[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17162-17164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING FORMER PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON ON THE OCCASION OF 
                           HIS 59TH BIRTHDAY

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 329) honoring former President William Jefferson 
Clinton on the occasion of his 59th birthday.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 329

       Whereas former President William Jefferson Clinton was born 
     in Hope, Arkansas, on August 19, 1946;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton attended Georgetown 
     University as an undergraduate and received a Rhodes 
     Scholarship in 1968;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton received a law degree 
     from Yale University in 1973;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton established a record of 
     public service as Attorney General of Arkansas, Governor of 
     Arkansas, and Chairman of the National Governors Association;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton campaigned for and won 
     the Democratic nomination for President in 1992;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton was elected the 42d 
     President of the United States in 1992 and was reelected for 
     a second term in 1996;
       Whereas during William Jefferson Clinton's time in office 
     the United States experienced 8 years of economic expansion, 
     job growth, and the transformation of a budget deficit into a 
     budget surplus;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton rallied the members of 
     the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to put an end to 
     ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and to depose the murderous 
     regime of Slobodan Milosevic, actions which eventually led to 
     the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton played a major role in 
     the Good Friday Peace Accords which finally brought peace to 
     war-torn Northern Ireland;
       Whereas William Jefferson Clinton and former President 
     George H. W. Bush were appointed to lead the United States 
     effort to provide private aid to the victims of the 
     devastating tsunami that struck southeast Asia on December 
     26, 2004; and
       Whereas, in the words of President George W. Bush, William 
     Jefferson Clinton ``showed a deep and far-ranging knowledge 
     of public policy, a great compassion for people in

[[Page 17163]]

     need, and the forward-looking spirit the Americans like in a 
     President'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors former 
     President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of his 
     59th birthday on August 19, 2005, and extends best wishes to 
     him and his family.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the distinguished author of House 
Resolution 329, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), and the 
entire House of Representatives, I wish President William Jefferson 
Clinton a happy 59th birthday.
  House Resolution 329 would honor President Clinton on the occasion of 
his 59th birthday on August 19th. It would furthermore commend 
President Clinton's continued commitment to public service and world 
leadership. Since the House will be out of session in August, I would 
like to thank the House leadership for scheduling this resolution for 
early consideration today and support the resolution's adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as someone who grew up, went to school, and still have 
strong family ties in the State of Arkansas, it is with great pride 
that I stand to celebrate and honor the life of a man who epitomizes 
the American dream: President William Jefferson Clinton.
  Born in the tiny town of Hope, Arkansas, on August 19, 1946, 
President Clinton demonstrated from an early age the determination and 
vision that would ultimately take him to the White House and enable him 
to lead our country to a period of economic prosperity that has been 
unrivaled in American history.
  As a man who always fought for those who could not always fight for 
themselves, Bill Clinton spurned private practice after graduating from 
Yale Law School and began a career in public service. He began his 
political career after being elected attorney general of Arkansas in 
1976. He went on to serve as Governor and by the time Governor Clinton 
left Arkansas for the White House, the State of Arkansas had been 
transformed from a State that faced large deficits and polarizing 
issues into a shining example of what government can do for its 
citizens when those in government put aside partisan differences in the 
interest of what is right.
  As America's 42nd President, Bill Clinton faced an even more daunting 
task than the one he faced as Governor. In 1992, the American people 
were fed up with government. The economy was in bad shape, unemployment 
was at a record high, and it was a time when many American parents 
struggled with basic financial decisions, such as what holiday presents 
they could afford to buy their children. By the time President Clinton 
left office 8 years later, he had led our country out of this darkness 
and into one of the brightest eras in American history, a time that was 
marked by the lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest 
inflation rate in 30 years, the highest homeownership rate in United 
States history, and dropping crime rates in many American cities. 
Contrary to the unjustified stereotype thrown at Democrats, President 
Clinton proposed the first balanced budget in decades. He balanced the 
budget, and then went on to produce a surplus.
  Since leaving office, President Clinton has continued his lifelong 
odyssey of working for those in need. Working from his office in 
Harlem, President Clinton has remained engaged in many social issues. 
In July, President Clinton addressed the United Nations Economic and 
Social Council in an effort to sustain the momentum on the recovery 
efforts in regions devastated by last December's tsunami. In 2003, he 
brokered an historic agreement with four generic drug companies in 
order to provide low-cost AIDS drugs in developing countries.
  The world is a better place today because of the 59 years President 
Clinton has given us so far, and we look forward to many more.
  Mr. Speaker, oftentimes in a country where we put great emphasis on 
personal wealth, as one having the ability to emerge and rise to high 
public office, I have searched and searched, and nowhere did I find in 
Bill Clinton's history any great personal wealth before he got involved 
in doing public service. Noplace did I find any great family pedigree. 
He was simply a person who used himself as effectively as he could to 
become one of the most influential persons in the history of our 
country. I wish him a happy birthday.
  Mr. Speaker, I will include for the Record the statement of the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, on August 19th, William Jefferson Clinton, 
our 43rd president, will celebrate his 59th birthday--today, we honor 
him. We honor him not just for being one of 43 Americans to have led 
history's greatest Nation from its highest office, we honor him for the 
legacy the current President Bush described as, ``a deep and far-
ranging knowledge of public policy, a great compassion for people in 
need, and the forward-looking spirit Americans like in a President.''
  Since his last birthday, President Clinton characteristically 
responded to one of the most devastating natural disasters in modem 
history with the compassion for people in need that President Bush 
talked about. In the aftermath of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, 
President Clinton showed the diplomacy and humanity he has always 
displayed in a career filled with good works. Together with former 
President Bush, President Clinton helped generate billions of dollars 
in donations for the tsunami-torn nations. As a representative of our 
generous and caring Nation, he showed the world America's compassion. 
And he and former President Bush rolled up their sleeves and lent 
helping hands to the recovery efforts when they traveled to southeast 
Asia.
  In two terms in the White House, President Clinton stewarded our 
Nation's longest-ever economic expansion, largest-ever budget surplus, 
and the growth of 22 million jobs. He helped broker the Good Friday 
Accords for Northern Ireland, engaged in Middle East peace talks, and 
brought an end to ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. And he encouraged 
Americans to care for their fellow man and woman, creating AmeriCorps, 
which engages more than 50,000 Americans each year in community 
service.
  We in Congress are thankful that President Clinton's health has 
improved since his recent heart surgeries, and we pray that he 
continues to be healthy and strong.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Davis and the House 
leadership for bringing this resolution to the floor in time for 
President Clinton's birthday.
  Mr. Speaker, from his birth in a town called Hope in the State of 
Arkansas, to his education at Georgetown University, Oxford and Yale 
Law School, to his service in Arkansas as attorney general, Governor 
and chairman of the National Governors Association, to his two terms as 
President of the United States to now, as a private citizen still 
showing the world humanity and compassion, we honor President Clinton.
  President Clinton, happy birthday.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in recognition of the 
fifty-ninth birthday of former President William Jefferson Clinton, a 
man whose Presidency was marked by great strides in both global 
tranquility and economic prosperity.
  As a young man, President Clinton was an excellent musician and a 
scholar, attending Georgetown University, Yale University, and, in 
1968, winning a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University.
  President Clinton diligently served the citizens of Arkansas as both 
Attorney General and Governor before he went on to serve the country as 
a whole as the forty-second President of the United States of America.
  The Presidency of Bill Clinton was a period of unprecedented peace 
and prosperity, marked by America's lowest unemployment rate in modern 
times, the lowest inflation rate in 30 years, and the highest home 
ownership rates in our country's history. President Clinton proposed 
the first balanced budget in decades and left the country with a budget 
surplus.
  President Clinton was a strong leader who improved America's 
international standing and showed compassion towards people around the 
world. President Clinton rallied the members of the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization

[[Page 17164]]

to put an end to ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and played a major 
role in the effort to end violence in Northern Ireland. His service to 
the people of the world continues years after his Presidency, including 
his recent efforts with former President George H. W. Bush in 
spearheading the United States effort to provide private aid to victims 
of the devastating tsunami that struck southeast Asia.
  It was an honor to serve in the White House under President Clinton, 
as he helped extend health insurance to millions of uninsured children, 
placed 100,000 new police officers on the street, passing the North 
American Free Trade Agreement, reformed welfare, raised the minimum 
wage, and balanced the federal budget.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from New York for introducing 
this resolution, and I join my colleagues in wishing a happy and 
healthy 59th birthday to our 42nd President and my friend, William 
Jefferson Clinton.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, approximately a year ago, we honored former President 
William Jefferson Clinton in a very similar way on his 58th birthday. 
Then we were doing it, to a great extent, because of his quadruple 
bypass. It seemed appropriate to honor this immediate former President 
in a time of personal and family concern.
  This year, though, we honor President Clinton for what he has done 
since that time, coming out of the hospital, coming to the aid of 
people around the world, but particularly in Asia after the December 26 
earthquake and tsunami. President Clinton and President Bush, former 
President Bush, have shown the value of former Presidents.
  President Clinton's leadership in this very elite former Presidents' 
club is a tribute to what can be done by people who stay engaged and 
involved. And so although it is likely that most people know that I 
probably did not vote for President Clinton in either of his elections, 
I certainly would be happy to vote today to honor the President on his 
59th birthday because of what he has done since leaving the White 
House.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kolbe). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 329.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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