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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 4, 2000

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I am very disappointed that Senator Lott plans to deny prompt consideration of the urgent and essential needs in my 2000 supplemental request, including helping victims of Hurricane Floyd, providing energy assistance for families struggling with rising oil prices, helping keep illegal drugs out of our country by supporting the Colombian government's fight against drug traffickers, and building peace and stability in Kosovo to support the efforts of our troops there without jeopardizing our current state of military readiness worldwide. It is also essential to provide debt relief for the world's poorest nations undertaking economic reforms so that they can join the global economy.

I firmly believe that any action to delay consideration of these pressing needs would impose unnecessary costs to Americans at home, to our interests abroad and to our military readiness around the world. Therefore, I urge the Senate to consider the interests of the nation, and to move ahead quickly with work on these urgent and essential needs.

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