THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release August 17, 1994

Statement by the Lloyd Cutler

The Justice Department today informed Judge Royce Lamberth that the White House intends to make available to the public the documents generated or received by the Health Care Working Groups last year. These documents will be made available within 21 days. We believe that this open and orderly release of documents will make it clear that the administration heard from a wide array of interests in drafting its health care proposal.

The White House had offered to settle the litigation relating to these documents, because we did not want any distractions from the important business of enacting health care, but the plaintiffs rejected this offer. We expect to prevail on the remaining issues, and look forward to speedy resolution of this matter.

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