Bill Clinton became the forty-second President of the United States on January 20, 1993.
Bosnia Airlift
In March of 1993 President Clinton began an air lift to aid both Serbs and Bosnian Muslims at war in the former state of Yugoslavia. U.S. C-130 transport planes began flying missions from the Rhein Main Air Base in Germany, making drops of food and medical supplies at four areas along the Drima River
Whitewater
In March of 1992 the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) began an investigation into the failed Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan, and the affairs of the man responsible for the failure, James McDougal, a former friend and business partner of Presidential candidate Bill Clinton. In the late 1970's and early 1980's the Clintons had been partners with McDougal and his wife in the failed Whitewater Development Corp., a real estate corporation which built vacation homes in the Ozarks. The man in charge of the RTC's investigation was Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger C. Altman, a close friend and former classmate of Bill Clinton's. The RTC began investigating the link between Madison Guaranty and Whitewater Development in 1993, naming the Clintons as "potential beneficiaries" of the illegal activities which caused the Madison failure, as well as calling into question some of the campaign funds Bill Clinton had used to win the 1984 Arkansas gubernatorial race. The RTC's investigation was supposed to have been a secret from the White House, but it was soon revealed that someone, either from RTC or the Treasury Department, had briefed the Clintons on the investigation. Both the House and the Senate set up special banking committees to investigate improprieties in the RTC investigation, and a possible cover up at the White House. Suspicions of wrongdoing were heightened when Vince Foster, former White House Counsel and former law partner of Hillary Clinton, committed suicide in July of 1994. Following the suicide authorities found that the files pertaining to the Whitewater deal had been removed from Fosters office. Roger Altman was called to testify before both Congressional committees in late summer of 1994. Though his testimony did little to prove or disprove allegations, Altman was forced to resign his position at the Treasury Department, which he did on August 17, 1994. The following day Treasury General Counsel Jean E. Hanson resigned.
Webb Hubbell Resigns
In March of 1994, Webb Hubbell, a former law partner of Hillary Clinton, resigned from the number three position at the Justice Department amid allegations of corruption. In December of 1994 Hubbell plead guilty to one count each of mail fraud and tax evasion.
Haiti
A military coup in Haiti lead by Raoul Cedras brought about the overthrow and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. To escape the abusive Cedras regime, hundreds Haitian peoples began boarding small boats and setting sail for the United States. By the summer of 1994 the daily influx of Haitian immigrants became a major concern for the Clinton administration. President Clinton hesitated to admit the immigrants because to do so would have inspired even more Haitians to take on the dangerous journey. On the other hand, the President could not send them back to Haiti in light of the human rights abuses of the Cedras government. President Clinton tried to solve the problem by neither admitting nor rejecting the Haitian immigrants, but holding them indefinitely at the U.S. Naval base in Cuba. By September it was clear that the President's solution had failed, the immigrants continued to come, and the refugee camp at the Cuban base was becoming overcrowded. On September 15, 1994 President Clinton went on American television and threatened Cedras to abdicate power to Aristide by September 17 or face a U.S. invasion. Two hours after the President's speech, former President Carter, former Joint Chief Chairman Colin Powell, and Georgia Senator Sam Nunn, boarded a plane for Haiti in a last ditch effort to get Cedras to cede power peacefully. The Carter negotiating team was successful in getting Cedras to agree to step down, but the deal gave the dictator and his men amnesty for all crimes committed, and allowed them to remain in the country. Without waiting for Congressional approval, President Clinton sent 20,000 troops into Haiti on September 19 to police the transition. Congress did not condemn nor condone the President's action, but passed legislation requiring him to file weekly reports keeping them informed on the Haiti Mission. The Congressional legislation, which was passed on October 6, also failed to specify when the American troops should leave Haiti.
$20 Billion in Loans to Mexico
In an effort to curb the steady loss of foreign investors, the Mexican government devalued the Peso in late December of 1994. The measure accelerated the collapse of the Mexican economy. On January 31, 1995, President Clinton bypassed Congress and authorized $20 billion in loans to the Mexican government.
Legislation
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
In January of 1993 President Clinton issued an executive order suspending the practice of asking military recruits if they are homosexual. In September of 1993 Congress passed a defense bill which slightly revised the military's existing policy towards homosexuals. Under the new bill, homosexuality was still an offense punishable by dismissal, but military commanders could not ask a soldier whether or not he or she were homosexual. A homosexual soldier could only be dismissed if he or she voluntarily offered the information to his or her commander, or to another soldier.
President Clinton's Budget Approved
In February of 1993, President Clinton's budget, which included an across-the-board tax increase, the institution of an energy tax measured in BTU units, and the reduction of federal spending, was approved by Congress after a period of deadlock. Vice President Al Gore cast the deciding vote in favor of the Clinton budget.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Congress approved the United States' entering into a free trade agreement with Mexico on November 17, 1993. The North American Free Trade Agreement eliminated all trade barriers between the United States and Mexico.
Brady Bill
On November 24, 1993 Congress passed the hand-gun control law named for former President Reagan's Press Secretary James Brady. The new law required people buying hand-guns to wait a five day period while an investigation into their background was conducted. The law eliminated the legal purchasing of hand-guns by convicted felons.
Family and Medical Leave Act
Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993. The new law enabled employees of large companies to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for an illness, the birth of a child, or to care for a sick relative.
