We face no imminent threat, but we do have an enemy.  The enemy of our time is inaction.

So tonight I issue a call to action—­action by this Congress, action by our states, by our people to prepare America for the 21st century; action to keep our economy and our democracy strong and working for all our people; action to strengthen education and harness the forces of technology and science; action to build stronger families and stronger communities and a safer environment; action to keep America the world’s strongest force for peace, freedom and prosperity; and above all, action to build a more perfect union here at home.

The spirit we bring to our work will make all the difference.

We must be committed to the pursuit of opportunity for all Americans, responsibility from all Americans in a community of all Americans.  And we must be committed to a new kind of government:  not to solve all our problems for us, but to give our people—­all our people—­the tools they need to make the most of their own lives.  And we must work together.

The people of this nation elected us all.  They want us to be partners, not partisans.  They put us all right here in the same boat.  They gave us all oars, and they told us to row.  Now, here is the direction I believe we should take.

First, we must move quickly to complete the unfinished business of our country:  to balance the budget, renew our democracy, and finish the job of welfare reform.

Over the last four years we have brought new economic growth by investing in our people, expanding our exports, cutting our deficits, creating over 11 million new jobs, a four-year record.

Now we must keep our economy the strongest in the world.  We here tonight have an historic opportunity.  Let this Congress be the Congress that finally balances the budget.  Thank you.

In two days I will propose a detailed plan to balance the budget by 2002.  This plan will balance the budget and invest in our people while protecting Medicare, Medicaid, education and the environment.  It will balance the budget and build on the vice president’s efforts to make our government work better—­even as it costs less.

It will balance the budget and provide middle-class tax relief to pay for education and health care, to help to raise a child, to buy and sell a home.

Balancing the budget requires only your vote and my signature.  It does not require us to rewrite our Constitution.  I believe, I believe it is both unnecessary, unwise to adopt a balanced budget amendment that could cripple our country in time of economic crisis and force unwanted results such as judges halting Social Security checks or increasing taxes.

Let us at least agree we should not pass any measure, no measure should be passed that threatens Social Security.  We don’t need, whatever your view on that, we all must concede we don’t need a constitutional amendment, we need action.  Whatever our differences, we should balance the budget now, and then, for the long-term health of our society, we must agree to a bipartisan process to preserve Social Security and reform Medicare for the long run, so that these fundamental programs will be as strong for our children as they are for our parents.