克林顿总统1999年联邦国情咨文演说.docx

克林顿总统1999年联邦国情咨文演说.docx

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克林顿总统1999年联邦国情咨文演说

克林顿总统1999年联邦国情咨文演说

名人演讲稿

Mr.Speaker,Mr.VicePresident,membersofCongress,honoredguests,myfellowAmericans.TonightIhavethehonorofreportingtoyouontheStateoftheUnion.

LetmebeginbysalutingthenewspeakeroftheHouseandthankinghimespeciallytonightforextendinganinvitationtotwoguestssittinginthegallerywithMrs.[J.Dennis]Hastert.LynGibsonandWeiLingChestnutarethewidowsofthetwobraveCapitolHillpoliceofficerswhogavetheirlivestodefendfreedom''''shouse.

Mr.Speaker,atyourswearinginyouaskedusalltoworktogetherinaspiritofcivilityandbipartisanship.Mr.Speaker,let''''sdoexactlythat.

Tonight,IstandbeforeyoutoreportthatAmericahascreatedthelongestpeacetimeeconomicexpansioninourhistory.Withnearly18millionnewjobs,wagesrisingatmorethantwicetherateofinflation,thehighesthomeownershipinhistory,thesmallestwelfarerolesin30years,andthelowestpeacetimeunemploymentsince1957.

Forthefirsttimeinthreedecades,thebudgetisbalanced.Fromadeficitof$290billionin1992,wehadasurplusof$70billionlastyear.Andnow,weareoncourseforbudgetsurplusesforthenext25years.

Thankstothepioneeringleadershipofallofyou,wehavethelowestviolentcrimerateinaquartercenturyandthecleanestenvironmentinaquartercentury.

Americaisastrongforceforpeace–fromNorthernIrelandtoBosniatotheMiddleEast.

ThankstotheleadershipofVicePresidentGore,wehaveagovernmentfortheInformationAge,onceagainagovernmentthatisaprogressiveinstrumentofthecommongood,rootedinouroldestvaluesofopportunity,responsibilityandcommunity,devotedtofiscalresponsibility,determinedtogiveourpeoplethetoolstheyneedtomakethemostoftheirownlivesinthe21stcentury,a21stcenturygovernmentfor21stcenturyAmerica.

MyfellowAmericans,Istandbeforeyoutonighttoreportthatthestateofourunionisstrong.Now,Americaisworkingagain.Thepromiseofourfutureislimitless.Butwecannotrealizethatpromiseifweallowthehumofourprosperitytolullusintocomplacency.Howwefareasanationfarintothe21stcenturydependsuponwhatwedoasanationtoday.

So,withourbudgetsurplusgrowing,oureconomyexpanding,ourconfidencerising,nowisthemomentforthisgenerationtomeetourhistoricresponsibilitytothe21stcentury.

Ourfiscaldisciplinegivesusanunsurpassedopportunitytoaddressaremarkablenewchallenge,theagingofAmerica.WiththenumberofelderlyAmericanssettodoubleby2019,thebabyboomwillbecomeaseniorboom.

Sofirstandaboveall,wemustsaveSocialSecurityforthe21stcentury.

Earlyinthiscentury,beingoldmeantbeingpoor.WhenPresident[FranklinD.]RooseveltcreatedSocialSecurity,thousandswrotetothankhimforeliminatingwhatonewomancalled"thestarkterrorofpenniless,helplessoldage."Eventoday,withoutSocialSecurity,halfournation''''selderlywouldbeforcedintopoverty.

Today,SocialSecurityisstrong,butby2019,payrolltaxeswillnolongerbesufficienttocovermonthlypayments.By2019,thetrustfundwillbeexhaustedandSocialSecuritywillbeunabletopaythefullbenefitsolderAmericanshavebeenpromised.

ThebestwaytokeepSocialSecurityarocksolidguaranteeisnottomakedrasticcutsinbenefits;nottoraisepayrolltaxrates;nottodrainresourcesfromSocialSecurityinthenameofsavingit.Instead,IproposethatwemakethehistoricdecisiontoinvestthesurplustosaveSocialSecurity.

Specifically,Iproposethatwecommit60percentofthebudgetsurplusforthenext15yearstoSocialSecurity,investingasmallportionintheprivatesectorjustasanyprivateorstategovernmentpensionwoulddo.ThiswillearnahigherreturnandkeepSocialSecuritysoundfor55years.

Butwemustaimhigher.WeshouldputSocialSecurityonasoundfootingforthenext75years.Weshouldreducepovertyamongelderlywomen,whoarenearlytwiceaslikelytobepoorasareotherseniors.AndweshouldeliminatethelimitsonwhatseniorsonSocialSecuritycanearn.

Now,thesechangeswillrequiredifficult,butfullyachievablechoicesoverandabovethededicationofthesurplus.Theymustbemadeonabipartisanbasis.Theyshouldbemadethisyear.Soletmesaytoyoutonight,IreachoutmyhandtoallofyouinbothhousesinbothpartiesandaskthatwejointogetherinsayingtotheAmericanpeople,wewillsaveSocialSecuritynow.

Now,lastyear,wewiselyreservedallofthesurplusuntilweknewwhatitwouldtaketosaveSocialSecurity.Again,Isay,weshouldn''''tspendanyofit,notanyofit,untilafterSocialSecurityistrulysaved.Firstthing''''sfirst.

Second,oncewehavesavedSocialSecurity,wemustfulfillourobligationtosaveandimproveMedicare.AlreadywehaveextendedthelifeoftheMedicaretrustfundby10years,butweshouldextenditforatleastanotherdecade.Tonight,Iproposethatweuseoneoutofeverysixdollarsinthesurplusforthenext15yearstoguaranteethesoundnessofMedicareuntiltheyear2019.

But,again–but,again,weshouldaimhigher.Wemustbewillingtoworkinabipartisanwayandlookatnewideas,includingtheupcomingreportoftheBipartisanMedicareCommission.Ifweworktogether,wecansecureMedicareforthenexttwodecadesandcoverthegreatestgrowingneedofseniors–affordableprescriptiondrugs.

Third,wemusthelpallAmericansfromtheirfirstdayonthejobtosave,toinvest,tocreatewealth.

Fromitsbeginnings,AmericanshavesupplementedSocialSecuritywithprivatepensionsandsavings.YettodaymillionsofpeopleretirewithlittletoliveonotherthanSocialSecurity.Americanslivinglongerthaneversimplymustsavemorethanever.

Therefore,inadditiontosavingSocialSecurityandMedicare,Iproposeanewpensioninitiativeforretirementsecurityinthe21stcentury.Iproposethatweusealittleover11percentofthesurplustoestablishuniversalsavingsaccounts–USAaccounts–togiveallAmericansthemeanstosave.

Withthesenewaccounts,Americanscaninvestastheychooseandreceivefundstomatchaportionoftheirsavingswithextrahelpforthoseleastabletosave.USAaccountswillhelpallAmericanstoshareinournation''''swealthandtoenjoyamoresecureretirement.Iaskyoutosupportthem.

Fourth,wemustinvestinlong-termcare.

Iproposeataxcreditof$1,000fortheaged,ailingordisabledandthefamilieswhocareforthem.Long-termcarewillbecomeabiggerandbiggerchallengewiththeagingofAmerica–andwemustdomoretohelpourfamiliesdealwithit.

Iwasbornin1946,thefirstyearofthebabyboom.Icantellyouthatoneofthegreatestconcernsofourgenerationisourabsolutedeterminationnottoletourgrowingoldplaceanintolerableburdenonourchildrenandtheirabilitytoraiseourgrandchildren.

Oureconomicsuccessandourfiscaldisciplinenowgiveustheopportunitytoliftthatburdenfromtheirshoulders,andweshouldtakeit.

SavingSocialSecurity,Medicare,creatingU.S.accounts,thisistherightwaytousethesurplus.Ifwedoso,ifwedoso,wewillstillhaveresourcestomeetcriticalneedsandeducationanddefense.

AndIwanttopointoutthatthisproposalisfiscallysound.Listentothis,ifwesetaside60percentofthesurplusforSocialSecurityand16percentforMedicareoverthenext15years,thatsavingswillachievethelowestlevelofpublicly-helddebtsincerightbeforeWorldWarIin1917.

Sowiththesefourmeasures;savingSocialSecurity,strengtheningMedicare,establishingtheUSAaccounts,supportinglong-termcare,wecanbegintomeetourgeneration''''shistoricresponsibilitytoestablishtruesecurityfor21stcenturyseniors.

Now,therearemorechildren,frommorediversebackgrounds,inourpublicschoolsthatanytimeinourhistory.Theireducationmustprovidetheknowledgeandnurturethecreativitythatwillallowourentirenationtothriveintheneweconomy.

Todaywecansaysomethingwecouldn''''tsaysixyearsago.Withtaxcreditsandmoreaffordablestudentloans,withmorework-studygrantsandmorePellGrants,witheducationIRAs,thenewHOPEScholarshiptaxcutthatmorethanfivemillionAmericanswillreceivethisyear,wehavefinallyopenedthedoorsofcollegetoallAmericans.

Withoursupport,nearlyeverystatehassethigheracademicstandardsforpublicschoolsandavoluntarynationaltestisbeingdevelopedtomeasuretheprogressofourstudents.Withover$1billionindiscountsavailablethisyear,wearewellonourwaytoourgoalofconnectingeveryclassroomandlibrarytotheInternet.

Lastfall,youpassedourproposaltostarthiring100,000newteacherstoreduceclasssizeintheearlygrades.NowIaskyoutofinishthejob.

Youknowourchildrenaredoingbetter.SATscoresareup.Mathscoreshaveriseninnearlyallgrades.Butthere''''saproblem.Whileourfourth-gradersoutperformedtheirpeersinothercountriesinmathandscience,oureighth-gradersarearoundaverage,andour12th-gradersranknearthebottom.Wemustdobetter.

Noweachyearthenationalgovernmentinvestsmorethan$15billioninourpublicschools.Ibelievewemustchangethewayweinvestthatmoneytosupportwhatworksandtostopsupportingwhatdoesnotwork.

First,laterthisyearIwillsendtoCongressaplanthatforthefirsttimeholdsstatesandschooldistrictsaccountableforprogressandrewardsthemforresults.MyEducationAccountabilityActwillrequireeveryschooldistrictreceivingfederalhelptotakethefollowingfivesteps:

First,allschoolsmustendsocialpromotion.

Now,nochild,nochildshouldgraduatefromhighschoolwithadiplomaheorshecan''''tread.Wedoourchildrennofavorswhenweallowthemtopassfromgradetogradewithoutmasteringthematerial.Butwecan''''tjustholdstudentsbackbecausethesystemfailsthem.

Somybalancedbudgettriplesthefundingforsummerschoolandafter-schoolprogramstokeepamillionchildrenlearning.Now,if–ifyoudoubtthiswillwork,justlookatChicago,whichendedsocialpromotionandmadesummerschoolmandatoryforthosewhodon''''tmasterthebasics.Mathandreadingscoresareupthreeyearsrunningwithsomeofthebiggestgainsinsomeofthepoorestneighborhoods.Itwillwork,andweshoulddoit.

Second,allstatesandschooldistrictsmustturnaroundtheirworstperformingschoolsorshutthemdown.That''''sthepolicyestablishedinNorthCarolinabyGovernorJimHunt.NorthCarolinamadethebiggestgainsintestscoresinthenationlastyear.Ourbudgetincludes$200milliontohelpstatesturnaroundtheirownfailingschools.

Third,allstatesandschooldistrictsmustbeheldresponsibleforthequalityoftheirteachers.Thegreatmajorityofourteachersdoafinejob,butintoomanyschoolsteachersdon''''thavecollegemajorsorevenminorsinthesubjectstheyteach.Newteachersshouldberequiredtopassperformanceexams,andallteachersshouldknowthesubjecttheirteaching.

Thisyear''''sbalancedbudgetcontainsresourcestohelpthemreachhigherstandards.Andtoattracttalentedyoungteacherstothetoughestassignments,Irecommendasix-foldincreaseinourprogramforcollegescholarshipsforstudentswhocommittoteachintheinner-citiesandisolatedruralareasandinIndiancommunities.LetusbringexcellencetoeverypartofAmerica.

Fourth,wemustempowerparentswithmoreinformationandmorechoices.Intoomanycommunitiesit''''seasiertogetinformationonthequalityofthelocalrestauran