Apr. 26 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2003

With a robust package of at least $550 for the Nation. It all trickles up, instead billion in across-the-board tax relief, we will of trickling down.’’ help create more than a million new jobs I urge Congress to listen to the common by the end of 2004. Some Members of sense of people like Mike Kovach. He and Congress support tax relief but say my pro- tens of millions of like him need posal is too big. Since they already agree our help in building the prosperity of our that tax relief creates jobs, it doesn’t make country. Tax relief is good for families and sense to provide less tax relief and, there- good for our entire economy. The jobs- fore, create fewer jobs. I believe we should and-growth plan I have proposed is fair; enact more tax relief so that we can create it is responsible; it is urgent. And Congress more jobs and more Americans can find should pass it in full. work and provide for their families. Thank you for listening. Americans understand the need for ac- NOTE: The address was recorded at 11:53 tion. This week in , I met Mike a.m. on April 25 in the Cabinet Room at the Kovach, whose business is in Youngstown, White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on Ohio. Mike started and runs a growing April 26. The transcript was made available company, wants to hire new people, and by the Office of the Press Secretary on April would benefit from lower taxes. Mike says, 25 but was embargoed for release until the ‘‘Anytime you can improve the bottom line broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary of Main Street business, it’s good for the also released a Spanish language transcript city; it’s good for the State; and it’s great of this address.

Remarks on Operation Iraqi Freedom in Dearborn, April 28, 2003

The President. Thank you for that warm moving toward democracy and embracing welcome. I’m glad to be here. I regret that the responsibilities of active citizenship. I wasn’t here a few weeks ago when the Every day, life in improves as coalition statue came down. I understand you had troops work to secure unsafe areas and quite a party. I don’t blame you. A lot bring food and medical care to those in of the people in the area had wait- need. ed years for that great day. America pledged to rid Iraq of an op- Many Iraqi Americans know the horrors pressive regime, and we kept our word. of Saddam’s regime firsthand. You also America now pledges to help build know the joys of freedom you have found a prosperous and peaceful nation, and we here in America. You are living proof the will keep our word again. Iraqi people love freedom and living proof Mr. Mayor, thanks, I appreciate you the Iraqi people can flourish in democracy. greeting me once again here in Dearborn. People who live in Iraq deserve the same I appreciate your leadership. If you’ve got freedom that you and I enjoy here in any problems with the garbage or the pot- America. And after years of tyranny and holes, call the mayor. [Laughter] torture, that freedom has finally arrived. I want to thank members of the congres- I have confidence in the future of a free sional delegation who have joined us today. Iraq. The Iraqi people are fully capable Thank you all for coming. Michigan is well of self-government. Every day, Iraqis are represented in the Halls of the United

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States Congress. I want to thank the folks I talked to Tarik Daoud, a Catholic from from the State government who have joined Basra who now lives in Bloomfield Hills. us today, and local governments. When the dictator regime fell, here’s what I appreciate so very much the CEOs of Tarik said. He said, ‘‘I am more hopeful the major automobile manufacturing com- today than I’ve ever been since 1958. We panies who are based here in Detroit who need to take the little children in Iraq and are here, Rick Wagoner, Bill Ford, and Di- hold their hands and really teach them eter Zetsche. Thank you all for coming. what freedom is all about.’’ He says, ‘‘The I look forward to discussing things with you new generation could really make democ- later. racy work.’’ Right before I came in here I had the He’s right to be optimistic. From the opportunity to meet with some extraor- beginning of this conflict, we have seen dinary men and women, our fellow Ameri- brave Iraqi citizens taking part in their own cans who knew the cruelties of the old liberation. Iraqis have warned our troops Iraq. And like me, they believed deeply about landmines and enemy hideouts and in the promise of a new Iraq. military arsenals. I spoke with Najda Egaily, a Sunni Mus- Earlier this month, Iraqis helped marines lim from Basra who moved to the United locate the seven American prisoners of war States 5 years ago. Najda learned the price who were then rescued in Northern Iraq. of dissent in Iraq in 1988, when her broth- One courageous Iraqi man gave marines er-in-law was killed after laughing at a joke detailed layouts of a hospital in An about in a house that was Nasiriyah, which led to the rescue of Amer- bugged. ican soldier Jessica Lynch. ‘‘In Iraq,’’ Najda says, ‘‘we could never Iraqi citizens are now working closely speak to anyone about Saddam Hussein. with our troops to restore order to their We had to make sure the windows were cities and improve the life of their nation. closed.’’ The windows are now open in In Basra, hundreds of police volunteers Iraq. Najda and her friends will never for- get seeing the images of liberation in Bagh- have joined with coalition forces to patrol dad. Here’s what she said: ‘‘We called each the streets. In , more than 1,000 other, and we were shouting. We never citizens are doing joint patrols with coali- believed that Saddam Hussein would be tion troops. And residents are also working gone.’’ with coalition troops to collect unexploded Audience member. He’s gone. munitions from neighborhoods and repair The President. Like Najda, a lot of the telephone system. People are working Iraqis—a lot of Iraqis—feared the dictator, to improve the lives of the average citizens the tyrant, would never go away. You’re in Iraq. I want you to listen to what an right. He’s gone. Iraqi engineer said who was working with Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S. Army engineers to restore power to U.S.A.! Baghdad. He said, ‘‘We are very glad to Audience member. [Inaudible]—back in work with the Americans to have power the—[inaudible]—— for the facilities. The Americans are work- Audience member. Because of you, Mr. ing to help us.’’ President, so can you. Iraqi Americans, including some from Audience member. [Inaudible] Michigan, are building bridges between our The President. We love free speech in troops and Iraqi civilians. Members of the America. [Laughter] Free Iraqi Forces are serving as translators

389 Apr. 28 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 for our troops and are delivering humani- In a nation where the dictator treated tarian aid to the citizens. One of these vol- himself to palaces with gold faucets and unteers, an Iraqi American who fled Sad- grand fountains, 4 out of 10 citizens did dam Hussein’s regime in 1991, recently re- not even have clean water to drink. While turned to his homeland with the 101st Air- a former regime exported milk and dates borne Division. A few weeks ago, when and corn and grain for its own profit, more he first saw the cheering crowds of Iraqis than half a million Iraqi children were mal- welcome coalition troops in Hillah, he nourished. As Saddam Hussein let more wept. He said people could hardly believe than $200 million worth of medicine and what was happening, and he told them, medical supplies sit in warehouses, one in ‘‘Believe it. Liberation is coming.’’ eight Iraqi children were dying before the Yes, there were some in our country who age of 5. And while the dictator spent bil- doubted the Iraqi people wanted freedom, lions on weapons, including gold-covered or they just couldn’t imagine they would AK–47s, nearly a quarter of Iraqi children be welcome—welcoming to a liberating were born underweight. Saddam Hussein’s force. They were mistaken, and we know regime impoverished the Iraqi people in why. The desire for freedom is not the every way. property of one culture; it is the universal Today, Iraq has only about half as many hope of human beings in every culture. hospitals as it had in 1990. Seventy percent Whether you’re Sunni or Shi’a or Kurd of its schools are rundown and over- or Chaldean or Assyrian or Turkoman or crowded. A quarter of the Iraqi children Christian or Jew or Muslim—no matter are not in school at all. Under Saddam’s what your faith, freedom is God’s gift to regime, the Iraqi people did not have a every person in every nation. As freedom power system they could depend on. These takes hold in Iraq, the Iraqi people will problems plagued Iraq long before the re- choose their own leaders and their own cent conflict. We’re helping the Iraqi peo- Government. America has no intention of ple to address these challenges, and we will imposing our form of government or our stand with them as they defeat the dic- culture. Yet, we will ensure that all Iraqis tator’s legacy. have a voice in the new Government and Right now, engineers are on the ground all citizens have their rights protected. working with Iraqi experts to restore power In the city of An Nasiriyah, where free and fix broken water pipes in Baghdad and Iraqis met recently to discuss the political other cities. We’re working with the Inter- future of their country, they issued a state- national Red Cross, the Red Crescent Soci- ment beginning with these words: Iraq eties, the International Medical Corps, and must be democratic. other aid agencies to help Iraqi hospitals Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! get safe water and medical supplies and U.S.A.! reliable electricity. Our coalition is cooper- The President. Thank you. That historic ating with the United Nations to help re- declaration expresses the commitment of start the ration distribution system that pro- the Iraqi people and their friends, the vides food at thousands of sites in Iraq. American people. The days of repression And coalition medical facilities have treated from any source are over. Iraq will be Iraqis from everything from fractures and democratic. burns to symptoms of stroke. The work of building a new Iraq will One Iraqi man who was given medical take time. That nation is recovering not help with his wife and sister aboard the just from weeks of conflict but from dec- U.S. Navy ship Comfort said, ‘‘They treat ades of totalitarian rule. us like family. There are babies in Iraq

390 Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 / Apr. 28 who are not cared for by their mothers out who they were and to bring them to as well as the nurses have cared for us.’’ justice. Already, we are seeing important We’re working toward an Iraq where, for progress in Iraq. It wasn’t all that long ago the first time ever, electrical power is reli- that the statue fell, and now we’re seeing able and widely available. One of our goals progress. Rail lines are reopening, and fire is to make sure everybody in Iraq has elec- stations are responding to calls. Oil—Iraqi tricity. Already, 17 major powerplants in oil owned by the Iraqi people—is flowing Iraq are functioning. Our engineers are again to fuel Iraq’s powerplants. meeting with Iraqi engineers. We’re visiting In Hillah, more than 80 percent of the powerplants throughout the country and city has now running water. City residents determining which ones need repair, which can buy meats and grains and fruits and ones need to be modernized, and which vegetables at local shops. The mayor’s of- ones are obsolete, powerplant by power- fice, the city council have been reestab- plant. More Iraqis are getting the electricity lished. they need. In Basra, where more than half of the We’re working to make Iraq’s drinking water treatment facilities were not working water clean and dependable. American and before the conflict—more than half weren’t Iraqi water sanitation engineers are inspect- functioning—water supplies are now reach- ing treatment plants across the country to ing 90 percent of the city. The opulent make sure they have enough purification Presidential palace in Basra will now serve chemicals and power to produce safe water. a new and noble purpose. We’ve estab- We’re working to give every Iraqi access lished a water purification unit there to to immunizations and emergency treatment make hundreds of thousands of liters of and to give sick children and pregnant clean water available to the residents of women the health care they need. Iraqi the city of Basra. doctors and nurses and other medical per- Day by day, hour by hour, life in Iraq sonnel are now going back to work. is getting better for the citizens. Yet, much Throughout the country, medical specialists work remains to be done. I have directed from many countries are identifying the Jay Garner and his team to help Iraq achieve specific long-term goals. And needs of Iraqi hospitals for everything from they’re doing a superb job. Congress re- equipment and repairs to water to medi- cently allocated 2.5—nearly $2.5 billion for cines. Iraq’s relief and reconstruction. With that We’re working to improve Iraqi schools money, we are renewing Iraq with the help by funding a back-to-school campaign that of experts from inside our Government, will help train and recruit Iraqi teachers, from private industry, from the inter- provide supplies and equipment, and bring national community, and most importantly, children across Iraq back into clean and from within Iraq. safe schools. And as we do that, we will We are dispatching teams across Iraq to make sure that the schools are no longer assess the critical needs of the Iraqi people. used as military arsenals and bunkers and We’re clearing landmines. We’re working that teachers promote reading, rather than with Iraqis to recover artifacts, to find the regime propaganda. hoodlums who ravished the National Mu- And because Iraq is now free, economic seum of Antiquities in Baghdad. Like many sanctions are pointless. It is time for the of you here, we deplore the actions of the United Nations to lift the sanctions so the citizens who ravished that museum, and we Iraqis can use some resources to build their will work with the Iraqi citizens to find own prosperity.

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Like so many generations of immigrants, NOTE: The President spoke at 1:46 p.m. in Iraqi Americans have embraced and en- the theater at the Ford Community and Per- riched this great country without ever for- forming Arts Center. In his remarks, he re- getting the land of your birth. Liberation ferred to former President Saddam Hussein for Iraq has been a long time coming, but of Iraq; Mayor Michael A. Guido of Dear- you never lost faith. You knew the great born; G. Richard Wagoner, Jr., president and sorrow of Iraq. You also knew the great chief executive officer, General Motors promise of Iraq, and you shared the hope Corp.; William Clay Ford, Jr., chairman of of the Iraqi people. the board and chief executive officer, Ford You and I both know that Iraq can real- Motor Co.; Dieter Zetsche, president and ize those hopes. Iraq can be an example chief executive officer, Chrysler Group; and of peace and prosperity and freedom to Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, USA (Ret.), Director, the entire Middle East. It’ll be a hard jour- Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian ney, but at every step of the way, Iraq Assistance for Post-war Iraq, Department of will have a steady friend in the American Defense. The Office of the Press Secretary people. also released a Spanish language transcript May God continue to bless the United States of America, and long live a free Iraq. of these remarks.

Statement on the Death of Edward Gaylord April 28, 2003

Edward Gaylord was a shining example have Ed as a partner in the Rangers of generosity, patriotism, and dedication to Baseball Club. He was an excellent partner helping others. As a business leader with and a fine man. Laura joins me in extend- a distinguished career in journalism, he ing our heartfelt condolences to Ed’s family spent a lifetime in selfless service to his and friends. community and State. I was honored to

Remarks on the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative April 29, 2003

Thank you all very much for the warm ability and, therefore, the duty to confront welcome. Welcome to the people’s house, this grave public health crisis. the White House. It’s my honor to wel- We are here today to urge both Houses come Members of the United States Senate of the United States Congress to pass the and the United States Congress, members Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which from the ambassadorial corps, and fellow will dramatically expand our fight against Americans who deeply care about a neigh- AIDS across this globe. bor in need. I appreciate so very much Secretary of HIV/AIDS is a tragedy for millions of State Colin Powell’s commitment to this men, women, and children and a threat issue. The fight against AIDS is an integral to stability of entire countries and of re- part of our Nation’s foreign policy. I appre- gions of our world. Our nations have the ciate so very much Secretary Tommy

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