WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents contains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials released by the White House during the preceding week. The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Register Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under regulations prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10). Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished by mail to domestic subscribers for $55.00 per year ($96.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for $68.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The charge for a single copy is $2.00 ($2.50 for foreign mailing). There are no restrictions on the republication of material appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu ments. Week Ending Friday, April 17, 1992 Radio Address to the Nation on The American people have always been a people constantly searching for improvement, impatient for change when things need changing. Last week I spoke about the need for a change here in Washington, for Government reform, especially congressional reform. Today I want to focus on reforming our welfare system, especially on our Government's role in that reform process. After years of trying to help those who are in need, we have found that too often our assistance does not help people out of poverty; it traps them there. It's not that people stopped caring; it's that the system stopped working. We want a welfare system that breaks the cycle of dependency before dignity is destroyed and before poverty becomes a family legacy. But today we must face this fact: Our system has failed. I have repeatedly called for the forging of Federal-State partnerships that would make welfare reform a powerful, effective reality. Yesterday, at my direction, the Federal Government waived outdated rules to allow Wisconsin to try a new kind of welfare reform. The Wisconsin plan replaces some of the old assumptions of the welfare state and recognizes the importance of personal responsibility, self-respect, independence, and selfsufficiency. In my State of the Union Address, I made a commitment to make it quicker and easier for States with welfare reform ideas to get the Federal waivers they need. By approving Wisconsin's waivers 24 days after we received their request, that commitment now has the force of action. I want to commend Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, and I want to challenge other States to propose their own reforms. We must balance America's generous heart with our responsibility to the taxpayers who underwrite governmental assistance. Our assistance should in no way encourage dependency or undermine our Nation's economic competitiveness. We pay twice for those who make welfare a way of life: once for the initial benefits, but even more because the Nation loses their contribution to the Nation's economic well-being. Those who receive Government assistance have certain responsibilities: the responsibility to seek work or get education and training that will help them get a job, and the responsibility to get their lives in order. That means establishing lifestyles that will enable them to fulfill their potential, not destroy it. We have responsibilities, too. We must structure our welfare programs so that they reverse policies which lock in a lifestyle of dependency and subtly destroy self-esteem. We must encourage family formation and family stability. Too often our welfare pro grams have encouraged exactly the opposite. We must incorporate incentives for recipiconsin, teen parents are required by the ents to stay in school. For instance, in WisLearnfare program to stay in school to obtain full benefits. They recognize that in many respects opportunity is equated with education. And I'll have more to say about the urgent need for educational reform next week as we mark the first anniversary of the crusade that I call America 2000. My approach to welfare reform should not only open the doors of opportunity for our citizens who are on public assistance but also prepare them to walk proudly and competently through those doors. Our goal is to build a system of welfare that will encourage self-respect, build strength of character, and develop to the fullest each individual's potential for a productive, meaningful life. Thank you for listening. And may God bless the United States of America. Note: This address was recorded at 8:15 a.m. on April 10 in the Oval Office at the White House for broadcast after 9 a.m. on April 11. Remarks on Signing the Executive Please be seated. And may I just say that we are delighted to see all of you here on this crisp, cool day in the Rose Garden. Before I begin, I'd like to recognize two members of the Cabinet here: Secretary Lynn Martin over here, Secretary of Labor, and then Attorney General Bill Barr, sitting over here in the front. I also want to single out two Congressmen with us today, Bob Walker and Tom DeLay, thank them for being here; Mr. James Stephens, the Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. And also a very special welcome to Harry Beck and his wife, Karan. And fresh from parting the Red Sea, yet again on TV last night-[laughter]— our old friend Charlton Heston. And I'll have more to say about him in a minute. But thank you for coming all this way. Today happens to be a very special anniversary. Two hundred and forty-nine years ago today, Thomas Jefferson was born. And there is a renewed spirit of Jeffersonian reform sweeping through this Nation today. It is therefore a fitting occasion for putting into effect new reforms that will protect Americans' fundamental rights against political abuse by special interest groups. For brilliance, for courage, for passion in the cause of freedom and democracy, no one has ever surpassed Thomas Jefferson. He eloquently stated a principle of fundamental fairness in 1779 when he declared, "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." Now, not long ago in Philadelphia, I spoke of the wisdom of the Founders on the subject of Government reform. It is this Jeffersonian insight that we reaffirm today with reforms to strengthen the political rights of American workers. In the Executive order I will sign in just a few minutes, I am directing that companies performing Federal contract work must inform their employees in the clearest possible terms of their legal rights as affirmed in the Supreme Court's landmark Beck decision. This placard displayed here today represents the exact words of the notice that will be placed in workplaces around the Nation. And while this order will directly affect American workers employed by Federal contractors, I want to emphasize that the principles affirmed by the Beck decision are precious to all Americans. The Beck decision is one of a series of cases protecting American workers from being compelled against their will to pay union or agency dues in excess of what is actually used for collective bargaining purposes and contract administration. Full implementation of this principle will guarantee that no American will have his job or livelihood threatened for refusing to contribute to political activities against his will. The Executive order that I sign today will make it easier for employees of Federal contractors to understand and then exercise their political rights. The Secretary of Labor is separately proposing a rule clarifying and then bringing up to date requirements for labor organizations to account for how workers' dues are spent. This rule aims to foster union democracy, and it also will have the effect of helping employees protect their Beck rights. The trial court in the Beck case found, for instance, that in plaintiff Beck's workplace, Harry Beck's workplace, 79 percent of the compulsory dues collected went to purposes unrelated to collective bargaining and contract administration. Our new rule will assist union members in discovering how their dues are being spent. And perhaps most important of all, I expect the NLRB, the National Labor Relations Board, to carry out its responsibilities to enforce the principles of the Beck decision. One of America's most intrepid fighters for individual rights is Charlton Heston. He's Executive Order 12800— been a member of four different labor orga- Our new actions to protect individual liberties are important efforts in a larger crusade that I'm waging to reform our system of politics in Government. Institutions of public life, whether the Government, corporations, or unions, should be accountable to their constituents to produce results and then respond to their needs. Working Americans should have the right to decide whether contributing to political parties or candidates, at odds with their beliefs, fulfill that principle and represent the institutional responsibility that we rightfully expect. In pursuit of the very same principles, accountability and responsibility, I am asking Congress to enact a sweeping reform of campaign financing. And I'm fighting to eliminate, not restrict, but eliminate the special interest PAC's, which will stop the millions of dollars in administrative subsidies that corporations and labor organizations now are allowed to channel into their own PAC's. Time and time again over our constitutional history, protecting universal rights has demanded the lonely courage of individual citizens standing up against powerful organized interests. And I'm especially honored that we have here today such an individual. It took this man 12 years of patient effort to carry his case to vindication in the highest Court of the land. And it is his crusade that brings us together today. So, Harry Beck, thank you, sir, for all that you have done. And I am proud to have you stand with me as I sign this Executive order. Welcome, and well done. By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in order to provide employees, labor organizations, and contracting employers with information concerning the rights of employees, and thereby to promote harmonious relations in the workplace for purposes of ensuring the economical and efficient administration and completion of Government contracts, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. The Secretary of Labor (“Secretary") shall be responsible for the adminis tration and enforcement of this order. The Secretary shall adopt such rules and regulations and issue such orders as are deemed necessary and appropriate to achieve the purposes of this order. Sec. 2. (a) Except in contracts exempted in accordance with section 3 of this order, all Government contracting departments and agencies shall, to the extent consistent with law, include the following provisions in every Government contract, other than collective bargaining agreements as defined in 5 U.S.C. 7103(a)(8) and small purchase contracts governed by Part 13 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 C.F.R. 13.000-13.507), entered into, amended, renegotiated, or renewed, after the effective date of this order: "1. During the term of this contract, the size and in such form as the Secretary of contractor agrees to post a notice, of such Labor may prescribe, in conspicuous places in and about its plants and offices, including all places where notices to employees are customarily posted. The notice shall include the following information (except that the last sentence shall not be included in notices posted in the plants or offices of carriers sub Note: The President spoke at 11 a.m. in the ject to the Railway Labor Act, as amended Rose Garden at the White House. (45 U.S.C. 151-188)): NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES Under Federal law, employees cannot be required to join a union or maintain membership in a union in order to retain their jobs. Under certain conditions, the law permits a union and an employer to enter into a union-security agreement requiring employees to pay uniform periodic dues and initiation fees. However, employees who are not union members can object to the use of their payments for certain purposes and can only be required to pay their share of union costs relating to collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment. If you believe that you have been required to pay dues or fees used in part to support activities not related to collective bargaining, contract administration, or grievance adjustment, you may be entitled to a refund and to an appropriate reduction in future payments. For further information concerning your rights, you may wish to contact either a Regional Office of the National Labor Relations Board or: National Labor Relations Board 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. "2. The contractor will comply with all provisions of Executive Order No. 12800 of April 13, 1992, and related rules, regulations, and orders of the Secretary of Labor. "3. In the event that the contractor does not comply with any of the requirements set forth in paragraphs (1) or (2) above, this contract may be cancelled, terminated, or suspended in whole or in part, and the contractor may be declared ineligible for further Government contracts in accordance with procedures authorized in or adopted pursuant to Executive Order No. 12800 of April 13, 1992. Such other sanctions or remedies may be imposed as are provided in Executive Order No. 12800 of April 13, 1992, or by rule, regulation, or order of the Secretary of Labor, or as are otherwise provided by law. “4. The contractor will include the provisions of paragraphs (1) through (3) in every subcontract or purchase order entered into in connection with this contract unless ex empted by rules, regulations, or orders of the Secretary of Labor issued pursuant to section 3 of Executive Order No. 12800 of April 13, 1992, so that such provisions will be binding each subcontractor or vendor. The conupon tractor will take such action with respect to any such subcontract or purchase order as may be directed by the Secretary of Labor as a means of enforcing such provisions, including the imposition of sanctions for noncompliance: Provided, however, that if the contractor becomes involved in litigation with a subcontractor or vendor, or is threatened with such involvement, as a result of such direction, the contractor may request the United States to enter into such litigation to protect the interests of the United States." (b) Whenever, through Acts of Congress or through clarification of existing law by the courts or otherwise, it appears that contractual provisions other than, or in addition to, those set out in subsection (a) of this section are needed to inform employees fully and accurately of their rights with respect to union dues, union-security agreements, or the like, the Secretary shall promptly issue such rules, regulations, or orders as are needed to cause the substitution or addition of appropriate contractual provisions in Government contracts thereafter entered into. Sec. 3. (a) The Secretary may, if the Secretary finds that special circumstances require such an exemption in order to serve the national interest, exempt a contracting department or agency from the requirements of any or all of the provisions of section 2 of this order with respect to a particular contract, subcontract, or purchase order. (b) The Secretary may, by rule, regulation, or order, exempt from the provisions of section 2 of this order certain classes of contracts (i) to the extent that they involve work outside the United States and do not involve the recruitment or employment of workers within the United States; (ii) to the extent that they involve work in jurisdictions where State law forbids enforcement of union-security agreements; (iii) to the extent that they involve work at sites where the notice to employees described in section 2(a) of this order would be unnecessary because the employees are not represented by a union; (iv) to |