[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[January 29, 1993]
[Page 19]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Teleconference Remarks on Family and Medical Leave Legislation
January 29, 1993

    The President. Thank you very much, Al. And hello, ladies and 
gentlemen. I want to thank you for agreeing to join us on this telephone 
call today and through this telephone call to speak to the people in 
your own State and throughout the United States.
    One of the things that we are determined to do here in Washington is 
open the Government to you and never let people forget, who are here 
making decisions, that you and lives are at stake and that these matters 
that we discuss and vote upon here really do affect real people out in 
our country.
    So with that, let me just now go from one person to the next and let 
each of you say something about how this family and medical leave act 
might affect your life in the future or could have affected your life in 
the past or the fact that we didn't have it affected you.

[At this point, the President took a series of telephone calls from 
people who described their personal experiences.]

    The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I know I speak for Vice 
President Gore when I thank all of you for your courage and your support 
on behalf of your own children and your own families and working 
families all across this country. We believe that next week, the 
Congress and the leaders who have worked on this in both parties will 
help our Nation join the 72 other countries who already have family and 
medical leave. And if it happens, it will be because of people like you 
and for people like you.
    I think a lot of you said this, but I just want to close with this: 
It's easy for people to talk about family values, but it's also 
important for us to value families. And your Government is going to be 
given a chance to value the American family next week. We hope and pray 
they'll do it. And if it does happen, you all can claim a lot of the 
credit.
    Thank you so much for being with us today, and have a wonderful 
time. And keep those kids making that good noise. I like to hear it.
    Bless you all. Goodbye.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 11:42 a.m. from the Oval 
Office at the White House. He was introduced by the Vice President.