 My fellow Americans throughout the history of our Republic many a candidate has promised that if elected he would clean up the mess in Washington. Well when I got to Washington six and a half years ago I found the mess still here. Our federal government was weighted down with waste victimized by fraud and out of step with modern management techniques. We started on day one to set things right. To begin with we brought in top-notch inspectors general for federal departments and agencies who were instructed not only to be tough on waste fraud and abuse but as my press secretary Jim Brady put it to be as mean as junkyard dogs. In March of 1981 a council on integrity and efficiency composed of these inspectors general was established to ensure that our cleanup operation left no stone unturned. Over the years you've probably heard snippets on the news about outrageously expensive wrenches purchased with the military and other stories concerning government waste. More often than not what you've been hearing are success stories stories of waste or fraud uncovered and corrected. In the last few years we've made enormous strides in our efforts to ensure that you get the maximum benefit out of every tax dollar you send to Washington. Already over 90 billion dollars have been put to better use since we took office and I fully expect this trend to continue. Just this week I signed HR 1444 which will improve the government's tools for weeding out fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Furthermore through Reform 88 my government-wide management improvement program efficient new business techniques have been put in place. This includes a new comprehensive cash management system that now oversees the federal government's 1.8 trillion dollar annual cash flow. By relying on the existing private sector banking structure the new system has reduced cost from 1983 through 1986 by 2.3 billion dollars. We've also reduced the federal publication inventory by one-fourth at a savings of 35 million dollars and by using private travel companies the federal government has saved 762 million dollars in its annual travel budget and the list goes on. We've also turned up the heat on those who have the means but refuse to pay their debts to the federal government. Over at the Department of Education for example we found that many individuals some in high paying jobs simply ignored pleas that they repay their long overdue student loans. Our efforts to crack down have paid off. Collections of loans have almost quadrupled since 1981 from 80 million dollars to over 300 million dollars last year. Last month budget director Jim Miller announced that the entire federal government will be accelerating the drive to collect the delinquent 68.3 billion dollars it's owed but peace by peace change is not enough. In 1982 we established a commission headed by Peter Grace one of the country's most prominent businessmen to set down a long term strategy for streamlining our government. Mr. Grace put together a team of experts and went through our federal government from top to bottom. Their report is now the basis for ongoing reform that should save tens of billions of dollars over the next decade. The recommendations include everything from stepped up privatization of federal services to the reform of our budget system. Building on this success Peter Grace and a group of dedicated business leaders are now forming the United States Tax Payers Commission to keep the focus on reducing costs rather than raising taxes. I expect they'll bring renewed interest to streamline federal operations and to ensure that you the American people are getting all the government you're paying for. Getting the waste out of government of course requires not just a commitment from the executive branch but also from Congress. Unfortunately expensive special interest provisions are often added to needed legislation. We can no longer afford this costly all or nothing way of doing business. The president should be able to cut the fat yet keep the meat of spending bills that reaches desk. The tool needed to cut that fat is the line item veto. Congress has the power to enact this needed reform right now. I hope you agree with me it's time every elected official be part of our effort to protect the take-home pay of the American people by getting waste out of government. Until next week thanks for listening God bless you.