This is historical material, "frozen in time." The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 27, 1995

                        REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
             IN PHONE CALL TO MAYOR NORICK OF OKLAHOMA CITY

The Oval Room

10:15 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Mayor?

MAYOR NORICK: Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: How are you? Good morning.

MAYOR NORICK: Good morning, Mr. President. How are you doing this morning?

THE PRESIDENT: I'm doing fine. How are you managing your heat wave down there?

MAYOR NORICK: Well, it's typical for Oklahoma, so we don't mind it too bad. But I appreciate your call, and I especially appreciate the reason for your call.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as you know, I signed the rescission bill today, and because of your efforts and the efforts of many other people, the bill includes $39 million in funding to restore and revitalize the area that was affected by the bombing. And we tried to give you significant flexibility so that you could use these funds in a way that would spur economic recovery and have the biggest impact.

So I wanted to tell you that we signed it today, and we thank you for your efforts. And I hope that they'll be very helpful to you.

MAYOR NORICK: They will be extremely helpful. We have a -- the group from NEA have been in here for the last week assisting us, and we've come up with our first plan for the area revitalization; have been meeting with a number of the business owners. They're obviously very excited about the interest that not only the White House, but that HUD -- that Cisneros has taken, and also the city, making sure their area is rebuilt.

Also I want to let you know that Councilman Schwartz, who has been instrumental from our end also is here with me. On the short notice, we were the only two that happened to be within a three or four-minute drive time of City Hall, and really do appreciate all the efforts that you've been able to make toward our city. And I know from your earlier conversations that should we need any additional help in any other areas, that that door is open. And we will not abuse that opportunity should it arise.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I know that Secretary Cisneros will be in regular touch with you and he'll also try to keep me in touch. But if you need us, let us know. And you tell Councilman Schwartz I said hello as well.

COUNCILMAN SCHWARTZ: Thank you, Mr. President.

MAYOR NORICK: Okay. Well, thank you, Mr. President. And I appreciate very much your call. And I especially appreciate your signature -- if you've got an extra pen, send it down here. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: As a matter of fact, I saved one for you. I'll send it to you.

MAYOR NORICK: I would love to have it. It would be something that will be a real keepsake for our community, and I'm sure when we finally get the memorial done and all of that it would be a wonderful item to put in our memorial.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir.

MAYOR NORICK: Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Have a good day. Good-bye.

MAYOR NORICK: You, too, sir. Thank you.

END 10:18 A.M. EDT