[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 20 (Monday, May 20, 1996)]
[Pages 851-852]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Senator Bob Dole on the Announcement of His Retirement From 
the Senate

May 15, 1996

Dear Mr. Leader:

    As I mentioned when we spoke by phone earlier today, you have served 
your country

[[Page 852]]

in so many ways, and you should be proud of your 35 years in Congress. 
On behalf of a grateful America, as you retire from the Senate, I thank 
you for your service.
    During the fall campaign, you and I will engage in what I believe is 
one of the most important jobs in our democracy, as we lead a great 
national debate about how best to move our country into the future. I 
look forward to participating with you in that discussion.
    Until then, I believe that the coming weeks and months can be a 
moment of genuine bipartisan achievement in meeting the challenges we 
all face together. Before you go, I look forward to working with you and 
Speaker Gingrich, and afterwards with your successor, to move ahead to 
give our people a balanced budget, welfare reform, an increase in the 
minimum wage and the Kassebaum-Kennedy health care reform.
    As you know so well, it is when we work together that we can truly 
make progress for our country and for the people who sent us here.
    Sincerely,
                                                  Bill Clinton

Note: This letter was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on May 15 but was not issued as a White House press release.