Remarks to the American Legion Convention in Nashville
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1780 Aug. 31 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2004 Remarks to the American Legion I appreciate the mayor of this great city Convention in Nashville, Tennessee of Nashville joining us. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming. August 31, 2004 I appreciate Congressman Cooper from the State of Tennessee for joining us. Thank you all. Thanks for having me. And Most of all, I want to thank the Legion thank you for the warm welcome. Thank you members who have been so gracious in your all. I’m honored to be here at your 86th na- hospitality. Thank you and the Auxiliary tional convention. members for welcoming me. I—there’s another convention going on in Since your founding, the American Legion New York you might have heard about. has always been faithful to God and to coun- [Laughter] Tomorrow they’re going to try. You served our Nation in uniform, and choose a Presidential nominee. I think I got you still serve today. When Hurricane Char- the inside track. [Laughter] I’m taking noth- ley hit Florida a few weeks ago, American ing for granted, however. I’m taking nothing Legion posts gathered food and helped for granted, so Laura headed to New York neighbors in need. In moments of crisis, this morning to make my case, but I do want Americans know Legionnaires always come you to know she sends her very best regards. through. I also want to let you know that Americans’ Members of the American Legion and the veterans are the heart and soul of this Nation. Auxiliary are also serving your neighbors When freedom was under threat, you risked every day, volunteering in veterans hospitals, your lives in places like Omaha Beach and sponsoring scout troops and youth baseball, Okinawa, Keshan, Kandahar, and Baghdad. and collecting scholarship money for deserv- Because you served, Americans live in free- ing students. You’ve started a scholarship dom. I’m proud to stand before you as your fund for the children of troops killed since Commander in Chief and look in the eye and September the 11th, 2001, in the war on ter- say, America is grateful for your service. ror. Our country owes these families so And America is grateful for the service of much, and I thank you for showing the grati- Senator John McCain. He gave a great tude and the good heart of the United States speech last night in New York. He’s a great of America. American. He’s a great American who gave The most important gift you give our coun- his Nation some of the most difficult and dis- try is the example you set for the men and tinguished service in the history of our mili- women of our Armed Forces. In Afghanistan tary. He fought for America. He suffered for and Iraq and other fronts in the war on ter- America. He returned for honor, and his ror, today’s service men and women are car- service continues today. I’m proud to have rying on your legacy of selfless service and John McCain with us and standing by my courage under fire. I know you share Amer- side. ica’s pride in them. They are serving our I have enjoyed working with the national country with pride, and they are bringing commander, John Brieden. Maybe we got honor to the uniform. along so well because we both speak the Our fighting men and women are serving same language—[laughter]—Texan. [Laugh- America under a proud flag, and that flag ter] But he served this august body with class should be cherished and protected. When and dignity, and I’m proud of your service, John and your national adjutant general, Bob, John. Thank you, sir. And I was pleased to have come by the Oval Office, they always be introduced by Katherine Morris as well. remind me about the Citizens Flag Alliance. She too speaks Texan. [Laughter] I want to I appreciate your leadership in that impor- thank her for her leadership as the American tant alliance. Like you, I support a constitu- Legion Auxiliary national president. tional amendment to protect the flag from I’m pleased to be here with my friend desecration. I think John McCain put it best Tony Principi, the Secretary of Veterans Af- when he said, ‘‘American blood has been fairs. I want to thank Les Brownlee who is shed all over the world for the American flag, with us, the Acting Secretary of the Army. and I believe it deserves respect.’’ VerDate jul 14 2003 22:31 Sep 07, 2004 Jkt 203250 PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P36SET4.003 P36SET4 Administration of George W. Bush, 2004 / Aug. 31 1781 Our Nation’s veterans have made serving elements, in the very country whose freedom America the highest priority of your lives. they fought for. And that is why I have made serving our Na- We are modernizing VA health centers tion’s veterans one of the highest priorities and building new ones, especially in the of my administration. To make sure my ad- South and West where increasing numbers ministration fulfills the commitment I have of our veterans live. Since 2001, we have made to America’s veterans, I selected one opened 194 new community-based clinics really fine man in Tony Principi. I am proud nationwide. Through the CARES Initiative of the job that our Secretary is doing. we’re providing $1 billion and have re- Thanks in large part to Tony’s leadership, quested another half-billion for next year to my administration has a solid record of ac- modernize VA facilities and to provide better complishment for our veterans. When my care for veterans in areas where the need 2005 budget request is approved by Con- is growing. When it comes to providing first- gress, we will have increased overall funding class care for our veterans, we are getting for our Nation’s veterans by almost $20 bil- the job done. lion or 40 percent since 2001. We have in- Our Nation’s debt extends not just to the creased funding for our veterans more in 4 veterans who served but to the families who years than the previous administration did in supported them in war and depend on them 8 years. We have increased VA medical care today. So last December, I signed the Vet- funding by 41 percent over the last 4 years. erans Benefits Act, authorizing $1 billion in We’re bringing care to more veterans more new and expanded benefits for disabled vet- quickly. Since 2001, we have enrolled 2.5 erans, surviving spouses, and their children. We meet today at a time of war for our million more veterans in health care services. country, a war we did not start, yet one that We have increased outpatient visits from 44 we will win. If America shows weakness or million to 54 million. We’ve increased the uncertainty in this decade, the world will number of prescriptions filled from 98 mil- drift toward tragedy. This will not happen lion to 116 million. We’ve reduced the back- on my watch. log of disability claims by about a third. We The world changed on that terrible Sep- will reduce it even further. We have cut the tember morning, and since that day, we have average time it takes to process disability changed the world. Before September the claims by 70 days. We’re getting the job done 11th, 2001, Afghanistan served as the home for our veterans. base of Al Qaida, which trained and deployed We have focused resources on veterans thousands of killers to set up terror cells who need it most, those with service-related around the world, including our own country. disabilities and low incomes and special Because we acted, Afghanistan is a rising de- needs. We’ve established a new scheduling mocracy. I don’t know whether you know this system to make certain that veterans seeking or not, but over 10 million Afghan citizens care for a service-connected condition are have registered to vote in the coming Octo- the first in line. ber Presidential elections. Because we acted, For more than a century, Federal law pro- many young girls now go to school for the hibited disabled veterans from receiving both first time. Because we acted, Afghanistan is their military retired pay and their VA dis- an ally in the war on terror. Because we ability compensation. Combat-injured and acted, America and the world are safer. severely disabled veterans deserve better. I Before September the 11th, Libya was was the first President in over 100 years to spending millions to acquire weapons of mass sign concurrent receipt legislation. destruction. Today, because America and our My administration has launched a $35 mil- allies sent a clear and easy-to-understand lion program to provide housing and health message, the leader of Libya has abandoned care and other support services to homeless his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, veterans. No veteran who served in the blaz- and America and the world are safer. ing heat or bitter cold of foreign lands should Before September the 11th, the ruler of have to live without shelter, exposed to the Iraq was a sworn enemy of America. He was VerDate jul 14 2003 22:31 Sep 07, 2004 Jkt 203250 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P36SET4.003 P36SET4 1782 Aug. 31 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2004 defying the world. He was firing weapons at We will continue to work with friends and American pilots who were enforcing the allies around the world to aggressively pursue world’s sanctions.