'Active Defense Of The American People'

Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens: Americathis 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 worldin the war on terror. By bringing hope to the oppressed, and delivering justice to the violent, they aremaking America more secure.

Each day, law enforcement personnel and intelligence officers are tracking terrorist threats; analysts areexamining airline passenger lists; the men and women of our new Homeland Security Department are patrollingour 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 isgrowing stronger. The tax relief you passed is working.

Tonight, members of Congress can take pride in the great works of compassion and reform that skeptics hadthought impossible. You're raising the standards for our public schools, and you are giving our seniorcitizens prescription drug coverage under Medicare.

We have faced serious challenges together, and now we face a choice: We can go forward with confidence andresolve, or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes areno threat to us. We can press on with economic growth, and reforms in education and Medicare, or we can turnback to old policies and old divisions.

We've not come all this way -- through tragedy, and trial and war -- only to falter and leave our workunfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same from us. In their efforts,their enterprise, and their character, the American people are showing that the state of our union isconfident and strong.

Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passedsince September 11th, 2001 -- over two years without an attack on American soil. And it is tempting to believethat the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting -- and false. The killing has continuedin Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Mombasa, Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Baghdad. The terrorists continue toplot 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 our homeland security and lawenforcement 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 drugtraffickers. If these methods are good for hunting criminals, they are even more important for huntingterrorists.

Key provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire next year.  The terrorist threat will not expireon that schedule.  Our law enforcement needs this vital legislation to protect our citizens. You need torenew the Patriot Act.

America is on the offensive against the terrorists who started this war. Last March, Khalid ShaikhMohammed, a mastermind of September the 11th, awoke to find himself in the custody of U.S. and Pakistaniauthorities. Last August the 11th brought the capture of the terrorist Hambali, who was a key player in theattack in Indonesia that killed over 200 people. We're tracking al Qaeda around the world, and nearlytwo-thirds of their known leaders have now been captured or killed. Thousands of very skilled and determinedmilitary personnel are on the manhunt, going after the remaining killers who hide in cities and caves, and oneby one, we will bring these terrorists to justice.

As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and supportterrorists, and could supply them with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. The United States and ourallies are determined: We refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger.

The first to see our determination were the Taliban, who made Afghanistan the primary training base of alQaeda killers. As of this month, that country has a new constitution, guaranteeing free elections and fullparticipation by women. Businesses are opening, health care centers are being established, and the boys andgirls of Afghanistan are back in school. With the help from the new Afghan army, our coalition is leadingaggressive raids against the surviving members of the Taliban and al Qaeda. The men and women of Afghanistanare 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 andother countries enforced the demands of the United Nations, ended the rule of Saddam Hussein, and the peopleof Iraq are free.

Having broken the Baathist regime, we face a remnant of violent Saddam supporters. Men who ran away fromour troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows. These killers, joined by foreignterrorists, are a serious, continuing danger. Yet we're making progress against them. The once all-powerfulruler of Iraq was found in a hole, and now sits in a prison cell.  Of the top 55 officials of the formerregime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are on the offensive, leading over 1,600 patrols a day andconducting an average of 180 raids a week. We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq, just as surely as we dealtwith 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 ittakes for what is right. Last January, Iraq's only law was the whim of one brutal man. Today our coalition isworking with the Iraqi Governing Council to draft a basic law, with a bill of rights. We're working withIraqis 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 andfear. They are trying to shake the will of our country and our friends, but the United States of America willnever be intimidated by thugs and assassins.  The killers will fail, and the Iraqi people will live infreedom.

Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future. Andtonight we are honored to welcome one of Iraq's most respected leaders: the current President of the IraqiGoverning 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 ofLibya 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 Qadhafi correctly judged that his countrywould 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, wordsmust be credible, and no one can now doubt the word of America.

Different threats require different strategies. Along with nations in the region, we're insisting thatNorth Korea eliminate its nuclear program. America and the international community are demanding that Iranmeet its commitments and not develop nuclear weapons. America is committed to keeping the world's mostdangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous regimes.

When I came to this rostrum on September the 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 completecommitment to securing our country and defeating our enemies. And this pledge, given by one, has been kept bymany.

You in the Congress have provided the resources for our defense, and cast the difficult votes of war andpeace. Our closest allies have been unwavering. America's intelligence personnel and diplomats have beenskilled and tireless. And the men and women of the American military -- they have taken the hardest duty.We've seen their skill and their courage in armored charges and midnight raids, and lonely hours on faithfulwatch. We have seen the joy when they return, and felt the sorrow when one is lost. I've had the honor ofmeeting our servicemen and women at many posts, from the deck of a carrier in the Pacific to a mess hall inBaghdad.

Many of our troops are listening tonight. And I want you and your families to know: America is proud ofyou. And my administration, and this Congress, will give you the resources you need to fight and win the waron terror.

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 firstattacked in 1993, some of the guilty were indicted and tried and convicted, and sent to prison. But the matterwas not settled. The terrorists were still training and plotting in other nations, and drawing up moreambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies withlegal 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 oftencome from principled motives. But let us be candid about the consequences of leaving Saddam Hussein in power.We're seeking all the facts. Already, the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-relatedprogram activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. Had wefailed to act, the dictatator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day. Had we failedto act, Security Council resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening the UnitedNations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world. Iraq's torture chambers would still be filledwith victims, terrified and innocent. The killing fields of Iraq -- where hundreds of thousands of men andwomen and children vanished into the sands -- would still be known only to the killers. For all who lovefreedom 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 toexplain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain,Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands -- (applause) -- Norway, El Salvador,and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq.  As we debate at home, we must neverignore the vital contributions of our international partners, or dismiss their sacrifices.

From the beginning, America has sought international support for our 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 ofour country.

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 withliberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live infreedom. 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 and despair and anger, it will continue to producemen and movements that threaten the safety of America and our friends. So America is pursuing a forwardstrategy of freedom in the greater Middle East. We will challenge the enemies of reform, confront the alliesof terror, and expect a higher standard from our friend. To cut through the barriers of hateful propaganda,the Voice of America and other broadcast services are expanding their programming in Arabic and Persian -- andsoon, a new television service will begin providing reliable news and information across the region. I willsend you a proposal to double the budget of the National Endowment for Democracy, and to focus its new work onthe development of free elections, and free markets, free press, and free labor unions in the Middle East. Andabove all, we will finish the historic work of democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, so those nations can lightthe 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 desireto dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace -- a peace founded upon the dignity andrights of every man and woman. America acts in this cause with friends and allies at our side, yet weunderstand our special calling: This great republic will lead the cause of freedom.

In the last three years, adversity has also revealed the fundamental strengths of the American economy. Wehave come through recession, and terrorist attack, and corporate scandals, and the uncertainties of war. Andbecause 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 $1,000, reduced the marriage penalty, begun to phase outthe death tax, reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends, cut taxes on small businesses, and you havelowered taxes for every American who pays income taxes.

Americans took those dollars and put them to work, driving this economy forward. The pace of economicgrowth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years; new home construction, the highest inalmost 20 years; home ownership rates, the highest ever. Manufacturing activity is increasing. Inflation islow. 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 isdone, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills. Much of our job growth will be found inhigh-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology. So we must respond by helping more Americans gain theskills 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 gradesof our schools. Yet for too long, for too many children, those skills were never mastered. By passing the NoChild Left Behind Act, you have made the expectation of literacy the law of our country. We're providing morefunding for our schools -- a 36-percent increase since 2001. We're requiring higher standards. We areregularly testing every child on the fundamentals. We are reporting results to parents, and making sure theyhave better options when schools are not performing. We are making progress toward excellence for every childin America.

But the status quo always has defenders. Some want to undermine the No Child Left Behind Act by weakeningstandards and accountability. Yet the results we require are really a matter of common sense: We expect thirdgraders to read and do math at the third grade level -- and that's not asking too much. Testing is the onlyway to identify and help students who are falling behind. This nation will not go back to the days of simplyshuffling children along from grade to grade without them learning the basics. I refuse to give up on anychild -- 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 worknow. Many of the fastest growing occupations require strong math and science preparation, and training beyondthe high school level. So tonight, I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century. Thisprogram will provide extra help to middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and math, expandadvanced placement programs in low-income schools, invite math and science professionals from the privatesector to teach part-time in our high schools. I propose larger Pell grants for students who prepare forcollege with demanding courses in high school.  I propose increasing our support for America's finecommunity colleges, so they can --  I do so, so they can train workers for industries that are creatingthe most new jobs. By all these actions, we'll help more and more Americans to join in the growing prosperityof 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 unfinishedbusiness on the issue of taxes. The tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act -- (applause)-- unless you act -- unless you act, the unfair tax on marriage will go back up. Unless you act, millions offamilies will be charged $300 more in federal taxes for every child. Unless you act, small businesses will payhigher taxes. Unless you act, the death tax will eventually come back to life. Unless you act, Americans facea tax increase. What Congress has given, the Congress should not take away. For the sake of job growth, thetax cuts you passed should be permanent.

Our agenda for jobs and growth must help small business owners and employees with relief from needlessfederal 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 passlegislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent onforeign sources of energy.