Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Reception in Dallas, Texas July 18, 2003

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of the Independence of the United States of I appreciate our Governor. I want to thank America the two hundred and twenty-eighth. him for his introduction. I thank him for his George W. Bush introduction; more importantly, I thank him for his great leadership for the State of Texas. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, He is Governor during some tough times for 8:45 a.m., July 22, 2003] this State, and he has led with courage and NOTE: This proclamation was published in the vision. And the State of Texas is better off Federal Register on July 23. This item was not with Rick Perry as the Governor. received in time for publication in the appropriate I know we’ve got quite a few of the mighty issue. Texas congressional delegation with us today. And I’m going to tell you something: It’s real- ly good to have steady support in the House Remarks at a Bush-Cheney of Representatives from our fellow Texans, Reception in Dallas, Texas Texans like Joe Barton and Michael Burgess July 18, 2003 and Kay Granger and Jeb Hensarling and Sam Johnson. I want to thank all of them Thank you all very much. Laura and I are for their service to our State and to our Na- thrilled to be here. It is great to be home. tion. It’s really fun for us to see a lot of our old I know our able Lieutenant Governor is buddies—some of our young buddies too. here, and I want to thank David Dewhurst [Laughter] This is our first trip back to Texas for his service to the State of Texas, and the since I got back from Africa. You may re- speaker of the house, my fellow Midland, member we were over there, and we went Texan, citizen Tommy Craddick; I want to to a park in Botswana. That’s where we thank Tom for his service. Thank you, Tom learned a lot about our party’s mascot. and Nadine. I saw Marchant and Branch out [Laughter] there, two fine members of the Texas House. I want to thank you all for your help. It’s good to see you all. Thanks a lot. It means a lot to Laura and me. We love Texas, and we love our friends, I appreciate so very much my close per- and we want to thank our friends for helping sonal friend Mercer Reynolds. He’s the na- us. You’re laying the foundation for what is tional finance chairman for the Bush-Cheney going to be a great victory in November of ’04 campaign. I want to thank Mercer for 2004. his hard work. I want to thank my close I’m getting ready, loosening up. [Laugh- friend Fred Meyer for being the Texas State ter] But I’m going to have to count on you finance chairman. I thank Jeanne Johnson to energize the grassroots and to make the Phillips and Roger Williams for being the fi- phone calls and to put up the signs and to nance vice chairmen for our campaign here. address the envelopes and remind everybody I want to thank all of you who worked hard that our message is so positive and hopeful to raise this money. I appreciate your help. for every citizen of this State and this coun- Finally, I want to thank the Gatlin boys try. for bringing their mother. [Laughter] The political season will come in its own In the last 21⁄2 years, our Nation has acted time. But right now, I’m focused on the peo- decisively to confront great challenges. I ple’s business in our Nation’s Capital. I have came to this office to solve problems, not to a job to do, and we have a lot on our agenda. pass them on to future Presidents and future And I will continue to work hard to earn the generations. I came to seize opportunities, confidence of all America by keeping this Na- instead of letting them slip away. We are tion strong and secure, free, and prosperous. meeting the tests of our time. I am thrilled that Laura’s here. She is a Terrorists declared war on the United fabulous First Lady, and I love her dearly. States of America, and war is what they got. She is just a steady rock and has been a great We have captured or killed many leaders of comforter for a lot of Americans during some Al Qaida, and the rest of them know we’re of our difficult times. on their trail. In Afghanistan and Iraq, we

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gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those re- ing are over. We expect results in every class- gimes chose defiance, and those regimes are room, so that not one single child in America no more. Fifty million people in those two is left behind. countries once lived under tyranny, and now We reorganized the Government and cre- they live under freedom. ated the Department of Homeland Security Two-and-a-half years ago, our military was to safeguard our borders and ports and to not receiving the resources it needed, and better protect the American people. We morale was beginning to suffer. We increased passed trade promotion authority to open up the defense budget to prepare for the threats new markets for our entrepreneurs and farm- of a new era. And today, no one in the world ers and ranchers and manufacturers. We can question the skill and the strength and passed a budget agreement that is helping the spirit of the United States military. to maintain spending discipline in Wash- Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an ington, DC. On issue after issue, this admin- economy in recession. And then the attacks istration has acted on principle, has kept its happened on our country, and there were word, and has made progress on behalf of corporate scandals and war. All affected the the American people. people’s confidence. But we acted. We The United States Congress has shared in passed tough new laws to hold corporate these great achievements. I appreciate the criminals to account. And to get the economy leadership of Speaker Hastert and Leader going again, we have twice led the United Frist. I want to thank the hard work of many States Congress to pass historic tax relief for Members of the Congress. We’re going to the people of this country. continue to work together to change the tone We know that when Americans have more in Washington, DC, and to focus on results. take-home pay to spend, to save, or to invest, the whole economy grows, and people are And those are the kind of—the nature of more likely to find a job. We understand the men and women I have asked to serve whose money we spend in Washington, DC. in my administration. I have put together a It is not the Government’s money. It is the fantastic team on behalf of America. These people’s money. are people who understand their job is to We’re returning more money to people to serve all Americans. Our country has had no help them raise their families. We’re reduc- finer Vice President than Dick Cheney—al- ing taxes on dividends and capital gains to though Mother may have a different opinion. encourage investment. We are giving small [Laughter] businesses incentives to expand and to hire In 21⁄2 years, we have come far, but we’re people. With all these actions, we have laid only beginning. I have set great goals worthy the foundation for greater prosperity and of this great Nation. First, America is com- more jobs, so that every single American in mitted to expanding the realm of freedom our country can realize the great hope of the and peace for our own security and for the American Dream. benefit of the world. And second, in our own Two-and-a-half years ago, there was a lot country, we must work for a society of pros- of talk about education reform, but there perity and compassion, so that every citizen wasn’t much action. So I called for, and Con- has a chance to work, to succeed, and to real- gress passed, the No Child Left Behind Act. ize the promise of our country. With a solid, bipartisan majority, we deliv- It is clear that the future of freedom and ered the most dramatic education reforms in peace depend upon the actions of America. a generation. We’re bringing high standards This Nation is freedom’s home and free- and strong accountability measures to every dom’s defender. We welcome this charge of public school in America. We believe and history, and we are keeping it. Our war on strongly believe that every child can learn the terror continues. The enemies of freedom basics of reading and math, and we expect are not idle, and neither are we. This country every school to teach the basics of reading will not rest; we will not tire; we will not and math. We are challenging the soft bigotry stop until this danger to civilization is re- of low expectations. The days of excuse-mak- moved.

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Yet, our national interest involves more lution. The House of Representatives has than eliminating aggressive threats to our passed a good bill. It is stalled in the Senate. safety. Our greatest security comes from the For the sake of a good health care system, advance of human liberty, because free na- the United States Senate must act. tions do not support terror. Free nations do I have a responsibility as the President to not attack their neighbors. Free nations do make sure the judicial system runs well, and not threaten the world with weapons of mass I have met that duty. I have nominated su- terror. Americans believe that freedom is the perb men and women like Priscilla Owen for deepest need and the deepest hope of every our Federal courts, good people who will in- human heart, and we believe that freedom terpret the law, not legislate from the bench. is the right of every person and the future Yet, some Members of the Senate are trying of every nation. to keep my nominees off the bench by block- America also understands that unprece- ing up-or-down votes. Every judicial nomi- dented influence brings tremendous respon- nee deserves a fair hearing and an up-or- sibilities. We have duties in the world, and down vote on the Senate floor. It is time for when we see disease and starvation and some Members of the United States Senate hopelessness, we will not turn away. Laura to stop playing politics with American justice. and I just came from Africa. America is now This Congress needs to pass a comprehen- committed to bringing the healing power of sive energy plan. Our Nation must promote medicine to millions of men and women and energy efficiency and conservation. We must children who suffer with AIDS. This great, develop cleaner technology. We must explore strong, compassionate Nation is leading the in environmentally friendly ways. Yet, for the world in this incredibly important work of sake of economic security and national secu- human rescue. rity, we need to become less dependent on We face challenges here at home, and our foreign sources of energy. actions will prove that we are equal to those Our strong and prosperous Nation must challenges. I will continue to work on our be a compassionate nation. I will continue economy until everybody who wants to work to advance our agenda of compassionate con- and is not working today can find a job. servatism, applying the best and most innova- We have a duty to keep our commitment tive ideas to the task of helping our fellow to America’s seniors by strengthening and citizens in need. modernizing Medicare. Recently, the Con- There are still millions of men and women gress took historic action to improve the lives who want to end their dependence on Gov- of our older Americans. For the first time ernment and become independent through since the creation of Medicare, the House hard work. We must build on the success and the Senate have passed reforms to in- of welfare reform to bring work and dignity crease choices for seniors and to provide pre- into the lives of more of our fellow citizens. scription drug coverage. The next step is for Congress should complete the ‘‘Citizen both Houses to come together to iron out Service Act’’ so that more Americans can the details and to get a good bill to my desk. serve their communities and their country. And for the sake of our health care system, And both Houses should reach agreement on we need to cut down on the frivolous lawsuits my Faith-Based Initiative to support the ar- which increase the cost of medicine. I want mies of compassion that are mentoring chil- to thank Governor Perry and the Lieutenant dren, that are caring for the homeless, that Governor and the Speaker for passing mean- are offering hope to the addicted. ingful, real medical liability reform. People A compassionate society must promote op- who have been harmed by a bad doctor de- portunity for all, including the independence serve their day in court. Yet, the system and dignity that come from ownership. This should not reward lawyers who are simply administration will constantly strive to pro- fishing for rich settlements. Because frivo- mote an ownership society in America. We lous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care want more of our citizens owning their own at the national level, medical liability reform home. We want people to own and manage is a national issue that requires a national so- their own health care account and their own

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retirement account. We want more people country and for our cause, better days lie to own their small business, because we un- ahead. derstand when an American owns something, Thank you for coming. May God bless. he or she has a vital stake in the future of our country. NOTE: The President spoke at 6:16 p.m. at the In a compassionate society, people respect Wyndham Anatole Hotel. In his remarks, he re- one another and take responsibility for the ferred to Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David decisions they make. We’re changing the cul- Dewhurst of Texas; Texas House of Representa- ture of America from one that says, ‘‘If it tives Speaker Tom Craddick and his wife, Nadine; feels good, do it,’’ and ‘‘If you’ve got a prob- Texas State Representatives Kenny Marchant and lem, blame somebody else,’’ to a culture in Dan Branch; Jeanne Johnson Phillips, Texas State which each of us understands we are respon- vice chairman, and J. Roger Williams, north Texas sible for the decisions we make in life. If chairman, Bush-Cheney ’04, Inc.; country music you’re fortunate to be a mom or a dad, you’re entertainers the Gatlin Brothers, and their moth- responsible for your child. If you’re con- er, Billie; and Priscilla Owen, nominee to be U.S. cerned about the quality of the education in Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit. This item was your community, you are responsible for not received in time for publication in the appro- doing something about it. If you’re a CEO priate issue. in America, you are responsible to tell the truth to your employees and your share- The President’s Radio Address holders. And in this new responsibility soci- ety, each of us is responsible for loving our July 19, 2003 neighbor just like we’d like to be loved our- self. Good morning. Next week, the United We can see the culture of service and re- States Treasury will begin printing and mail- sponsibility growing around us. I started the ing more than 25 million child tax credit USA Freedom Corps to encourage Ameri- checks, putting over $12 billion back into the cans to extend a compassionate hand to hands of American families. These rebates neighbors in need, and the response has been are the result of the Jobs and Growth Act very strong. Our charities and our faith-based I recently signed into law, which increases institutions are strong and vibrant all across the child tax credit from $600 to $1,000 per our country. They’re helping people who cry child. And because this new law reduced in- out for help. Policemen and firefighters and come tax rates, businesses earlier this month people who wear our Nation’s uniform are lowered tax withholding for worker pay- reminding us what it means to sacrifice for checks. Now, those workers and their fami- something greater than yourself. Once again, lies have a lighter tax bill and more take- the children of America believe in heroes be- home pay. cause they see them every day. With the child tax credit rebates and the In these challenging times, the world has lower tax rates taking effect, America’s fami- seen the resolve and the courage of America, lies will have more of their own money to and I have been privileged to see the com- make purchases, pay their bills, save for their passion and the character of the American children’s education, and invest in a new people. All the tests of the last 21⁄2 years have home or business. There are hopeful signs come to the right nation. that our actions are contributing to economic We are a strong country, and we use our growth. Individual investors are showing strength to defend the peace. We’re an opti- greater confidence, leading to a significant mistic country, confident in ourselves and in rise in the stock market. And thanks to our ideals bigger than ourselves. Abroad, we seek efforts to reduce taxes on stock dividends, to lift whole nations by spreading freedom. dozens of major companies have announced At home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading plans to either increase their existing divi- opportunity to every corner of America. This dend payout or pay dividends for the first is the work that history has set before us. time, putting billions of dollars in cash into We welcome it, and we know that for our shareholders’ pockets.

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