FULL STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH Tue Jan 23 2007 20:20:50 ET
[EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY ]
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress,
distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour –
when decisions are hard and courage is tested. We enter the year
2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to
begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to
face difficult challenges and determined enemies – and the wisdom
to face them together.
Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate –
and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed,
but our responsibilities have not. Each of us is guided by our own
convictions – and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we are all
held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good
purposes: To extend this Nation’s prosperity ... to spend the
people’s money wisely ... to solve problems, not leave them to
future generations ... to guard America against all evil, and to keep
faith with those we have sent forth to defend us.
We are not the first to come here with government divided and
uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through
our differences, and achieve big things for the American people.
citizens don’t much care which side of the aisle we sit on – as long
as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done.
Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and help them
to build a future of hope and opportunity – and this is the business
before us tonight.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy –
and that is what we have. We are now in the 41st month of
uninterrupted job growth – in a recovery that has created 7.2
million new jobs ... so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low,
and wages are rising. This economy is on the move – and our job
is to keep it that way, not with more government but with
more enterprise. }
Next week, I will deliver a full report on the state of our economy.
Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to
be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the federal budget. We can do so without
raising taxes. What we need to do is impose spending discipline
in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by
2009 – and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. Now let
us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget
that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. I ask
you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the
spending appetite of the federal government, and balance the
federal budget.
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest
items are often slipped into bills at the last hour – when not even
C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew
to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over
90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House
and Senate – they are dropped into Committee reports that are
not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote
them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated
as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice.
So let us work together to reform the budget process ... expose every
earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress … and cut the
number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.
Finally, to keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge
of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are
commitments of conscience – and so it is our duty to keep them
permanently sound. Yet we are failing in that duty – and this
failure will one day leave our children with three bad options:
huge tax increases, huge deficits, or huge and immediate cuts
in benefits. Everyone in this Chamber knows this to be true –
yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us
work together and do it now. With enough good sense and good
will, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid – and save Social Security.
Spreading opportunity and hope in America also requires public
schools that give children the knowledge and character they need
in life. Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass
the No Child Left Behind Act – preserving local control, raising
standards in public schools, and holding those schools accountable
for results. And because we acted, students are performing better
in reading and math, and minority students are closing the
achievement gap.
Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down
standards ... without taking control from local communities ...
and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift
student achievement even higher by giving local leaders
flexibility to turn around failing schools ... and by giving families
with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose something
better. We must increase funds for students who struggle – and
make sure these children get the special help they need. And we
can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future,
and our country is more competitive, by strengthening math and
science skills. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for
America’s children – and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law.
A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens
have affordable and available healthcare. When it comes to
healthcare, government has an obligation to care for the
elderly, the disabled, and poor children. We will meet those
responsibilities. For all other Americans, private health insurance
is the best way to meet their needs. But many Americans cannot
afford a health insurance policy.
Tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans
afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax
deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard
tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance
will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income.
Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or
payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform,
more than 100 million men, women, and children who are
now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit
from lower tax bills.
At the same time, this reform will level the playing field
for those who do not get health insurance through their job.
For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their
own, my proposal would mean a substantial tax savings –
$4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for
the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance
at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health
insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a
vital and necessary step to making healthcare affordable for
more Americans.
My second proposal is to help the states that are coming up
with innovative ways to cover the uninsured. States that
make basic private health insurance available to all their
citizens should receive federal funds to help them provide
this coverage to the poor and the sick. I have asked the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with
Congress to take existing federal funds and use them to
create “Affordable Choices” grants. These grants would
give our Nation’s governors more money and more flexibility
to get private health insurance to those most in need.
There are many other ways that Congress can help. We
need to expand Health Savings Accounts ... help small
businesses through Association Health Plans ... reduce
costs and medical errors with better information technology
... encourage price transparency ... and protect good doctors
from junk lawsuits by passing medical liability reform. And
in all we do, we must remember that the best healthcare
decisions are made not by government and insurance
companies, but by patients and their doctors.
Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires
an immigration system worthy of America – with laws that
are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders
are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country.
To secure our border, we are doubling the size of the Border
Patrol – and funding new infrastructure and technology.
Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the
border unless we take pressure off the border – and that
requires a temporary worker program. We should establish
a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our
country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won’t
have to try to sneak in – and that will leave border agents free
to chase down drug smugglers, and criminals, and terrorists.
We will enforce our immigration laws at the worksite, and give
employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers –
so there is no excuse left for violating the law. We need to uphold
the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and
assimilates new arrivals. And we need to resolve the status of
the illegal immigrants who are already in our country – without
animosity and without amnesty.
Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration.
Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate – so that you
can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law.
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of
energy that keeps America’s economy running and America’s
environment clean. For too long our Nation has been dependent
on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable
to hostile regimes, and to terrorists – who could cause huge
disruptions of oil shipments ... raise the price of oil ... and do
great harm to our economy.
It is in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply –
"and the way forward is through technology. We must continue
changing the way America generates electric power – by even
greater use of clean coal technology ... solar and wind energy ...
and clean, safe nuclear power. We need to press on with battery
research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of
clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. We must continue investing in
new methods of producing ethanol – using everything from wood
chips, to grasses, to agricultural wastes.
We have made a lot of progress, thanks to good policies in
Washington and the strong response of the market. Now even
more dramatic advances are within reach. Tonight, I ask
Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on
the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the
United States by 20 percent in the next ten years – thereby
cutting our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters
of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.
To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative
fuels, by setting a mandatory Fuels Standard to require 35
billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 – this
is nearly five times the current target. At the same time, we
need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars
the way we did for light trucks – and conserve up to eight and
a half billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Achieving these ambitious goals will dramatically reduce our
dependence on foreign oil, but will not eliminate it. So as we
continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must also step up
domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways.
And to further protect America against severe disruptions to
our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity
of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that
will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. These
technologies will help us become better stewards of the
environment – and they will help us to confront the serious
challenge of global climate change.
A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial
system of justice. The lives of citizens across our Nation are
affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts.
And we have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal
courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver
timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified
men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United
States Senate has a duty as well – to give those nominees a fair
hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than
to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years
have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow
that terrorists can cause. We have had time to take stock of our
situation. We have added many critical protections to guard
the homeland. We know with certainty that the horrors of that
September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists
intend for us – unless we stop them.
With the distance of time, we find ourselves debating the causes
of conflict and the course we have followed. Such debates are
essential when a great democracy faces great questions. Yet one
question has surely been settled – that to win the war on terror
we must take the fight to the enemy.
From the start, America and our allies have protected our
people by staying on the offense. The enemy knows that the
days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing,
and free flowing communications are long over. For the terrorists,
life since Nine-Eleven has never been the same.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that
did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks
that we and our allies have prevented – but here is some of
what we do know: We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked
airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke
up a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives for attacks
inside the United States. We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing
anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August
, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes
bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean. For each life saved,
we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote
their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them.
Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the
shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired
and rejoiced in Nine-Eleven is still at work in the world.
And so long as that is the case, America is still a Nation at war.
In the minds of the terrorists, this war began well before
September 11th, and will not end until their radical vision
is fulfilled. And these past five years have given us a much
clearer view of the nature of this enemy. Al Qaeda and its
followers are Sunni extremists, possessed by hatred and
commanded by a harsh and narrow ideology. Take almost
any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite.
They preach with threats ... instruct with bullets and bombs
... and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions. They
want to overthrow moderate governments, and establish safe
havens from which to plan and carry out new attacks on our
country. By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to
force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the
cause of liberty. They would then be free to impose their will
and spread their totalitarian ideology. Listen to this warning
from the late terrorist Zarqawi: “We will sacrifice our blood
and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming
is even worse.” And Osama bin Laden declared: “Death is
better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us.”
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one
camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has
also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia
extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also
determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known
to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding
and arming terrorists like Hezbollah – a group second only
to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.
The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the
same totalitarian threat. But whatever slogans they chant,
when they slaughter the innocent, they have the same
wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans ... kill
democracy in the Middle East ... and gain the weapons
to kill on an even more horrific scale.
In the sixth year since our Nation was attacked, I wish
I could report to you that the dangers have ended.
They have not. And so it remains the policy of this
government to use every lawful and proper tool of
intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military
action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to
protect the American people.
This war is more than a clash of arms – it is a decisive
ideological struggle, and the security of our Nation is
in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions
that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto
airplanes and come to kill us. What every terrorist fears
most is human freedom – societies where men and
women make their own choices, answer to their own
conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their
resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and
malignant ideologies – and most will choose a better way
when they are given a chance. So we advance our own
security interests by helping moderates, reformers, and
brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day
is whether America will help men and women in the Middle
East to build free societies and share in the rights of all
humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security
. . . we must.
In the last two years, we have seen the desire for
liberty in the broader Middle East – and we have
been sobered by the enemy’s fierce reaction. In 2005,
the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the
banner of the Cedar Revolution ... drove out the Syrian
occupiers ... and chose new leaders in free elections. In
2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and
elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi
people held three national elections – choosing a
transitional government ... adopting the most progressive,
democratic constitution in the Arab world … and then
electing a government under that constitution. Despite
endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly
12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of
hope and solidarity we should never forget.
A thinking enemy watched all of these scenes, adjusted
their tactics, and in 2006 they struck back. In Lebanon,
assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a prominent
participant in the Cedar Revolution. And Hezbollah
terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed
conflict in the region and are seeking to undermine
Lebanon’s legitimately elected government. In Afghanistan,
Taliban and al Qaeda fighters tried to regain power by
regrouping and engaging Afghan and NATO forces. In Iraq,
al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists blew up one of the
most sacred places in Shia Islam – the Golden Mosque
of Samarra. This atrocity, directed at a Muslim house of
prayer, was designed to provoke retaliation from Iraqi
Shia – and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of
whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads.
The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and
reprisal that continues to this day.
This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight
we are in. Every one of us wishes that this war were over
and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises
unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at
risk. Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is
still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle.
So let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.
We are carrying out a new strategy in Iraq – a plan that
demands more from Iraq’s elected government, and gives
our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete
their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds
the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides
them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi
government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital.
But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So
we are deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000
additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority
will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to
clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers
embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead,
our forces will help secure the city by chasing down
terrorists, insurgents, and roaming death squads. And
in Anbar province – where al Qaeda terrorists have
gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness
to fight them – we are sending an additional 4,000 United
States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear
them out. We did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven
in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in
a free Iraq.
The people of Iraq want to live in peace, and now is the time
for their government to act. Iraq’s leaders know that our
commitment is not open ended. They have promised to
deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad – and
they must do so. They have pledged that they will confront
violent radicals of any faction or political party. They need
to follow through, and lift needless restrictions on Iraqi
and Coalition forces, so these troops can achieve their
mission of bringing security to all of the people of Baghdad.
Iraq’s leaders have committed themselves to a series of
benchmarks to achieve reconciliation – to share oil revenues
among all of Iraq’s citizens ... to put the wealth of Iraq
into the rebuilding of Iraq ... to allow more Iraqis to re-enter
their nation's civic life ... to hold local elections ... and to
take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province.
But for all of this to happen, Baghdad must be secured.
And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back
its capital and make good on its commitments.
My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have
carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible
approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because
it provides the best chance of success. Many in this chamber
understand that America must not fail in Iraq – because
you understand that the consequences of failure would be
grievous and far reaching.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure,
the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists
on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia
extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by
al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of
violence could spill out across the country – and in time the
entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy,
this is the objective. Chaos is their greatest ally in this
struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq, would emerge an
emboldened enemy with new safe havens... new recruits
... new resources ... and an even greater determination to
harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore
the lessons of September 11th and invite tragedy. And ladies
and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in
our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East
... to succeed in Iraq ... and to spare the American people
from this danger.
This is where matters stand tonight, in the here and now.
I have spoken with many of you in person. I respect you
and the arguments you have made. We went into this largely
united – in our assumptions, and in our convictions. And whatever
you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is
pursuing a new strategy in Iraq – and I ask you to give it a
chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the
field – and those on their way.
The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle
will continue long after you and I have turned our duties
over to others. That is why it is important to work together
so our Nation can see this great effort through. Both parties
and both branches should work in close consultation. And this
is why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the
war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both
political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America
to meet every challenge that confronts us. And we will show
our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.
One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the
ranks of our military – so that the American Armed Forces
are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the
Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active
Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years.
A second task we can take on together is to design and
establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps
would function much like our military reserve. It would
ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to
hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad
when America needs them. And it would give people across
America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve
in the defining struggle of our time.
Americans can have confidence in the outcome of this
struggle – because we are not in this struggle alone. We have
a diplomatic strategy that is rallying the world to join in the
fight against extremism. In Iraq, multinational forces are
operating under a mandate from the United Nations – and
we are working with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the
Gulf States to increase support for Iraq’s government. The
Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear
that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire
nuclear weapons. With the other members of the Quartet –
the UN, the European Union, and Russia – we are pursuing
diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing
the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living
side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. In Afghanistan,
NATO has taken the lead in turning back the Taliban and
al Qaeda offensive – the first time the Alliance has deployed
forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our
partners in China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, we are
pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean Peninsula
free of nuclear weapons. And we will continue to speak out for
the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus, and Burma –
and continue to awaken the conscience of the world to save the
people of Darfur.
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and
diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless
truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear
the call to take on the challenges of hunger, poverty, and
disease – and that is precisely what America is doing. We
must continue to fight HIV/AIDS, especially on the continent
of Africa – and because you funded our Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief, the number of people receiving life-saving drugs
has grown from 50,000 to more than 800,000 in three short
years. I ask you to continue funding our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS.
I ask you to provide $1.2 billion over five years so we can
combat malaria in 15 African countries. I ask that you fund
the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid
reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy
is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue
to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the
best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty.
When America serves others in this way, we show the
strength and generosity of our country. These deeds
reflect the character of our people. The greatest strength
we have is the heroic kindness, courage, and self sacrifice
of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know
where to look – and tonight we need only look above to
the gallery.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great
poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University
on a scholarship to study medicine – but Coach John
Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different
idea. Dikembe became a star in the NBA, and a citizen
of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his
birth – or the duty to share his blessings with others.
He has built a brand new hospital in his hometown. A
friend has said of this good hearted man: “Mutombo
believes that God has given him this opportunity to do
great things.” And we are proud to call this son of the
Congo our fellow American.
After her daughter was born, Julie Aigner-Clark
searched for ways to share her love of music and art
with her child. So she borrowed some equipment, and
began filming children’s videos in her basement. The
Baby Einstein Company was born – and in just five
years her business grew to more than $20 million in
sales. In November 2001, Julie sold Baby Einstein to
the Walt Disney Company, and with her help Baby
Einstein has grown into a $200 million business. Julie
represents the great enterprising spirit of America. And
she is using her success to help others – producing child
safety videos with John Walsh of the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children. Julie says of her new
project: “I believe it's the most important thing that
ever done. I believe that children have the right to live
in a world that is safe.” We are pleased to welcome this
talented business entrepreneur and generous social
entrepreneur – Julie Aigner-Clark.
Three weeks ago, Wesley Autrey was waiting at a
Harlem subway station with his two little girls, when
he saw a man fall into the path of a train. With seconds
to act, Wesley jumped onto the tracks ... pulled the man
into a space between the rails ... and held him as the train
passed right above their heads. He insists he’s not a hero.
Wesley says: “We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to
have our freedoms. We got to show each other some love.”
There is something wonderful about a country that produces
a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey.
Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence,
Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In
December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in
when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his
Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire – and used his
body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in
the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his
legs – yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the
fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades
at the enemy’s position. For his exceptional courage,
Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like
so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend
, he has earned the respect and gratitude of our whole
country.
In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen,
we see the spirit and character of America – and these
qualities are not in short supply. This is a decent and
honorable country – and resilient, too. We have been
through a lot together. We have met challenges and faced
dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go
forward with confidence – because the State of our Union
is strong ... our cause in the world is right ... and tonight
that cause goes on.
