158 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 years, which addresses any further specific where I spent so many happy days. [Ap- actions necessary to protect the objects iden- plause] Thank you. tified in this proclamation. There are a lot of people in this body who The establishment of this monument is got their start in politics, working with me, subject to valid existing rights. a few who got their start in politics working Nothing in this proclamation shall be against me—[laughter]—and some who got deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, their start doing both—[laughter]—depend- reservation, or appropriation; however, the ing on the issue and the time. national monument shall be the dominant I brought with me a large number of peo- reservation. ple from today. And I would like Warning is hereby given to all unauthor- to mention them and a few others because ized persons not to appropriate, injure, de- I would like to begin by telling you that in stroy, or remove any feature of this monu- these last 8 years, over 460 people from our ment and not to locate or settle upon any home State worked in this administration and of the lands thereof. helped to make America a stronger country, In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set and I am very grateful to all of them. my hand this seventeenth day of January, in Mack McLarty, my first Chief of Staff, my the year of our Lord two thousand one, and first Envoy to the Americas, is here today. of the Independence of the of When he led the White House, we made four America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. of the most important decisions we made William J. Clinton during the entire 8 years: The historic bal- anced budget agreement where Senator [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, Pryor cast the tie-breaking vote—so did ev- 8:45 a.m., January 19, 2001] erybody else; it passed by one vote in both NOTE: This proclamation was published in the Houses—the NAFTA agreement, which Federal Register on January 22. joined us with Mexico and Canada; the family and medical leave bill, the Brady law, and many others. He did a superb job. Remarks to a Joint Session of the I want to thank the three Arkansans who Arkansas State Legislature in Little have served in my Cabinet: Rodney Slater, Rock, Arkansas who is here today, our Secretary of Transpor- January 17, 2001 tation; Hershel Gober, who is Secretary of Veterans Affairs and started out helping me Thank you very, very much, and good with veterans in Arkansas and in New Hamp- afternoon. This is the first time in over 20 shire and has been absolutely superb; and years I’ve been here when I don’t have to James Lee Witt, who could not be here today get asked for a racing pass. [Laughter] And because disasters don’t only occur in Arkan- I heard somebody utter that hated phrase, sas, there are other places as well, although and I understand that, for a variety of rea- I know you’ve been through a doozy lately. sons, you’ve all gotten rid of that burden. So I want to thank Buddy Young, who worked progress continues. [Laughter] with him as our regional official in Texas, Governor Huckabee, Lieutenant Gov- who is here today. ernor Rockefeller, Senator Beebe, Speaker Two other former legislators, in addition Broadway, General Pryor, Secretary Priest, to Mack, have been part of this administra- Jimmie Lou, Charlie, Gus, my friends. I’m tion: Gloria Cabe, who served with many if delighted to be joined by Senator Pryor, not most of you here; her daughter also works about whom I would like to say more in a in the White House, in the White House moment; Congressman Snyder, Congress- Counsel’s Office, and she’s here today; and man Ross, and a large number of people who Carl Whillock, who, after he was a legislator, came here with me from Washington. became the president of Arkansas State Uni- I want to say that I am honored that the versity, head of the Co-ops. But he’s most last trip of my Presidency is to come home important to me because the first trip I took to Arkansas and home to the legislature out of Fayetteville, in the first race I ever Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 159 made in 1974, was across the hills of north my good friend Phil Jamison, who was the Arkansas with Carl Whillock, when only my president of our class in high school, who mother thought I had any business in that retired from the Navy and stayed on to work race. And I thank them for being here. in the Pentagon on nuclear weapons issues I’d also like to just acknowledge a few peo- and did a lot of the pivotal work we have ple. As I said, some of them are here and done with Russia over the last 8 years, which some of them aren’t. Bob Nash, who’s been gave me an enormous amount of pride to with me for 21 years, and his wonderful wife, know that a guy from my home town knew Janis Kearney, my diarist, who’s here. Nancy all about that and made me look like I knew Hernreich, who’s not here, who’s been with what I was talking about from time to time. me since I first ran for attorney general and I remember the first time I spoke here. has worked for me for 15 years, just got mar- It was in 1974, when I was permitted to come ried to the brother of Montine McNulty, in here and ask for House members to help from Pine Bluff, and is about to move with me in my very first race. I lost the election. him to Hong Kong; Stephanie Streett, my If I hadn’t, I probably never would have be- wonderful scheduler, who’s going to be work- come President. Every time I see Congress- ing with me here in Arkansas; Craig Smith, man Hammerschmidt, I thank him for beat- who did a great job in handling appointments ing me. here and was my political director, came I didn’t lose my passion for public service, home to actually work this trip, to go out and it’s been with me ever since. In the last at the grassroots where he began. I want to 25 years I have stood in the well of this cham- thank Mike Gaines, who ran the Parole Com- ber many times. I have lobbied in the halls mission, still is; Ken Smith; Mike Gauldin; and the committee room back there as attor- Jana Prewitt; Jim Bob Baker, who’s done a ney general, when was my Gov- great job in the Agriculture Department; ernor. I stood here five times to take the oath Maria Haley; Robyn Dickey; young Debra of office as Governor of my State. Two Wood, who’s been with me the whole 8 years, months out of every 2 years, with the help just working like a beaver in the White of a number of my legislative aides who are House; Mel French, our protocol chief and, here today, Bill Clark and Hal Honeycutt and for many years, her deputy, David Pryor, Jr.; Bill Bowen, who was briefly my chief of staff, and Marsha Scott, who has kept in touch with when even I was intimidated, we would so many of you for me over these last 8 years. argue and argue and work and work until I want to thank Wilbur Peer and Harold we hammered into law our dreams for the Gist. I want to thank Caroll Willis, who’s future of this State. been at the Democratic Committee this I’d like to thank some people who aren’t whole time, who’s been wonderful beyond here, some of whom are no longer living. The my words to say; and Lottie Shackelford, late Judge Frank Holt, who gave me my first thank you. Debbie Willhite and Ada Hol- chance to work in a campaign in 1966. My lingsworth came home, and they helped us great friend Senator Bill Fulbright, who lived in a lot of ways, even though they weren’t long enough to see me become President and strictly on the payroll. to receive the Medal of Freedom, who gave There are also tons of young people who me a job when I was flat broke, just so I have come to Washington and worked, just could finish college, and I’ll never forget it. out of college or just out of law school. And I would like to thank the Members of the I used to see them around and be so grateful congressional delegation, present and past, that they could have an opportunity to have who stood with me in these last 8 years, in this experience, and I thank all of them for the tough times and the good times, espe- their work. cially David Pryor and , with- Three of my high school classmates are out whom I can’t imagine how this last 8 here today, who live in the Washington area years would have been possible. I thank you, and flew home with me: Dr. Jim French, who my friends. is a surgeon in Washington; Carolyn Staley, I’d like to thank Hillary. If she hadn’t who runs the Adult Literacy Foundation; and moved to Arkansas and married me, I doubt 160 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 the rest of this trip would have happened. here. But the problem is, we had a $290 bil- She was a great First Lady for this State. She lion deficit, and then the price of getting rid did an amazing job in Washington and did of the deficit turned out to be losing the Con- things that no one has ever done that will gress for our party. And so then the people benefit this country for decades to come. And that were in control had other ideas about I am so proud of her, I could pop today. where the money ought to go from time to I want you to remember when she does great time, when we finally had a little. things in the United States Senate, she Notwithstanding that, look what happened learned all of her politics wrestling with you. this year. We funded the Delta Regional Au- [Laughter] thority, $20 million the first year. We got I am delighted that my mother-in-law, funds for the Great River Bridge and for the Dorothy Rodham, is here, and my step-fa- Highway 82 Bridge. We had 500—Rodney ther, Dick Kelley. I thank them for being said—Rodney said in this year’s transpor- here. Lynda Dixon, who was my secretary tation budget there’s $592 million for Arkan- as Governor and has run our office here in sas. That’s more than your per capita share. Little Rock, along with Representative Mary We worked very hard, especially with Sen- Anne Salmon. And I am delighted that Chel- ator Lincoln and Congressman Snyder, to sea could come home with me. save the mission of the Little Rock Air Force As it happens, on the way home, on the Base and to get the C-130J there. There is way here from the airport, we passed two $25 million in the budget this year for a simu- of her schools, Mann and Booker Arts Mag- lator and millions more for an operations and net School, where she spent so many happy maintenance center. I think you’re okay. years and learned a great deal about her les- sons and about life. And the friends, the We got $18 million for a quality evaluation schools, the churches, the associations she center at the Pine Bluff arsenal. And as we had here had a lot to do with the person try to reduce the dangers of chemical and she is today, and I’m very grateful for that. biological warfare, I think that arsenal can Finally, I would like to thank the people have a very important mission in America’s of this State who elected me five times, for future. I’ve talked to Representative Ross sending me to Washington to carry the les- about it, and I hope, after I come down here, sons that I learned from you and the progress I can work with you to think about what it that we tried to make here to the rest of the should be doing in the 21st century. country. There were $38 million for seven water Everything that I have been able to do as projects, an expansion of the Forrest City President is, in no small measure, a result prisons, $5 million for research for the Ar- of the life I lived and the jobs I had in Arkan- kansas Children’s Hospital. We funded the sas. My conviction that politics requires a vi- Dale Bumpers Rice Research Center and the sion and a strategy based on sound ideas and Agriculture Research Center. The Little a belief that you can make a difference— Rock VA got some money for a research from education reform to economic policy, annex. I am very happy that we got $21⁄2 mil- to welfare and health care, to building one lion for the Diane Blair Center at the Univer- America, those things were formed here. sity of Arkansas. And we finally got the upper I know that when a person gets ready to payment limit for the medical center okayed, check out of an office, there’s always a lot and that’s worth $35 million, and I think it of retrospectives. And I have followed them saved the medical center. At least that’s what in the local press: Did this administration Dale Bumpers tells me it did. make a difference for Arkansas? Did it make Earlier, of course, there was over $40 mil- a difference for America? So I am going to lion for the airport in northwest Arkansas. do an unconventional thing; I think I will And when my library and center get built start with the facts. here, I expect it will be a project on the order First of all, when I came in, I think a lot of $200 million, something that I believe will of people thought, well, you know, we’d just make a big difference, not only to central move the whole Federal Government down Arkansas but to the whole State. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 161

But what’s really important, it seems to ernor’s mansion, and I went over to the gro- me, is that Arkansas shared in what happened cery store that was flattened—I saw young to the country. So when people ask you if AmeriCorps kids from all over this country, it made a difference, here are a few numbers working here in Arkansas to try to help fix you might want to keep in mind: 35 million things and clean things up, and I am grateful people have taken advantage of the family for that. And I might say, I learned a couple and medical leave law, which I signed after of days ago that those 200,000 people in 6 it was vetoed by people who said that it years are more people than have served in would hurt the economy. If I was trying to the Peace Corps in the entire 40 years of hurt the economy, I did a poor job. its existence. [Applause] Thank you. We have 221⁄2 million new jobs, a 30-year One hundred and twenty-five thousand low in unemployment, a 40-year low in wom- community police officers on the street; en’s unemployment, the lowest Hispanic and crime at a 25-year low; 37,000 teachers hired African-American unemployment ever re- all over America in the early grades, on our corded. Thirteen million more people get way to 100,000 and a class size average of some form of college aid, thanks to the 18 in the first three grades; 90 percent of HOPE scholarship, the lifetime learning tax our kids immunized against serious child- credit, the Pell grant, which will go to $3,750 hood diseases for the first time in the history this year. Seven million people have moved of the country. We had and off welfare—a 60-percent drop in the welfare Rosalynn Carter over at the White House the rolls; 3.3 million children now have health other day to celebrate that. The largest in- insurance under the Children’s Health Insur- crease in Head Start in history; the highest ance Program. And Governor, I want to homeownership in history—the first time thank you for your interest, and Mrs. we’ve ever had more than two-thirds of the Huckabee, in getting our kids health insur- American people in their own homes. ance. It’s the first time in a dozen years the We have a $500-a-child tax credit; we have number of people without health insurance 200,000 more people getting child care as- is going down. sistance. The student loan program costs $9 Two million children have moved out of billion less than it did when I started, to peo- poverty; 1.3 million children are in after- ple who are borrowing. The direct loan pro- school programs or summer school programs gram saves the average college student as the result of Federal funds that did not $1,300 on a $10,000 loan. Interest rates, exist on the day I became President. In 4 long-term, are lower today than they were years we’ve gone from an experimental pro- when I took office, even though we’ve had gram at $1 million to one of over $1.5 billion, an 8-year expansion. Average interest rates, serving 1.3 million children. There are 4 mil- because of turning deficits to surplus, saves lion latch-key kids in this country, a lot of people $2,000 a year on $100,000 home them in Arkansas, and I think we ought to mortgage. keep working until every child has a whole- We’ve had over 300 trade agreements in some school to stay in after school rather than the last year alone, agreements with China, going back on the street, something to say with Africa and the Caribbean Basin, with yes to, rather than getting in trouble. Vietnam, and with Jordan. We have the Six hundred and eleven thousand felons, smallest Government in 40 years, since fugitives, and stalkers were unable to buy Dwight Eisenhower was President of the handguns because of the Brady law, and yet, United States, since 1960. Two-thirds of the not a single Arkansas hunter missed an hour regulations under the Elementary and Sec- in the deer woods; no sports shooter missed ondary Education Act have been eliminated. a single contest. Two hundred thousand Hundreds of programs are gone, and I’ll give young Americans have served in anybody $5 that can mention five of them. AmeriCorps, a lot of them right here in Ar- I take it back. I’ll give you $100 if you can kansas. When the tornado hit the capital mention five of them. [Laughter] neighborhoods—and I saw all the trees When we started, the deficit was $290 bil- blown down in the backyard of the Gov- lion. Now we have a $240 billion surplus. In 162 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 our last three budgets, we will pay down— until 1992, when we ranked second in the pay down—about $600 billion of the Nation’s country in job growth. debt, putting us on track, if we stay there, But I learned a lot as we worked, day in to be out of debt by the end of the decade, and day out, together, across party lines, for the first time since Andrew Jackson was across regional lines, to try to actually do the President, in 1835. people’s business. And I’ve said before and This has allowed us, among other things, I’ll say again, one of the biggest hazards of to pass pension protection legislation that has any national capital is—America is no dif- strengthened the pension protection for 40 ferent from others; I followed this pretty million Americans, to put 25 years on the closely in other countries—is when you set life of Medicare for the first time in 25 years. up a Government so far away from the peo- And if the interest savings from paying down ple, it is easy, when you realize maybe you the debt as a result of Social Security taxes get your 15 seconds on the evening news, are put against Social Security—which is to believe that politics is all about rhetoric something I’ve been trying to do for 2 and positioning. But it’s not. It’s a job. It real- years—if they do that next year, it will extend ly matters what you do, whether your ideas the life of Social Security 54 years, to 2054, work, and whether you have a team of people almost long enough to get us beyond the life- who can translate those ideas into reality. span of all the baby boomers, when the de- I tell everybody who listens to me that it’s mographics of America will begin to right a team sport, that I may be the captain of themselves again. the team, but if you don’t have a team, you’re We have cleaner air, cleaner water, cleaner going to lose every time. And so just once drinking water, safer food, twice as many more, I would like to ask all the people who toxic waste dumps cleaned up as in the pre- came here with me today from Arkansas, who vious 12 years. And today we announced that have been part of this last 8 years, to stand, we were setting aside eight more national because they were a big part of our team. monuments, which means this administration You all stand up. [Applause] has now protected more land than any ad- Now, I’d like to just mention three or four ministration in the history of the country, ex- specific areas where I think your relationship cept that of Theodore Roosevelt. to the National Government is important and Per capita income after inflation is up an where I hope our country will continue to average of $6,300. Median income is over move forward. The strategy we followed in $40,000 for the first time in the history of education, which is still key to everything the country, and wages have gone up 9 per- else, was very, very important, basically, high- cent, as poverty has dropped 20 percent. So er standards, more accountability, greater in- for the first time in decades, this was an eco- vestment, and equal opportunity—a simple nomic recovery that I’m proud to say did strategy, but it’s working. produce more billionaires and millionaires, We provided, for the first time, funds for but also helped people in the lowest 20 per- States to identify failing schools and help cent of the wage earning bracket with the local districts to turn them around or put highest percentage gains in the last 3 years. them under new management or start char- So that’s what happened. And what I want ter schools. There was one in the country to say to you is, one of the things that I tried when we started; there are over 2,000 now. to remember every day was that being Presi- Reading and math scores are up in the coun- dent is a job, like being Governor was a job. try; SAT scores are at a 30-year high, even And it matters how hard you work, but it though more people from more disadvan- also matters whether you’ve got the right taged backgrounds are taking them; a 50-per- ideas. And a lot of the ideas that I had came cent increase in the number of kids in Amer- out of the experiences we shared together ica taking advance placement tests; 300 per- during the 1980’s, when times were tough cent increase in Hispanic students over the in Arkansas. We did not have an unemploy- last 7 years; 500 percent increase in African- ment rate below the national average in the American students. The African-American last 10 years I was Governor a single time, high school graduation rate is virtually equal Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 163 to the white high school graduation rate in after World War II. And the student popu- the country, for the first time in the history lation is much more diverse. And after World of America. War II, the National Government did help And more and more people are going on States and school districts to deal with the to college. But we have some significant chal- school facilities problem. lenges out there. We have the largest and So I hope that you will help us with that, most diverse group of students in our schools because I think the unmet need is some- in history. Arkansas is now in the top three where over $100 billion for adequate school States in the percentage growth of its His- facilities for our kids. We also are putting panic population, as all of you doubtless more funds than ever before, with total bi- know better than I. partisan agreement in Congress, into teacher I just hope that you will continue to work training, continuing development, and fund- and to urge the Federal Government to work ing the master teacher program to try to cer- with you in making progress in these areas. tify board-certified master teachers all across We got a billion dollars-plus, a little more the country, until we get up to 100,000 of than a billion dollars this year, for the first them, which will be enough for one in every time, to try to just give funds to States and school in the country. I think that’s very, very school districts to help repair old schools or important. But I would urge you to continue grievously overcrowded schools. And I think to do that. that’s very important. The second thing I’d like to say is, I think There is a limit to how much we can ever that it’s very important that we keep trying expect local property taxpayers to pay, and to refine the partnership between the Na- very often—you have two things going on tional Government and the States in the area now—very often the places where the need of economic development. Except for edu- is the greatest, the property tax base is the cation, I guess I worked harder on just trying smallest, which we know a lot about in Ar- to get and keep jobs when I was here than kansas. And secondly, ironically, even though anything else, and a lot of you worked very we’ve got the biggest school population in closely with me. I’m very grateful for the history, we have a smaller percentage of progress that has been made, and I’m espe- those students—excuse me, a smaller per- cially grateful that we have got a focus now centage of property tax owners with kids in on the people and places that have been left the schools—property taxpayers with kids in behind. Because, in spite of this long recov- the schools. ery, there are still places in mountain coun- So we’ve got to work this out. Now, when ties in Appalachia and in north Arkansas, we started this there were a lot of people there are places in the Mississippi Delta and who had genuine reservations—and this is other rural areas, there are inner-city neigh- not a political deal in the traditional sense borhoods, and worst of all, a lot of our Native in Washington. There were a lot of people American reservations, where you can’t tell who honestly thought that the Federal Gov- there has been an 8-year recovery. I was on ernment should not be giving money to the Pine Ridge Reservation a little over a year States and the local school districts to help ago in South Dakota, which is near Mount with school construction or repair because Rushmore, and one of the most historic it wasn’t something we did. And I agree that places in all American Indian culture. The normally we shouldn’t do that. Normally, we unemployment rate there is 72 percent. And should either give you the money to spend as a result, all the social indicators are ter- as you need it or target it on the poorest rible. There are a lot of problems there. But people or the areas of greatest need, like the intelligence is evenly distributed. I was taken need to hook up all our classrooms to the around there by a young girl who had to Internet. move out of her home, was taken in by But this is an unusual time. This is the friends, living in the back of a trailer where first time—the last 3 years—the first time there were, like, 11 people living. She was that we’ve ever had more school students one of the most intelligent young people I than we had in the baby boom years right met in the whole 8 years I was President. 164 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001

She deserves the same future everybody else I know Arkansas is small enough, you all does. know each other well enough, you’ve had That’s why we passed the empowerment enough experience with this, we went zone program that Vice President Gore ran through all that nightmare of the eighties, for 8 years, and did a brilliant job, I think, that it seems to me that this State is in a where we had these zones. But I thought we position maybe to take more advantage of ought to do something to try to essentially that, and also to identify what still needs to make every area in America that was insuffi- be done, what the National Government can ciently developed eligible for the same in- do, than any place else. vestment incentives that we presently give I should also tell you that we’re now going American investors to invest in poor commu- to have 40 of the empowerment zones that nities in Africa or Latin America or poor we had—not that many, but we had 20 to countries in Asia. 30—and we’re going to have 40 other com- That’s essentially what this new markets munities, enterprise communities, designed legislation is all about. We did it in partner- by the Republican Members of Congress. ship with the Speaker of the House, Dennis We said, ‘‘Look, why don’t we just test this? Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, and I’m You guys design 40 communities that will get very grateful to him for the work we did to- the special tax treatment the way you want gether, and any number of other legislators it. We’ll have 40 that work the way we think who are active in it—J.C. Watts from Okla- would work best. We’ll identify 80 places that homa, a lot of you know; Danny Davis, from will get extra help. And then we’ll just see Illinois, who is from Arkansas, the Congress- what works, and then we’ll do what works. man from . If your idea works better than ours, we’ll do So I hope that you and, Governor, the eco- yours. If ours works better, we’ll do ours. And nomic development agencies of the State, if some of each works best, we’ll do that.’’ will look for ways to maximize the usage of this new markets legislation, because, essen- So there will be approximately 50 or more tially, we’ve got one more piece that I think new community designations coming out will pass early in this new session of Con- next year, and I would like to see some of gress, but what we’re trying to do is to give those come to Arkansas, as well. And you people the incentives to put money into know, you’ll have to go through the applica- places of high unemployment, where people tion process and all of that. But I really would are willing to work, and to spread the risk. urge you to make sure that Arkansas gets a So essentially, what it does, it sets up the substantial share of those new community system where you can get about a 25 percent opportunities because they get extra help to tax credit for investing in areas with very high get investment there. And I think that will unemployment, which means your risk is work. only 75 percent of what it would otherwise A third thing I would like to say a little be, and if you have to borrow money, that something about is welfare reform. We had up to two-thirds of an investment could be a huge debate, you remember, back in ’96, guaranteed by a Government mechanism, on welfare, but we passed a bipartisan bill which would give you about 2 percent lower that had a majority of both parties in both interest rates, which would further reduce Houses. And you know how it works, and the risk, which is essentially what we do when it has worked very well. Arkansas’s rolls are we try to set up trade and investment agree- down 60 percent, and I applaud you for that. ments all around the world in developing Now, what I would like to suggest is that countries, where we have an interest in build- we won’t know how well this really works ing the trading partners for the future and until the economy slows down, which is helping democracy. I could never understand bound to happen someday, but I don’t think why we wouldn’t do it for people here in it’s imminent. I don’t believe we’ve repealed America. And I believe we have a unique the laws of the business cycle, but the truth opportunity here to bring free enterprise to is, because our markets are open, it’s a great, people who have been left behind. great hedge against inflation. And because Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 165 of the technology sector, we continue to in- health care since was passed in ’65, crease productivity. And if we keep driving was a part of the Balanced Budget Act in down interest rates by paying the debt down, ’97. Then it took about a year for the States which is the main thing the Government can to get their programs up. So essentially, in do, the aggregate economy will continue, I 2 years, 3.3 million kids have gotten health think, to do very well. insurance. And it’s the first thing that’s been But it seems to me that we need to really done in a dozen years to get the number of kind of—it’s time now. This will be the fifth people without health insurance going down. year since the welfare reform bill was passed. And we all know why it went up. Insurance And we need to look and see where it’s work- rates went up; it was harder and harder for ing and what the problems are. And what small businesses to cover their employees. about people that are hard to place? Are we And when they couldn’t cover their employ- doing enough on job training? Have we done ees, the employees themselves weren’t mak- enough on transportation? Are people so ing enough money to buy insurance. So we’ve concentrated that are still on the rolls or peo- got the numbers going down now. ple that keep dropping out and go back in There is enough money here in the Con- a hurry, that those are the places that need gress—they have enough money in the pro- the new markets designation and help? jected 10-year budget to afford a substantial These are the kinds of things that I think tax cut, to keep paying the debt down, to ought to be done. meet our investment commitments at the na- But one of the great stories of the last 8 tional level, and still expand health care cov- years is that all of us who thought poor peo- erage. I believe the best way to do it is to ple would rather work than draw a Govern- work with the States to add the parents of ment check for not working were right, but the children who have been insured under that people still have to be able, even on the CHIP program. modest wages, to succeed at work and at Now, some of those parents, a few of them, home, which is one of the reasons I am dis- have insurance at work where they can get appointed we didn’t raise the minimum wage insurance, but they can’t insure their kids. again last year. I think it will go up fairly But most of them don’t have anything. And soon in this new session of Congress. if you did that, if you did just that, that would But we’ve got to make sure that people cover over 25 percent of all the people left who are working, particularly if they’re single in America who don’t have health insur- parents, can do a good job with their kids, ance—just that one thing. And the money because raising children is still the most im- is there to do it. portant job of any society. So again, our State The other thing that I’ve been trying to is—ironically, it’s small enough but also di- get the Congress to do that is—really there’s verse enough, that you can really kind of do nothing for you to do, but I think we ought a mid-course check here, see what’s working, to do it—is to give a tax credit to people what’s not, what should the Congress do, who are over 55 and have either dropped what should the new administration do to out or retired early and lost their health in- help you make this work. surance on the job, or who lost their jobs But this is an enormous story, to see these or who work in jobs without health insurance. rolls cut 60 percent, and people, just like we They’re not old enough to get into Medicare. always knew, preferring work to idleness as Without in any way weakening Medicare, if long as they can take care of their kids. we gave them a 25-percent tax credit, we Now, one other thing I’d like to mention, could let them buy into Medicare at cost and I alluded to it earlier. I know you’ve had when they’re over 55. some vigorous debates here in the legislature This is a big deal. And that’s 300,000 or about how best to cover children and what 400,000 people. And that’s another big chunk should be done on health care. But let me of folks. But the thing I would like you to just get to the bottom line. I’ll state it again. focus on—there will be a debate in this com- This Children’s Health Insurance Pro- ing Congress, and I think there will be bipar- gram, which is the biggest expansion of tisan interest now that the CHIP program 166 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 is working so well, in adding people to the going to do this? If so, how’s the money going ranks of health insurance. And back in ’94, to be spent? What do you have to say about when we had this big fight about it, we had it? How can it help the health of the people a big fight because the economy was bad, of Arkansas, especially the children of Arkan- and there was no way to cover everybody ex- sas, in the most effective way? cept with an employer mandate, which Let me just make one final comment. I couldn’t pass because the economy was bad, think one of the most important contribu- or with more money, which we didn’t have tions that our administration made to life in unless we raised taxes, and we couldn’t do Washington in the last 8 years was arguing it because we just raised taxes to get the def- that we had to find a way to be at peace icit down. with each other and to work together across Now, we are in a position to fund this. all of our differences. If you follow American And it’s very important that it be done in politics as closely as all of you do, you know the right way. And the States, I think, have that a lot of our differences are almost cul- experience about how this might be done. tural: race, religion, the people who live in So I would hope that this is one of the things the West as opposed to people who live in that you would be working very closely with the East, and their attitude about protection your congressional delegation on, because it of public lands. Is it gun control or gun safe- really is the opportunity of a lifetime. I mean, ty? All these things that keep—politicians for 50 years American Presidents and Con- just stay away from a lot of these issues be- gresses and people around the country have cause you’re afraid, no matter which way you been trying to figure out how to get health move and what you say, it will all blow up care coverage to everybody. And Hawaii, on you and you can’t get much done, but Minnesota, and North Dakota are about the you lose votes no matter what you do. only people that have done it—that is, that But the truth is, in a highly diverse society, are substantially over 90 percent. So I hope where we’re growing more and more inter- you will do that. dependent both within our country and Another thing I think that might be very around the world, with the rest of the world, valuable to Arkansas is that in the previous we have no choice but to confront a lot of campaign, President-elect Bush said that he these things. So the work that we’ve done would put more money into public health with this Office of One America, I think, is centers if he were elected. And I guess it’s very, very important, with our race report the same as it was, but when I left office, and all of that. we were, for example, giving—85 percent of On Martin Luther King’s holiday, Monday, all the immunizations in the State of Arkan- I sent a report to Congress on where we are, sas were being given by the county health what progress we’ve made in building one departments. Even upper-income people America in the last 8 years, and what I were taking their kids to county health de- thought the unmet challenges were, from partments because doctors didn’t want to buy dealing with the challenge of racial profiling the liability insurance, and so they’d just go and law enforcement to closing disparities in and do that. health and education, to giving back the right But I think that if there is going to be fund- to vote to ex-offenders once their sentence ing for health units, which I think would be is discharged, something that the Arkansas a very good thing, then the States ought to legislature did without a word of criticism in have some significant input into how it’s 1977–1977. This is a big deal. Six hundred going to be done, so the money will be spent thousand people every year get out of the in a way that the States—and the Southern penitentiary. You all want me to give more States, by the way, in general, have historic— money every year for that prison over in For- for historic reasons, have relied on county rest City. People here in the room have lob- health units, public health units, more than bied for it. Most people who go in, get out. the rest of the country. So that’s something And we have a huge collective interest as a else I think you ought to be looking for in people in seeing that when people get out this coming session of Congress. Are they of prison, they obey the law. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 167

You know, you don’t want to dog people I personally think that the pencil system to the end of their days. If you say, ‘‘Here’s I use on my absentee ballot here from Pulaski your penalty; serve it,’’ they serve it. And County is a lot better, a lot less subject to then they get out and say, ‘‘And now we want messing up, and can also be counted by ma- you to be a good, successful, law-abiding cit- chine, so it can be counted more quickly. But izen, and by the way, here’s a 50-pound this is something that every State needs to weight we want you to wear around your be sure of. neck for the rest of your life. But you’ve got The States in this country have done, I to do as well as we do.’’ I just think it’s a think, a very good job of making it easier mistake. And we have got to find a way to for people to vote. One reason it took so long figure out how, once people pay and they to count these votes in Washington State is— get out—600,000 a year, that’s a lot of peo- it took 2 weeks or 3 weeks to count the votes ple—we can bring them back into America. because over a third of the votes were cast I mean, the whole purpose of defined pun- by paper ballots in advance of election day. ishment is to say when it’s over, ‘‘You did it, but it’s over.’’ By the way, it’s going to change everything And I can tell you, I’m going through this for all the politicians. There is a congressional now—Meredith Cabe is one of my pardon seat in that was won twice by attorneys—just dealing with the mechanics the candidate of one party on election day, of this, I just don’t—most people who apply and both times the other candidate was elect- for a Presidential pardon do it because they ed because she got so many votes in the 3 want to vote again. But a lot of people don’t weeks leading up to election. even know how to do it. So it is going to change the nature of poli- I’m not going to be President in 3 days. tics. But the main thing is it’s voter friendly. We’re still getting applications in the mail, So the idea of making it easier for people and it’s crazy. Most of these people should to vote is taking hold in America. But until just be able to vote and be full citizens, be- the recent election, I don’t think any of us— cause they’ve paid. I think it’s an important I know I hadn’t—we hadn’t paid enough at- issue. And as I said, we did it here in 1977, tention to the mechanics of voting. For exam- but I’ll bet you most people in Arkansas don’t ple, the biggest reject State in the country— know that’s the law, because only about 14 that is where people vote, but their votes are States have done it. So people just assume not counted—I think was Idaho last year. But it’s not there. because Idaho is overwhelmingly a Repub- The other thing that I recommended and lican State, the races aren’t close, so if 5 per- I think is very important is not that we re- cent of the votes don’t get counted, it never litigate the last election but that we make makes any difference. So nobody gets upset. sure that in every future election in every They never think about it. State in the country, voting is clear, simple, But now we know that this is not just a unquestionable, and people’s votes get problem in Florida, it’s a problem in other counted. And I asked the incoming adminis- places. And we need to look at everywhere tration to appoint a commission headed probably by President Ford and President the mechanics of voting. Because, you just Carter, but something totally bipartisan, just think about it. In Washington, DC, across to look at this. Because we all know—I know the river, in the Alexandria public school sys- the history of voting, and voting machines tem, there are people from 180 different na- are good in a lot of ways because you can’t tional and ethnic groups in one school sys- vote twice in the same race on a voting ma- tem. Their parents speak over 100 different chine because you can’t pull two levers now. languages as their native language. And as But they’re expensive. They’re hard to main- I said, I know Arkansas is one of the top three tain. When the ones you bought don’t work States in the country in the growth of His- anymore, they’re hard to get parts to repair, panic students. As this country gets more and and so that’s how people got into these punch more diverse and more and more commin- card systems. gled, it will be more and more important for 168 Jan. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 people to believe not only when their can- be able to do better. There will always be didates win but especially when their can- new challenges, that as long as we are on didates lose, that the whole thing was done this Earth and finite human beings, God in the best possible way. meant us to have new problems. But we will So that’s another thing that I would like always be able to form a more perfect Union. to see not only this State and this State legis- I will leave that office at noon on January lature weigh in, but every State in the coun- 20th more idealistic than I was the day I took try. This is something we can do as a people the oath of office 8 years before, largely be- that there ought to be no difference of opin- cause it worked out the way I thought it ion on. Just—we can figure out the most would based on what I learned and how I cost-effective way to get the mechanics right. lived here. But in this case, the whole integrity of our Thank you, and God bless you. democracy, over the long run, depends upon it. Let me just say one other thing. I went NOTE: The President spoke at 2:07 p.m. in the back and read my first inaugural address in House Chamber at the Arkansas State Capitol 1979. I got a little plaque from the Arkansas Building. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Mike Gazette when I gave it that I put on the wall Huckabee of Arkansas, and his wife, Janet; Lt. in the White House, and I had it up there Gov. Win Rockefeller of Arkansas; State Senator every day I was President. And I had a line Mike Beebe, president pro tempore of the senate; in it that said, ‘‘The people of Arkansas have State Speaker of the House Shane Broadway; two emotions in great abundance, hope and State Representative Mary Anne Salmon; State pride. Without them, there is no such thing Attorney General ; Arkansas Secretary as quality of life. With them, there is nothing of State Sharon Priest; State Treasurer Jimmie we cannot achieve.’’ Lou Fisher; Arkansas Commissioner of State I will leave office at noon on the 20th, Lands Charlie Daniels; State Auditor Gus amazingly grateful that somehow the mystery Wingfield; former Senator David H. Pryor; of this great democracy gave me the chance Raymond Lloyd (Buddy) Young, Region VI Direc- to go from a little boy on South Hervey Street tor, Federal Emergency Management Agency; in Hope, Arkansas, to the White House. I Carl Whillock, Special Assistant to the President, am quite sure there was more than a little Department of Agriculture; Montine McNulty, executive director, Arkansas Hospitality Associa- luck in that and good fortune. I am absolutely tion; Jana Prewitt, Director of External Affairs, positive that I may be the only person ever Department of the Interior; Robyn Dickey, elected President who owes his election former White House Office Deputy Social Sec- purely to his personal friends, without whom retary; Wilbur Peer, Acting Administrator, Rural I would never have won. But I know this. Business-Cooperative Service, Department of Ag- If we have the right vision, if we have good riculture; Harold Gist, Associate Director of Inter- ideas, and if we always believe, if we are governmental Affairs, Department of Transpor- proud of our country and its history and our tation; Caroll Willis, director, and Lottie future is absolutely filled with hope, then the Shackelford, vice chair, Democratic National best days of this country will always be ahead. Committee; Debbie Willhite, co-executive direc- After I became President, I went back and tor, 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee; Ada read all the founding documents again, to Hollingsworth, owner, A&A Travel Services; make sure that I knew them as nearly by Carolyn Staley, deputy director, National Institute heart as I could. And when the Founders for Literacy; former Representative John Paul Hammerschmidt; former Arkansas State Highway kicked our country off with the Declaration Commissioner L.W. (Bill) Clark; Hal Honeycutt, of Independence, they said they pledged former director, Arkansas State Game and Fish their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor Commission; Bill Bowen, former chief of staff to to the enterprise of forming a more perfect the Governor of Arkansas; former Senator Dale Union—not a perfect Union but a more per- Bumpers, and his wife, Betty; and former First fect Union. And they were smart people. Lady Rosalynn Carter. A portion of these remarks What they said is, if we get this right, then could not be verified because the tape was incom- all the people who come after us will always plete. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2001 / Jan. 17 169

Remarks to the Community cause she worked harder, and she learned in Little Rock to do that here. And I was very proud of January 17, 2001 her. I think the day she was sworn into the United States Senate, I honestly believe, was The President. Thank you very much. the happiest day of my life since Chelsea was Thank you. I want to—— born. It was an amazing thing and a real trib- Audience member. We love you! ute to her and to all of you who have helped The President. That’s what I want to say, her along life’s way. too. I want to thank you for coming, and I I was thinking that it was about 8 years want to thank you for waiting. We had a won- ago that I had my farewell rally to Arkansas derful moment in the Arkansas Legislature. when I left to become President in this very I got to speak to the legislature and see a place. And I was looking out across this sea lot of my old friends. And you know, with of faces, thinking how many of you were term limits there’s been a lot of turnover, there then and how many of you were there and about a third of the legislature, as nearly 10 years ago and 20 years ago and, in some as I can tell, got their start working in one cases, 27 years ago, when I first started. of my campaigns. [Laughter] So I had a won- I got tickled when I was walking out of derful time. the legislature tonight. I ran into a guy Thank you, Mayor. I want to thank Rodney named Red Milligan from Marion County, Slater and Hershel Gober for doing a great and in 1974, early ’74, I went up and hunted job in the President’s Cabinet and being part him up because somebody told me he could of this vast array of Arkansans who came get me some votes. And I asked him to be down here with me today. Thank you, Vic for me. And he got a guy named Carnie Snyder, for your friendship and support. Carlton, and he said, ‘‘Well, we’re going to Thank you, , for making the cam- drive you out in the country.’’ He said, ‘‘You paign and going to Congress. We’re proud need to know our county has more dirt roads of you. Thank you, Senator Pryor, for coming than any other county in Arkansas. And we’re home today so we could be together on my going down to Leon Swaford’s store’’—I still last trip to Arkansas. Maybe by the time I remember this, 1974—which is just about at get around to writing a book, I’ll be able to the four corners of Marion and Searcy and do some justice to the absolutely essential Boone and Newton Counties. You can’t get personal and political role David Pryor there from here, even today. [Laughter] played in the success of this administration I got in the truck. We’re driving down the in the last 8 years. And I’m very grateful to road. He drives me about 20 minutes. We him. hadn’t seen another living soul. They stomp I want to thank all the State officials who on the brakes; the cab of the truck fills with came out. Thank you, Sharon Priest. Thank dust. He whips out this bag of Redman— you, Jimmie Lou and Charlie, Gus, Mark [laughter]—it’s a true story—he said, ‘‘Son, Pryor. I want to thank Little Joe and the I don’t know if you can make it or not. You BK’s. It’s just like being home. And I want know, you’re a university teacher and all to thank the Trumpet and Zion Church choir. that.’’ He said, ‘‘I’ll tell you what. If you’ll You know, Jim Dailey said about every- chew this Redman, I’ll be for you.’’ [Laugh- thing I could think of to say. And he gave ter] ‘‘And if you don’t, I’m going to kick you a terrific speech, and I hope somebody for out and see if you can find your way back me still got it on tape. I’m going to play that home.’’ [Laughter] And I looked at him, and some day when I’m feeling down, you know? I said, ‘‘Open the door.’’ [Laughter] True [Laughter] I want to thank him for his friend- story. ship. And he told it again today, and he started Chelsea and I are delighted to be here laughing. He said, ‘‘Well, if that’s the way today. I wish Hillary could be here but, you you feel about it, I guess I’ll be for you, any- know, she’s otherwise occupied. And I could way.’’ [Laughter] It was those kind of en- tell you one thing. She won that thing be- counters that helped me learn a little bit