Over the last six and a half years, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have led America in preparing for the 21st Century. The President and Vice President have put our economic house in order while providing tax relief for middle income families, expanding critical investments in the future and continuing American leadership in the world. The accomplishments of the Clinton-Gore Administration are giving Americans the tools to realize their potential, providing opportunity while demanding responsibility and building One America in which all are challenged to serve.

Economy: the Strongest Economy in a Generation

Closing the Book on A Generation of Deficits -- in 1992, the deficit was $290 billion, a record dollar high. This year, the Administration expects the budget surplus to be $123 billion, the largest budget surplus in history. This is the first time the United States has maintained a surplus for two years in a row since 1956-57, and the first time in U.S. history with seven years in a row of fiscal improvement.

More than 19 Million New Jobs -- more than 90 percent of the new jobs have been created in the private sector, the highest percentage in 50 years. That’s 3.4 million more new jobs in six years than were created during the entire eight years of the Reagan Administration (19.4 million under Clinton vs. 16 million under Reagan).

Fastest and Longest Real Wage Growth in Two Decades -- Since 1993, real wages have risen 6.6 percent -- compared to declining 4.3 percent during the previous two administrations. After adjusting for inflation, wages increased almost 2.7 percent in 1998 -- the fastest real wage growth in more than two decades. And wages have increased 3 years in a row -- the longest sustained growth since the early 1970s.

Unemployment Is the Lowest in 29 Years -- down from 7.5 percent in 1992 to 4.2 percent today -- staying below 5 percent for 27 months in a row.

Highest Homeownership Rate in History -- there are 7.8 million more new homeowners since the President and Vice President took office.

Families and Communities: Strengthening America’s Working Families

$500 Per-Child Tax Credit -- 27 million families with 45 million children are receiving the $500 per-child tax credit.

Tax Cuts for Working Families -- 15 million working families receive additional tax relief through the President’s expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit. In 1998, the EITC lifted 4.3 million people out of poverty – double the number lifted out of poverty by the EITC in 1993.

Protecting Families -- Family and Medical Leave allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for seriously ill family members, new born or adoptive children, or their own serious health problems without fear of losing their jobs. Nearly 91 million workers (71% of the labor force) are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act and millions of workers have already benefited from FMLA since its enactment.

Largest Five-Year Drop in Child Poverty Rate Since the ‘60s -- Under President Clinton, child poverty has declined from 22.7 percent to 18.9 percent -- the biggest five-year drop in nearly 30 years.

Increased the Minimum Wage from $4.25 to $5.15 per hour -- increasing wages for 10 million workers.

Enacted the Workforce Investment Act -- reforming the nation’s employment and training system by empowering individuals, streamlining services, enhancing accountability and increasing flexibility.

Signed the Landmark Adoption and Safe Families Act – 36,000 foster care children were adopted in fiscal year 1998, up from 28,000 in 1996. This is the first significant increase in adoption since the national foster care program was established nearly 20 years ago.

Putting Families First -- put in place first-ever plan to protect our children from tobacco. Required the installation of V-chips in all new televisions. Encouraged schools to adopt school uniform policies to deter school violence and promote discipline. Produced guidelines on religious expression in public schools.

Supporting Community Service -- In just five years, AmeriCorps has allowed more than 100,000 young people to serve in their communities while earning money for college or skills training.

Building One America -- established the President’s Initiative on Race to lead the nation towards becoming One America in the 21st Century. In FY99 budget, won first real increase in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in several years.

Education: Largest Investment in Education in 30 Years

Making 13th & 14th Grades as Universal As High School -- making the first two years of college universally available for nearly six million students with the $1,500 HOPE Scholarship credits.

Increasing College Opportunity with Tuition Tax Credits and Education IRAs -- 20 percent tax credit will help more than seven million students offset tuition costs for college or lifetime learning. The expanded IRA allows penalty and tax-free withdrawals for education.

Expanding Work Study and Pell Grants -- this year, nearly one million students will be able to work their way through college because of the President’s expansion of the Work Study Program. And in 1999, nearly four million students will receive a Pell Grant of up to $3,125, the largest maximum award ever.

Making College More Affordable -- cut student fees and interest rates on all loans, expanded repayment options including income contingent repayment, and improved service through the Direct Loan Program.

Helping to Create Smaller Classes with Well-Prepared Teachers -- won a down payment on the President’s new initiative to hire an additional 100,000 well-prepared teachers, helping school districts reduce class size in the early grades, when children learn to read and master the basic skills. Last year $1.2 billion was provided to help states hire approximately 30,000 new teachers for fall 1999.

Teaching Every Child to Read by the 3rd Grade -- more than 1000 colleges have committed Work Study students to tutor children in reading, and thousands of AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers are organizing volunteer reading campaigns. Won $260 million for a new child literacy initiative, consistent with the President’s America Reads proposal.

Increasing Title I Funding, Helping Students Most in Need – 11 million low-income students now benefit from higher expectations and a challenging curriculum geared to higher standards.

Providing Safe After-School Opportunities for 400,000 Each Year -- expanded the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to keep public schools open longer and provide safe and educational after-school opportunities for 400,000 school-age children in rural and urban communities each year.

Raising Academic Standards with Goals 2000 -- 47 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have set higher academic standards for public schools by adopting comprehensive Goals 2000 plans for education reform.

Preparing for the 21st Century by Expanding Access to Education Technology -- created the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund to help connect every school to the Internet by 2000, increase the number of multimedia computers in the classroom and provide technology training for teachers. Increased overall investments in educational technology by thirty-fold, from $23 million in 1993 to $698 million this year. Secured low-cost connections to the Internet for schools, libraries, rural health clinics and hospitals. Increased investment in education research to ensure all children benefit from educational technology.

Supporting Local Education Reform Efforts -- signed into law the Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999 (Ed-Flex) to give all states greater flexibility in the use of federal education funds in exchange for greater accountability for helping all students reach high academic standards.

Establishing the GEAR-UP Mentoring Program for Middle School Children -- created a new mentoring initiative to help up to 100,000 low income middle school children prepare for college.

Expanding Choice and Accountability in Public Schools -- supported increase of public charter schools, from one public charter school in the nation in 1993 to more than 1,200 charter schools in 1998. With at least 1,700 charter schools expected to operate this year, the nation is more than halfway to the President’s goal of establishing 3,000 quality charter schools by 2002.

Providing Early Education to 835,000 Children with Head Start -- now reaching more kids than at any time since its creation in 1965 and more than 200,000 additional children than in 1992.

Crime and Drugs: Lowest Crime Rates in 25 Years

Violent Crime Rate at Lowest Level since 1973 -- Under the Clinton-Gore Administration, America has experienced the longest continuous drop in crime on record. Violent crime rate fell 7 percent in 1998 and 27 percent since 1993. The murder rate is down more than 25 percent since 1993, its lowest point since1967.

Putting 100,000 More Police on Our Streets – this year, ahead of schedule and under budget, the Clinton-Gore Administration has met its commitment of funding 100,000 police officers for our communities.

More than 400,000 Felons, Fugitives and Stalkers Denied Guns -- since the President signed the Brady Bill into law. And the historic 1994 Crime Bill banned 19 of the deadliest assault weapons and their copies, keeping assault weapons off our streets. The homicide rate dropped 7 percent in 1998 – almost entirely due to a decrease in homicides committed with guns.

Developed Comprehensive Anti-Drug Strategy Including a $195 Million National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign -- appointed four-star general as the nation’s Drug Czar. Illicit drug use among young people age 12-17 declined from 1997 to 1998, and the average age of first-time use went up.

National Campaign Against Youth Violence. In August 1999, President Clinton announced the formation of an independent, national campaign to address the problem of youth violence. The Campaign plans to launch anti-violence activities including a major media campaign, concerts, town hall meetings, in- and after-school programs. The Campaign will also highlight effective youth violence initiatives in cities across the country.

Fighting Hate Crimes -- enacted the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act in 1994. Called for passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act during the historic White House Conference on Hate Crimes.

Welfare Reform and Community Empowerment: Moving Millions of Americans from Welfare to Work

Lowest Number of People on Welfare in Thirty Years as More Recipients Go to Work -- signed the landmark welfare reform law to require work in exchange for time-limited assistance, and dramatically expand child care spending. Since January 1993, nationwide the welfare rolls have fallen from 14.1 million to 7.3 million -- cut nearly in half (48 percent) since the President took office and the largest welfare caseload decline in history. Millions of Americans have moved from welfare to work: four times more of those on welfare are working than in 1992, and all states have met the overall work requirement under the welfare reform law.

Welfare-to-Work -- the Balanced Budget included $3 billion to move long-term welfare recipients and unemployed non-custodial fathers into jobs and provided tax credits for employers.

Helping People Get to Work -- the President’s Access to Jobs initiative helps communities design innovative transportation solutions so that families who need to work can get to work. The program is currently funded at $75 million.

Helping Families Move from Welfare to Work with New Housing Vouchers -- 50,000 new welfare to work housing vouchers in FY 1999, and, 60,000 new vouchers in FY 2000 will help families get or keep a job.

Increased Child Support Collections -- signed into law the toughest child support crackdown in history. A record $14.3 billion in child support payments was collected from non-custodial parents in FY 1998, an 80 percent increase from 1992. The number of child support cases with collections rose 59 percent, from 2.8 million 1992 to 4.5 million in 1998. In fiscal year 1999, 2.8 million parents delinquent in child support payments were found through the National Directory of New Hires, more than double the number found during the previous year.

Expanded Investment in Urban and Rural Areas -- by creating 31 Empowerment Zones and more than 100 Enterprise Communities that have created new jobs, new opportunities and stronger communities.

Providing Incentives to Save -- created Individual Development Accounts, providing incentives for low income families to save for a first home, higher education, or to start a new business, effectively completing his 1992 community empowerment agenda.

Health Care: Increasing Access for Millions of Americans

Protected Medicare – in the 1997 Balanced Budget, protected, modernized and extended the Medicare Trust Fund while offering new options for patient choice and preventive care. Proposed a plan to reform and modernize Medicare’s benefits, including an optional prescription drug benefit that is affordable and available to all beneficiaries.

Extended the Life of the Medicare Trust Fund Until 2015. At the beginning of the Clinton-Gore Administration, Medicare was expected to run out of money in 1999.

Enacted Single Largest Investment in Health Care for Children since 1965 -- the $24 billion Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will provide health care coverage for up to five million children.

Passed Meaningful Health Insurance Reform -- signed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which limits exclusions for pre-existing conditions, makes coverage portable and helps individuals who lose jobs maintain coverage. As many as 25 million people will benefit from this law.

Working to Enact a Strong, Enforceable Patients’ Bill of Rights for All Americans – leading by example, the President directed all federal agencies to ensure that their employees and beneficiaries have the benefits and rights guaranteed under the President’s proposed Patients’ Bill of Rights.

Raised Immunization Rates to All Time High -- 90 percent of toddlers in 1996, 1997 and 1998 received the most critical doses of each of the routinely recommended vaccines, surpassing the President’s 1993 goal. Childhood immunization coverage rates in 1998 were the highest ever recorded.

Ensuring Safe Food for America’s Families -- issued new standards to reduce and prevent contamination of meat, poultry, and seafood; issued a presidential directive to prevent the importation of unsafe foods; signed the Food Quality Protection Act with special safeguards for kids; issued new regulations that improve the safety of fruit and vegetable juices; and created a President’s Council on Food Safety to develop a comprehensive food safety strategic plan for federal agencies.

Environment: Cleanest Environment in a Quarter Century

Accelerating Toxic Cleanups and Brownfields Redevelopment -- cleaned up nearly three times as many Superfund sites in six years as the previous administrations did in twelve, with clean up of more than 90 percent of all sites either completed or in progress. Leveraged nearly $1 billion in private sector investment for brownfields redevelopment.

Keeping Our Drinking Water Safe -- proposed and signed legislation to strengthen the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that our families have healthy, clean tap water. Required America’s 55,000 water utilities to provide regular reports to their customers on the quality of their drinking water. Proposed new rule to reduce dirty runoff and strengthen protections for 20,000 rivers, lakes and other waterways too polluted for swimming and fishing.

Clearing the Air of Unhealthy Pollution – adopted the toughest standards ever on soot and smog. Proposed significant reductions in tailpipe emissions from cars, light trucks and SUVs. Launched long-term effort to restore pristine skies over our national parks and wilderness areas.

Reducing the Threat of Global Warming -- negotiated an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an environmentally strong and economically sound way. Secured $1 billion in FY99 for research incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and clean energy technologies. Set a goal of tripling U.S. use of bio-energy and bio-products by 2010. Issued an Executive Order directing agencies to dramatically improve energy efficiency in federal buildings, saving taxpayers over $750 million a year when fully implemented.

Preserving Our Lands -- protected or enhanced nearly 150 million acres of public and private lands, from the red rock canyons of Utah to the Florida Everglades. Reached agreements to protect Yellowstone from mining and save the ancient redwoods of California’s Headwaters Forest. Directed the Forest Service to protect more than 40 million acres of roadless areas in our national forests.

Science and Technology: Leading America into the Next Millennium

Historic Investments in Biomedical Research -- the FY99 budget contained the largest-ever dollar increase in funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a 14 percent increase in NIH research funding. This expansion will enable scientists to pursue a wide range of cutting edge research from cancer to AIDS. Accelerated the pace of genetic mapping, leading to a more rapid discovery of ways to prevent and treat diseases.

Supporting University Research, Training the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers -- the FY99 budget contained a 7 percent increase in the National Science Foundation research budget to support science and engineering research across all fields and disciplines.

Ensuring U.S. Leadership in Space Science and Exploration-- increased investments in space science that supported space exploration as well as new discoveries about the creation of the universe.

Strengthening the Economy and National Security with Information Technology -- provided $1 billion investment to help ensure that America leads the world in information technologies that predict tornadoes, design life-saving drugs, and make air travel safer and more efficient, and maintain our nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing.

Foreign Policy: World’s Strongest Force for Peace, Freedom and Prosperity

Promoting Peace and Strengthening Democracy

• Achieved victory and ended ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, by leading the 79-day NATO air campaign in Kosovo that successfully compelled Milosevic to withdraw Serb troops, permit an international security force to enter and allow refugees to return to their homes in safety.
  
• Restored momentum to the Middle East peace process, brokering the Wye River Memorandum and visiting Israel and Gaza.
  
• Led efforts that produced Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland, ending decades of bloodshed.
  
• Building a self-sustaining peace in Bosnia through implementation of the Dayton Peace accords.
  
• Restored democracy in Haiti, ending military dictatorship and stopping refugee flows.
  
• Helped settle Peru-Ecuador border dispute and end civil war in Guatemala.
  
• Pressing for human rights, core labor standards, religious freedom, and the elimination of child labor worldwide.

Combating New Threats

• Protecting Americans from Weapons of Mass Destruction by reducing Russian nuclear arsenals, ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention, and signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
  
• Combating terrorism by developing a national counterterrorism strategy and striking terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan.
  
• Addressing threats to our infrastructure like cyberterrorism and biological and chemical weapons.
  
• Containing Saddam Hussein through diplomacy, economic sanctions and military force.
  
• Preventing North Korea from developing nuclear weapons through deterrence, diplomacy and non-proliferation.
  
• Improving military readiness through increased defense spending.

Strengthening Alliances and Building Partnerships

• Built a stronger and larger NATO to ensure a more stable, democratic Europe and a fully-integrated Russia.
  
• Deepening security alliances with Japan and South Korea.
  
• Built more constructive relationship with China through engagement and frank dialogue on human rights, security and trade.
  
• Expanding trade relations and strengthening democracy in Asia and Latin America.
  
• Building partnerships with Africa during historic Presidential trip.

Expanding Prosperity

• Opening markets abroad through NAFTA, GATT and 270 other free trade agreements
  
• Addressing global economic crisis by leading international relief efforts and stimulating worldwide growth
  
• Leading efforts to establish world finance and trade systems for 21st century economy that benefits ordinary citizens in all countries.

Last Updated October 1999

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