    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [March 8, 1996]
    [Page 403]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 403]]

    Statement on the National Economy
    March 8, 1996

        Four years ago, I said if America met its economic challenge by
    bringing down the deficit, investing in education and training,
    rewarding work, and opening markets, we could spur a strong recovery
    that could help this economy create 8 million jobs in 4 years. It is a
    tribute to the hard work, ingenuity, and strength of the American people
    that our economy has created more than 8 million jobs in just 3 years
    instead of 4.
        Even as we celebrate the creation of 8.4 million jobs, we must
    remember that much more must be done to ensure that our economy is
    working for all of our working families. This is no time to rest or move
    backwards. To keep America's job machine humming and our economy
    growing, we must get back to work on balancing the budget in a way that
    puts our people first.