克林顿总统2000年联邦国情咨文演说.doc

克林顿总统2000年联邦国情咨文演说 名人演讲稿 Mr.eaker,Mr.VicePresident,membersofCongre,honoredguests,myfellowAmerica: Wearefortunatetobealiveatthismomentinhistory.(Alause.)Neverbeforehasournationenjoyed,atonce,somuchproerityandsocialprogrewithsolittleinternalcrisisandsofewexternalthreats.Neverbeforehavewehadsuchableedoortunity-and,therefore,suchaprofoundobligation-tobuildthemoreperfectunionofourfoundersdreams. Webeginthenewcenturywithover20millionnewjothefastesteconomicgrowthinmorethan30yearthelowestunemploymentratesin30yearthelowestpovertyratesin20yearthelowestAfricanAmericanandHianicunemploymentratesonrecord;thefirstback-to-backbudgetsurplusesin42years.Andnextmonth,Americawillachievethelongestperiodofeconomicgrowthinourentirehistory.(Alause.) Wehavebuiltaneweconomy. AndoureconomicrevolutionhasbeenmatchedbyarevivaloftheAmericanirit:crimedownby20percent,toitslowestlevelin25yearteenbirthsdownsevenyearsinarow;adoptioupby30percent;welfarerollscutinhalftotheirlowestlevelsin30years. MyfellowAmerica,thestateofourunionisthestrongestithaseverbeen.(Alause.) Asalways,therealcreditbelongstotheAmericanpeople.(Alause.)Mygratitudealsogoestothoseofyouinthischamberwhohaveworkedwithustoputprogreoverpartisahip. Eightyearsago,itwasnotsocleartomostAmericatherewouldbemuchtocelebrateintheyear2000.Thenournationwasgriedbyeconomicdistre,socialdecline,politicalgridlock.Thetitleofabest-sellingbookasked:America:WhatWentWrong? Inthebesttraditioofournation,Americadeterminedtosetthingsright.Werestoredthevitalcenter,replacingoutmodedideologieswithanewvisionanchoredinbasic,enduringvalues:oortunityforall,reoibilityfromall,amunityofallAmerica.Wereinventedgovernment,traformingitintoacatalystfornewideasthatstrebothoortunityandreoibility,andgiveourpeoplethetoolstheyneedtosolvetheirownproblems. Withthesmallestfederalworkforcein40years,weturnedrecorddeficitsintorecordsurpluses,anddoubledourinvestmentineducation.Wecutcrime,with100,000munitypoliceandt Weendedwelfareasweknewit-(alause)-requiringworkwhileprotectinghealthcareandnutritionforchildren,andinvestingmoreinchildcare,traortation,andhousingtohelptheirparentsgotowork.Wevehelpedparentstosueedathomeandatwork,withfamilyleave,which20millioAmericahavenowusedtocareforanewbornchildorasicklovedone.Weveengaged150,000youngAmericaincitizenservicethroughAmeriCor,whilehelpingthemearnmoneyforcollege. In1992,wejusthadaroadmatoday,wehaveresults.(Alause.) Butevenmoreimportant,Americaagainhastheconfidencetodreambigdreams.Butwemustnotletthisconfidencedriftintoplacency.Forwe,allofus,willbejudgedbythedreamsanddeedswepaontoourchildren.Andonthatscore,wewillbeheldtoahighstandard,indeed,becauseourchancetodogoodissogreat. MyfellowAmerica,wehavecroedthebridgewebuilttothe21stcentury.Now,wemustshapea21stcenturyAmericanrevolution-ofoortunity,reoibilityandmunity.Wemustbenow,aswewereinthebegiing,anewnation. Atthedawnofthelastcentury,TheodoreRooseveltsaid,theonecharacteristicmoreeentialthananyotherisforesight.itshouldbethegrowingnationwithafuturethattakesthelonglookahead.So,tonight,letustakeourlonglookahead-andsetgreatgoalsforournation. To21stcenturyAmerica,letuspledgethesethings:Everychildwillbeginschoolreadytolearnandgraduatereadytosueed.(Alause.)Everyfamilywillbeabletosueedathomeandatwork,andnochildwillberaisedinpoverty.(Alause.)WewillmeetthechallengeoftheagingofAmerica.Wewillaurequality,affordablehealthcare,atlast,forallAmerica.(Alause.) WewillmakeAmericathesafestbigcountryonEarth.(Alause.)Wewillpayoffournationaldebtforthefirsttimesince1835.(Alause.)WewillbringproeritytoeveryAmericanmunity.Wewillreversethecourseofclimatechangeandleaveasafer,cleanerpla.Americawillleadtheworldtowardsharedpeaceandproerity,andthefarfrontiersofscienceandtechnology.Andwewillbeeatlastwhatourfounderspledgedustobesolongago-onenation,underGod,indivisible,withlibertyandjusticeforall.(Alause.) Thesearegreatgoals,worthyofagreatnation.Wewillnotreachthemallthisyear.Noteveninthisdecade.Butwewillreachthem.LetusrememberthatthefirstAmericanRevolutionwasnotwonwithasingleshot;thecontinentwasnotsettledinasingleyear.Theleonofourhistory-andtheleonofthelastsevenyears-isthatgreatgoalsarereachedstepbystep,alwaysbuildingonourprogre,alwaysgainingground. Ofcourse,youcantgaingroundifyourestandingstill.AndfortoolongthisCongrehasbeenstandingstillonsomeofourmostpreingnationalpriorities.Soletsbegintonightwiththem. Again,Iaskyoutopaarealpatientsbillofrights.(Alause.)Iaskyoutopamon-seegunsafetylegislation.(Alause.)Iaskyoutopacampaignfinancereform.(Alause.)Iaskyoutovoteupordownonjudicialnominatioandotherimportantaointees.(Alause.)And,againIaskyou-Iimploreyou-toraisetheminimumwage.(Alause.) Now,twoyearsago-letmetrytobalancetheseesawhere-(laughter)-twoyearsago,aswereachedacropartylinestoreachourfirstbalancedbudget,Iaskedthatwemeetourreoibilitytothenextgenerationbymaintainingourfiscaldiscipline.Becausewerefusedtostrayfromthatpath,wearedoingsomethingthatwouldhaveseemedunimaginablesevenyearsago.Weareactuallypayingdownthenationaldebt.(Alause.) Now,ifwestayonthispath,wecanpaydownthedebtentirelyin13justyearsnowandmakeAmericadebt-freeforthefirsttimesinceAndrewJacksonwasPresidentin1835.(Alause.) In1993,webegantoputourfiscalhouseinorderwiththeDeficitReductionAct,whichyoullallrememberwonpaagesinbothHousesbyjustasinglevote.Yourformercolleague,myfirstSecretaryoftheTreasury,ledthateffortandarkedourlongboom.Hesherewithustonight.LloydBentsen,youhaveservedAmericawell,andwethankyou.(Alause.) Beyondpayingoffthedebt,wemusteurethatthebenefitsofdebtreductiongotopreservingtwoofthemostimportantguaranteeswemaketoeveryAmerican-SocialSecurityandMedicare.(Alause.)Tonight,IaskyoutoworkwithmetomakeabipartisandownpaymentonSocialSecurityreformbycreditingtheinterestsavingsfromdebtreductiontotheSocialSecurityTrustFundsothatitwillbestrongandsoundforthenext50years.(Alause.) Butthisisjustthestartofourjourney.Wemustalsotaketherightstetowardreachingourgreatgoals.Firstandforemost,weneeda21stcenturyrevolutionineducation,guidedbyourfaiththateverysinglechildcanlearn.(Alause.)Becauseeducationismoreimportantthanever,morethaneverthekeytoourchildrensfuture,wemustmakesureallourchildrenhavethatkey.Thatmeaqualitypre-schoolandafter-school,thebesttrainedteachersintheclaroom,andcollegeoortunitiesforallourchildren.(Alause.) Forsevenyearsnow,weveworkedhardtoimproveourschools,withoortunityandreoibility-investingmore,butdemandingmoreinturn.Reading,math,collegeentrancescoresareup.Someofthemostimpreivegaiareinschoolsinverypoorneighborhoods. Butallsuefulschoolshavefollowedthesameprovenformula:higherstandards,moreaountability,andextrahelpsochildrenwhoneeditcangetittoreachthosestandards.IhavesentCongreareformplanbasedonthatformula.Itholdsstatesandschooldistrictsaountableforprogre,andrewardsthemforresults.Eachyear,ournationalgovernmentinvestsmorethan$15billioninourschools.Itistimetosuortwhatworksandstopsuortingwhatdoet.(Alause.) Now,aswedemandmorefromourschools,weshouldalsoinvestmoreinourschools.(Alause.)Letsdoubleourinvestmenttohelpstatesanddistrictsturnaroundtheirworst-performingschools,orshutthemdown.Letsdoubleourinvestmentsinafter-schoolandsummerschoolprograms,whichboostachievementandkeeppeopleoffthestreetsandoutoftrouble.(Alause.)Ifwedothis,wecangiveeverysinglechildineveryfailingschoolinAmerica-everyone-thechancetomeethighstandards. Since1993,wevenearlydoubledourinvestmentinHeadStartandimproveditsquality.Tonight,Iaskyouforanother$1billionforHeadStart,thelargestincreaseinthehistoryoftheprogram.(Alause.) Weknowthatchildrenlearnbestinsmallerclaeswithgoodteachers.Fortwoyearsinarow,Congrehassuortedmyplantohire100,000newqualifiedteacherstolowerclasizeintheearlygrades.Ithankyouforthat,andIaskyoutomakeitthreeinarow.(Alause.)Andtomakesureallteachersknowthesubjectstheyteach,tonightIproposeanewteacherqualityinitiative-torecruitmoretalentedpeopleintotheclaroom,rewardgoodteachersforstayingthere,andgiveallteachersthetrainingtheyneed.(Alause.) Weknowcharterschoolsproviderealpublicschoolchoice.WhenIbecamePresident,therewasjustoneindependentpubliharterschoolinallAmerica.Today,thankstoyou,thereare1,700.Iaskyounowtohelpusmeetourgoalof3,000charterschoolsbynextyear.(Alause.) WeknowwemustcoectallourclaroomstotheInter,andweregettingthere.In1994,only3percentofourclaroomswerecoected.Today,withthehelpoftheVicePresidentsE-rateprogram,morethanhalfofthemare.And90percentofourschoolshaveatleastoneIntercoection.(Alause.) Butwecaotfinishthejobwhenathirdofallourschoolsareinseriousdisrepair.Manyofthemhavewallsandwiressoold,theyretoooldfortheInter.Sotonight,Iproposetohelp5,000schoolsayearmakeimmediateandurgentrepairandagain,tohelpbuildormodernize6,000more,togetstudentsoutoftrailersandintohigh-techclarooms.(Alause.) IaskallofyoutohelpmedoubleourbipartisanGear-Upprogram,whichprovidesmentorsfordisadvantagedyoungpeople.Ifwedoubleit,wecanprovidementorsfor1.4millionofthem.(Alause.)Letsalsoofferthesekidsfromdisadvantagedbackgroundsthesamechancetotakethesamecollegetest-prepcourseswealthierstudentsusetoboosttheirtestscores.(Alause.) TomaketheAmericanDreamachievableforall,wemustmakecollegeaffordableforall.Forsevenyears,onabipartisanbasis,wehavetakenactiontowardthatgoal:largerPellgrants,moreaffordablestudentloa,educationIRAs,andourHOPEscholarshi,whichhavealreadybenefitted5millionyoungpeople. Now,67percentofhighschoolgraduatesaregoingontocollege.Thatsup10percentsince1993.Yetmilliooffamiliesstillstraintopaycollegetuition.Theyneedhelp.(Alause.)SoIproposealandmark$30-billioncollegeoortunitytaxcut-amiddleclataxdeductionforupto$10,000incollegetuitioncosts.(Alause.)ThepreviousactioofthisCongrehavealreadymadetwoyearsofcollegeaffordableforall.Itstimetomakefouryearsofcollegeaffordableforall.(Alause.)Ifwetakealltheseste,wellmovealongwaytowardmakingsureeverychildstartsschoolreadytolearnandgraduatesreadytosueed. Weneeda21stcenturyrevolutiontorewardworkandstrengthenfamilies,bygivingeveryparentthetoolstosueedatworkandatthemostimportantworkofall-raisingchildren.Thatmeamakingsureeveryfamilyhashealthcareandthesuorttocareforagingparents,thetoolstobringtheirchildrenupright,andthatnochildgrowsupinpoverty. FrommyfirstdaysasPresident,weveworkedtogivefamiliesbetteraetobetterhealthcare.In1997,wepaedtheChildrensHealthIuranceProgram-CHIP-sothatworkerswhodonthavecoveragethroughtheiremployersatleastcangetitfortheirchildren.Sofar,weveenrolled2millionchildrewerewellonourwaytoourgoalof5million. Buttherearestillmorethan40millionofourfellowAmericawithouthealthiurance-morethantherewerein1993.TonightIproposethatwefollowVicePresidentGoressuggestiontomakelowineparentseligiblefortheiurancethatcoverstheirchildren.(Alause.)Togetherwithourchildrensinitiative-thinkofthis-togetherwithourchildrensinitiative,thisactionwouldenableustocovernearlyaquarterofalltheuniuredpeopleinAmerica. Again,Iwanttoaskyoutoletpeoplebetweentheagesof55and65-thefastestgrowinggroupofuniured-buyintoMedicare.(Alause.)AndthisyearIproposetogivethemataxcredittomakethatchoiceanaffordableone.Ihopeyouwillsuortthat,aswell.(Alause.) Whenthebabyboomersretire,Medicarewillbefacedwithcaringfortwiceasmanyofourcitizeyet,itisfarfromreadytodoso.Mygenerationmustnotaskourchildrensgenerationtoshoulderourburden.WesimplymustactnowtostrengthenandmodernizeMedicare. MybudgetincludesapreheiveplantoreformMedicare,tomakeitmoreefficientandpetitive.Anditdedicatesnearly$400billionofourbudgetsurplustokeepMedicaresolventpast2025.(Alause.)And,atlonglast,italsoprovidesfundstogiveeverysenioravoluntarychoiceofaffordablecoverageforprescriptiondrugs.(Alause.) Lifesavingdrugsareanindieablepartofmodernmedicine.NoonecreatingaMedicareprogramtodaywouldeventhinkofexcludingcoverageforprescriptiondrugs.Yetmorethanthreeinfiveofourseniorsnowlackdependabledrugcoveragewhichcanlengthenandenrichtheirlives.MillioofolderAmericawhoneedprescriptiondrugsthemostpaythehighestpricesforthem.Ingoodcocience,wecaotletanotheryearpawithoutextendingtoallourseniorsthislifelineofaffordableprescriptiondrugs.(Alause.) RecordnumbersofAmericaareprovidingforagingorailinglovedonesathome.Itsaloving,butadifficultandoftenveryexpeivechoice.Lastyear,Iproposeda$1,000taxcreditforlong-termcare.Frankly,itwatenough.Thisyear,letstripleit,to$3,000.(Alause.)Butthisyear,letspait.(Alause.) Wealsohavetomakeneededinvestmentstoexpandaetomentalhealthcare.IwanttotakeamomenttothankthepersonwholedourfirstWhiteHouseConferenceonMentalHealthlastyear,andwhoforsevenyearshasledalloureffortstobreakdownthebarrierstodecenttreatmentofpeoplewithmentalillne.Thankyou,TierGore.(Alause.) Takentogether,theseproposalswouldmarkthelargestinvestmentinhealthcareinthe35yearssinceMedicarewascreated-thelargestinvestmentin35years.ThatwouldbeabigsteptowardauringqualityhealthcareforallAmerica,youngandold.AndIaskyoutoembracethemandpathem.(Alause.) Wemustalsomakeinvestmentsthatrewardworkandsuortfamilies.NothingdoesthatbetterthantheEarnedIneTaxCredit-theEITC.(Alause.)TheEintheEITCisaboutearning,working,takingreoibilityandbeingrewardedforit.Inmyveryfirstaddretoyou,IaskedCongretogreatlyexpandthiscredit;andyoudid.Asaresult,in1998alone,theEITChelpedmorethan4.3millionAmericaworktheirwayoutofpovertytowardthemiddlecla.Thatsdoublethenumberin1993. Tonight,IproposeanothermajorexpaionoftheEITC:toreducethemarriagepenalty,tomakesureitrewardsmarriageasitrewardswork-(alause)-andalso,toexpandthetaxcreditforfamiliesthathavemorethantwochildren.Itpunishespeoplewithmorethantwochildrentoday.(Alause.)Ourproposalwouldallowfamilieswiththreeormorechildrentogetupto$1,100moreintaxrelief.Theseareworkingfamilietheirchildrenshouldnotbeinpoverty.(Alause.) Wealsocantrewardworkandfamilyunlemenandwomengetequalpayforequalwork.(Alause.)Today,thefemaleunemploymentrateisthelowestithasbeenin46years.Yet,womenstillonlyearnabout75centsforeverydollarmenearn.Wemustdobetter,byprovidingtheresourcestoenforcepresentequalpaylawtrainingmorewomenforhigh-paying,high-techjoandpaingthePaycheckFairneAct.(Alause.) Manyworkingparentsenduptoaquarter-aquarter-oftheirineonchildcare.Lastyear,wehelpedparentsprovidechildcareforabout2millionchildren.Mychildcareinitiative,beforeyounow,alongwithfundsalreadysecuredinwelfarereform,wouldmakechildcarebetter,saferandmoreaffordableforanother400,000children.Iaskyoutopathat.Theyneeditoutthere-(alause.) Forhard-preedmiddle-inefamilies,weshouldalsoexpandthechildcaretaxcredit.AndIbelievestronglyweshouldtakethenextbigstepandmakethattaxcreditrefundableforlow-inefamilies.(Alause.)Forpeoplemakingunder$30,000ayear,thatcouldmeanupto$2,400forchildcarecosts.Youknow,weallsaywerepro-workandpro-family.Paingthisproposalwouldproveit.(Alause.) TeofmillioofAmericalivefrompaychecktopaycheck.Ashardastheywork,theystilldonthavetheoortunitytosave.ToofewcanmakeuseofIRAsand401-Kpla.Weshoulddomoretohelpallworkingfamiliessaveandaumulatewealth.ThatstheideabehindtheIndividualDevelopmentAounts,theIDAs.Iaskyoutotakethatideatoanewlevel,withnewRetirementSavingsAountsthatenableeverylow-andmoderate-inefamilyinAmericatosaveforretirement,afirsthome,amedicalemergency,oracollegeeducation.Iproposetomatchtheircontributio,howeversmall,dollarfordollar,everyyeartheysave.AndIproposetogiveamajornewtaxcredittoanysmallbusihatwillprovideameaningfulpeiontoitsworkers.Thosepeopleoughttohaveretirementaswellastherestofus.(Alause.) NearlyoneinthreeAmericanchildrengrowsupwithoutafather.Thesechildrenarefivetimesmorelikelytoliveinpovertythanchildrenwithbothparentsathome.Clearly,demandingandsuortingreoiblefatherhoodiscriticaltoliftingallchildrenoutofpoverty.Wevedoubledchildsuortcollectiosince1992.AndImproposingtoyoutoughnewmeasurestoholdstillmorefathersreoible. Butweshouldrecognizethatalotoffatherswanttodorightbytheirchildren,butneedhelptodoit.CarlosRosasofSt.Paul,Miesota,wantedtodorightbyhisson,andhegotthehelptodoit.Nowhesgotagoodjobandhesuortshislittleboy.Mybudgetwillhelp40,000morefathersmakethesamechoicesCarlosRosasdid.Ithankhimforbeingheretonight.(Alause.)Standup,Carlos.Thankyou.(Alause.) Ifthereisanysingleiueonwhichweshouldbeabletoreachacropartylines,itisinourmonmitmenttorewardworkandstrengthenfamilies,similartowhatwedidlastyear.Wecametogethertohelppeoplewithdisabilitieskeeptheirhealthiurancewhentheygotowork.AndIthankyouforthat.ThankstooverwhelmingbipartisansuortfromthisCongre,wehaveimprovedfostercare.Wevehelpedthoseyoungpeoplewholeaveitwhentheyturn18,andwehavedramaticallyincreasedthenumberoffostercarechildrengoingintoadoptivehomes.Ithankallofyouforallofthat.(Alause.) Ofcourse,Iamforevergratefultothepersonwhohasledoureffortsfromthebegiing,andwhosworkedsotirelelyforchildrenandfamiliesfor30yearsnow:mywife,Hillary.AndIthankher.(Alause.) IfwetakethesteIvejustdiscued,wecangoalong,longwaytowardempoweringparentstosueedathomeandatwork,andeuringthatnochildisraisedinpoverty.Wecanmakethesevitalinvestmentsinhealthcare,education,suortforworkingfamilies,andstilloffertaxcutstohelppayforcollege,forretirement,tocareforagingparents,toreducethemarriagepenalty.Wecandothesethingswithoutforsakingthepathoffiscaldisciplihatgotustothispointheretonight. Indeed,wemustmaketheseinvestmentsandthesetaxcutsinthecontextofabalancedbudgetthatstrengtheandextendsthelifeofSocialSecurityandMedicareandpaysdownthenationaldebt.(Alause.) CrimeinAmericahasdroedforthepastsevenyears-thatsthelongestdeclineonrecord-thankstoanationalcoeuswehelpedtoforgeonmunitypolice,seiblegunsafetylaws,andeffectiveprevention.Butnobody-nobodyhere,nobodyinAmerica-believesweresafeenough.Soagain,Iaskyoutosetahighergoal.Letsmakethiscountrythesafestbigcountryintheworld.(Alause.) Lastfall,Congresuortedmyplantohire,inadditiontothe100,000munitypolicewevealreadyfunded,50,000more,concentratedinhigh-crimeneighborhoods.Iaskyourcontinuedsuortforthat. SoonaftertheColumbiragedy,Congrecoideredmon-seegunlegislation,torequireBradybackgroundchecksatthegunshows,childsafetylocksfornewhandgu,andabanontheimportatio