Today, in his weekly radio address, President Clinton will call on Congress to complete its work and send him a fiscally responsible budget that pays down the debt while investing in America's key priorities -- especially the education of our children. The President signed the fourth stop gap spending bill yesterday, three weeks into the new fiscal year and after Congress failed to meet another budget deadline. The President will challenge the Republican leadership to come back next week and produce a responsible budget that invests in key education initiatives, such as helping communities build new schools and repair old ones; improving after-school opportunities; reducing class size; strengthening accountability and turning around failing schools; and putting a qualified teacher in every classroom. He will also call on the Republican leadership to finish its work for the American people on other priorities, including passing tax cuts targeted toward working families, an affordable prescription drug benefit for all Medicare beneficiaries, a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights, a minimum wage increase, hate crimes legislation, equal pay for women, and fairness for immigrants. If Congress fails to complete its work by next Wednesday -- the day the current stop-gap funding measure expires -- the President has stated that he will grant additional extensions one day at a time to ensure that Congress stays in town and completes its business for the American people.
MAKING CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION. In February, President Clinton and Vice President Gore sent Congress a balanced and fiscally responsible budget that makes investments in key education initiatives. Three weeks into the fiscal year, the President has signed four continuing resolutions to extend the time Congress needs to complete the budget. In particular, Congress is still not committed to completing its work on education, and is now neglecting America's priorities and loading spending bills with election-year, earmarked projects for special interests. The Republican budget fails to:
CALLING ON CONGRESS TO FOCUS ON AMERICA'S PRIORITIES. The Republican leadership has proposed a budget that threatens our nation's well-being by failing to pass targeted tax cuts for working families, an affordable prescription drug benefit for all Medicare beneficiaries, a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights, hate crimes legislation, equal pay for women, and fairness to immigrants. Congress also has made virtually no progress toward passing a minimum wage increase, despite a commitment from Speaker Hastert to do so. President Clinton will call on members of Congress to do their job by securing investments in America's priorities before returning to their districts to campaign for re-election.
What's New Archives: 1994-1996
Presidential Webcast: Meeting the Challenge of Global Warming
Urging Congress to Keep its Commitment and Complete this Year's Education Budget
Preserving America's Coral Reefs
Human Rights Day: The Eleanor Roosevelt Award and The Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Clinton Launches New Effort to Increase Immunization Rates Among Children
President Clinton and Vice President Gore: Restoring an American Natural Treasure
Progress in Efforts to Combat International Crime
President Clinton's New Markets Initiative: Revitalizing America's Underserved Communities
President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and Congressional Democrats Win a Landmark Budget
Announcing Welfare Reform Achievements and Budget Wins for America's Families
President Clinton Issues Strong New Consumer Protections to Ensure the Privacy of Medical Records
Enacting a Budget that Invests in Education, Health Care, and America'
The United States on Track to Pay Off the Debt by End of the Decade
President Clinton: Strengthening the Federal Government-University Research Partnership
Keeping the Heat and Lights On During Unusually Cold Weather
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