Remarks and a question-and-answer session at Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys, California - Bill Clinton's speech, May 18, 1993

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, May 24, 1993

So then, the other thing I can do is to help alleviate the burdens of the State government. Why is State government spending less on education in California, more on uncompensated care for undocumented people coming into the country, more on exploding health care costs, often mandated by the National Government?

So if I can persuade the Congress, and if we can be wise and good enough to work out a health care program that's good for America, that brings costs in line with inflation, and then if we can compensate the States better for their costs that aren't their fault, like dealing with the immigration issues, then that will free up in California millions and millions and millions of dollars which the State could then turn around and put back into education. So we can help directly some, and we can help indirectly a lot. And I'm trying to do both those things.

Thank you. You were great. I wish I could stay longer.

NOTE: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in the courtyard. In his remarks, he referred to Congressman Walter R. Tucker III; Congressman Xavier Becerra; Donald G. Phelps, chancellor, and Mary E. Lee, president, Los Angeles Valley College; and Daniel A. Palmer, former student who has successfully retrained for a new career.