[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.