Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the United States Congress: I return as a former President of the Senate and a former Member of this great House. And now, as President, it is my privilege to report to you on the state of the Union. Tonight I come not to speak about the state of the Government, not to detail every new initiative we plan for the coming year nor to describe every line in the budget. I'm here to speak to you and to the American people about the state of the Union, about our world -- the changes we've seen, the challenges we face -- and what that means for America. There are singular moments in history, dates that divide all that goes before from all that comes after. And many of us in this Chamber have lived much of our lives in a world whose fundamental features were defined in 1945; and the events of that year decreed the shape of nations, the pace of progress, freedom or oppression for millions of people around the world. Nineteen forty-five provided the common frame of reference, the compass points of the postwar era we've relied upon to understand ourselves. And that was our world, until now. The events of the year just ended, the Revolution of '89, have been a chain reaction, changes so striking that it marks the beginning of a new era in the world's affairs. Think back -- think back just 12 short months ago to the world we knew as 1989 began. One year -- one year ago, the people of Panama lived in fear, under the thumb of a dictator. Today democracy is restored; Panama is free. Operation Just Cause has achieved its objective. The number of military personnel in Panama is now very close to what it was before the operation began. And tonight I am announcing that well before the end of February, the additional numbers of American troops, the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made this mission a success, will be back home. A year ago in Poland, Lech Walesa declared that he was ready to open a dialog with the Communist rulers of that country; and today, with the future of a free Poland in their own hands, members of Solidarity lead the Polish Government. A year ago, freedom's playwright, Vaclav Havel, languished as a prisoner in Prague. And today it's Vaclav Havel, President of Czechoslovakia. And 1 year ago, Erich Honecker of East Germany claimed history as his guide, and he predicted the Berlin Wall would last another hundred years. And today, less than 1 year later, it's the Wall that's history. Remarkable events -- events that fulfill the long-held hopes of the American people; events that validate the longstanding goals of American policy, a policy based on a single, shining principle: the cause of freedom. America, not just the nation but an idea, alive in the minds of people everywhere. As this new world takes shape, America stands at the center of a widening circle of freedom -- today, tomorrow, and into the next century. Our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who ever set foot on these shores, and the millions still struggling to be free. This nation, this idea called America, was and always will be a new world -- our new world. At a workers' rally, in a place called Branik on the outskirts of Prague, the idea called America is alive. A worker, dressed in grimy overalls, rises to speak at the factory gates. He begins his speech to his fellow citizens with these words, words of a distant revolution: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It's no secret that here at home freedom's door opened long ago. The cornerstones of this free society have already been set in place: democracy, competition, opportunity, private investment, stewardship, and of course leadership. And our challenge today is to take this democratic system of ours, a system second to none, and make it better: a better America, where there's a job for everyone who wants one; where women working outside the home can be confident their children are in safe and loving care and where government works to expand child-care alternatives for parents; where we reconcile the needs of a clean environment and a strong economy; where "Made in the USA" is recognized around the world as the symbol of quality and progress; where every one of us enjoys the same opportunities to live, to work, and to contribute to society and where, for the first time, the American mainstream includes all of our disabled citizens; where everyone has a roof over his head and where the homeless get the help they need to live in dignity; where our schools challenge and support our kids and our teachers and where all of them make the grade; where every street, every city, every school, and every child is drug-free; and finally, where no American is forgotten -- our hearts go out to our hostages who are ceaselessly on our minds and in our efforts. That's part of the future we want to see, the future we can make for ourselves, but dreams alone won't get us there. We need to extend our horizon, commit to the long view. And our mission for the future starts today. In the tough competitive markets around the world, America faces the great challenges and great opportunities. And we know that we can succeed in the global economic arena of the nineties, but to meet that challenge, we must make some fundamental changes -- some crucial investment in ourselves. Yes, we are going to invest in America. This administration is determined to encourage the creation of capital, capital of all kinds: physical capital -- everything from our farms and factories to our workshops and production lines, all that is needed to produce and deliver quality goods and quality services; intellectual capital -- the source of ideas that spark tomorrow's products; and of course our human capital -- the talented work force that we'll need to compete in the global market. Let me tell you, if we ignore human capital, if we lose the spirit of American ingenuity, the spirit that is the hallmark of the American worker, that would be bad. The American worker is the most productive worker in the world. We need to save more. We need to expand the pool of capital for new investments that need more jobs and more growth. And that's the idea behind a new initiative I call the Family Savings Plan, which I will send to Congress tomorrow. We need to cut the tax on capital gains, encourage risktakers, especially those in our small businesses, to take those steps that translate into economic reward, jobs, and a better life for all of us. We'll do what it takes to invest in America's future. The budget commitment is there. The money is there. It's there for research and development, R&D -- a record high. It's there for our housing initiative -- HOPE -- to help everyone from first-time homebuyers to the homeless. The money's there to keep our kids drug-free -- 70 percent more than when I took office in 1989. It's there for space exploration. And it's there for education -- another record high. And one more thing: Last fall at the education summit, the Governors and I agreed to look for ways to help make sure that our kids are ready to learn the very first day they walk into the classroom. And I've made good on that commitment by proposing a record increase in funds -- an extra half-a-billion dollars -- for something near and dear to all of us: Head Start. Education is the one investment that means more for our future because it means the most for our children. Real improvement in our schools is not simply a matter of spending more: It's a matter of asking more -- expecting more -- of our schools, our teachers, of our kids, of our parents, and ourselves. And that's why tonight I am announcing America's education goals, goals developed with enormous cooperation from the Nation's Governors. And if I might, I'd like to say I'm very pleased that Governor Gardner [Washington] and Governor Clinton [Arkansas], Governor Branstad [Iowa], Governor Campbell [South Carolina], all of whom were very key in these discussions, these deliberations, are with us here tonight. By the year 2000, every child must start school ready to learn. The United States must increase the high school graduation rate to no less than 90 percent. And we are going to make sure our schools' diplomas mean something. In critical subjects -- at the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades -- we must assess our students' performance. By the year 2000, U.S. students must be first in the world in math and science achievement. Every American adult must be a skilled, literate worker and citizen. Every school must offer the kind of disciplined environment that makes it possible for our kids to learn. And every school in America must be drug-free. Ambitious aims? Of course. Easy to do? Far from it. But the future's at stake. The Nation will not accept anything less than excellence in education. These investments will keep America competitive. And I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and enterprise against anyone. But let the competition be free, but let it also be fair. America is ready. Since we really mean it and since we're serious about being ready to meet that challenge, we're getting our own house in order. We have made real progress. Seven years ago, the Federal deficit was 6 percent of our gross national product -- 6 percent. In the new budget I sent up 2 days ago, the deficit is down to 1 percent of gross national product. That budget brings Federal spending under control. It meets the Gramm-Rudman target. It brings that deficit down further and balances the budget by 1993 with no new taxes. And let me tell you, there's still more than enough Federal spending. For most of us, $1.2 trillion is still a lot of money. And once the budget is balanced, we can operate the way every family must when it has bills to pay. We won't leave it to our children and our grandchildren. Once it's balanced, we will start paying off the national debt. And there's something more we owe the generations of the future: stewardship, the safekeeping of America's precious environmental inheritance. It's just one sign of how serious we are. We will elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet rank -- not more bureaucracy, not more red-tape, but the certainty that here at home, and especially in our dealings with other nations, environmental issues have the status they deserve. This year's budget provides over $2 billion in new spending to protect our environment, with over $1 billion for global change research, and a new initiative I call America the Beautiful to expand our national parks and wildlife preserves that improve recreational facilities on public lands, and something else, something that will help keep this country clean from our forestland to the inner cities and keep America beautiful for generations to come: the money to plant a billion trees a year. And tonight let me say again to all the Members of the Congress: The American people did not send us here to bicker. There is work to do, and they sent us here to get it done. And once again, in the spirit of cooperation, I offer my hand to all of you. Let's work together to do the will of the people: clean air, child care, the Educational Excellence Act, crime, and drugs. It's time to act. The farm bill, transportation policy, product-liability reform, enterprise zones -- it's time to act together. And there's one thing I hope we will be able to agree on. It's about our commitments. I'm talking about Social Security. To every American out there on Social Security, to every American supporting that system today, and to everyone counting on it when they retire, we made a promise to you, and we are going to keep it. We rescued the system in 1983, and it's sound again -- bipartisan arrangement. Our budget fully funds today's benefits, and it assures that future benefits will be funded as well. The last thing we need to do is mess around with Social Security. There's one more problem we need to address. We must give careful consideration to the recommendations of the health-care studies underway now. That's why tonight I'm asking Dr. Sullivan, Lou Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services, to lead a Domestic Policy Council review of recommendations on the quality, accessibility, and cost of our nation's health-care system. I am committed to bring the staggering costs of health care under control. The state of the Government does indeed depend on many of us in this very chamber. But the state of the Union depends on all Americans. We must maintain the democratic decency that makes a nation out of millions of individuals. I've been appalled at the recent mail bombings across this country. Every one of us must confront and condemn racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hate, not next week, not tomorrow, but right now -- every single one of us. The state of the Union depends on whether we help our neighbor -- claim the problems of our community as our own. We've got to step forward when there's trouble, lend a hand, be what I call a point of light to a stranger in need. We've got to take the time after a busy day to sit down and read with our kids, help them with their homework, pass along the values we learned as children. That's how we sustain the state of the Union. Every effort is important. It all adds up. It's doing the things that give democracy meaning. It all adds up to who we are and who we will be. Let me say that so long as we remember the American idea, so long as we live up to the American ideal, the state of the Union will remain sound and strong. And to those who worry that we've lost our way -- well, I want you to listen to parts of a letter written by Private First Class James Markwell, a 20-year-old Army medic of the 1st Battalion, 75th Rangers. It's dated December 18th, the night before our armed forces went into action in Panama. It's a letter servicemen write and hope will never be sent. And sadly, Private Markwell's mother did receive this letter. She passed it along to me out there in Cincinnati. And here is some of what he wrote: "I've never been afraid of death, but I know he is waiting at the corner. I've been trained to kill and to save, and so has everyone else. I am frightened what lays beyond the fog, and yet do not mourn for me. Revel in the life that I have died to give you. But most of all, don't forget the Army was my choice. Something that I wanted to do. Remember I joined the Army to serve my country and ensure that you are free to do what you want and live your lives freely." Let me add that Private Markwell was among the first to see battle in Panama, and one of the first to fall. But he knew what he believed in. He carried the idea we call America in his heart. I began tonight speaking about the changes we've seen this past year. There is a new world of challenges and opportunities before us, and there's a need for leadership that only America can provide. Nearly 40 years ago, in his last address to the Congress, President Harry Truman predicted such a time would come. He said: "As our world grows stronger, more united, more attractive to men on both sides of the Iron Curtain, then inevitably there will come a time of change within the Communist world." Today, that change is taking place. For more than 40 years, America and its allies held communism in check and ensured that democracy would continue to exist. And today, with communism crumbling, our aim must be to ensure democracy's advance, to take the lead in forging peace and freedom's best hope: a great and growing commonwealth of free nations. And to the Congress and to all Americans, I say it is time to acclaim a new consensus at home and abroad, a common vision of the peaceful world we want to see. Here in our own hemisphere, it is time for all the peoples of the Americas, North and South, to live in freedom. In the Far East and Africa, it's time for the full flowering of free governments and free markets that have served as the engine of progress. It's time to offer our hand to the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe so that continent -- for too long a continent divided -- can see a future whole and free. It's time to build on our new relationship with the Soviet Union, to endorse and encourage a peaceful process of internal change toward democracy and economic opportunity. We are in a period of great transition, great hope, and yet great uncertainty. We recognize that the Soviet military threat in Europe is diminishing, but we see little change in Soviet strategic modernization. Therefore, we must sustain our own strategic offense modernization and the Strategic Defense Initiative. But the time is right to move forward on a conventional arms control agreement to move us to more appropriate levels of military forces in Europe, a coherent defense program that ensures the U.S. will continue to be a catalyst for peaceful change in Europe. And I've consulted with leaders of NATO. In fact, I spoke by phone with President Gorbachev just today. I agree with our European allies that an American military presence in Europe is essential and that it should not be tied solely to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. But our troop levels can still be lower. And so, tonight I am announcing a major new step for a further reduction in U.S. and Soviet manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to 195,000 on each side. This level reflects the advice of our senior military advisers. It's designed to protect American and European interests and sustain NATO's defense strategy. A swift conclusion to our arms control talks -- conventional, chemical, and strategic -- must now be our goal. And that time has come. Still, we must recognize an unfortunate fact: In many regions of the world tonight, the reality is conflict, not peace. Enduring animosities and opposing interests remain. And thus, the cause of peace must be served by an America strong enough and sure enough to defend our interests and our ideals. It's this American idea that for the past four decades helped inspire this Revolution of '89. Here at home and in the world, there's history in the making, history to be made. Six months ago, early in this season of change, I stood at the gates of the Gdansk shipyard in Poland at the monument to the fallen workers of Solidarity. It's a monument of simple majesty. Three tall crosses rise up from the stones, and atop each cross, an anchor -- an ancient symbol of hope. The anchor in our world today is freedom, holding us steady in times of change, a symbol of hope to all the world. And freedom is at the very heart of the idea that is America. Giving life to that idea depends on every one of us. Our anchor has always been faith and family. In the last few days of this past momentous year, our family was blessed once more, celebrating the joy of life when a little boy became our 12th grandchild. When I held the little guy for the first time, the troubles at home and abroad seemed manageable and totally in perspective. Now, I know you're probably thinking, well, that's just a grandfather talking. Well, maybe you're right. But I've met a lot of children this past year across this country, as all of you have, everywhere from the Far East to Eastern Europe. And all kids are unique, and yet all kids are alike -- the budding young environmentalists I met this month who joined me in exploring the Florida Everglades; the little leaguers I played catch with in Poland, ready to go from Warsaw to the World Series; and even the kids who are ill or alone -- and God bless those boarder babies, born addicted to drugs and AIDS and coping with problems no child should have to face. But you know, when it comes to hope and the future, every kid is the same -- full of dreams, ready to take on the world -- all special, because they are the very future of freedom. And to them belongs this new world I've been speaking about. And so, tonight I'm going to ask something of every one of you. Now, let me start with my generation, with the grandparents out there. You are our living link to the past. Tell your grandchildren the story of struggles waged at home and abroad, of sacrifices freely made for freedom's sake. And tell them your own story as well, because every American has a story to tell. And, parents, your children look to you for direction and guidance. Tell them of faith and family. Tell them we are one nation under God. Teach them that of all the many gifts they can receive liberty is their most precious legacy, and of all the gifts they can give the greatest is helping others. And to the children and young people out there tonight: With you rests our hope, all that America will mean in the years and decades ahead. Fix your vision on a new century -- your century, on dreams we cannot see, on the destiny that is yours and yours alone. And finally, let all Americans -- all of us together here in this Chamber, the symbolic center of democracy -- affirm our allegiance to this idea we call America. And let us remember that the state of the Union depends on each and every one of us. God bless all of you, and may God bless this great nation, the United States of America.
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the United States Congress: I return as a former President of the Senate and a former Member of this great House. And now, as President, it is my privilege to report to you on the state of the Union. Tonight I come not to speak about the state of the Government, not to detail every new initiative we plan for the coming year nor to describe every line in the budget. I am here to speak to you and to the American people about the state of the Union, about our world -- the changes we have seen, the challenges we face -- and what that means for America. There are singular moments in history, dates that divide all that goes before from all that comes after. And many of us in this Chamber have lived much of our lives in a world whose fundamental features were defined in 1945; and the events of that year decreed the shape of nations, the pace of progress, freedom or oppression for millions of people around the world. Nineteen forty-five provided the common frame of reference, the compass points of the postwar era we have relied upon to understand ourselves. And that was our world, until now. The events of the year just ended, the Revolution of '89, have been a chain reaction, changes so striking that it marks the beginning of a new era in the world's affairs. Think back -- think back just 12 short months ago to the world we knew as 1989 began. One year -- one year ago, the people of Panama lived in fear, under the thumb of a dictator. Today democracy is restored; Panama is free. Operation Just Because has achieved its objective. The number of military personnel in Panama is now very close to what it was before the operation began. And tonight I am announcing that well before the end of February, the additional numbers of American troops, the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who made this mission a success, will be back home. A year ago in Poland, Lech Walesa declared that he was ready to open a dialog with the Communist rulers of that country; and today, with the future of a free Poland in their own hands, members of Solidarity lead the Polish Government. A year ago, freedom's playwright, Vaclav Havel, languished as a prisoner in Prague. And today it is Vaclav Havel, President of Czechoslovakia. And 1 year ago, Erich Honecker of East Germany claimed history as his guide, and he predicted the Berlin Wall would last another hundred years. And today, less than 1 year later, it is the Wall that is history. Remarkable events -- events that fulfill the long-held hopes of the American people; events that validate the longstanding goals of American policy, a policy based on a single, shining principle: the because of freedom. America, not just the nation but an idea, alive in the minds of people everywhere. As this new world takes shape, America stands at the center of a widening circle of freedom -- today, tomorrow, and into the next century. Our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who ever set foot on these shores, and the millions still struggling to be free. This nation, this idea called America, was and always will be a new world -- our new world. At a workers' rally, in a place called Branik on the outskirts of Prague, the idea called America is alive. A worker, dressed in grimy overalls, rises to speak at the factory gates. He begins his speech to his fellow citizens with these words, words of a distant revolution: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is no secret that here at home freedom's door opened long ago. The cornerstones of this free society have already been set in place: democracy, competition, opportunity, private investment, stewardship, and of course leadership. And our challenge today is to take this democratic system of ours, a system second to none, and make it better: a better America, where there is a job for everyone who wants one; where women working outside the home can be confident their children are in safe and loving care and where government works to expand child-care alternatives for parents; where we reconcile the needs of a clean environment and a strong economy; where "Made in the USA" is recognized around the world as the symbol of quality and progress; where every one of us enjoys the same opportunities to live, to work, and to contribute to society and where, for the first time, the American mainstream includes all of our disabled citizens; where everyone has a roof over his head and where the homeless get the help they need to live in dignity; where our schools challenge and support our kids and our teachers and where all of them make the grade; where every street, every city, every school, and every child is drug-free; and finally, where no American is forgotten -- our hearts go out to our hostages who are ceaselessly on our minds and in our efforts. That is part of the future we want to see, the future we can make for ourselves, but dreams alone will not get us there. We need to extend our horizon, commit to the long view. And our mission for the future starts today. In the tough competitive markets around the world, America faces the great challenges and great opportunities. And we know that we can succeed in the global economic arena of the nineties, but to meet that challenge, we must make some fundamental changes -- some crucial investment in ourselves. Yes, we are going to invest in America. This administration is determined to encourage the creation of capital, capital of all kinds: physical capital -- everything from our farms and factories to our workshops and production lines, all that is needed to produce and deliver quality goods and quality services; intellectual capital -- the source of ideas that spark tomorrow's products; and of course our human capital -- the talented work force that we will need to compete in the global market. Let me tell you, if we ignore human capital, if we lose the spirit of American ingenuity, the spirit that is the hallmark of the American worker, that would be bad. The American worker is the most productive worker in the world. We need to save more. We need to expand the pool of capital for new investments that need more jobs and more growth. And that is the idea behind a new initiative I call the Family Savings Plan, which I will send to Congress tomorrow. We need to cut the tax on capital gains, encourage risktakers, especially those in our small businesses, to take those steps that translate into economic reward, jobs, and a better life for all of us. We will do what it takes to invest in America's future. The budget commitment is there. The money is there. It is there for research and development, R&D -- a record high. It is there for our housing initiative -- HOPE -- to help everyone from first-time homebuyers to the homeless. The money's there to keep our kids drug-free -- 70 percent more than when I took office in 1989. It is there for space exploration. And it is there for education -- another record high. And one more thing: Last fall at the education summit, the Governors and I agreed to look for ways to help make sure that our kids are ready to learn the very first day they walk into the classroom. And I have made good on that commitment by proposing a record increase in funds -- an extra half-a-billion dollars -- for something near and dear to all of us: Head Start. Education is the one investment that means more for our future because it means the most for our children. Real improvement in our schools is not simply a matter of spending more: It is a matter of asking more -- expecting more -- of our schools, our teachers, of our kids, of our parents, and ourselves. And that is why tonight I am announcing America's education goals, goals developed with enormous cooperation from the Nation's Governors. And if I might, I would like to say I am very pleased that Governor Gardner [Washington] and Governor Clinton [Arkansas], Governor Branstad [Iowa], Governor Campbell [South Carolina], all of whom were very key in these discussions, these deliberations, are with us here tonight. By the year 2000, every child must start school ready to learn. The United States must increase the high school graduation rate to no less than 90 percent. And we are going to make sure our schools' diplomas mean something. In critical subjects -- at the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades -- we must assess our students' performance. By the year 2000, YOU.S. students must be first in the world in math and science achievement. Every American adult must be a skilled, literate worker and citizen. Every school must offer the kind of disciplined environment that makes it possible for our kids to learn. And every school in America must be drug-free. Ambitious aims? Of course. Easy to do? Far from it. But the future's at stake. The Nation will not accept anything less than excellence in education. These investments will keep America competitive. And I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We will match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and enterprise against anyone. But let the competition be free, but let it also be fair. America is ready. Since we really mean it and since we are serious about being ready to meet that challenge, we are getting our own house in order. We have made real progress. Seven years ago, the Federal deficit was 6 percent of our gross national product -- 6 percent. In the new budget I sent up 2 days ago, the deficit is down to 1 percent of gross national product. That budget brings Federal spending under control. It meets the Gramm-Rudman target. It brings that deficit down further and balances the budget by 1993 with no new taxes. And let me tell you, there is still more than enough Federal spending. For most of us, $1.2 trillion is still a lot of money. And once the budget is balanced, we can operate the way every family must when it has bills to pay. We will not leave it to our children and our grandchildren. Once it is balanced, we will start paying off the national debt. And there is something more we owe the generations of the future: stewardship, the safekeeping of America's precious environmental inheritance. It is just one sign of how serious we are. We will elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet rank -- not more bureaucracy, not more red-tape, but the certainty that here at home, and especially in our dealings with other nations, environmental issues have the status they deserve. This year's budget provides over $2 billion in new spending to protect our environment, with over $1 billion for global change research, and a new initiative I call America the Beautiful to expand our national parks and wildlife preserves that improve recreational facilities on public lands, and something else, something that will help keep this country clean from our forestland to the inner cities and keep America beautiful for generations to come: the money to plant a billion trees a year. And tonight let me say again to all the Members of the Congress: The American people did not send us here to bicker. There is work to do, and they sent us here to get it done. And once again, in the spirit of cooperation, I offer my hand to all of you. Let us work together to do the will of the people: clean air, child care, the Educational Excellence Act, crime, and drugs. It is time to act. The farm bill, transportation policy, product-liability reform, enterprise zones -- it is time to act together. And there is one thing I hope we will be able to agree on. It is about our commitments. I am talking about Social Security. To every American out there on Social Security, to every American supporting that system today, and to everyone counting on it when they retire, we made a promise to you, and we are going to keep it. We rescued the system in 1983, and it is sound again -- bipartisan arrangement. Our budget fully funds today's benefits, and it assures that future benefits will be funded as well. The last thing we need to do is mess around with Social Security. There is one more problem we need to address. We must give careful consideration to the recommendations of the health-care studies underway now. That is why tonight I am asking Dr. Sullivan, Lou Sullivan, Secretary of Health and Human Services, to lead a Domestic Policy Council review of recommendations on the quality, accessibility, and cost of our nation's health-care system. I am committed to bring the staggering costs of health care under control. The state of the Government does indeed depend on many of us in this very chamber. But the state of the Union depends on all Americans. We must maintain the democratic decency that makes a nation out of millions of individuals. I have been appalled at the recent mail bombings across this country. Every one of us must confront and condemn racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hate, not next week, not tomorrow, but right now -- every single one of us. The state of the Union depends on whether we help our neighbor -- claim the problems of our community as our own. We have got to step forward when there is trouble, lend a hand, be what I call a point of light to a stranger in need. We have got to take the time after a busy day to sit down and read with our kids, help them with their homework, pass along the values we learned as children. That is how we sustain the state of the Union. Every effort is important. It all adds up. It is doing the things that give democracy meaning. It all adds up to who we are and who we will be. Let me say that so long as we remember the American idea, so long as we live up to the American ideal, the state of the Union will remain sound and strong. And to those who worry that we have lost our way -- well, I want you to listen to parts of a letter written by Private First Class James Markwell, a 20-year-old Army medic of the 1st Battalion, 75th Rangers. It is dated December 18th, the night before our armed forces went into action in Panama. It is a letter servicemen write and hope will never be sent. And sadly, Private Markwell's mother did receive this letter. She passed it along to me out there in Cincinnati. And here is some of what he wrote: "I have never been afraid of death, but I know he is waiting at the corner. I have been trained to kill and to save, and so has everyone else. I am frightened what lays beyond the fog, and yet do not mourn for me. Revel in the life that I have died to give you. But most of all, do not forget the Army was my choice. Something that I wanted to do. Remember I joined the Army to serve my country and ensure that you are free to do what you want and live your lives freely." Let me add that Private Markwell was among the first to see battle in Panama, and one of the first to fall. But he knew what he believed in. He carried the idea we call America in his heart. I began tonight speaking about the changes we have seen this past year. There is a new world of challenges and opportunities before us, and there is a need for leadership that only America can provide. Nearly 40 years ago, in his last address to the Congress, President Harry Truman predicted such a time would come. He said: "As our world grows stronger, more united, more attractive to men on both sides of the Iron Curtain, then inevitably there will come a time of change within the Communist world." Today, that change is taking place. For more than 40 years, America and its allies held communism in check and ensured that democracy would continue to exist. And today, with communism crumbling, our aim must be to ensure democracy's advance, to take the lead in forging peace and freedom's best hope: a great and growing commonwealth of free nations. And to the Congress and to all Americans, I say it is time to acclaim a new consensus at home and abroad, a common vision of the peaceful world we want to see. Here in our own hemisphere, it is time for all the peoples of the Americas, North and South, to live in freedom. In the Far East and Africa, it is time for the full flowering of free governments and free markets that have served as the engine of progress. It is time to offer our hand to the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe so that continent -- for too long a continent divided -- can see a future whole and free. It is time to build on our new relationship with the Soviet Union, to endorse and encourage a peaceful process of internal change toward democracy and economic opportunity. We are in a period of great transition, great hope, and yet great uncertainty. We recognize that the Soviet military threat in Europe is diminishing, but we see little change in Soviet strategic modernization. Therefore, we must sustain our own strategic offense modernization and the Strategic Defense Initiative. But the time is right to move forward on a conventional arms control agreement to move us to more appropriate levels of military forces in Europe, a coherent defense program that ensures the YOU.S. will continue to be a catalyst for peaceful change in Europe. And I have consulted with leaders of NATO. In fact, I spoke by phone with President Gorbachev just today. I agree with our European allies that an American military presence in Europe is essential and that it should not be tied solely to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. But our troop levels can still be lower. And so, tonight I am announcing a major new step for a further reduction in YOU.S. and Soviet manpower in Central and Eastern Europe to 195,000 on each side. This level reflects the advice of our senior military advisers. It is designed to protect American and European interests and sustain NATO's defense strategy. A swift conclusion to our arms control talks -- conventional, chemical, and strategic -- must now be our goal. And that time has come. Still, we must recognize an unfortunate fact: In many regions of the world tonight, the reality is conflict, not peace. Enduring animosities and opposing interests remain. And thus, the because of peace must be served by an America strong enough and sure enough to defend our interests and our ideals. It is this American idea that for the past four decades helped inspire this Revolution of '89. Here at home and in the world, there is history in the making, history to be made. Six months ago, early in this season of change, I stood at the gates of the Gdansk shipyard in Poland at the monument to the fallen workers of Solidarity. It is a monument of simple majesty. Three tall crosses rise up from the stones, and atop each cross, an anchor -- an ancient symbol of hope. The anchor in our world today is freedom, holding us steady in times of change, a symbol of hope to all the world. And freedom is at the very heart of the idea that is America. Giving life to that idea depends on every one of us. Our anchor has always been faith and family. In the last few days of this past momentous year, our family was blessed once more, celebrating the joy of life when a little boy became our 12th grandchild. When I held the little guy for the first time, the troubles at home and abroad seemed manageable and totally in perspective. Now, I know you are probably thinking, well, that is just a grandfather talking. Well, maybe you are right. But I have met a lot of children this past year across this country, as all of you have, everywhere from the Far East to Eastern Europe. And all kids are unique, and yet all kids are alike -- the budding young environmentalists I met this month who joined me in exploring the Florida Everglades; the little leaguers I played catch with in Poland, ready to go from Warsaw to the World Series; and even the kids who are ill or alone -- and God bless those boarder babies, born addicted to drugs and AIDS and coping with problems no child should have to face. But you know, when it comes to hope and the future, every kid is the same -- full of dreams, ready to take on the world -- all special, because they are the very future of freedom. And to them belongs this new world I have been speaking about. And so, tonight I am going to ask something of every one of you. Now, let me start with my generation, with the grandparents out there. You are our living link to the past. Tell your grandchildren the story of struggles waged at home and abroad, of sacrifices freely made for freedom's sake. And tell them your own story as well, because every American has a story to tell. And, parents, your children look to you for direction and guidance. Tell them of faith and family. Tell them we are one nation under God. Teach them that of all the many gifts they can receive liberty is their most precious legacy, and of all the gifts they can give the greatest is helping others. And to the children and young people out there tonight: With you rests our hope, all that America will mean in the years and decades ahead. Fix your vision on a new century -- your century, on dreams we cannot see, on the destiny that is yours and yours alone. And finally, let all Americans -- all of us together here in this Chamber, the symbolic center of democracy -- affirm our allegiance to this idea we call America. And let us remember that the state of the Union depends on each and every one of us. God bless all of you, and may God bless this great nation, the United States of America.
president speaker members of the united states congress i return as a former president of the senate and a former member of this great house and now as president it is my privilege to report to you on the state of the union tonight i come not to speak about the state of the government not to detail every new initiative we plan for the coming year nor to describe every line in the budget i am here to speak to you and to the american people about the state of the union about our world the changes we have seen the challenges we face and what that means for america there are singular moments in history dates that divide all that goes before from all that comes after and many of us in this chamber have lived much of our lives in a world whose fundamental features were defined in 1945 and the events of that year decreed the shape of nations the pace of progress freedom or oppression for millions of people around the world nineteen provided the common frame of reference the compass points of the postwar era we have relied upon to understand ourselves and that was our world until now the events of the year just ended the revolution of have been a chain reaction changes so striking that it marks the beginning of a new era in the world affairs think back think back just 12 short months ago to the world we knew as 1989 began one year one year ago the people of panama lived in fear under the thumb of a dictator today democracy is restored panama is free operation just because has achieved its objective the number of military personnel in panama is now very close to what it was before the operation began and tonight i am announcing that well before the end of february the additional numbers of american troops the brave men and women of our armed forces who made this mission a success will be back home a year ago in poland lech walesa declared that he was ready to open a dialog with the communist rulers of that country and today with the future of a free poland in their own hands members of solidarity lead the polish government a year ago freedom playwright vaclav havel languished as a prisoner in prague and today it is vaclav havel president of czechoslovakia and 1 year ago erich honecker of east germany claimed history as his guide and he predicted the berlin wall would last another hundred years and today less than 1 year later it is the wall that is history remarkable events events that fulfill the hopes of the american people events that validate the longstanding goals of american policy a policy based on a single shining principle the because of freedom america not just the nation but an idea alive in the minds of people everywhere as this new world takes shape america stands at the center of a widening circle of freedom today tomorrow and into the next century our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who ever set foot on these shores and the millions still struggling to be free this nation this idea called america was and always will be a new world our new world at a workers rally in a place called branik on the outskirts of prague the idea called america is alive a worker dressed in grimy overalls rises to speak at the factory gates he begins his speech to his fellow citizens with these words words of a distant revolution we hold these truths to be that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and that among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness it is no secret that here at home freedom door opened long ago the cornerstones of this free society have already been set in place democracy competition opportunity private investment stewardship and of course leadership and our challenge today is to take this democratic system of ours a system second to none and make it better a better america where there is a job for everyone who wants one where women working outside the home can be confident their children are in safe and loving care and where government works to expand alternatives for parents where we reconcile the needs of a clean environment and a strong economy where made in the usa is recognized around the world as the symbol of quality and progress where every one of us enjoys the same opportunities to live to work and to contribute to society and where for the first time the american mainstream includes all of our disabled citizens where everyone has a roof over his head and where the homeless get the help they need to live in dignity where our schools challenge and support our kids and our teachers and where all of them make the grade where every street every city every school and every child is and finally where no american is forgotten our hearts go out to our hostages who are ceaselessly on our minds and in our efforts that is part of the future we want to see the future we can make for ourselves but dreams alone will not get us there we need to extend our horizon commit to the long view and our mission for the future starts today in the tough competitive markets around the world america faces the great challenges and great opportunities and we know that we can succeed in the global economic arena of the nineties but to meet that challenge we must make some fundamental changes some crucial investment in ourselves yes we are going to invest in america this administration is determined to encourage the creation of capital capital of all kinds physical capital everything from our farms and factories to our workshops and production lines all that is needed to produce and deliver quality goods and quality services intellectual capital the source of ideas that spark tomorrow products and of course our human capital the talented work force that we will need to compete in the global market let me tell you if we ignore human capital if we lose the spirit of american ingenuity the spirit that is the hallmark of the american worker that would be bad the american worker is the most productive worker in the world we need to save more we need to expand the pool of capital for new investments that need more jobs and more growth and that is the idea behind a new initiative i call the family savings plan which i will send to congress tomorrow we need to cut the tax on capital gains encourage risktakers especially those in our small businesses to take those steps that translate into economic reward jobs and a better life for all of us we will do what it takes to invest in america future the budget commitment is there the money is there it is there for research and development r d a record high it is there for our housing initiative hope to help everyone from homebuyers to the homeless the money there to keep our kids 70 percent more than when i took office in 1989 it is there for space exploration and it is there for education another record high and one more thing last fall at the education summit the governors and i agreed to look for ways to help make sure that our kids are ready to learn the very first day they walk into the classroom and i have made good on that commitment by proposing a record increase in funds an extra dollars for something near and dear to all of us head start education is the one investment that means more for our future because it means the most for our children real improvement in our schools is not simply a matter of spending more it is a matter of asking more expecting more of our schools our teachers of our kids of our parents and ourselves and that is why tonight i am announcing america education goals goals developed with enormous cooperation from the nation governors and if i might i would like to say i am very pleased that governor gardner washington and governor clinton arkansas governor branstad iowa governor campbell south carolina all of whom were very key in these discussions these deliberations are with us here tonight by the year 2000 every child must start school ready to learn the united states must increase the high school graduation rate to no less than 90 percent and we are going to make sure our schools diplomas mean something in critical subjects at the 4th 8th and 12th grades we must assess our students performance by the year 2000 students must be first in the world in math and science achievement every american adult must be a skilled literate worker and citizen every school must offer the kind of disciplined environment that makes it possible for our kids to learn and every school in america must be ambitious aims of course easy to do far from it but the future at stake the nation will not accept anything less than excellence in education these investments will keep america competitive and i know this about the american people we welcome competition we will match our ingenuity our energy our experience and technology our spirit and enterprise against anyone but let the competition be free but let it also be fair america is ready since we really mean it and since we are serious about being ready to meet that challenge we are getting our own house in order we have made real progress seven years ago the federal deficit was 6 percent of our gross national product 6 percent in the new budget i sent up 2 days ago the deficit is down to 1 percent of gross national product that budget brings federal spending under control it meets the target it brings that deficit down further and balances the budget by 1993 with no new taxes and let me tell you there is still more than enough federal spending for most of us trillion is still a lot of money and once the budget is balanced we can operate the way every family must when it has bills to pay we will not leave it to our children and our grandchildren once it is balanced we will start paying off the national debt and there is something more we owe the generations of the future stewardship the safekeeping of america precious environmental inheritance it is just one sign of how serious we are we will elevate the environmental protection agency to cabinet rank not more bureaucracy not more but the certainty that here at home and especially in our dealings with other nations environmental issues have the status they deserve this year budget provides over 2 billion in new spending to protect our environment with over 1 billion for global change research and a new initiative i call america the beautiful to expand our national parks and wildlife preserves that improve recreational facilities on public lands and something else something that will help keep this country clean from our forestland to the inner cities and keep america beautiful for generations to come the money to plant a billion trees a year and tonight let me say again to all the members of the congress the american people did not send us here to bicker there is work to do and they sent us here to get it done and once again in the spirit of cooperation i offer my hand to all of you let us work together to do the will of the people clean air child care the educational excellence act crime and drugs it is time to act the farm bill transportation policy reform enterprise zones it is time to act together and there is one thing i hope we will be able to agree on it is about our commitments i am talking about social security to every american out there on social security to every american supporting that system today and to everyone counting on it when they retire we made a promise to you and we are going to keep it we rescued the system in 1983 and it is sound again bipartisan arrangement our budget fully funds today benefits and it assures that future benefits will be funded as well the last thing we need to do is mess around with social security there is one more problem we need to address we must give careful consideration to the recommendations of the studies underway now that is why tonight i am asking sullivan lou sullivan secretary of health and human services to lead a domestic policy council review of recommendations on the quality accessibility and cost of our nation system i am committed to bring the staggering costs of health care under control the state of the government does indeed depend on many of us in this very chamber but the state of the union depends on all americans we must maintain the democratic decency that makes a nation out of millions of individuals i have been appalled at the recent mail bombings across this country every one of us must confront and condemn racism bigotry and hate not next week not tomorrow but right now every single one of us the state of the union depends on whether we help our neighbor claim the problems of our community as our own we have got to step forward when there is trouble lend a hand be what i call a point of light to a stranger in need we have got to take the time after a busy day to sit down and read with our kids help them with their homework pass along the values we learned as children that is how we sustain the state of the union every effort is important it all adds up it is doing the things that give democracy meaning it all adds up to who we are and who we will be let me say that so long as we remember the american idea so long as we live up to the american ideal the state of the union will remain sound and strong and to those who worry that we have lost our way well i want you to listen to parts of a letter written by private first class james markwell a army medic of the 1st battalion 75th rangers it is dated december 18th the night before our armed forces went into action in panama it is a letter servicemen write and hope will never be sent and sadly private markwell mother did receive this letter she passed it along to me out there in cincinnati and here is some of what he wrote i have never been afraid of death but i know he is waiting at the corner i have been trained to kill and to save and so has everyone else i am frightened what lays beyond the fog and yet do not mourn for me revel in the life that i have died to give you but most of all do not forget the army was my choice something that i wanted to do remember i joined the army to serve my country and ensure that you are free to do what you want and live your lives freely let me add that private markwell was among the first to see battle in panama and one of the first to fall but he knew what he believed in he carried the idea we call america in his heart i began tonight speaking about the changes we have seen this past year there is a new world of challenges and opportunities before us and there is a need for leadership that only america can provide nearly 40 years ago in his last address to the congress president harry truman predicted such a time would come he said as our world grows stronger more united more attractive to men on both sides of the iron curtain then inevitably there will come a time of change within the communist world today that change is taking place for more than 40 years america and its allies held communism in check and ensured that democracy would continue to exist and today with communism crumbling our aim must be to ensure democracy advance to take the lead in forging peace and freedom best hope a great and growing commonwealth of free nations and to the congress and to all americans i say it is time to acclaim a new consensus at home and abroad a common vision of the peaceful world we want to see here in our own hemisphere it is time for all the peoples of the americas north and south to live in freedom in the far east and africa it is time for the full flowering of free governments and free markets that have served as the engine of progress it is time to offer our hand to the emerging democracies of eastern europe so that continent for too long a continent divided can see a future whole and free it is time to build on our new relationship with the soviet union to endorse and encourage a peaceful process of internal change toward democracy and economic opportunity we are in a period of great transition great hope and yet great uncertainty we recognize that the soviet military threat in europe is diminishing but we see little change in soviet strategic modernization therefore we must sustain our own strategic offense modernization and the strategic defense initiative but the time is right to move forward on a conventional arms control agreement to move us to more appropriate levels of military forces in europe a coherent defense program that ensures the will continue to be a catalyst for peaceful change in europe and i have consulted with leaders of nato in fact i spoke by phone with president gorbachev just today i agree with our european allies that an american military presence in europe is essential and that it should not be tied solely to the soviet military presence in eastern europe but our troop levels can still be lower and so tonight i am announcing a major new step for a further reduction in and soviet manpower in central and eastern europe to on each side this level reflects the advice of our senior military advisers it is designed to protect american and european interests and sustain nato defense strategy a swift conclusion to our arms control talks conventional chemical and strategic must now be our goal and that time has come still we must recognize an unfortunate fact in many regions of the world tonight the reality is conflict not peace enduring animosities and opposing interests remain and thus the because of peace must be served by an america strong enough and sure enough to defend our interests and our ideals it is this american idea that for the past four decades helped inspire this revolution of here at home and in the world there is history in the making history to be made six months ago early in this season of change i stood at the gates of the gdansk shipyard in poland at the monument to the fallen workers of solidarity it is a monument of simple majesty three tall crosses rise up from the stones and atop each cross an anchor an ancient symbol of hope the anchor in our world today is freedom holding us steady in times of change a symbol of hope to all the world and freedom is at the very heart of the idea that is america giving life to that idea depends on every one of us our anchor has always been faith and family in the last few days of this past momentous year our family was blessed once more celebrating the joy of life when a little boy became our 12th grandchild when i held the little guy for the first time the troubles at home and abroad seemed manageable and totally in perspective now i know you are probably thinking well that is just a grandfather talking well maybe you are right but i have met a lot of children this past year across this country as all of you have everywhere from the far east to eastern europe and all kids are unique and yet all kids are alike the budding young environmentalists i met this month who joined me in exploring the florida everglades the little leaguers i played catch with in poland ready to go from warsaw to the world series and even the kids who are ill or alone and god bless those boarder babies born addicted to drugs and aids and coping with problems no child should have to face but you know when it comes to hope and the future every kid is the same full of dreams ready to take on the world all special because they are the very future of freedom and to them belongs this new world i have been speaking about and so tonight i am going to ask something of every one of you now let me start with my generation with the grandparents out there you are our living link to the past tell your grandchildren the story of struggles waged at home and abroad of sacrifices freely made for freedom sake and tell them your own story as well because every american has a story to tell and parents your children look to you for direction and guidance tell them of faith and family tell them we are one nation under god teach them that of all the many gifts they can receive liberty is their most precious legacy and of all the gifts they can give the greatest is helping others and to the children and young people out there tonight with you rests our hope all that america will mean in the years and decades ahead fix your vision on a new century your century on dreams we can not see on the destiny that is yours and yours alone and finally let all americans all of us together here in this chamber the symbolic center of democracy affirm our allegiance to this idea we call america and let us remember that the state of the union depends on each and every one of us god bless all of you and may god bless this great nation the united states of america
president speaker members united states congress return former president senate former member great house president privilege report state union tonight come speak state government detail every new initiative plan coming year describe every line budget speak american people state union world changes seen challenges face means america singular moments history dates divide goes comes many us chamber lived much lives world whose fundamental features defined 1945 events year decreed shape nations pace progress freedom oppression millions people around world nineteen provided common frame reference compass points postwar era relied upon understand world events year ended revolution chain reaction changes striking marks beginning new era world affairs think back think back 12 short months ago world knew 1989 began one year one year ago people panama lived fear thumb dictator today democracy restored panama free operation achieved objective number military personnel panama close operation began tonight announcing well end february additional numbers american troops brave men women armed forces made mission success back home year ago poland lech walesa declared ready open dialog communist rulers country today future free poland hands members solidarity lead polish government year ago freedom playwright vaclav havel languished prisoner prague today vaclav havel president czechoslovakia 1 year ago erich honecker east germany claimed history guide predicted berlin wall would last another hundred years today less 1 year later wall history remarkable events events fulfill hopes american people events validate longstanding goals american policy policy based single shining principle freedom america nation idea alive minds people everywhere new world takes shape america stands center widening circle freedom today tomorrow next century nation enduring dream every immigrant ever set foot shores millions still struggling free nation idea called america always new world new world workers rally place called branik outskirts prague idea called america alive worker dressed grimy overalls rises speak factory gates begins speech fellow citizens words words distant revolution hold truths men created equal endowed creator certain unalienable rights among life liberty pursuit happiness secret home freedom door opened long ago cornerstones free society already set place democracy competition opportunity private investment stewardship course leadership challenge today take democratic system system second none make better better america job everyone wants one women working outside home confident children safe loving care government works expand alternatives parents reconcile needs clean environment strong economy made usa recognized around world symbol quality progress every one us enjoys opportunities live work contribute society first time american mainstream includes disabled citizens everyone roof head homeless get help need live dignity schools challenge support kids teachers make grade every street every city every school every child finally american forgotten hearts go hostages ceaselessly minds efforts part future want see future make dreams alone get us need extend horizon commit long view mission future starts today tough competitive markets around world america faces great challenges great opportunities know succeed global economic arena nineties meet challenge must make fundamental changes crucial investment yes going invest america administration determined encourage creation capital capital kinds physical capital everything farms factories workshops production lines needed produce deliver quality goods quality services intellectual capital source ideas spark tomorrow products course human capital talented work force need compete global market let tell ignore human capital lose spirit american ingenuity spirit hallmark american worker would bad american worker productive worker world need save need expand pool capital new investments need jobs growth idea behind new initiative call family savings plan send congress tomorrow need cut tax capital gains encourage risktakers especially small businesses take steps translate economic reward jobs better life us takes invest america future budget commitment money research development r record high housing initiative hope help everyone homebuyers homeless money keep kids 70 percent took office 1989 space exploration education another record high one thing last fall education summit governors agreed look ways help make sure kids ready learn first day walk classroom made good commitment proposing record increase funds extra dollars something near dear us head start education one investment means future means children real improvement schools simply matter spending matter asking expecting schools teachers kids parents tonight announcing america education goals goals developed enormous cooperation nation governors might would like say pleased governor gardner washington governor clinton arkansas governor branstad iowa governor campbell south carolina key discussions deliberations us tonight year 2000 every child must start school ready learn united states must increase high school graduation rate less 90 percent going make sure schools diplomas mean something critical subjects 4th 8th 12th grades must assess students performance year 2000 students must first world math science achievement every american adult must skilled literate worker citizen every school must offer kind disciplined environment makes possible kids learn every school america must ambitious aims course easy far future stake nation accept anything less excellence education investments keep america competitive know american people welcome competition match ingenuity energy experience technology spirit enterprise anyone let competition free let also fair america ready since really mean since serious ready meet challenge getting house order made real progress seven years ago federal deficit 6 percent gross national product 6 percent new budget sent 2 days ago deficit 1 percent gross national product budget brings federal spending control meets target brings deficit balances budget 1993 new taxes let tell still enough federal spending us trillion still lot money budget balanced operate way every family must bills pay leave children grandchildren balanced start paying national debt something owe generations future stewardship safekeeping america precious environmental inheritance one sign serious elevate environmental protection agency cabinet rank bureaucracy certainty home especially dealings nations environmental issues status deserve year budget provides 2 billion new spending protect environment 1 billion global change research new initiative call america beautiful expand national parks wildlife preserves improve recreational facilities public lands something else something help keep country clean forestland inner cities keep america beautiful generations come money plant billion trees year tonight let say members congress american people send us bicker work sent us get done spirit cooperation offer hand let us work together people clean air child care educational excellence act crime drugs time act farm bill transportation policy reform enterprise zones time act together one thing hope able agree commitments talking social security every american social security every american supporting system today everyone counting retire made promise going keep rescued system 1983 sound bipartisan arrangement budget fully funds today benefits assures future benefits funded well last thing need mess around social security one problem need address must give careful consideration recommendations studies underway tonight asking sullivan lou sullivan secretary health human services lead domestic policy council review recommendations quality accessibility cost nation system committed bring staggering costs health care control state government indeed depend many us chamber state union depends americans must maintain democratic decency makes nation millions individuals appalled recent mail bombings across country every one us must confront condemn racism bigotry hate next week tomorrow right every single one us state union depends whether help neighbor claim problems community got step forward trouble lend hand call point light stranger need got take time busy day sit read kids help homework pass along values learned children sustain state union every effort important adds things give democracy meaning adds let say long remember american idea long live american ideal state union remain sound strong worry lost way well want listen parts letter written private first class james markwell army medic 1st battalion 75th rangers dated december 18th night armed forces went action panama letter servicemen write hope never sent sadly private markwell mother receive letter passed along cincinnati wrote never afraid death know waiting corner trained kill save everyone else frightened lays beyond fog yet mourn revel life died give forget army choice something wanted remember joined army serve country ensure free want live lives freely let add private markwell among first see battle panama one first fall knew believed carried idea call america heart began tonight speaking changes seen past year new world challenges opportunities us need leadership america provide nearly 40 years ago last address congress president harry truman predicted time would come said world grows stronger united attractive men sides iron curtain inevitably come time change within communist world today change taking place 40 years america allies held communism check ensured democracy would continue exist today communism crumbling aim must ensure democracy advance take lead forging peace freedom best hope great growing commonwealth free nations congress americans say time acclaim new consensus home abroad common vision peaceful world want see hemisphere time peoples americas north south live freedom far east africa time full flowering free governments free markets served engine progress time offer hand emerging democracies eastern europe continent long continent divided see future whole free time build new relationship soviet union endorse encourage peaceful process internal change toward democracy economic opportunity period great transition great hope yet great uncertainty recognize soviet military threat europe diminishing see little change soviet strategic modernization therefore must sustain strategic offense modernization strategic defense initiative time right move forward conventional arms control agreement move us appropriate levels military forces europe coherent defense program ensures continue catalyst peaceful change europe consulted leaders nato fact spoke phone president gorbachev today agree european allies american military presence europe essential tied solely soviet military presence eastern europe troop levels still lower tonight announcing major new step reduction soviet manpower central eastern europe side level reflects advice senior military advisers designed protect american european interests sustain nato defense strategy swift conclusion arms control talks conventional chemical strategic must goal time come still must recognize unfortunate fact many regions world tonight reality conflict peace enduring animosities opposing interests remain thus peace must served america strong enough sure enough defend interests ideals american idea past four decades helped inspire revolution home world history making history made six months ago early season change stood gates gdansk shipyard poland monument fallen workers solidarity monument simple majesty three tall crosses rise stones atop cross anchor ancient symbol hope anchor world today freedom holding us steady times change symbol hope world freedom heart idea america giving life idea depends every one us anchor always faith family last days past momentous year family blessed celebrating joy life little boy became 12th grandchild held little guy first time troubles home abroad seemed manageable totally perspective know probably thinking well grandfather talking well maybe right met lot children past year across country everywhere far east eastern europe kids unique yet kids alike budding young environmentalists met month joined exploring florida everglades little leaguers played catch poland ready go warsaw world series even kids ill alone god bless boarder babies born addicted drugs aids coping problems child face know comes hope future every kid full dreams ready take world special future freedom belongs new world speaking tonight going ask something every one let start generation grandparents living link past tell grandchildren story struggles waged home abroad sacrifices freely made freedom sake tell story well every american story tell parents children look direction guidance tell faith family tell one nation god teach many gifts receive liberty precious legacy gifts give greatest helping others children young people tonight rests hope america mean years decades ahead fix vision new century century dreams see destiny alone finally let americans us together chamber symbolic center democracy affirm allegiance idea call america let us remember state union depends every one us god bless may god bless great nation united states america
president speaker member unite state congress return former president senate former member great house president privilege report state union tonight come speak state government detail every new initiative plan come year describe every line budget speak american people state union world change see challenge face mean america singular moment history date divide go come many u chamber lived much live world whose fundamental feature define 1945 event year decree shape nation pace progress freedom oppression million people around world nineteen provide common frame reference compass point postwar era rely upon understand world event year end revolution chain reaction change strike mark begin new era world affair think back think back 12 short month ago world knew 1989 begin one year one year ago people panama live fear thumb dictator today democracy restore panama free operation achieve objective number military personnel panama close operation begin tonight announce well end february additional number american troop brave men woman arm force make mission success back home year ago poland lech walesa declare ready open dialog communist ruler country today future free poland hand member solidarity lead polish government year ago freedom playwright vaclav havel languish prisoner prague today vaclav havel president czechoslovakia 1 year ago erich honecker east germany claim history guide predict berlin wall would last another hundred year today less 1 year later wall history remarkable event event fulfill hop american people event validate longstanding goal american policy policy base single shin principle freedom america nation idea alive mind people everywhere new world take shape america stand center widen circle freedom today tomorrow next century nation endure dream every immigrant ever set foot shore million still struggle free nation idea call america always new world new world worker rally place call branik outskirt prague idea call america alive worker dress grimy overall rise speak factory gate begin speech fellow citizen word word distant revolution hold truths men create equal endow creator certain unalienable right among life liberty pursuit happiness secret home freedom door open long ago cornerstone free society already set place democracy competition opportunity private investment stewardship course leadership challenge today take democratic system system second none make good well america job everyone want one woman work outside home confident child safe love care government work expand alternative parent reconcile need clean environment strong economy make usa recognize around world symbol quality progress every one u enjoy opportunity live work contribute society first time american mainstream include disabled citizen everyone roof head homeless get help need live dignity school challenge support kid teacher make grade every street every city every school every child finally american forgotten heart go hostages ceaselessly mind effort part future want see future make dream alone get u need extend horizon commit long view mission future start today tough competitive market around world america face great challenge great opportunity know succeed global economic arena ninety meet challenge must make fundamental change crucial investment yes go invest america administration determine encourage creation capital capital kind physical capital everything farm factory workshops production line need produce deliver quality good quality service intellectual capital source idea spark tomorrow product course human capital talented work force need compete global market let tell ignore human capital lose spirit american ingenuity spirit hallmark american worker would bad american worker productive worker world need save need expand pool capital new investment need job growth idea behind new initiative call family saving plan send congress tomorrow need cut tax capital gain encourage risktakers especially small business take step translate economic reward job well life u take invest america future budget commitment money research development r record high housing initiative hope help everyone homebuyers homeless money keep kid 70 percent take office 1989 space exploration education another record high one thing last fall education summit governor agree look way help make sure kid ready learn first day walk classroom make good commitment proposing record increase fund extra dollar something near dear u head start education one investment mean future mean child real improvement school simply matter spend matter ask expect school teacher kid parent tonight announce america education goal goal develop enormous cooperation nation governor might would like say pleased governor gardner washington governor clinton arkansas governor branstad iowa governor campbell south carolina key discussion deliberation u tonight year 2000 every child must start school ready learn united state must increase high school graduation rate less 90 percent go make sure school diplomas mean something critical subject 4th 8th 12th grade must assess student performance year 2000 student must first world math science achievement every american adult must skilled literate worker citizen every school must offer kind disciplined environment make possible kid learn every school america must ambitious aim course easy far future stake nation accept anything less excellence education investment keep america competitive know american people welcome competition match ingenuity energy experience technology spirit enterprise anyone let competition free let also fair america ready since really mean since serious ready meet challenge get house order make real progress seven year ago federal deficit 6 percent gross national product 6 percent new budget send 2 day ago deficit 1 percent gross national product budget bring federal spending control meet target brings deficit balance budget 1993 new tax let tell still enough federal spending u trillion still lot money budget balance operate way every family must bill pay leave child grandchild balance start pay national debt something owe generation future stewardship safekeeping america precious environmental inheritance one sign serious elevate environmental protection agency cabinet rank bureaucracy certainty home especially dealings nation environmental issue status deserve year budget provide 2 billion new spending protect environment 1 billion global change research new initiative call america beautiful expand national park wildlife preserve improve recreational facility public land something else something help keep country clean forestland inner city keep america beautiful generation come money plant billion tree year tonight let say member congress american people send u bicker work send u get do spirit cooperation offer hand let u work together people clean air child care educational excellence act crime drug time act farm bill transportation policy reform enterprise zone time act together one thing hope able agree commitment talk social security every american social security every american supporting system today everyone counting retire make promise go keep rescued system 1983 sound bipartisan arrangement budget fully fund today benefit assure future benefit fund well last thing need mess around social security one problem need address must give careful consideration recommendation study underway tonight ask sullivan lou sullivan secretary health human service lead domestic policy council review recommendation quality accessibility cost nation system commit bring staggering cost health care control state government indeed depend many u chamber state union depend american must maintain democratic decency make nation million individual appal recent mail bombing across country every one u must confront condemn racism bigotry hate next week tomorrow right every single one u state union depend whether help neighbor claim problem community get step forward trouble lend hand call point light stranger need get take time busy day sit read kid help homework pas along value learn child sustain state union every effort important add thing give democracy meaning add let say long remember american idea long live american ideal state union remain sound strong worry lose way well want listen part letter write private first class james markwell army medic 1st battalion 75th ranger date december 18th night arm force go action panama letter serviceman write hope never send sadly private markwell mother receive letter pass along cincinnati write never afraid death know wait corner train kill save everyone else frighten lay beyond fog yet mourn revel life die give forget army choice something want remember join army serve country ensure free want live life freely let add private markwell among first see battle panama one first fall know believe carried idea call america heart begin tonight speaking change see past year new world challenge opportunity u need leadership america provide nearly 40 year ago last address congress president harry truman predict time would come say world grows stronger united attractive men side iron curtain inevitably come time change within communist world today change take place 40 year america ally hold communism check ensure democracy would continue exist today communism crumble aim must ensure democracy advance take lead forge peace freedom best hope great grow commonwealth free nation congress american say time acclaim new consensus home abroad common vision peaceful world want see hemisphere time people americas north south live freedom far east africa time full flower free government free market serve engine progress time offer hand emerge democracy eastern europe continent long continent divide see future whole free time build new relationship soviet union endorse encourage peaceful process internal change toward democracy economic opportunity period great transition great hope yet great uncertainty recognize soviet military threat europe diminish see little change soviet strategic modernization therefore must sustain strategic offense modernization strategic defense initiative time right move forward conventional arm control agreement move u appropriate level military force europe coherent defense program ensures continue catalyst peaceful change europe consult leader nato fact speak phone president gorbachev today agree european ally american military presence europe essential tie solely soviet military presence eastern europe troop level still low tonight announce major new step reduction soviet manpower central eastern europe side level reflect advice senior military adviser design protect american european interest sustain nato defense strategy swift conclusion arm control talk conventional chemical strategic must goal time come still must recognize unfortunate fact many region world tonight reality conflict peace endure animosity oppose interest remain thus peace must serve america strong enough sure enough defend interest ideals american idea past four decade help inspire revolution home world history make history make six month ago early season change stand gate gdansk shipyard poland monument fall worker solidarity monument simple majesty three tall cross rise stone atop cross anchor ancient symbol hope anchor world today freedom hold u steady time change symbol hope world freedom heart idea america give life idea depend every one u anchor always faith family last day past momentous year family bless celebrate joy life little boy become 12th grandchild hold little guy first time trouble home abroad seem manageable totally perspective know probably think well grandfather talk well maybe right met lot child past year across country everywhere far east eastern europe kid unique yet kid alike bud young environmentalist meet month join explore florida everglades little leaguers play catch poland ready go warsaw world series even kid ill alone god bless boarder baby bear addict drug aid cop problem child face know come hope future every kid full dream ready take world special future freedom belong new world speaking tonight go ask something every one let start generation grandparent live link past tell grandchild story struggle wag home abroad sacrifice freely make freedom sake tell story well every american story tell parent child look direction guidance tell faith family tell one nation god teach many gift receive liberty precious legacy gift give great help others child young people tonight rest hope america mean year decades ahead fix vision new century century dream see destiny alone finally let american u together chamber symbolic center democracy affirm allegiance idea call america let u remember state union depend every one u god bless may god bless great nation unite state america