Bill Clinton

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.

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…

I'm proposing $20 million in new competitive grants to help develop and evaluate creative new approaches for providing paid family leave to workers.

Not only has the law been a godsend for families, it's also been good for business.

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.

Participation is purely voluntary, but we hope States will take advantage of this.

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.

We've helped to make child care better, safer, and more affordable for millions of families.

The voters understand that every election year they get to be in control again.

We cannot know how many people are alive and fully strong and healthy today because of the labors of Jim and Sarah Brady.

The United States will continue to support our friends and allies in this important endeavor.

I regret that the IRA did not give the de Chastelain Commission a more timely commitment on arms decommissioning to maintain the momentum toward full implementation of the accord.

It is truly fitting that this room will be named for Jim Brady, for working here requires tenacity and perseverance and, above all, a sense of humor.

Persevere; never give up.

Jim Brady is living proof that you can't kill courage, that it takes more than a cheap handgun to destroy a strong spirit.

We will also continue to stand by Indonesia as it continues its hopeful democratic transformation.

The Good Friday accord, made possible by the courage of leaders from both of Northern Ireland's communities, responded to the people's overwhelming desire for peace.

I am proud we were able to support the efforts of the Australian-led INTERFET force.

I urge all the parties to build on that progress, remain engaged, and carry through on their responsibilities to work together to achieve the full implementation of the Good Friday accord.

I think there are over 20,000 Americans who actually make a living on eBay.

We can do it relatively painlessly.

Our agenda is America's agenda.

The American people should look at this in terms of—I think I did my job.

I think our main contribution in the short run was to make it absolutely clear that we would have a consistent, disciplined fiscal approach that would cut and then eventually eliminate the deficit.

Now is the time to take strong action to make America the safest big country in the world.