its feet, back to being the major force for progress and freedom in the world. Six years ago we started working hard at home, restoring our defenses and putting our own economic house in order. After rebuilding those strengths, we're able to play a much stronger role in the world. I think we see that more clearly right here in this hemisphere. Today over 90 percent of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean enjoy self-government, compared to onethird only 6 years ago.

Now, how did this progress occur? Most of it has to do with the courage and determination of the people of Latin America, who have worked to build democratic institutions despite threats from outside and subversion by violent minorities within. But I believe the United States also made a contribution through our military and economic assistance. So, both trends-toward freedom and toward greater U.S. strengthhave reinforced each other.

I think we see this elsewhere in the world, too. You don't hear much anymore about how the United States is ineffective abroad. You don't hear much about our unwillingness to help our friends. And that's because we've shown-from Latin America to the Philippines, from the Middle East to Western Europe—that we're determined to stick by our principles and our friends and to promote those principles wherever we think it's possible.

As for your last question: The United States has always been a beacon to people who aspire to liberty and self-government. That's as true today as it was in 1890, and it will be just as true in 1990. And if we've been able to strengthen her over the past few years and I think we have-then we'll have done what the people of the United States elected us to do.

Note: The interview took place in the Oval Office at the White House.

As printed above, the item follows the White House press release, which was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on August 19.

Maine Central Railroad Company and
Portland Terminal Company
Labor-Management Dispute

Statement on Signing H.J. Res. 683 Into Law. August 21, 1986

I have signed H.J. Res. 683, legislation that will impose an additional 60-day cooling-off period, effective until September 19, 1986, in the current unresolved labor-management dispute between the Maine Central Railroad (and its subsidiary, the Portland Terminal Company) and certain of the employees of these carriers represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWE). Under the joint resolution, a special board will be created to study the dispute and make recommendations to the Congress by September 9.

This administration is against the intervention of the Federal Government in the resolution of limited, isolated labor disputes. However, all the procedures in the Railway Labor Act for settling the Maine CentralBMWE dispute have been exhausted, and as a result of recent court decisions, the possibility exists of a national railroad strike stemming from this unresolved dispute.

I earnestly hope that the parties will avail themselves of the additional cooling-off period in H.J. Res. 683 to settle their dispute.

Digest of Other

White House Announcements

The following list includes the President's public schedule and other items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this issue.

August 16

The President left the White House and traveled to Rancho del Cielo, his ranch near Santa Barbara, CA.

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 con-
tains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials re-
leased by the White House during the preceding week.

The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub-
lished pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Register
Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under regula-

tions 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 Docu

ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished
by mail to domestic subscribers for $64.00 per year ($105.00 for
mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for $80.00 per year.
payable to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Print-
ing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The charge for a single copy is
$1.75 ($2.20 for foreign mailing).

There are no restrictions on the republication of material ap
pearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In light of the May 20, 1985, statement of the Government of Cuba that it had decided "to suspend all types of procedures regarding the execution" of the December 14, 1984, immigration agreement between the United States and Cuba, thereby disrupting normal migration procedures between the two countries, and in light of the continuing failure of the Government of Cuba to resume normal migration procedures with the United States while at the same time facilitating illicit migration to the United States, I have determined that it is in the interest of the United States to suspend entry into the United States as immigrants by all Cuban nationals, with the exceptions noted below, pending the restoration of normal migration procedures between the two countries.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(f) ("the Act"), having found that the unrestricted entry into the United States as immigrants by Cuban citizens would, except as provided in Section 2, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, do proclaim that:

Section 1. Entry of Cuban nationals as immigrants is hereby suspended, except as noted in Section 2.

Sec. 2. The suspension of entry as immigrants contained in Section 1 shall not apply: (a) to Cuban nationals applying for admission to the United States as immediate relatives under Section 201(b) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)) and special immigrants described in Section 101(a)(27)(A) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)27XA)); (b) to Cuban nationals

applying for admission into the United States as preference immigrants under Section 203(a) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)) at United States consular posts designated by the Secretary of State for the processing of Cuban nationals, where the applicant can demonstrate that he or she departed Cuba prior to the date of this proclamation, has remained outside Cuba since that date, and otherwise qualified for preference immigrants status; and (c) in such other cases or categories of cases as may be designated from time to time by the Secretary of State or his designee.

Sec. 3. This proclamation shall be effective immediately and shall remain in effect until such time as the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Attorney General, determines that normal migration procedures with Cuba have been restored. Any such determination by the Secretary of State shall be published in the Federal Register.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eleventh.

Ronald Reagan

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:41 p.m., August 25, 1986] Note: The proclamation was not received in time for inclusion in last week's issue.

Tax Reform

Radio Address to the Nation. August 23, 1986

My fellow Americans:

Good news for this hot summer day: Tax reform is on its way toward final victory in