1. Chapter 29 Section 2 The Clinton Years By: Mr. Thomas Parsons

2. I.Clinton’s Agenda A.President Bill Clinton’s domestic program focused on the economy, the family, education, crime and health care. B.Clinton felt the problem with the economy was due to the federal deficit. C.The high deficit caused the government to borrow large sums of money, which drove up interest rates. D.Clinton felt that the key to economic growth was lower interest rates.

3. II.Clinton vs. The Republicans A.Clinton had difficulty cutting government programs so he decided that raising taxes was the best way to reach his goal. B.Republicans in Congress refused to support the plan. C.Clinton put pressure on the Democrats in Congress to help pass his plan. D. A revised version of his tax plan was passed.

4. III.The First Lady A.Clinton appointed his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to head a task force to prepare a health care plan. B.The plan guaranteed health care for all Americans. C.The plan was widely opposed by employers, small business owners, the insurance industry, doctors, and Republicans. D.In the end, the plan died without ever coming to a vote.

5. IV.Helping American Families A.Clinton pushed through several pieces or legislation to help the American family. B.The family Medical Leave Act gave workers up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid family leave for birth, adoption, or the illness of a family member.

6. V.AmeriCorps A.Clinton also had Congress created AmeriCorps. B.This program put students to work improving lower-income housing, teaching children to read, and cleaning up the environment.

7. VI.Gun control A.Democrats in Congress passed a gun-control law known as the Brady Bill. B.The Brady Bill imposed a waiting period before people could buy handguns. C.Clinton introduced a bill that provided extra funds to states to build new prisons and put 100,000 more police officers on the streets.

8. VII.The Republicans gain Control of Congress A.By late 1994, Clinton had become very unpopular. B.He had raised taxes, was unable to fix the health care system, and many companies continued to downsize. C.Clinton was also involved in a few scandals that also hurt his popularity causing many Americans to vote Republican.

9. VIII. New Republican Leadership A.In 1994 congressional Republican leaders, led by Newt Gingrich created the Contract with America. B.The Republicans would promise 10 major changes and a balanced budget. C.For the first time in 40 years the Republicans regained control of Congress. D.In 1995, instead of backing Republicans, Clinton allowed a government shutdown to occur.

10. E. This is when an agreement could not be reached on a balanced budget causing government agencies to close. F. Eventually both the Clinton and the Republicans worked together to balance the budget restoring government agencies.

11. IV. Welfare Act A.Prior to the 1996 election, Clinton and the Republicans worked to pass the Health Insurance Portability Act. B.This act would improve health care coverage and the Welfare Reform Act. C.The WRA limited people to no more than two consecutive years on welfare and required them to work to receive welfare.

12. V. The 1996 Election A. During the 1996 presidential election, Clinton took credit for the booming economy. B. The economic boom of the 1990s was the longest sustained period of growth in United States history. C. Unemployment and inflation were at their lowest level in 40 years. D. The stock market soared, wages increased and crime declined.

13. VI. Clinton v. Dole A.Clinton won re- election against Republican candidate, Senator Bob Dole. B.Republicans still retained control of Congress.

14. V. Clinton’s Second Term A. During Clinton’s second term in office, the economy continued to expand. B. In 1997, for the first time in 24 years, the president submitted a balanced budget to Congress. C. In 1998 the government ran a surplus, meaning it collected more money than it spent.

15. I.Clinton’s Foreign Policy A.In 1991 the leader of Haiti, Jean- Bertrand Aristide, was overthrown and sought refuge in the United States. B.The new rules used violence to suppress the opposition. C.Clinton convinced the United Nations to impose a trade embargo on Haiti creating a severe economic crisis.

16. D. Thousands of Haitian refugees fled to the United States E. Clinton ordered an invasion of Haiti. F. Before troops arrive former American President Jimmy Carter convinced Haiti’s ruler to step aside.

17. II.Yugoslavia Splits A.Yugoslavia split apart in 1991 after the end of communism. B.Bosnia had a civil war between the Orthodox Christian Serbs, Catholic Croatians and Bosnian Muslims. C.The fighting continued until 1995. D.The Serbs would not stop their attacks and began calling for ethnic cleansing. E.The brutal expulsion of an ethic group from a geographic area.

18. III.NATO involvement A.The United States convinced NATO allies that intervention was necessary, resulting in NATO warplanes attacking Serbs. B.The Clinton administration arranged for peace talks in Dayton, Ohio. C.A peace plan was signed called the Dayton Accords.

19. IV.War in Kosovo A.In 1998 another war began in Kosovo between its two major ethnics groups the Serbs and Albanians. B.The Serbian treatment of the Albanians angered the world. C.Leaders tried to bring the two sides together but were unsuccessful. D.In 1999 NATO began bombing Serbia. E.Serbian troops pulled out of Kosovo.

20. V.Iraq A.Although Iraq was defeated during the Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein remained in power. B.Iraq still threatened their neighbors C.Resulting in the United States firing Cruise Missiles at Iraqi military targets.

21. I.Israel and Palestine A.Relationship between the Israelis and Palestinians was still very volatile B. In 1993 Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat met to discuss a peace accord.

22. C. Clinton invited the two to come to the White House to sign the Declaration of Principle. D. There was opposition to the agreement by both sides. E. In 1995 Rabin was assassinated, F. In October 2000 violence erupted between the Israelis and Palestinians.

23. II.Clinton’s Legacy A.Clinton’s legacy as President was uncertain. B.Although his Presidency presided over the greatest period of economic growth in America C.Clinton’s presidency will be marred by the impeachment trial over the Monica Lewinski Scandal that divided the nation.