In 1994, the economy had the lowest combination of unemployment
and inflation in 25 years.
As part of the 1993 Economic
Plan, President Clinton cut taxes on 15 million low-income families
and made tax cuts available to 90 percent of small businesses, while
raising taxes on just 1.2 percent of the wealthiest taxpayers.
The President signed into law the Brady
Bill, which imposes a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases
so that background checks can be done to help keep handguns away from criminals.
The President's Crime Bill will put
100,000 new police officers on the street. More than 1,200 communities
have already received grants to hire 27,000 additional officers.
The Crime
Bill also punishes criminals by expanding the number of offenses
eligible for the death penalty and implementing the
"three-strikes-and-you're-out" provision.
And, the
Bill banned the manufacture of 19 specific types of deadly assault
weapons, while simultaneously protecting hunters' rights by exempting
over 650 hunting rifles.
Strengthening Our Families: Security and Opportunity
President Clinton signed the
Family and Medical Leave Act. The law, which covers over 42 million
Americans, offers workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-guaranteed leave
for child birth, adoption, or personal or family illness.
President Clinton granted waivers to 25 states -- half the nation
-- providing for comprehensive welfare reform demonstrations.
President Clinton ordered the U.S. Justice Department to conduct
the first-ever crackdown on deadbeat parents who refuse to accept
financial responsibility for their own children.
President Clinton has already cut the federal bureaucracy by more
than 100,000 positions. Under the recommendations of the National
Performance Review, the federal bureaucracy will be reduced by 272,000
-- its lowest level since the Kennedy Administration.
And, he reduced the White House staff by 25 percent.
Making Education A Priority
Under the
President's Direct Student Loan program, students can borrow money
directly from the government at a lower interest rate and with many flexible
repayment options, including the option to repay with a percentage of their
after-graduation salary. Taxpayers will save at least $4.3 billion over
five years.
In 1994, over 20,000 AmeriCorps members
tutored students, immunized children, reclaimed urban parks, and
patrolled neighborhoods. In return, they earned $4,725 per year of
service towards college tuition or job training.
President Clinton signed into law Goals
2000, a national standard of excellence for our public schools.
Already, 41 states and territories have received federal grants to raise
academic standards and improve schools.
President Clinton's Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community Act
and the Safe Schools Act provide funding to schools to fight violence
and drug abuse. Schools can use up to 25 percent of their funds to
purchase metal detectors, develop safe zones, and hire school security
personnel.
The President's
School-to-Work program provides venture capital to spark a
nationwide system for moving America's young people from high school to
a job with a future. In 1994, all states received planning funds for
their school-to-work program.
Charter School legislation signed by President Clinton encourages
states and localities to set up public school choice.
Expanding Markets for American Products
The Clinton Administration forged a bipartisan coalition to
pass NAFTA,
after concluding tough negotiations on side agreements covering workers'
rights, the environment, and import surges. Exports to Mexico rose 23 percent
in the first 11 months of 1994.
President Clinton led the fight to pass GATT, which
lowers tariffs worldwide by $744 billion over ten years -- the largest
international tax cut in history. GATT cuts tariffs on manufactured
goods by more than one-third overall and eliminates tariffs in major
markets in a number of sectors in which the U.S. is particularly
competitive.
Protecting Our Environment
Under President Clinton, the EPA launched its "Common Sense
Initiative" to make health protection cheaper and smarter by
focusing on results rather than one-size-fits-all regulations.
The President's Northwest Forest Plan is putting communities in
the Northwest back to work, while conserving ancient forests.
After decades of conflict, the Clinton Administration negotiated
a consensus plan to protect
California's most valuable natural resource -- its water. The San Francisco
and Delta estuary supplies dr inking water to two-thirds of the state's
people, provides irrigation for 45 percent of the nation's fruits and vegetables,
and sustains 300 aquatic species.
Promoting Security and Freedom Abroad
President Clinton hosted the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian
Declaration of Principles in September, 1993, and the signing of the
Israeli-Jordan Washington Principles in July, 1994 -- historic
agreements between the leaders of Israel and her Arab neighbors to
settle differences by peaceful means.
To enhance European security and stability, the Clinton
Administration proposed the Partnership for Peace program, offering
former Soviet republics and Central/East European states closer ties
with NATO. Already, 22 nations have signed on, since NATO's adoption of
the program in January, 1994.
President
Clinton peacefully restored democracy to Haiti, curbing the violence
that threatened tens of thousands of Haitians, securing our borders, and
upholding our commitments and the commitments made to us in the process.
CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND SECURITY FOR ALL AMERICANS
Signed the Economic Package, August 10, 1993.
The economy created 7.7 million new jobs in the first 34
months of this Administration.
Passed the largest deficit-cutting plan in history -- saving more
than $1 trillion over seven years.
On track for three consecutive years of deficit reduction -- for
the first time since Harry Truman.
Cut federal spending by $255 billion over 5 years.
Made new tax cuts available to over 90% of small businesses.
Unemployment has fallen from 7% when President Clinton took
office to its current rate of 5.6%
Lowest combined rate of unemployment and inflation since 1968.
1994 real GDP growth was the highest in a decade.
Proposed a plan to balance the budget while protecting critical
investments in education.
PROMOTING A FUTURE OF OPPORTUNITY
Increased Head Start funding by almost $760 million.
Passed the Student Loan Reform Act, August 10, 1993.
Implemented the National Service Act, September 21, 1993.
Signed the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, March 31, 1994.
Enacted the School-to-Work Opportunities Act on May 4, 1994.
Signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization
MAKING COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS SAFE FOR OUR FAMILIES
Passed the toughest most comprehensive Crime Bill ever, September
13, 1994
Signed the Brady Bill, November 30, 1993.
Enacted the Assault Weapons Ban as part of the Crime Bill.
Put 100,000 new police on the street -- nearly 31,000 more
officers have been funded.
Signed the Violence Against Women Act as part of the Crime Bill.
Signed the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act, October 20, 1994.
Issued Presidential Directive enforcing a "Zero Tolerance" gun
policy in schools, October 22, 1994
Submitted and fought for the most comprehensive Drug Control
budget ever.
MAKING GOVERNMENT WORK BETTER AND COST LESS
Already cut the Federal Workforce by over 200,000 -- on the
way to lowest level in 30 years.
Abolishing 16,000 pages of obsolete regulations and
rewriting 31,000 more pages.
$58 billion in savings are already in the bank. $46
billion in savings are still to come.
Over 180 new recommendations will save $70 billion. Eliminated
284 federal advisory committees.
Developed government-wide Customer Service Standards for the
first time.
Appointed the most diverse Cabinet and Administration in history.
Signed the most important federal procurement act ever to streamline
government purchasing.
Reformed Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation to protect 8.5
million pensions.
Signed the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, March 22, 1995.
CREATING OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA'S COMMUNITIES
Created nine Economic Empowerment Zones and 95 Enterprise
Communities.
Signed the Community Development Banking Financial Institutions
Act, Sept. 23, 1994.
Signed the Interstate Banking Bill, September 29, 1994.
Instituted the Defense Reinvestment and Conversion Initiative.
Reformed the Community Reinvestment Act to focus on performance
rather than paperwork.
Made the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Mortgage Revenue
Bond Program permanent.
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
Issued a new executive order to require polluters to disclose
information to the public and expanded the public's right-to-know
about toxic releases.
Launched "reinventing environmental regulation" to cut red tape
and better protect public health.
Issued a new standard to cut pollution from chemical plants
90% by 1997.
Signed executive orders to increase recycling and cut
pollution in federal buildings.
Signed the California Desert Protection Act, October 31, 1994.
Issued a new standard to cut pollution from incinerators 95%.
Introduced comprehensive Safe Drinking Water and Superfund
reforms.
Developed a plan to restore Florida's Everglades.
Ended decades of conflict over the allocation of California
Bay-Delta water.
PROMOTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS
Passed the Family and Medical Leave Act, February 5, 1993.
Signed a comprehensive Child Immunization Plan.
Revoked the Reagan/Bush restrictions on abortion counseling
("the gag rule"), abortions in military hospitals, "Mexico City"
policy and RU-486 imports.
Increased Ryan White CARE Act funding for outpatient AIDS care
over 100% in first 3 budgets.
Put the Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) on a
full-funding path.
Increased funding 65% for breast cancer
research.
As part of the balanced budget plan, introduced health care reform
initiative which strengthens Medicare and expands coverage.
Proposed a $1.3 billion increase in veterans' benefits -- of
which $1 billion will be directed to the VA health system to provide
treatment for 43,000 more veterans.
PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING OUR FAMILIES
Expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit providing tax relief for
15 million working families.
Introduced the Work and Responsibility Act - comprehensive
welfare reform.
Passed the Family Support and Preservation Program.
Passed major funding increases for homeless programs in both
Houses.
Approved 35 waivers to states permitting comprehensive welfare
reform demonstrations.
Collected a record $10 billion in child support through
enforcement in 1994.
Signed the Social Security Independent Agency Act.
Increased adoption and foster care funds by almost $600 million
from 1994-1995.
RESTORING TRUST IN OUR GOVERNMENT
Signed the National Voter Registration Act (Motor-Voter), May 20,
1993.
Eliminated the tax deduction for lobbying expenses.
Imposed strictest Administration ethics guidelines in history.
Barred top officials from becoming foreign lobbyists after
leaving government.
Signed the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 -- the first
overhaul of lobbying rules in 50 years.
Fought for passage of and signed into law the Congressional
Accountability Act, January 22, 1995.
Fought for passage of line-item veto and campaign finance.
OPENING FOREIGN MARKETS TO AMERICAN GOODS
Signed NAFTA into law, December 8, 1993, which will create
hundreds of thousands of US jobs.
Signed GATT into law, December 8, 1994, the largest trade
agreement in history.
Secured free-trade commitments from Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) leaders.
Hosted Summit of the Americas and agreed to negotiate a Free
Trade Area of the Americas by 2005
Developed National Export Strategy, eliminating outdated export
controls on $35 billion in exports.
Opened 15 different market sectors in Japan ranging from
telecommunications procurement to rice.
Reached historic agreement with Japan on opening its automotive
market to billions of dollars worth of American cars and
parts.
Reached agreement with China to provide intellectual property rights
protection for billions of dollars worth of U.S. exports.
AMERICAN LEADERSHIP
Helped Israel and Jordan achieve an historic peace treaty and
Israel and the Palestinians fulfill their historic accord.
Contributed to an historic cease-fire in Northern Ireland.
Restored democratically elected Haitian President Aristide to
power; will continue to stop the flow of refugees to Florida.
Undertook, with NATO allies and UN, military and diplomatic actions
to alleviate the suffering and lead the effort to broker a comprehensive
peace agreement in Bosnia.
Russian nuclear missiles are no longer pointed at our cities.
Persuaded Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan to give up the
nuclear weapons left on their land when the Soviet Union collapsed.
Agreed to framework with North Korea that freezes and leads to
the eventual elimination of North Korea s dangerous nuclear program.
Led the international effort to secure the indefinite and
unconditional extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) further reducing the danger of nuclear proliferation
around the world.
Working to prevent nuclear weapons from ending up in the hands of
terrorists or international criminals.
Air-lifted more than half a ton of vulnerable, highly enriched
uranium, enough to make dozens of nuclear bombs, from Kazakhstan to
safe storage.
Assisted South Africa's transition to democracy, providing
support for elections and development.
Bringing the nations of Europe closer:
-- Modernizing NATO;
-- Working with Russia;
-- Reforming the former Soviet Union economies
Waging a tough counter-terrorism campaign with stronger laws and
more training for law enforcement.
Maintaining strong sanctions against states that sponsor
terrorism and defy the rule of rule, such as Iran, Iraq, Libya
and Sudan.
Sent our planes, ships and troops to turn back a new Iraqi
threat to the Persian Gulf.
