Produced by James Linden. HTML version by Al Haines.
State of the Union Addresses of George W. Bush
The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by George W. Bush in this eBook:
February 27, 2001
January 29, 2002
January 29, 2003
January 20, 2004
February 2, 2005
January 31, 2006
January 23, 2007
January 28, 2008
***
State of the Union Address
George W. Bush
February 27, 2001
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress: It is a great
privilege to be here to outline a new budget and a new approach for
governing our great country.
I thank you for your invitation to speak here tonight. I know Congress
had to formally invite me and it could have been a close vote. So, Mr.
Vice President, I appreciate you being here to break the tie. I want to
thank so many of you who have accepted my invitation to come to the
White House to discuss important issues. We are off to a good start. I
will continue to meet with you and ask for your input. You have been
kind and candid, and I thank you for making a new President feel
welcome.
The last time I visited the Capitol, I came to take an oath. On the
steps of this building, I pledged to honor our Constitution and laws,
and I asked you to join me in setting a tone of civility and respect in
Washington. I hope America is noticing the difference. We are making
progress. Together, we are changing the tone in the Nation's capital.
And this spirit of respect and cooperation is vital, because in the end
we will be judged not only by what we say or how we say it, we will be
judged by what we are able to accomplish.
America today is a Nation with great challenges, but greater resources.
An artist using statistics as a brush could paint two very different
pictures of our country. One would have warning signs: increasing
layoffs, rising energy prices, too many failing schools, persistent
poverty, the stubborn vestiges of racism. Another picture would be full
of blessings: a balanced budget, big surpluses, a military that is
second to none, a country at peace with its neighbors, technology that
is revolutionizing the world, and our greatest strength, concerned
citizens who care for our country and care for each other.
Neither picture is complete in and of itself. And tonight I challenge
and invite Congress to work with me to use the resources of one picture
to repaint the other, to direct the advantages of our time to solve the
problems of our people.
Some of these resources will come from government, some but not all.
Year after year in Washington, budget debates seem to come down to an
old, tired argument: on one side those who want more government,
regardless of the cost; on the other, those who want less government,
regardless of the need.
We should leave those arguments to the last century and chart a
different course. Government has a role, and an important role. Yet too
much government crowds out initiative and hard work, private charity
and the private economy. Our new governing vision says government
should be active but limited, engaged but not overbearing.
My budget is based on that philosophy. It is reasonable and it is
responsible. It meets our obligations and funds our growing needs. We
increase spending next year for Social Security and Medicare and other
entitlement programs by $81 billion. We have increased spending for
discretionary programs by a very responsible 4 percent, above the rate
of inflation. My plan pays down an unprecedented amount of our national
debt, and then when money is still left over, my plan returns it to the
people who earned it in the first place.
A budget's impact is counted in dollars, but measured in lives.
Excellent schools, quality health care, a secure retirement, a cleaner
environment, a stronger defense, these are all important needs, and we
fund them.
The highest percentage increase in our budget should go to our
children's education. Education is my top priority. Education is my top
priority, and by supporting this budget, you will make it yours as well.
Reading is the foundation of all learning, so during the next 5 years
we triple spending, adding $5 billion to help every child in America
learn to read. Values are important, so we have tripled funding for
character education to teach our children not only reading and writing,
but right from wrong.
We have increased funding to train and recruit teachers, because we
know a good education starts with a good teacher.
And I have a wonderful partner in this effort. I like teachers so much,
I married one. Laura has begun a new effort to recruit Americans to the
profession that will shape our future: teaching. She will travel across
America to promote sound teaching practices and early reading skills in
our schools and in programs such as Head Start.
When it comes to our schools, dollars alone do not always make the
difference. Funding is important, and so is reform. So we must tie
funding to higher standards and accountability for results.
I believe in local control of schools. We should not and we will not
run public schools from Washington, DC. Yet when the Federal government
spends tax dollars, we must insist on results. Children should be
tested on basic reading and math skills every year, between grades
three and eight. Measuring is the only way to know whether all our
children are learning, and I want to know, because I refuse to leave
any child behind in America.
Critics of testing contend it distracts from learning. They talk about
"teaching to the test." But let us put that logic to the test. If you
test a child on basic math and reading skills and you are "teaching to
the test," you are teaching math and reading, and that is the whole
idea.
As standards rise, local schools will need more flexibility to meet
them, so we must streamline the dozens of Federal education programs
into five, and let States spend money in those categories as they see
fit. Schools will be given a reasonable chance to improve, and the
support to do so.
Yet if they don't, if they continue to fail, we must give parents and
students different options: a better public school, a private school,
tutoring, or a charter school. In the end, every child in a bad
situation must be given a better choice, because when it comes to our
children, failure is simply not an option.
Another priority in my budget is to keep the vital promises of Medicare
and Social Security, and together we will do so. To meet the health
care needs of all America's seniors, we double the Medicare budget over
the next 10 years.
My budget dedicates $238 billion to Medicare next year alone, enough to
fund all current programs and to begin a new prescription drug benefit
for lowincome seniors. No senior in America should have to choose
between buying food and buying prescriptions.
To make sure the retirement savings of America's seniors are not
diverted into any other program, my budget protects all $2.6 trillion
of the Social Security surplus for Social Security and for Social
Security alone.
My budget puts a priority on access to health care, without telling
Americans what doctor they have to see or what coverage they must
choose. Many working Americans do not have health care coverage, so we
will help them buy their own insurance with refundable tax credits. And
to provide quality care in low-income neighborhoods, over the next 5
years we will double the number of people served at community health
care centers.
And we will address the concerns of those who have health coverage yet
worry their insurance company does not care and won't pay. Together,
this Congress and this President will find common ground to make sure
doctors make medical decisions and patients get the health care they
deserve with a Patients' Bill of Rights.
When it comes to their health, people want to get the medical care they
need, not be forced to go to court because they didn't get it. We will
ensure access to the courts for those with legitimate claims, but
first, let us put in place a strong independent review so we promote
quality health care, not frivolous lawsuits.
My budget also increases funding for medical research, which gives hope
to many who struggle with serious disease. Our prayers tonight are with
one of your own who is engaged in his own fight against cancer, a fine
Representative and a good man, Congressman JOE MOAKLEY. I can think of
no more appropriate tribute to JOE than to have the Congress finish the
job of doubling the budget for the National Institutes of Health.
My New Freedom Initiative for Americans with Disabilities funds new
technologies, expands opportunities to work, and makes our society more
welcoming. For the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities, we
must continue to break down barriers to equality.
The budget I propose to you also supports the people who keep our
country strong and free, the men and women who serve in the United
States military. I am requesting $5.7 billion in increased military pay
and benefits, and health care and housing. Our men and women in uniform
give America their best, and we owe them our support.
America's veterans honored their commitment to our country through
their military service. I will honor our commitment to them with a $1
billion increase to ensure better access to quality care and faster
decisions on benefit claims.
My budget will improve our environment by accelerating the cleanup of
toxic brownfields. I propose we make a major investment in conservation
by fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Our national parks have a special place in our country's life. Our
parks are places of great natural beauty and history. As good stewards,
we must leave them better than we have found them, so I propose
providing $4.9 billion over 5 years for the upkeep of these national
treasures.
My budget adopts a hopeful new approach to help the poor and the
disadvantaged. We must encourage and support the work of charities and
faithbased and community groups that offer help and love, one person at
a time. These groups are working in every neighborhood in America to
fight homelessness and addiction and domestic violence, to provide a
hot meal or a mentor, or a safe haven for our children. Government
should welcome these groups to apply for funds, not discriminate
against them.
Government cannot be replaced by charities or volunteers. Government
should not fund religious activities, but our Nation should support the
good works of these good people who are helping their neighbors in
need. So I propose allowing all taxpayers, whether they itemize or not,
to deduct their charitable contributions. Estimates show this could
encourage as much as $14 billion a year in new charitable giving, money
that will save and change lives.
Our budget provides more than $700 million over the next 10 years for a
Federal Compassion Capital Fund with a focused and noble mission: to
provide a mentor for the more than 1 million children with a parent in
prison and to support other local efforts to fight illiteracy, teen
pregnancy, drug addiction and other difficult problems.
With us tonight is the Mayor of Philadelphia. Please help me welcome
Mayor John Street. Hi, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Street has encouraged faithbased and community organizations to
make a significant difference in Philadelphia. He has invited me to his
city this summer to see compassion in action. I am personally aware of
just how effective the mayor is.
Mayor Street is a Democrat. Let the record show I lost his city, big
time. But some things are bigger than politics. So I look forward to
coming to your city to see your faith-based programs in action.
As government promotes compassion, it also must promote justice. Too
many of our citizens have cause to doubt our Nation's justice when the
law points a finger of suspicion at groups, instead of individuals. All
our citizens are created equal and must be treated equally. Earlier
today, I asked John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, to develop specific
recommendations to end racial profiling.
It is wrong, and we will end it. It is wrong. In so doing, we will not
hinder the work of our Nation's brave police officers. They protect us
every day, often at great risk. But by stopping the abuses of a few, we
will add to the public confidence our police officers earn and deserve.
My budget has funded a responsible increase in our ongoing operations.
It has funded our Nation's important priorities. It has protected
Social Security and Medicare. And our surpluses are big enough that
there is still money left over.
Many of you have talked about the need to pay down our national debt. I
listened, and I agree.
We owe it to our children and our grandchildren to act now, and I hope
you will join me to pay down $2 trillion in debt during the next 10
years.
At the end of those 10 years, we will have paid down all the debt that
is available to retire. That is more debt repaid more quickly than has
ever been repaid by any nation at any time in history.
We should also prepare for the unexpected, for the uncertainties of the
future. We should approach our Nation's budget as any prudent family
would, with a contingency fund for emergencies or additional spending
needs.
For example, after a strategic review, we may need to increase defense
spending. We may need to increase spending for our farmers or
additional money to reform Medicare. So my budget sets aside almost a
trillion dollars over 10 years for additional needs, that is one
trillion additional reasons you can feel comfortable supporting this
budget.
We have increased our budget at a responsible 4 percent. We have funded
our priorities. We have paid down all the available debt. We have
prepared for contingencies, and we still have money left over. Yogi
Berra once said "when you come to a fork in the road, take it." Now we
come to a fork in the road. We have two choices. Even though we have
already met our needs, we could spend the money on more and bigger
government. That is the road our Nation has traveled in recent years.
Last year, government spending shot up 8 percent. That is far more than
our economy grew, far more than personal income grew and far more than
the rate of inflation. If you continue on that road, you will spend the
surplus and have to dip into Social Security to pay other bills.
Unrestrained government spending is a dangerous road to deficits, so we
must take a different path. The other choice is to let the American
people spend their own money to meet their own needs. I hope you will
join me in standing firmly on the side of the people.
You see, the growing surplus exists because taxes are too high and
government is charging more than it needs. The people of America have
been overcharged, and on their behalf, I am here asking for a refund.
Some say my tax plan is too big. Others say it is too small. I
respectfully disagree. This plan is just right.
I did not throw darts at a board to come up with a number for tax
relief. I did not take a poll or develop an arbitrary formula that
might sound good. I looked at problems in the Tax Code and calculated
the costs to fix them.
A tax rate of 15 percent is too high for those who earn low wages, so
we must lower the rate to 10 percent. No one should pay more than a
third of the money they earn in Federal income taxes, so we lowered the
top rate to 33 percent.
This reform will be welcome relief for America's small businesses,
which often pay taxes at the highest rate, and help for small business
means jobs for Americans.
We simplified the Tax Code by reducing the number of tax rates from the
current five rates to four lower ones, 10 percent, 15 percent, 25
percent and 33 percent. In my plan, no one is targeted in or targeted
out. Everyone who pays income taxes will get relief.
Our government should not tax and thereby discourage marriage, so we
reduced the marriage penalty. I want to help families rear and support
their children, so we doubled the child credit to $1,000 per child.
It is not fair to tax the same earnings twice, once when you earn them
and again when you die, so we must repeal the death tax.
These changes add up to significant help. A typical family with two
children will save $1,600 a year on their Federal income taxes. Now,
1,600 may not sound like a lot to some, but it means a lot to many
families.
Sixteen hundred dollars buys gas for two cars for an entire year. It
pays tuition for a year at a community college. It pays the average
family grocery bill for 3 months. That is real money.
With us tonight, representing many American families, are Steven and
Josefina Ramos. They are from Pennsylvania, but they could be from any
one of your districts. Steven is a network administrator for a school
district. Josefina is a Spanish teacher at a charter school, and they
have a 2-yearold daughter. Steven and Josefina tell me they pay almost
$8,000 a year in Federal income taxes. My plan will save them more than
$2,000.
Let me tell you what Steven says, "$2,000 a year means a lot to my
family. If we had this money, it would help us reach our goal of paying
off our personal debt in 2 years time." After that, Steven and Josefina
want to start saving for Lianna's college education.
My attitude is government should never stand in the way of families
achieving their dreams. And as we debate this issue, always remember,
the surplus is not the government's money, the surplus is the people's
money.
For lower-income families, my tax plan restores basic fairness. Right
now, complicated tax rules punish hard work. A waitress supporting two
children on $25,000 a year can lose nearly half of every additional
dollar she earns above the 25,000. For overtime, her hardest hours, are
taxed at nearly 50 percent. This sends a terrible message: You will
never get ahead. But America's message must be different. We must honor
hard work, never punish it.
With tax relief, overtime will no longer be overtax time for the
waitress. People with the smallest incomes will get the highest
percentage reductions. And millions of additional American families
will be removed from the income tax rolls entirely.
Tax relief is right and tax relief is urgent. The long economic
expansion that began almost 10 years ago is faltering. Lower interest
rates will eventually help, but we cannot assume they will do the job
all by themselves.
Forty years ago and then 20 years ago, two Presidents, one Democrat and
one Republican, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, advocated tax cuts
to, in President Kennedy's words, "get this country moving again." They
knew then, what we must do now, to create economic growth and
opportunity, we must put money back into the hands of the people who
buy goods and create jobs.
We must act quickly. The Chairman of the Federal Reserve has testified
before Congress that tax cuts often come too late to stimulate economic
recovery. So I want to work with you to give our economy an important
jump start by making tax relief retroactive.
We must act now because it is the right thing to do. We must also act
now because we have other things to do. We must show courage to
confront and resolve tough challenges: To restructure our Nation's
defenses, to meet our growing need for energy, and to reform Medicare
and Social Security.
America has a window of opportunity to extend and secure our present
peace by promoting a distinctly American internationalism. We will work
with our allies and friends to be a force for good and a champion of
freedom. We will work for free markets and free trade and freedom from
oppression. Nations making progress toward freedom will find America is
their friend.
We will promote our values, and we will promote peace. And we need a
strong military to keep the peace. But our military was shaped to
confront the challenges of the past. So I have asked the Secretary of
Defense to review America's armed forces and prepare to transform them
to meet emerging threats. My budget makes a down payment on the
research and development that will be required. Yet, in our broader
transformation effort, we must put strategy first, then spending. Our
defense vision will drive our defense budget, not the other way around.
Our Nation also needs a clear strategy to confront the threats of the
21st century, threats that are more widespread and less certain. They
range from terrorists who threaten with bombs to tyrants and rogue
nations intent on developing weapons of mass destruction. To protect
our own people, our allies and friends, we must develop and we must
deploy effective missile defenses.
And as we transform our military, we can discard Cold War relics, and
reduce our own nuclear forces to reflect today's needs.
A strong America is the world's best hope for peace and freedom. Yet
the cause of freedom rests on more than our ability to defend ourselves
and our allies. Freedom is exported every day, as we ship goods and
products that improve the lives of millions of people. Free trade
brings greater political and personal freedom.
Each of the previous five presidents has had the ability to negotiate
farreaching trade agreements. Tonight I ask to give me the strong hand
of presidential trade promotion authority, and to do so quickly.
As we meet tonight, many citizens are struggling with the high costs of
energy. We have a serious energy problem that demands a national energy
policy. The West is confronting a major energy shortage that has
resulted in high prices and uncertainty. I have asked Federal agencies
to work with California officials to help speed construction of new
energy sources. And I have directed Vice President Cheney, Commerce
Secretary Evans, Energy Secretary Abraham, and other senior members of
my administration to develop a national energy policy.
Our energy demand outstrips our supply. We can produce more energy at
home while protecting our environment, and we must. We can produce more
electricity to meet demand, and we must. We can promote alternative
energy sources and conservation, and we must. America must become more
energy independent, and we will.
Perhaps the biggest test of our foresight and courage will be reforming
Medicare and Social Security.
Medicare's finances are strained, and its coverage is outdated.
Ninety-nine percent of employer-provided health plans offer some form
of prescription drug coverage. Medicare does not. The framework for
reform has been developed by Senators FRIST and BREAUX and Congressman
THOMAS; and now is the time to act. Medicare must be modernized. And we
must make sure that every senior on Medicare can choose a health care
plan that offers prescription drugs.
Seven years from now, the baby boom generation will begin to claim
Social Security benefits. Everyone in this Chamber knows that Social
Security is not prepared to fully fund their retirement. And we only
have a couple of years to get prepared. Without reform, this country
will one day awaken to a stark choice: either a drastic rise in payroll
taxes or a radical cut in retirement benefits. There is a better way.
This spring I will form a Presidential commission to reform Social
Security. The commission will make its recommendations by next fall.
Reform should be based on these principles: It must preserve the
benefits of all current retirees and those nearing retirement. It must
return Social Security to sound financial footing, and it must offer
personal savings accounts to younger workers who want them.
Social Security now offers workers a return of less than 2 percent on
the money they pay into the system. To save the system, we must
increase that by allowing younger workers to make safe, sound
investments at a higher rate of return.
Ownership, access to wealth, and independence should not be the
privilege of a few. They are the hope of every American, and we must
make them the foundation of Social Security.
By confronting the tough challenge of reform, by being responsible with
our budget, we can earn the trust of the American people. And we can
add to that trust by enacting fair and balanced election and campaign
reforms.
The agenda I have set before you tonight is worthy of a great Nation.
America is a Nation at peace, but not a Nation at rest. Much has been
given to us, and much is expected.
Let us agree to bridge old divides. But let us also agree that our
goodwill must be dedicated to great goals. Bipartisanship is more than
minding our manners, it is doing our duty.
No one can speak in this Capitol and not be awed by its history. At so
many turning points, debates in these chambers have reflected the
collected or divided conscience of our country. And when we walk
through Statuary Hall and see those men and women of marble, we are
reminded of their courage and achievement.
Yet America's purpose is never found only in statues or history.
America's purpose always stands before us.
Our generation must show courage in a time of blessing as our Nation
has always shown in times of crisis. And our courage, issue by issue,
can gather to greatness and serve our country. This is the privilege
and responsibility we share. And if we work together, we can prove that
public service is noble.
We all came here for a reason. We all have things we want to accomplish
and promises to keep. Juntos podemos, together we can. We can make
Americans proud of their government. Together we can share in the
credit of making our country more prosperous and generous and just, and
earn from our conscience and from our fellow citizens, the highest
possible praise: well done, good and faithful servants.
Thank you all. Good night. And God bless.
(Applause, the Members rising.)
***
State of the Union Address
George W. Bush
January 29, 2002
Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of
Congress, distinguished guests, fellow citizens: As we gather tonight,
our nation is at war, our economy is in recession, and the civilized
world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our Union has never
been stronger. (Applause.)
We last met in an hour of shock and suffering. In four short months,
our nation has comforted the victims, begun to rebuild New York and the
Pentagon, rallied a great coalition, captured, arrested, and rid the
world of thousands of terrorists, destroyed Afghanistan's terrorist
training camps, saved a people from starvation, and freed a country
from brutal oppression. (Applause.)
The American flag flies again over our embassy in Kabul. Terrorists who
once occupied Afghanistan now occupy cells at Guantanamo Bay.
(Applause.) And terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice
their lives are running for their own. (Applause.)
America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror. We'll be
partners in rebuilding that country. And this evening we welcome the
distinguished interim leader of a liberated Afghanistan: Chairman Hamid
Karzai. (Applause.)
The last time we met in this chamber, the mothers and daughters of
Afghanistan were captives in their own homes, forbidden from working or
going to school. Today women are free, and are part of Afghanistan's
new government. And we welcome the new Minister of Women's Affairs,
Doctor Sima Samar. (Applause.)
Our progress is a tribute to the spirit of the Afghan people, to the
resolve of our coalition, and to the might of the United States
military. (Applause.) When I called our troops into action, I did so
with complete confidence in their courage and skill. And tonight,
thanks to them, we are winning the war on terror. (Applause.) The men
and women of our Armed Forces have delivered a message now clear to
every enemy of the United States: Even 7,000 miles away, across oceans
and continents, on mountaintops and in caves--you will not escape the
justice of this nation. (Applause.)
For many Americans, these four months have brought sorrow, and pain
that will never completely go away. Every day a retired firefighter
returns to Ground Zero, to feel closer to his two sons who died there.
At a memorial in New York, a little boy left his football with a note
for his lost father: Dear Daddy, please take this to heaven. I don't
want to play football until I can play with you again some day.
Last month, at the grave of her husband, Michael, a CIA officer and
Marine who died in Mazur-e-Sharif, Shannon Spann said these words of
farewell: "Semper Fi, my love." Shannon is with us tonight. (Applause.)
Shannon, I assure you and all who have lost a loved one that our cause
is just, and our country will never forget the debt we owe Michael and
all who gave their lives for freedom.
Our cause is just, and it continues. Our discoveries in Afghanistan
confirmed our worst fears, and showed us the true scope of the task
ahead. We have seen the depth of our enemies' hatred in videos, where
they laugh about the loss of innocent life. And the depth of their
hatred is equaled by the madness of the destruction they design. We
have found diagrams of American nuclear power plants and public water
facilities, detailed instructions for making chemical weapons,
surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough descriptions of
landmarks in America and throughout the world.
What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending there,
our war against terror is only beginning. Most of the 19 men who
hijacked planes on September the 11th were trained in Afghanistan's
camps, and so were tens of thousands of others. Thousands of dangerous
killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw
regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs,
set to go off without warning.
Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials and coalition
partners, hundreds of terrorists have been arrested. Yet, tens of
thousands of trained terrorists are still at large. These enemies view
the entire world as a battlefield, and we must pursue them wherever
they are. (Applause.) So long as training camps operate, so long as
nations harbor terrorists, freedom is at risk. And America and our
allies must not, and will not, allow it. (Applause.)
Our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in
the pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will shut down terrorist
camps, disrupt terrorist plans, and bring terrorists to justice. And,
second, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical,
biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and
the world. (Applause.)
Our military has put the terror training camps of Afghanistan out of
business, yet camps still exist in at least a dozen countries. A
terrorist underworld--including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic
Jihad, Jaish-i-Mohammed--operates in remote jungles and deserts, and
hides in the centers of large cities.
While the most visible military action is in Afghanistan, America is
acting elsewhere. We now have troops in the Philippines, helping to
train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have
executed an American, and still hold hostages. Our soldiers, working
with the Bosnian government, seized terrorists who were plotting to
bomb our embassy. Our Navy is patrolling the coast of Africa to block
the shipment of weapons and the establishment of terrorist camps in
Somalia.
My hope is that all nations will heed our call, and eliminate the
terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many
nations are acting forcefully. Pakistan is now cracking down on terror,
and I admire the strong leadership of President Musharraf. (Applause.)
But some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no
mistake about it: If they do not act, America will. (Applause.)
Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from
threatening America or our friends and allies with weapons of mass
destruction. Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since
September the 11th. But we know their true nature. North Korea is a
regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while
starving its citizens.
Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an
unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom.
Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support
terror. The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas,
and nuclear weapons for over a decade. This is a regime that has
already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own
citizens--leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead
children. This is a regime that agreed to international
inspections--then kicked out the inspectors. This is a regime that has
something to hide from the civilized world.
States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of
evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of
mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They
could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match
their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the
United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would
be catastrophic.
We will work closely with our coalition to deny terrorists and their
state sponsors the materials, technology, and expertise to make and
deliver weapons of mass destruction. We will develop and deploy
effective missile defenses to protect America and our allies from
sudden attack. (Applause.) And all nations should know: America will do
what is necessary to ensure our nation's security.
We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I will not wait on
events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril draws
closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the
world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most
destructive weapons. (Applause.)
Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun. This campaign
may not be finished on our watch--yet it must be and it will be waged
on our watch.
We can't stop short. If we stop now--leaving terror camps intact and
terror states unchecked--our sense of security would be false and
temporary. History has called America and our allies to action, and it
is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight.
(Applause.)
Our first priority must always be the security of our nation, and that
will be reflected in the budget I send to Congress. My budget supports
three great goals for America: We will win this war; we'll protect our
homeland; and we will revive our economy.
September the 11th brought out the best in America, and the best in
this Congress. And I join the American people in applauding your unity
and resolve. (Applause.) Now Americans deserve to have this same spirit
directed toward addressing problems here at home. I'm a proud member of
my party--yet as we act to win the war, protect our people, and create
jobs in America, we must act, first and foremost, not as Republicans,
not as Democrats, but as Americans. (Applause.)
It costs a lot to fight this war. We have spent more than a billion
dollars a month--over $30 million a day--and we must be prepared for
future operations. Afghanistan proved that expensive precision weapons
defeat the enemy and spare innocent lives, and we need more of them. We
need to replace aging aircraft and make our military more agile, to put
our troops anywhere in the world quickly and safely. Our men and women
in uniform deserve the best weapons, the best equipment, the best
training--and they also deserve another pay raise. (Applause.)
My budget includes the largest increase in defense spending in two
decades --because while the price of freedom and security is high, it
is never too high. Whatever it costs to defend our country, we will
pay. (Applause.)
The next priority of my budget is to do everything possible to protect
our citizens and strengthen our nation against the ongoing threat of
another attack. Time and distance from the events of September the 11th
will not make us safer unless we act on its lessons. America is no
longer protected by vast oceans. We are protected from attack only by
vigorous action abroad, and increased vigilance at home.
My budget nearly doubles funding for a sustained strategy of homeland
security, focused on four key areas: bioterrorism, emergency response,
airport and border security, and improved intelligence. We will develop
vaccines to fight anthrax and other deadly diseases. We'll increase
funding to help states and communities train and equip our heroic
police and firefighters. (Applause.) We will improve intelligence
collection and sharing, expand patrols at our borders, strengthen the
security of air travel, and use technology to track the arrivals and
departures of visitors to the United States. (Applause.)
Homeland security will make America not only stronger, but, in many
ways, better. Knowledge gained from bioterrorism research will improve
public health. Stronger police and fire departments will mean safer
neighborhoods. Stricter border enforcement will help combat illegal
drugs. (Applause.) And as government works to better secure our
homeland, America will continue to depend on the eyes and ears of alert
citizens.
A few days before Christmas, an airline flight attendant spotted a
passenger lighting a match. The crew and passengers quickly subdued the
man, who had been trained by al Qaeda and was armed with explosives.
The people on that plane were alert and, as a result, likely saved
nearly 200 lives. And tonight we welcome and thank flight attendants
Hermis Moutardier and Christina Jones. (Applause.)
Once we have funded our national security and our homeland security,
the final great priority of my budget is economic security for the
American people. (Applause.) To achieve these great national
objectives--to win the war, protect the homeland, and revitalize our
economy--our budget will run a deficit that will be small and
short-term, so long as Congress restrains spending and acts in a
fiscally responsible manner. (Applause.) We have clear priorities and
we must act at home with the same purpose and resolve we have shown
overseas: We'll prevail in the war, and we will defeat this recession.
(Applause.)
Americans who have lost their jobs need our help and I support
extending unemployment benefits and direct assistance for health care
coverage. (Applause.) Yet, American workers want more than unemployment
checks-- they want a steady paycheck. (Applause.) When America works,
America prospers, so my economic security plan can be summed up in one
word: jobs. (Applause.)
Good jobs begin with good schools, and here we've made a fine start.
(Applause.) Republicans and Democrats worked together to achieve
historic education reform so that no child is left behind. I was proud
to work with members of both parties: Chairman John Boehner and
Congressman George Miller. (Applause.) Senator Judd Gregg. (Applause.)
And I was so proud of our work, I even had nice things to say about my
friend, Ted Kennedy. (Laughter and applause.) I know the folks at the
Crawford coffee shop couldn't believe I'd say such a
thing--(laughter)--but our work on this bill shows what is possible if
we set aside posturing and focus on results. (Applause.)
There is more to do. We need to prepare our children to read and
succeed in school with improved Head Start and early childhood
development programs. (Applause.) We must upgrade our teacher colleges
and teacher training and launch a major recruiting drive with a great
goal for America: a quality teacher in every classroom. (Applause.)
Good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable energy. This Congress
must act to encourage conservation, promote technology, build
infrastructure, and it must act to increase energy production at home
so America is less dependent on foreign oil. (Applause.)
Good jobs depend on expanded trade. Selling into new markets creates
new jobs, so I ask Congress to finally approve trade promotion
authority. (Applause.) On these two key issues, trade and energy, the
House of Representatives has acted to create jobs, and I urge the
Senate to pass this legislation. (Applause.)
Good jobs depend on sound tax policy. (Applause.) Last year, some in
this hall thought my tax relief plan was too small; some thought it was
too big. (Applause.) But when the checks arrived in the mail, most
Americans thought tax relief was just about right. (Applause.) Congress
listened to the people and responded by reducing tax rates, doubling
the child credit, and ending the death tax. For the sake of long-term
growth and to help Americans plan for the future, let's make these tax
cuts permanent. (Applause.)
The way out of this recession, the way to create jobs, is to grow the
economy by encouraging investment in factories and equipment, and by
speeding up tax relief so people have more money to spend. For the sake
of American workers, let's pass a stimulus package. (Applause.)
Good jobs must be the aim of welfare reform. As we reauthorize these
important reforms, we must always remember the goal is to reduce
dependency on government and offer every American the dignity of a job.
(Applause.)
Americans know economic security can vanish in an instant without
health security. I ask Congress to join me this year to enact a
patients' bill of rights--(applause)--to give uninsured workers credits
to help buy health coverage--(applause)--to approve an historic
increase in the spending for veterans' health--(applause)--and to give
seniors a sound and modern Medicare system that includes coverage for
prescription drugs. (Applause.)
A good job should lead to security in retirement. I ask Congress to
enact new safeguards for 401K and pension plans. (Applause.) Employees
who have worked hard and saved all their lives should not have to risk
losing everything if their company fails. (Applause.) Through stricter
accounting standards and tougher disclosure requirements, corporate
America must be made more accountable to employees and shareholders and
held to the highest standards of conduct. (Applause.)
Retirement security also depends upon keeping the commitments of Social
Security, and we will. We must make Social Security financially stable
and allow personal retirement accounts for younger workers who choose
them. (Applause.)
Members, you and I will work together in the months ahead on other
issues: productive farm policy--(applause)--a cleaner
environment--(applause) --broader home ownership, especially among
minorities--(applause)--and ways to encourage the good work of
charities and faith-based groups. (Applause.) I ask you to join me on
these important domestic issues in the same spirit of cooperation we've
applied to our war against terrorism. (Applause.)
During these last few months, I've been humbled and privileged to see
the true character of this country in a time of testing. Our enemies
believed America was weak and materialistic, that we would splinter in
fear and selfishness. They were as wrong as they are evil. (Applause.)
The American people have responded magnificently, with courage and
compassion, strength and resolve. As I have met the heroes, hugged the
families, and looked into the tired faces of rescuers, I have stood in
awe of the American people.
And I hope you will join me--I hope you will join me in expressing
thanks to one American for the strength and calm and comfort she brings
to our nation in crisis, our First Lady, Laura Bush. (Applause.)
None of us would ever wish the evil that was done on September the
11th. Yet after America was attacked, it was as if our entire country
looked into a mirror and saw our better selves. We were reminded that
we are citizens, with obligations to each other, to our country, and to
history. We began to think less of the goods we can accumulate, and
more about the good we can do.
For too long our culture has said, "If it feels good, do it." Now
America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed: "Let's roll."
(Applause.) In the sacrifice of soldiers, the fierce brotherhood of
firefighters, and the bravery and generosity of ordinary citizens, we
have glimpsed what a new culture of responsibility could look like. We
want to be a nation that serves goals larger than self. We've been
offered a unique opportunity, and we must not let this moment pass.
(Applause.)
My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two
years--4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime--to the service of
your neighbors and your nation. (Applause.) Many are already serving,
and I thank you. If you aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place
to start. To sustain and extend the best that has emerged in America, I
invite you to join the new USA Freedom Corps. The Freedom Corps will
focus on three areas of need: responding in case of crisis at home;
rebuilding our communities; and extending American compassion
throughout the world.
One purpose of the USA Freedom Corps will be homeland security. America
needs retired doctors and nurses who can be mobilized in major
emergencies; volunteers to help police and fire departments;
transportation and utility workers well-trained in spotting danger.
Our country also needs citizens working to rebuild our communities. We
need mentors to love children, especially children whose parents are in
prison. And we need more talented teachers in troubled schools. USA
Freedom Corps will expand and improve the good efforts of AmeriCorps
and Senior Corps to recruit more than 200,000 new volunteers.
And America needs citizens to extend the compassion of our country to
every part of the world. So we will renew the promise of the Peace
Corps, double its volunteers over the next five years--(applause)--and
ask it to join a new effort to encourage development and education and
opportunity in the Islamic world. (Applause.)
This time of adversity offers a unique moment of opportunity--a moment
we must seize to change our culture. Through the gathering momentum of
millions of acts of service and decency and kindness, I know we can
overcome evil with greater good. (Applause.) And we have a great
opportunity during this time of war to lead the world toward the values
that will bring lasting peace.
All fathers and mothers, in all societies, want their children to be
educated, and live free from poverty and violence. No people on Earth
yearn to be oppressed, or aspire to servitude, or eagerly await the
midnight knock of the secret police.
If anyone doubts this, let them look to Afghanistan, where the Islamic
"street" greeted the fall of tyranny with song and celebration. Let the
skeptics look to Islam's own rich history, with its centuries of
learning, and tolerance and progress. America will lead by defending
liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for
all people everywhere. (Applause.)
No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them. We
have no intention of imposing our culture. But America will always
stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of
law; limits on the power of the state; respect for women; private
property; free speech; equal justice; and religious tolerance.
(Applause.)
America will take the side of brave men and women who advocate these
values around the world, including the Islamic world, because we have a
greater objective than eliminating threats and containing resentment.
We seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror.
In this moment of opportunity, a common danger is erasing old
rivalries. America is working with Russia and China and India, in ways
we have never before, to achieve peace and prosperity. In every region,
free markets and free trade and free societies are proving their power
to lift lives. Together with friends and allies from Europe to Asia,
and Africa to Latin America, we will demonstrate that the forces of
terror cannot stop the momentum of freedom. (Applause.)