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State of the Union 1/31/90 [OA 4425]
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State of the Union 1/31/90 [OA 4425]
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mary Kate Grant Subject Files
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This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
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Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
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Grant, Mary Kate, Files
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Subject File, 1988-1991
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13884
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13884-003
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State of the Union, 1/31/90
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18
29
1
2
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
UNTIL 9:00 P.M. EST
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990
TEXT OF REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON THE STATE OF THE UNION
The Capitol
January 31, 1990
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the United States
Congress: I return as a former President of the Senate, and
former member of this great House. Now, as President, it is my
privilege to report to you on the State of the Union.
Tonight, I come not to speak about the "state of the government"
-- not to detail every new initiative we plan for the coming
year, nor to describe every line item in the budget. I'm here to
speak to you and to the American people about the State of the
Union -- about our world -- the changes we've seen, the
challenges we face. And what that means for America. There are
singular moments in history: dates that divide all that goes
before from all that comes after. Many of us in this chamber
have lived much of our lives in a world whose fundamental
features were defined in 1945. The events of that year decreed
the shape of nations. The pace of progress. Freedom or
oppression for millions of people around the world.
1945 provided the common frame of reference -- the compass points
of the post-war era we've relied upon to understand ourselves.
That was our world. Until now. The events of the year just
ended -- the revolution of '89 -- have been a chain reaction --
change so striking that it marks the beginning of a new era in
the world's affairs.
Think back -- just twelve short months ago -- to the world we
knew -- as 1989 began.
One year ago, the people of Panama lived in fear, under the thumb
of a dictator. Today, democracy is restored -- Panama is free.
Operation "JUST CAUSE" has achieved its objective. The number of
military personnel in Panama is now close to what it was before
the operation began. And tonight, I am announcing that -- well
before the end of February -- the additional numbers of American
troops -- the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made
this mission a success -- will be back home.
A year ago in Poland, Lech Walesa declared that he was ready to
open a dialogue with the communist rulers of that country.
Today, with the future of a free Poland in their own hands,
members of Solidarity lead the Polish Government.
A year ago, freedom's playwright, Vaclav Havel, languished as a
prisoner in Prague. Today, it's Vaclav Havel -- President of
Czechoslovakia.
And one year ago, Erich Honecker of East Germany claimed history
as his guide. He predicted the Berlin Wall would last another
hundred years. Today -- less than one year later -- it's the
Wall that's history.
- more -
- 2 -
Remarkable events events that fulfill the long-held hopes of
the American people. Events that validate the long-standing goals
of American policy -- a policy based on a single, shining
principle: the cause of freedom.
America not just the nation -- but an idea, alive in the minds
of people everywhere. As this new world takes shape, America
stands at the center of a widening circle of freedom -- today,
tomorrow and into the next century.
Our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who ever set
foot on these shores -- and the millions still struggling to be
free. This nation -- this idea called America -- was and always
will be -- a new world. Our new world.
At a workers' rally -- in a place called Branik on the outskirts
of Prague -- the idea called America is alive. A worker, dressed
in grimy overalls, rises to speak at the factory gates. He
begins his speech to his fellow citizens with these words --
words of a distant revolution:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights, [and] that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
It's no secret that, here at home, freedom's door opened long
ago. The cornerstones of this free society have already been set
in place: Democracy. Competition. Opportunity. Private
investment. Stewardship. And of course, leadership.
Our challenge today is to take this democratic system of ours --
a system second to none -- and make it better.
A better America, where there's a job for everyone who wants one.
Where women working outside the home can be confident their
children are in safe and loving care -- and where government
works to expand child care alternatives for parents.
Where we reconcile the needs of a clean environment and a strong
economy.
Where "Made in the U.S.A." is recognized around the world as the
symbol of quality and progress.
Where every one of us enjoys the same opportunities to live, to
work, and to contribute to society. And where, for the first
time, the American mainstream includes all of our disabled
citizens.
Where everyone has a roof over his head -- and where the homeless
get the help they need to live in dignity.
Where our schools challenge and support our kids and our teachers
-- and where all of them make the grade.
Where every street, every city, every school and every child is
drug-free.
And finally, where no American is forgotten. Our hearts go out
to our hostages -- our hostages who are ceaselessly on our minds
and in our efforts.
That's part of the future we want to see -- the future we can
make for ourselves. But dreams alone won't get us there. We
need to extend our horizon -- commit to the long-view. Our plans
for the future start today.
- more -
- 3 -
In the tough competitive markets around, America faces great
challenges and great opportunities. We know that we can succeed
in the global economic arena of the 90's, but to meet that
challenge we must make some fundamental changes -- some crucial
investments in ourselves.
Yes -- we are going to invest in America. This Administration is
determined to encourage the creation of capital -- capital of all
kinds. Physical capital: Everything, from our farms and
factories to our workshops and production lines, all that is
needed to produce and deliver quality goods and quality services.
Intellectual capital: The source of ideas that spark tomorrow's
products. And of course, our human capital: The talented
workforce we'll need to compete in the global market.
And let me tell you: If we ignore human capital -- we lose the
spirit of American ingenuity -- the spirit that is the hallmark
worker in the world.
of the American worker. And the American worker is the most productive
We need to save more -- expand the pool of capital for the new
investments that mean more jobs, more growth. That's the idea
behind a new initiative I call the Family Savings Plan, which I
will send to the Congress tomorrow.
We need to cut the tax on capital gains -- encourage risk-takers
-- especially those in our small businesses -- to take those
steps that translate into economic reward, jobs, and a better
life for all of us.
We'll do what it takes to invest in America's future. The budget
commitment is there. The money is there. It's there for
Research and Development, R&D -- a record high. It's there for
our housing initiative -- HOPE, to help everyone from first-time
homebuyers to the homeless. The money's there to keep our kids
drug-free: 70 percent more than when I took office in 1989.
It's there for space exploration -- and it's there for education:
another record high.
And one more thing: Last fall at the Education Summit, the
Governors and I agreed to look for ways to help make sure kids
are ready to learn -- the very first day they walk into that
classroom. I've made good on that commitment -- by proposing a
record increase in funds -- an extra half a billion dollars --
for something near and dear to all of us: Head Start.
Education is the one investment that means more for our future
because it means the most for our children. Real improvement in
our schools is not simply a matter of spending more. It is a
matter of asking more -- expecting more -- of our schools, our
teachers, of our kids, and our parents and ourselves. That's why
developed with the nation's Governors:
tonight I am announcing America's education goals -- goals
-- By learn. the year 2000, every child must start school ready to
-- The United States must increase the high school graduation
rate to no less than 90 percent.
-- And we're going to make sure our schools' diplomas mean
something: In critical subjects -- at the 4th, 8th and 12th
grades -- we must assess our students' performance.
-- By the year 2000, U.S. students must be first in the world
in math and science achievement.
Every American adult must be a literate worker and citizen.
- more -
- 4 -
-- Every school must offer the kind of disciplined environment
that makes it possible for our kids to learn -- and every
school in America must be drug-free.
Ambitious aims? of course. Easy to do? Far from it. But the
future's at stake. This nation will not accept anything less
than excellence in education.
These investments will keep America competitive. And I know this
about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match
our ingenuity and energy -- our experience and technology -- our
spirit and enterprise -- against anyone. Let the competition be
free -- but let it be fair. America is ready.
Since we really mean it -- and since we are serious about being
ready to meet that challenge we're getting our own house in
order. We've made real progress. Seven years ago, the Federal
deficit was 6 percent of our Gross National Product. In the new
budget I sent up two days ago -- the deficit is down to 1 percent
of GNP.
That budget brings Federal spending under control. It meets the
Gramm-Rudman target, brings that deficit down further, and
balances the budget by 1993 -- with no new taxes.
And let me tell you, there's still more than enough Federal
spending. For most of us, $1.2 trillion is a lot of money.
And once the budget is balanced, we can operate the way every
family must when it has bills to pay. We won't leave it to our
children and grandchildren. We will start paying off the
national debt.
And there's something more we owe the generations of the future:
Stewardship -- the safekeeping of America's precious
environmental inheritance.
As just one sign of how serious we are, we will elevate the
Environmental Protection Agency to cabinet rank. Not more
bureaucracy, not more red tape but the certainty that here at
home, and in our dealings with other nations, environmental
issues have the status they deserve.
This year's budget provides over $2 billion in new spending to
protect our environment, with over $1 billion for global change
research. And a new initiative I call "America the Beautiful" --
to expand our national parks and wildlife preserves and improve
recreational facilities on public lands.
And something else: Something that will help keep this country
clean, from our forestland to our inner cities, and keep America
beautiful for generations to come -- the money to plant a billion
trees a year.
And tonight, let me say again to all the members of Congress:
The American people did not send us here to bicker. There's work
to do -- and they sent us here to get it done. And once again, I
offer my hand to all of you. Let's work together to do the will
of the people. Clean Air. Child Care. The Educational
Excellence Act. Crime and Drugs. It's time to act. The Farm
Bill. Transportation policy. Product liability reform.
Enterprise Zones. It's time to act together.
And there's one thing I hope we'll all be able to agree on. It's
about our commitments. I'm talking about Social Security.
- more -
- 5 -
To every American out there on Social Security, to every American
supporting that system today, and to everyone counting on it when
they retire: We made a promise to you -- and we are going to
keep it.
We rescued the system in 1983 -- and it's sound again. Our
budget fully funds today's benefits -- and it assures that future
benefits will be funded as well. The last thing we need to do is
mess around with Social Security.
There's one more problem we need to address. We must give
careful consideration to the recommendations of the health care
studies now underway. That's why tonight, I am instructing
Dr. Louis Sullivan -- Secretary of Health and Human Services --
to lead a Domestic Policy Council review of recommendations on
the quality, accessibility and cost of our nation's health care
system. I am committed to bring the staggering costs of health
care under control.
The "state of the government" does indeed depend on many of us in
this very chamber. But the State of the Union depends on all
Americans. We must maintain the democratic decency that makes a
nation out of millions of individuals. I have been appalled at
the recent mail bombings across this country. Every one of us
must confront and condemn racism, anti-semitism, bigotry and
hate. Not next week, not tomorrow, but right now.
The State of the Union depends on whether we help our neighbor --
claim the problems of our community as our own. We've got to
step forward when there's trouble -- lend a hand, be what I call
a point of light to a stranger in need. We've got to take the
time after a busy day to sit down and read with our kids, help
them with their homework, and pass along the values we learned as
children. That's how we sustain the State of the Union.
Every effort is important. It all adds up -- it's doing the
things that give democracy meaning. It all adds up to who we are
-- and who we will be.
And let me say, that so long as we remember the American idea --
so long as we live up to the American ideal -- the State of the
Union will remain sound and strong.
And to those who worry we have lost our way -- well, I want you
to listen to parts of a letter written by James Markwell -- PFC
James Markwell, a 20-year-old Army medic of the 1st Battalion,
75th Rangers. It's dated December 18th -- the night before our
Armed Forces went into action in Panama. It's a letter
servicemen write -- and hope will never be sent. Sadly, Private
Markwell's mother did receive this letter. And she passed it on
to me.
Here is some of what he wrote: "I have never been afraid of
death, but now he is waiting at the corner
I have been
trained to kill and to save, so has everyone else. I am
frightened of what lays beyond the fog, yet
Do
not
mourn
for
me, revel in the life that I have died to give you.
But most
of all, don't forget that the Army was my choice. Something that
I wanted to do."
"Remember I joined the Army to serve my country and insure that
you are free to do what you want and live your lives freely."
Private Markwell was among the first to see battle in Panama, and
one of the first to fall.
He knew what he believed in. He carried the idea we call America
in his heart.
- more -
- 6 -
I began tonight speaking about the changes we've seen this past
year. There is a new world of challenges and opportunities
before us. And there is a need for leadership that only America
can provide.
Nearly 40 years ago, in his last address to the Congress,
President Harry Truman predicted such a time would come. He
said: "As our world grows stronger, more united, more attractive
to men on both sides of the iron curtain, then inevitably there
will come a time of change within the communist world."
Today, that change is taking place.
For more than 40 years, America and its allies held communism in
check, and ensured that democracy would continue to exist.
Today, with communism crumbling, our aim must be to ensure
democracy's advance. To take the lead in forging peace and
freedom's best hope -- a great and growing commonwealth of free
nations.
To the Congress and to all Americans, I say it is time to acclaim
a new consensus at home and abroad -- a common vision of the
peaceful world we want to see.
Here in our own hemisphere, it's time for all the people of the
Americas -- North and South -- to live in freedom.
In the Far East and Africa, it is time for the full flowering of
free governments and free markets that have served as the engine
of progress.
It is time to offer our hand to the emerging democracies of
Eastern Europe. So that continent -- for too long a continent
divided -- can see a future whole and free.
And it's time to build on our new relationship with the Soviet
Union -- to endorse and encourage a peaceful process of internal
change toward democracy and economic opportunity.
We are in a period of great transition, great hope, yet great
uncertainty. We recognize that the Soviet military threat in
Europe is diminishing, but we see little change in Soviet
strategic modernization. Therefore, we must sustain our own
strategic offense modernization and the Strategic Defense
Initiative.
But the time is right to move forward on a conventional arms
control agreement to move us to more appropriate levels of
military forces in Europe -- a coherent defense program that
ensures the U.S. will continue to be a catalyst for peaceful
change in Europe. I've consulted with leaders of NATO -- and in
fact, I spoke by phone with President Gorbachev, just today.
I agree with our European allies that an American military
presence in Europe is essential -- and that it should not be tied
solely to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe.
But troop levels can still be lower. So tonight, I am announcing
a major new step -- for a further reduction in U.S. and Soviet
manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to 195,000 on each side.
This number reflects the advice of our senior military advisors.
It is designed to protect American and European interests -- and
sustain NATO's defense strategy. A swift conclusion to our arms
control talks -- conventional, chemical and strategic -- must now
be our goal. That time has come.
- more -
- 7 -
Still, we must recognize an unfortunate fact: In many regions of
the world tonight, the reality is conflict -- not peace.
Enduring animosities and opposing interests remain. Thus the
cause of peace must be served by an America strong enough -- and
sure enough -- to defend our interests and ideals. It's this
American idea that for the past four decades helped inspire the
Revolution of '89.
Here at home -- and in the world -- there is history in the
making -- and history to be made. Six months ago, early in this
season of change, I stood at the gates of the Gdansk Shipyard in
Poland at the monument to the fallen workers of Solidarity. It's
a monument of simple majesty. Three tall crosses rise up from
the stones. Atop each cross, an anchor -- an ancient symbol of
hope.
The anchor in our world today is freedom. Holding us steady in
times of change -- a symbol of hope to all the world. And
freedom is at the very heart of the idea that is America.
Giving life to that idea depends on every one of us. Our anchor
has always been faith and family.
In the last few days of this past momentous year, our family was
blessed once more celebrating the joy of life when a little
boy became our 12th grandchild.
When I held the little guy for the first time, the troubles at
home and abroad seemed manageable -- in perspective.
Now, I know you're thinking: that's a grandfather talking.
Well, maybe you're right. But I've met a lot of children this
past year -- across this country, and everywhere from the Far
East to Eastern Europe. All kids are unique. Yet, all kids are
alike. The budding young environmentalists I met this month, who
joined me exploring the Florida Everglades. The little leaguers
I played catch with in Poland -- ready to go from Warsaw to the
World Series. Even the kids who are ill or alone -- God bless
those boarder babies, born addicted to drugs -- coping with
problems no child should have to face. But, you know, when it
comes to hope and the future: Every kid is the same. Full of
dreams. Ready to take on the world. All special because they
are the very future of freedom. To them belongs this new world
I've been speaking about.
So tonight I'm going to ask something of every one of you. Let
me start with my generation -- with the grandparents out there.
You are our living link to the past. Tell your grandchildren the
story of struggles waged, at home and abroad. of sacrifices
freely made for freedom's sake. And tell them your own story as
well -- because every American has a story to tell.
Parents: Your children look to you for direction and guidance.
Tell them of faith and family. Tell them we are one nation under
God. Teach them that of all the many gifts they can receive,
liberty is their most precious legacy. And of all the gifts they
can give, the greatest is helping others.
And to the children and young people out there tonight: With you
rests our hope -- all that America will mean in the years and
decades ahead. Fix your vision on a new century -- your century.
On dreams we cannot see. On the destiny that is yours -- and
yours alone.
And finally, let all Americans -- all of us together here in this
chamber, the symbolic center of democracy affirm our
allegiance to this idea we call America. And let us all remember
that the State of the Union depends on each and every one of us.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TALKING POINTS
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S 1990 AGENDA
The highlights of President Bush's agenda for 1990, as
outlined in his budget released January 29, 1990, include:
1. Economy
*
The President's plan calls for a balanced federal budget by
off the national debt.
fiscal year 1993, and includes a proposal then to begin paying
*
He will push to maintain our economic strength by encouraging
increased investment and productivity, and reducing the deficit
with no new taxes.
As part of his Savings and Economic Growth Act, the President
will work to reduce tax rates for capital gains, create a new
tax-exempt Family Savings Account to encourage individual
savings, and modify the rules for IRAs to permit first-time home
buyers to withdraw up to $10,000 without penalty.
2. Social Security
*
the Social Security system.
The President has pledged he will maintain the integrity of
3. Education
* Agreement was reached at the President's historic Education
Summit with the Governors to establish national education goals.
The President will announce these goals in his State of the Union
address, and they will be extended and presented to the Nation's
Governors at the February Governor's Conference.
*
The budget request for education is the highest ever proposed.
Head Start program.
So, too, is the half billion dollar increase requested for the
The President has made the enactment of his Educational
Excellence Act a top priority.
Highlights of the President's 1990 Agenda
Page Two
4. Child Care
* The President seeks to expand parental alternatives in child
care by offering tax credits designed to allow low income parents
-- not the government -- to decide what sort of child care best
suits their needs.
5. Drugs
* The President's $10.6 billion National Drug Control Strategy
is aimed at ending the scourge of drugs through a comprehensive
program of drug treatment, education, law enforcement,
interdiction, initiatives. research, and cooperative international
* The second phase of his Drug Strategy calls for expansions in
federal law enforcement personnel, support for 75 additional
federal judgeships, increased drug treatment services and
research, comprehensive community prevention programs, the
creation of a national drug intelligence center, and expanding
the death penalty for drug kingpins. The President has also
designated areas. five locations as high intensity drug trafficking
6. Environment
* The President supports enactment this year of tough new Clean
Air requirements to reduce acid rain, urban smog and air
pollution in a cost effective manner. He has endorsed elevating
the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet level status and
has proposed a major increase in EPA's operating budget. This
year's budget provides over two billion dollars in new spending
to protect the environment and over one billion dollars for
global change research.
* His "America the Beautiful" initiative would expand federal
parkland, wildlife refuges, forests and other public lands, and
establish a new reforestation program that calls for the planting
of more than one billion new trees a year.
7. Housing
* The President has again proposed full funding for the
"McKinney Act" homeless assistance programs.
*
The President has proposed a special homeless initiative
which is designed to develop innovative approaches to providing
housing for homeless individuals and families. Additionally, his
new "Shelter Plus" program would help the homeless who are
mentally ill or substance abusers.
Highlights of the President's 1990 Agenda
Page Three
* The President's HOPE initiative sets out a comprehensive new
housing and urban development agenda. It will help low income
families become homeowners and increase housing opportunities for
distressed low-income communities.
other low-income families. Enterprise zones will help revitalize
8. Investing in the Future and Competitiveness
* Product liability reform, an expanded budget for space
programs such as the space station Freedom, preparing for manned
exploration of the Moon and Mars, a record high $71 billion
budget proposal for research and development, and a permanent tax
credit for research and experimentation are all part of the
world. President's plan to increase America's competitiveness in the
9. National Defense
* In the wake of the dramatic changes that are taking place
the abroad, the President has proposed a defense budget that begins
transition to a restructured military.
President such will move ahead with strategic modernization
* To meet the continuing requirements of nuclear deterrence, the
ICBM modernization.
as the Strategic Defense Initiative, the Stealth Bomber, programs and
10. The Points of Light Initiative
* Through his "Points of Light" initiative, the President aims
to school, place of worship, club, group and organization in America
to engage every individual, family, corporation, firm, union,
help solve community problems.
11. Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe, the President is committing an additional $300
* To support the new forces of freedom now spreading throughout
million in FY91, as part of a comprehensive strategy of U.S.
engagement in the region.
12. Foreign Affairs
* To maintain American leadership in the world in an
change, there is a new premium on political and economic era tools of -
which such as development, security, and humanitarian assistance
new budget. the President has proposed to increase substantially - in the
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
AT 9:00 PM (EST)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990
THE PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
FACT SHEET
The President's first State of the Union address emphasized four themes:
I. Investments for a Competitive America
II. Opportunity
III. Stewardship
IV. Democracy
The President explained that he came to speak not about the state of the government with its
myriad of detailed programs, but the state of the American Union: its people, its place in the
world, and the challenges it faces.
I. INVESTMENTS FOR A COMPETITIVE AMERICA
The President declared his aim to invest in America, and to encourage the creation of capital
of all kinds.
A.
Investing in Productive Capital
The President urged action to reduce government dissaving and increase private saving.
These measures will generate more job-creating productive capital investment.
Reducing Government Borrowing. The President's budget for FY 1991 involves a
sharp reduction in the deficit to $63.1 billion, in full compliance with the Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction law. The proposed deficit is down more than 70
percent from the $221 billion Federal deficit in 1986.
-2-
The President's budget achieves this deficit reduction with no increase in taxes.
The President's proposal balances the Federal budget by 1993, as required by
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, further increasing funds for domestic investment
and reducing the need for U.S. foreign borrowing.
0
The President proposes to protect the long term integrity of the Social Security
system. His proposal will assure that the build up of Social Security reserves
in the future will not be used to mask the non-Social Security deficit and will
not be used to finance non-Social Security spending.
Increasing Private Savings. The President called for enactment of a new initiative, The
Savings and Economic Growth Act of 1990, to increase private savings and to create
more jobs and growth in the coming decade. Its provisions include:
o
Creating Family Savings Accounts. To provide better for the future of
America's families, the President put forward his plan to increase savings.
Elements of this plan include the following:
-
Married couples earning under $120,000, singles earning under $60,000,
and taxpayers who are Heads of Household with incomes under
$100,000 are eligible, if they have earned income and are not
dependents on another return.
-
Each person may contribute up to $2,500 (couples up to $5,000) or the
amount of their compensation, whichever is less. Contributions to the
Family Savings Account are not tax deductible.
-
Earnings are not taxable as they accumulate, but would be taxable if
withdrawn before seven years have elapsed. Earnings on deposits at
least seven years old may be withdrawn tax free.
-
Earnings on contributions fewer than seven years old are taxed like
regular interest income if withdrawn, and earnings on deposits made
fewer than three years previously are subject to an additional ten percent
penalty tax upon withdrawal.
-
Contributions themselves are never subject to tax when withdrawn, only
earnings.
-3-
Reducing the Rates on Capital Gains. To encourage investment for a more
competitive America, the President proposed:
-
A phased-in exclusion of up to 30 percent of the capital gain on an
asset. Eventually, only assets held for at least three years would receive
the full exclusion.
Years Held
Year Sold
1
2
3
1990
30%
30%
30%
1991
20%
30%
30%
1992
10%
20%
30%
-
In general, all capital assets held by individuals, except for collectibles,
will be eligible for the capital gains exclusion. Corporations will not be
eligible for a capital gains tax rate reduction.
Home Ownership Initiative. To encourage saving and home ownership, the
President proposed:
-
Modifying current IRA laws so that first-time home buyers can
withdraw up to $10,000 without penalty for early withdrawal.
B.
Intellectual Capital -- New Technologies for the Future
Research and Development. The President proposed a record high $71 billion in
Federal budget authority for research and development, up $4.5 billion, or seven
percent.
o
The President remains committed to doubling the National Science Foundation
budget by 1993, and has provided a 14 percent increase in FY 1991 toward that
end.
o
The President's budget calls for a 26 percent increase in funding of science and
engineering education.
Incentives for the Private Sector.
The President supports making the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit
permanent.
0
The President also supports making permanent the rules for allocating R&D by
transnational companies.
President Bush has proposed an initiative to reform our nation's product liability
laws.
Space. The President proposed a 24 percent funding increase for NASA in FY 1991,
with growth in the five elements of the space program:
Building space transportation infrastructure.
Proceeding with Space Station Freedom.
Exploring the space frontier through manned exploration.
Enhancing scientific understanding.
Developing the commercial potential of space.
C.
Educational Excellence for All Americans
National Education Goals. The President announced six national education goals for
the year 2000. This is the first phase in realizing commitments made at the President's
Education Summit with Governors. Key education-related programs and initiatives
include:
All children in America will start school ready to learn.
-
The President is proposing an increase of $500 million for Head Start to
bring total funding to $1.9 billion. This provides up to 70 percent of
poor children one year of Head Start before they enter school.
-
The President's FY 1991 request will double the Even Start budget to
$48 million.
-
Chapter 1 Compensatory Education grants to local education agencies
would be increased under the President's proposal to $4.96 billion, the
highest level ever. Schools use some of these funds to serve
disadvantaged pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children.
-
The President will increase support for services to handicapped pre-
school children to $258 million.
We will increase the percentage of students graduating from high school to at
least ninety percent.
-5-
-
The President proposed $50 million for new research and demonstration
activities to help schools learn more about how to prevent dropouts and
how to help dropouts return to schooling.
-
The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) contains $1.7 billion to target
services to about 683,000 disadvantaged youths, most of whom are
dropouts.
-
The President's budget funds the Youth Opportunities Unlimited
program at $50 million, supporting programs to help at-risk youth stay
in school and develop marketable skills.
American students will leave grades four, eight, and twelve having
demonstrated competency over challenging. subject matter including English,
mathematics, science, history, and geography.
-
The President proposed increasing statistics funding within the
Department of Education's research effort by 50 percent, from $40
million in FY 1990 to $60 million.
-
The President's Educational Excellence Act proposes initiatives for
magnet and merit schools, alternative certification, and other programs.
The President is also proposing a $25 million initiative to improve
training of principals.
-
Chapter 1 Local Education and Concentration Grants fund remedial
education programs for nearly five million disadvantaged students.
0
U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement.
-
The President proposes funding for the Dwight D. Eisenhower
Mathematics and Science Education Grants of $230 million, a 70%
increase over FY 1990.
-
National Science Scholars is one of the President's initiatives in the
Educational Excellence Act.
-
The President will increase National Science Foundation (NSF) funding
for education from $360 million to $460 million, a 28% increase.
-
The President calls for increasing the number of minority students in
science and engineering through Scientific Literacy for the 21st Century,
a NASA program.
-
The President will increase education-related funding under the
Department of Energy by 47 percent.
-6-
Every adult American will be literate and possess the knowledge and skills
necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship.
-
The President proposes $239 million for adult education programs in the
Education Department.
-
The President proposes funding for a National Literacy Clearinghouse.
-
The President has doubled ACTION's Literacy Corps budget to $6
million.
-
The Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program is fully-
funded at $1 billion.
0
Every school in America will be free of drugs and violence and provide a
disciplined environment conducive to learning.
-
The President's National Drug Strategy establishes drug-free schools as
a national priority.
-
The President proposed $593 million in funding for the Drug-Free
Schools and Communities program, a $54 million increase.
Parents and Education. The President urged parents to spend time with their
children -- reading to them, helping them with their homework, and sharing the
values they learned as children.
D.
Transportation
The President believes that the Federal government is a partner with the States and the
private sector in making needed investments in our transportation infrastructure. The
President's transportation-investment plan includes:
0
Increasing funds for air traffic control personnel, modernization of equipment,
airport expansion, and safety- and security-related research and development.
0
Funding research and development of Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems and
magnetically levitated trains.
The President has directed the Department of Transportation to formulate a
comprehensive Statement of National Transportation Policy.
-7-
E.
Free and Fair Trade
The President called for a free, open, and fair international trading system, one in
which markets, not governments, determine what industries and farmers produce and
how nations trade. The President's priorities include:
Strengthening the trading system by bringing the Uruguay Round of
Multilateral Trade Negotiations to a successful conclusion in December 1990.
A key objective for President Bush is to end the costly government subsidies
and trade restrictions that distort international agricultural markets at the
expense of the American farmer. The President also seeks to expand the
GATT to cover trade in services, investment, and intellectual property, which
are now outside the GATT system.
Challenging unfair barriers to American exports by working closely with
Congress and American business to pursue an open, strengthened world trading
system. The President continues to implement aggressively the market-
opening provisions of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988,
consistent with his commitment to providing American exporters with fair and
open access to foreign markets.
F.
Agriculture
The President is committed to a farm program based on the following principles:
Farm policy tools must be market-oriented in order to minimize distortions and
allow farmers the flexibility to respond to market signals.
Competitiveness requires an adequate investment in agricultural infrastructure
and a firm response to unfair trade practices.
Food and fiber production must be sensitive to environmental concerns.
The President will work with the Congress to develop a 1990 farm bill based on these
principles.
-8-
II. OPPORTUNITY
The President declared his belief that our challenge today is to make our democratic system
even better, with greater opportunity for all.
A.
Fighting Drug Abuse and Violent Crime
The President is committed to working with States, localities, and every sector of
society to stop illegal drug use and its related crime, health and social problems. The
President's National Drug Control Strategy and the second phase of the strategy,
presented on January 25, outlines a multi-faceted, comprehensive approach to counter
this scourge:
Drug Education and Prevention. Although the overall number of drug users is
declining, the President believes we must redouble our efforts to ensure that
children decide not to use drugs and that users are induced to stop.
Drug Treatment. Treatment should be made available for those who may
benefit from its assistance and research must be encouraged to determine the
most effective drug treatment modalities, particularly for segments of the
population such as pregnant women and infants.
International Initiatives. The President will attend a Drug Summit with other
Western Hemisphere leaders on February 15. He is proposing initiatives to
strengthen America's efforts against the international drug trade and counter
money laundering.
o
The Criminal Justice System and Interdiction. The President will propose
initiatives designed to strengthen the criminal justice system's ability to counter
drugs and to enhance our interdiction and other law enforcement efforts.
In addition to addressing violent crime as it relates to drug use, the President has
proposed fundamental, comprehensive reforms to the entire criminal justice system.
Several provisions of the President's drug and crime initiatives were enacted in the first
session of the 101st Congress. The remainder are essential to a comprehensive and
responsible approach to reducing violent crime.
The President called upon Congress to enact the remaining provisions of his
Comprehensive Violent Crime Control Act, including provisions relating to
exclusionary rule reform, death penalty reform, habeas corpus reform, and
strengthening current law through tougher sentences for firearm-related crimes.
-9-
B.
Health Care Reform
The President directed Secretary of Health and Human Services Sullivan to review the
recommendations of the health care studies now underway that deal with health care
challenges, including improving access to health care and moderating growth in health
care costs. The Secretary's study will be presented to the President through the
Domestic Policy Council.
C.
A Commitment to Civil Rights For Every American
The President called on all citizens to confront and condemn racism, anti-semitism,
bigotry, and hate.
The President is dedicated to the principle that the enjoyment of basic civil rights is
the birthright of every American. Each citizen must have the opportunity to go as far
as his or her abilities and ambition will allow. In 1990, the President will work for:
Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to extend to the disabled the
civil rights already guaranteed to millions of Americans by existing civil rights
laws.
Strengthening of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as it relates to the interference
by force, or threat of force, with an individual who is exercising, or
encouraging others to exercise, rights protected by the Fair Housing Act.
Ouick action by the Congress on the Hate Crimes Statistics Act.
D.
Child Care
Parental choice is the core of the President's approach to child care. The President
called for action on legislation to implement the child care plan he advanced last year.
The President's plan includes a new child tax credit that would provide for a
refundable credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four for low-income working
families and make the current Dependent Care Tax Credit refundable to taxpayers who
have no tax liability.
While flexible on the legislative details, acceptable legislation must reflect the
President's four principles: parental choice, non-discrimination against parents who
work at home, offering parents the fullest range of choices, and targeting assistance to
those who need it most.
E.
H.O.P.E.
The President has put forward a comprehensive agenda of Homeownership and
Opportunity for People Everywhere, in order to bring basic shelter and affordable
housing within the reach of millions of Americans. Elements of H.O.P.E. include:
-10-
Legislation allowing first-time home buyers to draw, without penalty, on IRA
savings as a down payment for their first home. The President has directed
Secretary Kemp of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to
convene a Blue Ribbon Commission to identify and suggest ways to remove
barriers to affordable housing.
Promoting more housing choice for low-income families. H.O.P.E. includes a
new grant program, funded at $2.2 billion over three years, to help low-
income families become owners. In addition, the President supports housing
vouchers, as well as resident ownership and resident management of low
income housing in order to empower low-income families and broaden their
choice in housing.
Creating 50 Enterprise Zones over the next four years. Completely eliminating
the capital gains tax on certain investments in these zones.
$412 million to help preserve the affordability of existing housing where rents
may rise and create hardship for low-income tenants.
Operation Bootstrap designed to coordinate better housing subsidies and
supportive services for low-income households in order to help them become
self-sufficient.
$247 million for an initiative to reduce homelessness among the chronically
mentally ill and recovering substance abusers through public-private
partnerships.
F.
Homelessness
The President called for a strong continued commitment by all Americans to end
homelessness. The President has requested 23 percent higher funding for programs
under the McKinney Act umbrella. His request of $819 million is $92 million more
than the level needed to "fully fund" the McKinney Act.
In addition to the budget, the President's program to end homelessness seeks to link
programs, increase coordination among providers, and reach out to the most isolated
homeless. The Federal government will institute new procedures to coordinate Federal
programs and expand efforts to make federally-owned property, especially residential
property, available to assist the homeless.
-11-
G.
Volunteerism
The President believes that the definition of a successful life must include service to
others. He encouraged every American to adopt society's problems as his or her own
and to commit themselves to serve others. Volunteerism is a necessary part of the
solutions to pressing social problems such as drug abuse, illiteracy, poor educational
performance, homelessness, and community disintegration.
The President has asked Congress for $25 million annually, for four years, to
implement the recommendations of the Kean Commission on the Points of
Light Initiative Foundation.
The President will use his Office to promote a new community ethic of
volunteerism that requires no financial incentive and encourages participation in
whatever measure the individual can provide.
III. STEWARDSHIP
The President remarked that our obligation to future generations requires us to exercise
stewardship in safekeeping our precious environmental inheritance.
A.
Department of the Environment
As evidence of the importance he places on environmental protection, the President
proposes to elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet status. The
President proposed a $2 billion increase in overall environmental spending, including a
12 percent increase in the EPA's operating budget.
B.
America the Beautiful
The President proposed a new three-part initiative to exercise responsible stewardship
of America's natural resources:
0
Land Acquisition. The President proposes to expand land acquisition for
national parks, refuges, forests and other public lands. Over $1 billion of key
land and water resources will be purchased over the next four years through the
Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Reforestation. The President proposes to create a working alliance between
environmental activism and community service. The President has budgeted
$175 million for the first year to plant over one billion trees a year across
America, using public-private partnerships and volunteer programs.
-12-
Protection and Restoration. Over the next decade, the President's Legacy '99
program will improve threatened natural resources, such as wetlands and
endangered species, and enhance recreational opportunities in our national
parks, wildlife refuges, and other public lands. The President has called for a
40 percent increase in funds to protect and enhance our natural resources.
C.
Clean Air
Last July, the President sent to Congress the most comprehensive Clean Air proposal
in history. In anticipation of a new Clean Air Act, he is requesting an additional $80
million for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation Programs. The President's proposal
will:
Combat acid rain by achieving a permanent 10 million ton reduction in sulfur
dioxide emissions.
Bring all cities into attainment with the Clean Air Act's health standards.
Reduce toxic emissions by 75-90 percent from factories and plants within
seven years of enactment.
Encourage innovative approaches to meeting these goals through clean coal
technologies and alternative fuels for automobiles.
Achieve reductions cost-effectively through market incentives, an emissions
trading program, and flexibility for the private sector and State governments to
find optimal approaches toward meeting clean air requirements.
D.
Global Climate Change Research
The President proposes $1 billion (a 57 percent increase over 1990 levels) to advance
scientific knowledge of global climate change.
IV. DEMOCRACY
The President declared that, today, with communism crumbling, our aim must be to ensure
democracy's advance. He also said that it is time to acclaim a new consensus at home and
abroad -- a common vision of the peaceful world we want to see.
A.
Our Democratic Allies
The President paid tribute to the steadfastness of the democratic allies of the Atlantic
Community and Japan in securing peace and prosperity over four decades, which has
helped bring us to this moment of opportunity.
-13-
B.
Eastern Europe
The President said that we will continue to offer our hand to the emerging democracies
of Eastern Europe.
Support for East European Democracy. As the force of freedom spreads throughout
the region, the President is proposing a $300 million fund for assistance to Eastern
European democracies, and the broadening of last year's SEED Act, as part of a
comprehensive strategy for the region.
Presidential Mission. Following the President's visits to Poland and Hungary in July,
an active and constructive new relationship has developed. The President will follow
up vigorously on the Cabinet-level Missions he sent last year to Poland and Hungary
and Secretary Baker's forthcoming visit to Prague, providing the best expertise
America has to offer to support the countries of Eastern Europe as they move toward
democratic change. Following Lech Walesa's visit to the United States in November,
the President has invited two leading architects of Eastern Europe's democratic
revolution -- President Havel of Czechoslovakia and Prime Minister Mazowiecki of
Poland -- to pay official visits to Washington early this year.
C.
Soviet Union
The President declared that the time is right to move beyond containment and build a
new relationship with the Soviet Union -- to endorse and extend the peaceful process
of internal change toward pluralism and economic opportunity.
Malta and Moscow. Secretary Baker will be in Moscow next week to follow up on
the important understandings reached at Malta in early December between the
President and Chairman Gorbachev. A major push will be made to resolve key issues
in arms control -- START, CFE, nuclear testing, chemical weapons, and Open
Skies -- and our intensive dialogue on European, regional, and global issues will
continue.
D.
Panama
The President declared that "Panama is free" in citing the American military action
that liberated Panama from the dictator Noriega.
U.S. Troops. The President announced that Operation Just Cause has achieved its
objectives, and that U.S. troops will be down to their pre-operation level by the end of
February.
Reconstruction. The President last week announced an action plan to foster Panama's
economic recovery, totaling $1 billion, including
o
Nearly $500 million in loans, guarantees, and export opportunities to strengthen
Panama's private sector and create jobs;
-14-
0
An additional $500 million in economic assistance to be provided in FY 1990;
and
0
$42 million in humanitarian assistance.
E.
Defense
In an era of dramatic change in the strategic environment, the President spoke of a
new era in defense planning. Yet the President stressed that peace will continue to be
served by an America strong enough -- and sure enough -- to defend our interests
and ideals.
Restructured Military Posture. As outlined in the budget, we are beginning the
transition to a restructured military, one that is leaner, more agile and flexible, geared
to contingencies outside of Europe, while continuing to meet our inescapable
responsibility to maintain deterrence.
F.
CFE Initiative
In recognition of changes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and after
consultation with the leaders of NATO, the President announced a major new step for
further reduction in U.S. and Soviet manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to
195,000 on each side. This level of forces reflects the advice of his senior military
advisors and is designed to protect American and European security.
G.
Foreign Affairs
In a new world of unparalleled challenges and opportunities, the President said that
there is a need for leadership that only America can provide.
International Affairs Budget. In such a new era, there is a greater premium than ever
on political and economic, rather than military, tools of policy. Security assistance,
development assistance, humanitarian assistance, and diplomacy therefore remain
essential responsibilities. The President has proposed for FY 1991 a total of $20
billion in budget authority for these purposes, an increase of $1.4 billion over FY
1990. This is an investment in peace and a cost-effective way to help maintain
international security and address the causes of conflict.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
AT 9:00 PM (EST)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
At the historic President's Education Summit with Governors in Charlottesville, Virginia four
months ago, President Bush and the nation's Governors declared that, "the time has come, for
the first time in U.S. history, to establish clear, national performance goals, goals that will
make us internationally competitive." In his State of the Union message, the President
announced six national goals for education:
1.
By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn.
2.
By the year 2000, we will increase the percentage of students graduating from
high school to at least ninety percent.
3.
By the year 2000, American students will leave grades four, eight, and twelve
having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including
English, mathematics, science, history and geography.
4.
By the year 2000, U.S. students will be first in the world in science and
mathematics achievement.
5.
By the year 2000, every adult American will be literate and possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise
the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
6.
By the year 2000, every school in America will be free of drugs and violence
and offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
The President and members of the Governors' Task Force on Education jointly developed
these goals with the advice of scores of education associations and organizations, business and
community leaders, parents, teachers, and state and local administrators. The announcement
of these six national performance goals represents a first phase in carrying out the commit-
ment made in Charlottesville. These goals will be part of a comprehensive goals and
objectives statement and presented to all the Governors at their Winter meeting in late
February.
-2-
Background
These goals are about excellence. They are about recognizing that every child, regardless of
background or disability, can learn. They are based on a recognition that education is a life-
long enterprise. They are about restructuring and revitalizing the education system of the
United States. They are designed to encourage a renaissance in American education.
Meeting these goals will require that our education system boosts the performance of our
highest achievers to levels that equal or exceed the performance of the best anywhere;
substantially increases the performance of our lowest achievers to far higher levels than their
current performance; and ensures that what our best students can achieve now, our average
students be able to achieve by the turn of the century.
A strong education system is essential to maintaining a vigorous and responsible democracy
and a prosperous and growing economy. The President and the Governors have developed a
clear set of national education goals that they believe are worthy of our people and our times,
and that will provide a measure by which our responsible leaders can be held accountable for
results.
In order for national education goals to be meaningful, progress toward achieving these goals
must be measured accurately and adequately, and reported to the American people on a timely
basis. Present data collection efforts and activities in progress to improve assessment tools
and statistics provide a solid foundation on which to build. However, more work is needed.
The President and the Governors agree that this effort will require a substantial national
commitment over several years to further develop and refine our national measurement
capabilities.
The President's FY 1991 budget recognizes the importance of measuring how the nation
progresses toward achievement of these goals. The President has requested a fifty percent
increase, from $40 million to $60 million, in the federal investment for statistics for the U.S.
Department of Education. In addition, the President's budget includes $20 million for follow-
up activities related to the President's Education Summit with Governors. A portion of this
request may provide additional funding for assessment and statistics development. In the
coming months, the Administration and the Governors will work with other interested groups
to develop fully the range and quality of measures needed to report on progress.
-3-
MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARD NATIONAL GOALS
Readiness for School
GOAL 1:
By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn.
Assessments indicating readiness for school generally are not administered by schools. Nor
do the President and the Governors recommend that such an assessment, especially one that
could wrongfully be used to determine when a child should start school, be developed for
purposes of measuring progress toward this goal. Other current indicators of readiness may
serve as proxies, and still others need to be developed.
The National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) National Household Education Survey
will be designed to furnish as much useful data as possible on a child's early learning
experiences and the extent of parental involvement. In addition, the Current Population
Survey, the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, and other units of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services collect information on learning experiences and
the social and physical status of young children that will provide essential data for measuring
appropriate dimensions of readiness.
High School Completion
GOAL 2:
By the year 2000, we will increase the percentage of students graduating
from high school to at least ninety percent.
According to best estimates, approximately 72 percent of the nation's 18 to 19-year-olds had
completed high school in 1988. Presently, national data on high school completion rates are
available from the Current Population Survey. New measurement and collection efforts will
be necessary to gather comparable state-level data on dropout and high school completion
rates.
Student Achievement
GOAL 3:
By the year 2000, American students will leave grades four, eight, and
twelve having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter,
including English, mathematics, science, history and geography.
Demonstrating competency is not merely a function of successfully completing courses. It
involves mastering a meaningful level of knowledge and skills. Assessment tools must not
simply measure minimum competencies, but also higher levels of reading, writing, speaking,
reasoning, and problem-solving skills. While the focus of this goal specifies competency in
several subject areas, the list is not to be interpreted as exhaustive, nor as recommending a
-4-
national curriculum. Furthermore, in order to demonstrate a meaningful level of competency
at certain points in the educational process, performance at every grade level and among all
quartiles of achievement must increase substantially. Only in this manner will our entire
educational system be lifted toward excellence.
Appropriate measures of achievement must be accurate, comparable and constructive. While
comparable state-level data is not presently available, the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) will be a principal mechanism for measuring student achievement in grades
four, eight, and twelve in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history and geography on a
national, and eventually state-by-state, basis. The National Center for Education Statistics is
working with NAEP and others to extend and improve appropriate national assessments in a
variety of subject areas. Thirty-seven states will participate in the NAEP pilot state-level
assessment this year. It is expected that all States will participate in future state-level
assessments.
Science and Mathematics
GOAL 4:
By the year 2000, U.S. students will be first in the world in science and
mathematics achievement.
While no international comparisons of student achievement to date are considered adequate,
available measures suggest that U.S. 13-year-olds perform near the bottom in science and
mathematics compared to their peers in other industrialized countries. Significant work must
be accomplished to ensure that international comparisons of achievement are reliable.
The National Academy of Sciences is working with the U.S. Department of Education and the
National Science Foundation to develop recommendations for the creation of a permanent
international framework for coordinating international assessments that compare the
performance of U.S. students in mathematics and science to that of their counterparts in other
industrialized countries. In 1991, twenty-two countries will participate in a comparative study
in mathematics and science conducted by the International Assessment of Educational
Progress. In 1993, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational
Achievement will conduct its third cross-national mathematics assessment.
In addition, several groups, including the National Council on Teachers of Mathematics, the
Mathematical Sciences Education Board, the American Academy for the Advancement of
Science, the National Assessment Governing Board and others, are working to improve
assessments of mathematics and science achievement.
-5-
Literacy and Lifelong Learning
GOAL 5:
By the year 2000, every adult American will be literate and possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
No good data relating to dimensions of literacy and lifelong learning currently exist. While
work is required to develop meaningful measures, the National Survey of Adult Literacy now
underway will provide important information on functional literacy skills by 1993. The
National Center for Education Statistics also gathers data on indicators of lifelong learning
such as participation in post-secondary education and degrees received. The Department of
Labor is a source of survey data on employer activities and the labor force, and is leading
efforts to develop measures of workforce literacy skills.
Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-free Schools
GOAL 6:
By the year 2000, every school in America will be free of drugs and
violence and offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
No single or comprehensive source of data exists to measure the extent to which our schools
are safe, disciplined, and drug-free. The Justice Department collects national juvenile and
crime survey data. The National Institute of Drug Abuse conducts annual surveys of student
drug use and attitudes. The Department of Education's Schools and Staffing Survey provides
information on school climate and environment. Further data collection efforts may be
required.
A National Challenge
These national education goals are not the President's goals or the Governors' goals, they are
the Nation's goals. Achieving them will require a strong commitment and concerted effort on
the part of every sector and every citizen to improve dramatically our nation's education
system and the performance of each and every student.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
UNTIL 9:00 P.M. EST
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1990
FACT SHEET
The President's CFE Initiative on U.S. and Soviet Manpower
After initial discussions with NATO Allies, the President
concluded that changes which have taken place in Europe over the
last three months have made it possible to propose lower levels
in the area of greatest concentration of forces -- Central and
Eastern Europe. However, the United States will maintain
significant military forces in Europe as long as our Allies
desire our presence as part of a common security effort.
Therefore, in his State of the Union address to Congress on
January 31, President Bush proposed to revise NATO's current
position in the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)
Negotiations to lower substantially the levels of U.S. and Soviet
ground and air force manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to
195,000 on each side. Forces withdrawn will be demobilized.
There would be approximately 225,000 U.S. ground and air force
personnel in Europe after CFE reductions are completed. The
proposal responds to rapid changes in Eastern Europe and is
designed to help propel the CFE negotiations to an early
conclusion in 1990.
The President's initiative would supersede an earlier proposal
establishing a level of 275,000 each on U.S. and Soviet ground
and air force manpower stationed outside of their respective
national territories in the Atlantic to the Urals region.
The President has concluded that this proposal reflects the
minimum level of U.S. forces needed in Europe to protect American
interests and to sustain NATO's strategy of forward defense and
flexible response. Even if -- as we expect -- Soviet forces in
this region are reduced even further, the United States does not
envision the further reduction of its forces in Europe below this
new level.
* * *
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 31, 1990
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
The U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.
9:05 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Mr. President, Mr.
Speaker, members of the United States Congress: I return as a former
President of the Senate, and a former member of this great House.
And now, as President, it is my privilege to report to you on the
State of the Union.
Tonight, I come not to speak about the "state of the
government" -- not to detail every new initiative we plan for the
coming year, nor to describe every line in the budget. I'm here to
speak to you and to the American people about the state of the Union
-- about our world -- the changes we've seen, the challenges we face.
And what that means for America.
There are singular moments in history -- dates that
divide all that goes before from all that comes after. And many of
us in this chamber have lived much of our lives in a world whose
fundamental features were defined in 1945. And the events of that
year decreed the shape of nations. The pace of progress. Freedom or
oppression for millions of people around the world.
Nineteen forty-five provided the common frame of
reference -- the compass points of the post-war era we've relied upon
to understand ourselves. And that was our world, until now. The
events of the year just ended, the revolution of '89, have been a
chain reaction -- changes so striking that it marks the beginning of
a new era in the world's affairs.
Think back -- think back just 12 short months ago to the
world we knew as 1989 began.
One year -- one year ago, the people of Panama lived in
fear, under the thumb of a dictator. Today, democracy is restored --
Panama is free. (Applause.)
Operation "Just Cause" has achieved its objective. The
number of military personnel in Panama is now very close to what it
was before the operation began. And tonight, I am announcing that
well before the end of February, the additional numbers of American
troops -- the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made this
mission a success -- will be back home. (Applause.)
A year ago in Poland, Lech Walesa declared that he was
ready to open a dialogue with the communist rulers of that country.
And today, with the future of a free Poland in their own hands,
members of Solidarity lead the Polish government. (Applause.)
A year ago, freedom's playwright, Vaclav Havel,
languished as a prisoner in Prague. And today, it's Vaclav Havel --
President of Czechoslovakia. (Applause.)
And one year ago, Erich Honecker, of East Germany claimed
history as his guide. And he predicted the Berlin Wall would last
another hundred years. And today -- less than one year later -- it's
the Wall that's history. (Applause.)
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Remarkable events events that fulfill the long-held
hopes of the American people events that validate the
long-standing goals of American policy -- a policy based on a single,
shining principle: the cause of freedom. (Applause.)
America not just the nation, but an idea, alive in the
minds of people everywhere. As this new world takes shape, America
stands at the center of a widening circle of freedom -- today,
tomorrow, and into the next century.
Our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who
ever set foot on these shores -- and the millions still struggling to
be free. This nation this idea called America -- was and always
will be a new world. Our new world.
At a workers' rally, in a place called Branik on the
outskirts of Prague -- the idea called America is alive. A worker,
dressed in grimy overalls, rises to speak at the factory gates. He
begins his speech to his fellow citizens with these words -- words of
a distant revolution:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men
are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness."
It's no secret that, here at home, freedom's door opened
long ago. The cornerstones of this free society have already been
set in place: Democracy. Competition. Opportunity. Private
investment. Stewardship. And, of course, leadership.
And our challenge today is to take this democratic system
of ours -- a system second to none -- and make it better.
A better America, where there's a job for everyone who
wants one.
Where women working outside the home can be confident
their children are in safe and loving care -- and where government
works to expand child care alternatives for parents. (Applause.)
Where we reconcile the needs of a clean environment and a
strong economy.
Where "Made in the USA" is recognized around the world as
the symbol of quality and progress.
Where every one of us enjoys the same opportunities to
live, to work, and to contribute to society. And where, for the
first time, the American mainstream includes all of our disabled
citizens. (Applause.)
Where everyone has a roof over his head and where the
homeless get the help they need to live in dignity.
Where our schools challenge and support our kids and our
teachers and where all of them; make the grade. (Applause.)
Where every street, every city, every school and every
child is drug-free. (Applause.)
And finally, where no American is forgotten. Our hearts
go out to our hostages -- our hostages who are ceaselessly on our
minds and in our efforts.
That's part of the future we want to see -- the future we
can make for ourselves. But dreams alone won't get us there. We
need to extend our horizon -- commit to the long view. And our
mission for the future starts today.
In the tough competitive markets around the world,
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America faces the great challenges and great opportunities. And we
know that we can succeed in the global economic arena of the '90's,
but to meet that challenge, we must make some fundamental changes --
some crucial investment in ourselves.
Yes, we are going to invest in America. This
administration is determined to encourage the creation of capital --
capital of all kinds. Physical capital: everything from our farms
and factories, to our workshops and production lines; all that is
needed to produce and deliver quality goods and quality services.
(Applause.) Intellectual capital: the source of ideas that spark
tomorrow's products. And, of course, our human capital: the
talented work force that we'll need to compete in the global market.
Let me tell you. If we ignore human capital, if we lose
the spirit of American ingenuity -- the spirit that is the hallmark
of the American worker -- that would be bad. The American worker is
the most productive worker in the world.
We need to save more. We need to expand the pool of
capital for new investments that need more jobs and more growth. And
that's the idea behind a new initiative I call the Family Savings
Plan, which I will send to Congress tomorrow.
We need to cut the tax on capital gains -- (applause) --
encourage risktakers especially those in our small businesses to
take those steps that translate into economic reward, jobs, and a
better life for all of us.
We'll do what it takes to invest in America's future.
The budget commitment is there. The money is there. It's there for
research and development R&D -- a record high. It's there for our
housing initiative -- HOPE, to help everyone from first-time
homebuyers to the homeless. (Applause.) The money's there to keep
our kids drug-free: 70 percent more than when I took office in 1989.
It's there for space exploration and it's there for education --
another record high. (Applause.)
And one more thing: Last fall at the education summit,
the governors and I agreed to look for ways to help make sure that
our kids are ready to learn -- the very first day they walk into the
classroom. And I've made good on that commitment by proposing a
record increase in funds -- an extra half-a-billion dollars -- for
something near and dear to all of us -- Head Start. (Applause.)
Education is the one investment that means more for our
future because it means the most for our children. Real improvement
in our schools is not simply a matter of spending more. It's a
matter of asking more -- expecting more -- of our schools, our
teachers, of our kids, of our parents and ourselves. And that's why
tonight, I am announcing America's education goals -- goals developed
with enormous cooperation from the nation's governors. And if I
might, I'd like to say I'm very pleased that Governor Gardner and
Governor Clinton, Governor Branstad, Governor Campbell, all of whom
were very key in these discussions, these deliberations, are with us
here tonight. (Applause.)
By the year 2000, every child must start school ready to
learn. The United States must increase the high school graduation
rate to no less than 90 percent. (Applause.)
And we are going to make sure our schools' diplomas mean
something. In critical subjects -- at the 4th, 8th and 12th grades
-- we must assess our students' performance. (Applause.)
By the year 2000, U.S. students must be first in the
world in math and science achievement. (Applause.)
Every American adult must be a skilled, literate worker
and citizen. (Applause.)
Every school must offer the kind of disciplined
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environment that makes it possible for our kids to learn. And every
school in America must be drug-free. (Applause.)
Ambitious aims? of course. Easy to do? Far from it.
But the future's at stake. The nation will not accept anything less
than excellence in education.
These investments will keep America competitive. And I
know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll
match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our
spirit and enterprise against anyone. But let the competition be
free; but let it also be fair. America is ready. (Applause.)
Since we really mean it and since we're serious about
being ready to meet that challenge, we're getting our own house in
order. We have made real progress. Seven years ago, the federal
deficit was six percent of our Gross National Product -- six percent.
In the new budget I sent up two days ago, the deficit is down to one
percent of Gross National Product.
That budget brings federal spending under control. It
meets the Gramm-Rudman target. It brings that deficit down further
and balances the budget by 1993 with no new taxes. (Applause.)
And let me tell you, there's still more than enough
federal spending. For most of us, $1.2 trillion is still a lot of
money.
And once the budget is balanced, we can operate the way
every family must when it has bills to pay. We won't leave it to our
children and our grandchildren. Once it's balanced, we will start
paying off the national debt. (Applause.)
And there's something more we owe the generations of the
future: stewardship, the safekeeping of America's precious
environmental inheritance.
It's just one sign of how serious we are: we will
elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet rank.
(Applause.) Not more bureaucracy, not more red tape, but the
certainty that here at home and especially in our dealings with other
nations, environmental issues have the status they deserve.
This year's budget provides over $2 billion in new
spending to protect our environment, with over $1 billion for global
change research. And a new initiative I call "America the Beautiful"
to expand our national parks and wildlife preserves that improve
recreational facilities on public lands.
And something else: something that will help keep this
country clean, from our forestland to the inner cities, and keep
America beautiful for generations to come, the money to plant a
billion trees a year. (Applause.)
And tonight, let me say again to all the members of the
Congress: the American people did not send us here to bicker. There
is work to do, and they sent us here to get it done. And once Let's again,
in the spirit of cooperation, I offer my hand to all of you.
work together to do the will of the people: clean air; child care;
the Educational Excellence Act; crime and drugs. It's time to act.
The farm bill, transportation policy, product liability reform,
enterprise zones -- it's time to act together. (Applause.)
And there's one thing I hope we will be able to agree on.
It's about our commitments. I'm talking about Social Security. To
every supporting that system today and to everyone counting on it. when they
American out there on Social Security, to every American it
retire; we made a promise to you, and we are going to keep
(Applause.)
We rescued the system in 1983 and it's sound again --
bipartisan arrangement. Our budget fully funds today's benefits, and
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it assures that future benefits will be funded as well. The last
thing we need to do is mess around with Social Security. (Applause.)
There's one more problem we need to address. We must
give careful consideration to the recommendations of the health care
studies underway now. That's why tonight, I'm asking Dr. Sullivan --
Lou Sullivan -- Secretary of Health and Human Services, to lead a
Domestic Policy Council review of recommendations on the quality,
accessibility and cost of our nation's health care system. I am
committed to bring the staggering costs of health care under control.
(Applause.)
The "state of the government", does indeed depend on many
of us in this very chamber. But the state of the Union depends on
all Americans. We must maintain the democratic decency that makes a
nation out of millions of individuals. I've been appalled at the
recent mail bombings across this country. Every one of us must
confront and condemn racism, antisemitism, bigotry and hate. Not
next week, not tomorrow, but right now -- every single one of us.
(Applause.)
The state of the Union depends on whether we help our
neighbor -- claim the problems of our community as our own. We've
got to step forward when there's trouble -- lend a hand, be what I
call a point of light to a stranger in need. We've got to take the
time after a busy day to sit down and read with our kids. Help them
with their homework. Pass along the values we learned as children.
That's how we sustain the state of the Union. Every effort is
important. It all adds up -- it's doing the things that give
democracy meaning. It all adds up to who we are and who we will be.
Let me say, that so long as we remember the American idea
-- so long as we live up to the American ideal -- the state of the
Union will remain sound and strong.
And to those who worry that we've lost our way -- well, I
want you to listen to parts of a letter written by James Markwell --
Private First Class James Markwell, a 20-year old Army medic of the
1st Battalion, 75th Rangers. It's dated December 18th -- the night
before our Armed Forces went into action in Panama. It's a letter
servicemen write -- and hope will never be sent. And sadly, Private
Markwell's mother did receive this letter. She passed it along to me
out there in Cincinnati.
And here is some of what he wrote: "I've never been
afraid of death, but I know he is waiting at the corner. I've been
trained to kill and to save, and so has everyone else. I am
frightened what lays beyond the fog, and yet, do not mourn for me.
Revel in the life that I have died to give you. But most of all,
don't forget the Army was my choice. Something that I wanted to do.
"Remember I joined the Army to serve my country and
insure that you are free to do what you want and live your lives
freely."
Let me add that Private Markwell was among the first to
see battle in Panama, and one of the first to fall.
But he knew what he believed in. He carried the idea we
call America in his heart.
I began tonight speaking about the changes we've seen
this past year. There is a new world of challenges and opportunities
before us. And there's a need for leadership that only America can
provide.
Nearly 40 years ago, in his last address to the Congress,
President Harry Truman predicted such a time would come. He said:
"As our world grows stronger, more united, more attractive to men on
both sides of the Iron Curtain, then inevitably there will come a
time of change within the communist world."
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Today, that change is taking place.
For more than 40 years, America and its allies held
communism in check, and ensured that democracy would continue to
exist. And today, with communism crumbling, our aim must be to
ensure democracy's advance. To take the lead in forging peace and
freedom's best hope -- a great and growing commonwealth of free
nations.
And to the Congress and to all Americans, I say it is
time to acclaim a new consensus at home and abroad -- a common vision
of the peaceful world we want to see.
Here in our own hemisphere, it is time for all the
peoples of the Americas -- North and South -- to live in freedom.
(Applause.)
In the Far East and Africa, it's time for the full
flowering of free governments and free markets that have served as
the engine of progress.
It's time to offer our hand to the emerging democracies
of Eastern Europe. so that continent -- for too long a continent
divided -- can see a future whole and free.
It's time to build on our new relationship with the
Soviet Union -- (applause) -- to endorse and encourage a peaceful
process of internal change toward democracy and economic opportunity.
We are in a period of great transition, great hope, and
yet great uncertainty. We recognize that the Soviet military threat
in Europe is diminishing, but we see little change in Soviet
strategic modernization. Therefore, we must sustain our own
strategic offense modernization and the Strategic Defense Initiative.
(Applause.)
But the time is right to move forward on a conventional
arms control agreement to move us to more appropriate levels of
military forces in Europe -- a coherent defense program that ensures
the U.S. will continue to be a catalyst for peaceful change in
Europe. And I've consulted with leaders of NATO. In fact, I spoke
by phone with President Gorbachev just today.
I agree with our European allies that an American
military presence in Europe is essential -- and that it should not be
tied solely to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe.
But our troop levels can still be lower. And so tonight,
I am announcing a major new step -- for a further reduction in U.S.
and Soviet manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to 195,000 on each
side. (Applause.)
This number -- this level reflects the advice of our
senior military advisors. It's designed to protect American and
European interests and sustain NATO's defense strategy. A swift
conclusion to our arms control talks -- conventional, chemical and
strategic -- must now be our goal. And that time has come.
still, we must recognize an unfortunate fact: In many
regions of the world tonight, the reality is conflict -- not peace. the
Enduring animosities and opposing interests remain. And thus, and
of peace must be served by an America strong enough -- American sure
cause enough -- to defend our interests and our ideals. It's this revolution of
idea that for the past four decades helped inspire this
'89.
Here at home -- and in the world -- there's history in
the making -- history to be made. Six months ago, early in this in
season Poland at the monument to the fallen workers of Solidarity. the It's a
of change, I stood at the gates of the Gdansk Shipyard
monument of simple majesty. Three tall crosses rise up from of
stones. And atop each cross, an anchor -- an ancient symbol hope.
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The anchor in our world today is freedom. Holding us
steady in times of change -- a symbol of hope to all the world. And
freedom is at the very heart of the idea that is America.
Giving life to that idea depends on every one of us. Our
anchor has always been faith and family.
In the last few days of this past momentous year, our
family was blessed once more -- celebrating the joy of life when a
little boy became our 12th grandchild. When I held the little guy
for the first time, the troubles at home and abroad seemed manageable
-- and totally in perspective. (Applause.)
Now, I know you're probably thinking: well, that's just
a grandfather talking. Well, maybe you're right. But I've met a lot
of children this past year across this country, as all of you have.
Everywhere from the Far East to Eastern Europe. And all kids are
unique, and yet all kids are alike. The budding young
environmentalists I met this month, who joined me in exploring the
Florida Everglades. The little leaguers I played catch with in
Poland -- ready to go from Warsaw to the World Series. And even the
kids who are ill or alone -- and God bless those boarder babies, born
addicted to drugs and AIDS and coping with problems no child should
have to face. But you know, when it comes to hope and the future,
every kid is the same. Full of dreams; ready to take on the world.
All special, because they are the very future of freedom. And to
them belongs this new world I've been speaking about.
And so tonight, I'm going to ask something of every one
of you. Now, let me start with my generation -- with the
grandparents out there. You are our living link to the past. Tell
your grandchildren the story of struggles waged at home and abroad,
of sacrifices freely made for freedom's sake. And tell them your own
story as well, because every American has a story to tell.
And parents: your children look to you for direction and
guidance. Tell them of faith and family. Tell them we are One
Nation under God. Teach them that of all the many gifts they can
receive, liberty is their most precious legacy. And of all the gifts
they can give, the greatest -- the greatest is helping others.
And to the children and young people out there tonight:
with you rests our hope -- all that America will mean in the years
and decades ahead. Fix your vision on a new century -- your century.
On dreams we cannot see. On the destiny that is yours and yours
alone.
And finally, let all Americans -- all of us together here
in this chamber -- the symbolic center of democracy -- affirm our
allegiance to this idea we call America. And let us remember that
the State of the Union depends on each and every one of us.
God bless all of you. And may God bless this great
nation, the United States of America. (Applause.)
END
9:40 P.M. EST
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTO.N
September 1, 1989
MEMORANDUM TO:
OPINION LEADERS
FROM:
DAVID DEMAREST
AA
ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS
SUBJECT:
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS
We thought you would be interested in the latest review of
Bush Administration initiatives and accomplishments. The
President has moved forward on a number of fronts, in both
domestic and foriegn policy, to set the agenda for America.
We have enclosed a copy of the entire document, as well as a
shorter executive summary.
1
September 1, 1989
BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
SUMMARY
As the Bush Administration enters its eighth month, 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
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.
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.
2
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.
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 two State visits to Europe, a
series of major speeches and frequent meetings and contacts
with European leaders, the President has set forth a vision
of a new Europe -- secure, prosperous, whole and free --
successfully culminating four decades of Western policies
and seizing an historic opportunity to move toward ending
the postwar division of Europe.
Poland and Hungary: The President's strong support for
unprecedented democratic change in Hungary and Poland was
highlighted by his visits to those nations, where he
encouraged internal reconciliation and cooperation. The
President offered political and moral support as well as
economic and trade incentives for further steps along the
path of reform.
Economic summit: Under President Bush's leadership, the
Paris Economic Summit agreed to support Polish and Hungarian
economic reforms and to concert efforts for maximum
effectiveness of Western assistance. The Economic Summit
also 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, for the first time,
international cooperation on protection of the environment.
3
"Beyond Containment": The President has welcomed the
extraordinary political and economic changes underway in the
Soviet Union. He has established a new American policy,
"Beyond Containment," that seeks to integrate the Soviet
Union into the community of nations. The President has
accelerated the pace of arms control negotiations with the
Soviet Union, and broadened the dialogue beyond human
rights, bilateral and regional issues to include problems of
global concern such as the environment, terrorism, and
narcotics.
NATO Summit: The President seized the arms control
initiative and won the strong support of our Allies with a
bold proposal to reduce conventional forces in Europe.
Calling for completion of negotiations within six months to
a year, the President proposed deep cuts in manpower and
equipment.
China: Visiting China soon after taking office, the
President underscored the long-term strategic importance of-
the Sino-U.S. relationship and his support for the process
of reform. In response to the subsequent suppression of the
democratic movement in China, the President took actions
making clear that we do not condone repression even while he
worked to preserve the basic elements of this 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. With the agreement,
for the first time in years, the U.S. has a broadly
supported strategy aimed at bringing about free and fair
elections in Nicaragua.
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 including, after more than a decade of
debate, specific proposals for two mobile ICBMs. The
strategic modernizations program also includes the
revolutionary B-2 bomber and funding to support an informed
development and deployment decision on the Strategic Defense
Initiative within the next four years.
4
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
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,
5
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,
by working for more prisons, and by 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.
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
community service initiatives that are working and to
discover and encourage new leaders.
6
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.
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.
# # #
September 1, 1989
BUILDING A BETTER AMERICA
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 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. This is the second longest peacetime
economic expansion in U.S. history, tying 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
set a new record in 1987, the last year for which data are
available.
Industrial output: During this expansion, American
industrial output has grown almost 40 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 rose to
5.5 percent during the first half of this year. Real, non-
residential fixed investment as a percent of real GNP rose
to 12.4 percent in the second quarter of 1989.
Inflation under control: Consumer price inflation has
remained under five percent in each of the seven years from
1982 to 1988, and the recent slowing in economic growth to a
sustainable rate will lessen price pressures in the near
future.
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ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
Presenting a budget: The President put forth a budget that
provides for investment in future growth and competitiveness
and addresses our fundamental obligations for national
security and support of the needy. It also provides
sufficient funds to advance high-priority initiatives such
as protection of the environment, the fight against drugs,
and the improvement of our educational system. 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.
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 assures that
the long developing problems in our savings industry will
never happen again. It significantly reforms the regulation
of the thrift industry and separates the chartering of the
institutions from the insurance of deposits. It establishes
strict new guidelines to assure the solvency of thrift
institutions in the future, including new capital
requirements, 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.
Addressing the international debt problem: The
Administration has taken the lead in 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
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 debt problems of
developing countries.
3
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 U.S.,
create incentives for investment, and increase job
opportunities. The President's proposal 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 by
Congress would have had an adverse economic impact and cut
job opportunities drastically. Accordingly, the President
vetoed the bill. 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. The Administration has created a
high level interagency group to assure that U.S. trade and
investment interests are addressed as the European Community
works to create a single market in 1992.
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 (VRAs) 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 to
producers of wheat, feed grains, rice, and upland cotton.
In addition, a top-level Working Group on Rural Development
was established 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 economic competitiveness.
4
SEIZING INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEACE
The President assumed office at a time of dramatic and
vibrantly promising change in the world. From the Third World to
the Communist World, surging internal forces of democratization
and economic reform have shaken Marxist and other authoritarian
regimes to their foundations. As they respond to these internal
crises, unprecedented opportunities have arisen to resolve
longstanding international disputes, to reduce the level of arms
and military expenditures, and to promote the further spread of
market economies and political pluralism. While this worldwide
process of reform and change has and will inevitably encounter
setbacks, a new course in history has been set. The President is
determined to move on a broad front to seize this unique
opportunity to strengthen world peace and the course of freedom.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
"Europe Whole and Free": In two State visits to Europe, a
series of major speeches, and frequent meetings and contacts
with European leaders, the President has set forth a vision
of a new Europe - secure, prosperous, whole, and free
successfully culminating four decades of Western policies
and seizing an historic opportunity to move toward ending
the postwar division of Europe.
Western Europe: The President for the first time has
declared the United States' unequivocal support for European
unity and defense cooperation. He has proposed new
mechanisms for consultation with the EC Commission and
member states as the European Community heads toward a
single market in 1992. 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 Alliance's future agenda.
Eastern Europe: As Poland and Hungary take unprecedented
steps toward pluralism, democracy, and market economic
policies, the United States has signaled 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 during his
visits to Poland and Hungary, the President proposed major
new initiatives for Poland and Hungary designed to further
structural change that promises improved economic
performance.
5
Poland: Following up on the program he announced earlier
this year in Hamtramck, Michigan, the President 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 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 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 the Peace Corps would operate in Hungary to
enhance English language training -- 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.
6
O
"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
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, and discussions
have 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
reductions.
China: On his visit to China in February, the President
emphasized the long-term strategic importance of the U.S.-
China relationship and his support for the process of
reform. In response to the subsequent 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
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 -- and can do so again in the future.
o
Latin America: The President has established a close,
working relationship with Latin American neighbors 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.
O
Bipartisan Accord on Central America: On March 24, the
President and Congress agreed 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
7
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 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
also has supported the efforts of the Arab League and others
to end the internecine warfare and slaughter of innocents,
and to bring peace to Lebanon.
A Strong Defense: The President proposed to Congress a two-
missile plan to maintain a strong, modernized strategic
deterrent. The plan to deploy the rail-mobile Peacekeeper
and the road-mobile Small ICBM will also give the U.S.
momentum in strategic arms control negotiations.
I
The President proposed to Congress an integrated
package on strategic modernization that capitalizes on
the revolutionary potential of the B-2, and modernizes
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 four years.
--
The President also directed the Department of Defense
to implement its recent blueprint to strengthen and
streamline the weapons procurement process.
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.
8
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
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.
9
On April 24, the President issued a new Executive Order on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
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.
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:
0
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
rain will be cut, by ten million tons from 1980 levels,
and nitrogen oxide levels cut by two million tons -- by
the end of this century. The Administration's bill is
the only one which imposes a cap on emissions after the
year 2000 to ensure that a ten million ton reduction is
maintained. 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.
Currently, 100 cities don't meet Federal air
quality standards. This legislation will bring all but
4 cities into attainment with the ozone standard by
2000 -- and within 20 years, even Los Angeles, Houston
and New York.
10
In the nine urban areas with the greatest smog
problems, smog will be cut through the introduction of
alternative fuels and clean-fueled vehicles. The
President is calling for the phased-in introduction of
a half a million clean-fueled vehicles in 1995,
building up to sales of a million clean-fueled cars a
year in 1997 through 2004.
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.
In its first phase, the President's plan should
substantially reduce the number of 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.
Natural Gas Decontrol: 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.
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 clean up, 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 increased international efforts
on oil spill prevention and clean-up.
11
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 clean up 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. Pending the recommendations of the task force, the
President has postponed drilling activity in these areas.
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.
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
number of steps, 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.
Wetlands, National Parks, and Reforestation: The President
is also committed to "no net loss of wetlands" and is
directing his executive branch agencies, through an
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interagency task force, to make recommendations to achieve
that goal.
He has proposed $206 million in new money to expand and
improve America's parks and wildlife refuges, preserving
them for generations to come.
Finally, the President supports increased lending by
the development banks for reforestation programs and the
implementation of the Tropical Forest Action Plan. He also
endorsed the call by the Paris Economic Summit for an end to
world deforestation.
Asbestos Ban: On July 7, EPA announced an almost total
phase-out of nearly all uses of asbestos by 1997. The ban
will 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.
Ban on African Elephant Ivory: On June 9, the
Administration announced an importation ban of African
elephant ivory into the United States, making importation
from any country illegal. The ban covers both commercial
and non-commercial shipments.
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
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.
13
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
On May 15, 1989, President Bush announced 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.
--
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.
--
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%.
Anti-Drug Treaty: The Vienna Convention on Illicit
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances was strongly endorsed
14
by the President and forwarded to the Congress for
ratification. This is the most significant and far-
reaching treaty on international cooperation on drug
trafficking, chemical precursor control, and money
laundering ever to be signed.
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:
O
Budget: 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.
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.
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.
15
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;
--
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.
16
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:
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.
The President has directed Secretary of Labor Dole to
determine whether the barriers to securing liability
insurance impair employer-provided 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
own; second, to identify, enlarge, and duplicate what is working;
and third, to discover and encourage new leaders.
17
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;
-- 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
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
18
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.
--
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:
O
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.
--
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.
:
The Administration is proposing to spend $3.6 billion
over the next five years implementing the JOBS 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 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
has called for full funding of Medicaid. This will mean $39.1
billion for FY 1990, an increase of $4.8 billion, or 12.2 percent
over the FY 1989 level.
19
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,
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.
ACTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION:
o
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.
20
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:
O
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 Programs, 109,000 new
families in need of low-income housing, and has pledged to
maintain HUD assistance to those families already being
helped. President Bush has also signalled his commitment to
helping poor residents in public housing to 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.
Job training: The Administration 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.
21
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,
requiring reasonable accommodation be made by employers
for disabled potential employees.
-- Most 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.
22
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:
o
Campaign Finance Reform: The President's comprehensive
campaign finance reform proposal is designed to lessen the
power of special economic interests and restore real
competition to American Congressional elections. The
package 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.
--
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.
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.
23
-- 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
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.
--
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.
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