    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 25 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
    [Pages 1391-1392]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's Radio Address

    June 17, 2000

        Good morning. Tomorrow America pauses to honor the countless
    contributions and obligations of fatherhood. When I think back on all
    the titles I've held--from attorney general of Arkansas to Governor to
    President--none of them comes close in importance and in fulfillment to
    the simple title of father.
        Fatherhood is one of the great blessings of life and also one of the
    greatest challenges any man can have, especially at a time when it's
    becoming more and more difficult to balance the pressures of work and
    family.
        Today I want to share some evidence with you about the critical role
    fathers play in their children's lives, and I want to talk about our
    obligation as a nation to help more fathers provide both the emotional
    and the financial support their children need.
        We've known for a long time now that students do better in school
    and later in life when their parents are more actively involved in their
    learning. But over the years, parent involvement often has meant
    mothers' involvement. This assumption misses the importance of fathers.
    Research now confirms that involvement of both parents in a child's
    education makes a positive difference, and that father involvement
    during infancy and early childhood also contributes to a child's
    emotional security and enhances problemsolving in math and verbal
    skills.
        In fact, one study showed that the chances of a child getting mostly
    A's increased by over 40 percent in two-parent families where the father
    was highly involved. Even in families where the father isn't living with
    his child but remains actively involved, those odds of getting A's
    increased by a full third.
        Clearly, fathers matter when it comes to early childhood development
    and education. And while there is now a growing understanding of that
    fact, it was Vice President Al Gore who put a national spotlight on this
    issue during his 1994 Family Reunion Conference, and he's worked
    tirelessly on it ever since.
        Our combined efforts are paying off. I'm pleased to release a report
    today from the

    [[Page 1392]]

    Departments of Education and Health and Human Services that offers
    educators and early childhood providers information, strategies, and
    tools to successfully involve more fathers in their children's
    learning--from encouraging more fathers to read with their kids at home
    to inviting more of them to volunteer in schools and child care centers.
        The report highlights model programs around the country and provides
    resource information for practitioners. We also know that noncustodial
    parents who continue to be involved with their children are more likely
    to pay child support. The sad fact is that one in three children in
    America today lives without his or her father. They shouldn't be
    punished, either emotionally or financially, because of that. That's why
    for 7\1/2\ years now we've made child support enforcement a top
    priority.
        And today we've got some further evidence that our efforts are
    paying off. Child support collections increased 10 percent during the
    past year, reaching a record of nearly $16 billion. That's double what
    it was in 1992. This means fewer women on welfare, fewer children in
    poverty, more families living in dignity.
        When it comes to protecting children and building strong families
    and strong communities, all of us have a role to play. But first and
    foremost, it's about caring mothers and fathers; and then about
    supporting community. But Government also must do its part. And we
    mustn't forget that most fathers out there really do want to do a good
    job. That's why today I'm also directing a number of departments to
    develop coordinated, interagency guidance to help States and communities
    identify and use available Federal resources and opportunities for
    promoting responsible fatherhood.
        The research and the results are clear: supporting, responsible
    fatherhood is good for children, good for families, good for our Nation.
    It's why we propose building on our progress with a $255 million
    responsible fatherhood initiative called ``Fathers Work/ Families Win.''
    The fact is, many fathers can't provide financial and emotional support
    to their children, not because they're deadbeat, but because they're
    dead-broke.
        Our initiative would help at least 40,000 more low income fathers
    work and support their children. Unfortunately, in the spending bill
    passed in the House this week, the Congress turned its back on this
    challenge by not including any money for this important initiative. So I
    ask Congress to work with me across party lines to pass a budget that
    makes sure more fathers can live up to their responsibility. Working
    together, we can help fathers better fulfill the emotional, educational,
    and financial needs of their children.
        As we prepare to celebrate the first Father's Day of the new
    century, let's do all we can to help more fathers live up to that title,
    not just through their financial support, but also by becoming more
    active, loving participants in their children's lives.
        Thanks for listening.

     Note:  The address was recorded at 11:15 a.m. on June 16 in Classroom
    230 at Joseph C. Lanzetta School (Public School 96) in New York City for
    broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 17. The transcript was made available by
    the Office of the Press Secretary on June 16 but was embargoed for
    release until the broadcast.