    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [August 17, 1996]
    [Page 1302]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in Idaho Falls, Idaho
    August 17, 1996

        The President. Thank you so much. Thank you. I'm glad to see you.
    Thank you. First of all, let me thank----

    [At this point, audience members sang ``Happy Birthday.'']

        The President. Thank you very much. Thank you all for coming out.
    Hillary and Chelsea and I are delighted to see you. I even thank you for
    singing ``Happy Birthday'' to me. I've been a little apprehensive about
    turning 50 and getting my AARP card, but the music makes it a little
    easier to bear. We've had a wonderful family vacation in the West; we go
    back East refreshed, ready to go to work.
        I just wanted to say to all of you that next week will be a good
    week for our country. I'll have a chance to sign a bill that increases
    the minimum wage and increases tax incentives. [Applause] Thank you. The
    bill also--a lot of people don't know this--the bill also increases
    incentives, tax incentives for small-business people to invest in their
    business and makes it easier for small-business people and their
    employees to take out and keep retirement plans, even during periods
    when they're not employed. So it's a great bill for America; it's a good
    thing.
        And I have a chance to sign a bill next week that says you don't
    lose your health insurance if somebody in your family gets sick or if
    you change jobs, the Kassebaum-Kennedy bill. And of course, the welfare
    reform bill, which will give States more funds for child care and for
    health care and then require people who can to move from welfare to
    work.
        It'll be a very good week for America. And all those bills passed
    with very strong bipartisan majorities. I can only say that I wish we
    had more of that in Washington, and I know you do too. But I am very,
    very happy, I'm delighted to be here. I love seeing all these signs
    here. You've made us very, very happy, and we'd like to come out and say
    hello to you in time for this plane to leave.
        Thank you, and God bless you, Idaho. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:10 p.m. at Fenning Field. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of these remarks.