Bill Clinton: “Good morning. As we prepare to meet the demands of the 21st century, I believe our goal must be to offer opportunity to…”

“Good morning. As we prepare to meet the demands of the 21st century, I believe our goal must be to offer opportunity to all Americans, to demand responsibility from all Americans, and to come together as a community to strengthen our shared values and to build a better future together. That is how we will meet our challenges. This past week, those values were at work on Capitol Hill. Democrats and Republicans produced a bipartisan breakthrough for those Americans working hard to make the most of their own lives. On Tuesday, the Senate voted to pass a 90-cent increase in the minimum wage. It's about time. You can't raise a family on $4.25 an hour, and if we don't raise it, the minimum wage will fall to a 40-year low this year in terms of what it will buy. So I congratulate the Republican Members of Congress who joined with the Democrats to honor work and family, opportunity and responsibility, by voting to give minimum wage workers a raise. They should send me the final legislation quickly, without delay. That will be a victory for both parties and, more important, for all working Americans. The passage of the minimum wage shows what can happen when we're united, when we reach across party lines, when we work together. This can signify a new spirit of cooperation coming from Capitol Hill. If we continue this spirit, we can meet our other challenges as well. No challenge is more important than replacing our broken welfare system.…”