Getting the Job Done for the American People in 2000


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release January 5, 2000



President Clinton And Democratic Congressional Leaders:
Focused On Getting The Job Done For
The American People in 2000
January 5, 2000

Today, President Clinton meets with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt to reaffirm their common commitment to making progress on priority issues for the American people. Specifically, they will discuss a new expanded proposal on school construction and modernization. In addition, the President and Leaders will discuss a list of issues where there is unfinished business and where they can expect bipartisan progress in the coming year.

An Agenda For Progress In 2000

 


 

President Clinton And Democratic Congressional Leaders:
Focused On Getting The Job Done For The American People 2000
January 5, 2000

Repairing, Renovating and Renewing Our Schools

It is incomprehensible that during one of the greatest periods of economic prosperity in our history, the Congressional Majority has refused to act on a tax proposal to provide for school construction and modernization. Many schools are crumbling. And in many other communities, new schools are needed to give exploding student populations a decent place to learn. This year, the President and Democrats are united in an effort to seek bipartisan support for measures aimed at dealing with this crisis in education.

Cutting Taxes While Maintaining Fiscal Discipline

Last year, the President’s budget proposal included targeted tax cuts and a substantial tax cut to promote retirement savings as part of a framework to maintain fiscal discipline and extend the life of Social Security and Medicare. While the President's tax proposals are still being finalized, the President plans to announce a similar-sized targeted tax cut during his State of the Union speech later this month. The President’s tax cuts will help people save for retirement, continue to reward work for hard-pressed families, encourage investment in poorer communities, help expand health coverage, and provide middle-class tax relief.

Modernizing Medicare, Including A Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit

Three out of four seniors are without dependable, affordable prescription drug coverage. Last year, the President laid out a serious plan to reform and modernize Medicare, including the creation of a voluntary prescription drug benefit. In the coming year, the President and Democrats will continue to push for bipartisan Medicare reform that meets the health, demographic, and financing challenges of the 21st century.

Strengthening Social Security

Last year, the President put forth a specific proposal to use the benefits of fiscal discipline and debt reduction to strengthen Social Security, extending its solvency from 2034 to 2050. This would be a down payment on truly saving Social Security. The Republican so-called "lockbox" legislation would not add a single day to the life of Social Security. The President and Democratic Leaders will work again this year to enact legislation to truly strengthen Social Security.

Enacting A Real Patients’ Bill Of Rights

Americans who receive their health care through managed care organizations lack adequate protections. They are not ensured access to specialists. They can be forced to change doctors in mid-treatment. They do not have adequate recourse when a health plan provides less than adequate care. Last year, the President and Democrats supported a real, bipartisan "Patients’ Bill of Rights" bill that addressed all of these problems. That bill passed overwhelmingly in the House. In the Senate, Democrats unanimously rejected the unacceptably flawed Senate version of the bill. The President and Democratic Leaders will work to insure that a strong, enforceable, bipartisan, Patients’ Bill of Rights is signed into law this year.

Passing Common Sense Gun Safety Legislation

After a number of tragic school shootings across America, the President and Democratic Leaders finally persuaded Republicans in the Senate to pass common-sense, bipartisan gun measures to keep guns out of the hands of children and criminals. Unfortunately, the House defeated similar gun safety provisions. This year, the President will work with Democratic Leaders to enact common-sense gun measures in Congress, like closing the gun show loophole. In addition, the President has made clear that he will search for other ways, including through Executive actions, to reduce gun violence.

Raising The Minimum Wage

We have the best economy in a generation. And yet there are too many families working full-time, 50 weeks a year that don’t earn enough to support a family. Currently, a person working full-time and earning the minimum wage receives only $10,300 -- not enough to move families from dependency to self-sufficiency. Last year in his State of the Union Address, the President called on Congress to pass the Kennedy-Bonior proposal to raise the minimum wage by $1 over two years, from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour. The President and Democratic Leaders will work enact bipartisan legislation -- and defeat attempts to prevent a minimum wage hike through "poison pill" amendments by opponents.

Passing Legislation To Fight Hate Crimes

In 1998, almost 8,000 hate crime incidents were reported -- nearly one per hour. Since 1997, the President and Democratic Leaders have been working to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. There is bipartisan support for the bill and broad public support. This year, the President and Democratic Leaders will work to insure that this measure in enacted and signed into law.

What's New - January 2000

African American History Month

Protecting America’s Natural and Historic Treasures

Remarks by Samuel Berger to the National Press Club

The Lowest Unemployment Rate in 30 Years

President Clinton Announces Bioenergy & Bioproducts Tax Incentives January 27, 2000

President Clinton Proposes to Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit

Unprecedented National Effort to Improve Our Nation’s Schools by Dramatically Increasing Accountability and Investment

FY2001 New Opportunity Agenda

FY2001 Budget & New Opportunity Agenda

President Clinton Unveils First Accounts

Major New Increase in Funding to Determine Environmental Causes of Disease

New Public-Private Partnerships to Increase Aviation Safety

President Clinton Unveils Largest Ever National Gun Enforcement Initiative

New Multimillion Dollar Increase to Combat HIV and AIDS

The President Triples His Long-Term Care Tax Credit

Major New Health Insurance Initiative

A New Opportunity Agenda for Higher Education: Making Critical Investments in Education and Training

College Opportunity Tax Cut: Providing Tax Incentives to Make Higher Education More Affordable

Nearly a $3 Billion Increase in 21st Century Research Fund

Promoting Bioenergy and Biobased Products

Information Technology For the 21st Century

Remarks by the President at Event Commemorating End of Ramadan

Remarks by the President At America’s Millennium Gala - The Lincoln Memorial

Clinton-Gore Administration Proposes Record

National Nanotechnology Initiative: Leading to the Next Industrial Revolution

Getting the Job Done for the American People in 2000

Proclamation: Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2000

President Clinton Announces New Equal Pay Initiative

Largest Ever National Gun Enforcement Initiative, January 18, 2000

New Responsible Fatherhood Initiative to Promote Work and Boost Child Support Payments

2001 Budget Will Pay Down Debt by 2013

President Clinton Proposes State Licenses for Handgun Purchases

The Clinton-Gore Economic Record: Strong and Sustained Economic Growth

Revitalizing America’s Cities

President Clinton Unveils Millennium Initiative to Promote Delivery of Existing Vaccines in Developing Countries and Accelerate Development of New Vaccines


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