The presidency
Clinton supported NAFTA, expanded family-leave protections, and negotiated welfare changes with a Republican Congress. Federal budgets moved into surplus late in his presidency amid growth and fiscal policy changes. Overseas, his administration participated in efforts to end conflict in the Balkans. The House impeached him in 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; the Senate acquitted him in 1999.
Before the White House
Hope, Arkansas
Born August 19, 1946.
Clinton was born in Hope, Arkansas, and grew up in Hot Springs. He studied at Georgetown, attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and earned a law degree at Yale. He served as Arkansas attorney general and governor before winning the presidency in 1992.
Key moments
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Born in Hope, Arkansas
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Signed the Family and Medical Leave Act.
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Signed legislation implementing NAFTA.
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The federal budget recorded a surplus.
Notable laws & actions
These entries distinguish laws, treaties, executive decisions, and proposals. Congress passes statutes; presidents sign or veto them. A president does not act alone.
Family and Medical Leave Act
Provided eligible workers with job-protected unpaid leave for qualifying family and medical reasons.
NAFTA Implementation Act
Implemented the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, reducing many trade barriers.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
Replaced a major federal cash-assistance program with a block-grant system and new work requirements and time limits.
Legacy
His presidency is associated with economic growth and a political effort to bridge liberal and conservative policy approaches. Debate continues over the long-term effects of welfare reform, financial deregulation, and criminal-justice policy.
Miller Center · Biography & facts ↗
Controversies
He was impeached for perjury and obstruction, then acquitted.
In their words
“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”First Inaugural Address · Quoted by the Miller Center ↗
This excerpt is attributed to Bill Clinton in the Miller Center’s biography. Its source is identified there as “First Inaugural Address.” Read the source alongside the record of the presidency.
Short excerpt; wording and capitalization follow the cited source.
Look closer
View image source record ↗
Reading a portrait
Look at the clothing, pose, expression, and background. What impression of leadership does this image create?
A portrait represents one moment and one choice of presentation. Compare its message with the decisions described in this biography.
Test your knowledge
Try answering before opening each explanation.
Where was Bill Clinton born?
Hope, Arkansas.
When did this president serve?
1993–2001.
What is one law or action associated with this presidency?
Family and Medical Leave Act. Provided eligible workers with job-protected unpaid leave for qualifying family and medical reasons.
What is one lasting part of this president’s legacy?
His presidency is associated with economic growth and a political effort to bridge liberal and conservative policy approaches. Debate continues over the long-term effects of welfare reform, financial deregulation, and criminal-justice policy.
Sources & further reading
The linked biographies support the life history and policy summaries above. Quotations and image credits have their own source links.
- Miller Center · Biography & facts
- Miller Center · Early life
- Miller Center · Domestic affairs
- Miller Center · Foreign affairs
- Miller Center · Life in brief
- Portrait source record
Prepared September 23, 2026.