strengthening Our Laws: Drug Penalties
The President will call for strict application of the
tough new penalties in the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of
1988.
Drug offenders will be a top prosecuting priority of
U.S. Attorneys.
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IV. MAKING A KINDER, GENTLER NATION
A. Protecting the Environment
The President proposes a nine-part program to protect the
environment.
Strengthening Our Commitment to Cleaner Air: The President
will propose legislation to reauthorize the Clean Air Act,
ensuring progress toward meeting air quality standards in the
Nation's major cities. The President will ask Congress to
establish an acid rain program that will obtain significant
SO2 and NOx emission reductions, balancing competing
interests, by specified dates. The President will work to
achieve the worldwide ratification of the historic Montreal
Protocol.
Preserving and Expanding Recreation Lands: America's parks
and open spaces are national treasures. The President
proposes $200 million for new land acquisitions through the
Land and Water Conservation Fund, reversing the policy in the
January budget of essentially no new acquisitions.
Developing Offshore Oil and Gas While Protecting the
Environment: The President believes that oil and gas
development is necessary; however, drilling will be
permitted only in an environmentally sound manner. The
President will delay leasing in three sensitive areas
pending resolution of environmental concerns by a task force
he will establish.
Speeding Hazardous Waste Cleanup: A reinvigorated Superfund
program is the key to resolving the Nation's hazardous waste
problems. Polluters unwilling to clean up their wastes will
pay triple damages; cost recovery cases will be pursued
sooner to end the incentive for delay; and EPA will use its
emergency cleanup authority more often.
Fighting Ocean Pollution: The President is committed to end
ocean dumping by the end of 1991, and EPA will issue no new
permits for ocean dumping of sludge or industrial waste. The
FBI and EPA will be instructed to prosecute illegal dumpers
of medical waste and new penalties against medical waste
dumpers will be sought.
Preserving Our Wetlands: The national goal will be no net
loss of wetlands. An interagency task force will be
established to ensure that all agencies involved in wetlands
preservation work toward that goal, and there will be firmer
enforcement of present laws aimed at saving wetlands.
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Enhancing Water Quality: The President proposes an
increase in funding of $64 million for coordinated
Federal water quality programs in four agencies. Farmers
will be aided in their efforts to avoid groundwater
contamination from pesticides and fertilizers.
Reducing the Growing Volume of Waste: The President is
committed to exceeding EPA's current goal of 25 percent
reduction in waste. This is primarily a local problem,
but Federal assistance will be expanded, including
developing a database on successful waste reduction and
recycling techniques.
Fostering International Cooperation on the Environment:
President Bush will promote international cooperation on
environmental issues, including global warming,
preservation of the oceans, and the loss of tropical rain
forests.
B. Combatting Homelessness
The President is committed to addressing forcefully --
through public and private action -- the tragedy of men,
women, and children living without homes. The
President's budget fulfills his pledge to fully fund the
McKinney Act at $746 million in FY 1990, and over-all
funding directed at homelessness will increase 70 percent
to $1 billion.
Beyond McKinney, an incremental $50 million will be
requested for a new matching grant program, in
partnership with state and local agencies and not-for-
profit and volunteer organizations. This program will
address many facets of homelessness, encouraging and
supporting the most promising local solutions for the
problem.
C. Enhancing Parental Choice in Child Care
The President proposes a four-part initiative, a key element
of which is to preserve the incentive for parents to make
their own decisions about what sort of care is best for their
children. The cost of the initiative in 1990 is $330
million, rising to more than $2.5 billion by 1993.
o
Enhancing Parental Choice in Child Care: The President
proposes a new, refundable tax credit of up to $1000 for
each child under four in low-income families, allowing
families to select from a wide range of child care
options the arrangement that best suits their needs.
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Making the Existing Dependent Care Credit Refundable:
For lower income families that do not pay tax, the
present credit is of no value. Under the proposal it
would be made refundable.
Expanding Head Start: A $250 million increase in the
Head Start program will allow up to 95,000 additional
four year-olds to get a better start in life.
Examining Barriers to Liability Insurance: The
difficulty encountered by employers in obtaining
liability insurance may prevent them from providing on-
site child care. The President has directed the
Secretary of Labor to determine what obstacles stand in
the way of purchasing such insurance, and report back to
him by the end of this year.
D. Increasing Adoption
The President proposes to facilitate adoption by restoring
the tax deduction for unreimbursed one-time costs of adopting
special needs children and doubling it to $3,000. A
reduction in the January budget for the Adolescent Family
Life Program is withdrawn, and there is increased funding for
several adoption-related programs.
E. Involving Youth in Service: YES to America
The President is convinced that increasing the involvement of
young Americans in voluntary programs will not only reduce
many national problems but will also instill a life-long
spirit of service. He will propose legislation and funding
for the establishment of the YES to America Foundation.
F. Responding to HIV/AIDS
Solving the problem of AIDS is the highest public health
priority of the Bush Administration. The President proposes
an increase of $313 million in AIDS funding in 1990, devoting
more money than ever before for research, education,
testing, and counselling.
G. Improving Medicaid for Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children
The President is committed to improving health care for
lower-income Americans by focusing first on those most at
risk: pregnant women and their children. To accomplish
this, the Administration is proposing to further expand
eligibility for Medicaid beyond expansions recently enacted.
The proposal for Medicaid savings in the January budget is
withdrawn.
MORE
- 10 -
H. Protecting Social Insurance and Providing for Those in Need
Social Security will be fully funded, with an estimated 3.6
percent Cost of Living Adjustment in January 1990. Other
social insurance benefit programs, such as Unemployment
Compensation and Veterans Service-connected Compensation, are
also fully funded. No cuts are proposed in means-tested
entitlement programs.
V. MANAGING AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT BETTER
A. Providing for National Security While Increasing Efficiency
The President proposes to freeze defense budget authority for
one year in real terms, followed by a resumption of real growth
of one percent in 1991 and 1992 and two percent in 1993. The
President will accept the freeze in 1990 only on condition that
the savings be allocated to his priority initiatives, and that
the defense spending level be part of a comprehensive budget
agreement that meets the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings targets without a
tax increase and includes budget process reforms.
The President has ordered a review by the National Security
Council of defense policies and strategies, and has charged
the Secretary of Defense with improving the defense
procurement process. The President has also asked the
Congress to do its share by streamlining its own procedures
of oversight and budgeting for defense.
B. Attending to Problems from the Past
Reforming the S & L Sector. A comprehensive plan for
dealing with insolvencies in the thrift industry was
announced February 6. It involves a mix of industry and
taxpayer funds but will not result in greater net budget
outlays than contemplated in the January budget, except
in FY 1989. The total cost to the taxpayer over ten years
is estimated at $39.9 billion.
Protecting Safety and Environment While Modernizing
Nuclear Weapons Plants. The President proposes an
increase of $1.1 billion in budget authority in FY 1990
for nuclear safety, environmental cleanup and
modernization, 42 percent above 1989. Outlays would rise
$700 million.
Ensuring Excellence and Safety in Aviation. Budget
authority for the FAA will increase by almost $1.2
billion in 1990, providing for hiring more air traffic
controllers and a 41 percent increase in the program of
modernization of the air traffic control system.
MORE
- 11 -
C.
Transferring Assets to the Private Sector
The Administration intends to transfer to the private sector
activities of government that can be best performed there.
These include the naval petroleum reserves, helium processing
facilities and the assets of two of the seven electric power
marketing administrations. In addition, there will be sales
of oil and gas leases on the outer continental shelf and in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Three lease areas on
the outer continental shelf off California and Florida are
withdrawn from proposed sale pending further assessment of
potential environmental damage.
VI. SECURING A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD
The President is committed to building ever-stronger
partnerships with United States allies and friends, who
are our first priority.
As the result of Western strength and solidarity, we enjoy
the prospect of more constructive relations with the East.
The President is ready to work with the Soviet Union in
many areas, to build on previous significant progress.
The agenda for the future includes addressing regional
conflicts, arms reduction, human rights and bilateral
exchanges, as well as many new transnational challenges,
including terrorism, narcotics and the global environment.
There is a new appreciation of the benefits of economic
freedom -- in developed countries, in developing
countries and even in the Communist world. It is
increasingly realized that free markets and private
initiative are the engine of prosperity and growth.
American policies will build upon this awareness and the
profound changes it is likely to bring in much of the
world.
The President and Secretary of State are pledged to
consult and collaborate with Congress as appropriate.
History shows that foreign policies succeed when there is
a spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation.
The President has instructed the National Security
Council to review the range of foreign policy and
national security challenges facing the nation. The NSC
will recommend to the President within 90 days options
for United States policy.
MORE
- 12 -
BUSH BUDGET SUMMARY
RECEIPTS, OUTLAYS, AND DEFICITS
(In billions of dollars)
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
Receipts
979.3
1,065.6
1,147.6
1,218.6 1,286.6
Outlays, excluding
asset sales
1,149.5 1,160.4 1,211.8 1,249.2 1,284.1
Deficit, excluding
asset sales
170.2
94.8
64.2
30.6
-2.5
G-R-H targets
136.0
100.0
64.0
28.0
0.0
Deficit, including
asset sales
163.3
91.1
61.9
26.8
-3.8
# # #
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AD
Bob Potvin
West Brookfield, Massachusetts 01585
(617) 867-3346
Janaury 20, 1989
The President
The White House
Washington
Dear Mr. President:
Congratulations on your victory to office on Inauguration Day!
I am writing as an American, a husband and a father of two
teenage boys. My hopes and dreams are that as our family moves
forward into the Nineties we are continued to be blessed
with peace and prosperity.
I know you like people, Mr. President, and that's good. I
further hope that you will put a special emphasis on communicating
with the young people of America as to spark in them a great
sense of pride in our great American Heritage.
As a Vietnam Veteran who served my country back in the 60's
I feel a renewed interest in something like the Peace Corps
would be wonderful. A Federal Program that would attract,
educate and reach out to all the World in a positive manner
will win the hearts of all peoples.
Give our American Youth something that's attractive to their
intellectual growth, Mr. President.
And Good Luck.
I have every confidence in your leadership ability.
Sincerely,
Bob Pothin
DoD
171 Primrose Ave
Mobile, Al 36606
January 21, 1989
Honorable George Bush
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Mr President:
After you have read the encclosure and find the Military and
Federal Retirement Trust Funds are in such great shape, I hope
you will have such feeling to change the 1990 Federal Budget
to give the Military and Federal Retirees a full COLA and
eliminate the mini COLA and restore a full COLA for the next
five years. We Retirees will be glad to bite the bullet if
necessary but all Retirees should be treated equal including the
Social Security Retirees.
We Retirees are counting on you to look out for our welfare
as we dedicated our lives for our Country.
A litte information, I was working for the Federal Government
eve
when I went into the service in the beginning of World War II.
I was assigned to alitte known Theatre of Operation( India-
China-Burma). After the war was over I returned to US and
contunied my Career with the Federal Government with the AF as
a civilian. Some assignments were world wide including a tour
in Vietnam as a weapon systems officer. I retired in 1969.
Hoping you success in guiding the Nation to peace and prosperty.
With great respect,
Clayton clayton R Movay R. McVay
? Encl
retiree
Civil Service
By Sean Ford
The Civil Service Retirement
and Disability trust fund has re-
ceived a clean bill of health
from congressional auditors,
having amassed the largest cash
balance of Uncle Sam's 167
trust funds.
A recent audit by the General
Accounting Office found that
the trust fund had a balance of
$177 billion at the close of fiscal
1987, the most recent year for
which tallies were available.
The $177 billion represented
close to 40 percent of trust
funds balances on hand that
year.
By contrast, the nation's larg-
est trust fund - the Old Age and
Survivors Insurance trust fund
(Social Security) - had a bal-
ance of $58 billion. The primary
Social Security fund nearly ran
dry in the early 1980s before a
White House-congressional res-
cue package in 1983 put it back
on solid fiscal footing. A surplus
of nearly half a trillion dollars is
forecast by the mid-1990s.
For this fiscal year, however,
GAO estimated the civil service
Retirement Rings Up Highest Trust Fund Balance
retirement trust fund still will
funds, the military retirement
a surplus, it can produce two ef-
invested in Treasury securities.
show a higher balance, about
fund had a balance of $30 bil-
fects on the overall federal bud-
Unfortunately, GAO said,
$214 billion VS. $139 billion for
lion after fiscal 1987, GAO said.
get - one good and one bad -
trust fund surpluses also can
Social Security. The Social Se-
A trust fund is different from
auditors said.
have the effect of masking the
curity fund balance is expected
other budget accounts because
On the positive side, the sur-
true extent of the federal defi-
o overtake the other fund in
its proceeds are expended auto-
pluses reduce the need for gov-
cit. The fiscal 1987 deficit, for
he next two or three years.
matically on certain programs.
ernment borrowing, since most
example, was gauged at $150.4
Among other prominent trust
When a trust fund accumulates
trust fund balances by law are
billion (by the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget and Congres-
sional Budget Office) in joint es-
'Notch Babies' to Get No Balm From Report
timates made under the
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings defi-
cit-reduction law, which man-
By Sean Ford
ary of SSA, Robert Myers, presided over the
dates automatic spending cuts
academy panel that wrote the report.
in years when Congress fails to
Social Security "notch babies," who claim
Senators Daniel Moynihan, D-N.Y., and
meet deficit-reduction goals.
they are unfairly denied benefits from that sys-
Robert Dole, R-Kan., the majority and minor-
But the fiscal 1987 estimates
tem, don't have an actuarial leg to stand on, a
ity leaders of the Sénate Finance Committee's
did not factor in trust fund sur-
nonpartisan study group has concluded.
subcommittee on Social Security and family
pluses of $72.7 billion, auditors
In a newly released report, the National
policy, commissioned the study. Moynihan sits
wrote. So the true federal defi-
Academy of Social Insurance found that "no
on the academy board.
cit for the year was $223.1
reasonable basis exists" for increasing Social
The notch problem has received a good deal
billion.
Security benefits of the notch group - recipi-
of attention in the media and on Capitol Hill in
In terms of receipts, Social
ents born between 1917 and 1921 - and that
recent years. It arises from a 1977-passed
Security is by far the largest
such increases would be "unwise" and "would
change in benefit computations which pro-
trust fund, taking in $208 billion
jeopardize the financial stability of the [sys-
vides unintentionally higher benefits (in terms
in fiscal 1987. The civil service
tem] for future generations."
of "replacement rates" of working income) to
fund, the third largest, collected
The academy is a private, non-profit study
people born from 1911 to 1916.
$43.2 billion and paid out $25.8
group composed in large part by former Social
Because of the change, a person born in 1916
billion.
Security officials. It is chaired by Robert Ball,
who earned maximum Social Security credits
The fourth largest fund, mili-
who headed the Social Security Administra-
tary retirement, collected $31.9
tion from 1962-73, while the former chief actu-
See Notch, Page 16
See Fund, Page 18
Fund
Mail Order
From Page 6
Market
billion and paid out $18 billion.
Some of the major funds are ex-
empt from potential Gramm-Rud-
man impoundment. They include:
Social Security, the civil service, mil-
MILLIONS SOLD
itary retirement, federal disability
5½
insurance and railroad retirement.
DISKS
Eighty percent of federal trust
AS LOW AS
funds are used to finance social in-
23.9c
surance and retirement programs,
$239.00 Per 1000
Mitt Qty 500 pcs $25/100
GAO reported. Recently, there have
SLEEVES & LABLES INCLUDED
been legislative proposals to invest
5%HD 1.2 Meg.
Social Security trust fund surpluses
$65 per 100
and to take more of the other trust
3½ DISKS 3½ HD 1.44 Meg.
$90 per 100
$39 per 10
funds "off-budget," meaning they
WHOLESALE INQUIRIES INVITED
would be removed from annual bud-
Material may be new, previously pro
get debates. GAO did not take a posi-
grammed. or pre labeled. Piece for
Piecr replacement
tion on those initiatives, however.
The Best Disks For Your Money!
The thrift savings plan for federal
ERM Inc.
employees was taken off budget in
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1989 through legislation proposed by
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