Comunicados de Prensa
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
As Prepared For Delivery
Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress,
Members of the Supreme Court and diplomatic corps, distinguished
guests, and fellow citizens:
Today our Nation lost a beloved, graceful, courageous woman
who called America to its founding ideals and carried on
a noble dream. Tonight we are comforted by the hope of a
glad reunion with the husband who was taken from her so
long ago, and we are grateful for the good life of Coretta
Scott King.
Each time I am invited to this rostrum, I am humbled by
the privilege, and mindful of the history we have seen together.
We have gathered under this Capitol dome in moments of national
mourning and national achievement. We have served America
through one of the most consequential periods of our history
– and it has been my honor to serve with you.
In a system of two parties, two chambers, and two elected
branches, there will always be differences and debate. But
even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone, and
our differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger.
To confront the great issues before us, we must act in a
spirit of good will and respect for one another –
and I will do my part. Tonight the state of our Union is
strong – and together we will make it stronger.
In this decisive year, you and I will make choices that
determine both the future and the character of our country.
We will choose to act confidently in pursuing the enemies
of freedom – or retreat from our duties in the hope
of an easier life. We will choose to build our prosperity
by leading the world economy – or shut ourselves off
from trade and opportunity. In a complex and challenging
time, the road of isolationism and protectionism may seem
broad and inviting – yet it ends in danger and decline.
The only way to protect our people … the only way
to secure the peace … the only way to control our
destiny is by our leadership – so the United States
of America will continue to lead.
Abroad, our Nation is committed to an historic, long-term
goal – we seek the end of tyranny in our world. Some
dismiss that goal as misguided idealism. In reality, the
future security of America depends on it. On September 11th,
2001, we found that problems originating in a failed and
oppressive state seven thousand miles away could bring murder
and destruction to our country. Dictatorships shelter terrorists,
feed resentment and radicalism, and seek weapons of mass
destruction. Democracies replace resentment with hope, respect
the rights of their citizens and their neighbors, and join
the fight against terror. Every step toward freedom in the
world makes our country safer, and so we will act boldly
in freedom’s cause.
Far from being a hopeless dream, the advance of freedom
is the great story of our time. In 1945, there were about
two dozen lonely democracies on Earth. Today, there are
122. And we are writing a new chapter in the story of self-government
– with women lining up to vote in Afghanistan …
and millions of Iraqis marking their liberty with purple
ink … and men and women from Lebanon to Egypt debating
the rights of individuals and the necessity of freedom.
At the start of 2006, more than half the people of our world
live in democratic nations. And we do not forget the other
half – in places like Syria, Burma, Zimbabwe, North
Korea, and Iran – because the demands of justice,
and the peace of this world, require their freedom as well.
No one can deny the success of freedom, but some men rage
and fight against it. And one of the main sources of reaction
and opposition is radical Islam – the perversion by
a few of a noble faith into an ideology of terror and death.
Terrorists like bin Laden are serious about mass murder
– and all of us must take their declared intentions
seriously. They seek to impose a heartless system of totalitarian
control throughout the Middle East, and arm themselves with
weapons of mass murder. Their aim is to seize power in Iraq,
and use it as a safe haven to launch attacks against America
and the world. Lacking the military strength to challenge
us directly, the terrorists have chosen the weapon of fear.
When they murder children at a school in Beslan …
or blow up commuters in London … or behead a bound
captive … the terrorists hope these horrors will break
our will, allowing the violent to inherit the Earth. But
they have miscalculated: We love our freedom, and we will
fight to keep it.
In a time of testing, we cannot find security by abandoning
our commitments and retreating within our borders. If we
were to leave these vicious attackers alone, they would
not leave us alone. They would simply move the battlefield
to our own shores. There is no peace in retreat. And there
is no honor in retreat. By allowing radical Islam to work
its will – by leaving an assaulted world to fend for
itself – we would signal to all that we no longer
believe in our own ideals, or even in our own courage. But
our enemies and our friends can be certain: The United States
will not retreat from the world, and we will never surrender
to evil.
America rejects the false comfort of isolationism. We are
the Nation that saved liberty in Europe, and liberated death
camps, and helped raise up democracies, and faced down an
evil empire. Once again, we accept the call of history to
deliver the oppressed, and move this world toward peace.
We remain on the offensive against terror networks. We have
killed or captured many of their leaders – and for
the others, their day will come.
We remain on the offensive in Afghanistan – where
a fine president and national assembly are fighting terror
while building the institutions of a new democracy.
And we are on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan for
victory. First, we are helping Iraqis build an inclusive
government, so that old resentments will be eased, and the
insurgency marginalized. Second, we are continuing reconstruction
efforts, and helping the Iraqi government to fight corruption
and build a modern economy, so all Iraqis can experience
the benefits of freedom. Third, we are striking terrorist
targets while we train Iraqi forces that are increasingly
capable of defeating the enemy. Iraqis are showing their
courage every day, and we are proud to be their allies in
the cause of freedom.
Our work in Iraq is difficult, because our enemy is brutal.
But that brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress
of a new democracy. In less than three years, that nation
has gone from dictatorship, to liberation, to sovereignty,
to a constitution, to national elections. At the same time,
our coalition has been relentless in shutting off terrorist
infiltration, clearing out insurgent strongholds, and turning
over territory to Iraqi security forces. I am confident
in our plan for victory … I am confident in the will
of the Iraqi people … I am confident in the skill
and spirit of our military. Fellow citizens, we are in this
fight to win, and we are winning.
The road of victory is the road that will take our troops
home. As we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces
increasingly take the lead, we should be able to further
decrease our troop levels – but those decisions will
be made by our military commanders, not by politicians in
Washington, D.C.
Our coalition has learned from experience in Iraq. We have
adjusted our military tactics and changed our approach to
reconstruction. Along the way, we have benefited from responsible
criticism and counsel offered by Members of Congress of
both parties. In the coming year, I will continue to reach
out and seek your good advice.
Yet there is a difference between responsible criticism
that aims for success, and defeatism that refuses to acknowledge
anything but failure. Hindsight alone is not wisdom. And
second-guessing is not a strategy.
With so much in the balance, those of us in public office
have a duty to speak with candor. A sudden withdrawal of
our forces from Iraq would abandon our Iraqi allies to death
and prison … put men like bin Laden and Zarqawi in
charge of a strategic country … and show that a pledge
from America means little. Members of Congress: however
we feel about the decisions and debates of the past, our
Nation has only one option: We must keep our word, defeat
our enemies, and stand behind the American military in its
vital mission.
Our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices –
and showing a sense of duty stronger than all fear. They
know what it is like to fight house to house in a maze of
streets … to wear heavy gear in the desert heat …
to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who
know the costs also know the stakes. Marine Staff Sergeant
Dan Clay was killed last month fighting the enemy in Fallujah.
He left behind a letter to his family, but his words could
just as well be addressed to every American. Here is what
Dan wrote: “I know what honor is. It has been an honor
to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the
secure knowledge that you would not have to…. Never
falter! Don’t hesitate to honor and support those
of us who have the honor of protecting that which is worth
protecting.”
Staff Sergeant Dan Clay’s wife, Lisa, and his mom
and dad, Sara Jo and Bud, are with us this evening. Our
Nation is grateful to the fallen, who live in the memory
of our country. We are grateful to all who volunteer to
wear our Nation’s uniform – and as we honor
our brave troops, let us never forget the sacrifices of
America’s military families.
Our offensive against terror involves more than military
action. Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists
is to defeat their dark vision of hatred and fear by offering
the hopeful alternative of political freedom and peaceful
change. So the United States of America supports democratic
reform across the broader Middle East. Elections are vital
– but they are only the beginning. Raising up a democracy
requires the rule of law, protection of minorities, and
strong, accountable institutions that last longer than a
single vote. The great people of Egypt have voted in a multi-party
presidential election – and now their government should
open paths of peaceful opposition that will reduce the appeal
of radicalism. The Palestinian people have voted in elections
– now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel,
disarm, reject terrorism, and work for lasting peace. Saudi
Arabia has taken the first steps of reform – now it
can offer its people a better future by pressing forward
with those efforts. Democracies in the Middle East will
not look like our own, because they will reflect the traditions
of their own citizens. Yet liberty is the future of every
nation in the Middle East, because liberty is the right
and hope of all humanity.
The same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a
small clerical elite that is isolating and repressing its
people. The regime in that country sponsors terrorists in
the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon – and that
must come to an end. The Iranian government is defying the
world with its nuclear ambitions – and the nations
of the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain
nuclear weapons. America will continue to rally the world
to confront these threats. And tonight, let me speak directly
to the citizens of Iran: America respects you, and we respect
your country. We respect your right to choose your own future
and win your own freedom. And our Nation hopes one day to
be the closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the
offensive by encouraging economic progress, fighting disease,
and spreading hope in hopeless lands. Isolationism would
not only tie our hands in fighting enemies, it would keep
us from helping our friends in desperate need. We show compassion
abroad because Americans believe in the God-given dignity
and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an infant with
malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl
sold into slavery. We also show compassion abroad because
regions overwhelmed by poverty, corruption, and despair
are sources of terrorism, organized crime, human trafficking,
and the drug trade.
In recent years, you and I have taken unprecedented action
to fight AIDS and malaria, expand the education of girls,
and reward developing nations that are moving forward with
economic and political reform. For people everywhere, the
United States is a partner for a better life. Short-changing
these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of
our world, undercut our long-term security, and dull the
conscience of our country. I urge Members of Congress to
serve the interests of America by showing the compassion
of America.
Our country must also remain on the offensive against terrorism
here at home. The enemy has not lost the desire or capability
to attack us. Fortunately, this Nation has superb professionals
in law enforcement, intelligence, the military, and homeland
security. These men and women are dedicating their lives
to protecting us all, and they deserve our support and our
thanks. They also deserve the same tools they already use
to fight drug trafficking and organized crime – so
I ask you to reauthorize the Patriot Act.
It is said that prior to the attacks of September 11th,
our government failed to connect the dots of the conspiracy.
We now know that two of the hijackers in the United States
placed telephone calls to al-Qaida operatives overseas.
But we did not know about their plans until it was too late.
So to prevent another attack – based on authority
given to me by the Constitution and by statute – I
have authorized a terrorist surveillance program to aggressively
pursue the international communications of suspected al-Qaida
operatives and affiliates to and from America. Previous
presidents have used the same constitutional authority I
have – and Federal courts have approved the use of
that authority. Appropriate Members of Congress have been
kept informed. This terrorist surveillance program has helped
prevent terrorist attacks. It remains essential to the security
of America. If there are people inside our country who are
talking with al-Qaida, we want to know about it –
because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again.
In all these areas – from the disruption of terror
networks, to victory in Iraq, to the spread of freedom and
hope in troubled regions – we need the support of
friends and allies. To draw that support, we must always
be clear in our principles and willing to act. The only
alternative to American leadership is a dramatically more
dangerous and anxious world. Yet we also choose to lead
because it is a privilege to serve the values that gave
us birth. American leaders – from Roosevelt to Truman
to Kennedy to Reagan – rejected isolation and retreat,
because they knew that America is always more secure when
freedom is on the march. Our own generation is in a long
war against a determined enemy – a war that will be
fought by Presidents of both parties, who will need steady
bipartisan support from the Congress. And tonight I ask
for yours. Together, let us protect our country, support
the men and women who defend us, and lead this world toward
freedom.
Here at home, America also has a great opportunity: We will
build the prosperity of our country by strengthening our
economic leadership in the world.
Our economy is healthy, and vigorous, and growing faster
than other major industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half
years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs –
more than Japan and the European Union combined. Even in
the face of higher energy prices and natural disasters,
the American people have turned in an economic performance
that is the envy of the world.
The American economy is pre-eminent – but we cannot
afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we
are seeing new competitors like China and India. This creates
uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people’s
fears. And so we are seeing some old temptations return.
Protectionists want to escape competition, pretending that
we can keep our high standard of living while walling off
our economy. Others say that the government needs to take
a larger role in directing the economy, centralizing more
power in Washington and increasing taxes. We hear claims
that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy –
even though this economy could not function without them.
All these are forms of economic retreat, and they lead in
the same direction – toward a stagnant and second-rate
economy.
Tonight I will set out a better path – an agenda for
a Nation that competes with confidence – an agenda
that will raise standards of living and generate new jobs.
Americans should not fear our economic future, because we
intend to shape it.
Keeping America competitive begins with keeping our economy
growing. And our economy grows when Americans have more
of their own money to spend, save, and invest. In the last
five years, the tax relief you passed has left 880 billion
dollars in the hands of American workers, investors, small
businesses, and families – and they have used it to
help produce more than four years of uninterrupted economic
growth. Yet the tax relief is set to expire in the next
few years. If we do nothing, American families will face
a massive tax increase they do not expect and will not welcome.
Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we
need more than temporary tax relief. I urge the Congress
to act responsibly, and make the tax cuts permanent.
Keeping America competitive requires us to be good stewards
of tax dollars. Every year of my presidency, we have reduced
the growth of non-security discretionary spending –
and last year you passed bills that cut this spending. This
year my budget will cut it again, and reduce or eliminate
more than 140 programs that are performing poorly or not
fulfilling essential priorities. By passing these reforms,
we will save the American taxpayer another 14 billion dollars
next year – and stay on track to cut the deficit in
half by 2009. I am pleased that Members of Congress are
working on earmark reform – because the Federal budget
has too many special interest projects. And we can tackle
this problem together, if you pass the line-item veto.
We must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory
spending, or entitlements. This year, the first of about
78 million Baby Boomers turn 60, including two of my Dad’s
favorite people – me, and President Bill Clinton.
This milestone is more than a personal crisis – it
is a national challenge. The retirement of the Baby Boom
generation will put unprecedented strains on the Federal
government. By 2030, spending for Social Security, Medicare,
and Medicaid alone will be almost 60 percent of the entire
Federal budget. And that will present future Congresses
with impossible choices – staggering tax increases,
immense deficits, or deep cuts in every category of spending.
Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social
Security, yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem
that is not going away – and with every year we fail
to act, the situation gets worse. So tonight, I ask you
to join me in creating a commission to examine the full
impact of Baby Boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare,
and Medicaid. This commission should include Members of
Congress of both parties, and offer bipartisan answers.
We need to put aside partisan politics, work together, and
get this problem solved.
Keeping America competitive requires us to open more markets
for all that Americans make and grow. One out of every five
factory jobs in America is related to global trade, and
we want people everywhere to buy American. With open markets
and a level playing field, no one can out-produce or out-compete
the American worker.
Keeping America competitive requires an immigration system
that upholds our laws, reflects our values, and serves the
interests of our economy. Our Nation needs orderly and secure
borders. To meet this goal, we must have stronger immigration
enforcement and border protection. And we must have a rational,
humane guest worker program that rejects amnesty …
allows temporary jobs for people who seek them legally …
and reduces smuggling and crime at the border.
Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care.
Our government has a responsibility to help provide health
care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that
responsibility. For all Americans, we must confront the
rising cost of care … strengthen the doctor-patient
relationship … and help people afford the insurance
coverage they need. We will make wider use of electronic
records and other health information technology, to help
control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors. We will
strengthen Health Savings Accounts – by making sure
individuals and small business employees can buy insurance
with the same advantages that people working for big businesses
now get. We will do more to make this coverage portable,
so workers can switch jobs without having to worry about
losing their health insurance. And because lawsuits are
driving many good doctors out of practice – leaving
women in nearly 1,500 American counties without a single
OB-GYN – I ask the Congress to pass medical liability
reform this year.
Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy.
Here we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil,
which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.
The best way to break this addiction is through technology.
Since 2001, we have spent nearly 10 billion dollars to develop
cleaner, cheaper, more reliable alternative energy sources
– and we are on the threshold of incredible advances.
So tonight, I announce the Advanced Energy Initiative –
a 22-percent increase in clean-energy research at the Department
of Energy, to push for breakthroughs in two vital areas.
To change how we power our homes and offices, we will invest
more in zero-emission coal-fired plants; revolutionary solar
and wind technologies; and clean, safe nuclear energy.
We must also change how we power our automobiles. We will
increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and
electric cars, and in pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen.
We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods
of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips,
stalks, or switch grass. Our goal is to make this new kind
of ethanol practical and competitive within six years. Breakthroughs
on this and other new technologies will help us reach another
great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports
from the Middle East by 2025. By applying the talent and
technology of America, this country can dramatically improve
our environment … move beyond a petroleum-based economy
… and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a
thing of the past.
And to keep America competitive, one commitment is necessary
above all: We must continue to lead the world in human talent
and creativity. Our greatest advantage in the world has
always been our educated, hard-working, ambitious people
– and we are going to keep that edge. Tonight I announce
the American Competitiveness Initiative, to encourage innovation
throughout our economy, and to give our Nation’s children
a firm grounding in math and science.
First: I propose to double the Federal commitment to the
most critical basic research programs in the physical sciences
over the next ten years. This funding will support the work
of America’s most creative minds as they explore promising
areas such as nanotechnology, supercomputing, and alternative
energy sources.
Second: I propose to make permanent the research and development
tax credit, to encourage bolder private-sector investment
in technology. With more research in both the public and
private sectors, we will improve our quality of life –
and ensure that America will lead the world in opportunity
and innovation for decades to come.
Third: We need to encourage children to take more math and
science, and make sure those courses are rigorous enough
to compete with other nations. We have made a good start
in the early grades with the No Child Left Behind Act, which
is raising standards and lifting test scores across our
country. Tonight I propose to train 70,000 high school teachers,
to lead advanced-placement courses in math and science …
bring 30,000 math and science professionals to teach in
classrooms … and give early help to students who struggle
with math, so they have a better chance at good, high-wage
jobs. If we ensure that America’s children succeed
in life, they will ensure that America succeeds in the world.
Preparing our Nation to compete in the world is a goal that
all of us can share. I urge you to support the American
Competitiveness Initiative … and together we will
show the world what the American people can achieve.
America is a great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet
our greatness is not measured in power or luxuries, but
by who we are and how we treat one another. So we strive
to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful society.
In recent years, America has become a more hopeful Nation.
Violent crime rates have fallen to their lowest levels since
the 1970s. Welfare cases have dropped by more than half
over the past decade. Drug use among youth is down 19 percent
since 2001. There are fewer abortions in America than at
any point in the last three decades, and the number of children
born to teenage mothers has been falling for a dozen years
in a row.
These gains are evidence of a quiet transformation –
a revolution of conscience, in which a rising generation
is finding that a life of personal responsibility is a life
of fulfillment. Government has played a role. Wise policies
such as welfare reform, drug education, and support for
abstinence and adoption have made a difference in the character
of our country. And everyone here tonight, Democrat and
Republican, has a right to be proud of this record.
Yet many Americans, especially parents, still have deep
concerns about the direction of our culture, and the health
of our most basic institutions. They are concerned about
unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged by
activist courts that try to redefine marriage. And they
worry about children in our society who need direction and
love … and about fellow citizens still displaced by
natural disaster … and about suffering caused by treatable
disease.
As we look at these challenges, we must never give in to
the belief that America is in decline, or that our culture
is doomed to unravel. The American people know better than
that. We have proven the pessimists wrong before –
and we will do it again.
A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice
under law. The Supreme Court now has two superb new members,
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. I thank
the Senate for confirming both of them. And I will continue
to nominate men and women who understand that judges must
be servants of the law, and not legislate from the bench.
Today marks the official retirement of a very special American.
For 24 years of faithful service to our Nation, the United
States is grateful to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
A hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine
that do not cut ethical corners, and that recognize the
matchless value of every life. Tonight I ask you to pass
legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical
research – human cloning in all its forms …
creating or implanting embryos for experiments … creating
human-animal hybrids … and buying, selling, or patenting
human embryos. Human life is a gift from our Creator –
and that gift should never be discarded, devalued, or put
up for sale.
A hopeful society expects elected officials to uphold the
public trust. Honorable people in both parties are working
on reforms to strengthen the ethical standards of Washington
– and I support your efforts. Each of us has made
a pledge to be worthy of public responsibility – and
that is a pledge we must never forget, never dismiss, and
never betray.
As we renew the promise of our institutions, let us also
show the character of America in our compassion and care
for one another.
A hopeful society gives special attention to children who
lack direction and love. Through the Helping America’s
Youth Initiative, we are encouraging caring adults to get
involved in the life of a child – and this good work
is led by our First Lady, Laura Bush. This year we will
add resources to encourage young people to stay in school
– so more of America’s youth can raise their
sights and achieve their dreams.
A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in
times of suffering and emergency – and stays at it
until they are back on their feet. So far the Federal government
has committed 85 billion dollars to the people of the Gulf
Coast and New Orleans. We are removing debris, repairing
highways, and building stronger levees. We are providing
business loans and housing assistance. Yet as we meet these
immediate needs, we must also address deeper challenges
that existed before the storm arrived. In New Orleans and
in other places, many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded
from the promise of our country. The answer is not only
temporary relief, but schools that teach every child …
and job skills that bring upward mobility … and more
opportunities to own a home and start a business. As we
recover from a disaster, let us also work for the day when
all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope, and
rich in opportunity.
A hopeful society acts boldly to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS,
which can be prevented, and treated, and defeated. More
than a million Americans live with HIV, and half of all
AIDS cases occur among African-Americans. I ask Congress
to reform and reauthorize the Ryan White Act … and
provide new funding to states, so we end the waiting lists
for AIDS medicine in America. We will also lead a nationwide
effort, working closely with African-American churches and
faith-based groups, to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions,
end the stigma of AIDS, and come closer to the day when
there are no new infections in America.
Fellow citizens, we have been called to leadership in a
period of consequence. We have entered a great ideological
conflict we did nothing to invite. We see great changes
in science and commerce that will influence all our lives.
And sometimes it can seem that history is turning in a wide
arc, toward an unknown shore.
Yet the destination of history is determined by human action,
and every great movement of history comes to a point of
choosing. Lincoln could have accepted peace at the cost
of disunity and continued slavery. Martin Luther King could
have stopped at Birmingham or at Selma, and achieved only
half a victory over segregation. The United States could
have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been
complicit in the oppression of others. Today, having come
far in our own historical journey, we must decide: Will
we turn back, or finish well?
Before history is written down in books, it is written in
courage. Like Americans before us, we will show that courage
and we will finish well. We will lead freedom’s advance.
We will compete and excel in the global economy. We will
renew the defining moral commitments of this land. And so
we move forward – optimistic about our country, faithful
to its cause, and confident of victories to come.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America.
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