    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [January 21, 2000]
    [Page 102]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Indications of a Third Consecutive Budget Surplus
    January 21, 2000

        Today we received further evidence that our economic strategy of
    fiscal discipline is working. The tough choices we made on deficit
    reduction have turned a deficit of $290 billion in 1992 into a surplus
    of $124 billion in 1999--the largest surplus in history and the second
    consecutive surplus in more than 40 years. The latest financial numbers
    from the Department of the Treasury indicate that we are on track this
    year to reach a third consecutive annual budget surplus. In the last 2
    years we have paid down more than $140 billion in debt, and these
    numbers confirm that we are continuing to pay down even more debt. I
    remain committed to maintaining our strategy of fiscal discipline to
    keep our economy strong and pay down the debt by 2015 for the first time
    since Andrew Jackson was President.