    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [September 18, 1999]
    [Pages 1554-1555]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    September 18, 1999

        Good morning. This month millions of students across America are
    beginning the last school semester of the 20th century. Today I want to
    talk about our obligation to give them the education they deserve to
    succeed in the new century, for more than ever, in this information age,
    education is the key to individual opportunity and our share of
    prosperity.
        That's why, even though we've worked hard to cut spending to balance
    the budget, we've also nearly doubled our investment in education and
    training. Many people said we couldn't do it, but we proved them wrong.
        Today, we have the longest peacetime expansion in our history. After
    years and years of deficits, we now have budget surpluses for years
    ahead. More people have a chance to realize the American dream than ever
    before. More children have the chance to realize their full potential
    than ever before. We've laid a foundation to preserve our prosperity for
    future generations.
        Now, as the budget deadline rapidly approaches this year, we face
    many of the same tough choices again. And once again, I think the answer
    is clear: To build a strong nation in the new century, we must continue
    to invest in our future. That means we must strengthen Social Security,
    secure and modernize Medicare, pay off the national debt in 15 years,
    making America debt-free for the first time since 1835. And once again,
    it means we must invest in education, not sacrifice it.
        Months ago now, I sent Congress a responsible budget to maintain our
    fiscal discipline and honor our commitment to our children's education.
    So far, the Republicans in Congress haven't put forward a budget of
    their own. In

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    fact, they're so busy trying to figure out how to pay for their
    irresponsible tax plan that they're in serious danger of not meeting
    their obligation to finish the budget by the end of the budget year.
    Even worse, they're preparing to pay for their own pet projects at the
    expense of our children's education.
        We know now that the Republicans' risky tax cut would force us to
    slash vital funding for education by as much as 50 percent over the next
    10 years. But what many people don't know is that next year alone, the
    Republican plan would cut the bill that funds education by nearly 20
    percent.
        Now, if carried out, this plan would lead to some of the worst cuts
    in education in our history. More than 5,000 teachers, hired as part of
    my class size initiative, could be laid off. Fifty thousand students
    could be turned away from after-school and summer school programs. More
    than 2 million of our poorest students in our poorest communities would
    have a smaller chance of success in school and in the workplaces of the
    future. These aren't just numbers on a balance sheet; they're vital
    investments in our children and our future.
        In a time when education is our top priority, Republicans in
    Congress are making it their lowest priority. So let me be clear: If the
    Republicans send me a bill that doesn't live up to our national
    commitment to education, I won't hesitate to veto it. If it undermines
    our efforts to hire high-quality teachers to reduce class size or to
    increase accountability in our public schools, I will veto it. If it
    fails to strengthen Head Start, after-school and summer school programs,
    I'll veto it. If it underfunds mentoring or college scholarship
    programs, I will veto it. If it sends me a bill that turns its back on
    our children and their future, I'll send them back to the drawing board.
    I won't let Congress push through a budget that's paid for at the
    expense of our children and our future prosperity.
        So again, I ask Congress to put partisanship aside and send me a
    bill that puts our children's education first. Let's use the last school
    semester of the 21st century to prepare our children and our Nation for
    excellence in the 21st century.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Oval Office at the
    White House.