 President of the United States. Say something when there's a lump as big as a tennis ball in your throat. You know, every morning they hand me a schedule that tells me where I'm supposed to be. Believe me, I've been looking forward to this all day. And seeing and hearing all of you beats a budget briefing any day. Your talent has manifest. Your brilliant performance in Europe was an inspiration to all of us. I don't need to tell you about the kind of world-class competition you were up against. Or the fact that a good many of your competitors had plenty more resources behind them than you did. But you did have advantages. First, your talent. Second, your commitment and determination. You practiced endlessly, sometimes in Latin or German. And you raised the money for the trip yourselves. Third, the wonderful people behind you and here. I mean your parents, families and friends. And most of all, you had a secret weapon whose name was Joyce Garrett. Joyce, I know how proud you are of all these young people. But you know what? I have a feeling they're proud of you, too. Am I right on that? Well, I know there are many others to thank. Maureen or Maudine Cooper and all the friends of Eastern Choir did a wonderful job of helping all of you get to Europe. Also, Mel Bradley has sent me some newspaper clippings about you. And I think you've been saying some very important things. Your choir president, Frederica Gordon, brought to life your international tour and that prize you won in Vienna. A lot of times before we even finished our song, she told the Post, they were up on their feet screaming. Sometimes you felt like saying, OK, OK, but wait till the song is over. And I think Edward Love said something important, too, about what all this meant to you and to us. He said, it makes me very aware that as a person I can do something and share with other people. I know people who use and sell drugs, but I don't get caught up in that crowd. I want to look back and say I went to Europe and experienced great pleasure in singing songs and representing my country, my school. Well, that you did. All of you and all of us, your families, friends, classmates, community and country are proud of the tremendous job you did over there. You've competed against the best the world had to offer and you came out ahead and America takes pride in you today. So thank you again for brightening our day at the White House and my warmest best wishes to each of you for the future. And God bless you all. Of the Eastern High School Choir. Mr. President, I would like to present to you this Eastern Choir jacket. Eastern is the pride of Capitol Hill. And with this jacket, you are now known as an honorary Choir member. I'm very proud to have this. And would you think that I was doing something wrong if instead of having it hanging in a closet between times of wearing, if one of these days when the building is finished, I decide to hang it there where everyone can see it in the presidential watch. Of course, you wouldn't have made me an honorary member if you ever heard me say it. Thank you all very much. Just placed second in the international. They had to learn two languages to sing two of the classical. German for one and Latin for the other. And then they concluded with the battle of him and the republic. And after which I had to say a few words. Oh, there was a tennis ball in my throat. And just made medicine. So Ed, I don't know what year you're going to sing that. Well, Mr. President, after that international activity that they were engaged in, we have a rather mundane subject, but an important one. One in which we have a number of different viewpoints. It's basically whether the United States has signed a protocol relating to nitrates of oxygen, or nitrogen oxides, I should say. And so we have here a combination of domestic and international expertise to present this to you. I'll ask John White to start out. Thank you very much, Ed. Mr. President, I'll just sign the key of C to make it simple for everybody. The United States has led a series of negotiations and agreements to improve air quality. These have been international negotiations. We also have the Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact countries, and China. So these involve the... This is a tail slate. There are two events back-to-back. The choir just before this was open. This event in the cabinet room, which is a domestic policy council meeting in the cabinet room. Closed coverage. It's August 1, 1988. Sassick on camera, Butler doing sound. This is a closed event.