Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens: America this evening is a nation called to great responsibilities, and we are rising to meet them. As we gather tonight, hundreds of thousands of American service men and women are deployed across the world in the war on terror. By bringing hope to the oppressed and delivering justice to the violent, they are making America more secure. Each day, law enforcement personnel and intelligence officers are tracking terrorist threats; analysts are examining airline passenger lists; the men and women of our new Homeland Security Department are patrolling our coasts and borders. And their vigilance is protecting America. Americans are proving once again to be the hardest working people in the world. The American economy is growing stronger. The tax relief you passed is working. Tonight Members of Congress can take pride in the great works of compassion and reform that skeptics had thought impossible. You're raising the standards for our public schools, and you are giving our senior citizens prescription drug coverage under Medicare. We have faced serious challenges together, and now we face a choice: We can go forward with confidence and resolve, or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no threat to us. We can press on with economic growth and reforms in education and Medicare, or we can turn back to old policies and old divisions. We've not come all this way, through tragedy and trial and war, only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same from us. In their efforts, their enterprise, and their character, the American people are showing that the state of our Union is confident and strong. Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September the 11th, 2001—over 2 years without an attack on American soil. And it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting— and false. The killing has continued in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Mombasa, Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Baghdad. The terrorists continue to plot against America and the civilized world. And by our will and courage, this danger will be defeated. Inside the United States, where the war began, we must continue to give our homeland security and law enforcement personnel every tool they need to defend us. And one of those essential tools is the PATRIOT Act, which allows Federal law enforcement to better share information to track terrorists, to disrupt their cells, and to seize their assets. For years, we have used similar provisions to catch embezzlers and drug traffickers. If these methods are good for hunting criminals, they are even more important for hunting terrorists. Key provisions of the PATRIOT Act are set to expire next year. The terrorist threat will not expire on that schedule. Our law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens. You need to renew the PATRIOT Act. America is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war. Last March, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, a mastermind of September the 11th, awoke to find himself in the custody of U.S. and Pakistani authorities. Last August the 11th brought the capture of the terrorist Hambali, who was a key player in the attack in Indonesia that killed over 200 people. We're tracking Al Qaida around the world, and nearly two-thirds of their known leaders have now been captured or killed. Thousands of very skilled and determined military personnel are on the manhunt, going after the remaining killers who hide in cities and caves, and one by one, we will bring these terrorists to justice. As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists and could supply them with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. The United States and our allies are determined: We refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger. The first to see our determination were the Taliban, who made Afghanistan the primary training base of Al Qaida killers. As of this month, that country has a new constitution guaranteeing free elections and full participation by women. Businesses are opening. Health care centers are being established, and the boys and girls of Afghanistan are back in school. With the help from the new Afghan army, our coalition is leading aggressive raids against the surviving members of the Taliban and Al Qaida. The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free and proud and fighting terror, and America is honored to be their friend. Since we last met in this Chamber, combat forces of the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Poland, and other countries enforced the demands of the United Nations, ended the rule of Saddam Hussein. And the people of Iraq are free. Having broken the Ba'athist regime, we face a remnant of violent Saddam supporters. Men who ran away from our troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows. These killers, joined by foreign terrorists, are a serious, continuing danger. Yet we're making progress against them. The once all-powerful ruler of Iraq was found in a hole and now sits in a prison cell. Of the top 55 officials of the former regime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are on the offensive, leading over 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week. We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein's evil regime. The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right. Last January, Iraq's only law was the whim of one brutal man. Today, our coalition is working with the Iraqi Governing Council to draft a basic law with a bill of rights. We're working with Iraqis and the United Nations to prepare for a transition to full Iraqi sovereignty by the end of June. As democracy takes hold in Iraq, the enemies of freedom will do all in their power to spread violence and fear. They are trying to shake the will of our country and our friends, but the United States of America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. The killers will fail, and the Iraqi people will live in freedom. Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future. And tonight we are honored to welcome one of Iraq's most respected leaders, the current President of the Iraqi Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi. Sir, America stands with you and the Iraqi people as you build a free and peaceful nation. Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better. Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime's weapons of mass destruction programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons. Colonel Qadhafi correctly judged that his country would be better off and far more secure without weapons of mass murder. Nine months of intense negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not. And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible, and no one can now doubt the word of America. Different threats require different strategies. Along with nations in the region, we're insisting that North Korea eliminate its nuclear program. America and the international community are demanding that Iran meet its commitments and not develop nuclear weapons. America is committed to keeping the world's most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous regimes. When I came to this rostrum on September the 20th, 2001, I brought the police shield of a fallen officer, my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end. I gave to you and to all Americans my complete commitment to securing our country and defeating our enemies. And this pledge, given by one, has been kept by many. You in the Congress have provided the resources for our defense and cast the difficult votes of war and peace. Our closest allies have been unwavering. America's intelligence personnel and diplomats have been skilled and tireless. And the men and women of the American military—they have taken the hardest duty. We've seen their skill and their courage in armored charges and midnight raids and lonely hours on faithful watch. We have seen the joy when they return and felt the sorrow when one is lost. I've had the honor of meeting our service men and women at many posts, from the deck of a carrier in the Pacific to a mess hall in Baghdad. Many of our troops are listening tonight, and I want you and your families to know: America is proud of you, and my administration and this Congress will give you the resources you need to fight and win the war on terror. I know that some people question if America is really in a war at all. They view terrorism more as a crime, a problem to be solved mainly with law enforcement and indictments. After the World Trade Center was first attacked in 1993, some of the guilty were indicted and tried and convicted and sent to prison. But the matter was not settled. The terrorists were still training and plotting in other nations and drawing up more ambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers. The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States, and war is what they got. Some in this Chamber and in our country did not support the liberation of Iraq. Objections to war often come from principled motives, but let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam Hussein in power. We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons-of-mass-destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day. Had we failed to act, Security Council resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening the United Nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world. Iraq's torture chambers would still be filled with victims, terrified and innocent. The killing fields of Iraq, where hundreds of thousands of men and women and children vanished into the sands, would still be known only to the killers. For all who love freedom and peace, the world without Saddam Hussein's regime is a better and safer place. Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands, Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq. As we debate at home, we must never ignore the vital contributions of our international partners or dismiss their sacrifices. From the beginning, America has sought international support for our operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we have gained much support. There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations and submitting to the objections of a few. America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country. We also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater Middle East, where freedom is rare. Yet it is mistaken and condescending to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom, and even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again. As long as the Middle East remains a place of tyranny and despair and anger, it will continue to produce men and movements that threaten the safety of America and our friends. So America is pursuing a forward strategy of freedom in the greater Middle East. We will challenge the enemies of reform, confront the allies of terror, and expect a higher standard from our friend. To cut through the barriers of hateful propaganda, the Voice of America and other broadcast services are expanding their programming in Arabic and Persian, and soon a new television service will begin providing reliable news and information across the region. I will send you a proposal to double the budget of the National Endowment for Democracy and to focus its new work on the development of free elections and free markets, free press, and free labor unions in the Middle East. And above all, we will finish the historic work of democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq so those nations can light the way for others and help transform a troubled part of the world. America is a nation with a mission, and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace, a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman. America acts in this cause with friends and allies at our side, yet we understand our special calling: This great Republic will lead the cause of freedom. In the last 3 years, adversity has also revealed the fundamental strengths of the American economy. We have come through recession and terrorist attack and corporate scandals and the uncertainties of war. And because you acted to stimulate our economy with tax relief, this economy is strong and growing stronger. You have doubled the child tax credit from 500 to $1,000, reduced the marriage penalty, begun to phase out the death tax, reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends, cut taxes on small businesses, and you have lowered taxes for every American who pays income taxes. Americans took those dollars and put them to work, driving this economy forward. The pace of economic growth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years; new home construction, the highest in almost 20 years; homeowner-ship rates, the highest ever. Manufacturing activity is increasing. Inflation is low. Interest rates are low. Exports are growing. Productivity is high, and jobs are on the rise. These numbers confirm that the American people are using their money far better than Government would have, and you were right to return it. America's growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive and workers need new skills. Much of our job growth will be found in high-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology. So we must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy. All skills begin with the basics of reading and math, which are supposed to be learned in the early grades of our schools. Yet for too long, for too many children, those skills were never mastered. By passing the No Child Left Behind Act, you have made the expectation of literacy the law of our country. We're providing more funding for our schools, a 36-percent increase since 2001. We're requiring higher standards. We are regularly testing every child on the fundamentals. We are reporting results to parents and making sure they have better options when schools are not performing. We are making progress toward excellence for every child in America. But the status quo always has defenders. Some want to undermine the No Child Left Behind Act by weakening standards and accountability. Yet the results we require are really a matter of common sense: We expect third graders to read and do math at the third grade level, and that's not asking too much. Testing is the only way to identify and help students who are falling behind. This Nation will not go back to the days of simply shuffling children along from grade to grade without them learning the basics. I refuse to give up on any child, and the No Child Left Behind Act is opening the door of opportunity to all of America's children. At the same time, we must ensure that older students and adults can gain the skills they need to find work now. Many of the fastest growing occupations require strong math and science preparation and training beyond the high school level. So tonight, I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century. This program will provide extra help to middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and math, expand advanced placement programs in low-income schools, invite math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high schools. I propose larger Pell grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school. I propose increasing our support for America's fine community colleges, so they can—I do so, so they can train workers for industries that are creating the most new jobs. By all these actions, we'll help more and more Americans to join in the growing prosperity of our country. Job training is important, and so is job creation. We must continue to pursue an aggressive, progrowth economic agenda. Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes. The tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act, the unfair tax on marriage will go back up. Unless you act, millions of families will be charged $300 more in Federal taxes for every child. Unless you act, small businesses will pay higher taxes. Unless you act, the death tax will eventually come back to life. Unless you act, Americans face a tax increase. What Congress has given, the Congress should not take away. For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent. Our agenda for jobs and growth must help small-business owners and employees with relief from needless Federal regulation and protect them from junk and frivolous lawsuits. Consumers and businesses need reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run, so I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy. My administration is promoting free and fair trade to open up new markets for America's entrepreneurs and manufacturers and farmers, to create jobs for American workers. Younger workers should have the opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their Social Security taxes in a personal retirement account. We should make the Social Security system a source of ownership for the American people. And we should limit the burden of Government on this economy by acting as good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. In 2 weeks, I will send you a budget that funds the war, protects the homeland, and meets important domestic needs while limiting the growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent. This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut wasteful spending, and be wise with the people's money. By doing so, we can cut the deficit in half over the next 5 years. Tonight I also ask you to reform our immigration laws so they reflect our values and benefit our economy. I propose a new temporary-worker program to match willing foreign workers with willing employers when no Americans can be found to fill the job. This reform will be good for our economy because employers will find needed workers in an honest and orderly system. A temporary-worker program will help protect our homeland, allowing Border Patrol and law enforcement to focus on true threats to our national security. I oppose amnesty, because it would encourage further illegal immigration and unfairly reward those who break our laws. My temporary-worker program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law while bringing millions of hard-working men and women out from the shadows of American life. Our Nation's health care system, like our economy, is also in a time of change. Amazing medical technologies are improving and saving lives. This dramatic progress has brought its own challenge, in the rising costs of medical care and health insurance. Members of Congress, we must work together to help control those costs and extend the benefits of modern medicine throughout our country. Meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort, and 2 months ago, you showed the way. By strengthening Medicare and adding a prescription drug benefit, you kept a basic commitment to our seniors. You are giving them the modern medicine they deserve. Starting this year, under the law you passed, seniors can choose to receive a drug discount card, saving them 10 to 25 percent off the retail price of most prescription drugs, and millions of low-income seniors can get an additional $600 to buy medicine. Beginning next year, seniors will have new coverage for preventive screenings against diabetes and heart disease, and seniors just entering Medicare can receive wellness exams. In January of 2006, seniors can get prescription drug coverage under Medicare. For a monthly premium of about $35, most seniors who do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut roughly in half. Under this reform, senior citizens will be able to keep their Medicare just as it is, or they can choose a Medicare plan that fits them best, just as you, as Members of Congress, can choose an insurance plan that meets your needs. And starting this year, millions of Americans will be able to save money tax-free for their medical expenses in a health savings account. I signed this measure proudly, and any attempt to limit the choices of our seniors or to take away their prescription drug coverage under Medicare will meet my veto. On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs. Small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates, so they can cover more workers with health insurance. I urge you to pass association health plans. I ask you to give lower income Americans a refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health insurance. By computerizing health records, we can avoid dangerous medical mistakes, reduce costs, and improve care. To protect the doctor-patient relationship and keep good doctors doing good work, we must eliminate wasteful and frivolous medical lawsuits. And tonight I propose that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage as part of our new health savings accounts be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the premiums from their taxes. A Government-run health care system is the wrong prescription. By keeping costs under control, expanding access, and helping more Americans afford coverage, we will preserve the system of private medicine that makes America's health care the best in the world. We are living in a time of great change in our world, in our economy, in science and medicine. Yet some things endure: courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change, and they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions such as families and schools and religious congregations. These institutions, these unseen pillars of civilization, must remain strong in America, and we will defend them. We must stand with our families to help them raise healthy, responsible children. When it comes to helping children make right choices, there is work for all of us to do. One of the worst decisions our children can make is to gamble their lives and futures on drugs. Our Government is helping parents confront this problem with aggressive education, treatment, and law enforcement. Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the last 2 years. Four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in the year 2001. In my budget, I propose new funding to continue our aggressive, community-based strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs. Drug testing in our schools has proven to be an effective part of this effort. So tonight I propose an additional 23 million for schools that want to use drug testing as a tool to save children's lives. The aim here is not to punish children but to send them this message: We love you, and we do not want to lose you. To help children make right choices, they need good examples. Athletics play such an important role in our society, but unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example. The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message, that there are shortcuts to accomplishment and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now. To encourage right choices, we must be willing to confront the dangers young people face, even when they're difficult to talk about. Each year, about 3 million teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases that can harm them or kill them or prevent them from ever becoming parents. In my budget, I propose a grassroots campaign to help inform families about these medical risks. We will double Federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. Decisions children now make can affect their health and character for the rest of their lives. All of us, parents and schools and government, must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture and to send the right messages to our children. A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under Federal law as a union of a man and a woman and declares that one State may not redefine marriage for other States. Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our Nation must defend the sanctity of marriage. The outcome of this debate is important, and so is the way we conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight. It's also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the compassion of America's religious institutions. Religious charities of every creed are doing some of the most vital work in our country: mentoring children, feeding the hungry, taking the hand of the lonely. Yet Government has often denied social service grants and contracts to these groups, just because they have a cross or a Star of David or a crescent on the wall. By Executive order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again. In the past, we've worked together to bring mentors to children of prisoners and provide treatment for the addicted and help for the homeless. Tonight I ask you to consider another group of Americans in need of help. This year, some 600,000 inmates will be released from prison back into society. We know from long experience that if they can't find work or a home or help, they are much more likely to commit crime and return to prison. So tonight I propose a 4-year, $300 million prisoner reentry initiative to expand job training and placement services, to provide transitional housing, and to help newly released prisoners get mentoring, including from faith-based groups. America is the land of second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life. For all Americans, the last 3 years have brought tests we did not ask for and achievements shared by all. By our actions, we have shown what kind of nation we are. In grief, we have found the grace to go on. In challenge, we rediscovered the courage and daring of a free people. In victory, we have shown the noble aims and good heart of America. And having come this far, we sense that we live in a time set apart. I've been witness to the character of the people of America, who have shown calm in times of danger, compassion for one another, and toughness for the long haul. All of us have been partners in a great enterprise. And even some of the youngest understand that we are living in historic times. Last month a girl in Lincoln, Rhode Island, sent me a letter. It began, "Dear George W. Bush. If there's anything you know I, Ashley Pearson, age 10, can do to help anyone, please send me a letter and tell me what I can do to save our country." She added this P.S.: "If you can send a letter to the troops, please put, 'Ashley Pearson believes in you."' Tonight, Ashley, your message to our troops has just been conveyed. And yes, you have some duties yourself: Study hard in school; listen to your mom or dad; help someone in need; and when you and your friends see a man or woman in uniform, say, "Thank you." And Ashley, while you do your part, all of us here in this great Chamber will do our best to keep you and the rest of America safe and free. My fellow citizens, we now move forward with confidence and faith. Our Nation is strong and steadfast. The cause we serve is right, because it is the cause of all mankind. The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable, and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true. May God continue to bless America.
Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens: America this evening is a nation called to great responsibilities, and we are rising to meet them. As we gather tonight, hundreds of thousands of American service men and women are deployed across the world in the war on terror. By bringing hope to the oppressed and delivering justice to the violent, they are making America more secure. Each day, law enforcement personnel and intelligence officers are tracking terrorist threats; analysts are examining airline passenger lists; the men and women of our new Homeland Security Department are patrolling our coasts and borders. And their vigilance is protecting America. Americans are proving once again to be the hardest working people in the world. The American economy is growing stronger. The tax relief you passed is working. Tonight Members of Congress can take pride in the great works of compassion and reform that skeptics had thought impossible. You are raising the standards for our public schools, and you are giving our senior citizens prescription drug coverage under Medicare. We have faced serious challenges together, and now we face a choice: We can go forward with confidence and resolve, or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no threat to us. We can press on with economic growth and reforms in education and Medicare, or we can turn back to old policies and old divisions. We have not come all this way, through tragedy and trial and war, only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same from us. In their efforts, their enterprise, and their character, the American people are showing that the state of our Union is confident and strong. Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September the 11th, 2001—over 2 years without an attack on American soil. And it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting— and false. The killing has continued in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Mombasa, Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Baghdad. The terrorists continue to plot against America and the civilized world. And by our will and courage, this danger will be defeated. Inside the United States, where the war began, we must continue to give our homeland security and law enforcement personnel every tool they need to defend us. And one of those essential tools is the PATRIOT Act, which allows Federal law enforcement to better share information to track terrorists, to disrupt their cells, and to seize their assets. For years, we have used similar provisions to catch embezzlers and drug traffickers. If these methods are good for hunting criminals, they are even more important for hunting terrorists. Key provisions of the PATRIOT Act are set to expire next year. The terrorist threat will not expire on that schedule. Our law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens. You need to renew the PATRIOT Act. America is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war. Last March, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, a mastermind of September the 11th, awoke to find himself in the custody of YOU.S. and Pakistani authorities. Last August the 11th brought the capture of the terrorist Hambali, who was a key player in the attack in Indonesia that killed over 200 people. We are tracking Al Qaida around the world, and nearly two-thirds of their known leaders have now been captured or killed. Thousands of very skilled and determined military personnel are on the manhunt, going after the remaining killers who hide in cities and caves, and one by one, we will bring these terrorists to justice. As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists and could supply them with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. The United States and our allies are determined: We refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger. The first to see our determination were the Taliban, who made Afghanistan the primary training base of Al Qaida killers. As of this month, that country has a new constitution guaranteeing free elections and full participation by women. Businesses are opening. Health care centers are being established, and the boys and girls of Afghanistan are back in school. With the help from the new Afghan army, our coalition is leading aggressive raids against the surviving members of the Taliban and Al Qaida. The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free and proud and fighting terror, and America is honored to be their friend. Since we last met in this Chamber, combat forces of the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Poland, and other countries enforced the demands of the United Nations, ended the rule of Saddam Hussein. And the people of Iraq are free. Having broken the Ba'athist regime, we face a remnant of violent Saddam supporters. Men who ran away from our troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows. These killers, joined by foreign terrorists, are a serious, continuing danger. Yet we are making progress against them. The once all-powerful ruler of Iraq was found in a hole and now sits in a prison cell. Of the top 55 officials of the former regime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are on the offensive, leading over 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week. We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein's evil regime. The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right. Last January, Iraq's only law was the whim of one brutal man. Today, our coalition is working with the Iraqi Governing Council to draft a basic law with a bill of rights. We are working with Iraqis and the United Nations to prepare for a transition to full Iraqi sovereignty by the end of June. As democracy takes hold in Iraq, the enemies of freedom will do all in their power to spread violence and fear. They are trying to shake the will of our country and our friends, but the United States of America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. The killers will fail, and the Iraqi people will live in freedom. Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future. And tonight we are honored to welcome one of Iraq's most respected leaders, the current President of the Iraqi Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi. Sir, America stands with you and the Iraqi people as you build a free and peaceful nation. Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better. Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime's weapons of mass destruction programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons. Colonel Qadhafi correctly judged that his country would be better off and far more secure without weapons of mass murder. Nine months of intense negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not. And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible, and no one can now doubt the word of America. Different threats require different strategies. Along with nations in the region, we are insisting that North Korea eliminate its nuclear program. America and the international community are demanding that Iran meet its commitments and not develop nuclear weapons. America is committed to keeping the world's most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous regimes. When I came to this rostrum on September the 20th, 2001, I brought the police shield of a fallen officer, my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end. I gave to you and to all Americans my complete commitment to securing our country and defeating our enemies. And this pledge, given by one, has been kept by many. You in the Congress have provided the resources for our defense and cast the difficult votes of war and peace. Our closest allies have been unwavering. America's intelligence personnel and diplomats have been skilled and tireless. And the men and women of the American military—they have taken the hardest duty. We have seen their skill and their courage in armored charges and midnight raids and lonely hours on faithful watch. We have seen the joy when they return and felt the sorrow when one is lost. I have had the honor of meeting our service men and women at many posts, from the deck of a carrier in the Pacific to a mess hall in Baghdad. Many of our troops are listening tonight, and I want you and your families to know: America is proud of you, and my administration and this Congress will give you the resources you need to fight and win the war on terror. I know that some people question if America is really in a war at all. They view terrorism more as a crime, a problem to be solved mainly with law enforcement and indictments. After the World Trade Center was first attacked in 1993, some of the guilty were indicted and tried and convicted and sent to prison. But the matter was not settled. The terrorists were still training and plotting in other nations and drawing up more ambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers. The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States, and war is what they got. Some in this Chamber and in our country did not support the liberation of Iraq. Objections to war often come from principled motives, but let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam Hussein in power. We are seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons-of-mass-destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day. Had we failed to act, Security Council resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening the United Nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world. Iraq's torture chambers would still be filled with victims, terrified and innocent. The killing fields of Iraq, where hundreds of thousands of men and women and children vanished into the sands, would still be known only to the killers. For all who love freedom and peace, the world without Saddam Hussein's regime is a better and safer place. Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands, Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq. As we debate at home, we must never ignore the vital contributions of our international partners or dismiss their sacrifices. From the beginning, America has sought international support for our operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we have gained much support. There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations and submitting to the objections of a few. America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country. We also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater Middle East, where freedom is rare. Yet it is mistaken and condescending to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom, and even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again. As long as the Middle East remains a place of tyranny and despair and anger, it will continue to produce men and movements that threaten the safety of America and our friends. So America is pursuing a forward strategy of freedom in the greater Middle East. We will challenge the enemies of reform, confront the allies of terror, and expect a higher standard from our friend. To cut through the barriers of hateful propaganda, the Voice of America and other broadcast services are expanding their programming in Arabic and Persian, and soon a new television service will begin providing reliable news and information across the region. I will send you a proposal to double the budget of the National Endowment for Democracy and to focus its new work on the development of free elections and free markets, free press, and free labor unions in the Middle East. And above all, we will finish the historic work of democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq so those nations can light the way for others and help transform a troubled part of the world. America is a nation with a mission, and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace, a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman. America acts in this because with friends and allies at our side, yet we understand our special calling: This great Republic will lead the because of freedom. In the last 3 years, adversity has also revealed the fundamental strengths of the American economy. We have come through recession and terrorist attack and corporate scandals and the uncertainties of war. And because you acted to stimulate our economy with tax relief, this economy is strong and growing stronger. You have doubled the child tax credit from 500 to $1,000, reduced the marriage penalty, begun to phase out the death tax, reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends, cut taxes on small businesses, and you have lowered taxes for every American who pays income taxes. Americans took those dollars and put them to work, driving this economy forward. The pace of economic growth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years; new home construction, the highest in almost 20 years; homeowner-ship rates, the highest ever. Manufacturing activity is increasing. Inflation is low. Interest rates are low. Exports are growing. Productivity is high, and jobs are on the rise. These numbers confirm that the American people are using their money far better than Government would have, and you were right to return it. America's growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive and workers need new skills. Much of our job growth will be found in high-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology. So we must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy. All skills begin with the basics of reading and math, which are supposed to be learned in the early grades of our schools. Yet for too long, for too many children, those skills were never mastered. By passing the No Child Left Behind Act, you have made the expectation of literacy the law of our country. We are providing more funding for our schools, a 36-percent increase since 2001. We are requiring higher standards. We are regularly testing every child on the fundamentals. We are reporting results to parents and making sure they have better options when schools are not performing. We are making progress toward excellence for every child in America. But the status quo always has defenders. Some want to undermine the No Child Left Behind Act by weakening standards and accountability. Yet the results we require are really a matter of common sense: We expect third graders to read and do math at the third grade level, and that is not asking too much. Testing is the only way to identify and help students who are falling behind. This Nation will not go back to the days of simply shuffling children along from grade to grade without them learning the basics. I refuse to give up on any child, and the No Child Left Behind Act is opening the door of opportunity to all of America's children. At the same time, we must ensure that older students and adults can gain the skills they need to find work now. Many of the fastest growing occupations require strong math and science preparation and training beyond the high school level. So tonight, I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century. This program will provide extra help to middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and math, expand advanced placement programs in low-income schools, invite math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high schools. I propose larger Pell grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school. I propose increasing our support for America's fine community colleges, so they can—I do so, so they can train workers for industries that are creating the most new jobs. By all these actions, we will help more and more Americans to join in the growing prosperity of our country. Job training is important, and so is job creation. We must continue to pursue an aggressive, progrowth economic agenda. Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes. The tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act, the unfair tax on marriage will go back up. Unless you act, millions of families will be charged $300 more in Federal taxes for every child. Unless you act, small businesses will pay higher taxes. Unless you act, the death tax will eventually come back to life. Unless you act, Americans face a tax increase. What Congress has given, the Congress should not take away. For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent. Our agenda for jobs and growth must help small-business owners and employees with relief from needless Federal regulation and protect them from junk and frivolous lawsuits. Consumers and businesses need reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run, so I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy. My administration is promoting free and fair trade to open up new markets for America's entrepreneurs and manufacturers and farmers, to create jobs for American workers. Younger workers should have the opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their Social Security taxes in a personal retirement account. We should make the Social Security system a source of ownership for the American people. And we should limit the burden of Government on this economy by acting as good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. In 2 weeks, I will send you a budget that funds the war, protects the homeland, and meets important domestic needs while limiting the growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent. This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut wasteful spending, and be wise with the people's money. By doing so, we can cut the deficit in half over the next 5 years. Tonight I also ask you to reform our immigration laws so they reflect our values and benefit our economy. I propose a new temporary-worker program to match willing foreign workers with willing employers when no Americans can be found to fill the job. This reform will be good for our economy because employers will find needed workers in an honest and orderly system. A temporary-worker program will help protect our homeland, allowing Border Patrol and law enforcement to focus on true threats to our national security. I oppose amnesty, because it would encourage further illegal immigration and unfairly reward those who break our laws. My temporary-worker program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law while bringing millions of hard-working men and women out from the shadows of American life. Our Nation's health care system, like our economy, is also in a time of change. Amazing medical technologies are improving and saving lives. This dramatic progress has brought its own challenge, in the rising costs of medical care and health insurance. Members of Congress, we must work together to help control those costs and extend the benefits of modern medicine throughout our country. Meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort, and 2 months ago, you showed the way. By strengthening Medicare and adding a prescription drug benefit, you kept a basic commitment to our seniors. You are giving them the modern medicine they deserve. Starting this year, under the law you passed, seniors can choose to receive a drug discount card, saving them 10 to 25 percent off the retail price of most prescription drugs, and millions of low-income seniors can get an additional $600 to buy medicine. Beginning next year, seniors will have new coverage for preventive screenings against diabetes and heart disease, and seniors just entering Medicare can receive wellness exams. In January of 2006, seniors can get prescription drug coverage under Medicare. For a monthly premium of about $35, most seniors who do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut roughly in half. Under this reform, senior citizens will be able to keep their Medicare just as it is, or they can choose a Medicare plan that fits them best, just as you, as Members of Congress, can choose an insurance plan that meets your needs. And starting this year, millions of Americans will be able to save money tax-free for their medical expenses in a health savings account. I signed this measure proudly, and any attempt to limit the choices of our seniors or to take away their prescription drug coverage under Medicare will meet my veto. On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs. Small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates, so they can cover more workers with health insurance. I urge you to pass association health plans. I ask you to give lower income Americans a refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health insurance. By computerizing health records, we can avoid dangerous medical mistakes, reduce costs, and improve care. To protect the doctor-patient relationship and keep good doctors doing good work, we must eliminate wasteful and frivolous medical lawsuits. And tonight I propose that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage as part of our new health savings accounts be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the premiums from their taxes. A Government-run health care system is the wrong prescription. By keeping costs under control, expanding access, and helping more Americans afford coverage, we will preserve the system of private medicine that makes America's health care the best in the world. We are living in a time of great change in our world, in our economy, in science and medicine. Yet some things endure: courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change, and they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions such as families and schools and religious congregations. These institutions, these unseen pillars of civilization, must remain strong in America, and we will defend them. We must stand with our families to help them raise healthy, responsible children. When it comes to helping children make right choices, there is work for all of us to do. One of the worst decisions our children can make is to gamble their lives and futures on drugs. Our Government is helping parents confront this problem with aggressive education, treatment, and law enforcement. Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the last 2 years. Four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in the year 2001. In my budget, I propose new funding to continue our aggressive, community-based strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs. Drug testing in our schools has proven to be an effective part of this effort. So tonight I propose an additional 23 million for schools that want to use drug testing as a tool to save children's lives. The aim here is not to punish children but to send them this message: We love you, and we do not want to lose you. To help children make right choices, they need good examples. Athletics play such an important role in our society, but unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example. The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message, that there are shortcuts to accomplishment and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now. To encourage right choices, we must be willing to confront the dangers young people face, even when they are difficult to talk about. Each year, about 3 million teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases that can harm them or kill them or prevent them from ever becoming parents. In my budget, I propose a grassroots campaign to help inform families about these medical risks. We will double Federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. Decisions children now make can affect their health and character for the rest of their lives. All of us, parents and schools and government, must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture and to send the right messages to our children. A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under Federal law as a union of a man and a woman and declares that one State may not redefine marriage for other States. Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our Nation must defend the sanctity of marriage. The outcome of this debate is important, and so is the way we conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight. It is also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the compassion of America's religious institutions. Religious charities of every creed are doing some of the most vital work in our country: mentoring children, feeding the hungry, taking the hand of the lonely. Yet Government has often denied social service grants and contracts to these groups, just because they have a cross or a Star of David or a crescent on the wall. By Executive order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again. In the past, we have worked together to bring mentors to children of prisoners and provide treatment for the addicted and help for the homeless. Tonight I ask you to consider another group of Americans in need of help. This year, some 600,000 inmates will be released from prison back into society. We know from long experience that if they cannot find work or a home or help, they are much more likely to commit crime and return to prison. So tonight I propose a 4-year, $300 million prisoner reentry initiative to expand job training and placement services, to provide transitional housing, and to help newly released prisoners get mentoring, including from faith-based groups. America is the land of second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life. For all Americans, the last 3 years have brought tests we did not ask for and achievements shared by all. By our actions, we have shown what kind of nation we are. In grief, we have found the grace to go on. In challenge, we rediscovered the courage and daring of a free people. In victory, we have shown the noble aims and good heart of America. And having come this far, we sense that we live in a time set apart. I have been witness to the character of the people of America, who have shown calm in times of danger, compassion for one another, and toughness for the long haul. All of us have been partners in a great enterprise. And even some of the youngest understand that we are living in historic times. Last month a girl in Lincoln, Rhode Island, sent me a letter. It began, "Dear George W. Bush. If there is anything you know I, Ashley Pearson, age 10, can do to help anyone, please send me a letter and tell me what I can do to save our country." She added this P.S.: "If you can send a letter to the troops, please put, 'Ashley Pearson believes in you."' Tonight, Ashley, your message to our troops has just been conveyed. And yes, you have some duties yourself: Study hard in school; listen to your mom or dad; help someone in need; and when you and your friends see a man or woman in uniform, say, "Thank you." And Ashley, while you do your part, all of us here in this great Chamber will do our best to keep you and the rest of America safe and free. My fellow citizens, we now move forward with confidence and faith. Our Nation is strong and steadfast. The because we serve is right, because it is the because of all mankind. The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable, and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true. May God continue to bless America.
speaker vice president cheney members of congress distinguished guests and fellow citizens america this evening is a nation called to great responsibilities and we are rising to meet them as we gather tonight hundreds of thousands of american service men and women are deployed across the world in the war on terror by bringing hope to the oppressed and delivering justice to the violent they are making america more secure each day law enforcement personnel and intelligence officers are tracking terrorist threats analysts are examining airline passenger lists the men and women of our new homeland security department are patrolling our coasts and borders and their vigilance is protecting america americans are proving once again to be the hardest working people in the world the american economy is growing stronger the tax relief you passed is working tonight members of congress can take pride in the great works of compassion and reform that skeptics had thought impossible you are raising the standards for our public schools and you are giving our senior citizens prescription drug coverage under medicare we have faced serious challenges together and now we face a choice we can go forward with confidence and resolve or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no threat to us we can press on with economic growth and reforms in education and medicare or we can turn back to old policies and old divisions we have not come all this way through tragedy and trial and war only to falter and leave our work unfinished americans are rising to the tasks of history and they expect the same from us in their efforts their enterprise and their character the american people are showing that the state of our union is confident and strong our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the american people months have passed since september the 11th 2 years without an attack on american soil and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us that hope is understandable and false the killing has continued in bali jakarta casablanca riyadh mombasa jerusalem istanbul and baghdad the terrorists continue to plot against america and the civilized world and by our will and courage this danger will be defeated inside the united states where the war began we must continue to give our homeland security and law enforcement personnel every tool they need to defend us and one of those essential tools is the patriot act which allows federal law enforcement to better share information to track terrorists to disrupt their cells and to seize their assets for years we have used similar provisions to catch embezzlers and drug traffickers if these methods are good for hunting criminals they are even more important for hunting terrorists key provisions of the patriot act are set to expire next year the terrorist threat will not expire on that schedule our law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens you need to renew the patriot act america is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war last march khalid sheik mohammed a mastermind of september the 11th awoke to find himself in the custody of and pakistani authorities last august the 11th brought the capture of the terrorist hambali who was a key player in the attack in indonesia that killed over 200 people we are tracking al qaida around the world and nearly of their known leaders have now been captured or killed thousands of very skilled and determined military personnel are on the manhunt going after the remaining killers who hide in cities and caves and one by one we will bring these terrorists to justice as part of the offensive against terror we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists and could supply them with nuclear chemical or biological weapons the united states and our allies are determined we refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger the first to see our determination were the taliban who made afghanistan the primary training base of al qaida killers as of this month that country has a new constitution guaranteeing free elections and full participation by women businesses are opening health care centers are being established and the boys and girls of afghanistan are back in school with the help from the new afghan army our coalition is leading aggressive raids against the surviving members of the taliban and al qaida the men and women of afghanistan are building a nation that is free and proud and fighting terror and america is honored to be their friend since we last met in this chamber combat forces of the united states great britain australia poland and other countries enforced the demands of the united nations ended the rule of saddam hussein and the people of iraq are free having broken the regime we face a remnant of violent saddam supporters men who ran away from our troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows these killers joined by foreign terrorists are a serious continuing danger yet we are making progress against them the once ruler of iraq was found in a hole and now sits in a prison cell of the top 55 officials of the former regime we have captured or killed 45 our forces are on the offensive leading over patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week we are dealing with these thugs in iraq just as surely as we dealt with saddam hussein evil regime the work of building a new iraq is hard and it is right and america has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right last january iraq only law was the whim of one brutal man today our coalition is working with the iraqi governing council to draft a basic law with a bill of rights we are working with iraqis and the united nations to prepare for a transition to full iraqi sovereignty by the end of june as democracy takes hold in iraq the enemies of freedom will do all in their power to spread violence and fear they are trying to shake the will of our country and our friends but the united states of america will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins the killers will fail and the iraqi people will live in freedom month by month iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future and tonight we are honored to welcome one of iraq most respected leaders the current president of the iraqi governing council adnan pachachi sir america stands with you and the iraqi people as you build a free and peaceful nation because of american leadership and resolve the world is changing for the better last month the leader of libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime weapons of mass destruction programs including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons colonel qadhafi correctly judged that his country would be better off and far more secure without weapons of mass murder nine months of intense negotiations involving the united states and great britain succeeded with libya while 12 years of diplomacy with iraq did not and one reason is clear for diplomacy to be effective words must be credible and no one can now doubt the word of america different threats require different strategies along with nations in the region we are insisting that north korea eliminate its nuclear program america and the international community are demanding that iran meet its commitments and not develop nuclear weapons america is committed to keeping the world most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous regimes when i came to this rostrum on september the 20th 2001 i brought the police shield of a fallen officer my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end i gave to you and to all americans my complete commitment to securing our country and defeating our enemies and this pledge given by one has been kept by many you in the congress have provided the resources for our defense and cast the difficult votes of war and peace our closest allies have been unwavering america intelligence personnel and diplomats have been skilled and tireless and the men and women of the american have taken the hardest duty we have seen their skill and their courage in armored charges and midnight raids and lonely hours on faithful watch we have seen the joy when they return and felt the sorrow when one is lost i have had the honor of meeting our service men and women at many posts from the deck of a carrier in the pacific to a mess hall in baghdad many of our troops are listening tonight and i want you and your families to know america is proud of you and my administration and this congress will give you the resources you need to fight and win the war on terror i know that some people question if america is really in a war at all they view terrorism more as a crime a problem to be solved mainly with law enforcement and indictments after the world trade center was first attacked in 1993 some of the guilty were indicted and tried and convicted and sent to prison but the matter was not settled the terrorists were still training and plotting in other nations and drawing up more ambitious plans after the chaos and carnage of september the 11th it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the united states and war is what they got some in this chamber and in our country did not support the liberation of iraq objections to war often come from principled motives but let us be candid about the consequences of leaving saddam hussein in power we are seeking all the facts already the kay report identified dozens of program activities and significant amounts of equipment that iraq concealed from the united nations had we failed to act the dictator weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day had we failed to act security council resolutions on iraq would have been revealed as empty threats weakening the united nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world iraq torture chambers would still be filled with victims terrified and innocent the killing fields of iraq where hundreds of thousands of men and women and children vanished into the sands would still be known only to the killers for all who love freedom and peace the world without saddam hussein regime is a better and safer place some critics have said our duties in iraq must be internationalized this particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in britain australia japan south korea the philippines thailand italy spain poland denmark hungary bulgaria ukraine romania the netherlands norway el salvador and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to iraq as we debate at home we must never ignore the vital contributions of our international partners or dismiss their sacrifices from the beginning america has sought international support for our operations in afghanistan and iraq and we have gained much support there is a difference however between leading a coalition of many nations and submitting to the objections of a few america will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country we also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater middle east where freedom is rare yet it is mistaken and condescending to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and i believe that god has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom and even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades it will rise again as long as the middle east remains a place of tyranny and despair and anger it will continue to produce men and movements that threaten the safety of america and our friends so america is pursuing a forward strategy of freedom in the greater middle east we will challenge the enemies of reform confront the allies of terror and expect a higher standard from our friend to cut through the barriers of hateful propaganda the voice of america and other broadcast services are expanding their programming in arabic and persian and soon a new television service will begin providing reliable news and information across the region i will send you a proposal to double the budget of the national endowment for democracy and to focus its new work on the development of free elections and free markets free press and free labor unions in the middle east and above all we will finish the historic work of democracy in afghanistan and iraq so those nations can light the way for others and help transform a troubled part of the world america is a nation with a mission and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs we have no desire to dominate no ambitions of empire our aim is a democratic peace a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman america acts in this because with friends and allies at our side yet we understand our special calling this great republic will lead the because of freedom in the last 3 years adversity has also revealed the fundamental strengths of the american economy we have come through recession and terrorist attack and corporate scandals and the uncertainties of war and because you acted to stimulate our economy with tax relief this economy is strong and growing stronger you have doubled the child tax credit from 500 to reduced the marriage penalty begun to phase out the death tax reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends cut taxes on small businesses and you have lowered taxes for every american who pays income taxes americans took those dollars and put them to work driving this economy forward the pace of economic growth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years new home construction the highest in almost 20 years rates the highest ever manufacturing activity is increasing inflation is low interest rates are low exports are growing productivity is high and jobs are on the rise these numbers confirm that the american people are using their money far better than government would have and you were right to return it america growing economy is also a changing economy as technology transforms the way almost every job is done america becomes more productive and workers need new skills much of our job growth will be found in fields like health care and biotechnology so we must respond by helping more americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy all skills begin with the basics of reading and math which are supposed to be learned in the early grades of our schools yet for too long for too many children those skills were never mastered by passing the no child left behind act you have made the expectation of literacy the law of our country we are providing more funding for our schools a increase since 2001 we are requiring higher standards we are regularly testing every child on the fundamentals we are reporting results to parents and making sure they have better options when schools are not performing we are making progress toward excellence for every child in america but the status quo always has defenders some want to undermine the no child left behind act by weakening standards and accountability yet the results we require are really a matter of common sense we expect third graders to read and do math at the third grade level and that is not asking too much testing is the only way to identify and help students who are falling behind this nation will not go back to the days of simply shuffling children along from grade to grade without them learning the basics i refuse to give up on any child and the no child left behind act is opening the door of opportunity to all of america children at the same time we must ensure that older students and adults can gain the skills they need to find work now many of the fastest growing occupations require strong math and science preparation and training beyond the high school level so tonight i propose a series of measures called jobs for the 21st century this program will provide extra help to middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and math expand advanced placement programs in schools invite math and science professionals from the private sector to teach in our high schools i propose larger pell grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school i propose increasing our support for america fine community colleges so they do so so they can train workers for industries that are creating the most new jobs by all these actions we will help more and more americans to join in the growing prosperity of our country job training is important and so is job creation we must continue to pursue an aggressive progrowth economic agenda congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes the tax reductions you passed are set to expire unless you act the unfair tax on marriage will go back up unless you act millions of families will be charged 300 more in federal taxes for every child unless you act small businesses will pay higher taxes unless you act the death tax will eventually come back to life unless you act americans face a tax increase what congress has given the congress should not take away for the sake of job growth the tax cuts you passed should be permanent our agenda for jobs and growth must help owners and employees with relief from needless federal regulation and protect them from junk and frivolous lawsuits consumers and businesses need reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run so i urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system promote conservation and make america less dependent on foreign sources of energy my administration is promoting free and fair trade to open up new markets for america entrepreneurs and manufacturers and farmers to create jobs for american workers younger workers should have the opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their social security taxes in a personal retirement account we should make the social security system a source of ownership for the american people and we should limit the burden of government on this economy by acting as good stewards of taxpayers dollars in 2 weeks i will send you a budget that funds the war protects the homeland and meets important domestic needs while limiting the growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent this will require that congress focus on priorities cut wasteful spending and be wise with the people money by doing so we can cut the deficit in half over the next 5 years tonight i also ask you to reform our immigration laws so they reflect our values and benefit our economy i propose a new program to match willing foreign workers with willing employers when no americans can be found to fill the job this reform will be good for our economy because employers will find needed workers in an honest and orderly system a program will help protect our homeland allowing border patrol and law enforcement to focus on true threats to our national security i oppose amnesty because it would encourage further illegal immigration and unfairly reward those who break our laws my program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law while bringing millions of men and women out from the shadows of american life our nation health care system like our economy is also in a time of change amazing medical technologies are improving and saving lives this dramatic progress has brought its own challenge in the rising costs of medical care and health insurance members of congress we must work together to help control those costs and extend the benefits of modern medicine throughout our country meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort and 2 months ago you showed the way by strengthening medicare and adding a prescription drug benefit you kept a basic commitment to our seniors you are giving them the modern medicine they deserve starting this year under the law you passed seniors can choose to receive a drug discount card saving them 10 to 25 percent off the retail price of most prescription drugs and millions of seniors can get an additional 600 to buy medicine beginning next year seniors will have new coverage for preventive screenings against diabetes and heart disease and seniors just entering medicare can receive wellness exams in january of 2006 seniors can get prescription drug coverage under medicare for a monthly premium of about 35 most seniors who do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut roughly in half under this reform senior citizens will be able to keep their medicare just as it is or they can choose a medicare plan that fits them best just as you as members of congress can choose an insurance plan that meets your needs and starting this year millions of americans will be able to save money for their medical expenses in a health savings account i signed this measure proudly and any attempt to limit the choices of our seniors or to take away their prescription drug coverage under medicare will meet my veto on the critical issue of health care our goal is to ensure that americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs to make insurance more affordable congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates so they can cover more workers with health insurance i urge you to pass association health plans i ask you to give lower income americans a refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health insurance by computerizing health records we can avoid dangerous medical mistakes reduce costs and improve care to protect the relationship and keep good doctors doing good work we must eliminate wasteful and frivolous medical lawsuits and tonight i propose that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage as part of our new health savings accounts be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the premiums from their taxes a health care system is the wrong prescription by keeping costs under control expanding access and helping more americans afford coverage we will preserve the system of private medicine that makes america health care the best in the world we are living in a time of great change in our world in our economy in science and medicine yet some things endure courage and compassion reverence and integrity respect for differences of faith and race the values we try to live by never change and they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions such as families and schools and religious congregations these institutions these unseen pillars of civilization must remain strong in america and we will defend them we must stand with our families to help them raise healthy responsible children when it comes to helping children make right choices there is work for all of us to do one of the worst decisions our children can make is to gamble their lives and futures on drugs our government is helping parents confront this problem with aggressive education treatment and law enforcement drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the last 2 years four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in the year 2001 in my budget i propose new funding to continue our aggressive strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs drug testing in our schools has proven to be an effective part of this effort so tonight i propose an additional 23 million for schools that want to use drug testing as a tool to save children lives the aim here is not to punish children but to send them this message we love you and we do not want to lose you to help children make right choices they need good examples athletics play such an important role in our society but unfortunately some in professional sports are not setting much of an example the use of drugs like steroids in baseball football and other sports is dangerous and it sends the wrong message that there are shortcuts to accomplishment and that performance is more important than character so tonight i call on team owners union representatives coaches and players to take the lead to send the right signal to get tough and to get rid of steroids now to encourage right choices we must be willing to confront the dangers young people face even when they are difficult to talk about each year about 3 million teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases that can harm them or kill them or prevent them from ever becoming parents in my budget i propose a grassroots campaign to help inform families about these medical risks we will double federal funding for abstinence programs so schools can teach this fact of life abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases decisions children now make can affect their health and character for the rest of their lives all of us parents and schools and government must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture and to send the right messages to our children a strong america must also value the institution of marriage i believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental enduring institutions of our civilization congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the defense of marriage act signed in 1996 by president clinton that statute protects marriage under federal law as a union of a man and a woman and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states activist judges however have begun redefining marriage by court order without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives on an issue of such great consequence the people voice must be heard if judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage the outcome of this debate is important and so is the way we conduct it the same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in god sight it is also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the compassion of america religious institutions religious charities of every creed are doing some of the most vital work in our country mentoring children feeding the hungry taking the hand of the lonely yet government has often denied social service grants and contracts to these groups just because they have a cross or a star of david or a crescent on the wall by executive order i have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes charities tonight i ask you to codify this into law so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again in the past we have worked together to bring mentors to children of prisoners and provide treatment for the addicted and help for the homeless tonight i ask you to consider another group of americans in need of help this year some inmates will be released from prison back into society we know from long experience that if they can not find work or a home or help they are much more likely to commit crime and return to prison so tonight i propose a 300 million prisoner reentry initiative to expand job training and placement services to provide transitional housing and to help newly released prisoners get mentoring including from groups america is the land of second chance and when the gates of the prison open the path ahead should lead to a better life for all americans the last 3 years have brought tests we did not ask for and achievements shared by all by our actions we have shown what kind of nation we are in grief we have found the grace to go on in challenge we rediscovered the courage and daring of a free people in victory we have shown the noble aims and good heart of america and having come this far we sense that we live in a time set apart i have been witness to the character of the people of america who have shown calm in times of danger compassion for one another and toughness for the long haul all of us have been partners in a great enterprise and even some of the youngest understand that we are living in historic times last month a girl in lincoln rhode island sent me a letter it began dear george bush if there is anything you know i ashley pearson age 10 can do to help anyone please send me a letter and tell me what i can do to save our country she added this if you can send a letter to the troops please put pearson believes in you tonight ashley your message to our troops has just been conveyed and yes you have some duties yourself study hard in school listen to your mom or dad help someone in need and when you and your friends see a man or woman in uniform say thank you and ashley while you do your part all of us here in this great chamber will do our best to keep you and the rest of america safe and free my fellow citizens we now move forward with confidence and faith our nation is strong and steadfast the because we serve is right because it is the because of all mankind the momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable and it is not carried forward by our power alone we can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years and in all that is to come we can know that his purposes are just and true may god continue to bless america
speaker vice president cheney members congress distinguished guests fellow citizens america evening nation called great responsibilities rising meet gather tonight hundreds thousands american service men women deployed across world war terror bringing hope oppressed delivering justice violent making america secure day law enforcement personnel intelligence officers tracking terrorist threats analysts examining airline passenger lists men women new homeland security department patrolling coasts borders vigilance protecting america americans proving hardest working people world american economy growing stronger tax relief passed working tonight members congress take pride great works compassion reform skeptics thought impossible raising standards public schools giving senior citizens prescription drug coverage medicare faced serious challenges together face choice go forward confidence resolve turn back dangerous illusion terrorists plotting outlaw regimes threat us press economic growth reforms education medicare turn back old policies old divisions come way tragedy trial war falter leave work unfinished americans rising tasks history expect us efforts enterprise character american people showing state union confident strong greatest responsibility active defense american people months passed since september 11th 2 years without attack american soil tempting believe danger behind us hope understandable false killing continued bali jakarta casablanca riyadh mombasa jerusalem istanbul baghdad terrorists continue plot america civilized world courage danger defeated inside united states war began must continue give homeland security law enforcement personnel every tool need defend us one essential tools patriot act allows federal law enforcement better share information track terrorists disrupt cells seize assets years used similar provisions catch embezzlers drug traffickers methods good hunting criminals even important hunting terrorists key provisions patriot act set expire next year terrorist threat expire schedule law enforcement needs vital legislation protect citizens need renew patriot act america offensive terrorists started war last march khalid sheik mohammed mastermind september 11th awoke find custody pakistani authorities last august 11th brought capture terrorist hambali key player attack indonesia killed 200 people tracking al qaida around world nearly known leaders captured killed thousands skilled determined military personnel manhunt going remaining killers hide cities caves one one bring terrorists justice part offensive terror also confronting regimes harbor support terrorists could supply nuclear chemical biological weapons united states allies determined refuse live shadow ultimate danger first see determination taliban made afghanistan primary training base al qaida killers month country new constitution guaranteeing free elections full participation women businesses opening health care centers established boys girls afghanistan back school help new afghan army coalition leading aggressive raids surviving members taliban al qaida men women afghanistan building nation free proud fighting terror america honored friend since last met chamber combat forces united states great britain australia poland countries enforced demands united nations ended rule saddam hussein people iraq free broken regime face remnant violent saddam supporters men ran away troops battle dispersed attack shadows killers joined foreign terrorists serious continuing danger yet making progress ruler iraq found hole sits prison cell top 55 officials former regime captured killed 45 forces offensive leading patrols day conducting average 180 raids week dealing thugs iraq surely dealt saddam hussein evil regime work building new iraq hard right america always willing takes right last january iraq law whim one brutal man today coalition working iraqi governing council draft basic law bill rights working iraqis united nations prepare transition full iraqi sovereignty end june democracy takes hold iraq enemies freedom power spread violence fear trying shake country friends united states america never intimidated thugs assassins killers fail iraqi people live freedom month month iraqis assuming responsibility security future tonight honored welcome one iraq respected leaders current president iraqi governing council adnan pachachi sir america stands iraqi people build free peaceful nation american leadership resolve world changing better last month leader libya voluntarily pledged disclose dismantle regime weapons mass destruction programs including uranium enrichment project nuclear weapons colonel qadhafi correctly judged country would better far secure without weapons mass murder nine months intense negotiations involving united states great britain succeeded libya 12 years diplomacy iraq one reason clear diplomacy effective words must credible one doubt word america different threats require different strategies along nations region insisting north korea eliminate nuclear program america international community demanding iran meet commitments develop nuclear weapons america committed keeping world dangerous weapons hands dangerous regimes came rostrum september 20th 2001 brought police shield fallen officer reminder lives ended task end gave americans complete commitment securing country defeating enemies pledge given one kept many congress provided resources defense cast difficult votes war peace closest allies unwavering america intelligence personnel diplomats skilled tireless men women american taken hardest duty seen skill courage armored charges midnight raids lonely hours faithful watch seen joy return felt sorrow one lost honor meeting service men women many posts deck carrier pacific mess hall baghdad many troops listening tonight want families know america proud administration congress give resources need fight win war terror know people question america really war view terrorism crime problem solved mainly law enforcement indictments world trade center first attacked 1993 guilty indicted tried convicted sent prison matter settled terrorists still training plotting nations drawing ambitious plans chaos carnage september 11th enough serve enemies legal papers terrorists supporters declared war united states war got chamber country support liberation iraq objections war often come principled motives let us candid consequences leaving saddam hussein power seeking facts already kay report identified dozens program activities significant amounts equipment iraq concealed united nations failed act dictator weapons mass destruction programs would continue day failed act security council resolutions iraq would revealed empty threats weakening united nations encouraging defiance dictators around world iraq torture chambers would still filled victims terrified innocent killing fields iraq hundreds thousands men women children vanished sands would still known killers love freedom peace world without saddam hussein regime better safer place critics said duties iraq must internationalized particular criticism hard explain partners britain australia japan south korea philippines thailand italy spain poland denmark hungary bulgaria ukraine romania netherlands norway el salvador 17 countries committed troops iraq debate home must never ignore vital contributions international partners dismiss sacrifices beginning america sought international support operations afghanistan iraq gained much support difference however leading coalition many nations submitting objections america never seek permission slip defend security country also hear doubts democracy realistic goal greater middle east freedom rare yet mistaken condescending assume whole cultures great religions incompatible liberty believe god planted every human heart desire live freedom even desire crushed tyranny decades rise long middle east remains place tyranny despair anger continue produce men movements threaten safety america friends america pursuing forward strategy freedom greater middle east challenge enemies reform confront allies terror expect higher standard friend cut barriers hateful propaganda voice america broadcast services expanding programming arabic persian soon new television service begin providing reliable news information across region send proposal double budget national endowment democracy focus new work development free elections free markets free press free labor unions middle east finish historic work democracy afghanistan iraq nations light way others help transform troubled part world america nation mission mission comes basic beliefs desire dominate ambitions empire aim democratic peace peace founded upon dignity rights every man woman america acts friends allies side yet understand special calling great republic lead freedom last 3 years adversity also revealed fundamental strengths american economy come recession terrorist attack corporate scandals uncertainties war acted stimulate economy tax relief economy strong growing stronger doubled child tax credit 500 reduced marriage penalty begun phase death tax reduced taxes capital gains stock dividends cut taxes small businesses lowered taxes every american pays income taxes americans took dollars put work driving economy forward pace economic growth third quarter 2003 fastest nearly 20 years new home construction highest almost 20 years rates highest ever manufacturing activity increasing inflation low interest rates low exports growing productivity high jobs rise numbers confirm american people using money far better government would right return america growing economy also changing economy technology transforms way almost every job done america becomes productive workers need new skills much job growth found fields like health care biotechnology must respond helping americans gain skills find good jobs new economy skills begin basics reading math supposed learned early grades schools yet long many children skills never mastered passing child left behind act made expectation literacy law country providing funding schools increase since 2001 requiring higher standards regularly testing every child fundamentals reporting results parents making sure better options schools performing making progress toward excellence every child america status quo always defenders want undermine child left behind act weakening standards accountability yet results require really matter common sense expect third graders read math third grade level asking much testing way identify help students falling behind nation go back days simply shuffling children along grade grade without learning basics refuse give child child left behind act opening door opportunity america children time must ensure older students adults gain skills need find work many fastest growing occupations require strong math science preparation training beyond high school level tonight propose series measures called jobs 21st century program provide extra help middle high school students fall behind reading math expand advanced placement programs schools invite math science professionals private sector teach high schools propose larger pell grants students prepare college demanding courses high school propose increasing support america fine community colleges train workers industries creating new jobs actions help americans join growing prosperity country job training important job creation must continue pursue aggressive progrowth economic agenda congress unfinished business issue taxes tax reductions passed set expire unless act unfair tax marriage go back unless act millions families charged 300 federal taxes every child unless act small businesses pay higher taxes unless act death tax eventually come back life unless act americans face tax increase congress given congress take away sake job growth tax cuts passed permanent agenda jobs growth must help owners employees relief needless federal regulation protect junk frivolous lawsuits consumers businesses need reliable supplies energy make economy run urge pass legislation modernize electricity system promote conservation make america less dependent foreign sources energy administration promoting free fair trade open new markets america entrepreneurs manufacturers farmers create jobs american workers younger workers opportunity build nest egg saving part social security taxes personal retirement account make social security system source ownership american people limit burden government economy acting good stewards taxpayers dollars 2 weeks send budget funds war protects homeland meets important domestic needs limiting growth discretionary spending less 4 percent require congress focus priorities cut wasteful spending wise people money cut deficit half next 5 years tonight also ask reform immigration laws reflect values benefit economy propose new program match willing foreign workers willing employers americans found fill job reform good economy employers find needed workers honest orderly system program help protect homeland allowing border patrol law enforcement focus true threats national security oppose amnesty would encourage illegal immigration unfairly reward break laws program preserve citizenship path respect law bringing millions men women shadows american life nation health care system like economy also time change amazing medical technologies improving saving lives dramatic progress brought challenge rising costs medical care health insurance members congress must work together help control costs extend benefits modern medicine throughout country meeting goals requires bipartisan effort 2 months ago showed way strengthening medicare adding prescription drug benefit kept basic commitment seniors giving modern medicine deserve starting year law passed seniors choose receive drug discount card saving 10 25 percent retail price prescription drugs millions seniors get additional 600 buy medicine beginning next year seniors new coverage preventive screenings diabetes heart disease seniors entering medicare receive wellness exams january 2006 seniors get prescription drug coverage medicare monthly premium 35 seniors coverage today expect see drug bills cut roughly half reform senior citizens able keep medicare choose medicare plan fits best members congress choose insurance plan meets needs starting year millions americans able save money medical expenses health savings account signed measure proudly attempt limit choices seniors take away prescription drug coverage medicare meet veto critical issue health care goal ensure americans choose afford private health care coverage best fits individual needs make insurance affordable congress must act address rapidly rising health care costs small businesses able band together negotiate lower insurance rates cover workers health insurance urge pass association health plans ask give lower income americans refundable tax credit would allow millions buy basic health insurance computerizing health records avoid dangerous medical mistakes reduce costs improve care protect relationship keep good doctors good work must eliminate wasteful frivolous medical lawsuits tonight propose individuals buy catastrophic health care coverage part new health savings accounts allowed deduct 100 percent premiums taxes health care system wrong prescription keeping costs control expanding access helping americans afford coverage preserve system private medicine makes america health care best world living time great change world economy science medicine yet things endure courage compassion reverence integrity respect differences faith race values try live never change instilled us fundamental institutions families schools religious congregations institutions unseen pillars civilization must remain strong america defend must stand families help raise healthy responsible children comes helping children make right choices work us one worst decisions children make gamble lives futures drugs government helping parents confront problem aggressive education treatment law enforcement drug use high school declined 11 percent last 2 years four hundred thousand fewer young people using illegal drugs year 2001 budget propose new funding continue aggressive strategy reduce demand illegal drugs drug testing schools proven effective part effort tonight propose additional 23 million schools want use drug testing tool save children lives aim punish children send message love want lose help children make right choices need good examples athletics play important role society unfortunately professional sports setting much example use drugs like steroids baseball football sports dangerous sends wrong message shortcuts accomplishment performance important character tonight call team owners union representatives coaches players take lead send right signal get tough get rid steroids encourage right choices must willing confront dangers young people face even difficult talk year 3 million teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases harm kill prevent ever becoming parents budget propose grassroots campaign help inform families medical risks double federal funding abstinence programs schools teach fact life abstinence young people certain way avoid sexually transmitted diseases decisions children make affect health character rest lives us parents schools government must work together counter negative influence culture send right messages children strong america must also value institution marriage believe respect individuals take principled stand one fundamental enduring institutions civilization congress already taken stand issue passing defense marriage act signed 1996 president clinton statute protects marriage federal law union man woman declares one state may redefine marriage states activist judges however begun redefining marriage court order without regard people elected representatives issue great consequence people voice must heard judges insist forcing arbitrary upon people alternative left people would constitutional process nation must defend sanctity marriage outcome debate important way conduct moral tradition defines marriage also teaches individual dignity value god sight also important strengthen communities unleashing compassion america religious institutions religious charities every creed vital work country mentoring children feeding hungry taking hand lonely yet government often denied social service grants contracts groups cross star david crescent wall executive order opened billions dollars grant money competition includes charities tonight ask codify law people faith know law never discriminate past worked together bring mentors children prisoners provide treatment addicted help homeless tonight ask consider another group americans need help year inmates released prison back society know long experience find work home help much likely commit crime return prison tonight propose 300 million prisoner reentry initiative expand job training placement services provide transitional housing help newly released prisoners get mentoring including groups america land second chance gates prison open path ahead lead better life americans last 3 years brought tests ask achievements shared actions shown kind nation grief found grace go challenge rediscovered courage daring free people victory shown noble aims good heart america come far sense live time set apart witness character people america shown calm times danger compassion one another toughness long haul us partners great enterprise even youngest understand living historic times last month girl lincoln rhode island sent letter began dear george bush anything know ashley pearson age 10 help anyone please send letter tell save country added send letter troops please put pearson believes tonight ashley message troops conveyed yes duties study hard school listen mom dad help someone need friends see man woman uniform say thank ashley part us great chamber best keep rest america safe free fellow citizens move forward confidence faith nation strong steadfast serve right mankind momentum freedom world unmistakable carried forward power alone trust greater power guides unfolding years come know purposes true may god continue bless america
speaker vice president cheney member congress distinguished guest fellow citizen america even nation call great responsibility rise meet gather tonight hundred thousand american service men woman deploy across world war terror bring hope oppress deliver justice violent make america secure day law enforcement personnel intelligence officer track terrorist threat analyst examine airline passenger list men woman new homeland security department patrol coast border vigilance protect america american prove hard work people world american economy grow strong tax relief pass work tonight member congress take pride great work compassion reform skeptic think impossible raise standard public school give senior citizen prescription drug coverage medicare face serious challenge together face choice go forward confidence resolve turn back dangerous illusion terrorist plot outlaw regime threat u press economic growth reform education medicare turn back old policy old division come way tragedy trial war falter leave work unfinished american rise task history expect u effort enterprise character american people show state union confident strong great responsibility active defense american people month pass since september 11th 2 year without attack american soil tempt believe danger behind u hope understandable false kill continued bali jakarta casablanca riyadh mombasa jerusalem istanbul baghdad terrorist continue plot america civilize world courage danger defeat inside united state war begin must continue give homeland security law enforcement personnel every tool need defend u one essential tool patriot act allow federal law enforcement well share information track terrorists disrupt cell seize asset year use similar provision catch embezzler drug trafficker method good hunting criminal even important hunting terrorist key provision patriot act set expire next year terrorist threat expire schedule law enforcement need vital legislation protect citizen need renew patriot act america offensive terrorist start war last march khalid sheik mohammed mastermind september 11th awoke find custody pakistani authority last august 11th brought capture terrorist hambali key player attack indonesia kill 200 people track al qaida around world nearly know leader capture kill thousand skilled determined military personnel manhunt go remain killer hide city cave one one bring terrorist justice part offensive terror also confront regime harbor support terrorist could supply nuclear chemical biological weapon united state ally determine refuse live shadow ultimate danger first see determination taliban make afghanistan primary training base al qaida killer month country new constitution guarantee free election full participation woman business open health care center establish boys girl afghanistan back school help new afghan army coalition lead aggressive raid survive member taliban al qaida men woman afghanistan build nation free proud fight terror america honor friend since last met chamber combat force united state great britain australia poland country enforce demand united nation end rule saddam hussein people iraq free broken regime face remnant violent saddam supporter men run away troops battle disperse attack shadow killer join foreign terrorist serious continue danger yet make progress ruler iraq find hole sits prison cell top 55 official former regime capture kill 45 force offensive leading patrol day conduct average 180 raid week deal thug iraq surely dealt saddam hussein evil regime work build new iraq hard right america always willing take right last january iraq law whim one brutal man today coalition work iraqi govern council draft basic law bill right work iraqi united nation prepare transition full iraqi sovereignty end june democracy take hold iraq enemy freedom power spread violence fear try shake country friend united state america never intimidate thug assassins killer fail iraqi people live freedom month month iraqi assume responsibility security future tonight honor welcome one iraq respect leader current president iraqi govern council adnan pachachi sir america stand iraqi people build free peaceful nation american leadership resolve world change well last month leader libya voluntarily pledge disclose dismantle regime weapon mass destruction program include uranium enrichment project nuclear weapon colonel qadhafi correctly judged country would better far secure without weapon mass murder nine month intense negotiation involve united state great britain succeed libya 12 year diplomacy iraq one reason clear diplomacy effective word must credible one doubt word america different threat require different strategy along nation region insist north korea eliminate nuclear program america international community demand iran meet commitment develop nuclear weapon america commit keep world dangerous weapon hand dangerous regime come rostrum september 20th 2001 brought police shield fallen officer reminder live end task end give american complete commitment secure country defeat enemy pledge give one keep many congress provide resource defense cast difficult vote war peace closest ally unwavering america intelligence personnel diplomat skilled tireless men woman american take hard duty see skill courage armor charge midnight raid lonely hour faithful watch see joy return felt sorrow one lose honor meeting service men woman many post deck carrier pacific mess hall baghdad many troop listen tonight want family know america proud administration congress give resource need fight win war terror know people question america really war view terrorism crime problem solve mainly law enforcement indictment world trade center first attack 1993 guilty indict tried convict sent prison matter settle terrorist still train plot nation draw ambitious plan chaos carnage september 11th enough serve enemy legal paper terrorists supporter declare war united state war get chamber country support liberation iraq objection war often come principled motif let u candid consequence leave saddam hussein power seek fact already kay report identify dozens program activity significant amount equipment iraq conceal united nation fail act dictator weapon mass destruction program would continue day fail act security council resolution iraq would reveal empty threat weaken united nation encourage defiance dictator around world iraq torture chamber would still fill victim terrify innocent kill field iraq hundred thousand men woman child vanish sand would still know killer love freedom peace world without saddam hussein regime well safer place critic say duty iraq must internationalize particular criticism hard explain partner britain australia japan south korea philippine thailand italy spain poland denmark hungary bulgaria ukraine romania netherlands norway el salvador 17 country commit troop iraq debate home must never ignore vital contribution international partner dismiss sacrifice begin america seek international support operation afghanistan iraq gain much support difference however leading coalition many nation submit objection america never seek permission slip defend security country also hear doubt democracy realistic goal great middle east freedom rare yet mistake condescending assume whole culture great religion incompatible liberty believe god plant every human heart desire live freedom even desire crush tyranny decade rise long middle east remain place tyranny despair anger continue produce men movement threaten safety america friend america pursue forward strategy freedom great middle east challenge enemy reform confront ally terror expect high standard friend cut barrier hateful propaganda voice america broadcast service expand program arabic persian soon new television service begin provide reliable news information across region send proposal double budget national endowment democracy focus new work development free election free market free press free labor union middle east finish historic work democracy afghanistan iraq nation light way others help transform troubled part world america nation mission mission come basic belief desire dominate ambition empire aim democratic peace peace found upon dignity right every man woman america act friends ally side yet understand special call great republic lead freedom last 3 year adversity also reveal fundamental strengths american economy come recession terrorist attack corporate scandal uncertainty war act stimulate economy tax relief economy strong grow strong double child tax credit 500 reduced marriage penalty begin phase death tax reduce tax capital gain stock dividend cut tax small business lower tax every american pay income tax american take dollar put work drive economy forward pace economic growth third quarter 2003 fast nearly 20 year new home construction high almost 20 year rate high ever manufacture activity increase inflation low interest rate low export grow productivity high job rise number confirm american people use money far well government would right return america grow economy also change economy technology transform way almost every job do america becomes productive worker need new skill much job growth find field like health care biotechnology must respond help american gain skill find good job new economy skill begin basic read math suppose learn early grade school yet long many child skill never master pass child leave behind act make expectation literacy law country provide funding school increase since 2001 require high standard regularly test every child fundamental report result parent make sure good option school perform make progress toward excellence every child america status quo always defender want undermine child leave behind act weakening standard accountability yet result require really matter common sense expect third grader read math third grade level ask much test way identify help student fall behind nation go back day simply shuffle child along grade grade without learn basic refuse give child child leave behind act open door opportunity america child time must ensure old student adult gain skill need find work many fast grow occupation require strong math science preparation train beyond high school level tonight propose series measure call job 21st century program provide extra help middle high school student fall behind read math expand advance placement program school invite math science professional private sector teach high school propose large pell grant student prepare college demanding course high school propose increase support america fine community college train worker industry create new job action help american join grow prosperity country job train important job creation must continue pursue aggressive progrowth economic agenda congress unfinished business issue tax tax reduction pass set expire unless act unfair tax marriage go back unless act million family charge 300 federal tax every child unless act small business pay high tax unless act death tax eventually come back life unless act american face tax increase congress give congress take away sake job growth tax cut pass permanent agenda job growth must help owner employee relief needless federal regulation protect junk frivolous lawsuit consumer business need reliable supply energy make economy run urge pas legislation modernize electricity system promote conservation make america less dependent foreign source energy administration promote free fair trade open new market america entrepreneurs manufacturer farmer create job american worker young worker opportunity build nest egg save part social security tax personal retirement account make social security system source ownership american people limit burden government economy act good steward taxpayer dollar 2 week send budget fund war protects homeland meet important domestic need limit growth discretionary spending less 4 percent require congress focus priority cut wasteful spending wise people money cut deficit half next 5 year tonight also ask reform immigration law reflect value benefit economy propose new program match willing foreign worker willing employer american find fill job reform good economy employer find needed worker honest orderly system program help protect homeland allow border patrol law enforcement focus true threat national security oppose amnesty would encourage illegal immigration unfairly reward break law program preserve citizenship path respect law bring million men woman shadow american life nation health care system like economy also time change amaze medical technology improve save life dramatic progress bring challenge rising cost medical care health insurance member congress must work together help control cost extend benefit modern medicine throughout country meeting goal require bipartisan effort 2 month ago show way strengthen medicare add prescription drug benefit keep basic commitment senior give modern medicine deserve start year law pass senior choose receive drug discount card save 10 25 percent retail price prescription drug million senior get additional 600 buy medicine begin next year senior new coverage preventive screening diabetes heart disease senior enter medicare receive wellness exam january 2006 senior get prescription drug coverage medicare monthly premium 35 senior coverage today expect see drug bill cut roughly half reform senior citizen able keep medicare choose medicare plan fit best member congress choose insurance plan meet need start year million americans able save money medical expense health saving account signed measure proudly attempt limit choice senior take away prescription drug coverage medicare meet veto critical issue health care goal ensure american choose afford private health care coverage best fit individual need make insurance affordable congress must act address rapidly rise health care cost small business able band together negotiate low insurance rate cover worker health insurance urge pas association health plan ask give low income american refundable tax credit would allow million buy basic health insurance computerize health record avoid dangerous medical mistake reduce cost improve care protect relationship keep good doctor good work must eliminate wasteful frivolous medical lawsuit tonight propose individual buy catastrophic health care coverage part new health saving account allow deduct 100 percent premium tax health care system wrong prescription keep cost control expand access help american afford coverage preserve system private medicine make america health care best world living time great change world economy science medicine yet thing endure courage compassion reverence integrity respect difference faith race value try live never change instill u fundamental institution family school religious congregation institution unseen pillar civilization must remain strong america defend must stand family help raise healthy responsible child come help child make right choice work u one bad decision child make gamble life future drug government help parent confront problem aggressive education treatment law enforcement drug use high school decline 11 percent last 2 year four hundred thousand fewer young people use illegal drug year 2001 budget propose new funding continue aggressive strategy reduce demand illegal drug drug testing school proven effective part effort tonight propose additional 23 million school want use drug test tool save child live aim punish child send message love want lose help child make right choice need good example athletics play important role society unfortunately professional sport set much example use drug like steroid baseball football sport dangerous sends wrong message shortcut accomplishment performance important character tonight call team owner union representative coach player take lead send right signal get tough get rid steroid encourage right choice must willing confront danger young people face even difficult talk year 3 million teenager contract sexually transmit disease harm kill prevent ever become parent budget propose grassroots campaign help inform family medical risk double federal funding abstinence program school teach fact life abstinence young people certain way avoid sexually transmit disease decision child make affect health character rest live u parent school government must work together counter negative influence culture send right message child strong america must also value institution marriage believe respect individual take principled stand one fundamental endure institution civilization congress already take stand issue passing defense marriage act sign 1996 president clinton statute protect marriage federal law union man woman declare one state may redefine marriage state activist judge however begin redefine marriage court order without regard people elect representative issue great consequence people voice must hear judge insist force arbitrary upon people alternative left people would constitutional process nation must defend sanctity marriage outcome debate important way conduct moral tradition defines marriage also teach individual dignity value god sight also important strengthen community unleash compassion america religious institution religious charity every creed vital work country mentor child feed hungry take hand lonely yet government often deny social service grant contract group cross star david crescent wall executive order open billion dollar grant money competition include charity tonight ask codify law people faith know law never discriminate past work together bring mentor child prisoner provide treatment addict help homeless tonight ask consider another group americans need help year inmate release prison back society know long experience find work home help much likely commit crime return prison tonight propose 300 million prisoner reentry initiative expand job training placement service provide transitional housing help newly release prisoner get mentor include group america land second chance gate prison open path ahead lead good life american last 3 year bring test ask achievement share action show kind nation grief find grace go challenge rediscover courage dare free people victory show noble aim good heart america come far sense live time set apart witness character people america show calm time danger compassion one another toughness long haul u partner great enterprise even young understand live historic time last month girl lincoln rhode island send letter begin dear george bush anything know ashley pearson age 10 help anyone please send letter tell save country add send letter troop please put pearson believe tonight ashley message troop convey yes duty study hard school listen mom dad help someone need friend see man woman uniform say thank ashley part u great chamber best keep rest america safe free fellow citizen move forward confidence faith nation strong steadfast serve right mankind momentum freedom world unmistakable carry forward power alone trust great power guide unfolding year come know purpose true may god continue bless america