XN000022-1993-05-04 — Page 24

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TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1993

GOVERNOR PATTEN: I think that one of the

debates which is going on at the moment is about whether the right way is to pursue a legislative route or whether the executive should take the lead, whether there should

be an executive order or some sort of statement by the

President. And I don't think that is something which has

been resolved between the administration and the

congressional leadership at the moment.

I think that both Representative Pelosi and

Senator Mitchell are aware, among other things, of our

criticisms of the detail of the legislation, quite apart

from the principle. There was a very effective demolition

job, I think, done on the details of the bill by the wall

Street Journal the other day in a leading article. It

pointed out some of the parts of the bill which would be

pretty well impossible to administer.

But I think that the question of how the policy

should be pursued, if it is to be pursued, whether taking

a legislative route or an executive-led route, I don't

think that's been resolved.

QUESTION: But is it your impression that

they're actually serious about this legislation?

GOVERNOR PATTEN: I think it's my impression

that they're serious about the objectives which the

legislation purports to set for itself. I think they're

cértainly serious about that. But whether they're

serious but whether they think that they should

concentrate on legislation or try to get the administration to make a statement, that s less clear.

/QUESTION:

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