Honoring Former President William Jefferson Clinton on the Occasion of His 58th Birthday
HONORING FORMER PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 58TH BIRTHDAY -- (House of Representatives - September 13, 2004)
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 717) honoring former President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of his 58th birthday.
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GENERAL LEAVE
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House of Representatives, I gladly wish former President Bill Clinton a happy belated birthday. Last month, on August 19, President Clinton turned 58, and House Resolution 717 salutes our Nation's 42nd President on that occasion.
Mr. Speaker, our well-known honoree today was born in the small town of Hope, Arkansas, as William Jefferson Blyth, IV in 1946, 3 months after the death of his father. After his mother remarried a few years later, the future President took the name of his stepfather, Clinton, as a teenager. He came to college here in Washington at Georgetown University and later earned a law degree at Yale. He entered politics and went on to become Attorney General and then Governor of the State of Arkansas.
Then, Bill Clinton, the little-known chief executive of Arkansas, shocked the world when he sought and was elected to the Presidency in 1992. Four years later, he became the first Democrat since Franklin Delano Roosevelt to win a second term. His depth of policy knowledge and poignant speaking ability served him very well while he presided over the Nation for 8 years.
A key event of Clinton's Presidency was the brokerage of peace in the Balkans. The Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the war in the Balkans, were negotiated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, located in my district. Today, the Dayton Peace Accords remains a significant foreign policy achievement of the Clinton administration.
Mr. Speaker, today it is especially gratifying to wish a happy birthday to President Clinton because of all that he has gone through in recent days. As we all know, the former President underwent a 4-hour quadruple coronary artery bypass operation in New York City a week ago today.
Fortunately, we understand President Clinton is doing well and should make a full recovery over the next few weeks. Without question, the thoughts and the prayers of the House of Representatives are with President Clinton.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to wish President Clinton a happy birthday at a time when he has been on the minds of so many Americans.
I thank my colleague in the Committee on Government Reform, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), for introducing this House resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
It was during the Clinton administration when Congress was controlled by Republicans that the Federal deficit started to shrink. It was not until the fiscal year 1995 that the Republican budget was in place that deficits turned into surpluses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 717 that honors former President William Jefferson Clinton.
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Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in enthusiastic support of H. Res. 717, honoring former President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of his 58th birthday. I wish him happiness-and health-in his 58th year.
The outlines of President Clinton's story have become familiar to us. Born in the small town of Hope, Arkansas, the young Bill Clinton began cultivating the values-compassion, perseverance and commitment to social justice-that would guide him throughout his Presidency.
He benefitted from the love and will of his mother-Virginia Clinton-a widow and survivor of domestic violence who worked tirelessly to support her children. He was a dutiful son, a protective brother, and a gifted student. In college, Clinton juggled coursework with an internship for Senator Fulbright, relishing his introduction to politics. Awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, Clinton went on to Oxford University and Yale Law School. There he met his match and wife-to-be in the form of a driven Hillary Rodham.
Mr. Speaker, it was as President that Mr. Clinton captured the hearts, the imagination, the hope, of so many Americans. A post-Cold War President, Bill Clinton believed we must become a domestic as well as a military superpower. He knew our strength came from more than just our military might, but from our commitment to the ordinary men and women of this country. He nurtured our country's strength through economic growth, support for the middle class and a ladder for the poor.
Bill Clinton forged a Third Way, a new path to bipartisanship that remains a model for lawmakers and citizens alike. He made our streets safer with the Brady bill, he made our working families stronger with the Earned Income Tax Credit, and he made our economy soar by balancing the budget and erasing the deficit. He protected our environment, he created jobs, he strengthened alliances across the world and he labored for peace.
Mr. Speaker, President Clinton continues to be a devoted public servant, crusading against the global AIDS pandemic. His foundation has succeeded in lowering the cost of HIV/AIDS tests and treatment for millions of people in developing countries across the world.
I am fortunate to call Bill Clinton a friend. I have seen him light up a crowded room, and I have seen him connect with struggling individuals in a way that only he can. A music-lower and a musician, he is a Blues man with soul. He knows the sorrow of life's harsh realities, and he knows the joy that comes from striving towards our collective potential. Most of all, Bill Clinton is a man of heart. I wish him-and his heart-continued health. I thank Congresswoman MALONEY for sponsoring this resolution and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add to the overwhelming support of this House for this resolution honoring former President Bill Clinton as he celebrates his 58th birthday.
President Clinton is a gifted and charismatic leader who has devoted his professional life to public service.
His administration was marked with great economic success, transforming quadrupled budget deficits into a budget surplus. He achieved the lowest unemployment rate in 28 years, the lowest percentage of Americans on welfare 29 years, and the lowest inflation rate in 33 years.
During his presidency, the economy expanded by 50 percent in real terms, and when he left office, the U.S. had a gross national product of $10 trillion-one-quarter of the entire world economic output.
During his administration, 15 million jobs were created and average wages rose. Home ownership rates were the highest in history. Funding public education, saving Social Security, and ensuring health care for all Americans were priorities.
Our economic success was a sign of stability that sparked growth in domestic and international markets.
He was a great supporter of human rights and promoting peace through humanitarian relief efforts, refugee assistance, and aiding in peace process negotiations.
I was honored to accompany President Clinton on historic trips to Northern Ireland and Africa. We went as ambassadors of peace and reconciliation, and it was heartening to see how well received we were by our international hosts. The people of this country were welcomed and well respected abroad.
I have great respect and admiration for him personally and for his outstanding leadership of our great country, and I believe his legacy will long enjoy the approval of a grateful nation.
I extend to him my best wishes for a happy birthday, and I offer my wholehearted support for this resolution.
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Mr. TURNER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.