THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release June 10, 2000



PRESIDENT CLINTON: OPENING THE DOORS TO COLLEGE
AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS

Today, President Clinton will address the graduating Class of 2000 at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He will release a new report by the U.S. Department of Education, Expanding College Opportunity: More Access, Greater Achievement, Higher Expectations. The report describes the importance of college and trade school educations, the Clinton-Gore Administration's initiatives to establish universal access to college, and the record-setting college enrollment rate. The President will also call on Congress to build on this progress by enacting his education proposals and not sacrificing federal investments in education for large tax cuts.

TODAY'S REPORT DETAILS INCREASES IN COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY. College, trade school, and lifelong learning promotes good citizenship, enriched lives, and economic prosperity. According to evidence in today's report:

COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY HAS EXPANDED UNDER THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION. President Clinton and Vice President Gore's commitment to opening the doors of college to all Americans has more than doubled student aid-the largest investment in higher education since the G.I. Bill-and contributed to the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. The Clinton-Gore approach is three-pronged:

1) MORE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS.

2) MORE AFFORDABLE STUDENT LOANS.

3) NEW PATHS TO COLLEGE AND SUCCESSFUL CAREERS.

PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL CALL ON CONGRESS TO ENACT HIS EDUCATION LEGISLATION:

FINALLY, THE PRESIDENT WILL DEMAND CONGRESS TO PASS A BUDGET THAT INVESTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND DEMANDS MORE FROM THEM. In February, the Clinton-Gore Administration sent the Congress a balanced and responsible budget that made investments in key educational initiatives to raise standards, increase accountability, and invest in what works. Congressional Republicans have passed a budget plan built on misguided priorities and insufficient resources. To pay for risky and irresponsible tax cuts, the Congressional Republican budget would cut investments in domestic priorities $29 billion below the President's level, an average cut of 9 percent. The budget plan passed on a party-line vote by the U.S. House of Representatives appropriations committee:

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