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108-512: Its name was changed in 1994 during the presidency of Bill Clinton to reflect its broader mission. It is a relatively small agency, currently comprising about 12,000 employees. Its mission is to improve, protect, and conserve natural resources on private lands through a cooperative partnership with state and local agencies . While its primary focus has been agricultural lands, it has made many technical contributions to soil surveying , classification , and water quality improvement. One example

216-728: A Peruvian couple, both undocumented immigrants , to work in her home. Baird withdrew her nomination and Clinton next chose Kimba Wood , who was quickly forced to withdraw due to somewhat similar problems. Janet Reno , a Florida state's attorney , was nominated for Attorney General a few weeks later, and she won confirmation in March 1993. After experiencing difficulty with these nominations, as well as that of Lani Guinier , Clinton brought in David Gergen , who had previously served in Republican administrations, to serve as Counselor to

324-550: A $ 16 billion stimulus package primarily to aid inner-city programs desired by liberals, but it was defeated by a Republican filibuster in the Senate. Clinton inherited major budget deficits left over from the Reagan and Bush administrations; fiscal year 1992 had seen a $ 290 billion deficit. In order to cut the deficit, Bentsen, Panetta, and Rubin urged Clinton to pursue both tax increases and spending cuts. They argued that by taming

432-405: A November 14, 1995 deadline to approve the bill. After the deadline, the government would be forced to temporarily shut down due to a lack of funding. In reaction, Clinton presented his own plan that did not include spending cuts to Medicare but would balance the budget by 2005. As Clinton refused to sign the Republican bill, major portions of the government suspended operations until Congress enacted

540-629: A bigger economic issue than the deficits, Clinton decided to pursue deficit reduction as the major economic priority of his first year in office. In doing so, he reluctantly abandoned a middle-class tax cut that he had championed during the campaign. Clinton presented his budget plan to Congress in February 1993, proposing a mix of tax increases and spending reductions that would cut the deficit in half by 1997. Republican leaders strongly opposed any tax increase, and they pressured congressional Republicans to unite in opposition to Clinton's budget, and not

648-593: A bill to provide health care coverage for children of the working poor, to be financed via a 75 cents a pack cigarette tax increase. Working with Clinton and Republican Senator Orrin Hatch , Kennedy won passage of the Children's Health Insurance Program in 1997. The successful passage of welfare reform in the 1990s was President Clinton's strategy of "triangulation"-purposely positioning himself midway between liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans, thereby building

756-524: A budget agreement in 1997 that provided for relatively small changes to the budget. In 1998, the federal government experienced the first budget surplus since the 1960s. Reflecting the importance of the budget surplus, the New York Times described the end of budget deficits as "the fiscal equivalent of the fall of the Berlin Wall." Though Republican leaders called for large tax cuts in light of

864-598: A conference committee settled the differences between the House and Senate. The House passed the final bill in a 218–216 vote. After intensely lobbying Bob Kerrey and other Democratic senators, Clinton won passage of his bill in the Senate in 50–50 tie vote; Vice President Gore broke the tie . Clinton signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA–93) into law on August 10, 1993. The bill provided for $ 255 billion in spending cuts over

972-417: A cycle of poverty, and he favored shifting funding from AFDC to job training and child care programs. Republicans shared Clinton's goal of making major changes to the welfare system, but they were unwilling to fund the job training programs and wanted to prevent legal immigrants from receiving welfare benefits. Clinton twice vetoed Republican plans that terminated AFDC, but he ultimately decided that he favored

1080-401: A federal three-strikes law that enhanced criminal penalties for repeat offenders. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban barred the sale of several kinds of semi-automatic rifles , but the provision did not apply to the 1.5 million semi-automatic rifles already in the possession of private owners, nor did it affect other types of guns. Liberal Democrats gave environmentalism a higher priority than

1188-630: A five-year period, with much of those cuts affecting Medicare and the military. It also provided for $ 241 billion in new revenue over five years; most of that revenue came from an increased gasoline tax or from higher taxes on those who made over $ 100,000 per year. After Republicans took control of Congress in the 1994 elections, incoming Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich promised a conservative "revolution" that would implement tax cuts, welfare reform, and major domestic spending cuts. Gingrich failed to deliver major conservative reforms in

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1296-458: A group of congressional Republicans developed a plan consisting of government subsidies and the implementation of a mandate that would require individuals to purchase health insurance. The administration formed a task force, led by First Lady Hillary Clinton , that was charged with creating a plan that would provide for universal health care . Assigning a major policy role to the First Lady

1404-404: A huge role in the health of our ecosystems. A delicate balance exists between relationships of plants and animals. If an animal is introduced to an ecosystem that is not native to the region that it could destroy plants or animals that should not have to protect itself from this particular threat. As well as if a plant ends up in a specific area where it should not be it could have adverse effects on

1512-543: A longtime Senator from Texas and the 1988 Democratic vice presidential nominee, to serve as his first Secretary of the Treasury. At the start of Clinton's first term, Bentsen, OMB Director Leon Panetta , Secretary of Labor Robert Reich , and policy coordinator Robert Rubin were Clinton's top economic advisers. Clinton's first term foreign policy team was led by National Security Advisor Anthony Lake and Secretary of State Warren Christopher , both of whom had served in

1620-503: A majority coalition and enabling him to take full credit for the results. The strategy was called " triangulation ". Shortly after the end of the government shutdown, Clinton announced his plan to pursue major changes to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, which provided financial assistance to low-income families with children. Clinton believed that the program inadvertently trapped many poor families and individuals in

1728-677: A month of taking office, Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 . The act, which had been vetoed twice by Bush, guaranteed workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave for certain medical and family reasons, including pregnancy. In August 1996, Clinton signed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act . The bipartisan bill granted people the right to keep their insurance plan if they changed jobs, and also contained several other health care reforms. In October 1996, Senator Ted Kennedy introduced

1836-418: A policy of triangulation between conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats. By co-opting some of Republican ideas, Morris argued that Clinton could boost his own popularity while blocking the possibility of the drastic reforms advocated by some conservatives. The Republican Congress presented Clinton with a budget plan that cut Medicare spending and instituted major tax cuts for the wealthy, giving him

1944-464: A professor of history and media studies at Rutgers University , argued that: By the end of the Clinton presidency, the numbers were uniformly impressive. Besides the record-high surpluses and the record-low poverty rates, the economy could boast the longest economic expansion in history; the lowest unemployment since the early 1970s; and the lowest poverty rates for single mothers, black Americans, and

2052-934: A seed that will create another plant. NRCS sees the importance of this process so they are taking measures to increase the declining number of pollinators. There are many resources provided from the NRCS that will help any individual do their part in conservation of these important insects. Such as Backyard Conservation which tells an individual exactly how to help by just creating a small habitat in minutes. There are many others such as: Plants for pollinators, pollinators habitat in pastures, pollinator value of NRCS plant releases in conservation planting, plant materials publications relating to insects and pollinators, PLANTS database: NRCS pollinator documents. All of these are valuable resources that any individual can take advantage of. Invasive species cause America's reduction in economic productivity and ecological decline. NRCS works in collaboration with

2160-409: A single Republican would vote in favor of Clinton's proposed bill. Senate Democrats eliminated the implementation of a new energy tax in favor of an increase in the gasoline tax , but Clinton successfully resisted efforts to defeat his proposed expansion of the earned income tax credit . By narrow margins, the Senate and the House of Representatives both passed versions of Clinton's budget bill, and

2268-412: A stopgap measure. The government shut down again on December 16 after Clinton vetoed a Republican budget proposal that would have extended tax cuts to the wealthy, cut spending on social programs, and shifted control of Medicaid to the states. After a 21-day government shutdown, Republicans, in danger of being seen as extremists by many in the public, accepted Clinton's budget. Clinton secured passage of

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2376-632: A traditional liberal effort to structure the economy with the goals of creating new jobs, and producing fresh tax revenues that can support progressive policy innovations. This tradition goes back to the local and state policies inspired by the New Deal, and the "supply-side liberalism" of the 1970s. In 1993 substantive changes were made to food stamps while the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 authorized several demonstrations, including "an Innovative Homeless Initiatives Demonstration program,

2484-596: A unified National organization in 1946. [REDACTED] Media related to Natural Resources Conservation Service at Wikimedia Commons Presidency of Bill Clinton [REDACTED] Bill Clinton 's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas , took office following his victory over Republican incumbent president George H. W. Bush and independent businessman Ross Perot in

2592-492: A very wide range of interdisciplinary resources. The NRCS also utilizes the following disciplines in order to maximize efficiency: These Science-Based technologies are all used together in order to provide the best conservation of natural resources possible. Established in 2006, the GBVPMC serves Nevada, California, and parts of Utah and Oregon. The center's main purpose is to combat the damage done by invasive plant species in

2700-486: A waste management system so that run off and erosion is not a problem. The NRCS provides financial assistance to land owners with grazing land and range land that is used by livestock in order to control the run off of waste into fresh water systems and prevent soil erosion. Plants are a huge benefit to the health of ecosystems. NRCS offers significant amounts of resources to individuals interested in conserving plants. From databases full of information to financial assistance

2808-564: A year to $ 24.9 billion. In terms of housing, funding for federal housing assistance grew from an average of $ 20.4 billion a year in the eight years before Clinton's term to an average of $ 29 billion a year during his presidency. In 1997, a child tax credit was introduced that directly reduced a family's income tax bill by $ 500 per eligible child. In addition, federal funding for the Head Start program rose from $ 3.3 billion (in constant 2000 dollars) to $ 5.3 billion in 2000. In 1993, AmeriCorps

2916-561: Is the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), set up to quantify the benefits of agricultural conservation efforts promoted and supported by programs in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill). NRCS is the leading agency in this project. The agency was founded largely through the efforts of Hugh Hammond Bennett , a soil conservation pioneer who worked for

3024-725: The 1912 election . Later studies showed that Perot drew his voters roughly equally from Clinton and Bush. Clinton's victory included a sweep of the Northeastern United States , and he also won several states in the Midwest , the West , and the South . By far voters' disappointment with the economy was the major favor in voting against the incumbent, with abortion a lesser factor. In the concurrent congressional elections , Democrats retained control of their majorities in both

3132-514: The 1992 Republican National Convention placed a heavy emphasis on social issues, Clinton's campaign focused on the state of the economy, which was still emerging from the early 1990s recession . On election day, Clinton won 43% of the popular vote and a wide majority in the Electoral College . Bush won 37.4% of the popular vote, while Perot took 18.9%, the strongest showing by a third party or independent presidential candidate since

3240-528: The 1992 presidential election . Four years later, in the 1996 presidential election , he defeated Republican nominee Bob Dole and Perot again (then as the nominee of the Reform Party ), to win re-election. Clinton served two terms and was succeeded by Republican George W. Bush , who won the 2000 presidential election . Clinton's presidency coincided with the rise of the Internet . This rapid rise of

3348-639: The Carter administration . Vice President Gore and First Lady Hillary Clinton emerged as two of the most influential figures of the Clinton administration, and Clinton solicited their opinions on a wide range of issues. Clinton decided to appoint the first female Attorney General, settling on little-known corporate lawyer Zoë Baird . In what became known as the Nannygate matter, the Senate Judiciary Committee revealed that Baird had hired

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3456-658: The Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 , which deregulated trading of derivatives . The bill also included the " Enron loophole ", which lessened regulation of energy trading by companies such as Enron . Clinton also signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 , which represented the first major overhaul of the Communications Act of 1934 . Clinton supported the right of homosexual individuals to serve in

3564-719: The Department of Agriculture from 1903 to 1952. Bennett's motivation was based on his knowledge of the detrimental effects of soil erosion and the impacts on U.S lands that led to the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. On September 13, 1933, the Soil Erosion Service was formed in the Department of the Interior , with Bennett as chief. The service was transferred to the Department of Agriculture on March 23, 1935, and

3672-516: The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA). The act repealed a provision of the New Deal's Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 that had required banks to either classify themselves as either commercial bank , which were subject to federal oversight and protections like deposit insurance , or as investment banks , which faced less regulations but did not benefit from federal protections. The financial services industry had attempted to repeal this provision of

3780-817: The Highly Erodible Land , Wetland (Swampbuster) , and Conservation Compliance Provisions acts. The CTA can also cover projects by state, local, and federal governments. Is a program to assist gulf bordering states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) improve water quality and use sustainable methods of farming, fishing, and other industry. The program will deliver up to 50 million dollars over 2011–2013 to apply these sustainable methods, as well as wildlife habitat management systems that do not hinder agricultural productivity, and prevent future over use of water resources to protect native endangered species. The NRCS (formerly SCS) has been involved in soil and other conservation issues internationally since

3888-632: The House of Representatives and the Senate , and Speaker of the House Tom Foley and Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell both remained in their posts. Republicans Robert H. Michel and Bob Dole continued to serve as House Minority Leader and Senate Minority Leader, respectively. Clinton used his inaugural address to deal with his uncertain mandate from the voters and lack of national experience. He drew heavily upon his lifelong study of

3996-628: The Line Item Veto Act of 1996 , becoming the first president to obtain that power although many had sought it. Its effect was very brief as the act was soon ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Clinton v. City of New York . Combined with a strong economy, the 1993 deficit reduction plan produced smaller budget deficits each year. With the improving state of the federal budget, Clinton and congressional Republicans reached

4104-676: The Monica Lewinsky scandal and impeachment made 1998 a lost year. Clinton concluded happily with Act VI by deregulating the banking system in 1999. In foreign policy, Clinton initiated a bombing campaign in the Balkans, which led to the creation of a United Nations protectorate in Kosovo . He played a major role of the expansion of NATO into former Eastern Bloc countries and remained on positive terms with Russian President Boris Yeltsin . During his second term, Clinton presided over

4212-569: The National Landscape Conservation System , a collection of 15 U.S. National Monuments and 14 National Conservation Areas to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management in such a way as to keep them "healthy, open, and wild." A major issue involved low fees charged ranchers who grazed cattle on public lands. The "animal unit month" (AUM) fee was only $ 1.35 and was far below the 1983 market value. The argument

4320-607: The Natural Resources Conservation Service , that provided financial assistance to farmers and landowners to restore grasslands . The 2002 farm bill authorized enrollment of 2 million acres (8,100 km ) of restored or improved grassland, range land and pastureland under temporary and permanent easements, or contracts of at least 10 years. Under the GRP enrolled land must be in parcels that exceed 40 acres (160,000 m ). Technical assistance

4428-617: The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 , which raised taxes and set the stage for future budget surpluses. He signed the bipartisan Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and won ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement , despite opposition from trade unions and environmentalists. Clinton's most ambitious legislative initiative, a plan to provide universal health care , faltered, as it never had majority support in Congress due to

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4536-692: The Republican Revolution . In the 1994 elections , the Republican Revolution swept the country. Clinton vetoed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995 . He assembled a bipartisan coalition to pass welfare reform and successfully expanded health insurance for children . While Clinton's economy was strong, his presidency oscillated dramatically from high to low and back again, which historian Gil Troy characterized in six Acts. Act I in early 1993

4644-815: The Supreme Court . The first vacancy arose in March 1993, when Associate Justice Byron White informed Clinton of his impending retirement. Clinton considered various nominating political leaders like Mario Cuomo and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt , whom he believed could become leaders on the court in a similar fashion to Earl Warren . After weeks of consideration, Clinton began to favor appointing an experienced jurist, and he conducted interviews with Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg , both of whom served as federal appellate judges. Clinton announced Ginsburg's nomination in June 1993 and she

4752-552: The United States Courts of Appeals and 305 judges to the United States district courts . Among Clinton's appellate appointees were future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor , as well as Merrick Garland , who was nominated to the Supreme Court in 2016, though his nomination was never acted on by the Senate. Garland would later go on to become Attorney General under Joe Biden in 2021. Clinton proposed

4860-419: The federal budget . Polls taken in early June 1992 showed Bush leading the race, followed by Perot and then Clinton. From July to September, Perot temporarily dropped out of the race, causing severe damage to his candidacy. At the 1992 Democratic National Convention , Clinton selected Senator Al Gore of Tennessee as his running mate, and the successful convention helped unify Democrats behind Clinton. While

4968-466: The 1930s. The main bulk of international programs focused on preventing soil erosion by sharing techniques known to the United States with other areas. NRCS sends staff to countries worldwide to conferences to improve knowledge of soil conservation . There is also international technical assistance programs similar to programs implemented in the United States. There are long-term technical assistance programs in effect with one or more NRCS staff residing in

5076-674: The 2008 Farm Bill. It aims at more regional or watershed scale projects, rather than individual farms and ranches. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) was another consolidation effort of the 2014 Farm Bill, which includes the former Grasslands Reserve Program , Farm, and Ranch Lands Protection Program, and Wetlands Reserve Program . ACEP includes technical and financial help to maintain or improve land for agriculture or environmental benefits. (HFRP) Landowners volunteer to restore and protect forests in 30 or 10 year contracts. This program hands assisting funds to participants. The objectives of HFRP are to: (AGWAM) Serves 10 states in

5184-570: The Democratic nomination in April 1992. Bush defeated a challenge from conservative commentator Pat Buchanan to win his party's nomination. Meanwhile, independent candidate Ross Perot , a billionaire businessman from Texas, emerged as a major factor in the race. Perot ran a populist campaign that focused on voters disillusioned with both parties, and he emphasized his opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement and his desire to balance

5292-510: The Democratic nomination were former Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts, former Governor Jerry Brown of California, and Bill Clinton , who had served as the Governor of Arkansas since 1983. Clinton emerged as the front-runner for the nomination after the first set of primaries in February 1992. A founding member of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council , Clinton overcame opposition from more liberal Democrats like Brown and clinched

5400-768: The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, the agency was renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service during the tenure of Chief Paul Johnson . NRCS offers technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers. The financial assistance is authorized by the "Farm Bill", a law that is renewed every five years. The 2014 Farm Bill consolidated 23 programs into 15. NRCS offers these services to private land owners, conservation districts, tribes, and other types of organizations. NRCS also collects and shares information on

5508-638: The GLBA since the 1980s, and they were finally successful due to cooperation from Secretary of the Treasury Rubin and Clintonians, who believed that the financial industry needed looser regulation in order for it to remain competitive globally. The bill passed both houses of Congress with only minimal resistance. Opposition to the plan came primarily from liberals like Senator Paul Wellstone , who feared that looser banking regulations would lead to financial crises. Shortly before leaving office, Clinton signed

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5616-699: The Internet under Clinton led to several dot-com startups , which quickly became popular investments and business ventures. The dot-com bubble from 1997 to 2000 as a result of these startups saw massive stock gains in the Nasdaq Composite and the S&;P 500 , although these gains would eventually be lost in their entirety by 2003. Clinton oversaw the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history. Months into his first term, he signed

5724-590: The Midwest United States in helping to reduce nitrate levels in soil due to runoff from fertilized farmland. The project began in 2010 and initially focused on the Mississippi Basin area. The main goal of the project is to implement better methods of managing water drainage from agricultural uses, in place of letting the water drain naturally as it had done in the past. In October 2011, The National "Managing Water, Harvesting Results" Summit

5832-414: The NRCS works hard to provide the means needed to do so. The plant materials program, Plant materials centers, Plant materials specialists, PLANTS database, National Plant Data Team (NPDT) are all used together to keep our ecosystems as healthy as possible. This includes getting rid of unwanted species and building up species that have been killed off that are beneficial to the environment. The NRCS utilizes

5940-522: The NRCS works with states, local governments, and tribes by providing funding and resources in order to help restore and also benefit from the programs. They provide: watershed protection, flood mitigation, water quality improvement, soil erosion reduction, irrigation, sediment control, fish and wildlife enhancement, wetland and wetland function creation and restoration, groundwater recharge, easements, wetland and floodplain conservation easements, hydropower, watershed dam rehabilitation. Plants and animals play

6048-656: The President . Secretary of Defense Les Aspin resigned in the aftermath of the Battle of Mogadishu and was succeeded by William Perry . Bentsen and McLarty also left office in 1994, and they were replaced by Rubin and Panetta, respectively. After Clinton's re-election, Panetta stepped down and was replaced by former deputy chief of staff Erskine Bowles . Madeleine Albright became the first female Secretary of State, Sandy Berger succeeded Lake as National Security Adviser, and former Republican Senator William Cohen became

6156-565: The Protestant Bible, his education at Catholic Georgetown University, and the inaugural addresses of Ronald Reagan , Richard Nixon , John Kennedy , Jimmy Carter , and Woodrow Wilson . Mack McLarty , a long-time friend of Clinton who had led a successful business career and had served as the chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party, became Clinton's first chief of staff. Clinton convinced Lloyd Bentsen ,

6264-572: The Republican reform plan over no reform at all. In July 1996, Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act , which terminated AFDC. In its place, the bill created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which imposed new work requirements for and lifetime limits on aid recipients, and shifted responsibility for the administration of the programs to the states. Due in part to

6372-478: The Secretary of Defense. According to reporter John Harris, Berger's close rapport with Clinton made him the leading foreign policy figure of Clinton's second term, as well as the most influential National Security Advisor since Henry Kissinger . John Podesta assumed the position of Chief of Staff in 1998, while Lawrence Summers replaced Rubin as Treasury Secretary in 1999. Clinton appointed two justices to

6480-564: The Senate refused to ratify it since the agreement did not apply to the rapidly growing emissions of developing countries , such as China, India, and Indonesia. The key person on environmental issues was Bruce Babbitt , the former head of the League of Conservation Voters , who served for all eight years as Clinton's Secretary of the Interior . According to John D. Leshy: The Interior Department worked to protect scenic and historic areas of America's federal public lands. In 2000 Babbitt created

6588-404: The Senate. He appointed Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer to the U.S. Supreme Court . With a 66% approval rating at the time he left office, Clinton had the highest exit approval rating of any president since the end of World War II . His preferred successor, Vice President Al Gore , was narrowly defeated by George W. Bush in the heavily-contested 2000 presidential election , winning

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6696-484: The United States. There are about 17,000 individuals who serve on the governing boards of conservation districts. Local conservation districts work with landowners to help manage land and water resources. The mission of NACD is to provide leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation in the United States. The NACD grew in the 1930s from a statewide operation in Oklahoma, and many independent districts, to

6804-463: The aged. Clinton proposed a $ 30 billion economic stimulus package in his first year in office, but his proposal was blocked by Senate Republicans, and he would be unable to win the passage of any similar proposal for the remainder of his presidency. Clinton held office at a time when monetarism had supplanted Keynesianism as the dominant theory of economic growth among many in Washington. Under

6912-513: The area, which have greatly damaged ecosystems in the Great Basin. They also aid in restoring ecosystems damaged by fires, climate change , drought, or other natural disasters. The centers provide native plants to help restore these damaged areas. They also work on developing plant organisms and technologies that are suited for the dry, high salt content soil of the area. (NACD) A non-profit agency that serves 3,000 conservation districts across

7020-488: The budgetary surplus, Clinton successfully resisted any major budgetary changes in the last three years of his term. In 1997, Clinton agreed to a deal with Republicans that lowered the tax rate on capital gains to 20 percent, implemented a $ 500 child tax credit, increased funding for children's health care, and raised the federal cigarette tax from 24 cents per pack to 39 cents per pack. Republicans did, however, block some of Clinton's favored policies, including an increase of

7128-759: The child abduction AMBER Alert system for news stations and the national sex offender registry. In November 1993, Clinton signed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act , which required a background check for gun purchasers. In 1994, Clinton signed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act , which included a provision known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban . The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act provided funding for 100,000 local law enforcement officials, and established

7236-526: The correct geographical areas. The NRCS engineering vision is constantly making improvements to irrigation systems in a way that incorporates every aspect of water restoration. A team of highly trained experts on every aspect of water is employed by the NRCS to analyze water from different sources. They work in many areas such as: hydrology and hydraulics, stream restoration, wetlands, agriculture, agronomy, animal waste management, pest control, salinity, irrigation, and nutrients in water. Under watershed programs

7344-427: The country for a minimum of one year. There are currently long-term assistance programs on every continent. Short-term technical assistance is also available on a two-week basis. These programs are to encourage local landowners and organizations to participate in the conservation of natural resources on their land, and lastly, landscape planning has a goal to solve problems dealing with natural resource conservation with

7452-474: The deficit, Clinton would encourage Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to lower interest rates, which, along with increased confidence among investors, would lead to an economic boom. Some of Clinton's advisers also believed that a focus on cutting the deficit would be politically beneficial since it would potentially help Democrats shed their supposed "tax and spend" reputation. Though Secretary of Labor Robert Reich argued that stagnant earnings represented

7560-402: The deregulation of the financial and telecommunications industry. Clinton's second term also saw the first federal budget surpluses since the 1960s. The ratio of debt held by the public to GDP fell from 47.8% in 1993 to 33.6% by 2000. His impeachment in 1998 arose after he denied claims of having an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky under oath. He was acquitted of all charges by

7668-768: The diversity of the soil. Information is maintained in the Soil Survey Geographic database (SSURGO) dataset. Water pollution related to agricultural practices is addressed in several NRCS programs which provide financial and technical assistance. Nutrient pollution caused by excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in farm surface runoff depletes oxygen levels and creates algal blooms in lakes, streams and rivers, harming aquatic life. Excessive sedimentation and pathogens from agricultural pollution can also have major impacts on water quality, and some NRCS projects focus on these problems with land owners and their water systems. The practice of water management focuses on

7776-473: The economy improved in mid-to-late 1990s. Though much of the credit for the strong economy was assigned to Greenspan, the Clinton administration also basked in the approval of Americans who enjoyed the benefits of a strong economy, and good economic conditions helped Clinton remain popular despite controversies over his personal life. Clinton presided over a period of deregulation in the telecommunications and financial industries. In 1999, Clinton signed into law

7884-448: The economy-focused Clinton did. The Clinton administration responded to public demand for environmental protection. Clinton created 17 national monuments by executive order, prohibiting commercial activities such as logging, mining, and drilling for oil or gas. Clinton also imposed a permanent freeze on drilling in maritime sanctuaries. Other presidential and departmental orders protected various wetlands and coastal resources and extended

7992-411: The efficiently controlling the flow of water while causing the least amount of damage to life and property. This helps to provide protection in high risk areas from flooding. Irrigation management is the most efficient way to use and recycle water resources for land owners and farmers. Drainage management is the manipulation of the sub-surface drainage networks in order to properly disperse the water to

8100-448: The existing moratorium on new oil leases off the coast line through 2013. After the Republican victory in the 1994 elections, Clinton vetoed a series of budget bills that contained amendments designed to scale back environmental restrictions. Clinton boasted that his administration "adopted the strongest air-quality protections ever, improved the safety of our drinking water and food, cleaned up about three times as many toxic waste sites as

8208-417: The federal minimum wage and legislation designed to provide free prescription drugs to seniors. When Clinton took office, approximately twenty percent of American adults lacked health insurance, despite the fact that the United States spent more on health care than other developed countries . Many liberals advocated the establishment of a single-payer healthcare system similar to that of Canada , while

8316-405: The first five days of each month from January to June. (CTA) Is a blanket program which involves conservation efforts on soil and water conservation , as well as management of agricultural wastes, erosion, and general longterm sustainability. NRCS and related agencies work with landowners, communities, or developers to protect the environment. Also serve to guide people to comply with acts such as

8424-530: The first hundred days of the 104th Congress , but many observers continued to wonder if the Speaker would seize stewardship over domestic policy from the office of the president. Meanwhile, with conservatism on the rise and New Deal liberalism in retreat, Clinton hoped to forge a new consensus that did not totally reject government interventionism. In reaction to his party's electoral defeat, Clinton hired consultant Dick Morris , who advocated that Clinton pursue

8532-750: The help of the community in order to reach a desired future outcome. There is a long history of the federal Soil Survey Program, including federal scientists and cooperators working through the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). Soil survey products include the Web Soil Survey, the NCSS Characterization Database and many investigative reports and journal articles. In 2015 NRCS began broad support of soil health , which incorporates less tillage and more cover crops to reduce erosion and improve

8640-456: The improving economy and the expansion of the earned income tax credit, the number of Americans receiving cash public assistance declined from 12.2 million in 1996 to 5.3 million in 2001. Commentators have sometimes speculated that Clinton's emphasis on entrepreneurship and the post-industrial sector was the co-option of conservative ideas first presented by Reagan Republicans in the 1980s. However Brent Cebul argues that triangulation represented

8748-493: The military after they revealed their homosexuality. In September 1996, Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act , which denied federal recognition to same-sex marriages , though it had passed with a veto-proof majority and he called the law unnecessary and divisive. On taking office, Clinton revoked a gag order that had prevented abortion counseling in federally funded clinics. He also signed an executive order allowing

8856-484: The military, and, along with Secretary of Defense Les Aspin , he developed a plan that would allow openly gay individuals to serve in the military. Clinton's proposal received strong pushback from military leaders, especially Marine Commandant Carl Epting Mundy Jr. In response, General Colin Powell suggested a compromise solution in which the military would not ask recruits about their sexual orientation, but would retain

8964-565: The nation's soil, water, air, and plants. The "Conservation" title of the Farm Bill (Title II in the 2014 bill) provides the funding to agricultural producers, and a conservation plan must be included. All of these programs are voluntary. The main programs include: The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides assistance to landowners to help them improve their soil, water and related natural resources, including grazing lands, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. Congress established

9072-421: The nearly 70% of land that is privately owned in order to keep the habitats and wildlife protected. NRCS with a science-based approach, provides equipment to wildlife and fish management. They also do this for landowners who qualify . Pollination by insects plays a huge role in the production of food crop and flowering plants. Without pollinators searching for nectar and pollen for food the plants would not produce

9180-420: The plan would prevent insurers from charging different rates to customers based on age and pre-existing conditions . After winning the passage of OBRA–93 and the ratification of NAFTA in 1993, the President made health care his major area of legislative focus in 1994. Though many corporations supported Clinton's health care proposal in hopes of reducing their own costs, several other groups strongly objected to

9288-418: The plan. Liberals criticized Clinton for not proposing more far-reaching reforms, while conservatives attacked the expansion of government. Interest groups ran ad campaigns alleging that the Clinton health care bill would lead to health care rationing , reduced choices, and increased costs. The Health Insurance Association of America 's " Harry and Louise " ad campaign proved especially important in influencing

9396-481: The plant materials centers scattered throughout the country in order to get a handle on the invasive species of plants. These centers scout out the plants and take measures to control and eradicate them from the particular area. Livestock management is an area of interest for the NRCS because if not maintained valuable resources such as food, wools, and leather would not be available. The proper maintenance of livestock can also improve soil and water resources by providing

9504-472: The popular vote. Historians and political scientists generally rank Clinton as an above-average president. President George H. W. Bush 's popularity in the aftermath of the successful 1991 Gulf War convinced many prominent Democrats to sit out the 1992 presidential election. With party leaders like Mario Cuomo and Dick Gephardt staying out of the running, the 1992 Democratic primary field consisted of relatively unknown candidates. Among those who sought

9612-421: The president she had a new slogan for his reelection campaign: "I'm going to end welfare as we know it for farmers." Clinton was annoyed and retorted, "Farmers are good people. I know we have to do these things. We're going to make these cuts. But we don't have to feel good about it." Grasslands Reserve Program The Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) was a United States government program, administered by

9720-515: The procedure potentially life-saving and arguing that the small group of women likely to be affected should not become pawns. Catholic bishops condemned his move. Clinton vetoed another such law in 1997. Republicans later passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act , which was signed by President George W. Bush in 2003. In October 1996, Clinton signed into law the Amber Hangerman Child Protection Act, which created

9828-473: The program in the 1996 farm bill to provide primarily cost-sharing assistance, but also technical and educational assistance, aimed at promoting production and environmental quality, and optimizing environmental benefits. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), established by the 2008 Farm Bill , is targeted to producers who maintain a higher level of environmental stewardship. Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) consolidated four programs from

9936-619: The public against the Clinton health care bill. Meanwhile, Congressmen Newt Gingrich and columnist Bill Kristol convinced congressional Republicans to resist any form of compromise. Clinton's decision not to engage congressional Democrats and moderate Republicans early in 1993, and his own refusal to compromise on various aspects of the bill, further damaged any hope of passing a major health care bill. With Republicans unified against his plan, and with his own party divided, Clinton decided to abandon health care reform in September 1994. Within

10044-432: The right to discharge those who were gay. Clinton resisted the compromise policy, which became known as " don't ask, don't tell ", but congressional leaders of both parties made it clear that they would reverse any executive order allowing gay individuals to openly serve in the military. Clinton ultimately accepted the don't ask, don't tell policy, and over the ensuing ten years approximately 10,000 people were discharged from

10152-562: The section 8 pension fund demonstration, and the NCDI program." A Direct Student Loan Program was introduced, along with an Early Head Start program for children aged 0 to 3 and a Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to support both specialized financial institutions and traditional banks serving lower-income communities. In addition, the Medicare Benefit Package was expanded. The Earned Income Tax Credit

10260-465: The share of families with investments in stocks rose from 32 percent in 1989 to 51 percent in 2001. Income inequality also grew, as the richest households earned a higher proportion of the total income. Nonetheless, median household income, adjusted for inflation to 2000 dollars, grew from $ 38,262 in 1995 to $ 42,151 in 2000. By 2000, the unemployment rate had declined to four percent, while the poverty rate had declined to 11.3 percent. David Greenberg,

10368-554: The theory of monetarism, Clinton's fiscal policies would have relatively little impact on the economy. Instead, monetarists contended that the economy was guided by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors , a group of appointed officials who set monetary policy. Throughout Clinton's presidency, Alan Greenspan served as the chairman of the Federal Reserve, and he emerged as an especially prominent public figure as

10476-526: The two previous administrations combined, [and] helped to promote a new generation of fuel-efficient vehicles and vehicles that run on alternative fuels". Vice President Gore was keenly concerned with global climate change, and Clinton created the President's Council on Sustainable Development. In November 1998, Clinton signed the Kyoto Protocol , an international agreement in which developed countries committed to reducing carbon emissions . However,

10584-454: The use of fetal tissue in medical research. These early policies moves signaled Clinton's break with the socially conservative policies of his predecessors. Clinton also signed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act , which made it a federal crime to obstruct abortion clinics and places of worship. In April 1996, Clinton vetoed a bill to prohibit late or partial birth abortion calling

10692-524: The wildlife that try to eat it. NRCS protects the plants and animals because they provide us with food, materials for shelter, fuel to keep us warm, and air to breathe. Without functioning ecosystems we would have none of the things mentioned above. NRCS provides guidance to assist conservationists and landowners with enhancing plant and animal populations as well as helping them deal with invasive species. NRCS for years has been working toward restoration, creation, enhancement, and maintenance for aquatic life on

10800-621: Was "Bush League" with amateurish distractions. By mid-1993 Clinton had recovered to Act II, passing a balanced budget and the NAFTA trade deal. Act III, 1994, saw the Republicans mobilizing under Newt Gingrich , defeating Clinton's healthcare reforms, and taking control of the House of Representatives for the first time in forty years. The years 1995 to 1997 saw the comeback in Act IV, with a triumphant reelection landslide in 1996 . However, Act V,

10908-502: Was confirmed by the Senate two months later, making her the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court alongside Sandra Day O'Connor . Harry Blackmun retired in 1994, and Clinton successfully nominated Breyer to succeed Blackmun. The appointments did not greatly affect the ideological balance of the Rehnquist Court , as conservatives continued to hold a narrow majority on the Supreme Court. Clinton also appointed 66 judges to

11016-493: Was established, a community service program that provided young people with an opportunity to serve their communities and earn money for college or skills training. In just five years, nearly 200,000 young people were enrolled in the program. Clinton presided over a " Goldilocks economy ", a period of low inflation and low unemployment. During the 1990s, the Dow Jones Industrial Average quadrupled, and

11124-694: Was expanded to give a larger benefit to working families and allow childless workers to benefit as well. In 1996, Congress passed a 20% increase in the minimum wage, which boosted earnings for nearly 10 million Americans. As part of the Clinton Administration's welfare reforms, over 200,000 people on welfare received housing vouchers to help them move closer to jobs, while a welfare-to-work tax credit encouraged businesses to hire long-term welfare recipients. In addition, communities received federal support to design transportation solutions to help low-income workers get to work. Better nutritional support

11232-591: Was held to promote the drainage techniques used in hopes of people adopting them nationwide. Includes water supply forecasts, reservoirs, and the Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) for Alaska and other Western states. NRCS agents collect data from snowpack and mountain sites to predict spring runoff and summer streamflow amounts. These predictions are used in decision making for agriculture, wildlife management, construction and development, and several other areas. These predictions are available within

11340-506: Was provided for low-income families, with Congress (under Clinton's watch) increasing federal support for several critical nutritional and housing support programs. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children went from average annual funding levels of $ 2.7 billion in the eight years before Clinton took office to $ 3.9 billion under his presidency, while the Food Stamp program went from an average of $ 21.3 billion

11448-842: Was shortly thereafter combined with other USDA units to form the Soil Conservation Service by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935. The SCS was in charge of 500 Civilian Conservation Corps camps between 1933 and 1942. The primary purpose of these camps was erosion control . In the 1980s, there were around 3,000 local Soil Conservation Service districts throughout the United States, each with elected executive boards. These districts provided financial as well as technical support, such as assistance inventorying natural resources, to land owners in their conservation efforts upon request. Bennett continued as chief until his retirement in 1952. As part of

11556-663: Was that the federal government in effect was subsidizing ranchers, with a few major corporations controlling millions of acres of grazing land. Babbitt and Oklahoma Congressman Mike Synar tried to rally environmentalists and raise fees, but senators from the Western United States successfully blocked their proposals. Although Governor Clinton had a large farm base in Arkansas, as president he sharply cut support for farmers and raised taxes on tobacco. At one high level policy meeting budget expert Alice Rivlin told

11664-456: Was unprecedented and sparked controversy. Rejecting calls for a single-payer system, she proposed a health care plan based on the extension of employer-based health insurance. Individuals not insured by employers would be insured by the government. The plan would also expand the government's regulatory role in a concept known as "managed competition", with the government setting a minimum level of benefits that each plan could provide. Additionally,

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