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Copyright 1'993 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., All rights reserved. AB!C NEWS SHOW: WORLD NEWS TONICiHT WITH PETER JENNINGS FEBRUARY 25, 1993 LENGTH: 4'201 wordi; BODY: ANb1OUNCER: From ABC; this is World~ News Tonight with Peter Jennings. #~k# PETER JENNINGS: President Clinton was talking again today about the need for a national health care plan, and'this time he gave aistrong public hint that some of tihe~ money needed to pay for it may be raised from those people who ignore the risks of smoking and drinking. Here's ABC's Brit Hume. BRIT H'UME: [CLINTON PC] Appearing,with business and labor leaders who are hacking, his economic plan, the President, was asked how he'll pay for his nexti big plan„to overhaul health care and make it available to all. Specifically,, wouVd he be a1king for more new taxes'?' PR'ES'dD'ENT CLINTON: There are lots of options we are lboking at now which wouldn't necessarily i~ncrease rrriddle-cbass tax burdens. BRIT HUME. [ME'DIA]I Well, he was asked, does that mean he's now ruling out, increasing so-called'sin taxes on suchi things as beer, wine and tobacco? [BUSINESS & LABOR LEADERS] Those:taxes hiti all groups,,including,the middle class, but Mr. Clinton did not rule them out. PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think health related taxes are differenti. I think cigarette taxes, for example, are different.. BRIT HU9v1E: And why is that, he was asked. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Because I think that we are spending,a ton, of money in private insurance and in government tax payments to deal withithe health care problems occasioned by bad health habits, and particularly smoking. BRIT HUME: [,SU] The President has a thorny practical and political problem. He beliieves health care reform will save the government! billions and free upp billions more in the private sector, but he!S alko pledged to extend health insurance to all, whiehwill cost billions. That's why he can'ti rule out additional taxes on the middle class or anyone else. Brit Hlume„ ABC News, the White House. PETER JENNINGS: An immediate health coneern today which has to:do with the Secretary of Defense, Les Aspim [ASPIN] He was released fromithe hospital today after spending several days there because of a heart problem. Doctors have now told him he's going to need a pacemaker, but that physically he should be up to the job, at least of subduing reporters. At the Pentagon, the problem

is he doesnI haue a lou of help because President Clinton has still not filled some key positions. In fact, it's the same story' ini a lot of governmentt agencies. Here's ABC's Jim Wooten.