[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 7 (Monday, February 21, 2000)]
[Pages 292-293]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

February 12, 2000

    Good morning. Today I want to speak with you about the important 
steps we're taking to reach one of our Nation's highest goals, helping 
all our people to succeed at work and in the most important work of all: 
caring for their children.
    For 7 years now, this administration has taken action to give 
families more of the tools they need to balance the difficult demands of 
work and home. We've helped to make child care better, safer, and more 
affordable for millions of families. We've greatly expanded preschool 
and after-school programs. We've fought to give generous tax credits to 
help the growing numbers of families who provide care for aging or 
ailing loved ones at home.
    This month we're celebrating the seventh anniversary of the Family 
and Medical Leave Act, the very first bill I was privileged to sign as 
President. That bill was the product of years of hard work by a large 
coalition of caring leaders, many of whom have joined me here today. 
They should be very proud of their efforts.
    The family and medical leave law has now given more than 20 million 
Americans the opportunity to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care 
for a newborn child or a sick relative or attend to their own serious 
health needs--without fear of losing their jobs.
Everywhere I go, people come up to me and tell me how much this law has 
meant to their lives. I've heard people say that the time they were able 
to take off to be by their dad's side in the hospital or bond with a new 
daughter at home was the most important time they've ever spent.
    Not only has the law been a godsend for families, it's also been 
good for business. Nearly 85 percent of businesses reported that 
complying with the law required no extra cost. In fact, in many cases it 
has actually helped save them money by cutting down on turnover and 
reducing the expense of training new workers.
    But for all the success of this law, we know we can and should do 
more. Today, there are still large numbers of families who need to take 
leave from work but can't afford to give up the income. That's why, 3 
months ago, Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and I proposed a new rule to 
give States flexibility to use their existing unemployment insurance 
programs to offer paid leave to new parents. Participation is purely 
voluntary, but we hope States will take advantage of this. Before they 
do, they must determine how it will affect the soundness of their 
unemployment system.
    Today I am pleased to announce a new way we can make it easier for 
States to take up this challenge. I'm proposing $20 million in new 
competitive grants to help develop

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and evaluate creative new approaches for providing paid family leave to 
workers--whether it's through unemployment insurance, temporary 
disability programs, or any other source. Many States have already 
recognized the great need for paid leave and have begun drafting their 
own proposals to provide it. We hope and believe our grants will help to 
speed the way.
    There are two more steps I believe we should take right away. Once 
again, I asked Congress to expand family and medical leave to give 
parents time off when they have to go to see their children's teachers 
or take them to the doctor. And I asked Congress to extend the benefits 
of the law to employees of smaller companies, so that we can reach 
another 10 million, American families. I want to thank Senator Dodd, who 
is here with me today, and Senator Kennedy and Representatives Clay, 
Woolsey, and Maloney, for their tireless work on behalf of these 
proposals. With their leadership, I believe we will succeed in expanding 
family and medical leave this year.
    I've often wondered how my own mother, when she was a young widow, 
would have been able to go away to train as a nurse if my grandparents 
hadn't been there to take care of me. My mother and I were lucky. So 
were many other American families. But none of our families should have 
to rely on luck alone, and no American should ever have to choose 
between the job they need and the parent or child they love. If we use 
this moment wisely, we can help to ensure that they'll never have to 
make that choice again.
    Thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 4:52 p.m. on February 11 in the Oval 
Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February 12. 
The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on February 11 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.