Speech #960113205

We do not want to heat up the economy in order to bring down the unemployment rate. knowing full well that if we have stimulus programs or tax cuts which will heat up the economy that we will further feed the flames of inflation and it is essential that we get inflation down. but not having stimulus programs. not having tax cuts and having at the same time compassion for those who are unemployed. it is essential that we have some specifically targeted programs. some specifically designed programs which will try to reach in a very narrow focus those who are suffering the most from unemployment and from high inflation. We can do this through targeted fiscal assistance programs and we have made provision for that. Another new initiative is the aid for refugees. That is not a popular subject. but this has always been the land of compassion. America earned the respect of the world not only in this century but in the past century for having a heart. for having compassion and for reaching out to the unfortunates from all over the world and helping them in life. helping them here in this great new land that was and is the promised land. This was true of my parents. It was true of my grandparents. It was true of the parents and grandparents of many of us who came from all over the world to this Nation and made it the great Nation that it is and we are not going to turn our backs on refugees today because it costs money. We are going to be careful and frugal how the money is spent. but we are still the one great Nation of compassion that worries about people in other parts of the world. We have acted in this way because of that saving refugees program increase in the budget for 1980 for which we have had to take account here. Finally. the funding of a pay raise of 7 percent for all Federal employees and the military. reflecting a higher cost of living adjustment than was provided for in the first budget resolution as recommended by the President. You will recall that just several days ago the President changed the recommendation that he had originally made of a 5.5percent costofliving increase for Federal employees.