[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 24 (Monday, June 19, 2000)]
[Pages 1333-1334]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

June 10, 2000

    Good morning. As we enter the new century, opportunity is abundant. 
We're in the midst of the longest economic expansion in history, with 22 
million new jobs and the lowest unemployment in 30 years. Yet we know 
some Americans are finding it harder and harder to balance the demands 
of work and family. People are working more jobs and longer hours than 
ever before, forcing many of them to make the unacceptable choice 
between being good workers and the best parents or caregivers.
    Today I want to speak with you about important new steps we're 
taking to give working Americans the time off they need to care for 
their families without losing the income they need to support them.
    According to a recent Federal study, parents in the average family 
now have 22 fewer hours per week to spend at home than they did just a 
generation ago. That's the loss of nearly a full day to spend time with 
their families. And the percentage of married mothers working outside 
the home has nearly doubled, from 38 to 68 percent, over the last three 
decades.
    We also know that many of them are working weekends or on the night 
shift, times they've traditionally spent at home caring for their 
families. In our round-the-clock economy, there just doesn't seem to be 
enough hours during the day for working Americans to do everything they 
need to.
    For more than 7 years now, our administration has taken action to 
give families the flexibility they need to balance the demands of work 
and home. We've helped make child care safer, better, and more 
affordable for millions of families. We've greatly expanded preschool 
and after-school programs. We fought to give generous tax credits to 
help the growing number of families who provide care for aging and 
ailing loved ones at home.
    I'm especially proud that the very first bill I signed as President 
was the Family and Medical Leave Act. Since 1993, more than 20 million 
Americans have used it to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care 
for a newborn or sick relative without fear of losing their jobs. Still 
there are too many families that aren't making use of the law because 
they simply can't afford to take the time off if it means sacrificing a 
paycheck.
    Today I'm announcing two new steps that will allow working Americans 
to take time off they need to care for their families without giving up 
the pay they need to support them.
    First, I'm pleased to announce that States will soon have the option 
to use funds from their unemployment insurance programs to provide paid 
leave to new parents following the birth or adoption of a child. While 
this initiative is totally voluntary, there are already 15 States 
considering legislation to provide paid leave through unemployment 
insurance or other means. In fact, Massachusetts may vote on such a bill 
in the next few weeks.
    In this strong economy, I hope more States will take advantage of 
this new option, and I believe those which do can provide this new 
benefit while still preserving the fiscal soundness of their 
unemployment insurance programs. The first few months with a newborn are 
precious ones, and no parent should have to miss them.
    Second, we all know record numbers of Americans are providing for 
aging or ailing loved ones at home. It's a loving but potentially very 
expensive choice. That's why, beginning later this month, all Federal 
employees will be able to take up to 12 weeks paid sick leave that 
they've earned to nurse an ailing child or parent back to health. If 
every company in America followed this example,

[[Page 1334]]

half of all our workers would have this important benefit for their 
families.
    There are further steps we should take right away to help more 
parents balance work and family. Again, I call on Congress to extend the 
benefits of family and medical leave to employees of smaller companies, 
so we can reach another 12 million American families. And I urge 
Congress to pass my comprehensive long-term care initiative, which 
includes a $3,000 tax credit to meet the growing needs of the elderly 
and their families.
    At the dawn of the last century, Theodore Roosevelt said, ``The 
greatest prizes of life are those connected to the home.'' Today, more 
than a century later, our families still are our most valued treasures. 
That's why I think no American should ever have to choose between the 
job they need and the parent or child they love. The actions we take 
today will help to ensure that they won't have to make that choice.
    Thanks for listening.

 Note:  The address was recorded at 4:25 p.m. on June 9 in the Oval 
Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 10. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
June 9 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.