the president mr speaker mr vice president members of congress it's a great privilege to be here to outline a new budget and a new approach for governing our great country i thank you for your invitation to speak here tonight i know congress had to formally invite me and it could have been a close vote laughter so mr vice president i appreciate you being here to break the tie laughter 
i want to thank so many of you who have accepted my invitation to come to the white house to discuss important issues we're off to a good start i will continue to meet with you and ask for your input you have been kind and candid and i thank you for making a new president feel welcome applause 
the last time i visited the capitol i came to take an oath on the steps of this building i pledged to honor our constitution and laws applause and i asked you to join me in setting a tone of civility and respect in washington applause 
i hope america is noticing the difference because we're making progress together we are changing the tone in the nation's capital and this spirit of respect and cooperation is vital because in the end we will be judged not only by what we say or how we say it we will be judged by what we're able to accomplish 
america today is a nation with great challenges but greater resources an artist using statistics as a brush could paint two very different pictures of our country one would have warning signs increasing layoffs rising energy prices too many failing schools persistent poverty the stubborn vestiges of racism another picture would be full of blessings a balanced budget big surpluses a military that is second to none a country at peace with its neighbors technology that is revolutionizing the world and our greatest strength concerned citizens who care for our country and care for each other 
neither picture is complete in and of itself and tonight i challenge and invite congress to work with me to use the resources of one picture to repaint the other to direct the advantages of our time to solve the problems of our people some of these resources will come from government some but not all 
year after year in washington budget debates seem to come down to an old tired argument on one side those who want more government regardless of the cost on the other those who want less government regardless of the need we should leave those arguments to the last century and chart a different course applause 
government has a role and an important role yet too much government crowds out initiative and hard work private charity and the private economy our new governing vision says government should be active but limited engaged but not overbearing and my budget is based on that philosophy 
it is reasonable and it is responsible it meets our obligations and funds our growing needs we increase spending next year for social security and medicare and other entitlement programs by $81 billion we've increased spending for discretionary programs by a very responsible 4 percent above the rate of inflation my plan pays down an unprecedented amount of our national debt and then when money is still left over my plan returns it to the people who earned it in the first place applause 
a budget's impact is counted in dollars but measured in lives excellent schools quality health care a secure retirement a cleaner environment a stronger defense these are all important needs and we fund them the highest percentage increase in our budget should go to our children's education applause education is not my top priority education is my top priority and by supporting this budget you'll make it yours as well 
reading is the foundation of all learning so during the next five years we triple spending adding $5 billion to help every child in america learn to read values are important so we've tripled funding for character education to teach our children not only reading and writing but right from wrong applause 
we've increased funding to train and recruit teachers because we know a good education starts with a good teacher and i have a wonderful partner in this effort i like teachers so much i married one applause laura has begun a new effort to recruit americans to the profession that will shape our future teaching she will travel across america to promote sound teaching practices and early reading skills in our schools and in programs such as head start 
when it comes to our schools dollars alone do not always make the difference funding is important and so is reform so we must tie funding to higher standards and accountability for results applause 
i believe in local control of schools we should not and we will not run public schools from washington d c applause yet when the federal government spends tax dollars we must insist on results children should be tested on basic reading and math skills every year between grades three and eight measuring is the only way to know whether all our children are learning and i want to know because i refuse to leave any child behind in america applause 
critics of testing contend it distracts from learning they talk about teaching to the test but let's put that logic to the test if you test a child on basic math and reading skills and you're teaching to the test you're teaching math and reading and that's the whole idea applause as standards rise local schools will need more flexibility to meet them so we must streamline the dozens of federal education programs into five and let states spend money in those categories as they see fit applause 
schools will be given a reasonable chance to improve and the support to do so yet if they don't if they continue to fail we must give parents and students different options a better public school a private school tutoring or a charter school applause in the end every child in a bad situation must be given a better choice because when it comes to our children failure is simply not an option applause 
another priority in my budget is to keep the vital promises of medicare and social security and together we will do so to meet the health care needs of all america's seniors we double the medicare budget over the next 10 years my budget dedicates $238 billion to medicare next year alone enough to fund all current programs and to begin a new prescription drug benefit for low income seniors applause no senior in america should have to choose between buying food and buying prescriptions applause 
to make sure the retirement savings of america's seniors are not diverted in any other program my budget protects all $2 6 trillion of the social security surplus for social security and for social security alone applause 
my budget puts a priority on access to health care without telling americans what doctor they have to see or what coverage they must choose many working americans do not have health care coverage so we will help them buy their own insurance with refundable tax credits applause and to provide quality care in low income neighborhoods over the next five years we will double the number of people served at community health care centers applause 
and we will address the concerns of those who have health coverage yet worry their insurance company doesn't care and won't pay together this congress and this president will find common ground to make sure doctors make medical decisions and patients get the health care they deserve with a patients' bill of rights applause 
when it comes to their health people want to get the medical care they need not be forced to go to court because they didn't get it we will ensure access to the courts for those with legitimate claims but first let's put in place a strong independent review so we promote quality health care not frivolous lawsuits applause 
my budget also increases funding for medical research which gives hope to many who struggle with serious disease our prayers tonight are with one of your own who is engaged in his own fight against cancer a fine representative and a good man congressman joe moakley applause i can think of no more appropriate tribute to joe than to have the congress finish the job of doubling the budget for the national institutes of health applause 
my new freedom initiative for americans with disabilities funds new technologies expands opportunities to work and makes our society more welcoming for the more than 50 million americans with disabilities we need to break down barriers to equality applause 
the budget i propose to you also supports the people who keep our country strong and free the men and women who serve in the united states military applause i'm requesting $5 7 billion in increased military pay and benefits and health care and housing our men and women in uniform give america their best and we owe them our support applause 
america's veterans honored their commitment to our country through their military service i will honor our commitment to them with a million dollar increase to ensure better access to quality care and faster decisions on benefit claims applause 
my budget will improve our environment by accelerating the cleanup of toxic brownfields and i propose we make a major investment in conservation by fully funding the land and water conservation fund applause our national parks have a special place in our country's life our parks are places of great natural beauty and history as good stewards we must leave them better than we found them so i propose providing $4 9 billion over five years for the upkeep of these national treasures applause 
and my budget adopts a hopeful new approach to help the poor and the disadvantaged we must encourage and support the work of charities and faith based and community groups that offer help and love one person at a time applause these groups are working in every neighborhood in america to fight homelessness and addiction and domestic violence to provide a hot meal or a mentor or a safe haven for our children government should welcome these groups to apply for funds not discriminate against them applause 
government cannot be replaced by charities or volunteers government should not fund religious activities applause but our nation should support the good works of these good people who are helping their neighbors in need applause so i propose allowing all taxpayers whether they itemize or not to deduct their charitable contributions estimates show this could encourage as much as $14 billion a year in new charitable giving money that will save and change lives applause 
our budget provides more than $700 million over the next 10 years for a federal compassion capital fund with a focused and noble mission to provide a mentor to the more than 100 million children with a parent in prison and to support other local efforts to fight illiteracy teen pregnancy drug addiction and other difficult problems applause 
with us tonight is the mayor of philadelphia please help me welcome mayor john street applause mayor street has encouraged faith based and community organizations to make a significant difference in philadelphia he's invited me to his city this summer to see compassionate action i'm personally aware of just how effective the mayor is mayor street's a democrat applause let the record show i lost his city big time applause but some things are bigger than politics so i look forward to coming to your city to see your faith based programs in action applause 
as government promotes compassion it also must promote justice too many of our citizens have cause to doubt our nation's justice when the law points a finger of suspicion at groups instead of individuals all our citizens are created equal and must be treated equally applause 
earlier today i asked john ashcroft the attorney general to develop specific recommendations to end racial profiling it's wrong and we will end it in america applause in so doing we will not hinder the work of our nation's brave police officers they protect us every day often at great risk applause but by stopping the abuses of a few we will add to the public confidence our police officers earn and deserve applause 
my budget has funded a responsible increase in our ongoing operations it has funded our nation's important priorities it has protected social security and medicare and our surpluses are big enough that there is still money left over 
many of you have talked about the need to pay down our national debt i listened and i agree applause we owe it to our children and grandchildren to act now and i hope you will join me to pay down $2 trillion in debt during the next 10 years applause at the end of those 10 years we will have paid down all the debt that is available to retire applause that is more debt repaid more quickly than has ever been repaid by any nation at any time in history applause 
we should also prepare for the unexpected for the uncertainties of the future we should approach our nation's budget as any prudent family would with a contingency fund for emergencies or additional spending needs for example after a strategic review we may need to increase defense spending we may need to increase spending for our farmers or additional money to reform medicare and so my budget sets aside almost a trillion dollars over 10 years for additional needs that is one trillion additional reasons you can feel comfortable supporting this budget applause 
we have increased our budget at a responsible 4 percent we have funded our priorities we paid down all the available debt we have prepared for contingencies and we still have money left over 
yogi berra once said when you come to a fork in the road take it laughter now we come to a fork in the road we have two choices even though we have already met our needs we could spend the money on more and bigger government that's the road our nation has traveled in recent years 
last year government spending shot up 8 percent that's far more than our economy grew far more than personal income grew and far more than the rate of inflation if you continue on that road you will spend the surplus and have to dip into social security to pay other bills applause unrestrained government spending is a dangerous road to deficits so we must take a different path applause the other choice is to let the american people spend their own money to meet their own needs applause 
i hope you will join me in standing firmly on the side of the people you see the growing surplus exists because taxes are too high and government is charging more than it needs the people of america have been overcharged and on their behalf i am here asking for a refund applause 
some say my tax plan is too big applause others say it's too small applause i respectfully disagree laughter this plan is just right applause i didn't throw darts at the board to come up with a number for tax relief i didn't take a poll or develop an arbitrary formula that might sound good i looked at problems in the tax code and calculated the cost to fix them 
a tax rate of 15 percent is too high for those who earn low wages so we must lower the rate to 10 percent applause no one should pay more than a third of the money they earn in federal income taxes so we lowered the top rate to 33 percent applause 
this reform will be welcome relief for america's small businesses which often pay taxes at the highest rate and help for small business means jobs for americans applause we simplified the tax code by reducing the number of tax rates from the current five rates to four lower ones 10 percent 15 25 and 33 percent in my plan no one is targeted in or targeted out everyone who pays income taxes will get relief applause 
our government should not tax and thereby discourage marriage so we reduced the marriage penalty applause i want to help families rear and support their children so we doubled the child credit to $1 000 per child applause it's not fair to tax the same earnings twice once when you earn them and again when you die so we must repeal the death tax applause 
these changes add up to significant help a typical family with two children will save $1 600 a year on their federal income taxes now $1 600 may not sound like a lot to some but it means a lot to many families $1 600 buys gas for two cars for an entire year it pays tuition for a year at a community college it pays the average family grocery bill for three months that's real money 
with us tonight representing many american families are steven and josefina ramos applause they are from pennsylvania applause but they could be from any one of your districts steven is the network administrator for a school district josefina is a spanish teacher at a charter school and they have a two year old daughter 
steven and josefina tell me they pay almost $8 000 a year in federal income taxes my plan will save them more than $2 000 let me tell you what steven says two thousand dollars a year means a lot to my family if we had this money it would help us reach our goal of paying off our personal debt in two years' time after that steven and josefina want to start saving for lianna's college education 
my attitude is government should never stand in the way of families achieving their dreams applause and as we debate this issue always remember the surplus is not the government's money the surplus is the people's money applause 
for lower income families my tax plan restores basic fairness right now complicated tax rules punish hard work a waitress supporting two children on $25 000 a year can lose nearly half of every additional dollar she earns above the $25 000 her overtime her hardest hours are taxed at nearly 20 percent this sends a terrible message you'll never get ahead but america's message must be different we must honor hard work never punish it applause with tax relief overtime will no longer be over taxed time for the waitress applause people with the smallest incomes will get the highest percentage of reductions and millions of additional american families will be removed from the income tax rolls entirely applause 
tax relief is right and tax relief is urgent the long economic expansion that began almost 10 years ago is faltering lower interest rates will eventually help but we cannot assume they will do the job all by themselves 
forty years ago and then 20 years ago two presidents one democrat one republican john f kennedy and ronald reagan advocated tax cuts to in president kennedy's words get this country moving again they knew then what we must do now to create economic growth and opportunity we must put money back into the hands of the people who buy goods and create jobs applause 
we must act quickly the chairman of the federal reserve has testified before congress that tax cuts often come too late to stimulate economic recovery so i want to work with you to give our economy an important jump start by making tax relief retroactive applause 
we must act now because it is the right thing to do we must also act now because we have other things to do we must show courage to confront and resolve tough challenges to restructure our nation's defenses to meet our growing need for energy and to reform medicare and social security 
america has a window of opportunity to extend and secure our present peace by promoting a distinctly american internationalism we will work with our allies and friends to be a force for good and a champion of freedom we will work for free markets free trade and freedom from oppression nations making progress toward freedom will find america is their friend we will promote our values we will promote the peace and we need a strong military to keep the peace 
but our military was shaped to confront the challenges of the past so i've asked the secretary of defense to review america's armed forces and prepare to transform them to meet emerging threats my budget makes a down payment on the research and development that will be required yet in our broader transformation effort we must put strategy first then spending our defense vision will drive our defense budget not the other way around applause 
our nation also needs a clear strategy to confront the threats of the 21st century threats that are more widespread and less certain they range from terrorists who threaten with bombs to tyrants in rogue nations intent upon developing weapons of mass destruction to protect our own people our allies and friends we must develop and we must deploy effective missile defenses applause 
and as we transform our military we can discard cold war relics and reduce our own nuclear forces to reflect today's needs applause a strong america is the world's best hope for peace and freedom 
yet the cause of freedom rests on more than our ability to defend ourselves and our allies freedom is exported every day as we ship goods and products that improve the lives of millions of people free trade brings greater political and personal freedom each of the previous five presidents has had the ability to negotiate far reaching trade agreements tonight i ask you to give me the strong hand of presidential trade promotion authority and to do so quickly applause 
as we meet tonight many citizens are struggling with the high cost of energy we have a serious energy problem that demands a national energy policy applause the west is confronting a major energy shortage that has resulted in high prices and uncertainty i've asked federal agencies to work with california officials to help speed construction of new energy sources and i have direct vice president cheney commerce secretary evans energy secretary abraham and other senior members in my administration to develop a national energy policy applause 
our energy demand outstrips our supply we can produce more energy at home while protecting our environment and we must applause we can produce more electricity to meet demand and we must applause we can promote alternative energy sources and conservation and we must applause america must become more energy independent and we will applause 
perhaps the biggest test of our foresight and courage will be reforming medicare and social security medicare's finances are strained and its coverage is outdated ninety nine percent of employer provided health plans offer some form of prescription drug coverage medicare does not the framework for reform has been developed by senators frist and breaux and congressman thomas and now is the time to act applause 
medicare must be modernized and we must make sure that every senior on medicare can choose a health care plan that offers prescription drugs applause 
seven years from now the baby boom generation will begin to claim social security benefits every one in this chamber knows that social security is not prepared to fully fund their retirement and we only have a couple of years to get prepared without reform this country will one day awaken to a stark choice either a drastic rise in payroll taxes or a radical cut in retirement benefits 
there is a better way this spring i will form a presidential commission to reform social security the commission will make its recommendations by next fall reform should be based on these principles it must preserve the benefits of all current retirees and those nearing retirement it must return social security to sound financial footing and it must offer personal savings accounts to younger workers who want them applause 
social security now offers workers a return of less than 2 percent on the money they pay into the system to save the system we must increase that by allowing younger workers to make safe sound investments that yield a higher rate of return ownership access to wealth and independence should not be the privilege of the few they are the hope of every american and we must make them the foundation of social security applause 
 by confronting the tough challenge of reform by being responsible with our budget we can earn the trust of the american people and we can add to that trust by enacting fair and balanced election and campaign reforms applause 
the agenda i have set before you tonight is worthy of a great nation america is a nation at peace but not a nation at rest much has been given to us and much is expected let us agree to bridge old divides but let us also agree that our goodwill must be dedicated to great goals bipartisan is more than minding our matters it is doing our duty applause 
no one can speak in this capitol and not be awed by its history as so many turning points debates in these chambers have reflected the collected or divided conscience of our country and when we walk through statuary hall and see those men and women of marble we're reminded of their courage and achievement 
yet america's purpose is never found only in statues or history america's purpose always stands before us our generation must show courage in a time of blessing as our nation has always shown in times of crisis and our courage issue by issue can gather to greatness and serve our country this is the privilege and responsibility we share and if we work together we can prove that public service is noble 
we all came here for a reason we all have things we want to accomplish and promises to keep juntos podemos together we can applause 
we can make americans proud of their government together we can share in the credit of making our country more prosperous and generous and just and earn from our conscience and from our fellow citizens the highest possible praise well done good and faithful servants 
thank you all good night and god bless applause the president mr speaker mr president pro tempore members of congress and fellow americans 
in the normal course of events presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the union tonight no such report is needed it has already been delivered by the american people 
we have seen it in the courage of passengers who rushed terrorists to save others on the ground passengers like an exceptional man named todd beamer and would you please help me to welcome his wife lisa beamer here tonight applause 
we have seen the state of our union in the endurance of rescuers working past exhaustion we have seen the unfurling of flags the lighting of candles the giving of blood the saying of prayers in english hebrew and arabic we have seen the decency of a loving and giving people who have made the grief of strangers their own 
my fellow citizens for the last nine days the entire world has seen for itself the state of our union and it is strong applause 
tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies justice will be done applause 
i thank the congress for its leadership at such an important time all of america was touched on the evening of the tragedy to see republicans and democrats joined together on the steps of this capitol singing god bless america and you did more than sing you acted by delivering $40 billion to rebuild our communities and meet the needs of our military 
speaker hastert minority leader gephardt majority leader daschle and senator lott i thank you for your friendship for your leadership and for your service to our country applause 
and on behalf of the american people i thank the world for its outpouring of support america will never forget the sounds of our national anthem playing at buckingham palace on the streets of paris and at berlin's brandenburg gate 
we will not forget south korean children gathering to pray outside our embassy in seoul or the prayers of sympathy offered at a mosque in cairo we will not forget moments of silence and days of mourning in australia and africa and latin america 
nor will we forget the citizens of 80 other nations who died with our own dozens of pakistanis more than 130 israelis more than 250 citizens of india men and women from el salvador iran mexico and japan and hundreds of british citizens america has no truer friend than great britain applause once again we are joined together in a great cause so honored the british prime minister has crossed an ocean to show his unity of purpose with america thank you for coming friend applause 
on september the 11th enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country americans have known wars but for the past 136 years they have been wars on foreign soil except for one sunday in 1941 americans have known the casualties of war but not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning americans have known surprise attacks but never before on thousands of civilians all of this was brought upon us in a single day and night fell on a different world a world where freedom itself is under attack 
americans have many questions tonight americans are asking who attacked our country the evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al qaeda they are the same murderers indicted for bombing american embassies in tanzania and kenya and responsible for bombing the uss cole 
al qaeda is to terror what the mafia is to crime but its goal is not making money its goal is remaking the world and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere 
the terrorists practice a fringe form of islamic extremism that has been rejected by muslim scholars and the vast majority of muslim clerics a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of islam the terrorists' directive commands them to kill christians and jews to kill all americans and make no distinction among military and civilians including women and children 
this group and its leader a person named osama bin laden are linked to many other organizations in different countries including the egyptian islamic jihad and the islamic movement of uzbekistan there are thousands of these terrorists in more than 60 countries they are recruited from their own nations and neighborhoods and brought to camps in places like afghanistan where they are trained in the tactics of terror they are sent back to their homes or sent to hide in countries around the world to plot evil and destruction 
the leadership of al qaeda has great influence in afghanistan and supports the taliban regime in controlling most of that country in afghanistan we see al qaeda's vision for the world 
afghanistan's people have been brutalized many are starving and many have fled women are not allowed to attend school you can be jailed for owning a television religion can be practiced only as their leaders dictate a man can be jailed in afghanistan if his beard is not long enough 
the united states respects the people of afghanistan after all we are currently its largest source of humanitarian aid but we condemn the taliban regime applause it is not only repressing its own people it is threatening people everywhere by sponsoring and sheltering and supplying terrorists by aiding and abetting murder the taliban regime is committing murder 
and tonight the united states of america makes the following demands on the taliban deliver to united states authorities all the leaders of al qaeda who hide in your land applause release all foreign nationals including american citizens you have unjustly imprisoned protect foreign journalists diplomats and aid workers in your country close immediately and permanently every terrorist training camp in afghanistan and hand over every terrorist and every person in their support structure to appropriate authorities applause give the united states full access to terrorist training camps so we can make sure they are no longer operating 
these demands are not open to negotiation or discussion applause the taliban must act and act immediately they will hand over the terrorists or they will share in their fate 
i also want to speak tonight directly to muslims throughout the world we respect your faith it's practiced freely by many millions of americans and by millions more in countries that america counts as friends its teachings are good and peaceful and those who commit evil in the name of allah blaspheme the name of allah applause the terrorists are traitors to their own faith trying in effect to hijack islam itself the enemy of america is not our many muslim friends it is not our many arab friends our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them applause 
our war on terror begins with al qaeda but it does not end there it will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found stopped and defeated applause 
americans are asking why do they hate us they hate what we see right here in this chamber a democratically elected government their leaders are self appointed they hate our freedoms our freedom of religion our freedom of speech our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other 
they want to overthrow existing governments in many muslim countries such as egypt saudi arabia and jordan they want to drive israel out of the middle east they want to drive christians and jews out of vast regions of asia and africa 
these terrorists kill not merely to end lives but to disrupt and end a way of life with every atrocity they hope that america grows fearful retreating from the world and forsaking our friends they stand against us because we stand in their way 
we are not deceived by their pretenses to piety we have seen their kind before they are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century by sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions by abandoning every value except the will to power they follow in the path of fascism and nazism and totalitarianism and they will follow that path all the way to where it ends in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies applause 
americans are asking how will we fight and win this war we will direct every resource at our command every means of diplomacy every tool of intelligence every instrument of law enforcement every financial influence and every necessary weapon of war to the disruption and to the defeat of the global terror network 
this war will not be like the war against iraq a decade ago with a decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion it will not look like the air war above kosovo two years ago where no ground troops were used and not a single american was lost in combat 
our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes americans should not expect one battle but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have ever seen it may include dramatic strikes visible on tv and covert operations secret even in success we will starve terrorists of funding turn them one against another drive them from place to place until there is no refuge or no rest and we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism every nation in every region now has a decision to make either you are with us or you are with the terrorists applause from this day forward any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the united states as a hostile regime 
our nation has been put on notice we are not immune from attack we will take defensive measures against terrorism to protect americans today dozens of federal departments and agencies as well as state and local governments have responsibilities affecting homeland security these efforts must be coordinated at the highest level so tonight i announce the creation of a cabinet level position reporting directly to me the office of homeland security 
and tonight i also announce a distinguished american to lead this effort to strengthen american security a military veteran an effective governor a true patriot a trusted friend pennsylvania's tom ridge applause he will lead oversee and coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to safeguard our country against terrorism and respond to any attacks that may come 
these measures are essential but the only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it eliminate it and destroy it where it grows applause 
many will be involved in this effort from fbi agents to intelligence operatives to the reservists we have called to active duty all deserve our thanks and all have our prayers and tonight a few miles from the damaged pentagon i have a message for our military be ready i've called the armed forces to alert and there is a reason the hour is coming when america will act and you will make us proud applause 
this is not however just america's fight and what is at stake is not just america's freedom this is the world's fight this is civilization's fight this is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism tolerance and freedom 
we ask every nation to join us we will ask and we will need the help of police forces intelligence services and banking systems around the world the united states is grateful that many nations and many international organizations have already responded with sympathy and with support nations from latin america to asia to africa to europe to the islamic world perhaps the nato charter reflects best the attitude of the world an attack on one is an attack on all 
the civilized world is rallying to america's side they understand that if this terror goes unpunished their own cities their own citizens may be next terror unanswered can not only bring down buildings it can threaten the stability of legitimate governments and you know what we're not going to allow it applause 
americans are asking what is expected of us i ask you to live your lives and hug your children i know many citizens have fears tonight and i ask you to be calm and resolute even in the face of a continuing threat 
i ask you to uphold the values of america and remember why so many have come here we are in a fight for our principles and our first responsibility is to live by them no one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith applause 
i ask you to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with your contributions those who want to give can go to a central source of information libertyunites org to find the names of groups providing direct help in new york pennsylvania and virginia 
the thousands of fbi agents who are now at work in this investigation may need your cooperation and i ask you to give it 
i ask for your patience with the delays and inconveniences that may accompany tighter security and for your patience in what will be a long struggle 
i ask your continued participation and confidence in the american economy terrorists attacked a symbol of american prosperity they did not touch its source america is successful because of the hard work and creativity and enterprise of our people these were the true strengths of our economy before september 11th and they are our strengths today applause 
and finally please continue praying for the victims of terror and their families for those in uniform and for our great country prayer has comforted us in sorrow and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead 
tonight i thank my fellow americans for what you have already done and for what you will do and ladies and gentlemen of the congress i thank you their representatives for what you have already done and for what we will do together 
tonight we face new and sudden national challenges we will come together to improve air safety to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on domestic flights and take new measures to prevent hijacking we will come together to promote stability and keep our airlines flying with direct assistance during this emergency applause 
we will come together to give law enforcement the additional tools it needs to track down terror here at home applause we will come together to strengthen our intelligence capabilities to know the plans of terrorists before they act and find them before they strike applause 
we will come together to take active steps that strengthen america's economy and put our people back to work 
tonight we welcome two leaders who embody the extraordinary spirit of all new yorkers governor george pataki and mayor rudolph giuliani applause as a symbol of america's resolve my administration will work with congress and these two leaders to show the world that we will rebuild new york city applause 
after all that has just passed all the lives taken and all the possibilities and hopes that died with them it is natural to wonder if america's future is one of fear some speak of an age of terror i know there are struggles ahead and dangers to face but this country will define our times not be defined by them as long as the united states of america is determined and strong this will not be an age of terror this will be an age of liberty here and across the world applause 
great harm has been done to us we have suffered great loss and in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment freedom and fear are at war the advance of human freedom the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time now depends on us our nation this generation will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future we will rally the world to this cause by our efforts by our courage we will not tire we will not falter and we will not fail applause 
it is my hope that in the months and years ahead life will return almost to normal we'll go back to our lives and routines and that is good even grief recedes with time and grace but our resolve must not pass each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened we'll remember the moment the news came where we were and what we were doing some will remember an image of a fire or a story of rescue some will carry memories of a face and a voice gone forever 
and i will carry this it is the police shield of a man named george howard who died at the world trade center trying to save others it was given to me by his mom arlene as a proud memorial to her son this is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end applause 
i will not forget this wound to our country or those who inflicted it i will not yield i will not rest i will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the american people 
the course of this conflict is not known yet its outcome is certain freedom and fear justice and cruelty have always been at war and we know that god is not neutral between them applause 
fellow citizens we'll meet violence with patient justice assured of the rightness of our cause and confident of the victories to come in all that lies before us may god grant us wisdom and may he watch over the united states of america 
thank you applause the president thank you very much mr speaker vice president cheney members of congress distinguished guests fellow citizens as we gather tonight our nation is at war our economy is in recession and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers yet the state of our union has never been stronger applause 
we last met in an hour of shock and suffering in four short months our nation has comforted the victims begun to rebuild new york and the pentagon rallied a great coalition captured arrested and rid the world of thousands of terrorists destroyed afghanistan's terrorist training camps saved a people from starvation and freed a country from brutal oppression applause 
the american flag flies again over our embassy in kabul terrorists who once occupied afghanistan now occupy cells at guantanamo bay applause and terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice their lives are running for their own applause 
america and afghanistan are now allies against terror we'll be partners in rebuilding that country and this evening we welcome the distinguished interim leader of a liberated afghanistan chairman hamid karzai applause 
the last time we met in this chamber the mothers and daughters of afghanistan were captives in their own homes forbidden from working or going to school today women are free and are part of afghanistan's new government and we welcome the new minister of women's affairs doctor sima samar applause 
our progress is a tribute to the spirit of the afghan people to the resolve of our coalition and to the might of the united states military applause when i called our troops into action i did so with complete confidence in their courage and skill and tonight thanks to them we are winning the war on terror applause the man and women of our armed forces have delivered a message now clear to every enemy of the united states even 7 000 miles away across oceans and continents on mountaintops and in caves you will not escape the justice of this nation applause 
for many americans these four months have brought sorrow and pain that will never completely go away every day a retired firefighter returns to ground zero to feel closer to his two sons who died there at a memorial in new york a little boy left his football with a note for his lost father dear daddy please take this to heaven i don't want to play football until i can play with you again some day 
last month at the grave of her husband michael a cia officer and marine who died in mazur e sharif shannon spann said these words of farewell semper fi my love shannon is with us tonight applause 
shannon i assure you and all who have lost a loved one that our cause is just and our country will never forget the debt we owe michael and all who gave their lives for freedom 
our cause is just and it continues our discoveries in afghanistan confirmed our worst fears and showed us the true scope of the task ahead we have seen the depth of our enemies' hatred in videos where they laugh about the loss of innocent life and the depth of their hatred is equaled by the madness of the destruction they design we have found diagrams of american nuclear power plants and public water facilities detailed instructions for making chemical weapons surveillance maps of american cities and thorough descriptions of landmarks in america and throughout the world 
what we have found in afghanistan confirms that far from ending there our war against terror is only beginning most of the 19 men who hijacked planes on september the 11th were trained in afghanistan's camps and so were tens of thousands of others thousands of dangerous killers schooled in the methods of murder often supported by outlaw regimes are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs set to go off without warning 
thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials and coalition partners hundreds of terrorists have been arrested yet tens of thousands of trained terrorists are still at large these enemies view the entire world as a battlefield and we must pursue them wherever they are applause so long as training camps operate so long as nations harbor terrorists freedom is at risk and america and our allies must not and will not allow it applause 
our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in the pursuit of two great objectives first we will shut down terrorist camps disrupt terrorist plans and bring terrorists to justice and second we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the united states and the world applause 
our military has put the terror training camps of afghanistan out of business yet camps still exist in at least a dozen countries a terrorist underworld including groups like hamas hezbollah islamic jihad jaish i mohammed operates in remote jungles and deserts and hides in the centers of large cities 
while the most visible military action is in afghanistan america is acting elsewhere we now have troops in the philippines helping to train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have executed an american and still hold hostages our soldiers working with the bosnian government seized terrorists who were plotting to bomb our embassy our navy is patrolling the coast of africa to block the shipment of weapons and the establishment of terrorist camps in somalia 
my hope is that all nations will heed our call and eliminate the terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own many nations are acting forcefully pakistan is now cracking down on terror and i admire the strong leadership of president musharraf applause 
but some governments will be timid in the face of terror and make no mistake about it if they do not act america will applause 
our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening america or our friends and allies with weapons of mass destruction some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since september the 11th but we know their true nature north korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction while starving its citizens 
iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror while an unelected few repress the iranian people's hope for freedom 
iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward america and to support terror the iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax and nerve gas and nuclear weapons for over a decade this is a regime that has already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children this is a regime that agreed to international inspections then kicked out the inspectors this is a regime that has something to hide from the civilized world 
states like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil arming to threaten the peace of the world by seeking weapons of mass destruction these regimes pose a grave and growing danger they could provide these arms to terrorists giving them the means to match their hatred they could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the united states in any of these cases the price of indifference would be catastrophic 
we will work closely with our coalition to deny terrorists and their state sponsors the materials technology and expertise to make and deliver weapons of mass destruction we will develop and deploy effective missile defenses to protect america and our allies from sudden attack applause and all nations should know america will do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security 
we'll be deliberate yet time is not on our side i will not wait on events while dangers gather i will not stand by as peril draws closer and closer the united states of america will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons applause 
our war on terror is well begun but it is only begun this campaign may not be finished on our watch yet it must be and it will be waged on our watch 
we can't stop short if we stop now leaving terror camps intact and terror states unchecked our sense of security would be false and temporary history has called america and our allies to action and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight applause 
our first priority must always be the security of our nation and that will be reflected in the budget i send to congress my budget supports three great goals for america we will win this war we'll protect our homeland and we will revive our economy 
september the 11th brought out the best in america and the best in this congress and i join the american people in applauding your unity and resolve applause now americans deserve to have this same spirit directed toward addressing problems here at home i'm a proud member of my party yet as we act to win the war protect our people and create jobs in america we must act first and foremost not as republicans not as democrats but as americans applause 
it costs a lot to fight this war we have spent more than a billion dollars a month over $30 million a day and we must be prepared for future operations afghanistan proved that expensive precision weapons defeat the enemy and spare innocent lives and we need more of them we need to replace aging aircraft and make our military more agile to put our troops anywhere in the world quickly and safely our men and women in uniform deserve the best weapons the best equipment the best training and they also deserve another pay raise applause 
my budget includes the largest increase in defense spending in two decades because while the price of freedom and security is high it is never too high whatever it costs to defend our country we will pay applause 
the next priority of my budget is to do everything possible to protect our citizens and strengthen our nation against the ongoing threat of another attack time and distance from the events of september the 11th will not make us safer unless we act on its lessons america is no longer protected by vast oceans we are protected from attack only by vigorous action abroad and increased vigilance at home 
my budget nearly doubles funding for a sustained strategy of homeland security focused on four key areas bioterrorism emergency response airport and border security and improved intelligence we will develop vaccines to fight anthrax and other deadly diseases we'll increase funding to help states and communities train and equip our heroic police and firefighters applause we will improve intelligence collection and sharing expand patrols at our borders strengthen the security of air travel and use technology to track the arrivals and departures of visitors to the united states applause 
homeland security will make america not only stronger but in many ways better knowledge gained from bioterrorism research will improve public health stronger police and fire departments will mean safer neighborhoods stricter border enforcement will help combat illegal drugs applause and as government works to better secure our homeland america will continue to depend on the eyes and ears of alert citizens 
a few days before christmas an airline flight attendant spotted a passenger lighting a match the crew and passengers quickly subdued the man who had been trained by al qaeda and was armed with explosives the people on that plane were alert and as a result likely saved nearly 200 lives and tonight we welcome and thank flight attendants hermis moutardier and christina jones applause 
once we have funded our national security and our homeland security the final great priority of my budget is economic security for the american people applause to achieve these great national objectives to win the war protect the homeland and revitalize our economy our budget will run a deficit that will be small and short term so long as congress restrains spending and acts in a fiscally responsible manner applause we have clear priorities and we must act at home with the same purpose and resolve we have shown overseas we'll prevail in the war and we will defeat this recession applause 
americans who have lost their jobs need our help and i support extending unemployment benefits and direct assistance for health care coverage applause yet american workers want more than unemployment checks they want a steady paycheck applause when america works america prospers so my economic security plan can be summed up in one word jobs applause 
good jobs begin with good schools and here we've made a fine start applause republicans and democrats worked together to achieve historic education reform so that no child is left behind i was proud to work with members of both parties chairman john boehner and congressman george miller applause senator judd gregg applause and i was so proud of our work i even had nice things to say about my friend ted kennedy laughter and applause i know the folks at the crawford coffee shop couldn't believe i'd say such a thing laughter but our work on this bill shows what is possible if we set aside posturing and focus on results applause 
there is more to do we need to prepare our children to read and succeed in school with improved head start and early childhood development programs applause we must upgrade our teacher colleges and teacher training and launch a major recruiting drive with a great goal for america a quality teacher in every classroom applause 
good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable energy this congress must act to encourage conservation promote technology build infrastructure and it must act to increase energy production at home so america is less dependent on foreign oil applause 
good jobs depend on expanded trade selling into new markets creates new jobs so i ask congress to finally approve trade promotion authority applause on these two key issues trade and energy the house of representatives has acted to create jobs and i urge the senate to pass this legislation applause 
good jobs depend on sound tax policy applause last year some in this hall thought my tax relief plan was too small some thought it was too big applause but when the checks arrived in the mail most americans thought tax relief was just about right applause congress listened to the people and responded by reducing tax rates doubling the child credit and ending the death tax for the sake of long term growth and to help americans plan for the future let's make these tax cuts permanent applause 
the way out of this recession the way to create jobs is to grow the economy by encouraging investment in factories and equipment and by speeding up tax relief so people have more money to spend for the sake of american workers let's pass a stimulus package applause 
good jobs must be the aim of welfare reform as we reauthorize these important reforms we must always remember the goal is to reduce dependency on government and offer every american the dignity of a job applause 
americans know economic security can vanish in an instant without health security i ask congress to join me this year to enact a patients' bill of rights applause to give uninsured workers credits to help buy health coverage applause to approve an historic increase in the spending for veterans' health applause and to give seniors a sound and modern medicare system that includes coverage for prescription drugs applause 
a good job should lead to security in retirement i ask congress to enact new safeguards for 401k and pension plans applause employees who have worked hard and saved all their lives should not have to risk losing everything if their company fails applause through stricter accounting standards and tougher disclosure requirements corporate america must be made more accountable to employees and shareholders and held to the highest standards of conduct applause 
retirement security also depends upon keeping the commitments of social security and we will we must make social security financially stable and allow personal retirement accounts for younger workers who choose them applause 
members you and i will work together in the months ahead on other issues productive farm policy applause a cleaner environment applause broader home ownership especially among minorities applause and ways to encourage the good work of charities and faith based groups applause i ask you to join me on these important domestic issues in the same spirit of cooperation we've applied to our war against terrorism applause 
during these last few months i've been humbled and privileged to see the true character of this country in a time of testing our enemies believed america was weak and materialistic that we would splinter in fear and selfishness they were as wrong as they are evil applause 
the american people have responded magnificently with courage and compassion strength and resolve as i have met the heroes hugged the families and looked into the tired faces of rescuers i have stood in awe of the american people 
and i hope you will join me i hope you will join me in expressing thanks to one american for the strength and calm and comfort she brings to our nation in crisis our first lady laura bush applause 
none of us would ever wish the evil that was done on september the 11th yet after america was attacked it was as if our entire country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves we were reminded that we are citizens with obligations to each other to our country and to history we began to think less of the goods we can accumulate and more about the good we can do 
for too long our culture has said if it feels good do it now america is embracing a new ethic and a new creed let's roll applause in the sacrifice of soldiers the fierce brotherhood of firefighters and the bravery and generosity of ordinary citizens we have glimpsed what a new culture of responsibility could look like we want to be a nation that serves goals larger than self we've been offered a unique opportunity and we must not let this moment pass applause 
my call tonight is for every american to commit at least two years 4 000 hours over the rest of your lifetime to the service of your neighbors and your nation applause many are already serving and i thank you if you aren't sure how to help i've got a good place to start to sustain and extend the best that has emerged in america i invite you to join the new usa freedom corps the freedom corps will focus on three areas of need responding in case of crisis at home rebuilding our communities and extending american compassion throughout the world 
one purpose of the usa freedom corps will be homeland security america needs retired doctors and nurses who can be mobilized in major emergencies volunteers to help police and fire departments transportation and utility workers well trained in spotting danger 
our country also needs citizens working to rebuild our communities we need mentors to love children especially children whose parents are in prison and we need more talented teachers in troubled schools usa freedom corps will expand and improve the good efforts of americorps and senior corps to recruit more than 200 000 new volunteers 
and america needs citizens to extend the compassion of our country to every part of the world so we will renew the promise of the peace corps double its volunteers over the next five years applause and ask it to join a new effort to encourage development and education and opportunity in the islamic world applause 
this time of adversity offers a unique moment of opportunity a moment we must seize to change our culture through the gathering momentum of millions of acts of service and decency and kindness i know we can overcome evil with greater good applause and we have a great opportunity during this time of war to lead the world toward the values that will bring lasting peace 
all fathers and mothers in all societies want their children to be educated and live free from poverty and violence no people on earth yearn to be oppressed or aspire to servitude or eagerly await the midnight knock of the secret police 
if anyone doubts this let them look to afghanistan where the islamic street greeted the fall of tyranny with song and celebration let the skeptics look to islam's own rich history with its centuries of learning and tolerance and progress america will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere applause 
no nation owns these aspirations and no nation is exempt from them we have no intention of imposing our culture but america will always stand firm for the non negotiable demands of human dignity the rule of law limits on the power of the state respect for women private property free speech equal justice and religious tolerance applause 
america will take the side of brave men and women who advocate these values around the world including the islamic world because we have a greater objective than eliminating threats and containing resentment we seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror 
in this moment of opportunity a common danger is erasing old rivalries america is working with russia and china and india in ways we have never before to achieve peace and prosperity in every region free markets and free trade and free societies are proving their power to lift lives together with friends and allies from europe to asia and africa to latin america we will demonstrate that the forces of terror cannot stop the momentum of freedom applause 
the last time i spoke here i expressed the hope that life would return to normal in some ways it has in others it never will those of us who have lived through these challenging times have been changed by them we've come to know truths that we will never question evil is real and it must be opposed applause beyond all differences of race or creed we are one country mourning together and facing danger together deep in the american character there is honor and it is stronger than cynicism and many have discovered again that even in tragedy especially in tragedy god is near applause 
in a single instant we realized that this will be a decisive decade in the history of liberty that we've been called to a unique role in human events rarely has the world faced a choice more clear or consequential 
our enemies send other people's children on missions of suicide and murder they embrace tyranny and death as a cause and a creed we stand for a different choice made long ago on the day of our founding we affirm it again today we choose freedom and the dignity of every life applause 
steadfast in our purpose we now press on we have known freedom's price we have shown freedom's power and in this great conflict my fellow americans we will see freedom's victory 
thank you all may god bless applause mr speaker vice president cheney members of congress distinguished guests fellow citizens 
every year by law and by custom we meet here to consider the state of the union this year we gather in this chamber deeply aware of decisive days that lie ahead 
you and i serve our country in a time of great consequence during this session of congress we have the duty to reform domestic programs vital to our country and we have the opportunity to save millions of lives abroad from a terrible disease we will work for a prosperity that is broadly shared and we will answer every danger and every enemy that threatens the american people 
in all these days of promise and days of reckoning we can be confident in a whirlwind of change and hope and peril our faith is sure our resolve is firm and our union is strong 
this country has many challenges we will not deny we will not ignore we will not pass along our problems to other congresses other presidents and other generations we will confront them with focus and clarity and courage 
during the last two years we have seen what can be accomplished when we work together to lift the standards of our public schools we achieved historic education reform which must now be carried out in every school and every classroom so that every child in america can read and learn and succeed in life to protect our country we reorganized our government and created the department of homeland security which is mobilizing against the threats of a new era to bring our economy out of recession we delivered the largest tax relief in a generation to insist on integrity in american business we passed tough reforms and we are holding corporate criminals to account 
some might call this a good record i call it a good start tonight i ask the house and senate to join me in the next bold steps to serve our fellow citizens 
our first goal is clear we must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job 
after recession terrorist attacks corporate scandals and stock market declines our economy is recovering yet it is not growing fast enough or strongly enough with unemployment rising our nation needs more small businesses to open more companies to invest and expand more employers to put up the sign that says help wanted 
jobs are created when the economy grows the economy grows when americans have more money to spend and invest and the best fairest way to make sure americans have that money is not to tax it away in the first place 
i am proposing that all the income tax reductions set for 2004 and 2006 be made permanent and effective this year and under my plan as soon as i have signed the bill this extra money will start showing up in workers' paychecks instead of gradually reducing the marriage penalty we should do it now instead of slowly raising the child credit to a thousand dollars we should send the checks to american families now 
this tax relief is for everyone who pays income taxes and it will help our economy immediately ninety two million americans will keep this year an average of almost 1 100 dollars more of their own money a family of four with an income of 40 000 dollars would see their federal income taxes fall from 1 178 dollars to 45 dollars per year and our plan will improve the bottom line for more than 23 million small businesses 
you the congress have already passed all these reductions and promised them for future years if this tax relief is good for americans three or five or seven years from now it is even better for americans today 
we also strengthen the economy by treating investors equally in our tax laws it is fair to tax a company's profits it is not fair to again tax the shareholder on the same profits to boost investor confidence and to help the nearly 10 million seniors who receive dividend income i ask you to end the unfair double taxation of dividends 
lower taxes and greater investment will help this economy expand more jobs mean more taxpayers and higher revenues to our government the best way to address the deficit and move toward a balanced budget is to encourage economic growth and to show some spending discipline in washington d c we must work together to fund only our most important priorities i will send you a budget that increases discretionary spending by four percent next year about as much as the average family's income is expected to grow and that is a good benchmark for us federal spending should not rise any faster than the paychecks of american families 
a growing economy and a focus on essential priorities will also be crucial to the future of social security as we continue to work together to keep social security sound and reliable we must offer younger workers a chance to invest in retirement accounts that they will control and they will own 
our second goal is high quality affordable health care for all americans 
the american system of medicine is a model of skill and innovation with a pace of discovery that is adding good years to our lives yet for many people medical care costs too much and many have no coverage at all these problems will not be solved with a nationalized health care system that dictates coverage and rations care instead we must work toward a system in which all americans have a good insurance policy choose their own doctors and seniors and low income americans receive the help they need instead of bureaucrats and trial lawyers and hmos we must put doctors and nurses and patients back in charge of american medicine 
health care reform must begin with medicare because medicare is the binding commitment of a caring society we must renew that commitment by giving seniors access to the preventive medicine and new drugs that are transforming health care in america 
seniors happy with the current medicare system should be able to keep their coverage just the way it is and just like you the members of congress members of your staffs and other federal employees all seniors should have the choice of a health care plan that provides prescription drugs my budget will commit an additional 400 billion dollars over the next decade to reform and strengthen medicare leaders of both political parties have talked for years about strengthening medicare i urge the members of this new congress to act this year 
to improve our health care system we must address one of the prime causes of higher costs the constant threat that physicians and hospitals will be unfairly sued because of excessive litigation everybody pays more for health care and many parts of america are losing fine doctors no one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit and i urge the congress to pass medical liability reform 
our third goal is to promote energy independence for our country while dramatically improving the environment 
i have sent you a comprehensive energy plan to promote energy efficiency and conservation to develop cleaner technology and to produce more energy at home i have sent you clear skies legislation that mandates a 70 percent cut in air pollution from power plants over the next 15 years i have sent you a healthy forests initiative to help prevent the catastrophic fires that devastate communities kill wildlife and burn away millions of acres of treasured forest 
i urge you to pass these measures for the good of both our environment and our economy even more i ask you to take a crucial step and protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined in this century the greatest environmental progress will come about not through endless lawsuits or command and control regulations but through technology and innovation tonight i am proposing 1 2 billion dollars in research funding so that america can lead the world in developing clean hydrogen powered automobiles 
a simple chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy which can be used to power a car producing only water not exhaust fumes with a new national commitment our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen and pollution free join me in this important innovation to make our air significantly cleaner and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy 
our fourth goal is to apply the compassion of america to the deepest problems of america for so many in our country the homeless the fatherless the addicted the need is great yet there is power wonder working power in the goodness and idealism and faith of the american people 
americans are doing the work of compassion every day visiting prisoners providing shelter to battered women bringing companionship to lonely seniors these good works deserve our praise they deserve our personal support and when appropriate they deserve the assistance of our government i urge you to pass both my faith based initiative and the citizen service act to encourage acts of compassion that can transform america one heart and one soul at a time 
last year i called on my fellow citizens to participate in usa freedom corps which is enlisting tens of thousands of new volunteers across america tonight i ask congress and the american people to focus the spirit of service and the resources of government on the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens boys and girls trying to grow up without guidance and attention and children who have to go through a prison gate to be hugged by their mom or dad i propose a 450 million dollar initiative to bring mentors to more than a million disadvantaged junior high students and children of prisoners government will support the training and recruiting of mentors yet it is the men and women of america who will fill the need one mentor one person can change a life forever and i urge you to be that one person 
another cause of hopelessness is addiction to drugs addiction crowds out friendship ambition moral conviction and reduces all the richness of life to a single destructive desire as a government we are fighting illegal drugs by cutting off supplies and reducing demand through anti drug education programs yet for those already addicted the fight against drugs is a fight for their own lives 
too many americans in search of treatment cannot get it so tonight i propose a new 600 million dollar program to help an additional 300 000 americans receive treatment over the next three years 
our nation is blessed with recovery programs that do amazing work one of them is found at the healing place church in baton rouge louisiana a man in the program said god does miracles in people s lives and you never think it could be you tonight let us bring to all americans who struggle with drug addiction this message of hope the miracle of recovery is possible and it could be you 
by caring for children who need mentors and for addicted men and women who need treatment we are building a more welcoming society a culture that values every life and in this work we must not overlook the weakest among us i ask you to protect infants at the very hour of birth and end the practice of partial birth abortion and because no human life should be started or ended as the object of an experiment i ask you to set a high standard for humanity and pass a law against all human cloning 
the qualities of courage and compassion that we strive for in america also determine our conduct abroad the american flag stands for more than our power and our interests our founders dedicated this country to the cause of human dignity the rights of every person and the possibilities of every life this conviction leads us into the world to help the afflicted and defend the peace and confound the designs of evil men in afghanistan we helped to liberate an oppressed people and we will continue helping them secure their country rebuild their society and educate all their children boys and girls in the middle east we will continue to seek peace between a secure israel and a democratic palestine across the earth america is feeding the hungry more than 60 percent of international food aid comes as a gift from the people of the united states 
as our nation moves troops and builds alliances to make our world safer we must also remember our calling as a blessed country to make this world better today on the continent of africa nearly 30 million people have the aids virus including three million children under the age of 15 there are whole countries in africa where more than one third of the adult population carries the infection more than four million require immediate drug treatment yet across that continent only 50 000 aids victims only 50 000 are receiving the medicine they need 
because the aids diagnosis is considered a death sentence many do not seek treatment almost all who do are turned away a doctor in rural south africa describes his frustration he says we have no medicines many hospitals tell people 'you've got aids we can't help you go home and die ' 
in an age of miraculous medicines no person should have to hear those words aids can be prevented anti retroviral drugs can extend life for many years and the cost of those drugs has dropped from 12 000 dollars a year to under 300 dollars a year which places a tremendous possibility within our grasp 
ladies and gentlemen seldom has history offered a greater opportunity to do so much for so many we have confronted and will continue to confront hiv/aids in our own country and to meet a severe and urgent crisis abroad tonight i propose the emergency plan for aids relief a work of mercy beyond all current international efforts to help the people of africa this comprehensive plan will prevent seven million new aids infections treat at least two million people with life extending drugs and provide humane care for millions of people suffering from aids and for children orphaned by aids i ask the congress to commit 15 billion dollars over the next five years including nearly ten billion dollars in new money to turn the tide against aids in the most afflicted nations of africa and the caribbean 
this nation can lead the world in sparing innocent people from a plague of nature and this nation is leading the world in confronting and defeating the man made evil of international terrorism 
there are days when the american people do not hear news about the war on terror there is never a day when i do not learn of another threat or receive reports of operations in progress or give an order in this global war against a scattered network of killers the war goes on and we are winning 
to date we have arrested or otherwise dealt with many key commanders of al qaida they include a man who directed logistics and funding for the september 11th attacks the chief of al qaida operations in the persian gulf who planned the bombings of our embassies in east africa and the uss cole an al qaida operations chief from southeast asia a former director of al qaida's training camps in afghanistan a key al qaida operative in europe and a major al qaida leader in yemen all told more than 3 000 suspected terrorists have been arrested in many countries and many others have met a different fate they are no longer a problem for the united states and our friends and allies 
we are working closely with other nations to prevent further attacks america and coalition countries have uncovered and stopped terrorist conspiracies targeting the american embassy in yemen the american embassy in singapore a saudi military base and ships in the straits of hormuz and the straits of gibraltar we have broken al qaida cells in hamburg and milan and madrid and london and paris as well as buffalo new york 
we have the terrorists on the run and we are keeping them on the run one by one the terrorists are learning the meaning of american justice 
as we fight this war we will remember where it began here in our own country this government is taking unprecedented measures to protect our people and defend our homeland we have intensified security at the borders and ports of entry posted more than 50 000 newly trained federal screeners in airports begun inoculating troops and first responders against smallpox and are deploying the nation's first early warning network of sensors to detect biological attack and this year for the first time we are beginning to field a defense to protect this nation against ballistic missiles 
i thank the congress for supporting these measures i ask you tonight to add to our future security with a major research and production effort to guard our people against bio terrorism called project bioshield the budget i send you will propose almost six billion dollars to quickly make available effective vaccines and treatments against agents like anthrax botulinum toxin ebola and plague we must assume that our enemies would use these diseases as weapons and we must act before the dangers are upon us 
since september 11th our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have worked more closely than ever to track and disrupt the terrorists the fbi is improving its ability to analyze intelligence and transforming itself to meet new threats and tonight i am instructing the leaders of the fbi central intelligence homeland security and the department of defense to develop a terrorist threat integration center to merge and analyze all threat information in a single location our government must have the very best information possible and we will use it to make sure the right people are in the right places to protect our citizens 
our war against terror is a contest of will in which perseverance is power in the ruins of two towers at the western wall of the pentagon on a field in pennsylvania this nation made a pledge and we renew that pledge tonight whatever the duration of this struggle and whatever the difficulties we will not permit the triumph of violence in the affairs of men free people will set the course of history 
today the gravest danger in the war on terror the gravest danger facing america and the world is outlaw regimes that seek and possess nuclear chemical and biological weapons these regimes could use such weapons for blackmail terror and mass murder they could also give or sell those weapons to their terrorist allies who would use them without the least hesitation 
this threat is new america's duty is familiar throughout the 20th century small groups of men seized control of great nations built armies and arsenals and set out to dominate the weak and intimidate the world in each case their ambitions of cruelty and murder had no limit in each case the ambitions of hitlerism militarism and communism were defeated by the will of free peoples by the strength of great alliances and by the might of the united states of america now in this century the ideology of power and domination has appeared again and seeks to gain the ultimate weapons of terror once again this nation and our friends are all that stand between a world at peace and a world of chaos and constant alarm once again we are called to defend the safety of our people and the hopes of all mankind and we accept this responsibility 
america is making a broad and determined effort to confront these dangers we have called on the united nations to fulfill its charter and stand by its demand that iraq disarm we are strongly supporting the international atomic energy agency in its mission to track and control nuclear materials around the world we are working with other governments to secure nuclear materials in the former soviet union and to strengthen global treaties banning the production and shipment of missile technologies and weapons of mass destruction 
in all of these efforts however america's purpose is more than to follow a process it is to achieve a result the end of terrible threats to the civilized world all free nations have a stake in preventing sudden and catastrophic attack we are asking them to join us and many are doing so yet the course of this nation does not depend on the decisions of others whatever action is required whenever action is necessary i will defend the freedom and security of the american people 
different threats require different strategies in iran we continue to see a government that represses its people pursues weapons of mass destruction and supports terror we also see iranian citizens risking intimidation and death as they speak out for liberty human rights and democracy iranians like all people have a right to choose their own government and determine their own destiny and the united states supports their aspirations to live in freedom 
on the korean peninsula an oppressive regime rules a people living in fear and starvation throughout the 1990s the united states relied on a negotiated framework to keep north korea from gaining nuclear weapons we now know that the regime was deceiving the world and developing those weapons all along and today the north korean regime is using its nuclear program to incite fear and seek concessions america and the world will not be blackmailed america is working with the countries of the region south korea japan china and russia to find a peaceful solution and to show the north korean government that nuclear weapons will bring only isolation economic stagnation and continued hardship the north korean regime will find respect in the world and revival for its people only when it turns away from its nuclear ambitions 
our nation and the world must learn the lessons of the korean peninsula and not allow an even greater threat to rise up in iraq a brutal dictator with a history of reckless aggression with ties to terrorism with great potential wealth will not be permitted to dominate a vital region and threaten the united states 
twelve years ago saddam hussein faced the prospect of being the last casualty in a war he had started and lost to spare himself he agreed to disarm of all weapons of mass destruction for the next 12 years he systematically violated that agreement he pursued chemical biological and nuclear weapons even while inspectors were in his country nothing to date has restrained him from his pursuit of these weapons not economic sanctions not isolation from the civilized world not even cruise missile strikes on his military facilities almost three months ago the united nations security council gave saddam hussein his final chance to disarm he has shown instead his utter contempt for the united nations and for the opinion of the world 
the 108 un weapons inspectors were not sent to conduct a scavenger hunt for hidden materials across a country the size of california the job of the inspectors is to verify that iraq's regime is disarming it is up to iraq to show exactly where it is hiding its banned weapons lay those weapons out for the world to see and destroy them as directed nothing like this has happened 
the united nations concluded in 1999 that saddam hussein had biological weapons materials sufficient to produce over 25 000 liters of anthrax enough doses to kill several million people he has not accounted for that material he has given no evidence that he has destroyed it 
the united nations concluded that saddam hussein had materials sufficient to produce more than 38 000 liters of botulinum toxin enough to subject millions of people to death by respiratory failure he has not accounted for that material he has given no evidence that he has destroyed it 
our intelligence officials estimate that saddam hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin mustard and vx nerve agent in such quantities these chemical agents also could kill untold thousands he has not accounted for these materials he has given no evidence that he has destroyed them 
u s intelligence indicates that saddam hussein had upwards of 30 000 munitions capable of delivering chemical agents inspectors recently turned up 16 of them despite iraq's recent declaration denying their existence saddam hussein has not accounted for the remaining 29 984 of these prohibited munitions he has given no evidence that he has destroyed them 
from three iraqi defectors we know that iraq in the late 1990s had several mobile biological weapons labs these are designed to produce germ warfare agents and can be moved from place to place to evade inspectors saddam hussein has not disclosed these facilities he has given no evidence that he has destroyed them 
the international atomic energy agency confirmed in the 1990s that saddam hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb the british government has learned that saddam hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from africa our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production saddam hussein has not credibly explained these activities he clearly has much to hide 
the dictator of iraq is not disarming to the contrary he is deceiving from intelligence sources we know for instance that thousands of iraqi security personnel are at work hiding documents and materials from the un inspectors sanitizing inspection sites and monitoring the inspectors themselves iraqi officials accompany the inspectors in order to intimidate witnesses iraq is blocking u 2 surveillance flights requested by the united nations iraqi intelligence officers are posing as the scientists inspectors are supposed to interview real scientists have been coached by iraqi officials on what to say and intelligence sources indicate that saddam hussein has ordered that scientists who cooperate with un inspectors in disarming iraq will be killed along with their families 
year after year saddam hussein has gone to elaborate lengths spent enormous sums taken great risks to build and keep weapons of mass destruction but why the only possible explanation the only possible use he could have for those weapons is to dominate intimidate or attack with nuclear arms or a full arsenal of chemical and biological weapons saddam hussein could resume his ambitions of conquest in the middle east and create deadly havoc in the region and this congress and the american people must recognize another threat evidence from intelligence sources secret communications and statements by people now in custody reveal that saddam hussein aids and protects terrorists including members of al qaida secretly and without fingerprints he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists or help them develop their own 
before september 11 2001 many in the world believed that saddam hussein could be contained but chemical agents and lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained imagine those 19 hijackers with other weapons and other plans this time armed by saddam hussein it would take just one vial one canister one crate slipped into this country to bring a day of horror like none we have ever known we will do everything in our power to make sure that day never comes 
some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions politely putting us on notice before they strike if this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge all actions all words and all recriminations would come too late trusting in the sanity and restraint of saddam hussein is not a strategy and it is not an option 
this dictator who is assembling the world's most dangerous weapons has already used them on whole villages leaving thousands of his own citizens dead blind or disfigured iraqi refugees tell us how forced confessions are obtained by torturing children while their parents are made to watch international human rights groups have catalogued other methods used in the torture chambers of iraq electric shock burning with hot irons dripping acid on the skin mutilation with electric drills cutting out tongues and rape 
if this is not evil then evil has no meaning and tonight i have a message for the brave and oppressed people of iraq your enemy is not surrounding your country your enemy is ruling your country and the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation 
the world has waited 12 years for iraq to disarm america will not accept a serious and mounting threat to our country our friends and our allies the united states will ask the un security council to convene on february 5th to consider the facts of iraq's ongoing defiance of the world secretary of state powell will present information and intelligence about iraq's illegal weapons programs its attempts to hide those weapons from inspectors and its links to terrorist groups we will consult but let there be no misunderstanding if saddam hussein does not fully disarm for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world we will lead a coalition to disarm him 
tonight i also have a message for the men and women who will keep the peace members of the american armed forces many of you are assembling in and near the middle east and some crucial hours may lie ahead in those hours the success of our cause will depend on you your training has prepared you your honor will guide you you believe in america and america believes in you 
sending americans into battle is the most profound decision a president can make the technologies of war have changed the risks and suffering of war have not for the brave americans who bear the risk no victory is free from sorrow this nation fights reluctantly because we know the cost and we dread the days of mourning that always come 
we seek peace we strive for peace and sometimes peace must be defended a future lived at the mercy of terrible threats is no peace at all if war is forced upon us we will fight in a just cause and by just means sparing in every way we can the innocent and if war is forced upon us we will fight with the full force and might of the united states military and we will prevail and as we and our coalition partners are doing in afghanistan we will bring to the iraqi people food and medicines and supplies and freedom 
many challenges abroad and at home have arrived in a single season in two years america has gone from a sense of invulnerability to an awareness of peril from bitter division in small matters to calm unity in great causes and we go forward with confidence because this call of history has come to the right country 
americans are a resolute people who have risen to every test of our time adversity has revealed the character of our country to the world and to ourselves 
america is a strong nation and honorable in the use of our strength we exercise power without conquest and sacrifice for the liberty of strangers 
americans are a free people who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation the liberty we prize is not america's gift to the world it is god s gift to humanity 
we americans have faith in ourselves but not in ourselves alone we do not claim to know all the ways of providence yet we can trust in them placing our confidence in the loving god behind all of life and all of history 
may he guide us now and may god continue to bless the united states of america 
thank you the president 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 servicemen 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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the american people twenty eight months have passed since september 11th 2001 over two 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 applause 
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 applause 
key provisions of the patriot act are set to expire next year applause the terrorist threat will not expire on that schedule applause our law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens you need to renew the patriot act applause 
america is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war last march khalid shaikh 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 qaeda 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 applause 
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 applause 
the first to see our determination were the taliban who made afghanistan the primary training base of al qaeda 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 qaeda 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 applause 
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 applause 
having broken the baathist 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 applause 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 applause 
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 applause the killers will fail and the iraqi people will live in freedom applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 servicemen 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 applause 
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 applause 
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 dictatator'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 applause 
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 applause norway el salvador and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to iraq applause 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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
in the last three 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 applause 
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 home ownership 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 applause 
these numbers confirm that the american people are using their money far better than government would have and you were right to return it applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause i propose increasing our support for america's fine community colleges so they can applause 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 pro growth economic agenda applause congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes the tax reductions you passed are set to expire unless you act applause unless you act 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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause we should make the social security system a source of ownership for the american people applause and we should limit the burden of government on this economy by acting as good stewards of taxpayers' dollars applause 
in two 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 applause 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 five years applause 
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 hardworking men and women out from the shadows of american life applause 
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 applause 
meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort and two 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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause i ask you to give lower income americans a refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health insurance applause 
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 applause 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 applause 
a government run health care system is the wrong prescription applause 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 applause 
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 two years four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in the year 2001 applause in my budget i proposed 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 proposed 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 don't want to lose you applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 applause 
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 four year $300 million prisoner re entry 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 applause america is the land of second chance and when the gates of the prison open the path ahead should lead to a better life applause 
for all americans the last three 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 ' applause 
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 applause 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 applause 
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 applause 9 10 p m est 
the president mr speaker vice president cheney members of congress fellow citizens 
as a new congress gathers all of us in the elected branches of government share a great privilege we've been placed in office by the votes of the people we serve and tonight that is a privilege we share with newly elected leaders of afghanistan the palestinian territories ukraine and a free and sovereign iraq applause 
two weeks ago i stood on the steps of this capitol and renewed the commitment of our nation to the guiding ideal of liberty for all this evening i will set forth policies to advance that ideal at home and around the world 
tonight with a healthy growing economy with more americans going back to work with our nation an active force for good in the world the state of our union is confident and strong applause 
our generation has been blessed by the expansion of opportunity by advances in medicine by the security purchased by our parents' sacrifice now as we see a little gray in the mirror or a lot of gray laughter and we watch our children moving into adulthood we ask the question what will be the state of their union members of congress the choices we make together will answer that question over the next several months on issue after issue let us do what americans have always done and build a better world for our children and our grandchildren applause 
first we must be good stewards of this economy and renew the great institutions on which millions of our fellow citizens rely america's economy is the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation in the past four years we provided tax relief to every person who pays income taxes overcome a recession opened up new markets abroad prosecuted corporate criminals raised homeownership to its highest level in history and in the last year alone the united states has added 2 3 million new jobs applause when action was needed the congress delivered and the nation is grateful 
now we must add to these achievements by making our economy more flexible more innovative and more competitive we will keep america the economic leader of the world applause 
america's prosperity requires restraining the spending appetite of the federal government i welcome the bipartisan enthusiasm for spending discipline i will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation makes tax relief permanent and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009 applause my budget substantially reduces or eliminates more than 150 government programs that are not getting results or duplicate current efforts or do not fulfill essential priorities the principle here is clear taxpayer dollars must be spent wisely or not at all applause 
to make our economy stronger and more dynamic we must prepare a rising generation to fill the jobs of the 21st century under the no child left behind act standards are higher test scores are on the rise and we're closing the achievement gap for minority students now we must demand better results from our high schools so every high school diploma is a ticket to success we will help an additional 200 000 workers to get training for a better career by reforming our job training system and strengthening america's community colleges and we'll make it easier for americans to afford a college education by increasing the size of pell grants applause 
to make our economy stronger and more competitive america must reward not punish the efforts and dreams of entrepreneurs small business is the path of advancement especially for women and minorities so we must free small businesses from needless regulation and protect honest job creators from junk lawsuits applause justice is distorted and our economy is held back by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims and i urge congress to pass legal reforms this year applause 
to make our economy stronger and more productive we must make health care more affordable and give families greater access to good coverage applause and more control over their health decisions applause i ask congress to move forward on a comprehensive health care agenda with tax credits to help low income workers buy insurance a community health center in every poor country improved information technology to prevent medical error and needless costs association health plans for small businesses and their employees applause expanded health savings accounts applause and medical liability reform that will reduce health care costs and make sure patients have the doctors and care they need applause 
to keep our economy growing we also need reliable supplies of affordable environmentally responsible energy applause nearly four years ago i submitted a comprehensive energy strategy that encourages conservation alternative sources a modernized electricity grid and more production here at home including safe clean nuclear energy applause my clear skies legislation will cut power plant pollution and improve the health of our citizens applause and my budget provides strong funding for leading edge technology from hydrogen fueled cars to clean coal to renewable sources such as ethanol applause four years of debate is enough i urge congress to pass legislation that makes america more secure and less dependent on foreign energy applause 
all these proposals are essential to expand this economy and add new jobs but they are just the beginning of our duty to build the prosperity of future generations we must update institutions that were created to meet the needs of an earlier time year after year americans are burdened by an archaic incoherent federal tax code i've appointed a bipartisan panel to examine the tax code from top to bottom and when their recommendations are delivered you and i will work together to give this nation a tax code that is pro growth easy to understand and fair to all applause 
america's immigration system is also outdated unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the values of our country we should not be content with laws that punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their families and deny businesses willing workers and invite chaos at our border it is time for an immigration policy that permits temporary guest workers to fill jobs americans will not take that rejects amnesty that tells us who is entering and leaving our country and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists applause 
one of america's most important institutions a symbol of the trust between generations is also in need of wise and effective reform social security was a great moral success of the 20th century and we must honor its great purposes in this new century applause the system however on its current path is headed toward bankruptcy and so we must join together to strengthen and save social security applause 
today more than 45 million americans receive social security benefits and millions more are nearing retirement and for them the system is sound and fiscally strong i have a message for every american who is 55 or older do not let anyone mislead you for you the social security system will not change in any way applause for younger workers the social security system has serious problems that will grow worse with time social security was created decades ago for a very different era in those days people did not live as long benefits were much lower than they are today and a half century ago about sixteen workers paid into the system for each person drawing benefits 
our society has changed in ways the founders of social security could not have foreseen in today's world people are living longer and therefore drawing benefits longer and those benefits are scheduled to rise dramatically over the next few decades and instead of sixteen workers paying in for every beneficiary right now it's only about three workers and over the next few decades that number will fall to just two workers per beneficiary with each passing year fewer workers are paying ever higher benefits to an ever larger number of retirees 
so here is the result thirteen years from now in 2018 social security will be paying out more than it takes in and every year afterward will bring a new shortfall bigger than the year before for example in the year 2027 the government will somehow have to come up with an extra $200 billion to keep the system afloat and by 2033 the annual shortfall would be more than $300 billion by the year 2042 the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt if steps are not taken to avert that outcome the only solutions would be dramatically higher taxes massive new borrowing or sudden and severe cuts in social security benefits or other government programs 
i recognize that 2018 and 2042 may seem a long way off but those dates are not so distant as any parent will tell you if you have a five year old you're already concerned about how you'll pay for college tuition 13 years down the road if you've got children in their 20s as some of us do the idea of social security collapsing before they retire does not seem like a small matter and it should not be a small matter to the united states congress applause you and i share a responsibility we must pass reforms that solve the financial problems of social security once and for all 
fixing social security permanently will require an open candid review of the options some have suggested limiting benefits for wealthy retirees former congressman tim penny has raised the possibility of indexing benefits to prices rather than wages during the 1990s my predecessor president clinton spoke of increasing the retirement age former senator john breaux suggested discouraging early collection of social security benefits the late senator daniel patrick moynihan recommended changing the way benefits are calculated all these ideas are on the table 
i know that none of these reforms would be easy but we have to move ahead with courage and honesty because our children's retirement security is more important than partisan politics applause i will work with members of congress to find the most effective combination of reforms i will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer applause we must however be guided by some basic principles we must make social security permanently sound not leave that task for another day we must not jeopardize our economic strength by increasing payroll taxes we must ensure that lower income americans get the help they need to have dignity and peace of mind in their retirement we must guarantee there is no change for those now retired or nearing retirement and we must take care that any changes in the system are gradual so younger workers have years to prepare and plan for their future 
as we fix social security we also have the responsibility to make the system a better deal for younger workers and the best way to reach that goal is through voluntary personal retirement accounts applause here is how the idea works right now a set portion of the money you earn is taken out of your paycheck to pay for the social security benefits of today's retirees if you're a younger worker i believe you should be able to set aside part of that money in your own retirement account so you can build a nest egg for your own future 
here's why the personal accounts are a better deal your money will grow over time at a greater rate than anything the current system can deliver and your account will provide money for retirement over and above the check you will receive from social security in addition you'll be able to pass along the money that accumulates in your personal account if you wish to your children and or grandchildren and best of all the money in the account is yours and the government can never take it away applause 
the goal here is greater security in retirement so we will set careful guidelines for personal accounts we'll make sure the money can only go into a conservative mix of bonds and stock funds we'll make sure that your earnings are not eaten up by hidden wall street fees we'll make sure there are good options to protect your investments from sudden market swings on the eve of your retirement we'll make sure a personal account cannot be emptied out all at once but rather paid out over time as an addition to traditional social security benefits and we'll make sure this plan is fiscally responsible by starting personal retirement accounts gradually and raising the yearly limits on contributions over time eventually permitting all workers to set aside four percentage points of their payroll taxes in their accounts 
personal retirement accounts should be familiar to federal employees because you already have something similar called the thrift savings plan which lets workers deposit a portion of their paychecks into any of five different broadly based investment funds it's time to extend the same security and choice and ownership to young americans applause 
our second great responsibility to our children and grandchildren is to honor and to pass along the values that sustain a free society so many of my generation after a long journey have come home to family and faith and are determined to bring up responsible moral children government is not the source of these values but government should never undermine them 
because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society it should not be re defined by activist judges for the good of families children and society i support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage applause 
because a society is measured by how it treats the weak and vulnerable we must strive to build a culture of life medical research can help us reach that goal by developing treatments and cures that save lives and help people overcome disabilities and i thank the congress for doubling the funding of the national institutes of health applause to build a culture of life we must also ensure that scientific advances always serve human dignity not take advantage of some lives for the benefit of others we should all be able to agree applause we should all be able to agree on some clear standards i will work with congress to ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation or grown for body parts and that human life is never bought and sold as a commodity applause america will continue to lead the world in medical research that is ambitious aggressive and always ethical 
because courts must always deliver impartial justice judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law not legislate from the bench applause as president i have a constitutional responsibility to nominate men and women who understand the role of courts in our democracy and are well qualified to serve on the bench and i have done so applause the constitution also gives the senate a responsibility every judicial nominee deserves an up or down vote applause 
because one of the deepest values of our country is compassion we must never turn away from any citizen who feels isolated from the opportunities of america our government will continue to support faith based and community groups that bring hope to harsh places now we need to focus on giving young people especially young men in our cities better options than apathy or gangs or jail tonight i propose a three year initiative to help organizations keep young people out of gangs and show young men an ideal of manhood that respects women and rejects violence applause taking on gang life will be one part of a broader outreach to at risk youth which involves parents and pastors coaches and community leaders in programs ranging from literacy to sports and i am proud that the leader of this nationwide effort will be our first lady laura bush applause 
because hiv/aids brings suffering and fear into so many lives i ask you to reauthorize the ryan white act to encourage prevention and provide care and treatment to the victims of that disease applause and as we update this important law we must focus our efforts on fellow citizens with the highest rates of new cases african american men and women applause 
because one of the main sources of our national unity is our belief in equal justice we need to make sure americans of all races and backgrounds have confidence in the system that provides justice in america we must make doubly sure no person is held to account for a crime he or she did not commit so we are dramatically expanding the use of dna evidence to prevent wrongful conviction applause soon i will send to congress a proposal to fund special training for defense counsel in capital cases because people on trial for their lives must have competent lawyers by their side applause 
our third responsibility to future generations is to leave them an america that is safe from danger and protected by peace we will pass along to our children all the freedoms we enjoy and chief among them is freedom from fear 
in the three and a half years since september the 11th 2001 we have taken unprecedented actions to protect americans we've created a new department of government to defend our homeland focused the fbi on preventing terrorism begun to reform our intelligence agencies broken up terror cells across the country expanded research on defenses against biological and chemical attack improved border security and trained more than a half million first responders police and firefighters air marshals researchers and so many others are working every day to make our homeland safer and we thank them all applause 
our nation working with allies and friends has also confronted the enemy abroad with measures that are determined successful and continuing the al qaeda terror network that attacked our country still has leaders but many of its top commanders have been removed there are still governments that sponsor and harbor terrorists but their number has declined there are still regimes seeking weapons of mass destruction but no longer without attention and without consequence our country is still the target of terrorists who want to kill many and intimidate us all and we will stay on the offensive against them until the fight is won applause 
pursuing our enemies is a vital commitment of the war on terror and i thank the congress for providing our servicemen and women with the resources they have needed during this time of war we must continue to support our military and give them the tools for victory applause 
other nations around the globe have stood with us in afghanistan an international force is helping provide security in iraq 28 countries have troops on the ground the united nations and the european union provided technical assistance for the elections and nato is leading a mission to help train iraqi officers we're cooperating with 60 governments in the proliferation security initiative to detect and stop the transit of dangerous materials we're working closely with the governments in asia to convince north korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions pakistan saudi arabia and nine other countries have captured or detained al qaeda terrorists in the next four years my administration will continue to build the coalitions that will defeat the dangers of our time applause 
in the long term the peace we seek will only be achieved by eliminating the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies of murder if whole regions of the world remain in despair and grow in hatred they will be the recruiting grounds for terror and that terror will stalk america and other free nations for decades the only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror and replace hatred with hope is the force of human freedom applause our enemies know this and that is why the terrorist zarqawi recently declared war on what he called the evil principle of democracy and we've declared our own intention america will stand with the allies of freedom to support democratic movements in the middle east and beyond with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world applause 
the united states has no right no desire and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else that is one of the main differences between us and our enemies they seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression in which a tiny group of brutal self appointed rulers control every aspect of every life our aim is to build and preserve a community of free and independent nations with governments that answer to their citizens and reflect their own cultures and because democracies respect their own people and their neighbors the advance of freedom will lead to peace applause 
that advance has great momentum in our time shown by women voting in afghanistan and palestinians choosing a new direction and the people of ukraine asserting their democratic rights and electing a president we are witnessing landmark events in the history of liberty and in the coming years we will add to that story applause 
the beginnings of reform and democracy in the palestinian territories are now showing the power of freedom to break old patterns of violence and failure tomorrow morning secretary of state rice departs on a trip that will take her to israel and the west bank for meetings with prime minister sharon and president abbas she will discuss with them how we and our friends can help the palestinian people end terror and build the institutions of a peaceful independent democratic state to promote this democracy i will ask congress for $350 million to support palestinian political economic and security reforms the goal of two democratic states israel and palestine living side by side in peace is within reach and america will help them achieve that goal applause 
to promote peace and stability in the broader middle east the united states will work with our friends in the region to fight the common threat of terror while we encourage a higher standard of freedom hopeful reform is already taking hold in an arc from morocco to jordan to bahrain the government of saudi arabia can demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future and the great and proud nation of egypt which showed the way toward peace in the middle east can now show the way toward democracy in the middle east applause 
to promote peace in the broader middle east we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder syria still allows its territory and parts of lebanon to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region you have passed and we are applying the syrian accountability act and we expect the syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom applause today iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve we are working with european allies to make clear to the iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium reprocessing and end its support for terror and to the iranian people i say tonight as you stand for your own liberty america stands with you applause 
our generational commitment to the advance of freedom especially in the middle east is now being tested and honored in iraq that country is a vital front in the war on terror which is why the terrorists have chosen to make a stand there our men and women in uniform are fighting terrorists in iraq so we do not have to face them here at home applause and the victory of freedom in iraq will strengthen a new ally in the war on terror inspire democratic reformers from damascus to tehran bring more hope and progress to a troubled region and thereby lift a terrible threat from the lives of our children and grandchildren 
we will succeed because the iraqi people value their own liberty as they showed the world last sunday applause across iraq often at great risk millions of citizens went to the polls and elected 275 men and women to represent them in a new transitional national assembly a young woman in baghdad told of waking to the sound of mortar fire on election day and wondering if it might be too dangerous to vote she said hearing those explosions it occurred to me the insurgents are weak they are afraid of democracy they are losing so i got my husband and i got my parents and we all came out and voted together 
americans recognize that spirit of liberty because we share it in any nation casting your vote is an act of civic responsibility for millions of iraqis it was also an act of personal courage and they have earned the respect of us all applause 
one of iraq's leading democracy and human rights advocates is safia taleb al suhail she says of her country we were occupied for 35 years by saddam hussein that was the real occupation thank you to the american people who paid the cost but most of all to the soldiers eleven years ago safia's father was assassinated by saddam's intelligence service three days ago in baghdad safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country and we are honored that she is with us tonight applause 
the terrorists and insurgents are violently opposed to democracy and will continue to attack it yet the terrorists' most powerful myth is being destroyed the whole world is seeing that the car bombers and assassins are not only fighting coalition forces they are trying to destroy the hopes of iraqis expressed in free elections and the whole world now knows that a small group of extremists will not overturn the will of the iraqi people applause 
we will succeed in iraq because iraqis are determined to fight for their own freedom and to write their own history as prime minister allawi said in his speech to congress last september ordinary iraqis are anxious to shoulder all the security burdens of our country as quickly as possible that is the natural desire of an independent nation and it is also the stated mission of our coalition in iraq the new political situation in iraq opens a new phase of our work in that country 
at the recommendation of our commanders on the ground and in consultation with the iraqi government we will increasingly focus our efforts on helping prepare more capable iraqi security forces forces with skilled officers and an effective command structure as those forces become more self reliant and take on greater security responsibilities america and its coalition partners will increasingly be in a supporting role in the end iraqis must be able to defend their own country and we will help that proud new nation secure its liberty 
recently an iraqi interpreter said to a reporter tell america not to abandon us he and all iraqis can be certain while our military strategy is adapting to circumstances our commitment remains firm and unchanging we are standing for the freedom of our iraqi friends and freedom in iraq will make america safer for generations to come applause we will not set an artificial timetable for leaving iraq because that would embolden the terrorists and make them believe they can wait us out we are in iraq to achieve a result a country that is democratic representative of all its people at peace with its neighbors and able to defend itself and when that result is achieved our men and women serving in iraq will return home with the honor they have earned applause 
right now americans in uniform are serving at posts across the world often taking great risks on my orders we have given them training and equipment and they have given us an example of idealism and character that makes every american proud applause the volunteers of our military are unrelenting in battle unwavering in loyalty unmatched in honor and decency and every day they're making our nation more secure some of our servicemen and women have survived terrible injuries and this grateful country will do everything we can to help them recover applause and we have said farewell to some very good men and women who died for our freedom and whose memory this nation will honor forever 
one name we honor is marine corps sergeant byron norwood of pflugerville texas who was killed during the assault on fallujah his mom janet sent me a letter and told me how much byron loved being a marine and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror she wrote when byron was home the last time i said that i wanted to protect him like i had since he was born he just hugged me and said 'you've done your job mom now it is my turn to protect you ' ladies and gentlemen with grateful hearts we honor freedom's defenders and our military families represented here this evening by sergeant norwood's mom and dad janet and bill norwood applause 
in these four years americans have seen the unfolding of large events we have known times of sorrow and hours of uncertainty and days of victory in all this history even when we have disagreed we have seen threads of purpose that unite us the attack on freedom in our world has reaffirmed our confidence in freedom's power to change the world we are all part of a great venture to extend the promise of freedom in our country to renew the values that sustain our liberty and to spread the peace that freedom brings 
as franklin roosevelt once reminded americans each age is a dream that is dying or one that is coming to birth and we live in the country where the biggest dreams are born the abolition of slavery was only a dream until it was fulfilled the liberation of europe from fascism was only a dream until it was achieved the fall of imperial communism was only a dream until one day it was accomplished our generation has dreams of its own and we also go forward with confidence the road of providence is uneven and unpredictable yet we know where it leads it leads to freedom 
thank you and may god bless america applause 
end 10 03 p m estthe president thank you all mr speaker vice president cheney members of congress members of the supreme court and diplomatic corps distinguished guests and fellow citizens today our nation lost a beloved graceful courageous woman who called america to its founding ideals and carried on a noble dream tonight we are comforted by the hope of a glad reunion with the husband who was taken so long ago and we are grateful for the good life of coretta scott king applause 
president george w bush reacts to applause during his state of the union address at the capitol tuesday jan 31 2006 white house photo by eric draperevery time i'm invited to this rostrum i'm humbled by the privilege and mindful of the history we've seen together we have gathered under this capitol dome in moments of national mourning and national achievement we have served america through one of the most consequential periods of our history and it has been my honor to serve with you 
in a system of two parties two chambers and two elected branches there will always be differences and debate but even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone and our differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger to confront the great issues before us we must act in a spirit of goodwill and respect for one another and i will do my part tonight the state of our union is strong and together we will make it stronger applause 
in this decisive year you and i will make choices that determine both the future and the character of our country we will choose to act confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom or retreat from our duties in the hope of an easier life we will choose to build our prosperity by leading the world economy or shut ourselves off from trade and opportunity in a complex and challenging time the road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting yet it ends in danger and decline the only way to protect our people the only way to secure the peace the only way to control our destiny is by our leadership so the united states of america will continue to lead applause 
abroad our nation is committed to an historic long term goal we seek the end of tyranny in our world some dismiss that goal as misguided idealism in reality the future security of america depends on it on september the 11th 2001 we found that problems originating in a failed and oppressive state 7 000 miles away could bring murder and destruction to our country dictatorships shelter terrorists and feed resentment and radicalism and seek weapons of mass destruction democracies replace resentment with hope respect the rights of their citizens and their neighbors and join the fight against terror every step toward freedom in the world makes our country safer so we will act boldly in freedom's cause applause 
far from being a hopeless dream the advance of freedom is the great story of our time in 1945 there were about two dozen lonely democracies in the world today there are 122 and we're writing a new chapter in the story of self government with women lining up to vote in afghanistan and millions of iraqis marking their liberty with purple ink and men and women from lebanon to egypt debating the rights of individuals and the necessity of freedom at the start of 2006 more than half the people of our world live in democratic nations and we do not forget the other half in places like syria and burma zimbabwe north korea and iran because the demands of justice and the peace of this world require their freedom as well applause 
president george w bush delivers his state of the union address at the capitol tuesday jan 31 2006 white house photo by eric draper no one can deny the success of freedom but some men rage and fight against it and one of the main sources of reaction and opposition is radical islam the perversion by a few of a noble faith into an ideology of terror and death terrorists like bin laden are serious about mass murder and all of us must take their declared intentions seriously they seek to impose a heartless system of totalitarian control throughout the middle east and arm themselves with weapons of mass murder 
their aim is to seize power in iraq and use it as a safe haven to launch attacks against america and the world lacking the military strength to challenge us directly the terrorists have chosen the weapon of fear when they murder children at a school in beslan or blow up commuters in london or behead a bound captive the terrorists hope these horrors will break our will allowing the violent to inherit the earth but they have miscalculated we love our freedom and we will fight to keep it applause 
in a time of testing we cannot find security by abandoning our commitments and retreating within our borders if we were to leave these vicious attackers alone they would not leave us alone they would simply move the battlefield to our own shores there is no peace in retreat and there is no honor in retreat by allowing radical islam to work its will by leaving an assaulted world to fend for itself we would signal to all that we no longer believe in our own ideals or even in our own courage but our enemies and our friends can be certain the united states will not retreat from the world and we will never surrender to evil applause 
america rejects the false comfort of isolationism we are the nation that saved liberty in europe and liberated death camps and helped raise up democracies and faced down an evil empire once again we accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed and move this world toward peace we remain on the offensive against terror networks we have killed or captured many of their leaders and for the others their day will come 
president george w bush greets members of congress after his state of the union address at the capitol tuesday jan 31 2006 white house photo by eric draper we remain on the offensive in afghanistan where a fine president and a national assembly are fighting terror while building the institutions of a new democracy we're on the offensive in iraq with a clear plan for victory first we're helping iraqis build an inclusive government so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency will be marginalized 
second we're continuing reconstruction efforts and helping the iraqi government to fight corruption and build a modern economy so all iraqis can experience the benefits of freedom and third we're striking terrorist targets while we train iraqi forces that are increasingly capable of defeating the enemy iraqis are showing their courage every day and we are proud to be their allies in the cause of freedom applause 
our work in iraq is difficult because our enemy is brutal but that brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress of a new democracy in less than three years the nation has gone from dictatorship to liberation to sovereignty to a constitution to national elections at the same time our coalition has been relentless in shutting off terrorist infiltration clearing out insurgent strongholds and turning over territory to iraqi security forces i am confident in our plan for victory i am confident in the will of the iraqi people i am confident in the skill and spirit of our military fellow citizens we are in this fight to win and we are winning applause 
the road of victory is the road that will take our troops home as we make progress on the ground and iraqi forces increasingly take the lead we should be able to further decrease our troop levels but those decisions will be made by our military commanders not by politicians in washington d c applause 
our coalition has learned from our experience in iraq we've adjusted our military tactics and changed our approach to reconstruction along the way we have benefitted from responsible criticism and counsel offered by members of congress of both parties in the coming year i will continue to reach out and seek your good advice yet there is a difference between responsible criticism that aims for success and defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but failure applause hindsight alone is not wisdom and second guessing is not a strategy applause 
with so much in the balance those of us in public office have a duty to speak with candor a sudden withdrawal of our forces from iraq would abandon our iraqi allies to death and prison would put men like bin laden and zarqawi in charge of a strategic country and show that a pledge from america means little members of congress however we feel about the decisions and debates of the past our nation has only one option we must keep our word defeat our enemies and stand behind the american military in this vital mission applause 
laura bush is applauded as she is introduced tuesday evening jan 31 2006 during the state of the union address at united states capitol in washington white house photo by eric draper our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices and showing a sense of duty stronger than all fear they know what it's like to fight house to house in a maze of streets to wear heavy gear in the desert heat to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb and those who know the costs also know the stakes marine staff sergeant dan clay was killed last month fighting in fallujah he left behind a letter to his family but his words could just as well be addressed to every american here is what dan wrote i know what honor is it has been an honor to protect and serve all of you i faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to never falter don't hesitate to honor and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is worth protecting 
staff sergeant dan clay's wife lisa and his mom and dad sara jo and bud are with us this evening welcome applause 
our nation is grateful to the fallen who live in the memory of our country we're grateful to all who volunteer to wear our nation's uniform and as we honor our brave troops let us never forget the sacrifices of america's military families applause 
our offensive against terror involves more than military action ultimately the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat their dark vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful alternative of political freedom and peaceful change so the united states of america supports democratic reform across the broader middle east elections are vital but they are only the beginning raising up a democracy requires the rule of law and protection of minorities and strong accountable institutions that last longer than a single vote 
the great people of egypt have voted in a multi party presidential election and now their government should open paths of peaceful opposition that will reduce the appeal of radicalism the palestinian people have voted in elections and now the leaders of hamas must recognize israel disarm reject terrorism and work for lasting peace applause saudi arabia has taken the first steps of reform now it can offer its people a better future by pressing forward with those efforts democracies in the middle east will not look like our own because they will reflect the traditions of their own citizens yet liberty is the future of every nation in the middle east because liberty is the right and hope of all humanity applause 
president george w bush waves toward the upper visitors gallery of the house chamber following his state of the union remarks tuesday jan 31 2006 at the united states capitol white house photo by eric draper the same is true of iran a nation now held hostage by a small clerical elite that is isolating and repressing its people the regime in that country sponsors terrorists in the palestinian territories and in lebanon and that must come to an end applause the iranian government is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions and the nations of the world must not permit the iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons applause america will continue to rally the world to confront these threats 
tonight let me speak directly to the citizens of iran america respects you and we respect your country we respect your right to choose your own future and win your own freedom and our nation hopes one day to be the closest of friends with a free and democratic iran applause 
to overcome dangers in our world we must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress and fighting disease and spreading hope in hopeless lands isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting enemies it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need we show compassion abroad because americans believe in the god given dignity and worth of a villager with hiv/aids or an infant with malaria or a refugee fleeing genocide or a young girl sold into slavery we also show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by poverty corruption and despair are sources of terrorism and organized crime and human trafficking and the drug trade 
in recent years you and i have taken unprecedented action to fight aids and malaria expand the education of girls and reward developing nations that are moving forward with economic and political reform for people everywhere the united states is a partner for a better life short changing these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of our world undercut our long term security and dull the conscience of our country i urge members of congress to serve the interests of america by showing the compassion of america 
our country must also remain on the offensive against terrorism here at home the enemy has not lost the desire or capability to attack us fortunately this nation has superb professionals in law enforcement intelligence the military and homeland security these men and women are dedicating their lives protecting us all and they deserve our support and our thanks applause they also deserve the same tools they already use to fight drug trafficking and organized crime so i ask you to reauthorize the patriot act applause 
it is said that prior to the attacks of september the 11th our government failed to connect the dots of the conspiracy we now know that two of the hijackers in the united states placed telephone calls to al qaeda operatives overseas but we did not know about their plans until it was too late so to prevent another attack based on authority given to me by the constitution and by statute i have authorized a terrorist surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international communications of suspected al qaeda operatives and affiliates to and from america previous presidents have used the same constitutional authority i have and federal courts have approved the use of that authority appropriate members of congress have been kept informed the terrorist surveillance program has helped prevent terrorist attacks it remains essential to the security of america if there are people inside our country who are talking with al qaeda we want to know about it because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again applause 
in all these areas from the disruption of terror networks to victory in iraq to the spread of freedom and hope in troubled regions we need the support of our friends and allies to draw that support we must always be clear in our principles and willing to act the only alternative to american leadership is a dramatically more dangerous and anxious world yet we also choose to lead because it is a privilege to serve the values that gave us birth american leaders from roosevelt to truman to kennedy to reagan rejected isolation and retreat because they knew that america is always more secure when freedom is on the march 
our own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy a war that will be fought by presidents of both parties who will need steady bipartisan support from the congress and tonight i ask for yours together let us protect our country support the men and women who defend us and lead this world toward freedom applause 
here at home america also has a great opportunity we will build the prosperity of our country by strengthening our economic leadership in the world 
our economy is healthy and vigorous and growing faster than other major industrialized nations in the last two and a half years america has created 4 6 million new jobs more than japan and the european union combined applause even in the face of higher energy prices and natural disasters the american people have turned in an economic performance that is the envy of the world 
the american economy is preeminent but we cannot afford to be complacent in a dynamic world economy we are seeing new competitors like china and india and this creates uncertainty which makes it easier to feed people's fears so we're seeing some old temptations return protectionists want to escape competition pretending that we can keep our high standard of living while walling off our economy others say that the government needs to take a larger role in directing the economy centralizing more power in washington and increasing taxes we hear claims that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy even though this economy could not function without them applause all these are forms of economic retreat and they lead in the same direction toward a stagnant and second rate economy 
tonight i will set out a better path an agenda for a nation that competes with confidence an agenda that will raise standards of living and generate new jobs americans should not fear our economic future because we intend to shape it 
keeping america competitive begins with keeping our economy growing and our economy grows when americans have more of their own money to spend save and invest in the last five years the tax relief you passed has left $880 billion in the hands of american workers investors small businesses and families and they have used it to help produce more than four years of uninterrupted economic growth applause yet the tax relief is set to expire in the next few years if we do nothing american families will face a massive tax increase they do not expect and will not welcome because america needs more than a temporary expansion we need more than temporary tax relief i urge the congress to act responsibly and make the tax cuts permanent applause 
keeping america competitive requires us to be good stewards of tax dollars every year of my presidency we've reduced the growth of non security discretionary spending and last year you passed bills that cut this spending this year my budget will cut it again and reduce or eliminate more than 140 programs that are performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities by passing these reforms we will save the american taxpayer another $14 billion next year and stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009 applause 
i am pleased that members of congress are working on earmark reform because the federal budget has too many special interest projects applause and we can tackle this problem together if you pass the line item veto applause 
we must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory spending or entitlements this year the first of about 78 million baby boomers turn 60 including two of my dad's favorite people me and president clinton laughter this milestone is more than a personal crisis laughter it is a national challenge the retirement of the baby boom generation will put unprecedented strains on the federal government by 2030 spending for social security medicare and medicaid alone will be almost 60 percent of the entire federal budget and that will present future congresses with impossible choices staggering tax increases immense deficits or deep cuts in every category of spending congress did not act last year on my proposal to save social security applause yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem that is not going away applause and every year we fail to act the situation gets worse 
so tonight i ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the full impact of baby boom retirements on social security medicare and medicaid this commission should include members of congress of both parties and offer bipartisan solutions we need to put aside partisan politics and work together and get this problem solved applause 
keeping america competitive requires us to open more markets for all that americans make and grow one out of every five factory jobs in america is related to global trade and we want people everywhere to buy american with open markets and a level playing field no one can out produce or out compete the american worker applause 
keeping america competitive requires an immigration system that upholds our laws reflects our values and serves the interests of our economy our nation needs orderly and secure borders applause to meet this goal we must have stronger immigration enforcement and border protection applause and we must have a rational humane guest worker program that rejects amnesty allows temporary jobs for people who seek them legally and reduces smuggling and crime at the border applause 
keeping america competitive requires affordable health care applause our government has a responsibility to provide health care for the poor and the elderly and we are meeting that responsibility applause for all americans for all americans we must confront the rising cost of care strengthen the doctor patient relationship and help people afford the insurance coverage they need applause 
we will make wider use of electronic records and other health information technology to help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors we will strengthen health savings accounts making sure individuals and small business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that people working for big businesses now get applause we will do more to make this coverage portable so workers can switch jobs without having to worry about losing their health insurance applause and because lawsuits are driving many good doctors out of practice leaving women in nearly 1 500 american counties without a single ob/gyn i ask the congress to pass medical liability reform this year applause 
keeping america competitive requires affordable energy and here we have a serious problem america is addicted to oil which is often imported from unstable parts of the world the best way to break this addiction is through technology since 2001 we have spent nearly $10 billion to develop cleaner cheaper and more reliable alternative energy sources and we are on the threshold of incredible advances 
so tonight i announce the advanced energy initiative a 22 percent increase in clean energy research at the department of energy to push for breakthroughs in two vital areas to change how we power our homes and offices we will invest more in zero emission coal fired plants revolutionary solar and wind technologies and clean safe nuclear energy applause 
we must also change how we power our automobiles we will increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars and in pollution free cars that run on hydrogen we'll also fund additional research in cutting edge methods of producing ethanol not just from corn but from wood chips and stalks or switch grass our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years applause 
breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great goal to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the middle east by 2025 applause by applying the talent and technology of america this country can dramatically improve our environment move beyond a petroleum based economy and make our dependence on middle eastern oil a thing of the past applause 
and to keep america competitive one commitment is necessary above all we must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity our greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated hardworking ambitious people and we're going to keep that edge tonight i announce an american competitiveness initiative to encourage innovation throughout our economy and to give our nation's children a firm grounding in math and science applause 
first i propose to double the federal commitment to the most critical basic research programs in the physical sciences over the next 10 years this funding will support the work of america's most creative minds as they explore promising areas such as nanotechnology supercomputing and alternative energy sources 
second i propose to make permanent the research and development tax credit applause to encourage bolder private sector initiatives in technology with more research in both the public and private sectors we will improve our quality of life and ensure that america will lead the world in opportunity and innovation for decades to come applause 
third we need to encourage children to take more math and science and to make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other nations we've made a good start in the early grades with the no child left behind act which is raising standards and lifting test scores across our country tonight i propose to train 70 000 high school teachers to lead advanced placement courses in math and science bring 30 000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms and give early help to students who struggle with math so they have a better chance at good high wage jobs if we ensure that america's children succeed in life they will ensure that america succeeds in the world applause 
preparing our nation to compete in the world is a goal that all of us can share i urge you to support the american competitiveness initiative and together we will show the world what the american people can achieve 
america is a great force for freedom and prosperity yet our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries but by who we are and how we treat one another so we strive to be a compassionate decent hopeful society 
in recent years america has become a more hopeful nation violent crime rates have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s welfare cases have dropped by more than half over the past decade drug use among youth is down 19 percent since 2001 there are fewer abortions in america than at any point in the last three decades and the number of children born to teenage mothers has been falling for a dozen years in a row applause 
these gains are evidence of a quiet transformation a revolution of conscience in which a rising generation is finding that a life of personal responsibility is a life of fulfillment government has played a role wise policies such as welfare reform and drug education and support for abstinence and adoption have made a difference in the character of our country and everyone here tonight democrat and republican has a right to be proud of this record applause 
yet many americans especially parents still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture and the health of our most basic institutions they're concerned about unethical conduct by public officials and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage they worry about children in our society who need direction and love and about fellow citizens still displaced by natural disaster and about suffering caused by treatable diseases 
as we look at these challenges we must never give in to the belief that america is in decline or that our culture is doomed to unravel the american people know better than that we have proven the pessimists wrong before and we will do it again applause 
a hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law the supreme court now has two superb new members new members on its bench chief justice john roberts and justice sam alito applause i thank the senate for confirming both of them i will continue to nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of the law and not legislate from the bench applause 
today marks the official retirement of a very special american for 24 years of faithful service to our nation the united states is grateful to justice sandra day o'connor applause 
a hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine that do not cut ethical corners and that recognize the matchless value of every life tonight i ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research human cloning in all its forms creating or implanting embryos for experiments creating human animal hybrids and buying selling or patenting human embryos human life is a gift from our creator and that gift should never be discarded devalued or put up for sale applause 
a hopeful society expects elected officials to uphold the public trust applause honorable people in both parties are working on reforms to strengthen the ethical standards of washington i support your efforts each of us has made a pledge to be worthy of public responsibility and that is a pledge we must never forget never dismiss and never betray applause 
as we renew the promise of our institutions let us also show the character of america in our compassion and care for one another 
a hopeful society gives special attention to children who lack direction and love through the helping america's youth initiative we are encouraging caring adults to get involved in the life of a child and this good work is being led by our first lady laura bush applause this year we will add resources to encourage young people to stay in school so more of america's youth can raise their sights and achieve their dreams 
a hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency and stays at it until they're back on their feet so far the federal government has committed $85 billion to the people of the gulf coast and new orleans we're removing debris and repairing highways and rebuilding stronger levees we're providing business loans and housing assistance yet as we meet these immediate needs we must also address deeper challenges that existed before the storm arrived 
in new orleans and in other places many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country the answer is not only temporary relief but schools that teach every child and job skills that bring upward mobility and more opportunities to own a home and start a business as we recover from a disaster let us also work for the day when all americans are protected by justice equal in hope and rich in opportunity applause 
a hopeful society acts boldly to fight diseases like hiv/aids which can be prevented and treated and defeated more than a million americans live with hiv and half of all aids cases occur among african americans i ask congress to reform and reauthorize the ryan white act and provide new funding to states so we end the waiting lists for aids medicines in america applause we will also lead a nationwide effort working closely with african american churches and faith based groups to deliver rapid hiv tests to millions end the stigma of aids and come closer to the day when there are no new infections in america applause 
fellow citizens we've been called to leadership in a period of consequence we've entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite we see great changes in science and commerce that will influence all our lives sometimes it can seem that history is turning in a wide arc toward an unknown shore yet the destination of history is determined by human action and every great movement of history comes to a point of choosing 
lincoln could have accepted peace at the cost of disunity and continued slavery martin luther king could have stopped at birmingham or at selma and achieved only half a victory over segregation the united states could have accepted the permanent division of europe and been complicit in the oppression of others today having come far in our own historical journey we must decide will we turn back or finish well 
before history is written down in books it is written in courage like americans before us we will show that courage and we will finish well we will lead freedom's advance we will compete and excel in the global economy we will renew the defining moral commitments of this land and so we move forward optimistic about our country faithful to its cause and confident of the victories to come 
may god bless america applause