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foster peace and stability in the former Yugo- Mr. Speaker, at your swearing-in, you slavia. asked us all to work together in a spirit of Sincerely, civility and bipartisanship. Mr. Speaker, let’s William J. Clinton do exactly that. Tonight, I stand before you to report that NOTE: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis America has created the longest peacetime Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, economic expansion in our history with near- and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of ly 18 million new jobs, wages rising at more the Senate. than twice the rate of inflation, the highest homeownership in history, the smallest wel- Letter to Congressional Leaders fare rolls in 30 years, and the lowest peace- Transmitting a Report on Iraqi time unemployment since 1957. Democratic Opposition For the first time in three decades, the Organizations budget is balanced. From a deficit of $290 billion in 1992, we had a surplus of $70 bil- January 19, 1999 lion last year. And now we are on course for Dear lllll: budget surpluses for the next 25 years. Pursuant to section 5(a) of the Libera- Thanks to the pioneering leadership of all tion Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–338; Octo- of you, we have the lowest violent crime rate ber 31, 1998), the enclosed report notifies in a quarter century and the cleanest envi- the Congress of Iraqi democratic opposition ronment in a quarter century. America is a organizations I intend to designate under the strong force for peace from Northern Ireland Act. to Bosnia to the Middle East. Sincerely, Thanks to the leadership of Vice President Gore, we have a Government for the infor- William J. Clinton mation age. Once again, a Government that NOTE: Identical letters were sent to Jesse Helms, is a progressive instrument of the common chairman, and Joseph R. Biden, Jr., ranking mem- good, rooted in our oldest values of oppor- ber, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; tunity, responsibility, and community; de- Benjamin A. Gilman, chairman, and Sam Gejden- voted to fiscal responsibility; determined to son, ranking member, House Committee on give our people the tools they need to make International Relations; Ted Stevens, chairman, the most of their own lives in the 21st cen- and Robert C. Byrd, ranking member, Senate tury; a 21st century Government for 21st Committee on Appropriations; and C.W. Bill century America. Young, chairman, and David R. Obey, ranking My fellow Americans, I stand before you member, House Committee on Appropriations. tonight to report that the state of our Union is strong. Address Before a Joint Session of the Now, America is working again. The prom- Congress on the ise of our future is limitless. But we cannot January 19, 1999 realize that promise if we allow the hum of our prosperity to lull us into complacency. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Mem- How we fare as a nation far into the 21st bers of Congress, honored guests, my fellow century depends upon what we do as a nation Americans: Tonight, I have the honor of re- today. So with our budget surplus growing, porting to you on the State of the Union. our economy expanding, our confidence ris- Let me begin by saluting the new Speaker ing, now is the moment for this generation of the House, and thanking him, especially to meet our historic responsibility to the 21st tonight, for extending an invitation to two century. guests sitting in the gallery with Mrs. Hastert: Our fiscal discipline gives us an unsur- Lyn Gibson and Wenling Chestnut are the passed opportunity to address a remarkable widows of the two brave Capitol Hill police new challenge, the aging of America. With officers who gave their lives to defend free- the number of elderly Americans set to dou- dom’s house. ble by 2030, the baby boom will become a

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senior boom. So first, and above all, we must Second, once we have saved Social Secu- save Social Security for the 21st century. rity, we must fulfill our obligation to save and Early in this century, being old meant improve Medicare. Already, we have ex- being poor. When President Roosevelt cre- tended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund ated Social Security, thousands wrote to by 10 years, but we should extend it for at thank him for eliminating what one woman least another decade. Tonight, I propose that called ‘‘the stark terror of penniless, helpless we use one out of every $6 in the surplus old age.’’ Even today, without Social Security, for the next 15 years to guarantee the sound- half our Nation’s elderly would be forced into ness of Medicare until the year 2020. poverty. But again, we should aim higher. We must Today, Social Security is strong. But by be willing to work in a bipartisan way and 2013, payroll taxes will no longer be sufficient look at new ideas, including the upcoming to cover monthly payments. By 2032, the report of the bipartisan Medicare Commis- Trust Fund will be exhausted and Social Se- sion. If we work together, we can secure curity will be unable to pay the full benefits Medicare for the next two decades and cover older Americans have been promised. the greatest growing need of seniors, afford- The best way to keep Social Security a able prescription drugs. rock-solid guarantee is not to make drastic Third, we must help all Americans, from cuts in benefits, not to raise payroll tax rates, their first day on the job to save, to invest, not to drain resources from Social Security to create wealth. From its beginning, Ameri- in the name of saving it. Instead, I propose cans have supplemented Social Security with that we make the historic decision to invest private pensions and savings. Yet, today, mil- the surplus to save Social Security. lions of people retire with little to live on Specifically, I propose that we commit 60 other than Social Security. Americans living percent of the budget surplus for the next longer than ever simply must save more than 15 years to Social Security, investing a small ever. portion in the private sector, just as any pri- Therefore, in addition to saving Social Se- vate or State Government pension would do. curity and Medicare, I propose a new pen- This will earn a higher return and keep Social sion initiative for retirement security in the Security sound for 55 years. 21st century. I propose that we use a little But we must aim higher. We should put over 11 percent of the surplus to establish Social Security on a sound footing for the universal savings accounts—USA accounts— next 75 years. We should reduce poverty among elderly women, who are nearly twice to give all Americans the means to save. With as likely to be poor as our other seniors. And these new accounts Americans can invest as we should eliminate the limits on what sen- they choose and receive funds to match a iors on Social Security can earn. portion of their savings, with extra help for Now, these changes will require difficult those least able to save. USA accounts will but fully achievable choices over and above help all Americans to share in our Nation’s the dedication of the surplus. They must be wealth and to enjoy a more secure retire- made on a bipartisan basis. They should be ment. I ask you to support them. made this year. So let me say to you tonight, Fourth, we must invest in long-term care. I reach out my hand to all of you in both I propose a tax credit of $1,000 for the aged, Houses, in both parties, and ask that we join ailing or disabled, and the families who care together in saying to the American people: for them. Long-term care will become a big- We will save Social Security now. ger and bigger challenge with the aging of Now, last year we wisely reserved all of America, and we must do more to help our the surplus until we knew what it would take families deal with it. to save Social Security. Again, I say, we I was born in 1946, the first year of the shouldn’t spend any of it, not any of it, until baby boom. I can tell you that one of the after Social Security is truly saved. First greatest concerns of our generation is our ab- things first. solute determination not to let our growing

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old place an intolerable burden on our chil- While our fourth graders outperform their dren and their ability to raise our grand- peers in other countries in math and science, children. Our economic success and our fis- our eighth graders are around average, and cal discipline now give us an opportunity to our twelfth graders rank near the bottom. We lift that burden from their shoulders, and we must do better. Now, each year the National should take it. Government invests more than $15 billion in Saving Social Security, Medicare, creating our public schools. I believe we must change USA accounts: This is the right way to use the way we invest that money, to support the surplus. If we do so—if we do so—we what works and to stop supporting what does will still have resources to meet critical needs not work. in education and defense. And I want to First, later this year, I will send to Con- point out that this proposal is fiscally sound. gress a plan that, for the first time, holds Listen to this: If we set aside 60 percent of States and school districts accountable for the surplus for Social Security and 16 percent progress and rewards them for results. My for Medicare, over the next 15 years, that ‘‘Education Accountability Act’’ will require saving will achieve the lowest level of publicly every school district receiving Federal help held debt since right before World War I, to take the following five steps. in 1917. First, all schools must end social pro- So with these four measures—saving So- motion. No child should graduate from high cial Security, strengthening Medicare, estab- school with a diploma he or she can’t read. lishing the USA accounts, supporting long- We do our children no favors when we allow term care—we can begin to meet our genera- them to pass from grade to grade without tion’s historic responsibility to establish true mastering the material. But we can’t just hold security for 21st century seniors. students back because the system fails them. Now, there are more children from more diverse backgrounds in our public schools So my balanced budget triples the funding than at any time in our history. Their edu- for summer school and after-school pro- cation must provide the knowledge and nur- grams, to keep a million children learning. ture the creativity that will allow our entire Now, if you doubt this will work, just look Nation to thrive in the new economy. at Chicago, which ended social promotion Today we can say something we couldn’t and made summer school mandatory for say 6 years ago: With tax credits and more those who don’t master the basics. Math and affordable student loans, with more work- reading scores are up 3 years running with study grants and more Pell grants, with edu- some of the biggest gains in some of the cation IRA’s and the new HOPE scholarship poorest neighborhoods. It will work, and we tax cut that more than 5 million Americans should do it. will receive this year, we have finally opened Second, all States and school districts must the doors of college to all Americans. turn around their worst-performing schools With our support, nearly every State has or shut them down. That’s the policy estab- set higher academic standards for public lished in North Carolina by Governor Jim schools, and a voluntary national test is being Hunt. North Carolina made the biggest gains developed to measure the progress of our in test scores in the Nation last year. Our students. With over $1 billion in discounts budget includes $200 million to help States available this year, we are well on our way turn around their own failing schools. to our goal of connecting every classroom Third, all States and school districts must and library to the Internet. be held responsible for the quality of their Last fall, you passed our proposal to start teachers. The great majority of our teachers hiring 100,000 new teachers to reduce class do a fine job. But in too many schools, teach- size in the early grades. Now I ask you to ers don’t have college majors—or even mi- finish the job. nors—in the subjects they teach. New teach- You know, our children are doing better. ers should be required to pass performance SAT scores are up; math scores have risen exams, and all teachers should know the sub- in nearly all grades. But there’s a problem. jects they’re teaching. This year’s balanced

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budget contains resources to help them reach work by strengthening enforcement of equal higher standards. pay laws. And to attract talented young teachers to That was encouraging, you know. [Laugh- the toughest assignments, I recommend a six- ter] There was more balance on the seesaw. fold increase in our program for college I like that. Let’s give them a hand. That’s scholarships for students who commit to great. [Applause] teach in the inner cities and isolated rural Working parents also need quality child areas and in Indian communities. Let us care. So again this year, I ask Congress to bring excellence in every part of America. support our plan for tax credits and subsidies Fourth, we must empower parents with for working families, for improved safety and more information and more choices. In too quality, for expanded after-school programs. many communities, it’s easier to get informa- And our plan also includes a new tax credit tion on the quality of the local restaurants for stay-at-home parents, too. They need than on the quality of the local schools. Every support, as well. school district should issue report cards on Parents should never have to worry about every school. And parents should be given choosing between their children and their more choices in selecting their public school. work. Now, the Family and Medical Leave When I became President, there was just Act, the very first bill I signed into law, has one independent public charter school in all now, since 1993, helped millions and millions America. With our support, on a bipartisan of Americans to care for a newborn baby or an ailing relative without risking their jobs. basis, today there are 1,100. My budget I think it’s time, with all the evidence that assures that early in the next century, there it has been so little burdensome to employ- will be 3,000. ers, to extend family leave to 10 million more Fifth, to assure that our classrooms are Americans working for smaller companies. truly places of learning and to respond to And I hope you will support it. what teachers have been asking us to do for Finally on the matter of work, parents years, we should say that all States and school should never have to face discrimination in districts must both adopt and implement sen- the workplace. So I want to ask Congress to sible discipline policies. prohibit companies from refusing to hire or Now, let’s do one more thing for our chil- promote workers simply because they have dren. Today, too many schools are so old children. That is not right. they’re falling apart, or so over-crowded stu- America’s families deserve the world’s best dents are learning in trailers. Last fall, Con- medical care. Thanks to bipartisan Federal gress missed the opportunity to change that. support for medical research, we are now on This year, with 53 million children in our the verge of new treatments to prevent or schools, Congress must not miss that oppor- delay diseases from Parkinson’s to Alz- tunity again. I ask you to help our commu- heimer’s, to arthritis to cancer. But as we nities build or modernize 5,000 schools. continue our advances in medical science, we If we do these things—end social pro- can’t let our medical system lag behind. Man- motion; turn around failing schools; build aged care has literally transformed medicine modern ones; support qualified teachers; in America, driving down costs but threaten- promote innovation, competition and dis- ing to drive down quality as well. cipline—then we will begin to meet our gen- I think we ought to say to every American: eration’s historic responsibility to create 21st You should have the right to know all your century schools. medical options, not just the cheapest. If you Now, we also have to do more to support need a specialist, you should have a right to the millions of parents who give their all see one. You have a right to the nearest every day at home and at work. The most emergency care if you’re in an accident. basic tool of all is a decent income. So let’s These are things that we ought to say. And raise the minimum wage by a dollar an hour I think we ought to say: You should have a over the next 2 years. And let’s make sure right to keep your doctor during a period of that women and men get equal pay for equal treatment, whether it’s a pregnancy or a

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chemotherapy treatment, or anything else. I to thank her for what she’s done. Thank you. believe this. [Applause] Thank you. Now, I’ve ordered these rights to be ex- As everyone knows, our children are tar- tended to the 85 million Americans served gets of a massive media campaign to hook by Medicare, Medicaid, and other Federal them on cigarettes. Now, I ask this Congress health programs. But only Congress can pass to resist the tobacco lobby, to reaffirm the a Patients’ Bill of Rights for all Americans. FDA’s authority to protect our children from Now, last year, Congress missed that oppor- tobacco, and to hold tobacco companies ac- tunity, and we must not miss that opportunity countable while protecting tobacco farmers. again. For the sake of our families, I ask us Smoking has cost taxpayers hundreds of to join together across party lines and pass billions of dollars under Medicare and other a strong, enforceable Patients’ Bill of Rights. programs. You know, the States have been As more of our medical records are stored right about this: Taxpayers shouldn’t pay for electronically, the threats to all our privacy the cost of lung cancer, emphysema, and increase. Because Congress has given me the other smoking-related illnesses; the tobacco authority to act if it does not do so by August, companies should. So tonight I announce one way or another, we can all say to the that the Justice Department is preparing a American people, ‘‘We will protect the pri- litigation plan to take the tobacco companies vacy of medical records, and we will do it to court and, with the funds we recover, to this year.’’ strengthen Medicare. Now 2 years ago, the Congress extended Now, if we act in these areas—minimum health coverage to up to 5 million children. wage, family leave, child care, health care, Now we should go beyond that. We should the safety of our children—then we will make it easier for small businesses to offer begin to meet our generation’s historic re- health insurance. We should give people be- sponsibilities to strengthen our families for tween the ages of 55 and 65 who lose their the 21st century. health insurance the chance to buy into Today, America is the most dynamic, com- Medicare. And we should continue to ensure petitive, job-creating economy in history. But access to family planning. we can do even better in building a 21st cen- No one should have to choose between tury economy that embraces all Americans. keeping health care and taking a job. And Today’s income gap is largely a skills gap. therefore, I especially ask you tonight to join Last year, the Congress passed a law enabling hands to pass the landmark bipartisan legisla- workers to get a skills grant to choose the tion, proposed by Senators Kennedy and Jef- training they need. And I applaud all of you fords, Roth, and Moynihan to allow people here who were part of that. This year, I rec- with disabilities to keep their health insur- ommend a 5-year commitment to the new ance when they go to work. system so that we can provide, over the next We need to enable our public hospitals, 5 years, appropriate training opportunities our community, our university health centers for all Americans who lose their jobs and ex- to provide basic, affordable care for all the pand rapid response teams to help all towns millions of working families who don’t have which have been really hurt when businesses any insurance. They do a lot of that today, close. I hope you will support this. but much more can be done. And my bal- Also, I ask your support for a dramatic in- anced budget makes a good down payment crease in Federal support for adult literacy, toward that goal. I hope you will think about to mount a national campaign aimed at help- them and support that provision. ing the millions and millions of working peo- Let me say we must step up our efforts ple who still read at less than a fifth grade to treat and prevent mental illness. No Amer- level. We need to do this. ican should ever be afraid—ever—to address Here’s some good news: In the past 6 this disease. This year, we will host a White years, we have cut the welfare rolls nearly House Conference on Mental Health. With in half. You can all be proud of that. Two sensitivity, commitment, and passion, Tipper years ago, from this podium, I asked five Gore is leading our efforts here, and I’d like companies to lead a national effort to hire

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people off welfare. Tonight, our Welfare to We had one Member of Congress stand Work Partnership includes 10,000 companies up and applaud. [Laughter] And we may who have hired hundreds of thousands of have about that ratio out there applauding people. And our balanced budget will help at home, in front of their television sets. But another 200,000 people move to the dignity remember, this is a big, big problem. And and pride of work. I hope you will support we’ve been working hard on it. Already, it. we’ve made sure that the Social Security We must do more to bring the spark of checks will come on time. But I want all the private enterprise to every corner of Amer- folks at home listening to this to know that ica, to build a bridge from Wall Street to we need every State and local government, Appalachia to the Mississippi Delta to our every business, large and small, to work with Native American communities, with more us to make sure that this Y2K computer bug support for community development banks, will be remembered as the last headache of for empowerment zones, for 100,000 more the 20th century, not the first crisis of the vouchers for affordable housing. And I ask 21st. Congress to support our bold new plan to For our own prosperity, we must support help businesses raise up to $15 billion in pri- economic growth abroad. You know, until re- vate sector capital to bring jobs and opportu- cently, a third of our economic growth came nities to our inner cities and rural areas with from exports. But over the past year and a tax credits, loan guarantees, including the half, financial turmoil overseas has put that new ‘‘American Private Investment Com- growth at risk. Today, much of the world is pany,’’ modeled on the Overseas Private In- in recession, with Asia hit especially hard. vestment Company. This is the most serious financial crisis in half For years and years and years, we’ve had a century. To meet it, the and this OPIC, this Overseas Private Investment other nations have reduced interest rates and Corporation, because we knew we had un- strengthened the International Monetary tapped markets overseas. But our greatest Fund. And while the turmoil is not over, we untapped markets are not overseas; they are have worked very hard with other nations to right here at home. And we should go after contain it. them. At the same time, we have to continue to We must work hard to help bring prosper- work on the long-term project, building a ity back to the family farm. As this Congress global financial system for the 21st century knows very well, dropping prices and the loss that promotes prosperity and tames the cycle of foreign markets have devastated too many of boom and bust that has engulfed so much family farms. Last year, the Congress pro- of Asia. This June I will meet with other vided substantial assistance to help stave off world leaders to advance this historic pur- a disaster in American agriculture. And I am pose, and I ask all of you to support our en- ready to work with lawmakers of both parties deavors. to create a farm safety net that will include I also ask you to support creating a freer crop insurance reform and farm income as- and fairer trading system for 21st century sistance. I ask you to join with me and do America. I’d like to say something really seri- this. This should not be a political issue. Ev- ous to everyone in this Chamber in both par- eryone knows what an economic problem is ties. I think trade has divided us, and divided going on out there in rural America today, Americans outside this Chamber, for too and we need an appropriate means to ad- long. Somehow we have to find a common dress it. ground on which business and workers and We must strengthen our lead in tech- environmentalists and farmers and Govern- nology. It was Government investment that ment can stand together. I believe these are led to the creation of the Internet. I propose the things we ought to all agree on. So let a 28-percent increase in long-term comput- me try. ing research. We also must be ready for the First, we ought to tear down barriers, open 21st century from its very first moment, by markets, and expand trade. But at the same solving the so-called Y2K computer problem. time, we must ensure that ordinary citizens

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in all countries actually benefit from trade, has put Bosnia on the path to peace. And a trade that promotes the dignity of work and with our NATO allies, we are pressing the the rights of workers and protects the envi- Serbian Government to stop its brutal re- ronment. We must insist that international pression in Kosovo, to bring those respon- trade organizations be more open to public sible to justice, and to give the people of scrutiny, instead of mysterious, secret things Kosovo the self-government they deserve. subject to wild criticism. All Americans can be proud that our lead- When you come right down to it, now that ership renewed hope for lasting peace in the the world economy is becoming more and Middle East. Some of you were with me last more integrated, we have to do in the world December as we watched the Palestinian Na- what we spent the better part of this century tional Council completely renounce its call doing here at home. We have got to put a for the destruction of Israel. Now I ask Con- human face on the global economy. gress to provide resources so that all parties We must enforce our trade laws when im- can implement the Wye agreement to pro- ports unlawfully flood our Nation. I have al- tect Israel’s security, to stimulate the Pal- ready informed the Government of Japan estinian economy, to support our friends in that if that nation’s sudden surge of steel im- Jordan. We must not—we dare not—let ports into our country is not reversed, Amer- them down. I hope you will help. ica will respond. As we work for peace, we must also meet We must help all manufacturers hit hard threats to our Nation’s security, including in- by the present crisis with loan guarantees and creased dangers from outlaw nations and ter- other incentives to increase American ex- rorism. We will defend our security wherever ports by nearly $2 billion. I’d like to believe we are threatened, as we did this summer we can achieve a new consensus on trade, when we struck at Usama bin Ladin’s net- based on these principles. And I ask the Con- work of terror. The bombing of our Embas- gress again to join me in this common ap- sies in Kenya and Tanzania reminds us again proach and to give the President the trade of the risks faced every day by those who authority long used and now overdue and represent America to the world. So let’s give necessary to advance our prosperity in the them the support they need, the safest pos- 21st century. sible workplaces, and the resources they Tonight I issue a call to the nations of the must have so America can continue to lead. world to join the United States in a new We must work to keep terrorists from dis- round of global trade negotiations to expand rupting computer networks. We must work exports of services, manufactures, and farm to prepare local communities for biological products. Tonight I say we will work with and chemical emergenices, to support re- the International Labor Organization on a search into vaccines and treatments. new initiative to raise labor standards around We must increase our efforts to restrain the world. And this year, we will lead the the spread of nuclear weapons and missiles, international community to conclude a treaty from Korea to India and Pakistan. We must to ban abusive child labor everywhere in the expand our work with , , and world. other former Soviet nations to safeguard nu- If we do these things—invest in our peo- clear materials and technology so they never ple, our communities, our technology, and fall into the wrong hands. Our balanced lead in the global economy—then we will budget will increase funding for these critical begin to meet our historic responsibility to efforts by almost two-thirds over the next 5 build a 21st century prosperity for America. years. You know, no nation in history has had With Russia, we must continue to reduce the opportunity and the responsibility we our nuclear arsenals. The START II treaty now have to shape a world that is more and the framework we have already agreed peaceful, more secure, more free. All Ameri- to for START III could cut them by 80 per- cans can be proud that our leadership helped cent from their cold war height. to bring peace in Northern Ireland. All It’s been 2 years since I signed the Com- Americans can be proud that our leadership prehensive Test Ban Treaty. If we don’t do

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the right thing, other nations won’t either. In China, last year, I said to the leaders I ask the Senate to take this vital step: Ap- and the people what I’d like to say again to- prove the treaty now, to make it harder for night: Stability can no longer be bought at other nations to develop nuclear arms, and the expense of liberty. But I’d also like to to make sure we can end nuclear testing for- say again to the American people: It’s impor- ever. tant not to isolate China. The more we bring For nearly a decade, Iraq has defied its China into the world, the more the world obligations to destroy its weapons of terror will bring change and freedom to China. and the missiles to deliver them. America will Last spring, with some of you, I traveled continue to contain Saddam, and we will to Africa, where I saw democracy and reform work for the day when Iraq has a Govern- rising but still held back by violence and dis- ment worthy of its people. ease. We must fortify African democracy and Now, last month, in our action over Iraq, peace by launching Radio Democracy for Af- our troops were superb. Their mission was rica, supporting the transition to democracy so flawlessly executed that we risk taking for now beginning to take place in Nigeria, and granted the bravery and the skill it required. passing the ‘‘African Trade and Development Captain Jeff Taliaferro, a 10-year veteran of Act.’’ the Air Force, flew a B–1B bomber over Iraq We must continue to deepen our ties to as we attacked Saddam’s war machine. He’s the Americas and the Caribbean, our com- here with us tonight. I’d like to ask you to mon work to educate children, fight drugs, honor him and all the 33,000 men and strengthen democracy and increase trade. In women of Operation Desert Fox. this hemisphere, every government but one Captain Taliaferro. [Applause] is freely chosen by its people. We are deter- It is time to reverse the decline in defense mined that Cuba, too, will know the blessings spending that began in 1985. Since April, to- of liberty. gether we have added nearly $6 billion to The American people have opened their maintain our military readiness. My balanced hearts and their arms to our Central Amer- budget calls for a sustained increase over the ican and Caribbean neighbors who have been next 6 years for readiness, for modernization, so devastated by the recent hurricanes. and for pay and benefits for our troops and Working with Congress, I am committed to their families. help them rebuild. When the First Lady and We are the heirs of a legacy of bravery Tipper Gore visited the region, they saw represented in every community in America thousands of our troops and thousands of by millions of our veterans. America’s de- American volunteers. In the Dominican Re- fenders today still stand ready at a moment’s public, Hillary helped to rededicate a hos- notice to go where comforts are few and dan- pital that had been rebuilt by Dominicans gers are many, to do what needs to be done and Americans, working side-by-side. With as no one else can. They always come her was someone else who has been very im- through for America. We must come through portant to the relief efforts. for them. You know, sports records are made and, The new century demands new partner- sooner or later, they’re broken. But making ships for peace and security. The United Na- other people’s lives better, and showing our tions plays a crucial role, with allies sharing children the true meaning of brotherhood— burdens America might otherwise bear that lasts forever. So, for far more than base- alone. America needs a strong and effective ball, Sammy Sosa, you’re a hero in two coun- U.N. I want to work with this new Congress tries tonight. [Applause] Thank you. to pay our dues and our debts. So I say to all of you, if we do these We must continue to support security and things—if we pursue peace, fight terrorism, stability in Europe and Asia, expanding increase our strength, renew our alliances— NATO and defining its new missions, main- we will begin to meet our generation’s his- taining our alliance with Japan, with Korea, toric responsibility to build a stronger 21st with our other Asian allies, and engaging century America in a freer, more peaceful China. world.

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As the world has changed, so have our own Act, to pass legislation to require child trigger communities. We must make them safer, locks, to do everything possible to keep our more livable, and more united. This year, we children safe. will reach our goal of 100,000 community po- A century ago, President Theodore Roo- lice officers ahead of schedule and under sevelt defined our ‘‘great, central task’’ as budget. The Brady bill has stopped a quarter ‘‘leaving this land even a better land for our million felons, fugitives, and stalkers from descendants than it is for us.’’ Today, we’re buying handguns. And now, the murder rate restoring the Florida Everglades, saving Yel- is the lowest in 30 years and the crime rate lowstone, preserving the red rock canyons of has dropped for 6 straight years. Utah, protecting California’s redwoods and Tonight I propose a 21st century crime bill our precious coasts. But our most fateful new to deploy the latest technologies and tactics challenge is the threat of global warming; to make our communities even safer. Our 1998 was the warmest year ever recorded. balanced budget will help put up to 50,000 Last year’s heat waves, floods, and storms are more police on the street in the areas hardest but a hint of what future generations may hit by crime and then to equip them with endure if we do not act now. new tools, from crime-mapping computers to Tonight I propose a new clean air fund digital mug shots. to help communities reduce greenhouse and We must break the deadly cycle of drugs other pollution, and tax incentives and invest- and crime. Our budget expands support for ments to spur clean energy technology. And drug testing and treatment, saying to pris- I want to work with Members of Congress oners: If you stay on drugs, you have to stay in both parties to reward companies that take behind bars; and to those on parole: If you early, voluntary action to reduce greenhouse want to keep your freedom, you must stay gases. free of drugs. I ask Congress to restore the 5-day waiting All our communities face a preservation period for buying a handgun and extend the challenge, as they grow and green space Brady bill to prevent juveniles who commit shrinks. Seven thousand acres of farmland violent crimes from buying a gun. and open space are lost every day. In re- We must do more to keep our schools the sponse, I propose two major initiatives: First, safest places in our communities. Last year, a $1-billion livability agenda to help commu- every American was horrified and heart- nities save open space, ease traffic conges- broken by the tragic killings in Jonesboro, tion, and grow in ways that enhance every Paducah, Pearl, Edinboro, Springfield. We citizen’s quality of life; and second, a $1-bil- were deeply moved by the courageous par- lion lands legacy initiative to preserve places ents now working to keep guns out of the of natural beauty all across America from the hands of children and to make other efforts most remote wilderness to the nearest city so that other parents don’t have to live park. through their loss. These are truly landmark initiatives, which After she lost her daughter, Suzann Wilson could not have been developed without the of Jonesboro, Arkansas, came here to the visionary leadership of the Vice President, White House with a powerful plea. She said, and I want to thank him very much for his ‘‘Please, please, for the sake of your children, commitment here. lock up your guns. Don’t let what happened Now, to get the most out of your commu- in Jonesboro happen in your town.’’ It’s a nity, you have to give something back. That’s message she is passionately advocating every why we created AmeriCorps, our national day. Suzann is here with us tonight, with the service program that gives today’s generation First Lady. I’d like to thank her for her cour- a chance to serve their communities and earn age and her commitment. [Applause] Thank money for college. you. So far, in just 4 years, 100,000 young In memory of all the children who lost Americans have built low-income homes with their lives to school violence, I ask you to Habitat for Humanity, helped to tutor chil- strengthen the Safe and Drug-Free School dren with churches, worked with FEMA to

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ease the burden of natural disasters, and per- Our new immigrants must be part of our formed countless other acts of service that One America. After all, they’re revitalizing have made America better. I ask Congress our cities; they’re energizing our culture; to give more young Americans the chance they’re building up our economy. We have to follow their lead and serve America in a responsibility to make them welcome here, AmeriCorps. and they have a responsibility to enter the Now, we must work to renew our national mainstream of American life. That means community as well for the 21st century. Last learning English and learning about our year the House passed the bipartisan cam- democratic system of government. There are paign finance reform legislation sponsored by now long waiting lines of immigrants that are Representatives Shays and Meehan and Sen- trying to do just that. Therefore, our budget ators McCain and Feingold. But a partisan significantly expands our efforts to help them minority in the Senate blocked reform. So meet their responsibility. I hope you will sup- I’d like to say to the House: Pass it again, port it. quickly. And I’d like to say to the Senate: Whether our ancestors came here on the I hope you will say yes to a stronger American Mayflower, on slave ships, whether they democracy in the year 2000. came to Ellis Island or LAX in Los Angeles, Since 1997, our initiative on race has whether they came yesterday or walked this sought to bridge the divides between and land a thousand years ago, our great chal- among our people. In its report last fall, the lenge for the 21st century is to find a way to be one America. We can meet all the other initiative’s advisory board found that Ameri- challenges if we can go forward as one Amer- cans really do want to bring our people to- ica. gether across racial lines. You know, barely more than 300 days from We know it’s been a long journey. For now, we will cross that bridge into the new some, it goes back to before the beginning millennium. This is a moment, as the First of our Republic; for others, back since the Lady has said, ‘‘to honor the past and imagine Civil War; for others, throughout the 20th the future.’’ century. But for most of us alive today, in I’d like to take just a minute to honor her. a very real sense, this journey began 43 years For leading our Millennium Project, for all ago, when a woman named Rosa Parks sat she’s done for our children, for all she has down on a bus in Alabama and wouldn’t get done in her historic role to serve our Nation up. She’s sitting down with the First Lady and our best ideals at home and abroad, I tonight, and she may get up or not, as she honor her. [Applause] chooses. We thank her. [Applause] Thank Last year, I called on Congress and every you, Rosa. citizen to mark the millennium by saving We know that our continuing racial prob- America’s treasures. Hillary has traveled all lems are aggravated, as the Presidential ini- across the country to inspire recognition and tiative said, by opportunity gaps. The initia- support for saving places like Thomas tive I’ve outlined tonight will help to close Edison’s invention factory or Harriet Tub- them. But we know that the discrimination man’s home. Now we have to preserve our gap has not been fully closed either. Dis- treasures in every community. And tonight, crimination or violence because of race or before I close, I want to invite every town, religion, ancestry or gender, disability or sex- every city, every community to become a na- ual orientation, is wrong, and it ought to be tionally recognized ‘‘millennium commu- illegal. Therefore, I ask Congress to make the nity,’’ by launching projects that save our his- ‘‘Employment Non-Discrimination Act’’ and tory, promote our arts and humanities, pre- the ‘‘Hate Crimes Prevention Act’’ the law pare our children for the 21st century. of the land. Already, the response has been remark- Now, since every person in America able. And I want to say a special word of counts, every American ought to be counted. thanks to our private sector partners and to We need a census that uses modern scientific Members in Congress of both parties for methods to do that. their support. Just one example: Because of

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you, the Star-Spangled Banner will be pre- blessing on our endeavors and on our be- served for the ages. In ways large and small, loved country. as we look to the millennium we are keeping Thank you, and good evening. alive what George Washington called ‘‘the sa- cred fire of liberty.’’ NOTE: The President spoke at 9:10 p.m. in the Six years ago, I came to office in a time House Chamber of the Capitol. In his remarks, of doubt for America, with our economy he referred to Jean Hastert, wife of Speaker J. troubled, our deficit high, our people di- Dennis Hastert; Evelyn M. (Lyn) Gibson, widow vided. Some even wondered whether our of Detective John M. Gibson, and Wenling Chest- nut, widow of Officer Jacob J. Chestnut, whose best days were behind us. But across this husbands died as a result of gunshot wounds suf- country, in a thousand neighborhoods, I have fered during an attack at the Capitol on July 24, seen, even amidst the pain and uncertainty 1998; terrorist Usama bin Ladin, who allegedly of recession, the real heart and character of sponsored bombing attacks on the U.S. Embassies America. I knew then that we Americans in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998; Presi- could renew this country. dent of Iraq; Capt. Jeffrey B. Tonight, as I deliver the last State of the Taliaferro, USAF, Chief, Wing Weapons, 28th Union Address of the 20th century, no one Operations Support Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing; and Sammy Sosa, National League Most Valuable anywhere in the world can doubt the endur- Player in 1998. ing resolve and boundless capacity of the American people to work toward that ‘‘more perfect Union’’ of our Founders’ dream. Remarks to an Overflow Crowd in We’re now at the end of a century when Buffalo, New York generation after generation of Americans an- swered the call to greatness, overcoming de- January 20, 1999 pression, lifting up the disposed, bringing Thank you. Wow! Good morning. Good down barriers to racial prejudice, building afternoon. [Laughter] I want to say, first of the largest middle class in history, winning all, how very grateful that Hillary and Al and two World Wars and the long twilight strug- Tipper and I are that you all came out to gle of the cold war. We must all be pro- see us today to make us feel so welcome. foundly grateful for the magnificent achieve- I want to thank your mayor, your county ex- ment of our forebears in this century. Yet, ecutive, Mrs. Eve, and especially Congress- perhaps, in the daily press of events, in the man John LaFalce for being here with us. clash of controversy, we don’t see our own He is a great man. time for what it truly is, a new dawn for You know, we don’t want to put you America. through the speeches and everything because A hundred years from tonight, another you have the monitors here, and you’re going American President will stand in this place to see them. But let me say that Buffalo has and report on the state of the Union. He— been wonderful to me and to Hillary, to Al or she—he or she will look back on a 21st and Tipper. We are so grateful. We remem- century shaped in so many ways by the deci- ber when we came here together in 1992. sions we make here and now. So let it be And I’m always glad to come back, even in said of us then that we were thinking not the snow. Yes, that’s right. This guy says, only of our time but of their time, that we ‘‘This ain’t nothing.’’ [Laughter] And we had reached as high as our ideals, that we put some buffalo wings in the holding room. aside our divisions and found a new hour of And we just want you to know how much healing and hopefulness, that we joined to- we appreciate you, how much we appreciate gether to serve and strengthen the land we the support that you’ve given us in two elec- love. tions, how grateful we are for the chance to My fellow Americans, this is our moment. serve, and how committed we are to the Let us lift our eyes as one Nation, and from agenda that I outlined last night. Let me the mountaintop of this American Century, also—we want you to be committed to it, look ahead to the next one, asking God’s too.

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