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SOTU 2004
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Friday, July 31, 2015
FOIA Marker
This is not a textual record. This FOIA Marker indicates that material has been removed
during FOIA processing by George W. Bush Presidential Library staff.
Communications, White House Office of
DeFrancis, Suzanne (Suzy)
Location or
NARA Number:
FRC ID:
OA Number:
Stack: Row: Sect.: Shelf: Pos.:
Hollinger ID:
W
25
26
)
2
2
2423
15358
3881
4046
Folder Title:
SOTU 2004
Withdrawn/Redacted Material
The George W. Bush Library
DOCUMENT FORM
SUBJECT/TITLE
PAGES
DATE
RESTRICTION(S)
NO.
001
Fact Sheet
New Initiatives in President Bush's State of the Union
3
01/20/2004 P5;
Address
002
Draft
International Audiences, The State of the Union Address
3
01/15/2004 P5;
003
Speech
State of the Union Address [page 14]
1
01/20/2004 P6/b6;
COLLECTION TITLE:
Communications, White House Office of
SERIES:
DeFrancis, Suzanne (Suzy)
FOLDER TITLE:
SOTU 2004
FRC ID:
2423
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advise between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
2201(3).
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA].
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
Deed of Gift Restrictions
concerning wells [(b).(9) of the FOIA]
A. Closed by Executive Order 13526 governing access to national
Records Not Subject to FOIA
security information.
B. Closed by statute or by the agency which originated the document.
Court Sealed - The document is withheld under a court seal and is not subject to
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
the Freedom of Information Act.
of gift.
2014-0126-F
Page 1 of 1
This document was prepared on Tuesday, August 11, 2015
New Initiatives in President Bush's State of the Union Address
January 20, 2004
In his State of the Union Address, President Bush called on our Nation to complete the work begun during
the last three years and to face the future with confidence and strength. To address America's most
pressing needs, the President announced new initiatives to strengthen economic growth, further reform
education and job training, address the rising cost of health care, and make America a more
compassionate Nation.
Jobs for the 21st Century
America's growing economy is also a changing economy, and President Bush wants to help
Americans gain the skills needed to prosper in our new economy. President Bush announced Jobs
for the 21st Century - more than $500 million for a series of measures to better prepare current and
future workers for jobs in the new millennium.
President Bush wants to help current workers get the training and skills they need to secure jobs in
high-growth industries. He also wants to help better prepare high school students to enter higher
education or the workforce. This initiative is especially important at a time when 80% of the
fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. require higher education and many require math and science skills.
The President's Jobs for the 21st Century initiative would expand support through
America's community colleges to help them train workers for the industries that are
creating the most new jobs. It includes a $250 million proposal to fund partnerships
between community colleges and employers in high-demand job sectors, based on
successful pilot programs launched by President Bush in 2001 and 2002.
President Bush's plan will improve the quality of education at our Nation's middle and high
schools and better prepare students for success in higher education and the job market -
including $100 million to help striving readers and $120 million to improve math education.
The President's plan expands Advanced Placement programs in low-income schools and
invites professionals with private-sector math and science experience to teach part-time in
our high schools. As an incentive for students to take more demanding high school
courses, it would provide larger grants for college under the Pell Grant program.
Making Health Care More Affordable
The rapidly rising cost of health care is the main reason why millions of Americans lack health
insurance today. To make insurance more affordable, the President proposed measures to
address rising healthcare costs and help more Americans afford insurance.
Tax-Free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): As part of the Medicare prescription drug bill that
President Bush signed into law last month, workers will now be able to take advantage of HSAs -
fully portable, tax-free savings accounts that can be used to pay for medical expenses incurred by
individuals, spouses, or dependents. Contributions to HSAs by individuals are deductible, even if
the taxpayer does not itemize, and contributions by an employer are not included in the individual's
taxable income.
White House Office of Communications
1/20/2004
Tax-free Insurance Premiums for HSAs: President Bush proposed that individuals who buy
catastrophic health care coverage as part of their new Health Savings Accounts, be allowed to
deduct 100% of the premium from their taxes. This new deduction of health insurance premiums,
which will be available to taxpayers whether or not they itemize, will make health coverage more
affordable for millions of Americans who do not get coverage through their workplace.
The President also called on Congress to establish refundable tax credits of up to $1,000 for
individuals and $3,000 for families to help low-income workers buy health insurance coverage.
The President called for Congress to pass Association Health Plans to enable small businesses to
provide health coverage to more workers by allowing them to band together and negotiate lower
insurance rates.
President Bush proposed to double the budget to $100 million for demonstration projects related to
health information technology, which will save lives and help to reduce costs.
Doubling Our Efforts to Expand Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was established by Congress during the Reagan
Administration to expand democracy throughout the world. Governed by an independent,
nonpartisan board of directors, the NED makes hundreds of grants each year to support pro-
democracy groups in dozens of countries. The NED works in part through direct grants to NGOs
and civil society groups fighting for democracy, human rights, religious tolerance, freedom of the
press, and free elections. Last year, the NED budget totaled $39.6 million. The President called
for doubling the NED budget, allocating the additional $40 million to programs in the Middle East.
Helping Young Americans Make Healthy Decisions
Addressing the National Challenge of Teen Substance Abuse: Approximately 1.4 million American
teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 are in need of drug treatment, according to research done by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Data also show that, if a
child does not start using drugs in his or her teen years, he or she is much less likely to develop a
substance abuse problem later.
In his State of the Union address, President Bush announced a new initiative to help young Americans
avoid being ensnared by addiction. His budget for FY: 2005 will include $25 million-a $23 million
increase-for student drug testing program grants, extending the benefits of early intervention
programs that have been proven in government, military, education, transportation, and private-sector
workplaces. The President's anti-drug policies are working - just last month, a leading national survey
found that 400,000 fewer drug users among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. This represents an 11% decline
in drug use among these age groups, ahead of the President's two-year goal of 10%.
Encouraging Role Models to Set a Good Example for Young Athletes: President Bush called on
America's major sports leagues and athletes to end the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Their
use by even a minority of elite athletes sets a dangerous example for the millions of young Americans,
encouraging young people to take dangerous risks with their health and safety.
White House Office of Communications
1/20/2004
The President will ask these leagues and athletes to implement stringent drug policies to set a healthier
and more positive example for America's young people. These policies will also protect the integrity of
their sports and ensure the health and well-being of athletes.
Expanding Support for Teen Abstinence Promotion: Each year, three million American teenagers
contract sexually transmitted diseases, causing emotional harm and serious health consequences,
even death. President Bush announced a new initiative to educate teens and parents about the health
risks associated with early sexual activity and provide the tools needed to help teens make responsible
choices. The President's Fiscal Year 2005 budget would increase the funding for abstinence education
programs to more than $270 million. President Bush also directed the Department of Health and
Human Services to develop research-based standards for model abstinence education curricula, and
he called for a review of all Federal programming for youth addressing teen pregnancy prevention,
family planning, and STD and HIV/AIDS prevention to ensure that the Federal government is sending
the right messages to teens. He also announced a public education campaign designed to help
parents communicate with their children about the health risks associated with early sexual activity.
Empowering Faith-Based and Community Charities to Help Those in Need
Many faith-based organizations that have been effective in serving the poor have faced discrimination
in their efforts to partner with the Federal government. The regulatory reforms instituted by President
Bush in December, 2002 have remedied many of these problems, but should be protected by statute.
President Bush announced his intent to seek legislation to put into law the principle of equal treatment
for faith-based organizations in the Federal grants process and end discrimination against these
charities. This legislation would ensure that more Americans in need would be able to get vital social
services from the country's most effective charities, whether secular or faith-based organizations.
Protecting Communities by Reducing Recidivism Among Returning Inmates
Some 600,000 prisoners who have completed their prison sentences will be released this year.
Unfortunately, many of them will return to prison after committing another crime - causing additional
costs to themselves and society. To reduce the number of these prisoners committing new crimes,
President Bush proposed a plan to harness the resources and experience of faith-based and
community organizations in dealing with the challenges of helping returning inmates contribute to
society.
Through a collaboration with faith-based and community organizations and the Department of Labor
(DOL), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Justice
(DOJ), the initiative would address three key requirements for successful re-entry of those who have
paid their debt to society - - mentoring, transitional housing, and basic job training and placement. The
President's FY 2005 budget will provide funding for the first year of this four-year, $300 million initiative.
White House Office of Communications
1/20/2004
State of the Union Preview
In his State of the Union address, the President will discuss the serious challenges facing our
Nation and the steps we must take to make America a more secure, more prosperous and
more hopeful country.
The President will express faith and confidence in the American people to meet these
challenges. The adversity of past three years has shown the strength of the American people.
We are meeting the tests of history.
The President will takes stock of the accomplishments of the past three years and also lay out
goals for the future, behind which all Americans can unite, and urge us to move forward
with the work that still needs to be done.
He will point to the changes taking place in our country and our world leading toward freedom
and prosperity-and the need to act on his agenda so that our policies reflect these changes.
Specific areas the President will address include:
War on Terror
Actions we must take in defense of our Nation-both on the home front and around
the world
Progress being made in Afghanistan and Iraq
The difficult work of helping Iraq make the transition to democracy-and its
importance to U.S. interests and world interests
The positive impact of our actions around the world-especially the greater region of
the Middle East
Challenges of a changing economy
Helping Americans meet these challenges by learning new skills for a new economy
Creating jobs so that everyone who wants to work can find a job
Expanding opportunities for all Americans to own a home or start a business
Health care: Importance to seniors of Medicare reforms passed last year-and the steps
we must take this year to help families and small businesses deal with the rising costs of
health care.
Education: Helping schools and students meet the high standards we have set, so no
child in America is left behind.
At a time of great change, the President will speak to the importance of preserving
values and vital institutions that make America strong-like families, schools and
religious congregations.
DeFrancis, Suzy
From:
Besanceney, Brian R.
Sent:
Tuesday, January 20, 2004 5:38 PM
Subject:
STATE OF THE UNION EXCERPTS
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2004
State of the Union Excerpts
Tonight, President Bush will discuss the extraordinary challenges our country has faced and the historic
achievements we have made. Yet he will also stress that there's much more for our country to do:
"America this evening is a Nation called to great responsibilities. And we are rising to meet them
"
"We have not come all this way - through tragedy, and trial, and war - only to falter and leave our work
unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same of us."
He will also remind the American people that we are a Nation still at war, and our government is meeting its
responsibility to protect the American people:
"Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have
passed since September 11, 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."
"
America is on the offensive against the terrorists "
"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 "
"
Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better "
He will discuss the progress we're making in Afghanistan and Iraq, and renew our commitment to ensuring
those countries are free and peaceful:
"The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror "
"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."
On priorities here at home, the President will discuss why he's optimistic about our growing economy, and call
on Congress to take action that will help turn our economic recovery into a lasting recovery. He will call on
them to help train Americans for the jobs of the 21st Century:
"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 We must respond by
1
helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy."
President Bush will also discuss the importance of health care and the major cause for why Americans lack
health insurance: the rising costs of health care.
"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."
Finally, the President will argue that in a time of great change in our country and world, the things that make our
country strong should never change:
"We are living in a time of great change 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 - the unseen pillars of civilization - must remain strong in America
"All of us - parents, schools, government - must work together to counter the negative influence of the
culture, and to send the right messages to our children."
2
The State of the Union
January 20, 2004
In his State of the Union address, President Bush discussed the serious challenges facing our Nation and the steps we
must take to make America a more secure, more prosperous and more hopeful country. Over the last three years, America
has come together to overcome great challenges, and the President expressed faith and confidence in the American people
and our nation's future. Now the choice is clear - to move forward on the path to freedom and prosperity, or to turn back to
the old policies and divisions of the past.
President Bush laid out ambitious goals for the future, behind which all Americans can unite, and urged the nation to move
forward with the work that still needs to be done.
Making America Safer with Decisive Action to Win the War on Terror
America is safer today because of the decisive action and leadership of President Bush. Although there has not been a
successful attack on our homeland in 28 months, the President will not allow the nation to return to a sense of false security
and complacency. He called for continued action at home and abroad to defeat the terrorists and pursue a forward strategy
of freedom to promote democracy throughout the Middle East.
America continues to wage a relentless campaign against terrorists who threaten our country. In this war, America
is taking the offensive, denying terrorists refuge, identifying and seizing their finances, and holding terrorists and
their sponsors to account. We have captured almost two-thirds of the known Al-Qaida leaders, including the
mastermind of the September 11 attacks.
Afghanistan, once ruled by the brutal Taliban regime that sheltered Al-Qaida, has adopted a new
constitution and is following the path of democracy, including providing fundamental rights to women.
Libya has now pledged to disclose and dismantle all of its weapons of mass destruction programs.
In Iraq, Saddam Hussein has been overthrown and captured and the enemies of freedom are being
systematically routed from their holes and rounded up. Iraqis are assuming greater responsibility for their
own security and future government, and America and more than 30 nations are helping the Iraqi people
make the transition to full sovereignty by the end of June. Although it is hard work, we will stand by them
as they complete the transition to democracy.
The President called on Congress to renew the Patriot Act, which provides law enforcement officials with essential
tools needed to track down terrorists before they strike. The Patriot Act allows investigators and prosecutors to use
laws originally designed to prosecute embezzlers and drug traffickers to bring international terrorists to justice -
enabling federal law enforcement to better share information, track terrorists, disrupt their cells, and seize their
assets.
The President recognizes that different threats require different strategies. He is working with other nations to
ensure that North Korea and Iran abandon their nuclear ambitions and join the world community in preventing the
spread of dangerous weapons.
America's actions will result in the spread of democracy in the Middle East - an important step that will provide an
alternative to terror and violence. To further encourage the progress of democracy, President Bush is calling for a
doubling of support for the National Endowment for Democracy, and focusing its new work on the development of
free elections, free markets, free press, and free labor unions in the Middle East.
Keeping America on Track for a More Prosperous Future
The last three years have revealed the fundamental strengths of America's economy. Despite the unprecedented economic
shocks of recession, the September 11 attacks, corporate scandals and war, America's economy is on track for recovery
and sustained job creation.
The tax relief proposed and signed into law by President Bush was the right action at the right time for our
economy. This tax relief doubled the child tax credit; reduced the marriage penalty; phased out the death tax;
lowered taxes on capital gains, stock dividends, and small businesses to create incentives for job creation; and
lowered taxes for every American who pays income taxes.
The results of this decisive action are clear. Economic growth in the 3ʳᵈ quarter of 2003 and new home construction
the highest in almost 20 years; homeownership levels are at historic highs; manufacturing activity is increasing;
inflation and interest rates are low; and a quarter million jobs were created in the last half of 2003.
President Bush called on Congress to enable these positive economic trends to continue by making the tax relief
permanent - SO families and businesses can plan and invest for the future.
Helping Americans Access High-Demand Jobs: America's economy is growing but it is also changing due to higher
productivity and new technology. It is more important than ever that Americans have the education and training needed to
succeed. The No Child Left Behind Act is bringing important reforms to America's schools by insisting on standards and
accountability for results. There are substantial resources available to implement these reforms, and President Bush will
fight any effort to undo them.
Many older students and current workers will also need to strengthen their skills to compete for the jobs of
tomorrow. President Bush proposed more than $500 million for a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st
Century - designed to provide extra help to middle- and high school students who fall behind in reading and math,
expand Advanced Placement programs in low-income schools, and invite math and science professionals from the
private sector to teach part-time in high schools.
The President's Jobs for the 21st Century initiative increases support for America's community colleges to enable
them to train workers for the industries that are creating the most new jobs. It will also provide larger Pell Grants
for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school.
Sustaining Economic Growth: To help sustain America's economic recovery, President Bush called on Congress to pass
legislation to streamline federal regulations, protect employers from junk lawsuits, ensure an affordable and reliable supply
of energy, and give younger workers an opportunity to set aside a portion of their Social Security taxes in personal
retirement accounts. He also underscored his commitment to fiscal responsibility by announcing that his FY 2005 budget
will hold discretionary spending growth to less than 4%, keeping America on track to cut the deficit in half in five years.
Strengthening Health Care for Millions of Americans: President Bush urged Congress to extend the benefits of modern
medicine throughout our country and take action to help control the rising costs of medical care and give more Americans
access to health insurance.
Strengthening Medicare: Just last month, President Bush signed legislation to strengthen Medicare and add a
prescription drug benefit, keeping a commitment to seniors to help them afford the medicines they need.
Starting this year, seniors can choose to receive a drug discount card that will save 10-25% 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 coverage under Medicare. For a monthly premium of about $35,
most seniors who do not have prescription drug coverage will see their drug bills cut roughly in half. Seniors will be
able to keep Medicare just as it is today, or choose the Medicare plan that fits them best - similar to the health care
choices offered to Members of Congress.
President Bush will veto any effort to take this prescription drug coverage away from seniors and limit their choices.
Increasing Health Care Affordability and Coverage: President Bush is concerned about the rising cost of health care
and helping Americans to afford health care coverage that best meets their needs. The President rejects the notion of a
government-run health care system as some have proposed. He outlined a series of steps for making health insurance
more affordable and accessible, including:
Enabling small businesses to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates, covering more workers with
health insurance, through Association Health Plans.
Giving lower-income Americans a refundable tax credit SO millions can buy their own basic health insurance
coverage.
Computerizing health records to reduce costs, improve care, and lower the risk of medical mistakes.
Eliminating frivolous medical lawsuits that damage the doctor-patient relationship and keep good doctors from
taking new patients.
Allowing individuals who set aside money tax free in new Health Savings Accounts to deduct from their taxes 100%
of the cost of their health insurance premiums.
Building a Better and More Compassionate America for All
During this time of great change in our nation, the President spoke to the importance of preserving the timeless
values and vital institutions that continue to make America strong-like families, schools, and religious
congregations.
The President proposed several new steps to help young Americans make responsible choices.
Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the past two years, and 400,000 fewer young
people are using illegal drugs than in 2001. The President's FY 05 budget will include new funding to
continue our aggressive, community-based strategy to reduce demand for illegal drugs - as well as an
increase of $23 million for schools that want to use drug testing as a tool to save children's lives.
To ensure that role models do not send the wrong message about substance abuse to millions of American
children, the President called on America's professional sports leagues and their unions to take decisive
action to address the problem of illegal steroids.
At a time when 3 million American teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases each year, the
President proposes a new grassroots health campaign to inform teens and parents of the risks - and a
doubling of federal funding for abstinence education programs.
Defending the Institution of Marriage: The President also called for a principled stand to defend the institution of
marriage against activist judges who redefine marriage by court order - without listening to the voices of the elected
representatives of the people.
Faith- and Community-Based Groups: The President is fully committed to empowering more of America's faith-
and community-based charities to address some of our toughest social problems and help those most in need. He
proposes to codify the executive order he signed that ends federal discrimination against these groups. And he
announced a new plan to bring local and faith-based groups together with federal agencies to help recently
released prisoners make a successful transition back to society - reducing the chance that they will be arrested
again. This 4-year, $300 million initiative will provide transitional housing, basic job training, and mentoring.
President Bush described the state of our Union as confident and strong and urged all Americans to move forward and
complete the important work ahead.
White House Office of Communications
Withdrawal Marker
The George W. Bush Library
FORM
SUBJECT/TITLE
PAGES
DATE
RESTRICTION(S)
Fact Sheet
New Initiatives in President Bush's State of the Union Address
3
01/20/2004
P5;
This marker identifies the original location of the withdrawn item listed above.
For a complete list of items withdrawn from this folder, see the
Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet at the front of the folder.
COLLECTION:
Communications, White House Office of
SERIES:
DeFrancis, Suzanne (Suzy)
FOLDER TITLE:
SOTU 2004
FRC ID:
FOIA ID and Segment:
2423
2014-0126-F
OA Num.:
4046
NARA Num.:
3881
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advise between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
2201(3).
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
Deed of Gift Restrictions
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
A. Closed by Executive Order 13526 governing access to national
Records Not Subject to FOIA
security information.
B. Closed by statute or by the agency which originated the document.
Court Sealed - The document is withheld under a court seal and is not subject to
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
the Freedom of Information Act.
of gift.
This Document was withdrawn on 8/11/2015 by
erl
Message
Page 1 of 1
DeFrancis, Suzy
From:
Stevens, Pamela R.
Sent:
Tuesday, January 20, 2004 8:01 AM
To:
"[email protected]'; DeFrancis, Suzy
Subject: FW: These are some of the questions that Dan got this morning on the morning shows.
There are reports that there will be someone from the CIA sitting in on the SOTU speechwriting process to make
sure the speech
is better vetted this year is that true?
What is the main theme of this year's speech?
How is the White House reacting to the Kerry/Edwards news?
Did the President stay up late and watch the returns?
How does President feel/think about Sen. Kerry?
Is this speech going to be a political speech -- it is an election year.
The President talked last year re: saddam and wmd -- will he talk about
the frustration of not finding wmd?
A: President has made American safer and better for Iraqi people
the process is underway to find wmd
Will the President say that he still expects that WMD will be found in Iraq?
A: Dr kay has already found that the weapons related activities going on were in full violation of the
security council
2.3 million jobs lost -- is President satisfied about the progress in job creation?
What is his number one priority for congress in the coming year?
Washington Post poll today shows that President Bush enjoys a large advantage over the Democrats on matters
of national security -- but, the poll showed that Democrats would do a better job on domestic issues, such as the
economy, prescription drugs , health insurance, Medicare, deficit, immigration and taxes.
What will the President say tonight in his speech to address those challenges?
1/20/2004
4:00
- DAVO- - Briefs
1
Judge briefed at filing Centa - Ohio
{ Kisten/Keith /Dropoft 3
450- T-Tic (Dag beface) 7:44 p.m.
Phase AIDS (Dag after)
Reginitiative Fact sheet
2
Evans
3
7:45pm type bnefig an ?? (TTic)
Jobs 2/s Centry
4
SOTH Perview no stuff ?
Dar- re: Dept. 9 Commers way
Baitlett-
Cashnet presssee- - 4:00
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May Robb volutees
STATE OF THE UNION 2004 - TIMELINE OF COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
Dau- Brief- Rolig,
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2004
Media Interviews
Dan Bartlett leads three 20-minute roundtables with national press to frame the SOTU. Group 1: WH TV
correspondents, Group 2: Print One (AP, Reuters, WP, NYT), Group 3: Print Two (USA Today, Wash Times,
WSJ, Knight Ridder, LA Times, and others) [Press Office]
Dan Bartlett interviews from 1-2 pm with the news magazines-Time, Newsweek, U.S. News [Krista]
Dan Bartlett leads 30 minute regional tong w/Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, DMN, Houston
Chronicle, Copley, Austin-American Statesman & Boston Globe [Press Office]
Dan Bartlett holds conf. call with regional media at 5 p.m. [Media Affairs]
Communications Materials
Release of radio address-embargoed until delivery [Press Office]
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2004
The President's radio address broadcast (10:06 A.M.)
MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004
Media Interviews
Hector Barreto - Tues.
Conference call with Hispanic print media [Media Affairs/Ruben Barrales]
Ask the White House: Richard Norton Smith, Historian, on history of the State of the Union [Media Affairs]
WH Correspondents John King and John Roberts will pre tape pieces with Dan and Sec. Card for Tuesday
evening news prior to SOTU [Press Office]
1:45-3:30 Tuis
Communications Materials
State of the Union talking points through staffing for release Tuesday P.M. [WH Communications]
Guest list for First Lady's box finalized and bios staffed for release on Tuesday [Israel/FLOTUS Press]
Photo release of speech prep for weekend use [WH Communications/Photo Office]
Communications Logistics
White House working group meeting (4:00 P.M., EEOB 180)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2004
President delivers State of the Union address (9:01 P.M.)
Media Interviews
Suzy Del rancis to do local television interviews (10 total) 6 A.M. [Media Affairs]
Dan Bartlett on morning shows: Early Show, GMA & Today Show, MSNBC [Press Office]
1:45
SUZY Def rancis on morning shows CNN and Fox [Press Office]
all am show
Telemundo and Univision morning shows/early evening shows [Media Affairs]
3:30 30 thowth Holt
Suzy to do Media Affairs local affiliate TV interviews from 11 am to 12 pm with Cox, Hearst-Argyle, NBC, ABC,
and FOX (for 5, 5:30, 6 & 6:30 P.M. newscasts) [Media Affairs/WH Press Office]
President lunches with network television correspondents [Bartlett/Press Office]
14:00 me
Dan Bartlett on Inside Politics (3:30 pm) and Neil Cavuto (4 pm) [Press Office]
Namen LP,
Karen Hughes or Mary Matalin on Fox News Live (2 pm) and Lester Holt (4pm) [Press Office]
Ask the White House: Secretary Card [Media Affairs] TBD
Rarey
News Hr. / Later
Paige to do BET TV interview [Media Affairs]
Paige to lead conference call with African-American press [Media Affairs]
Chao to lead conference call with Asian-American press [Media Affairs] TBD
Towey to lead conference call with religious press [Media Affairs]
WH Correspondents (Roberts, Gregory, King, Angle, Moran) will tape pieces with Dan and Sec. Card for
evening news prior to SOTU (John King and John Roberts will pre-tape on Monday) [Press Office]
Interviews on Larry King Live and Nightline with TBD guests (Dan, Sec. Card, Dr. Rice, Karen?) [Press Office]
Foreign Media & Materials
OGC release of SOTU key themes to foreign media in time for evening newscasts in Europe & the Middle East
OGC release of speech excerpts to VOA for translation and use prior to SOTU
OGC Foreign media access to SOTU press-related events, such as stake-outs with Members post-SOTU
OGC/FPC events with foreign press
VOA and other int'l broadcasters will carry the speech live, with translations as possible
OGC will host foreign press to watch SOTU from the White House with TBD guests
476
Communications Logistics
Senior Administration briefing on SOTU initiative TBD
DeFrancis/Besanceney Hill Press Secretaries briefings (Senate at 10 am, House at 11 am)
Speech text and talking points to Cabinet Affairs & OSI for coordinated release to their distribution lists (8:30pm,
excerpts go out at 5:30 pm) [WH Communications]
Radio Day walk-through for Cabinet staff and distribution of Radio Day packets for Cabinet Members [Cabinet
Affairs/Media Affairs]
Communications Materials
Press Office release of First Lady's box seating chart (5:30 p.m.)
Press Office release excerpts of the speech (5:50 p.m.)
Press Office release of bios of the guests in the First Lady's box (7:30 p.m.)
Press Office release of the as prepared speech-embargoed until delivery (8 p.m.)
Communications Office blasts out the speech & talking points (8:20 p.m.)
Legislative Affairs/Cabinet Affairs distributes printed/color "as prepared" speech booklets to
Members/Cabinet at 8:45 p.m. [Management Office - Room 1 are preparing the booklets]
Julie Thaves
Outreach
Tar
Rove speak to Bush Echo Chamber in 450 EEOB (1 P.M.) [OPL]
3:00
Rove/OPL conference calls with outside groups [OPL]
7:00 / Canservative cathatics]
Reception and SOTU viewing with outside groups in EEOB 450 (beginning at 7:30 pm) [OPL]
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004
Wed - -ATR
Media Interviews
RADIO DAY-AII DAY Cabinet participation [Media Affairs]
Wed - Weyria
Sec. Evans on morning shows [Press Office/Commerce Department] TBD
President remarks on job training/travel to Ohio and Arizona in follow-up to SOTU announcements
Mrs. Bush remarks on education/travel to Florida in follow-up to President's SOTU announcements
Website to feature web-exclusive photos of preparation of the State of the Union [Media Affairs]
Bartlett will travel with the President and brief WH press corps on SOTU initiative
Sec. Card with Hannity (10 am) and Inside Politics?? (3:30 pm) [Press Office]
Mrs Bush-
Foreign Media & Materials
TV interviews for selected foreign broadcasters with principals [OGC]
Post SOTU translations in key languages on the WH website [OGC]
Outreach
Hispanic Leaders via conference call [OPL] TBD
Snaw Thongs
Steve Friedman will speak to Business Roundtable CEOs via conference call [OPL] TBD
OPL conference calls with outside groups TBD
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2004
N.M.
Media Interviews
President travels to Roswell, New Mexico for remarks on the War on Terror
Cliekw/
Mrs. Bush hosts WH event on education announcements from SOTU and budget
Dr. Rice on morning shows [Press Office] TBD
Dar
Sec. Chao remarks to CPAC members [Labor Dept.]
TBD Cabinet member travel and remarks
TBD Agency briefings
Foreign Media
Background briefing by Senior Administration Official on foreign policy aspects of the address at the Foreign
Press Center [OGC]
Interviews on foreign policy themes of SOTU by U.S. Ambassadors to media in their countries [OGC]
Op-ed for placement by U.S. Ambassadors in their local press [OGC]
Outreach
High Tech Leaders via conference call TBD
African American Leaders via conference call TBD
Jewish Leaders via conference call at 4 P.M. TBD
Women Leaders via conference call TBD
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2004
Media Interviews
President remarks to U.S. Conference of Mayors
Cabinet travel and remarks
Sec. Snow travels to West Virginia for remarks on the economy [Treasury Dept.]
Sec. Card interview with MSNBC's Lester Holt (pre-taped for Saturday) [Press Office]
Outreach
Muslim Leaders via conference call [Abraham? - OPL] TBD
Labor Leaders via conference call [Rove? - OPL] TBD
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004
(T) Cabinet Meeting. Pool at the end, Cabinet media to follow [Cabinet Affairs]
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2004
SUNDAY SHOWS???
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2003
BUDGET RELEASE
STATE OF THE UNION 2004 - TIMELINE OF COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2004
Media Interviews
Dan Bartlett leads three 20-minute roundtables with national press to frame the SOTU. Group 1: WH TV
correspondents, Group 2: Print One (AP, Reuters, WP, NYT), Group 3: Print Two (USA Today, Wash Times,
WSJ, Knight Ridder, LA Times, and others) [Press Office]
Dan Bartlett interviews from 1-2 pm with the news magazines-Time, Newsweek, U.S. News [Krista]
Dan Bartlett leads 30 minute regional tong w/Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, DMN, Houston
Chronicle, Copley, Austin-American Statesman & Boston Globe [Press Office]
Dan Bartlett holds conf. call with regional media at 5 p.m. [Media Affairs]
Communications Materials
Release of radio address-embargoed until delivery [Press Office]
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2004
The President's radio address broadcast (10:06 A.M.)
MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004
Media Interviews
Conference call with Hispanic print media [Media Affairs/Ruben Barrales]
Ask the White House: Richard Norton Smith, Historian, on history of the State of the Union [Media Affairs]
WH Correspondents John King and John Roberts will pre-tape pieces with Dan and Sec. Card for Tuesday
evening news prior to SOTU [Press Office]
Communications Materials
State of the Union talking points through staffing for release Tuesday P.M. [WH Communications]
Guest list for First Lady's box finalized and bios staffed for release on Tuesday [Israel/FLOTUS Press]
Photo release of speech prep for weekend use [WH Communications/Photo Office]
Communications Logistics
White House working group meeting (4:00 P.M., EEOB 180) TBD
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2004
President delivers State of the Union address (9:01 P.M.)
Media Interviews
Suzy DeFrancis to do local television interviews (10 total) 6 A.M. [Media Affairs]
Dan Bartlett on morning shows: Early Show, GMA & Today Show, MSNBC [Press Office]
Suzy DeFrancis on morning shows: CNN and Fox [Press Office]
Telemundo and Univision morning shows/early evening shows [Media Affairs]
Suzy to do Media Affairs local affiliate TV interviews from 11 am to 12 pm with Cox, Hearst-Argyle, NBC, ABC,
and FOX (for 5, 5:30, 6 & 6:30 P.M. newscasts) [Media Affairs/WH Press Office]
President lunches with network television correspondents [Bartlett/Press Office]
Dan Bartlett on Inside Politics (3:30 pm) and Neil Cavuto (4 pm) [Press Office]
Karen Hughes or Mary Matalin on Fox News Live (2 pm) and Lester Holt (4pm) [Press Office]
Ask the White House: Secretary Card [Media Affairs] TBD
Paige to do BET TV interview [Media Affairs]
Paige to lead conference call with African-American press [Media Affairs]
Chao to lead conference call with Asian-American press [Media Affairs] TBD
Towey to lead conference call with religious press [Media Affairs]
WH Correspondents (Roberts, Gregory, King, Angle, Moran) will tape pieces with Dan and Sec. Card for
evening news prior to SOTU (John King and John Roberts will pre-tape on Monday) [Press Office]
Interviews on Larry King Live and Nightline with TBD guests (Dan, Sec. Card, Dr. Rice, Karen?) [Press Office]
Foreign Media & Materials
OGC release of SOTU key themes to foreign media in time for evening newscasts in Europe & the Middle East
OGC release of speech excerpts to VOA for translation and use prior to SOTU
OGC Foreign media access to SOTU press-related events, such as stake-outs with Members post-SOTU
OGC/FPC events with foreign press
VOA and other int'l broadcasters will carry the speech live, with translations as possible
OGC will host foreign press to watch SOTU from the White House with TBD guests
Communications Logistics
Senior Administration briefing on SOTU initiative TBD
DeFrancis/Besanceney Hill Press Secretaries briefings (Senate at 10 am, House at 11 am)
Speech text and talking points to Cabinet Affairs & OSI for coordinated release to their distribution lists (8:30pm,
excerpts go out at 5:30 pm) [WH Communications]
Radio Day walk-through for Cabinet staff and distribution of Radio Day packets for Cabinet Members [Cabinet
Affairs/Media Affairs]
Communications Materials
Press Office release of First Lady's box seating chart (5:30 p.m.)
Press Office release excerpts of the speech (5:50 p.m.)
Press Office release of bios of the guests in the First Lady's box (7:30 p.m.)
Press Office release of the as prepared speech-embargoed until delivery (8 p.m.)
Communications Office blasts out the speech & talking points (8:20 p.m.)
Legislative Affairs/Cabinet Affairs distributes printed/color "as prepared" speech booklets to
Members/Cabinet at 8:45 p.m. [Management Office - Room 1 are preparing the booklets]
Outreach
Rove speak to Bush Echo Chamber in 450 EEOB (1 P.M.) [OPL]
Rove/OPL conference calls with outside groups [OPL]
Reception and SOTU viewing with outside groups in EEOB 450 (beginning at 7:30 pm) [OPL]
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004
Media Interviews
RADIO DAY-AII DAY Cabinet participation [Media Affairs]
Sec. Evans on morning shows [Press Office/Commerce Department] TBD
President remarks on job training/travel to Ohio and Arizona in follow-up to SOTU announcements
Mrs. Bush remarks on education/travel to Florida in follow-up to President's SOTU announcements
Website to feature web-exclusive photos of preparation of the State of the Union [Media Affairs]
Bartlett will travel with the President and brief WH press corps on SOTU initiative
Sec. Card with Hannity (10 am) and Inside Politics?? (3:30 pm) [Press Office]
Foreign Media & Materials
TV interviews for selected foreign broadcasters with principals [OGC]
Post SOTU translations in key languages on the WH website [OGC]
Outreach
Hispanic Leaders via conference call [OPL] TBD
Steve Friedman will speak to Business Roundtable CEOs via conference call [OPL] TBD
OPL conference calls with outside groups TBD
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2004
Media Interviews
President travels to Roswell, New Mexico for remarks on the War on Terror
Mrs. Bush hosts WH event on education announcements from SOTU and budget
Dr. Rice on morning shows [Press Office] TBD
Sec. Chao remarks to CPAC members [Labor Dept.]
TBD Cabinet member travel and remarks
TBD Agency briefings
Foreign Media
Background briefing by Senior Administration Official on foreign policy aspects of the address at the Foreign
Press Center [OGC]
Interviews on foreign policy themes of SOTU by U.S. Ambassadors to media in their countries [OGC]
Op-ed for placement by U.S. Ambassadors in their local press [OGC]
Outreach
High Tech Leaders via conference call TBD
African American Leaders via conference call TBD
Jewish Leaders via conference call at 4 P.M. TBD
Women Leaders via conference call TBD
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2004
Media Interviews
President remarks to U.S. Conference of Mayors
Cabinet travel and remarks
Sec. Snow travels to West Virginia for remarks on the economy [Treasury Dept.]
Sec. Card interview with MSNBC's Lester Holt (pre-taped for Saturday) [Press Office]
Outreach
Muslim Leaders via conference call [Abraham? - OPL] TBD
Labor Leaders via conference call [Rove? - OPL]
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004
(T) Cabinet Meeting. Pool at the end, Cabinet media to follow [Cabinet Affairs]
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2004
SUNDAY SHOWS???
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2003
BUDGET RELEASE
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01/15/2004
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erl
State of the Union Address
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Draft #30
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.
Each day, law enforcement personnel and intelligence officers are
tracking terrorist threats analysts are examining airline passenger lists
the men and women of our new Homeland Security Department are
patrolling our coasts and borders. And their vigilance is protecting
America.
Americans are proving once again to be the hardest working people
in the world. The American economy is growing stronger. The tax relief
you passed is working.
Tonight, Members of Congress can take pride in great works of
compassion and reform that skeptics had thought impossible. You are
raising the standards of our public schools; and you are giving our senior
citizens prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
We have faced serious challenges together - and now we face a
choice. We can go forward with confidence and resolve - or we can turn
back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw
regimes are no threat to us. We can press on with economic growth, and
reforms in education and Medicare - or we can turn back to the old policies
and old divisions.
We have not come all this way - through tragedy, and trial, and war -
only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the
tasks of history, and they expect the same of us. In their efforts
their
1
enterprise and their character, the American people are showing that the
state of our union is confident and strong.
Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American
people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September 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, Mombassa, Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Baghdad. The
terrorists continue to plot against America and the civilized world. And by
our will and courage, this danger will be defeated.
Inside the United States where the war began we must continue
to give homeland security and law enforcement personnel every tool they
need to defend us. And one of those essential tools is the Patriot Act,
which allows federal law enforcement to better share information, to track
terrorists, to disrupt their cells, and to seize their assets. For years, we
have used similar provisions to catch embezzlers and drug traffickers. If
these methods are good for hunting criminals, they are even more
important for hunting terrorists. Key provisions of the Patriot Act are set to
expire next year. The terrorist threat will not expire on that schedule. Our
law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens - you
need to renew the Patriot Act.
America is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war.
Last March, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a mastermind of September 11ᵗʰ,
awoke to find himself in the custody of U.S. and Pakistani authorities. Last
August 11th brought the capture of the terrorist Hambali, who was a key
player in the attack in Indonesia that killed over 200 people. We are
tracking al-Qaida around the world - and nearly two-thirds of their known
leaders have now been captured or killed. Thousands of very skilled and
determined military personnel are on a manhunt, going after the remaining
killers who hide in cities and caves - and, one by one, we will bring the
terrorists to justice.
As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the
regimes that harbor and support terrorists, and could supply them with
nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. The United States and our allies
are determined: We refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger.
2
The first to see our determination were the Taliban, who made
Afghanistan the primary training base of al-Qaida killers. As of this month,
that country has a new constitution, guaranteeing free elections and full
participation by women. Businesses are opening, health care centers are
being established, and the boys and girls of Afghanistan are back in school.
With help from the new Afghan Army, our coalition is leading aggressive
raids against surviving members of the Taliban and al-Qaida. The men and
women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and
fighting terror - and America is honored to be their friend.
Since we last met in this chamber, combat forces of the United
States, Great Britain, Australia, Poland, and other countries enforced the
demands of the United Nations, ended the rule of Saddam Hussein - and
the people of Iraq are free. Having broken the 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 are making progress against them. The once all-powerful
ruler of Iraq was found in a hole, and now sits in a prison cell. Of the top 55
officials of the former regime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are
on the offensive, leading over sixteen hundred patrols a day, and
conducting an average of 180 raids every week. We are dealing with these
thugs in Iraq, just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein's evil regime.
The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America
has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right. Last January,
Iraq's only law was the whim of one brutal man. Today our coalition is
working with the Iraqi Governing Council to draft a basic law, with a bill of
rights. We are working with Iraqis and the United Nations to prepare for a
transition to full Iraqi sovereignty by the end of June. As democracy takes
hold in Iraq, the enemies of freedom will do all in their power to spread
violence and fear. They are trying to shake the will of our country and our
friends - but the United States of America will never be intimidated by
thugs and assassins. The killers will fail and the Iraqi people will live in
freedom.
Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own
security and their own future. And tonight we are honored to welcome one
of Iraq's most respected leaders: the current President of the Iraqi
3
Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi. Sir, America stands with you and the
Iraqi people as you build a free and peaceful nation.
Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing
for the better. Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to
disclose and dismantle all of his regime's weapons of mass destruction
programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons.
Colonel Gadhafi correctly judged that his country would be better off, and
far more secure, without weapons of mass murder. Nine months of intense
negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with
Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not. And one reason is
clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one
can now doubt the word of America.
Different threats require different strategies. Along with nations in the
region, we are insisting that North Korea eliminate its nuclear program.
America and the international community are demanding that Iran meet its
commitments, and not develop nuclear weapons. America is committed to
keeping the world's most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the
world's most dangerous regimes.
When I came to this rostrum on September 20th, 2001, I brought the
police shield of a fallen officer, my reminder of lives that ended, and a task
that does not end. I gave to you and to all Americans my complete
commitment to securing our country and defeating our enemies. And this
pledge, given by one, has been kept by many. You in the Congress have
provided the resources for our defense, and cast the difficult votes of war
and peace. Our closest allies have been unwavering. America's
intelligence personnel and diplomats have been skilled and tireless.
And the men and women of the American military - they have taken
the hardest duty. We have seen their skill and courage in armored
charges, and midnight raids, and lonely hours on faithful watch. We have
seen the joy when they return, and felt the sorrow when one is lost. I have
had the honor of meeting our 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.
4
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, tried, 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 11th, it is not enough to serve
our enemies with legal papers. The terrorists and their supporters declared
war on the United States - and war is what they got.
Some in this chamber, and in our country, did not support the
liberation of Iraq. Objections to war often come from principled motives.
But let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam Hussein
in power We are seeking all the facts, already the Kay Report identified
dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and
significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United
Nations. Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction
programs would continue to this day. Had we failed to act, Security Council
resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening
the United Nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world.
Iraq's torture chambers would still be filled with victims - terrified and
innocent. The killing fields of Iraq where hundreds of thousands of men,
women, and children vanished into the sands - would still be known only to
the killers. For all who love freedom and peace, the world without Saddam
Hussein's regime is a better and safer place.
Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized.
This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain,
Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain,
Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands,
Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed
troops to Iraq. As we debate at home, we must never ignore the vital
contributions of our international partners, or dismiss their sacrifices. From
the beginning, America has sought international support for 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 people.
5
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 heart
the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by
tyranny for decades, it will rise again.
As long as the Middle East remains a place of tyranny, 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 friends. 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, free markets, free press, and free labor unions in the
Middle East. And above all, we will finish the historic work of democracy in
Afghanistan and Iraq, so those nations can light the way for others, and
help transform a troubled part of the world.
America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our
most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of
empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity
and rights of every man and woman. America acts in this cause with
friends and allies at our side, yet we understand our special calling: This
great republic will lead the cause of freedom.
In these 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.
You have doubled the child tax credit from 500 to a thousand dollars
- reduced the marriage penalty - begun to phase out the death tax -
reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends - cut taxes on small
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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.
These numbers confirm that the American people are using their
money far better than government would have - and you were right to
return it.
America's growing economy is also a changing economy. As
technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes
more productive, and workers need new skills. Much of our job growth will
be found in high-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology. So we
must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in
our new economy.
All skills begin with the basics of reading and math, which are
supposed to be learned in the early grades of our schools. Yet for too long,
for too many children, those skills were never mastered. By passing the No
Child Left Behind Act, you have made the expectation of literacy the law of
our country. We are providing more funding for our schools - a 36 percent
increase since 2001. We are requiring higher standards. We are regularly
testing every child on the fundamentals. We are reporting results to
parents, and making sure they have better options when schools are not
performing. We are making progress toward excellence for every child.
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 third grade level - and that is not
asking too much. Testing is the only way to identify and help students who
are falling behind.
This Nation will not go back to the days of simply shuffling children
along from grade to grade without them learning the basics. I refuse to
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give up on any child - and the No Child Left Behind Act is opening the door
of opportunity to all of America's children.
At the same time, we must ensure that older students and adults can
gain the skills they need to find work now. Many of the fastest-growing
occupations require strong math and science preparation, and training
beyond the high school level. So tonight I propose a series of measures
called Jobs for the 21st Century. This program will provide extra help to
middle- and high school students who fall behind in reading and math
expand Advanced Placement programs in low-income schools and invite
math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in
our high schools. I propose larger Pell Grants for students who prepare for
college with demanding courses in high school. I propose increasing our
support for America's fine community colleges, so they can train workers
for the industries that are creating the most new jobs. By all these actions,
we will help more and more Americans to join in the growing prosperity of
our country.
Job training is important, and so is job creation. We must continue to
pursue an aggressive, pro-growth economic agenda.
Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes. The
tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act, the unfair tax
on marriage will go back up. Unless you act, millions of families will be
charged 300 dollars 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 the Congress has given, the Congress should not take
away: For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be
permanent.
Our agenda for jobs and growth must help small business owners
and employees with relief from needless federal regulation, and protect
them from junk and frivolous lawsuits. Consumers and businesses need
reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run - so I urge you to
pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation,
and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy. My
Administration is promoting free and fair trade, to open up new markets for
America's entrepreneurs
and manufacturers
and farmers
and to
create jobs for America's workers. Younger workers should have the
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opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their Social Security taxes
in a personal retirement account. We should make the Social Security
system a source of ownership for the American people.
And we should limit the burden of government on this economy by
acting as good stewards of taxpayer dollars. 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 four percent. This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut
wasteful spending, and be wise with the people's money. By doing so, we
can cut the deficit in half over the next five years.
Tonight I also ask you to reform our immigration laws, so they reflect
our values and benefit our economy. I propose a new temporary worker
program to match willing foreign workers with willing employers, when no
Americans can be found to fill the job. This reform will be good for our
economy - because employers will find needed workers in an honest and
orderly system. A temporary worker program will help protect our
homeland - allowing border patrol and law enforcement to focus on true
threats to our national security. I oppose amnesty, because it would
encourage further illegal immigration, and unfairly reward those who break
our laws. My temporary worker program will preserve the citizenship path
for those who respect the law, while bringing millions of hardworking men
and women out from the shadows of American life.
Our Nation's health care system, like our economy, is also in a time
of change. Amazing medical technologies are improving and saving lives.
This dramatic progress has brought its own challenge, in the rising costs of
medical care and health insurance. Members of Congress we
must
work together to help control those costs and extend the benefits of modern
medicine throughout our country.
Meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort - and 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.
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
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get an additional 600 dollars 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 dollars, most seniors who
do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut
roughly in half. Under this reform, senior citizens will be able to keep their
Medicare just as it is, or they can choose a Medicare plan that fits them
best - just as you, as Members of Congress, can choose an insurance plan
that meets your needs. And starting this year, millions of Americans will be
able to save money tax-free for their medical expenses, in a health savings
account.
I signed this measure proudly, and any attempt to limit the choices of
our seniors, or to take away their prescription drug coverage under
Medicare, will meet my veto.
On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that
Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best
fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress
must act to address rapidly rising health care costs. Small businesses
should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates, so
they can cover more workers with health insurance - I urge you to pass
Association Health Plans. I ask you to give lower-income Americans a
refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health
insurance. By computerizing health records, we can avoid dangerous
medical mistakes, reduce costs, and improve care. To protect the doctor-
patient relationship, and keep good doctors doing good work, we must
eliminate wasteful and frivolous medical lawsuits. And tonight I propose
that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage, as part of our
new health savings accounts, be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the
premiums from their taxes.
A government-run health care system is the wrong prescription. By
keeping costs under control, expanding access, and helping more
Americans afford coverage, we will preserve the system of private medicine
that makes America's health care the best in the world.
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We are living in a time of great change - in our world, in our
economy, and 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 - the 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. And 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 past two years.
Four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in
the year 2001. In my budget, I have 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 propose an additional 23 million dollars 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.
To help children make right choices, they need good examples.
Athletics play such an important role in our society, but, unfortunately,
some in professional sports are not setting much of an example. The use
of performance enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and
other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message - that there are
shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than
character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives,
coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough,
and to get rid of steroids now.
To encourage right choices, we must be willing to confront the
dangers young people face - even when they are difficult to talk about.
Each year, about three 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
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inform families about these medical risks. We will double federal funding
for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence
for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted
diseases. Decisions children make now can affect their health and
character for the rest of their lives. All of us - parents, schools,
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 the union of a man and a woman, and declares that
one state may not re-define marriage for other states. Activist judges,
however, have begun re-defining marriage by court order, without regard
for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of
such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist
on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the
people would be the constitutional process. Our Nation must defend the
sanctity of marriage.
The outcome of this debate is important - and so is the way we
conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches
that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight.
It is also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the
compassion of America's religious institutions. Religious charities of every
creed are doing some of the most vital work in our country - mentoring
children, feeding the hungry, taking the hand of the lonely. Yet government
has often denied social service grants and contracts to these groups, just
because they have a cross or Star of David or crescent on the wall. By
Executive Order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to
competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify
this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate
against them again.
In the past, we have worked together to bring mentors to the 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
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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 more
crimes and return to prison. So tonight I propose a four-year, 300 million
dollar 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. America is the
land of the second chance - and when the gates of the prison open, the
path ahead should lead to a better life.
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 found the grace to go on. In
challenge, we re-discovered the courage and daring of a free people. In
victory, we have shown the noble aims and good heart of America. And
having come this far, we sense that we live in a time set apart.
I have been a witness to the character of the American people, who
have shown calm in times of danger, compassion for one another, and
toughness for the long haul. All of us have been partners in a great
enterprise. And even some of the youngest understand that we are living
in historic times. Last month a girl in Lincoln, Rhode Island sent me a
letter. It began, "Dear George W. Bush." "If there is anything you know, I
Ashley Pearson age 10 can do to help anyone, please send me a letter and
tell me what I can do to save our country." She added this P.S.: "If you
can send a letter to the troops
please put, 'Ashley Pearson believes in
you."
Tonight, Ashley, your message to our troops has just been conveyed.
And yes, you have some duties yourself. Study hard in school, listen to
your mom and dad, help someone in need, and when you and your friends
see a man or woman in uniform, say "thank you." And while you do your
part, all of us here in this great chamber will do our best to keep you and
the rest of America safe and free.
My fellow citizens, we now move forward, with confidence and faith.
Our Nation is strong and steadfast. The cause we serve is right, because it
is the cause of all mankind. The momentum of freedom in our world is
unmistakable - and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can
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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 bless the United States of America. Thank you.
Drafted by: Mike Gerson, John McConnell, and Matthew Scully, Office of Speechwriting
Office: 202/456-0168, 202/456-2816 and 202/456-7289
Cell:
(b)(6)
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