    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [December 17, 1994]
    [Pages 2185-2186]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2185]]

    The President's Radio Address
    December 17, 1994

        The President. Good morning. Today I'm speaking from the Northern
    Virginia Community College in Annandale, Virginia, where I'm joined by
    50 students and the Secretary of Education, Dick Riley, who will speak
    with you in a moment.

        In this holiday season, families come together to reflect on the
    past year and plan for the year ahead. It's a time to be with our
    children and think about their futures. For students near the end of
    high school, it's a time to think about continuing their education after
    graduation.

        Our people face greater challenges than ever to get ahead. For too
    long, too many Americans have worked harder for less. I ran for
    President to change that, to help ordinary people compete and win in the
    new American economy, to restore the American dream for middle class
    families.

        For 2 years, we've pursued an economic strategy that has helped to
    produce over 5 million new jobs. But this growth has not produced higher
    incomes for most Americans, especially those without more than a high
    school education, at the very time it's more important than ever to get
    a good education after high school and then to keep learning throughout
    adult life.

        It's more expensive than ever before. In the decade before I took
    office, the cost of college tripled. Too many people are being priced
    out of a fair shot at high-quality education. If we can't change that,
    we're at risk of losing our great American middle class and of becoming
    a two-tiered society with a few successful people at the top and
    everyone else struggling below.

        Fifty years ago, an American President proposed the GI bill of
    rights. It helped World War II veterans go to college, buy a home, raise
    their children; it built this country. Last Thursday night, I proposed a
    middle class bill of rights, four new ideas to help middle class
    Americans get ahead. Here's how it will work.

        The first proposal is especially important to people at this
    community college. If your family makes less than $120,000, the tuition
    you pay for college, community college, graduate school, professional
    school, vocational education, or worker training will be fully
    deductible from your taxable income, phased up to $10,000 a year.
    Nothing like this has ever been done before.

        Second, if your family makes $75,000 a year or less, you'll receive
    a tax cut phased up to $500 for every child under the age of 13.

        Third, if your family makes less than $100,000 a year, you'll be
    able to put $2,000 a year, tax-free, into an individual retirement
    account, but you'll also be able to withdraw the money, tax-free, for
    education, a first home, or the care of an elderly parent.

        Finally, the middle class bill of rights will take the billions of
    dollars that Government spends on job training and make that money
    directly available to American workers so that you can spend it as you
    decide, when you need to learn new skills to get a new job or a better
    job.

        Of course, we have to pay for all this. On Thursday night I proposed
    dramatic reductions in three more Cabinet departments. And Monday
    morning Vice President Gore and I will outline these cuts in more
    detail. But today I want to ask Secretary Riley to talk about why
    education is a top priority in the middle class bill of rights.

        Secretary Riley.

    [At this point, Secretary Riley made brief remarks.]

        The President. Thank you, Secretary Riley.

        My fellow Americans, this middle class bill of rights will further
    the agenda of this administration and, more importantly, our common
    mission as Americans: to expand middle class incomes and opportunities;
    to promote the values of work and family, responsibility and community;
    and to help Americans compete and win in the new American economy of the
    future.

        With all the challenges we face today, ours is still the greatest
    country in the world. Let's keep it that way for our children and for
    future generations. I thank Secretary Riley for joining me and wish you
    all a very happy holiday season.

        Thanks for listening.

    [[Page 2186]]

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Richard J. Ernst
    Community Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College in
    Annandale, VA.