In recent weeks the Castro regime has encouraged Cubans too tight of the sea and unsafe vessels to escape their nation's internal problems. And so doing it is risk the lives of thousands of Cubans and several have already died and their efforts to leave. This action is a cold-blooded attempt to maintain the Castro grip on Cuba and to divert attention from his failed communist policies. He is trying to export to the United States the political and economic crises. He is created in Cuba and Defiance of the democratic tide flowing throughout this region. Let me be clear. The Cuban government will not succeed in any attempt to dictate American Immigration policy. United States will do everything within its power to ensure that Cuban lives are saved and at the current outflow of refugees is stopped. Today I have ordered that illegal refugees from Cuba will not be allowed to enter the United States. Refugees rescued at Sea will be taken to our Naval Base at Guantanamo while we explore the possibility of other safe havens within the region. To enforce this policy. I have directed the Coast Guard to continue its expanded effort to stop any boat. Illegally attempting to bring Cubans to the United States United States will detain investigate and if necessary prosecute Americans who take to the sea to pick up Cubans vessels used in such activities will be seized. I want to compliment the Coast Guard and the immigration and naturalization service for their efforts. And I want to thank Florida's officials including Governor child's and the Florida Congressional Delegation for their help in protecting and saving the lives of Cubans who seek to escape the regime. Now I'd like to speak just for a moment about the crime bill. In the last week. I have fought hard to put this crime Bill back on track. After extensive talks with members of both parties. I've indicated my support for strengthening the provisions that require a sexual predators to report to the police and make sure their communities are notified of their presents. And I support cutting overall spending in the bill by 10% These Cuts will ensure that every dollar authorized in the bill will actually be paid for not with new taxes and not by diverting dollars from other needed programs. But as I have always insisted with the savings, we will gain from reducing the size of the federal government by over a quarter of a million people over the next six years to its lowest size in over 30 years since President. Kennedy was here and all these historic savings will go back to the American people to make their streets in their homes their school safer. I have insisted that we keep the most profoundly important elements of the crime Bill to keep a tough by putting a hundred thousand police officers on the street building more prisons putting violent criminals away for Good by making three strikes. You're out the law of the land and by other stronger provisions on sentencing. and we're going to keep it smart with a sensible crime prevention programs that steer our kids away from drugs and gangs and give them things to say yes to The crime bill must ban handguns for juveniles and take deadly assault weapons off our streets, even though we've come under intense pressure from forces that will apparently say anything. To take the assault weapons out of the bill I have refused to do so. Let's keep in mind what this crime bill is all about. It's about removing fear from our streets are schools and our home innocent Americans should not have to fear being preyed upon as so many do today innocent children should not have to fear losing their childhoods as so many do today. We owe it to the American people that do the work and pay the bills in this country to make sure that people who commit crimes get caught at those who are guilty get convicted and those were convicted serve their time. We also owe it to them to do whatever we can to prevent crime in the first place. That's what the police in the prevention programs are all about. That's why it is so important and why I have work so hard to make sure that we do not turn this crime issue and it yet another Washington partisan issue. This is a Grassroots mainstream non partisan issue. And so it should remain It Must Be An American Crime Bill. We have worked hard on it and I called upon Congress to pass it without delay. Helen thank you. well But you could all do a lot to make it happy. That is not a guilt trip feel no pressure. Thank you. 5 years we've had an embargo against your butt. And increase the economic burden on the understand that's why the refugees are coming in. What is the problem with taking a few small albeit brief steps to negotiate of possible movement toward democracy with cubic. We've dealt with many communist countries through the last 35 years, and we're dealing with them now. Not many left. I support the Embargo and I support the Cuban democracy act which was passed in 1992. And I did not believe we should change our policy there. The fundamental problem is democracy is sweeping the world democracy and freedom are sweeping our hemisphere. in the Caribbean Alone, and in Central and South America and all of this region, there are only two countries now not democratically govern with open societies and open economies. The real problem is the stubborn refusal of the Castro regime to have an open democracy in an open economy. And I think the policies We are following will hasten the day when that occurs and we follow those policies because we believe they are the ones most likely to promote democracy and ultimately prosperity for the people of Cuba. A true of Cuba of a North Korea or China and you're dealing with them every day. I think the circumstances are different and I think our policy is correct. Recognizing that you're slowing down the process who are people fleeing Cuba still get automatic entry to the United States as political refugees if they're not criminals or ill people that the people leaving Cuba. Will not be permitted to come to the United States. They will be sent to safe havens the people who reach here will be apprehended and will be treated like others they will be their cases will be reviewed those who qualify can stay in those who don't will not be permitted to they will be now treated like others who come here for it. Under the law has always been clear that Cuban refugees had a certain priority on staying here at the coffee. Of course, it's been in anybody got here got to stay what restraints are you operating under the terms of the law and changing this process of being sued over there. I'm glad you asked that question. Contradistinction to the one you had said it right after the Cuban adjustment act will continue to be the law of the land but we are doing our best within that we will we will detain if you want to come here now, they will not simply be released into the population at large and we will review all their cases in light of the applicable law including the Cuban adjustment act. Of course, then we don't know Andrew this place on our Naval forces the Coast Guard already we're being told that drug interdiction is being cut back and can you respond to criticism already from Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich ticular is to Gingrich said that your new policy is appalling. It's an example of mixed morality and that he thinks it is illegal under the ACT. well first let me ask you the factual questions the the refugees those who were fleeing will be taking first to Guantanamo where we will see safe havens for them. That is plainly not the illegal under international law nor do we believe it is illegal under the Cuban adjustment act II lie as to whether it is immoral. I just would say it is my belief that the American people and that the Cuban American people And the people of Florida but the people the entire United States do not want to see another Mariel boatlift. They do not want to see Cuba dictate our immigration policy. They do not want to see mr. Castro able to export his political and economic problems to the United States. Now that is what is plainly being set up. We have gone through that once we had a hundred and twenty thousand people sent to this country. As a deliberate attempt not because they themselves initially wanted to flee they were encouraged to flee. They were pushed out. We had jails open. We had Mental Hospitals open all the attempt to export all the problems of Cuba to the United States. We tried it that way once it was wrong then and it's wrong now and I'm not going to let it happen again. Yeah, that's my answer. The naval forces the Coast Guard are they up to this? I think the Coast Guard is plainly up to it. We may have to have a little more Navy support. I'm at with secretary defense this morning. We discussed it at length. He is confident that we can do what we have to do without undermining our fundamental mission. Washington first of all anytime you start a I've never seen a bill that started new problems. That you couldn't cut some and maintain its fundamental Integrity. I said that crime bill was a strong and good bill as it was and it was a strong and good bill. But one of the things that happen in conference, that is I think it's been largely overlooked is that in an attempt to get as much money as possible? four police officers and law enforcement and for prisons and for Border Patrol funds were appropriated or we're authorized in the crime bill that came out of conference in an amount greater than we could provide in the trust fund. Keep in mind that the great beauty of this crime bill is it's the first major program in American history that's being financed entirely by reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy and taking all the Savings in the federal government and putting it in a trust fund to help Grassroots Americans get better control over their own lies, the Practical impact of what we are doing by cutting 10% of this will be to be able to put everything that's left into the trust fund. So in terms of real dollars, I believe there will be more money actually appropriated and spent For tough law enforcement and for police officers and I believe that all the fundamental important things in the prevention strategy will be maintained at a very high level and dramatically higher than now you can delete principles of the bill are intact. It's the biggest increase in police in the history of the country. It's the toughest increasing punishment the history of the country. It's the biggest increase in prevention programs in the history of the country. I'm not a member of the Congress they have to work out all the details if they produced this bill out of the conference. I would have happily supported this as I did the other one. getting into polish Now that's one of those questions designed to spoil your birthday. because Cuz it's it's something else. It is designed to confuse the American people about what really goes on up here. The president is not a member of the Congress. The Congress made a decision that they had a bill that they all wanted. They accommodated the interest as best. They could hitting that all my fundamental criteria assault weapons ban ban on handgun ownership by kids tougher penalties longer imprisonment more prevention. So does this bill this bill has the added virtue? Of being able to be fully funded. And the trust fund that we are creating by reducing the federal government to its lowest size in 30 years. And if in fact let me just say if in fact there has been no conference. If in fact the conference receives along the lines that I generally believe it's going on and it has the added virtue of some strengthening of the language which was put in involving this old sexual predator issue. So in that sense, I think it is a fine bill at meets all the criteria and it doesn't just got the prevention programs, which I was determined to see not happen. Yes. Will you say that you're not going to allow Fidel Castro to dictate US immigration policy but hasn't he just done that by forcing you to reverse three decades of of a policy and secondly, what do you say to Cuban Americans especially in Florida who feel betrayed by this change in policy, I believe that most Cuban Americans want us to be very firm. the Cuban Americans that I know without regard to their party support of the Cuban democracy Act and they remember how awful it was for the United States. When the Mariel boatlift occurred they remembered what it did in this country and how the feelings that engendered in this country and I do not believe they want another Mariel boatlift and I do not believe we can afford to do that. And so my own view is that most cuban-americans will support what we're trying to do and wishes to be firm. I would remind you that the attorney general who is in charge of our overseas the ins who is done a lot of work on this and it will have a press conference. I think when I finished to answer some of the details of this policy was the prosecuting attorney in Dade County. I talked to the governor last night at some length about this of Florida. I think the My own feeling is and I've talked to Cuban Americans support exhaustively for years now and we've been in touch with the lemon with the Florida Congressional Delegation. I believe this policy will have broad support. I will be surprised if it does not have brought support by telling Cubans to basically to stay home and at least temporarily to stomach conditions. Are you to be more active in Seeking Alpha testerone? What we are telling Cubans is that we have a provision. For they're coming to the United States through in country processing and at least as of this date, we have no evidence that the that the Castro government has done anything to discourage Cubans from coming to the in-country processing apply for the Visas if they're eligible to come here and getting them that is all. Well. That's what we're saying to them it is we do not have any evidence that would justify believing that that process won't work in Cuba as it has in other places and indeed the Castro government has encouraged Cubans to go down and apply to come here but we don't object to that. That's that's that's the policy we have everywhere and it's a policy we should have there. Unilaterally are multinational heat press for the Oscar of cats throw in some way military economic. Whatever the United States has done more than any other country to try to bring it into the Castro government and their we have done it for the Cuban democracy act. We have done it through the Embargo. We have worked hard off on laboring almost alone to that end and we will continue to do that by whatever reasonable means are available to us. Yes before Healthcare Reform Bill is produced by the Congressional budget office said that the doubt there's a growing feeling in Washington at the health care for hopelessly bogged down in Converse at this point. What is your view of the situation? that they should keep working at it that that if we don't move now, there's a chance that it won't happen at all. You know that the Congressional timetable is often different from the American time table. I mean it took 7 years to pass the Brady Bill and 7 years to pass family leave. But for 60 years people have acknowledged that not covering all Americans and having no system for for dealing with the explosive cost in the inequalities and healthcare system for a problem. They have reached a significant crisis stage here with 5 million more Americans losing their health insurance in The Last 5 Years alone with the cost exploding in the last 12 years. And I believe that the time has come to deal with this now Senator none simply observed. What I think is clearly a fact which is in the Senate there is unlimited debate and you can have unlimited amendments but a lot of these issues do need to be worked through I think that the comments Senator Kennedy and Senator Mitchell made today about the fact that this bipartisan group was at least attempting to work with them and in the process of so attempting finding out how hard it is. It's easy to stand on the sidelines and law brickbats at these efforts and put another thing to produce your own effort, but Comment made me believe that there is still a chance that that people will work together and resolve this so I would say to them keep working keep working at it because if you delay you may lose it all together. Make something less than than what Mitchell or get for his proposed just to to get keep the process moving since as you say if we don't get it now, we probably like that for one thing is if that's not so easy to do because this we've also seen from the studies of the Catholic Health Association and others the so-called something less approach often does more harm than good that when you just try to patch work this off and you lead to more people without insurance and higher insurance rates. What I would say to you is give the process time to unfold I know for you it's been going on a long time since we first began to debate this year and a half ago. I think for the American people it's almost like the baseball season of penance Just Begun. I hope we can have the pennant in the other one too and the series but but I think we need to let this thing unfold a little more. I wouldn't prejudge it yet wrong the bill will you under any circumstances agree to sever the assault weapon ban for a separate vote in the House and Senate? I won't agree to that because I think it's a mistake. And let me say I don't want to overlook, not to let me try to describe what the problem is. Bill has already passed the house. But in the Senate as you know, we could have 55 56 57 59 votes for that bill in the Senate and it could still be filibustered and we should not permit that to happen. I also believe that there is a chance that this whole process in the last few days. We may look back on this in a year or so and think that this was the beginning of an effort again and other areas to work in good faith across party lines. I have shown my good faith. I have taken the risk that all people take when they talk to people who are opposed to them of a well being asked the questions like Rita asked me but in this town, it won't work. If we have American problems unless we try to reach out across party lines. A lot of these these issues don't work like that. So if we can work through this in good faith, my view is that it will maybe be setting the stage to have more things like the NAFTA and the Brady Bill end the end the education bills and then this one where we can work together. So I don't believe we will have to do that and I am against doing and I think it would be a real error. Fidel Castro has been very high in the list of American demonology because he was a national security threat. I think of the Cuban Missile Crisis, he would provide a base for the Soviet Union that's all ended before seeing a form of government democratic government in Havana with free elections that includes Fidel Castro, or is it a case of the Castro must go before there's any normalization? Well in a democracy, it's up to the people to make their own decisions. United States is not pick leaders or delete leaders for other countries. We let people make their own decisions in and I don't want to get into that. I think we know what we need is a movement toward democracy and a free economy. Yes other said that he was intervening on it in that as a presidential Council because it threatened the presidency this tremendous cost since then the fun has decided it cannot legally solicit leaving no explanation sensitive a how how will the money be raised to pay these bills and to in lieu of the enough funding to do with what other options do you have to protect the presidency from the threat that he was talking about? I don't know. I don't know the answer that I haven't I'll just have to let you ask Mister, that I can't I'm just trying to stay away from that whole issue of the fun tonight. I can't answer those questions. Yes, I hate to ask you one of those questions that might spoil birthday again, but in light of the problems that you have been having many people are wondering if changing your communication strategies shuffling your staff might not be really addressing the problem that perhaps wondering if you thought about this that is a president elected with 43% You may be trying to do too much too fast and Democrats on Capitol Hill maybe trying to take too much of a partisan advantage of having control of the entire government and perhaps exceeding your mandate. Well first I don't want the Democrats to take partisan Advantage. I just want us to get what's necessary for the country done. I do not believe the country believes that we should sit still up here. And for all your talk about trouble let me remind you that every object is survey says it in 1993 this Administration got more support from Congress than any of ministration since World War II except President Eisenhower in 1953. When he had a less ambitious agenda and President Johnson in 1965 when he had a bigger mandate and more support from the Congress. So I think we're doing quite well with the Congress if you look at it any kind of historic pattern now, I realize the fights in the conflicts and the delays endure more than the achievements but we reverse Reaganomics. We pass an economic program that was part of the strategy that has given us three years of Desi production for the first time since Truman over 4 million jobs. We have the most advances in trade and we've had in a generation in the last year-and-a-half. This economic program is working. We broke 7 years of gridlock with the Brady Bill. We passed NAFTA which was deader than a doornail when I became president. We revived it and passed it. So I believe Congress is capable of working together off and on a bipartisan basis and there they still have some great opportunities here. They have the crime Bill the campaign Finance Reform Bill the lobby Reform Bill the bill that passed the house last week that is not left yet passed the Senate to require the Congress to live under the law that imposes on the American people, which I think is a very good bill and of course the healthcare challenge, but I believe what I have to do is to keep trying to change things anytime you try to provoke as much change as I have your going to have resistance and you will be criticized. Is it more difficult that I had 43% of the vote Perhaps it is but I think you can make another argument which was it 62% of the American people voted for fundamental change in the things that we were doing and in the way government works if anything I would say that I've been most disappointed looking back not so much in my inability to get things done because once people look at the list it's a very long and impressive list, but I haven't been a successful in changing the way it works that is in trying to get the Democrats and Republicans to reach across to each other in good faith and work through these things. That's why I think this crime bill could be an important thing. It could be aware of people in both parties sang. We're putting you first for a change not ourselves. The Federal Reserve raise interest rates again this week, but some Democrats are saying that it could cause an economic slowdown how many more rate increases will you take before you also put a side of the bed? Well, when the Federal Reserve raise rates this week the chairman. Mr. Greenspan said that he thought that this would be sufficient for a Time. The truth is that our economic strategy has produced more rapid growth than they thought it would and that we thought it would. We are even doing better than we thought we would we got over 4 million jobs already in the last year-and-a-half. And we've got rapid growth in the economy dramatic new investments in the private sector, so they're worried about inflation. When it is apparent to me. That the drag on the economy will be more about slowing the economy down and stopping inflation. I will do what I can to influence at policy. But I I think my policy of letting them do their job and having me do mine his worked out rather. Well, and I would remind you that from the time we announce let me just go back a little history here from the time we announced That we would have a serious assault on the deficit after the election in November from that day for a very long time there after we had dramatic drops in interest rates, which few will last year's expansion. So I think that we we have to recognize that the FED did respond to the efforts we made and not there. It's responding to now is a robust and growing economy. Of course, it could be slowed down too much but we don't have any evidence at this time that that is in fact occurred. Yes. Chucky versus next Sunday Mexico is going to have presidential elections. Can you give us your assessment? What do you think? What do you expect and what is going to be the impact in the relations of Mexico and the United States? Do you expect continuiti? I expect the elections to be free open and fair. And I expect them to produce a result which will be accepted by the people of Mexico. And I expect the United States to continue its deepening friendship with Mexico. I think that are our relationships are growing I think in spite of the political changes and the economic difficulties of Mexico in the last two years. We have had great success. I think NAFTA clearly was a great success. If you look at the economic benefits to the United States and what has happened, so I'm looking forward very optimistically to the future with Mexico. Yes, one more Progress continues between Israel and the Palestinians but they're still violence, but I wondered sir if you have an assessment on that. What is there? Is there any update on the Syrian front have you heard recently from president Assad and also has any progress been made in countering worldwide terrorism? You asked me a lot of questions there. let me answer try to answer them all. I believe we are. Still on a path of steady progress in the the hope of achieving an agreement that resolves the differences between Israel and Syria serious problems remain but I would say yes significant advances are Barbie made with regard to the Palestinian agreement. I think everyone always knew there would be some operational difficulties because the PLO I had to be fair to them. Never been in charge of a country. That is they have never had to operate a government in to deal with all the mundane and and maybe sometimes even boring day-to-day problems that unless they're properly managed to can't keep a society together. I think we're making some Headway there. I don't want to minimize the difficulties, but I do not expect them to be so great as to derail what we're doing on the terrorism front. I can tell you that the Every week several times a week. I get an update on our efforts and wild as you could have appreciate I cannot discuss many of them in great detail. I believe that we are making progress but I believe this is a problem. We'll all have to be very Vigilant about 4 years to come tree. Your birthday today? In you as you celebrate another birthday and if you could have three wishes fulfilled today, what would those three wishes be? Well, I woke up this morning. Just grateful to be here. That's what I'm feeling. I'm feeling grateful to be alive grateful to have my health grateful to have my family grateful to have the chance to serve and you know, I like the tough fight. So this is an exhilarating. For me. I like the big challenges. I think we're all put on this Earth to try to make a difference if I had 3 wishes I would wish for the crime Bill to pass one. I would wish that I would make more progress on the way. We do things around here as well as on the substance. because if we can open our minds and hearts to each other and play a little less politics, we can solve the healthcare problem too and other things and I would wish that I don't have to give up my whole vacation because I still have dreams of breaking 80 on the golf course before I'm 50. I feel that I let you know. This is not an easy job for you either. So since it's my birthday, we adjourn here. Let's go into the dining room and we can have some cake and whatever else is in there. Thank you very much.