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 The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work.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 June 27, 1996

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Over the last three years, AmeriCorps National Service participants have tutored thousands of students to help raise reading levels, helped victims of disasters such as floods and earthquakes in more than 20 states, and participated in anti-drug efforts in communities across the nation. Under the Republican bill passed yesterday, every National Service participant would be sent home, and hundreds of thousands would be denied this opportunity to serve their country while earning money for college.

Last year, in their misguided budget effort, Republicans voted to eliminate National Service. President Clinton vowed to veto any legislation to eliminate National Service, and when Republicans sent him such a bill, he did just that.

Last night, House Republicans renewed this fight with the President by voting once again to scrap all funds for National Service. President Clinton remains firm: He will veto any bill that does not provide adequate funds for AmeriCorps. And he will continue to fight against efforts to provide $57 billion less for education and training than his Balanced Budget request.

Eliminating National Service was a poison pill then, it is a poison pill now, and it will remain a poison pill as long as Republicans insist on eliminating the program.

-30-30-30-