    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [January 29, 1995]
    [Pages 110-112]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the National Governors' Association Dinner
    January 29, 1995

        Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the White House,
    again for many of you and for the first time for some. This is always
    one of my favorite evenings of the year, one of Hillary's favorite
    evenings, a chance to see old friends and think about old times and look
    to the future.
        Two years ago, when I had the opportunity for the first time to host
    this dinner, after having been on the other end of it for 12 years, I
    pledged to you that I would take the experiences that we had shared
    together and strive to form a new partnership with the Governors and
    with the States. After 2 years, I think it's fair to say that we have
    made good on that pledge.

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    And tonight, I want to renew that pledge as we debate the astonishing
    range of opportunities and challenges that are ahead of us.
        I also want to thank those of you who have gone out of your way to
    give me the opportunity to make good on the pledge when you thought we
    were slipping a little. [Laughter] And I want to thank those of you who
    have acknowledged what you thought we were doing right. In particular,
    two of the Governors, not of my party, who went through the line tonight
    and complimented the partnership of the Federal Government and various
    agencies, I appreciate very much.
        I think every American now wants Government to expand opportunity
    and to shrink bureaucracy, to empower people to make the most of their
    own lives, to enhance our security but not to do those things which it
    ought not to do. Working in partnership with us, many of you have
    pioneered ways to reform health care and to reform welfare, free of
    Federal rules and regulations which had previously encumbered you. We
    have done our part to be good partners. We have reduced the deficit; we
    have reduced the size of the Government; we have reduced regulation in
    important areas.
        We have also done what we could to improve our performance. I cited
    in the State of the Union, and I cite again, something that those of you
    who have had the misfortune to have disasters know, which is that the
    Federal Emergency Management Agency and all those who work in the
    disaster area, the Department of Transportation, HUD, and others, are no
    longer a disaster when disaster occurs. They are there working in
    partnership with you, and we want to do more of that.
        In that spirit now, we begin a new year of debates, working on
    welfare, perhaps the most important thing we can do from the point of
    view of all the people of all of our States, without regard to party or
    region or race or income. We had a very, very good meeting yesterday
    with a bipartisan group of Governors, local officials, Members of
    Congress, and I thank those of you who participated.
        The Vice President will also be presenting a second round of
    reinventing Government proposals which will cut further spending and
    reduce the Federal role and give more responsibilities to the State. And
    as you know, we are proposing a tax relief package which focuses
    primarily on education and giving people tax reductions in return for
    educating their children and themselves.
        I hope as we go forward, we can agree on the things which we don't
    think the Federal Government should be doing. And I hope we'll also be
    agreeing on some things we think we should do. There is a plain national
    interest in protecting the essential needs of the children of this
    country. We clearly can do some things right in a nonbureaucratic,
    creative way. And I think the best example of that is AmeriCorps, our
    national service program, which has worked closely with many of you in
    this room tonight.
        I want to close by saluting your distinguished chair, Governor Dean,
    and Judy, and all of you for all you have done. For those of you who
    have worked with Hillary and with me over the years and with the members
    of our Cabinet, particularly those who are former Governors--and I see
    Governor Babbitt and Governor Riley here--let me say that there is no
    more rewarding experience than being able to reach across the lines that
    divide us to feel that we are really making a difference in peoples'
    lives, that we are giving the American people a government that is
    leaner but not meaner, one that really does help them make the most of
    their own lives. I think that's why we all got into this work, and if
    we'll just keep that in mind, I think when we're all done, we'll be very
    proud.
        I'd like to propose a toast to the chair of the National Governors'
    Association and to his fine wife and to all the Governors and their
    spouses tonight.
        To the Governors and their families: Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:41 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont,
    chair of the National Governors' Association, and his wife, Judith.

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