We should also protect existing pension plans.  Two years ago, with bipartisan support that was almost unanimous on both sides of the aisle, we moved to protect the pensions of 8 million working people and to stabilize the pensions of 32 million more.  Congress should not now let companies endanger those workers’ pension funds.  I know the proposal to liberalize the ability of employers to take money out of pension funds for other purposes would raise money for the treasury.  But I believe it is false economy.  I vetoed that proposal last year, and I would have to do so again.

Health Care

Finally, if our working families are going to succeed in the new economy, they must be able to buy health insurance policies that they do not lose when they change jobs or when someone in their family gets sick.  Over the past two years, over one million Americans in working families have lost their health insurance.  We have to do more to make health care available to every American.  And Congress should start by passing the bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Kennedy and Senator Kassebaum that would require insurance companies to stop dropping people when they switch jobs, and stop denying coverage for preexisting conditions.  Let’s all do that.

And even as we enact savings in these programs, we must have a common commitment to preserve the basic protections of Medicare and Medicaid—­not just to the poor, but to people in working families, including children, people with disabilities, people with aids, and senior citizens in nursing homes.

In the past three years, we’ve saved $15 billion just by fighting health care fraud and abuse.  We have all agreed to save much more.  We have all agreed to stabilize the Medicare Trust Fund.  But we must not abandon our fundamental obligations to the people who need Medicare and Medicaid.  America cannot become stronger if they become weaker.

The G.I.  Bill for workers, tax relief for education and child rearing, pension availability and protection, access to health care, preservation of Medicare and Medicaid—­these things, along with the Family and Medical Leave Act passed in 1993—­these things will help responsible, hard-working American families to make the most of their own lives.

But employers and employees must do their part, as well, as they are doing in so many of our finest companies—­working together, putting the long-term prosperity ahead of the short-term gain.  As workers increase their hours and their productivity, employers should make sure they get the skills they need and share the benefits of the good years, as well as the burdens of the bad ones.  When companies and workers work as a team they do better, and so does America.

Crime

Our fourth great challenge is to take our streets back from crime and gangs and drugs.  At last we have begun to find a way to reduce crime, forming community partnerships with local police forces to catch criminals and prevent crime.  This strategy, called community policing, is clearly working.  Violent crime is coming down all across America.  In New York City murders are down 25 percent; in St. Louis, 18 percent; in Seattle, 32 percent.  But we still have a long way to go before our streets are safe and our people are free from fear.