The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by William J. Clinton in this eBook:
January 25, 1994
January 24, 1995
January 23, 1996
February 4, 1997
January 27, 1998
January 19, 1999
January 27, 2000
***
State of the Union Address
William J. Clinton
January 25, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the 103rd Congress, my fellowAmericans:
I am not sure what speech is in the TelePrompTer tonight, but I hope we cantalk about the State of the Union.
I ask you to begin by recalling the memory of the giant who presided overthis chamber with such force and grace. Tip O'Neill liked to call himself"A Man of the House" and he surely was that. But even more, he was a man ofthe people, a bricklayer's son who helped to build the great Americanmiddle class. Tip O'Neill never forgot who he was, where he came from, orwho sent him here. Tonight he's smiling down on us for the first time fromthe Lord's gallery. But in his honor, may we too also remember who we are,where we come from, and who sent us here.
If we do that we will return over and over again to the principle that ifwe simply give ordinary people equal opportunity, quality education, and afair shot at the American dream, they will do extraordinary things.
We gather tonight in a world of changes so profound and rapid that allnations are tested. Our American heritage has always been to master suchchange, to use it to expand opportunity at home, and our leadership abroad.But for too long and in too many ways, that heritage was abandoned, and ourcountry drifted.
For 30 years family life in America has been breaking down. For 20 yearsthe wages of working people have been stagnant or declining. For the 12years of trickle down economics we built a false prosperity on a hollowbase as our national debt quadrupled. From 1989 to 1992 we experienced theslowest growth in a half century. For too many families, even when bothparents were working, the American dream has been slipping away.
In 1992 the American people demanded that we change. I year ago I asked allof you to join me in accepting responsibility for the future of ourcountry.
Well, we did. We replaced drift and deadlock with renewal and reform. And Iwant to thank every one of you here who heard the American people, whobroke gridlock, who gave them the most successful teamwork between apresident and a Congress in 30 years.
Accomplishments
This Congress produced a budget that cut the deficit by half a trilliondollars, cut spending and raised income taxes on only the wealthiestAmericans. This Congress produced tax relief for millions of low-incomeworkers to reward work over welfare. It produced NAFTA. It produced theBrady bill, now the Brady law.
And thank you, Jim Brady, for being here, and God bless you, Sarah. ThisCongress produced tax cuts to reduce the taxes of nine out of 10 smallbusinesses who use the money to invest more and create more jobs. Itproduced more research and treatment for AIDS, more childhoodimmunizations, more support for women's health research, more affordablecollege loans for the middle class, a new national service program forthose who want to give something