William Jefferson Clinton
(January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001)

Born: August 19, 1946


Political Party: Democrat
Previous Occupation: Lawyer, public official

Elected From: Arkansas
Vice President: Albert Gore, Jr. (1993-2001)
Cabinet Members: view list

Other Government Positions:
· Arkansas Attorney General, 1976-78
· Governor of Arkansas, 1978-80, 1982-92

Inaugural Address: 1993, 1997
Biography: view

Presidential Highlights:
· Approved the welfare reform law (required welfare recipients to find employment, and imposed time limits on welfare eligibility).

· Approved the Balanced Budget Ammendment (balanced the Federal budget, increased spending in child healthcare and education, cut Medicare/Medicaid and other programs by $200 billion).

· The Impeachment. President Clinton was sued for sexual harassment. The Supreme Court ruled that a sitting president can stand trial while in office by a vote of 9 to 0, enabling the lawsuit to continue. The case was eventually thrown out of court. Evidence emerged that President Clinton had lied under oath and obstructed justice, attempting to undermine the lawsuit. This prompted an investigation. The House of Representatives passed two Resolutions of Impeachment accusing President Clinton of perjury to a federal grand jury (lying under oath during the investigation) and obstruction of justice (encouraging others to commit perjury, and concealing evidence). The Senate convened to try President Clinton for impeachment. The Senate fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for conviction (many felt that perjury and obstruction of justice were not impeachable offenses). The Senate acquitted Clinton of all charges. President Clinton settled the sexual harassment lawsuit, but was held in contempt of court and fined $90,000 for lying under oath.

· Conflict in Kosavo. A civil war between Ethnic Albanians and Serbs began in Kosavo. Ethnic Albanians were being forced out of the country by Serbs (there was also evidence of mass killings). President Clinton approved the NATO bombing of Kosavo in an attempt to return Ethnic Albanians back into their country. Almost all of the bombing was done by American planes. After three months of bombing, a cease-fire was declared with Ethnic Albanians returning to their country. The United States had emerged victorious.

· Presided over the longest period of economic expansion in American history.

Presidential Election:
1992
William J. Clinton370
George Bush168
H. Ross Perot0

1996
William J. Clinton379
Robert Dole159
H. Ross Perot0

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