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Six Months Accomplishments 8/8/89 [2]
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323150635
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Six Months Accomplishments 8/8/89 [2]
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13499-003
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13499
Folder ID Number:
13499-003
Folder Title:
Six Months Accomplishments 8/8/89 [2]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
25
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DRAFT
1
( (Grant))
August 8, 1989
Draft six
A:sixmonth
BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
SUMMARY
As the Bush Administration passes the six-month mark, the
President has set the agenda on a number of fronts-domestically -
- from the environment and education to the fight against drugs
and crime. The economy is strong, with the current economic
expansion continuing to set new records and create new jobs.
contenues to 1 lead
Meanwhile, America is standing tall in the international arena,
success
after President Bush's leadership at two multilateral summits
paved the way for greater understanding among the allies and
improved relations with the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc
nations.
KEEPING THE ECONOMY STRONG
Record expansion: During the current economic expansion --
now in its 80th month as of July -- over 20 million jobs
have been created and the unemployment rate has fallen to
levels not seen in 15 years. Income levels have risen
sharply and growth in industrial output is nearly double
2
that of Western Europe. Consumer price inflation has
remained under five percent for the past seven years.
Budget agreement: The President has put forth a budget which
restrains overall growth of spending and meets the Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings targets -- with no new taxes in fiscal year
1990. The President and Congress announced on April 14 a
budget plan to reduce the estimated fiscal year 1990 deficit
by about $64 billion below fiscal year 1989.
Savings and Loans: On August 9, the President signed the
Financial Institution Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act
of 1989 to begin solving the savings and loan crisis. The
President's plan calls for tough standards to help ensure
such a crisis never happens again.
Third World debt: The Administration has taken the lead in
finding a way to reduce the debt burden and encourage
economic growth in developing countries. At the
Administration's urging, the IMF and World Bank have set
aside funds to support debt reduction programs for
developing countries.
Capital gains tax cut: The President has sent to the
Congress a proposal that would re-establish a capital gains
differential to lower the cost of capital, create incentives
3
for investment, make American business more competitive and
create new job opportunities.
Minimum wage: The President, by vetoing the excessive
across-the-board increase in the minimum wage proposed by
Congress, preserved job opportunities for the disadvantaged
and blunted the adverse economic impact such a move would
have had.
International Trade: The Bush Administration successfully
broke a stalemate in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade
negotiations and advanced its proposal to correct and
prevent trade distortions in agriculture. It is engaged in
bilateral trade talks with important trading partners to
discuss stuctural
an
encourage them to open their markets to our exports
impedments to
expanding trade and
SEIZING INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE
"Europe Whole and Free": In a series of major speeches, the
President outlined a vision of a new Europe -- secure,
prosperous, whole and free -- vindicating four decades of
Western policies and seizing an historic opportunity to move
toward ending the postwar division of Europe.
Poland and Hungary: The President signalled his strong
support for democratic change in Hungary and Poland by
4
visiting those nations and offering political and moral
support as well as economic and trade incentives.
Economic Summit: Under President Bush's leadership, the
Paris Economic Summit made further progress on key U.S.
economic and political objectives such as a strengthened
debt strategy, economic policy coordination, completion of
the Uruguay Round by December 1990 and international
cooperation on protection of the environment. Our political
the Presidents' call for concerted ac team in)
allies agreed to support Polish and Hungarian economic
of
reforms.
"Beyond Containment": The President has responded to great
changes in the Soviet Union by moving "beyond containment"
to a policy that seeks to integrate the Soviet Union into
the community of nations.
insert #1
Arms Control/NATO Summit: In arms control, the President has
accelerated the pace of negotiations with the Soviet Union,
with new American initiatives on reducing conventional
forces in Europe (endorsed by the NATO Summit), on "open
skies," and on strategic arms reduction.
The U.S.-Soviet Dialogue: The US-Soviet dialogue on Third
World regional conflicts has resumed intensively, and a US-
Soviet dialogue has begun on a new range of global problems
4
visiting those nations and offering political and moral
support as well as economic and trade incentives.
Economic Summit: Under President Bush's leadership, the
Paris Economic Summit made further progress on key U.S.
economic and political objectives such as a strengthened
debt strategy, economic policy coordination, completion of
the Uruguay Round by December 1990 and international
cooperation on protection of the environment. Our political
(our call for "concerted action
allies agreed to support Polish and Hungarian economic
of
reforms.
insert#1
at
the
the
"Beyond Containment": The President has responded to great
out
changes in the Soviet Union by moving "beyond containment"
and
1
ima
to a policy that seeks to integrate the Soviet Union into
the
to
15 Plans Paysha
the community of nations.
the
a
in
reduce
beld
чигоре
the
also
Arms Control / NATO Summit: In arms control the President has
in
am
forces
NATIO
home
proposal
other arms centrol
accelerated the pace of negotiations with the Soviet Union,
with new American initiatives on reducing conventional
in
power
Europe.
forces in Europe (endorsed by the NATO Summit) on "open
skies," and on strategic arms reduction
(including A early verificationnes),
and
and ^ nuclear testing.
Pung
my
loadership
The U.S.-Soviet Dialogue: The US-Soviet dialogue on Third
World regional conflicts has resumed intensively, and a US-
mt
Soviet dialogue has begun on a new range of global problems
words
his
5
that require global cooperation, such as terrorism, the
environment, and narcotics.
China: In response to the suppression of the democratic
movement in China the President signalled that we cannot
condone repression while he worked to preserve the basic
elements of a strategically important relationship,
Central American accord: The President and Congressional
leaders agreed on March 24 on a bipartisan strategy for
peace and democracy in Central America.
Strengthening Our strategic Deterrent: After a thorough
review of U.S. defense strategy, the President submitted to
the Congress a defense budget that will modernize our
ability to deter war.
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
Education: The President proposed and sent to the Congress a
comprehensive education package, The Educational Excellence
Act of 1989, which includes seven initiatives -- on merit
and magnet schools, alternative certification of teachers,
excellence awards for teachers, emergency grants to help
urban schools to fight drugs, increased funding for
6
endowments at Historically Black Colleges, and a National
Science Scholars program. The Act has been reported to the
Senate floor virtually intact.
Natural Gas Deregulation: On July 26, the President signed
into law the Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989, which ends all
remaining price controls on natural gas. This will phase
out all federal price controls on natural gas by January 1,
1993.
Clean Air Act revisions: On July 21, President Bush
transmitted to the Congress the first revisions to the Clean
Air Act since 1977. His legislation is designed to
drastically reduce three major threats to the nation's
environment: acid rain, urban air pollution, and toxic air
emissions.
Hazardous waste: The President announced that he will seek
new legislation to ban all exports of hazardous waste unless
an agreement already exists with the receiving country to
provide for its safe handling.
Ozone depletion: In order to prevent further damage to the
earth's protective ozone layer, the President has called for
a total worldwide phaseout of CFCs by the year 2000,
provided safe substitutes are available.
7
Medical Waste: The EPA has begun a tracking system for
medical wastes and the Justice Department has started a task
force to prosecute those who deliberately dump medical
wastes into the Nation's waters -- the first step in a
comprehensive program to help keep our beaches clean. The
President is committed to end ocean dumping of sewage sludge
by 1991.
Wetlands: The President is committed to "no net loss of
wetlands" and is directing his executive branch agencies,
through an interagency task force, to make recommendations
to achieve that goal. He has also proposed $206 million in
his budget to expand parks and wildlife refuges.
Combatting Violent Crime: President Bush transmitted to
Congress The Comprehensive Violent Crime Control Act of 1989
proposing measures to augment enforcement and prosecution,
restrict
strengthen current law, control certain semi-automatic
weapons, and expand prison capacity.
over
Fighting Drug Abuse: The Administration is requesting $6
billion in funding for FY 1990 to fight the drug war,
increasing outlays by nearly $1 billion for drug education,
treatment and enforcement. In September, the President will
announce the Administration's new drug strategy and budget.
8
Drug-free Public Housing: The Bush Administration is working
to make public housing drug free, and to protect the rights
of the vast majority of decent, law-abiding public housing
residents.
D.C. Anti-Drug Efforts: The Office of National Drug Control
Policy has responded to the drug emergency in the District
of Columbia by expanding the Metropolitan Area Task Force,
working for more prisons, and providing support in
enforcement and local treatment efforts.
Space: The President announced a three-step commitment to
establish America's preeminence in space -- Space Station
Freedom, a permanent presence on the Moon, and a manned
mission to Mars -- for this and future generations.
Department Jonopor ta tion
The adums ha from has begun a public outreach
Transportation: The President directed the Secretary of
effoot to
Transportation to develop a national transportation policy
to move America into the 21st century.
111
WORKING FOR A KINDER, GENTLER AMERICA
Child Care: The President has transmitted to the Congress a
child care package, the Working Family Child Care Assistance
Act of 1989 which provides a new refundable child care tax
9
credit of up to $1000 per child under age four, for low and
moderate income working families. This legislation will
also make the existing Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
refundable, and does not discriminate against religious or
family-based child care or a parent who chooses not to work
outside the home.
Head Start: The President has also transmitted legislation
to Congress that would allow a $250 million increase in Head
FY 90
Start appropriations. This will pay for enrollment of up to
95,000 more four-year-olds in the program.
National Service: The President is spearheading a movement
to call all Americans to national service. He has announced
the formation of a foundation known as the Points of Light
duplicate
Initiative to identify, enlarge and recreate those community
service initiatives that are working and to discover and
encourage new leaders.
Welfare Reform: The Administration issued proposed rules on
April 18 to implement the major provisions of the Family
Support Act of 1988, as the next step in welfare reform.
The Administration is proposing to spend $3.6 billion over
the next five years to implement the JOBS program. The Act
will help reduce the number of individuals who need welfare.
10
Medicaid: To address the all-too-high infant mortality rate,
the Administration forwarded to Congress legislation to
improve federal Medicaid assistance to pregnant women,
infants and children.
Homelessness: President Bush has called for full funding of
the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and for a new $50
million matching grant program to promote public/private
partnerships to assist homeless families and the mentally
ill.
Enterprise Zones: President Bush asked Congress to enact
labor and capital-based incentives -- through enterprise
zones -- to create jobs and entrepreneurial activity in our
most distressed communities.
Campaign Finance Reform: On June 29, the President
announced comprehensive campaign finance proposals designed
to lessen the power of special economic interests and
real
restore competition to American Congressional elections.
Civil Rights: The President has called upon Congress to
IS COMMITTED TO SEK
reauthorize the Commission on Civil Rights and has proposed
legislation extending civil rights protections to disabled americans.
additional funding for Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs). The Administration has endorsed the
Hates Crimes Bill which provides for the collection of data
11
about crimes motivated by race, religion, or ethnicity. The
Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has
vigorously pursued the enforcement of the Fair Housing
Amendments Act of 1988 which became effective in March.
0
Ethics: President Bush sent his ethics reform legislation,
The Government-Wide Ethics Act, to the Congress on April 12,
and he issued an Executive Order announcing ethical
principles for the conduct of executive branch employees.
Whistleblower Protection: On April 10, the President signed
S. 20, the "Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989." This law
will strengthen the protections and procedural rights
available to those federal employees who report misdeeds and
mismanagement.
# # #
BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
SIX MONTHS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
KEEPING THE ECONOMY STRONG
Maintaining the current expansion with low inflation is the
key to improving standards of living, increasing job
opportunities for all Americans, and increasing investment in
productive capacity. Economic performance during this expansion
has been exceptionally good with extraordinary job growth. The
policies of the Bush Administration are designed to preserve this
strong record.
Record peacetime expansion: The current expansion reached 80
months in July. August will mark the longest peacetime economic
expansion in U.S. history, surpassing the World War II
expansion of 80 months (from June 1938 - February 1945).
Job creation: Over 20 million new jobs have been created
during this expansion, and this year, the unemployment rate
has reached levels not seen in 15 years. During this
decade, America has created more new jobs than Japan and the
nations of Western Europe combined.
Record income: Real per capita disposable personal income --
personal income after taxes and inflation -- has risen 19
percent during this expansion. Real median family income
2
set a new record in 1987, the last year for which data are
available.
Industrial output: During this expansion, American
40
No
industrial output has grown almost 41 percent, nearly double
Western Europe's growth rate in industrial output.
Higher national saving and investment: During the first
nine months of fiscal year 1989, the Federal Government
budget deficit was less than during the same period in the
previous fiscal year. Partly due to the discipline of
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, the Federal deficit has declined from
6.3 percent of GNP in fiscal year 1983 to an estimated 2.9
percent this fiscal year. The personal saving rate has rose
to
5
during the first half of this year.
risen to 5.4 percent Business fixed investment as a
percent of real GNP rose to 12.4 percent in the second
quarter of 1989.
Real, non- tial
3
Inflation under control: Consumer price inflation has
m each of the seven years from 1982 to 1988
remained under five percent for the past seven years, and
the recent slowing in economic growth to a sustainable rate
will lessen price pressures in the near future. The
Administration and the Federal Reserve share the goal of
achieving price stability consistent with SUS tained
economic growth.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
provides for investment m
future growth and competativiness
Presenting a budget: The President put forth a budget that
and addresses our fundamental obligations for national security
at the some time, it
and support of the needy, while providing sufficient funds
to advance high-priority initiatives. The President's
budget restrains overall growth of spending and meets the
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings targets -- with no new taxes in Fiscal
Year 1990.
Reaching a budget agreement with Congress: The President
and Congress announced on April 14 a budget plan to reduce
the estimated Fiscal Year 1990 deficit by about $64 billion
below Fiscal Year 1989. The plan called for reducing the
deficit to $99.4 billion, meeting the targets set by the
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings law. This is the first budget
agreement in recent years reached before the start of the
budget year and not framed in the context of crisis.
such as protecting the environment, the fuglt against
protection of
drugs and the mprovement of our educa +conal system
4
Savings and Loan reform: The President signed the Financial
Institution Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 on
August 9. This legislation comes to grips with the problems
facing our savings and loan industry, and will safeguard and
stabilize America's financial system.
The Act authorizes regulators to spend $166 billion
over 10 years to eliminate ongoing losses of more than 500
insolvent savings institutions, and recover assets for
taxpayers. This legislation abolishes the agency once
responsible for thrift supervision, and creates a new agency
InsertA
that will operate as part of the Treasury Department. A new
insurance fund, called SAIF, will protect deposits in thrift
up
institutions with the guarantee of the full faith and credit
look
of the United States. Penalties for wrongdoing by officers
of insured institutions will be stiff, and criminal
penalties will be added as well. Also, effective
immediately, tougher requirements will be established for
safe and sound operating practices in the thrift
institutions.
Gddressing
Solution of the international debt problem: The
in
Administration has taken the lead encouraging commercial
banks to reduce the debt and debt service burdens of
developing countries. At the Administration's urging, the
IMF and World Bank have agreed to support debt and debt
service reduction in conjunction with their debtor programs
5
to promote investment, growth, and the return of flight
capital to these countries. The recent agreement between
Mexico and commercial banks with its emphasis on debt and
debt service reduction attests to the viability of the
Administration's plan for resolving the LDC (less developed
of developing countries
countries) debt problems and should lead to similar
agreements with other heavily indebted countries.
Capital gains tax rate cut: A lower tax rate for long-term
capital gains is a key element of President Bush's economic
program. It will reduce the cost of capital in the United
States, create incentives for investment and increase job
opportunities for Americans. The President's proposal,
which has been sent to Congress includes:
-- A 45 percent capital gains exclusion for qualified
capital gains, or a 15 percent maximum capital gains
tax rate at the taxpayer's option.
-- A phased-in increase in the qualifying holding period
from one year to three years.
-- An exemption from the capital gains tax for families
earning under $20,000.
Minimum wage proposal: The President believes in keeping job
opportunities available for youth and for those seeking to
enter the economic mainstream. The excessive across-the-
board increase in the minimum wage which was passed proposed by
6
Congress would have had an adverse economic impact and cut
job opportunities drastically. Accordingly, the President
vetoed the bill, passed by Congress. The veto was later
sustained.
International Trade: The Administration is forcefully
promoting the opening of world markets. It successfully
broke a stalemate in the Uruguay Round's mid-term review and
put in place a framework, agreed to by the 96 member
nations, to correct and prevent trade distortions in
agriculture. It is engaged in bilateral trade talks with
important trading partners to encourage them to open their
markets to our exports Together these efforts should
greatly expand opportunities for U.S. exports.
The administration has created a high level interagency group to
assure that U.S. trade lather and investment interests are addressed
Steel imports: The President initiated a two-and-a-half
as the Europeau COMMUNITY WORKS to create a single maretin 1992.
year Steel Trade Liberalization Program designed to phase
out, in a responsible and orderly manner, the Voluntary
Restraint Arrangements (VRA/s) that currently limit steel
imports into the U.S. and to negotiate an international
consensus to address trade-distorting practices.
Agricultural initiatives: The Administration has announced
additional advance deficiency payments of 10 percent
available to producers of wheat, feed grains, rice and
upland cotton. In addition, a top-level Working Group on
7
Rural Development was established by the President to focus
on an action-oriented agenda.
National Energy Plan: The President directed the Secretary
of Energy to develop a comprehensive national energy
strategy for the nation. The strategy will help the nation
meet our energy security and environmental responsibilities
and, at the same time, allow a sensible mix of energy
sources to protect America's technical economic competitiveness.
SEIZING INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE
President Bush is committed to maintaining a strong American
role in world leadership and sees in present global trends an
unprecedented opportunity for strengthening both world peace and
the cause of freedom.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
"Europe Whole and Free": In a series of major speeches, the
President outlined a vision of a new Europe -- secure,
prosperous, whole and free -- vindicating four decades of
Western policies and seizing historic opportunities to move
toward ending the postwar division of Europe.
8
-- Western Europe: As the European Community heads toward
a single market in 1992 and develops its political
institutions and a more coordinated approach to foreign
policy, the President welcomed these developments and
proposed new mechanisms for consultation with the EC
Commission and member states. Seeing the resurgence of
Western Europe as a triumph of Western values and
principles, the President welcomed its success,
confident that a mature partnership will serve mutual
interests.
--
NATO Summit: At the successful NATO Summit, the
President's vision of Europe as well as agreement on a
new conventional arms reduction initiative helped
restore Alliance unity and confidence and define the
The alliance also rea firmed the
Alliance's future agenda. importance of a strong and modern
moclear deterrent.
-- Eastern Europe: As Poland and Hungary take
unprecedented steps toward pluralism, democracy, and
market economic policies, the United States has
signalled its strong support. These steps provide an
opportunity not only for a democratic transition in
these countries, but also for a broader process of
European reconciliation. Offering political and moral
support as well as economic assistance, the President
Several
proposed two major new initiatives for Poland and
Hungaryx in response to continue reform.
9
-- Poland: Following up on the program the President
announced earlier this year in Hamtramck, Michigan, he
called for action to declare Poland a beneficiary
country under the U.S. Generalized System of
Preferences. The Overseas Private Investment
Corporation will be authorized to operate in Poland,
and the US is proposing a private business agreement
that will promote contacts between the private sectors
of both countries. The President will ask Congress to
provide a $100 million fund to help capitalize and
invigorate the Polish private sector and encourage the
World Bank to move ahead with new loans to help Polish
agriculture and industry. He has encouraged other
members of the Paris Club to agree to an expeditious
rescheduling of Polish debt. Finally, he will ask
Congress for $15 million in a cooperative venture with
Check
Poland to help fight air and water pollution in Krakow
-- Hungary: The President will ask Congress to authorize a
$25 million fund as a source of new capital to
invigorate the Hungarian private sector. As soon as
new emigration legislation has passed the Hungarian
Parliament, the President will inform Congress that
Hungary is in full compliance with the restrictions of
the Jackson-Vanik Amendments of the 1974 Trade Act.
This will make Hungary eligible for Most-Favored-Nation
tariff treatment for the maximum period allowable under
10
the law. The President also declared Hungary a
beneficiary country under our Generalized System of
Preferences which will allow duty free entry of
Hungarian products into the U.S. market. He also
called for legislation to allow OPIC to operate in
Hungary, and for greater scientific, technical,
educational and cultural exchanges between the US and
Hungary. The President will seek to establish an
International Environmental Center for Central and
Eastern Europe in Budapest. Finally, he announced that
to enhance Exglish language
the Peace Corps would operate in Hungary the first
time in a European country.
-- The Economic Summit in Paris: The mission of the
President's historic visit to Poland and Hungary and
his successful effort at the Paris Economic Summit was
to promote concerted actions among the industrial
democracies in the economic and political arenas. The
industrial democracies demonstrated their unity, as
they dealt with a variety of issues on the
international economic agenda, as well as the problem
of drugs and the environment.
"Beyond Containment": Seeing an historic process of change
in the Soviet Union, the President has declared his
intention to move beyond the successful policy of
containment of Soviet power to a new policy whose goal is
11
integrating the Soviet Union into the world community as a
constructive partner. Positive changes so far in Soviet
policies in human rights, economic reforms, and
settlement of some international conflicts need to be
encouraged and broadened. The United States will be ready
to respond to such further developments. Already:
-- The US-Soviet dialogue on conflicts in regions of the
Third World has resumed intensively, with regular
meetings at the level of Assistant Secretary of State.
-- A US-Soviet dialogue has begun on a new range of global
problems that require global cooperation, such as
terrorism, the environment, and narcotics.
-- In arms control, the President has accelerated the pace
of negotiations, with new American initiatives on
reducing conventional forces in Europe (endorsed by the
NATO Summit), and on strategic arms reduction. U.S.
initiatives also aim at early progress on verification
issues to further early agreement on strategic arms
increased Curns security for ourselves and our allies. our objective is
reductions. controlis part of an broad strategy for peace and
to reduce the 'MISK ofwar.
China: In response to the tragic suppression of the
democratic movement in China, the President ordered the
suspension of all government-to-government sales and
commercial exports of weapons, suspension of visits between
US and Chinese military leaders, sympathetic review of
requests by Chinese students in the United States to extend
12
their stay, and review of other aspects of US-PRC bilateral
relations. The President's policy signals that repression
cannot be condoned. But it also seeks to preserve the basic
elements of a strategically important relationship that has,
itself, played a major part in China's recent policy of
reform and openness.
Latin America: The President has established a close,
working relationship with Latin American neigňbors to foster
a new partnership on hemisphere problems like democracy,
debt and drugs. Relations with Mexico are closer than at
any time in recent memory. The U.S. has also worked with
the Organization of American States to develop a hemispheric
consensus urging Manuel Noriega to leave power.
Bipartisan Accord on Central America: The President and
Congress agreed on March 24 on a bipartisan plan for peace
and democracy in Central America:
--
Regional peace: The President and Congress agreed that
the region's democracies deserve our support, that
Nicaragua's subversion of its neighbors must end, and
that Soviet support for violence and subversion in the
hemisphere must also end.
Humanitarian aid: Congress agreed to support the
Administration's request for continued humanitarian
assistance for the Nicaraguan Resistance at
13
current levels through the elections in Nicaragua
scheduled for February 1990.
--
Democracy: The Communist Sandinistas are being put to
the test to permit a real democratic electoral contest
for political power, fulfilling the promises of
democratic pluralism that they have made (and broken)
so often before.
Middle East: The Administration is devoted to promoting
progress toward peace in the Middle East by supporting the
government of Israel's May 14 initiative calling for
Palestinian elections in the occupied territories. These
elections can be a step toward a comprehensive peace
settlement that assures Israel's security and the legitimate
political rights of the Palestinians. The Administration is
also supporting the efforts of the Arab League to bring
peace to Lebanon.
A Strong Defense: The President proposed to Congress a two-
missile plan to maintain a strong, modernized strategic
west
deterrent. The plan to deploy the rail-mobile Peacekeeper
and the road-mobile Small ICBM will also give the U.S.
#2
momentum in strategic arms control negotiations.
-- The President proposed to Congress an integrated
package on strategic modernization that capitalizes on
the revolutionary potential of the B-2, and modernizes
Martor
Replace section bottom of page 13, top of page 14:
Strengthening our Deterrent: The President proposed to
Congress an integrated package on strategic modernization
for our strategic triad of land-based missiles, manned
bombers and submarines and to move ahead with the Strategic
Defense Initiative. The programs underpin our defenses and
form a foundation for significant progress in strategic arms
control. The quality and readiness of our conventional
forces will not be sacrificed to meet budgetary constraints.
--
Central to this modernization is the President's
initiative to deploy both the rail-mobile Peacekeeper
and the road-mobile Small ICBM and to capitalize on the
revolutionary technology of the B-2.
--
The President requested a funding level of $4.6 billion
for the Strategic Defense Initiative to support an
informed development and deployment decision within the
next four years.
--
The President's budget preserves the essential
capability of our conventional forces, while meeting
the challenge of a constrained budget.
14
the third leg of the Triad -- essential also to our
arms control positions.
--
The President requested a funding level of $4.6 billion
for the Strategic Defense Initiative to support an
informed development and deployment decision within the
next 4 years.
Air Transportation Security: The Administration has taken
several measures to enhance security and efficiency in the
air transportation system. These efforts include:
-- A proposed 17% increase in the budget for the Federal
Aviation Administration.
-- New requirements for installation of explosive
detection devices in high-risk airports.
--
Intense international negotiations to enhance security
abroad.
Review of Defense Management: The President directed the
Department of Defense to conduct a complete review of its
management and acquisition practices. The resulting
Administration blueprint to strengthen and streamline the
weapons procurement process will serve the American taxpayer
well. The President has ordered the Defense Department to
implement the blueprint.
15
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
Record economic growth has provided America with the
opportunity to invest in a brighter future. Because America's
available resources are limited, the President's programs are
designed to focus our efforts on those initiatives most likely to
create growth in the years ahead.
EDUCATION
The President's actions to improve education are guided by
four key principles: that excellence and success in education
should be recognized and rewarded; that federal funding should be
targeted to those who need it most; that choice and flexibility -
- for educators, parents and students -- are important to
educational reform and to achieving excellence; and finally, that
greater accountability is needed in the education system to
assure that students are actually receiving the highest quality
education.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
On April 5, the President proposed and sent to the Congress
a comprehensive education package, The Educational
Excellence Act of 1989, which includes seven initiatives:
-- The Presidential Merit Schools program -- to reward
schools that are making substantial progress in raising
16
students' educational achievement, creating a safe and
drug-free school environment, and reducing the drop-out
rate.
--
A new Magnet Schools of Excellence program -- to
support the establishment, expansion or enhancement of
magnet schools, increasing parental choice and
improving quality education.
:
The Alternative Certification of Teachers and
Principals program -- to assist States interested in
broadening the pool of talent from which to recruit
teachers and principals.
:
President's Awards for Excellence in Education -- to be
awarded to public and private school teachers in every
state who meet the highest standards of excellence.
--
Drug-free Schools Urban Emergency Grants -- to provide
special assistance to selected urban school districts
that are disproportionately affected by drug
trafficking and abuse.
--
A National Science Scholars program -- to provide
college scholarships to high school seniors who have
excelled in the sciences and mathematics.
--
Additional Funding Authorization for Endowment Matching
Grants at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
-- to strengthen HBCUs by building endowments, an
especially effective way to create financial strength
and long-term security.
17
O
On April 24, the President issued a new Executive Order on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). S
Highlights of the order include:
-- Establishing the President's Board of Advisors on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the
Department of Education.
-- Directing Federal agencies to increase opportunities
for HBCU involvement in Federal programs and directing
the Secretary of Education to develop an Annual Federal
Plan for Assistance.
-- Calling for the White House Office of National Service,
along with other Federal offices to work to encourage
private sector support of HBCUs.
18
THE ENVIRONMENT
President Bush, a long-time environmentalist, has taken
strong action to protect the environment. He believes that
environmental protection, conservation and wise management of our
national resources must have a high priority on our national
agenda.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Natural Gas Decontrol: On July 26, the President signed into
law the Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989, which ends all
arove
20
remaining price controls on natural gas. This will phase
out all federal price controls on natural gas by January 1,
1993.
Clean Air legislation: President Bush transmitted to the
Congress a sweeping program to ensure clean air for all
Americans. The President's plan, transmitted to Congress on
July 21, 1989, calls for the first revisions to the Clean
Air Act since 1977 and is designed to curb three major
threats to the nation's environment: acid rain, urban air
pollution, and toxic air emissions.
-- Acid Rain: Sulfur dioxide emissions that cause acid
from 1980 levels
rain will be cut in half, by ten million tons and
nitrogen oxide levels cut by two million tons -- by the
The (idminustration's bill is the on be one which impases
a capon emissions after the year 2000 to ensure
that a 10million ton reduction is man taired.
19
end of this century. Companies will be allowed to
trade credits among themselves for reductions they
make, so that they can decide how to bring aggregate
emissions down as cost-effectively as possible.
--
Urban Air Pollution: By employing a mix of federal
measures and state initiatives, this legislation will
sharply cut air pollution in our cities by the year
2000. The federal measures alone will cut hydrocarbon
emissions -- which contribute to urban ozone -- by
almost half.
100
Currently, 81 cities don't meet Federal air
quality standards. This legislation will bring clean
(intoaHainmentwir THE ozone standard
air to all but 4 cities by 2000 -- and within 20 years, even
Los Angeles, Houston, New York, and Chicago.
In the nine urban areas with the greatest smog
the in troduction of
problems, smog will be cut through alternative fuels
and clean-fueled vehicles. The President is calling
for the phased-in introduction of a half a million
Sales of
clean-fueled vehicles in 1995, building up to a million
clean-fuled cars a yeasin in 1997 through 2004.
To the maximum extent feasible automobile and
fuel companies will be allowed to trade reduction
credits among themselves.
--
Toxic Air Emissions: All categories of airborne toxic
chemicals should be cut by 75 percent by the year 2000.
the Presidents plan
In its first phase, this initiative should eliminate
20
uzal substantrally reduce the number of
about three-quarters of the needless deaths from cancer
that are suspected to have been caused by toxic
industrial air emissions.
Until now, because of an unworkable law, the EPA
has been able to regulate only seven of the 280 known
air toxics. The President's plan will allow EPA to do
its job better, and will apply the most advanced
industrial technology available to control these
airborne poisons. The legislation promises certifiable
progress in regulating sources of toxic air emissions
on a set schedule.
insert NAT. Gas
Alaskan oil spill: A Cabinet-level team was sent to assess
the Alaskan oil spill, and a joint federal-state resource
recovery team was convened. The National Transportation
Safety Board is investigating the accident. Exxon has
accepted responsibility for paying for the cleanup, and for
employing local civilian personnel necessary to control
further damage.
The Departments of Transportation and
Interior, as well as the EPA, are coordinating the long-
range planning to restore the environment of Prince William
Sound, and the President has ordered a review of existing
contingency plans for accidents such as this.
The President also proposed, and the Paris
SUMMIT leaders accepted, a call for mcreased
international efforts on oil spill preventerm and
clean-up.
21
oil Spill Legislation: On May 11, the Administration
transmitted to Congress comprehensive oil pollution
liability and compensation legislation that broadens and
strengthens our existing patchwork of laws. The bill
provides swift and assured compensation for cleanup costs
and damages through a liability system based on strict
financial responsibility requirements for shipowners backed
up by an oil-industry financed fund.
Outer Continental Shelf Task Force: The President set up a
special task force to address environmental concerns about
oil and gas drilling off the coasts of California and
Florida.
--
On April 18, the Interior Department proposed a $6
million research program on oil spill detection,
containment and clean-up technology.
Cleaning up hazardous wastes: The President announced he
will be seeking new legislation to amend the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act in order to give the United
States Government authority to ban all exports of hazardous
waste unless an agreement exists with the receiving country
providing for the safe handling and management of those
wastes.
22
Also, Secretary of Energy Watkins has put forth a plan of
action to identify and prioritize clean up of defense and
civilian radioactive waste; meet the Nation's security
needs; and comply with environmental safety and health laws.
Superfund: The President is reinvigorating the Superfund
hazardous waste clean-up program by directing EPA to take a
steps
number of actions, including more aggressive action to force
private parties to clean up sites, stepped-up cost recovery,
and better use of existing emergency cleanup authorities.
EPA is also now finishing a priority review of Superfund to
improve its operation.
Ozone depletion: The President has called for a total
worldwide phaseout of CFCs by the year 2000, provided safe
substitutes are available, in order to prevent further
damage to the Earth's protective ozone layer.
Clean water and coastlines: The EPA has started a tracking
system for medical wastes and the Justice Department has set
up a task force to prosecute those who deliberately dump
medical waste into our Nation's waters -- the first step in
a comprehensive program to help keep our beaches clean. The
President is committed to end ocean dumping of sewage sludge
by 1991.
NATIONAL Parks, and Reforestation
I
23
Wetlands: The President is also committed to "no net loss of
wetlands" and is directing his executive branch agencies,
through an interagency task force, to make recommendations
to achieve that goal. He has also proposed $206 million in
new money his budget to expand our parks and wildlife refuges, preserving
aud improve (emericas)
want
them for generations to come.
$4
Asbestos Ban: On July 7, EPA announced an almost total
phase-out of all uses of asbestos by 1997. The ban will
nearly
prohibit importation, manufacture and processing of
asbestos, a carcinogen linked to lung cancer and
mesothelioma (lung and chest cancer).
Improved Forecasting: The Commerce Department announced that
beginning in Fiscal Year 1990, the National Weather Service
will modernize and restructure its operations to provide
improved forecasting and weather warning systems. The new
system will include advanced weather radar, observation
automation, and a new communications system.
COMBATTING VIOLENT CRIME
The President is working to strengthen the nation's criminal
justice system and the Federal, state, and local law enforcement
partnership.
Four principles underlie the goals of our criminal justice
system and the means for accomplishing them: First, to protect
Finally,
The President supports uncreased
lendueg by the deve lopment bauses
for re fores ta tron program and the
implement tation of the Tropical
Fatetal Foust action Plan.
EN
He also endorsed the call
by the Paris Economic Summert
for an end to world deforestation
unsert #
4
24
citizens and their property; to hold those who commit violent
crimes accountable for their actions; to have as the objective of
our criminal justice system the swift and certain apprehension,
prosecution and incarceration of those who break the law; and
finally, to ensure a sustained, cooperative effort by Federal,
state and local law enforcement authorities.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
check?
announced
On May 15, 1989, President Bush transmitted to Congress The
Comprehensive Violent Crime Control Act of 1989 to combat
violent crime. The President's initiative includes:
-- Strengthening Current Laws: The President is calling
on Congress to double the mandatory minimum penalties
-- from five years to ten years in Federal prison --
for the use of semi-automatic weapons in violent crimes
or drug felonies.
In addition, the Attorney General has been
directed to advise America's prosecutors to end plea
bargaining for violent Federal firearms offenses.
President Bush called on Congress to enact the
steps necessary to implement the death penalty for the
most serious Federal crimes, and urged state Governors
to match these Federal initiatives -- new mandatory
sentencing, tougher rules on plea bargaining, and
implementing the death penalty -- in the States.
25
--
Controlling Certain Semi-Automatic Weapons: In July,
the Administration took action to ban permanently the
importation of any semi-automatic weapons which fail to
meet the criteria specified in the Gun Control Act of
1968. The President also called for the closing of
loopholes which allow access to such guns by certain
classes of criminals, and he proposed prohibiting the
importation, manufacture, sale or transfer of gun
magazines of more than 15 rounds.
-- Augmenting Enforcement: The President has directed the
Attorney General and the Treasury Secretary, working
together with state and local authorities, to launch a
comprehensive, coordinated offensive against America's
most violent criminals.
President Bush requested funding for the hiring of
825 new Federal agents and staff -- 375 at the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; 300 at the FBI; and
150 Deputy U.S. Marshals. This offensive, including
state and local enforcement authorities, will target
violent criminals and repeat offenders.
-- Enhancing Prosecution: The President proposed
increased funds for the U.S. Attorneys Offices to
support 1,600 new prosecutors and staff, and increased
funds for the Justice Department Criminal Division to
support 168 new positions, to handle drug cases,
weapons offenses and other priority matters.
26
-- Expanding Prison Capacity: The President proposed an
additional $1 billion for Federal prison construction,
bringing the total FY 1990 budget to over $1.5 billion.
This will add 24,000 new Federal prison beds to the
current 31,000 beds, an increase of nearly 80%.
ment # 3
FIGHTING DRUG ABUSE
We have begun a new war on drugs in this country. The
President believes a four-pronged approach is key: education,
treatment, interdiction and enforcement. The policy of this
Administration is "zero tolerance." No amount of illegal drug
use is acceptable. This means dealing with both supply and
demand.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
over
Budget: The Administration is requesting $6.4 billion in
funding for FY 1990 to fight the drug war, increasing
outlays by nearly $1 billion for drug education, treatment
and enforcement.
Education: The Administration is requesting nearly $1.1
billion for education and prevention efforts. This is a 16
percent increase over 1989 and includes funding for ongoing
programs and new initiatives.
Insert on P. 26 on P. 7.27 under Fighting Dmg Abuse
BF
Anti- Drug Treaty The Vienna Convention
on Illicit Drugs and Psycho tropic Substances
was strongly endorsed by The President and
forwarded to the Congress for ratification
This is the most significant and Far-reaching
treaty on international daught cooperation
on drug trafficking, chemical precursor control
and money laundering ever to be signed
mont #3
27
Treatment: Funding for drug abuse treatment will be
increased 18 percent. The Administration is proposing over
$700 million to expand the nation's capacity to provide
treatment, particularly to indigent, disadvantaged youth,
and expectant mothers.
Interdiction and enforcement: The Administration is
proposing over $4.6 billion for law enforcement programs in
1990, a 20 percent increase over 1989. This constitutes
about 70 percent of President Bush's proposed drug budget.
Substantial increases are requested in funding to strengthen
inspection, interdiction, intelligence efforts and crop
eradication programs, such as Operation Snow Cap, a
federally led effort which broke up a $1.2 billion drug
money-laundering operation. The President strongly supports
the death penalty for drug kingpins who commit drug-related
murders, and will appoint judges who will strongly enforce
the drug penalty laws.
Public housing: The Bush Administration is working to make
public housing drug free, to protect the rights of the vast
majority of decent, law-abiding public housing residents.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has acted:
-- To modify its lease and grievance procedures to
facilitate eviction of those involved in drug related
criminal activity;
28
--
To make drug use and trafficking a lease violation
subject to eviction proceedings;
--
To target federal assistance to anti-drug security
measures;
--
To revoke federal housing subsidies from those dealing
in drugs;
--
To involve the private and voluntary sectors in efforts
to rid public housing of drugs and give residents,
especially young people, a stake in their communities
and their futures.
In addition, the Office of National Drug Control Policy has
responded to the drug emergency in the District of Columbia
by expanding the Metropolitan Area Task Force, working for
more prisons, and providing FBI support in enforcement. The
assistance of the National Institute on Drug Abuse will be
provided to local treatment efforts. The Department of
Education will assist the District with 50 percent more
funds for drug prevention programs in city schools and the
Department of Labor will support employee assistance
programs and work with the business community to increase
job training for youth.
29
WORKING FOR A KINDER, GENTLER AMERICA
CHILD CARE
The changing nature of American society heightens the need
for quality, affordable, accessible child care. President Bush
wants to put choice in the hands of parents so that they -- not
government -- have the power to select the best and safest
environment for their children.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
o
Child care: The President transmitted to Congress a child
care package, the Working Family Child Care Assistance Act
of 1989 which:
:
Provides a new refundable child care tax credit of up
to $1000 per child under age four, for low income
working families.
-- Makes the existing Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
refundable.
:
Does not discriminate against religious- or family-
based child care, or a parent who chooses not to work
outside the home.
30
The President has directed Secretary of Labor Dole to
determine whether the barriers to securing liability
emplayer-provicled
insurance impair child care.
Head Start: The President also transmitted legislation to
Congress that would allow a $250 million increase in Head
Start appropriation. This will pay for enrollment of up to
95,000 more four-year-olds in the program.
NATIONAL SERVICE
The President's vision to help overcome the disintegration
of communities and build a better America -- not through a
federal government program, but through a nationwide service
movement -- has three facets: First, to issue a call to all
individuals and institutions to claim society's problems as their
duplicate
own; second, to identify, enlarge and recreate what is working;
and third, to discover and encourage new leaders.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
President Bush called on:
-- all Americans and all American institutions, large and
small, to make service of central value in their daily
life and work;
31
--
all heads of business and professional firms to include
community service among the factors considered in
making hiring, compensation and promotion decisions;
-- newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations,
cable systems, and other media institutions to identify
service opportunities, spotlight successful service
initiatives and profile outstanding community leaders
regularly;
--
all state and local education boards to uphold the
value of service and to encourage students, faculty and
personnel to serve others;
--
college and university presidents to recognize the
value of community service in considering applicants,
and to encourage and uphold the value of community
service; and
--
not-for-profit service organizations to build the
capacity to absorb increasing numbers of volunteers in
purposeful roles.
Identifying, Enlarging, and Recreating What is Working: The
President announced the formation of a foundation called the
Points of Light Initiative, of which he will serve as
Honorary Chairman. Formed to identify and build upon what
is working, the Foundation will act as a magnet for the best
ideas and brightest programs in community service and then
serve as a catalyst to project these ideas into every corner
32
of the nation. The Administration will ask Congress for $25
million annually to support this initiative, which will, in
turn, seek matching funds from the private sector. The
President has also encouraged all governors nationwide to
join the movement by forming State and local Points of Light
working groups composed of outstanding leaders.
-- Through a Foundation initiative called the ServNet
Project, professional firms, corporations, unions,
schools, religious, civic and not-for-profit groups
will be asked to donate the services of some of their
most talented and promising people for a period of
time. Peer-to-peer working groups will be formed to
bring examples of successful initiatives and provide
training, technical assistance and other support to
enable other institutions to devise similar
initiatives.
-- Another Foundation initiative, the ServLink Project,
will help improve existing methods of matching would-be
volunteers with purposeful service opportunities.
ServLink will stimulate the development, through
private sector resources, of "technology links" like
telephones, computers and other mechanisms between
those who wish to serve and those needing service in
the inquirer's own community.
33
--
The Foundation will also discover and encourage new
leaders by recognizing them through two new
Presidential Awards:
--
The National Service Youth Leadership Awards will
be given each year to individuals.
-- The President's Build a Community Awards will
honor those people and institutions who have
worked together to rebuild families or to
revitalize communities.
WELFARE REFORM
The Administration has developed a major new education and
job training program to help recipients of Aid to Families with
Dependent Children move off welfare and become economically self-
sufficient.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Welfare reform: The Administration issued proposed rules on
April 18 to implement the major provisions of the Family
Support Act of 1988. The proposed rules are designed to:
--
Target job training assistance to those who are most
likely to benefit and who are most at risk for long-
term welfare dependency.
34
-- Provide maximum level of flexibility to AFDC parents in
obtaining the type of child care that best suits their
needs, consistent with the Administration's legislative
proposals on child care.
X
JOBS Program: The Administration is proposing to spend $3.3
billion over the next five years implementing the JOBS
B,F. program. The changes will pay benefits in the future by
reducing the number of individuals on welfare. It is
estimated that 138,000 families will be able to leave
welfare rolls over the next five years as a result of this
program.
EXPANSION OF MEDICAID
The President is committed to health care for disadvantaged
mothers and children, the disabled, and poor, aged Americans and
9.1
has called for full funding of Medicaid. This will mean $37.6
4.8
12.2
billion for FY 1990, an increase of $3.3 billion, or 9.6 percent
over the FY 1989 level.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Expanding Medicaid: On April 18, the Administration
forwarded to Congress proposed legislation to make federal
programs better serve pregnant women, infants and children.
The legislation would expand the population Medicaid serves,
35
making Medicaid available to 1.9 million more women when
they become pregnant. The legislation would:
--
Increase by 374,000 the number of pregnant women and
children eligible for Medicaid.
--
Foster greater participation in Medicaid by eligible
pregnant women by providing services to pregnant women
who are presumed eligible for Medicaid before a formal
eligibility determination is made; and by requiring
States to operate outreach programs in areas of high
infant mortality.
:
Entitle all children under age 6, who are receiving
Food Stamps, to receive Medicaid coverage for
immunizations.
-- Make the Federal match rate for State administration
expenses a uniform 50 percent by gradually reducing
special administrative match rates that currently range
from 75 to 100 percent. The savings that would result
would allow the legislative eligibility changes
proposed by the President to be implemented within the
current program's spending level.
AIDS INITIATIVES
The Administration is moving on a number of fronts to combat
the spread of AIDS.
36
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service: The Administration
developed a computerized listing though which AIDS patients
and their doctors can get up-to-date information on clinical
trials of AIDS drugs and vaccines -- whether federally or
privately sponsored.
Experimental AIDS Drugs: The Administration unveiled a
proposal to allow wider availability of experimental
therapeutic drugs used to treat people with AIDS.
AIDS Prevention Guide: The Administration joined the
National Parent Teachers Association in announcing the
distribution of 500,000 copies of the "AIDS Prevention
Guide" for use by parents and teachers nationwide.
$5 Million Transferred to States -- AIDS Treatment: The
Administration transferred $5 million from currently
appropriated AIDS funds to assist needy individuals in the
purchase of treatment drugs for AIDS and related conditions.
37
HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS
President Bush has taken a number of steps to create an
"opportunity society" of jobs, growth, housing and hope for
Americans in need of a helping hand.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Homelessness: In his FY 1990 budget, the President has
proposed to provide over $1 billion in federal resources to
help end homelessness and pave the way to jobs, permanent
housing, health care and human dignity. President Bush's
proposal calls for fully funding the McKinney Homeless
Assistance Act and for a new $50 million matching grant
program to promote public/private partnerships to assist
homeless families and the mentally ill.
Affordable housing: President Bush is committed to making
housing more affordable for low-income families, and to
provide homeownership opportunities to the disadvantaged and
to young families. President Bush proposes to assist through HUD
Subsidized Housing
109,000 new families in need of low-income housing, and has
Programs,
HUD
pledged to maintain assistance to those families already
being helped. President Bush has also signalled his
commitment to helping poor residents in public housing to
38
become homeowners through resident management and ownership
programs.
OPPORTUNITY
Enterprise zones: President Bush has called for enactment of
enterprise zone legislation, to give urban and rural areas
the opportunity for jobs and hope for the future. President
Bush asked Congress to enact labor and capital-based
incentives to create jobs and entrepreneurial activity in
our most distressed communities.
adiministration
Job training: The President has sent to the Congress a
proposal to improve the Job Training Partnership Act by
targeting its resources on the poor and at risk youth and
adults who most need job training to get jobs and become
economically self sufficient.
CIVIL RIGHTS
The Bush Administration is committed to reaching out to
minorities, and to striking down barriers to free and open
access. The President has made it clear that this Administration
will not tolerate discrimination, bigotry or bias of any kind.
39
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Civil rights: The Administration has taken a number of
actions to protect the civil rights of all Americans,
including several court actions in key civil rights cases.
--
The President has called upon Congress to reauthorize
the Commission on Civil Rights.
--
The Administration endorsed the Hate Crimes Bill, which
provides for the collection of data about crimes
motivated by race, religion, or ethnicity.
--
On March 13, Attorney General Thornburgh announced the
filing of Federal housing discrimination lawsuits
seeking monetary damages and civil penalties under the
expanded enforcement authority of the Fair Housing
Amendments Act of 1988.
Disabled Americans: The Administration has reached a
consensus with key Senators on legislation that would
fulfill the President's commitment to seek legislation
extending civil rights protections to disabled Americans.
The legislation, called the Americans with Disabilities Act,
would represent the most significant expansion of federal
civil rights laws in the past two decades.
--
The legislation would provide unprecedented protections
against discrimination in the area of employment,
40
requiring reasonable accommodation be made by employers
for disabled potential employees.
Most
-- All new buildings would be required to be accessible to
the disabled.
-- Stores, providers of services, restaurants and other
public accommodations would be required to serve
disabled Americans to the same extent they serve able
Americans.
Whistleblower protection: On April 10, the President signed
S. 20, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989. This law
will strengthen the protections and procedural rights
available to those federal employees who report misdeeds and
mismanagement.
-- This new law will enhance the authority of the Office
of Special Counsel, and whistleblowers will also now be
allowed to take their cases to the Merit Systems
Protection Board.
-- The statute alters the legal burdens of proof, making
it easier for employees to be vindicated when they are
wrongfully penalized by their supervisors for
whistleblowing activities.
41
ETHICS
High ethical standards for all Americans are central to this
Administration, and we will enforce them -- strictly,
comprehensively, fairly, and to the letter and spirit of the law.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Campaign Finance Reform: The President's comprehensive
campaign finance reform proposal is designed to lessen the
real
power of special economic interests and restore competition
to American Congressional elections. The package, which
seeks to enhance the role of individuals and the political
parties in elections. Below are proposal highlights:
-- Eliminating political action committees (PACs)
supported by corporations, unions or trade
associations, and prohibiting such entities from paying
for the overhead or administrative costs of any
independent PAC.
-- Strengthening political parties by increasing the
amounts they can spend on behalf of congressional
candidates. This source of funds would permit
legislators to spend less time fundraising, would
ensure that challengers have greater resources with
which to challenge incumbents, and would further limit
the role of special economic interests in elections.
42
--
Addressing the problem of the "permanent Congress" by
reforms designed to reduce the unwarranted advantages
of incumbency. Specifically, the proposals would
prohibit the personal use of excess campaign funds,
drastically reduce Congressional mailings under the
frank, ban the rollover of campaign funds from one
election cycle to the next, and legislate fair neutral
criteria for the redistricting of Congressional and
legislative lines that will follow the 1990 census.
--
Fully disclosing all soft money spent by the political
parties and all labor unions, corporations and trade
associations to influence a federal election.
Prohibition of the conversion of political
contributions for personal or office use.
Ethics: The President issued an Executive Order creating
the President's Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform,
which submitted its recommendations to the President on
March 9. Responding to the Commission's work, the
President, on April 12, sent to Congress a sweeping ethics
bill and simultaneously issued an Executive Order announcing
ethical principles for the conduct of executive branch
employees. The President's proposals include:
--
Expanded financial disclosure for all three branches of
government.
43
-- Deferral of tax liability when an individual is
required by his or her agency to divest assets in order
to avoid conflicts of interest.
--
Strengthened rules against abusing the revolving door
for private gain at the expense of the public trust.
These rules would also apply for the first time to the
legislative branch.
--
A 25 percent pay raise for federal judges was proposed
Separate
in the legislation submitted April 12. On July 7, the
President submitted separate legislation calling for
pay increases for certain specialized professionals and
other senior officials in the executive branch.
--
Congressional Honoraria Ban: On July 7, the President
also sent to Congress legislation that calls for the
elimination of Congressional honoraria by 1991, making
the next Congress honoraria-free. This proposal is
linked to the enactment by Congress of a pay increase
for its Members, and the President will work with
Congress toward this end.
--
The extension of the federal statute that prohibits
employees from taking actions that enhance their own
financial interest to cover legislative and judicial
branch employees (but not Members of Congress).
-- The extension of the Independent Counsel statute to
cover the Congress and the creation of an independent,
non-partisan Congressional Ethics Office.
44
--
A ban on outside earned income for full-time non-career
Presidential appointees in the executive branch,
including non-career employees in the immediate White
House Office.
# # #
1
(Grant) )
August 17, 1989
Draft seven
A:sixmonth
BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
SUMMARY
As the Bush Administration passes the six-month mark, the
President has set the agenda on a number of fronts domestically -
- from the environment and education to the fight against drugs
and crime. The economy is strong, with the current economic
expansion continuing to set new records and create new jobs.
Meanwhile, America continues to lead in the international arena,
after President Bush's success at two multilateral summits paved
the way for greater understanding among the allies and improved
relations with the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc nations.
KEEPING THE ECONOMY STRONG
O
Record expansion: During the current economic expansion --
now in its 80th month as of July -- over 20 million jobs
have been created and the unemployment rate has fallen to
levels not seen in 15 years. Income levels have risen
sharply and growth in industrial output is nearly double
that of Western Europe. Consumer price inflation has
remained under five percent for the past seven years.
2
Budget agreement: The President has put forth a budget which
restrains overall growth of spending and meets the Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings targets -- with no new taxes in fiscal year
1990. The President and Congress announced on April 14 a
budget plan to reduce the estimated fiscal year 1990 deficit
by about $64 billion below fiscal year 1989.
Savings and Loans: On August 9, the President signed the
Financial Institution Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act
of 1989 to begin solving the savings and loan crisis. The
President's plan calls for tough standards to help ensure
such a crisis never happens again.
Third World debt: The Administration has taken the lead in
finding a way to reduce the debt burden and encourage
economic growth in developing countries. At the
Administration's urging, the IMF and World Bank have set
aside funds to support debt reduction programs for
developing countries.
Capital gains tax cut: The President has sent to the
Congress a proposal that would re-establish a capital gains
differential to lower the cost of capital, create incentives
for investment, make American business more competitive and
create new job opportunities.
3
O
Minimum wage: The President, by vetoing the excessive
across-the-board increase in the minimum wage proposed by
Congress, preserved job opportunities for the disadvantaged
and blunted the adverse economic impact such a move would
have had.
International Trade: The Bush Administration successfully
broke a stalemate in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade
negotiations and advanced its proposal to correct and
prevent trade distortions in agriculture. It is engaged in
bilateral trade talks with important trading partners to
discuss structural impediments to expanding trade and
encourage them to open their markets to our exports.
SEIZING INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE
"Europe Whole and Free": In a series of major speeches, the
President outlined a vision of a new Europe --- secure,
prosperous, whole and free -- vindicating four decades of
Western policies and seizing an historic opportunity to move
toward ending the postwar division of Europe.
Poland and Hungary: The President signalled his strong
support for democratic change in Hungary and Poland by
4
visiting those nations and offering political and moral
support as well as economic and trade incentives.
Economic Summit: Under President Bush's leadership, the
Paris Economic Summit made further progress on key U.S.
economic and political objectives such as a strengthened
debt strategy, economic policy coordination, completion of
the Uruguay Round by December 1990 and international
cooperation on protection of the environment. Our political
allies agreed to the President's call for "concerted action"
in support of Polish and Hungarian economic reforms.
"Beyond Containment": The President has responded to great
changes in the Soviet Union by moving "beyond containment"
to a policy that seeks to integrate the Soviet Union into
the community of nations.
Arms Control/NATO Summit: At the Brussels Summit, the
President captured the imagination of Europe and the world
with a bold proposal to reduce conventional forces in
Europe. Our NATO partners enthusiastically welcomed the
President's leadership and acclaimed his vision of the
European future. The President also accelerated the pace of
other arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union, with
new American initiatives on "open skies," on strategic arms
5
reduction (including early verification measures), and on
nuclear testing.
The U.S.-Soviet Dialogue: The US-Soviet dialogue on Third
World regional conflicts has resumed intensively, and a US-
Soviet dialogue has begun on a new range of global problems
that require global cooperation, such as terrorism, the
environment, and narcotics.
China: The President worked to preserve the basic elements
of a strategically important relationship while signalling
that we cannot condone repression.
Central American accord: The President and Congressional
leaders agreed on March 24 on a bipartisan strategy for
peace and democracy in Central America.
Strengthening Our Strategic Deterrent: After a thorough
review of U.S. defense strategy, the President submitted to
the Congress a defense budget that will modernize our
ability to deter war.
6
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
Education: The President proposed and sent to the Congress a
comprehensive education package, The Educational Excellence
Act of 1989, which includes seven initiatives -- on merit
and magnet schools, alternative certification of teachers,
excellence awards for teachers, emergency grants to help
urban schools to fight drugs, increased funding for
endowments at Historically Black Colleges, and a National
Science Scholars program.
Natural Gas Deregulation: On July 26, the President signed
into law the Wellhead Decontrol Act of 1989, which ends all
remaining price controls on natural gas. This will phase
out all federal price controls on natural gas by January 1,
1993.
Clean Air Act revisions: On July 21, President Bush
transmitted to the Congress the first revisions to the Clean
Air Act since 1977. His legislation is designed to
drastically reduce three major threats to the nation's
environment: acid rain, urban air pollution, and toxic air
emissions.
Hazardous waste: The President announced that he will seek
new legislation to ban all exports of hazardous waste unless
7
an agreement already exists with the receiving country to
provide for its safe handling.
Ozone depletion: In order to prevent further damage to the
earth's protective ozone layer, the President has called for
a total worldwide phaseout of CFCs by the year 2000,
provided safe substitutes are available.
Medical Waste: The EPA has begun a tracking system for
medical wastes and the Justice Department has started a task
force to prosecute those who deliberately dump medical
wastes into the Nation's waters -- the first step in a
comprehensive program to help keep our beaches clean. The
President is committed to end ocean dumping of sewage sludge
by 1991.
Wetlands: The President is committed to "no net loss of
wetlands" and is directing his executive branch agencies,
through an interagency task force, to make recommendations
to achieve that goal. He has also proposed $206 million in
his budget to expand parks and wildlife refuges.
Combatting Violent Crime: President Bush transmitted to
Congress The Comprehensive Violent Crime Control Act of 1989
proposing measures to augment enforcement and prosecution,
8
strengthen current law, restrict certain semi-automatic
weapons, and expand prison capacity.
Fighting Drug Abuse: The Administration is requesting over
$6 billion in funding for FY 1990 to fight the drug war,
increasing outlays by nearly $1 billion for drug education,
treatment and enforcement. In September, the President will
announce the Administration's new drug strategy and budget.
Drug-free Public Housing: The Bush Administration is working
to make public housing drug free, and to protect the rights
of decent, law-abiding public housing residents.
D.C. Anti-Drug Efforts: The Office of National Drug Control
Policy has responded to the drug emergency in the District
of Columbia by expanding the Metropolitan Area Task Force,
working for more prisons, and providing support in
enforcement and local treatment efforts.
Space: The President announced a three-step commitment to
establish America's preeminence in space -- Space Station
Freedom, a permanent presence on the Moon, and a manned
mission to Mars -- for this and future generations.
9
Transportation: The Department of Transportation has begun
a public outreach effort to develop a national
transportation policy to move America into the 21st Century.
WORKING FOR A KINDER, GENTLER AMERICA
Child Care: The President has transmitted to the Congress a
child care package, the Working Family Child Care Assistance
Act of 1989 which provides a new refundable child care tax
credit of up to $1000 per child under age four, for low
income working families. This legislation will also make
the existing Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit refundable,
and does not discriminate against religious or family-based
child care or a parent who chooses not to work outside the
home.
Head Start: The President has also transmitted legislation
to Congress that would allow a $250 million increase in Head
Start FY 90 appropriations. This will pay for enrollment of
up to 95,000 more four-year-olds in the program.
National Service: The President is spearheading a movement
to call all Americans to national service. He has announced
the formation of a foundation known as the Points of Light
Initiative to identify, enlarge and duplicate those
10
community service initiatives that are working and to
discover and encourage new leaders.
Welfare Reform: The Administration issued proposed rules on
April 18 to implement the major provisions of the Family
Support Act of 1988, as the next step in welfare reform.
The Administration is proposing to spend $3.6 billion over
the next five years to implement the JOBS program. The Act
will help reduce the number of individuals who need welfare.
Medicaid: To address the all-too-high infant mortality rate,
the Administration forwarded to Congress legislation to
improve federal Medicaid assistance to pregnant women,
infants and children.
Homelessness: President Bush has called for full funding of
the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and for a new $50
million matching grant program to promote public/private
partnerships to assist homeless families and the mentally
ill.
Enterprise Zones: President Bush asked Congress to enact
labor and capital-based incentives -- through enterprise
zones -- to create jobs and entrepreneurial activity in our
most distressed communities.
11
Campaign Finance Reform: On June 29, the President
announced comprehensive campaign finance proposals designed
to lessen the power of special economic interests and
restore real competition to American Congressional
elections.
Civil Rights: The President has called upon Congress to
reauthorize the Commission on Civil Rights and is committed
to seek legislation extending civil rights protections to
disabled Americans. The Administration has endorsed the
Hate Crimes Bill which provides for the collection of data
about crimes motivated by race, religion, or ethnicity. The
Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has
vigorously pursued the enforcement of the Fair Housing
Amendments Act of 1988 which became effective in March.
Ethics: President Bush sent his ethics reform legislation,
The Government-Wide Ethics Act, to the Congress on April 12,
and he issued an Executive Order announcing ethical
principles for the conduct of executive branch employees.
Whistleblower Protection: On April 10, the President signed
S. 20, the "Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989." " This law
will strengthen the protections and procedural rights
available to those federal employees who report misdeeds and
mismanagement.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 14, 1989
MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON
FROM:
ROGER B. PORTER
RBP
SUBJECT:
Six Months of the Bush Administration (draft)
We have the following comments on the Six Months of the
Bush Administration draft.
1. Under the section "Keeping the Economy Strong", I urge the
following changes.
p.1 First bullet: August will not mark the longest
economic expansion in U.S. history. The 1960s
expansion, which lasted some 106 months, will still
be the longest. The bullet can be recrafted to read,
"The current expansion continues to be the longest
peacetime expansion on record.'
p.2 First bullet: Industrial output has risen more than
44 percent since the recovery began in November, 1982.
come
Second bullet: Change "business" in the last sentence
to "real non-residential". Some residential invest-
ment is business investment (rental housing, for
example).
p.3 First bullet: Consumer price inflation in the past 12
months has been over 5 percent. I therefore suggest
recrafting the first sentence to read, "Consumer price
inflation has remained under five percent in each of
the seven years from 1982 through 1988..."
First bullet: The words, "consistent with sustained
economic growth" should be added to the end of the
last sentence. That is the official line.
p.4 First full paragraph: In general, we have tried to
deemphasize the money being spent and emphasize the
long term solution to the FSLIC problem. I suggest a
Insert
rewording based on the Treasury Department's language:
"The Act assures that the long developing problems in
our savings industry will never happen again. It
significantly reforms the regulation of the thrift
-2-
industry and separates the chartering of institutions
from the insurance of deposits. It establishes strict
new guidelines to assure the solvency of thrift insti-
tutions in the future, including new capital require-
ments, and sets stiff penalties for wrongdoing by the
officers of insured institutions. Further, the act
establishes new agencies to remedy existing problems
in the thrift industry and authorizes funds to finance
the restructuring of insolvent institutions."
2
The discussion of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" at
page 39, should be referenced initially at page 10.
3. Over and over again in the context of National Service the
term "recreate" is used where it is clear that the idea being
expressed is "replicate" (see pages 9 and 30). Of course,
replicate is not a great word to use in a document like this.
Perhaps "duplicate" or "copy" would be better, or maybe someone
has another suggestion?
4. At page 24, the date of transmittal of the crime legisla-
tion to the Hill was June 15, 1989, not May 15, 1989.
5. In the minor edit category, at page 8, line 3, the modifier
is "off". I assume we want to protect all the decent, law-
abiding public housing residents, not simply most of them.
I
think what was intended was to indicate that a majority of
public housing residents are law-abiding and that we want to
protect all such residents.
6. Insert the following bullet after the "Improved Forecast-
ing:" bullet on page 23 of the draft:
O
Ban on African Elephant Ivory: On June 9, the
want
Administration announced an importation ban of African
elephant ivory into the United States, making importa-
tion from any country illegal. The ban covers both
commercial and non-commercial shipments.
7. I recommend that the draft be changed as indicated on pages
5 and 6 of the attachment:
-- The change on page 5 is needed to clarify the Admini-
stration's debt strategy.
-- The change on page 6 would strengthen the section on
international trade by adding a statement on recent
changes to better deal with EC-1992.
It has created - high level interopency
group to assure that U.S. tade and
suve start interest to are addressed
as the European community works to
create 6 a single market by 1992
Congress would have had an adverse economic impact and cut
job opportunities drastically. Accordingly, the President
vetoed the bill, passed by Congress. The veto was later
sustained.
International Trade: The Administration is forcefully
promoting the opening of world markets. It successfully
broke a stalemate in the Uruguay Round's mid-term review and
put in place a framework, agreed to by the 96 member
nations, to correct and prevent trade distortions in
agriculture.
It is engaged in bilateral trade talks with
important trading partners to encourage them to open their
markets to our exports. Together these efforts should
greatly expand opportunities for U.S. exports.
Steel imports: The President initiated a two-and-a-half
year Steel Trade Liberalization Program designed to phase
out, in a responsible and orderly manner, the Voluntary
Restraint Arrangements (VRA's) that currently limit steel
imports into the U.S. and to negotiate an international
consensus to address trade-distorting practices.
Agricultural initiatives: The Administration has announced
additional advance deficiency payments of 10 percent
available to producers of wheat, feed grains, rice and
upland cotton. In addition, a top-level Working Group on
5
to promote investment, growth, and the return of flight
capital to these countries. The recent agreement between
Mexico and commercial banks with its emphasis on debt and
debt service reduction attests to the viability of the
Administration's plan for resolving the LDC (less developed
countries) debt problem and of developing should lead to similar
agreements with other heavily indebted countries.
Capital gains tax rate cut: A lower tax rate for long-term
capital gains is a key element of President Bush's economic
program. It will reduce the cost of capital in the United
States, create incentives for investment and increase job
opportunities for Americans. The President's proposal,
which has been sent to Congress, includes:
-- A 45 percent capital gains exclusion for qualified
capital gains, or a 15 percent maximum capital gains
tax rate at the taxpayer's option.
-- A phased-in increase in the qualifying holding period
from one year to three years.
-- An exemption from the capital gains tax for families
earning under $20,000.
Minimum wage proposal: The President believes in keeping job
opportunities available for youth and for those seeking to
enter the economic mainstream. The excessive across-the-
board increase in the minimum wage which was proposed by