[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 1 (Monday, January 8, 1996)]
[Pages 2-3]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

December 30, 1995

    Good morning. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, a time for celebration, 
friendship, and hope. Nineteen ninety-five has been a good year for our 
country, and the coming year can be even better.
    In Washington, we all know this has been a year of serious 
differences and profound debate over our Nation's future direction. But 
if we remain true to our values, we will prove once again that in 
America we can have serious differences without leaving deep divisions. 
We know our Nation is strongest when we're true to our fundamental 
values, giving every American the opportunity to make the most of their 
lives, remembering the duty we owe to our parents and our children, 
preserving our families and our communities, keeping America the 
strongest force for peace and freedom in the world.
    In our effort to advance these values, 1995 has been a time of real 
progress and concrete achievement. The key to our strength is economic 
opportunity for every American. In 1995, the ingenuity and hard work of 
our people has kept the economy growing, steady and strong. In the past 
12 months the economy created 1\3/4\ million new private sector jobs. In 
every month the unemployment rate has been below 6 percent. All told, 
since 1993, we Americans have created nearly 8 million new jobs. The 
stock market has broken every record. The deficit dropped for the third 
year in a row, for the first time since Mr. Truman was President. Long-
term interest rates continue to fall, bringing lower mortgage payments 
for working families and more affordable credit for small businesses and 
consumers.
    A growing economy and lower interest rates are why a million new 
Americans became homeowners for the very first time in 1995. There were 
more new businesses incorporated this year than in any previous year. 
And here in Washington, in spite of all of our differences, we made some 
real progress on an important issue, political reform. At long last, 
Congress passed a law which applies to themselves the same laws they 
impose on the private sector. And at long last, after 3 years of effort, 
the Congress passed lobby reform legislation, banning gifts to 
Congressmen and requiring extensive disclosure about the activities of 
lobbyists.
    Most important, our communities all over America are coming together 
around our values again. In city after city, in State after State, 
violent crime is down; the welfare and food stamp rolls are down; the 
poverty rate is down; even the divorce rate is down; and for 2 years in 
a row now, the teen pregnancy rate has dropped.
    It hasn't always been an easy year for America. There have been 
moments that tested our national community. In the wake of the terrible 
bombing in Oklahoma City, which took the lives of 169 people, our Nation 
reached out and recognized the bonds that hold us together. Out of the 
ashes of that tragedy a new sense of national spirit took hold. We 
affirmed once again that all Americans are in it together. We recognized 
once again that we can't love our country and hate our Government.

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    And a strong America has been the world's strongest force for 
freedom, peace, and democracy in 1995. Our brave men and women today are 
in the snows of Bosnia, helping to uphold the peace agreement to end the 
worst bloodshed in Europe since World War II. And from the cobblestone 
streets of Northern Ireland to the sands of the Middle East, a strong 
America has helped to bring peace to regions long torn by strife.
    Yes, 1995 has been a good year for America. Our people have 
accomplished a lot. And it goes without saying, we still have one major 
task to finish to top off the accomplishment of this year. We have to 
finish the job of balancing the budget and to do it in the right way.
    As you know, for the last 2 weeks the Congress has refused to pass 
legislation that would keep the Federal Government open to serve the 
American people. This has never happened before for this length of time 
in the whole history of the Republic. And it's been very hard on three-
quarter of a million public servants who have to pay rent and utilities 
and mortgage payments and buy food. And they're losing pay at holiday 
time. And it's also cut off services for millions of Americans who 
depend upon them.
    This Tuesday, if the Government is not open, cleanup efforts will be 
stopped cold at 32 toxic waste sites in neighborhoods around our 
country. Next week, Federal funds for unemployment insurance will begin 
to run out, forcing States to scramble to find ways to keep helping 
workers who have lost their jobs. And the Meals on Wheels program to our 
senior citizens won't go forward. Every day, 9 of 10 workplace safety 
complaints go unanswered. And every day 2,500 people can't get 
guaranteed home mortgages. Every day, thousands of young people looking 
for college loans can't apply for them. If ever we needed a reminder 
that our Government is not our enemy, this is it.
    Let me be clear: I am committed to balancing the budget. Our 
administration already has cut the deficit nearly in half, and I am 
determined to finish the job. For weeks I've been working in good faith 
with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to find common ground, to 
balance the budget in a way that reflects our values. Yesterday I met 
well into the evening with Speaker Gingrich and Majority Leader Dole. 
And in just a few moments I will sit down with them again, along with 
the Democratic congressional leaders.
    We are making real progress. We know that our work is not done. We 
know we have much to do, so that the American dream will remain alive 
for every citizen and so that we can come together as a people and so 
that America can remain the strongest force for peace the world has ever 
seen.
    So on this New Year's, let's resolve that we will balance the 
budget, but that we'll do it in a way that will keep our country growing 
and that will be true to our basic values. That is, we'll balance the 
budget without gutting Medicare and Medicaid, without deeply cutting 
education or the environment, without raising taxes on working families. 
Let's resolve to reopen the Government and do it now. And let's resolve 
to act without rancor or partisan bitterness in the spirit of the new 
year and in the interests of the American people.
    Nineteen ninety-five has been a year when we've been true to the 
best of America. If we'll just work hard and work together and follow 
our values, 1996 can be even better. Hillary and I want to wish you and 
your families a happy and healthy New Year.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 9:44 a.m. in the Oval Office at the 
White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m.