100 Things Americans 

May Not Know About the 

Bush Administration Record

THE A DMI N ISTR ATION OF

PRESIDENT

George W Bush

2001 – 2009

.
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100 things americans may not know

100 THINGS AMERICANS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT 

THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION RECORD

KEPT AMERICA SAFE

•	 Prevented another attack on our homeland for more than seven years after 

September 11, 2001. 

Waged the Global War on Terror

•	 Removed threatening regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, which freed 50 

million people. 

•	 Weakened the al-Qaeda network and its affiliates. 

•	 Disrupted terrorist plots and built a coalition of more than 90 nations to 

fight terrorism. 

Transformed Our Approach to Combating Terrorism After 

the 9/11 Attacks 

•	 Transformed the United States military and retooled the Department of 

Defense to meet 21st century challenges. 

•	 Established the Director of National Intelligence, the National 

Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Homeland Security, and the 

Homeland Security Council. Shifted the FBI’s focus from investigating 

terrorist attacks to preventing them. 

•	 Advocated for and signed the Patriot Act, the Intelligence Reform and 

Terrorism Prevention Act, and a modernization of the Foreign Intelligence 

Surveillance Act. 

Protected the United States Homeland 

•	 Arrested and convicted terrorists in the United States and captured and 

isolated key financiers and facilitators of terrorism. 

•	 Expanded the Border Patrol and improved border security. 

•	 Created the Transportation Security Administration, built a consolidated 

watchlist program, and strengthened programs for screening individuals 

entering the United States. 

•	 Provided approximately $27 billion in homeland security grants, increased 

national preparedness, protected key infrastructure, and strengthened the 

capabilities of all levels of government. 
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•	 Improved cargo screening and security at U.S. ports and increased 

containerized cargo screening overseas. 

•	 Invested more than $38 billion in public health and medical systems, created 

a biothreat air monitoring system, and developed a national strategy and 

international partnership on avian and pandemic flu. 

Advanced Missile Defense and Counterproliferation Efforts, and 

Prevented our Enemies from Threatening America and our Allies with 

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

•	 Secured a commitment from North Korea to end its nuclear weapons 

program. 

•	 Persuaded Libya to disclose and dismantle all aspects of its WMD and 

advanced missile programs and renounce terrorism. 

•	 Withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and operationalized 

missile defense. 

•	 Dismantled the A.Q. Khan nuclear proliferation network. 

•	 Established the Proliferation Security Initiative and multilateral coalitions 

to stop WMD proliferation and strengthen our ability to locate and secure 

nuclear and radiological materials around the world. 

•	 Halved the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile five years ahead of schedule. 

PROMOTED LIBERTY ABROAD 

Removed Totalitarian Regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and Helped 

Transform Both Nations into Emerging Democracies and Allies in the 

War on Terror

•	 Helped establish an emerging democratic Afghan government and helped 

improve the lives of the Afghan people, especially women and children. 

•	 Helped establish an emerging democratic Iraqi government and the Iraqi 

Army, and ordered the surge of U.S. forces, which dramatically reduced 

violence and created the conditions for political and economic progress. 

•	 Established innovative programs, such as Provincial Reconstruction Teams, 

to help create the conditions for peace and security in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Created Institutions to Propel the Spread of Democracy Worldwide, 

Helped Oppressed People Secure their Freedom, and Strengthened 

Support for Dissidents and Democracy Activists

•	 Created international organizations to promote the spread of freedom 

abroad and more than doubled funding to promote democracy worldwide. 
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•	 Generated international pressure to end the Syrian occupation of Lebanon 

and helped restore democracy and civilian rule in Pakistan. 

•	 Supported the development of democracy in Ukraine and Georgia and 

helped establish Kosovo as an independent, multi-ethnic democracy. 

•	 Focused international attention and applied tough sanctions on oppressive 

regimes in Burma, Belarus, Zimbabwe, and other nations, and bolstered 

civil society activists in countries such as Cuba and Venezuela. 

Confronted Threats and Helped Defuse Regional Conflicts

•	 Worked with our international partners to confront Iran’s destructive 

policies and to pressure Iran to suspend nuclear enrichment. 

•	 Laid the foundation for a future Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement and 

a democratic Palestinian state by launching direct negotiations between 

Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) at the Annapolis Conference and 

working with the PA to build accountable institutions. 

•	 Led the international response to the genocide in Darfur and worked to end 

major conflicts in Africa. 

HELPED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD 

THROUGH A NEW APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT

•	 Doubled foreign assistance worldwide and transformed our foreign 

assistance programs to increase transparency and hold governments 

accountable for making democratic and economic reforms. 

•	 Helped save millions of lives through the President’s Emergency Plan for 

AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria Initiative. 

•	 Committed $350 million over five years to treat more than 300 million 

people suffering from seven neglected tropical diseases and became the first, 

and largest, contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, 

and Malaria. 

•	 Created the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which holds recipient 

countries of foreign aid accountable to make political and economic reforms, 

expanded the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and provided debt 

relief to impoverished nations. 

•	 Created programs that will help educate more than 65 million children in 

the developing world. 

•	 Provided more than $16 billion for global food aid and more than $10 

billion for disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts worldwide since 

2001. 
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STRENGTHENED AMERICA’S INTERESTS AND 

ALLIANCES ABROAD

•	 Transformed the State Department and our approach to diplomacy to 

help spread democracy worldwide and combat the conditions that breed 

terrorism. 

•	 Transformed the NATO Alliance by inviting new members, launching 

operations around the globe, and developing 21st century capabilities. 

•	 Improved our relationship with China while encouraging democratic 

change, transformed our alliances with democracies in East Asia, and 

strengthened our partnership with the European Union to advance freedom 

around the world. 

•	 Signed an historic civil nuclear agreement with India, worked with Brazil 

to develop and promote alternative fuels, and developed broad strategic 

partnerships with both countries. 

•	 Worked with Mexico and Central American nations to combat drug 

cartels and gangs and helped Colombia fight narco-terrorism and restore 

democratic governance. 

LOWERED TAXES, INSTITUTED PRO-GROWTH POLICIES, AND 

ADDRESSED ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

•	 Provided tax relief to every American who pays income taxes, which helped 

fuel six years of uninterrupted economic growth and 52 consecutive months 

of job growth. 

•	 Helped businesses grow and add workers by reducing the tax burden. 

•	 Led the response to the 2008 financial crisis. 

REDUCED WASTEFUL SPENDING AND IMPROVED 

GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY

•	 Reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending from a rate of 

16 percent to below the rate of inflation. 

•	 Saved taxpayers nearly $40 billion over five years through sensible 

entitlement reform and by terminating and reducing ineffective Federal 

programs. 

•	 Delivered transparency to the earmark process. 

•	 Increased the accountability, transparency, and effectiveness of the Federal 

Government, which improved the Government’s performance and helped 

save billions of dollars. 
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IMPROVED EDUCATION FOR EVERY AMERICAN CHILD

•	 Held public schools accountable, through the No Child Left Behind Act, 

for producing results for all students and required highly-qualified teachers 

in every classroom. 

•	 Raised reading and math scores and narrowed the achievement gap between 

white and minority students. 

•	 Provided parents with more information about school performance and 

choices for students stuck in low-performing schools, and created the first 

Federal school-choice program. 

•	 Increased the size of college Pell Grants to an all-time high and nearly 

doubled support for the Pell Grant program. 

•	 Established the Helping America’s Youth Initiative, led by First Lady Laura 

Bush, to help adults connect with at-risk children. 

REFORMED MEDICARE AND ADDED A PRESCRIPTION 

DRUG BENEFIT 

•	 Provided more than 40 million Americans with better access to prescription 

drugs through the market-based Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. 

•	 Added preventive screening programs to Medicare. 

•	 Increased competition and choices by stabilizing and expanding private 

plan options through the Medicare Advantage program, and increased 

enrollment to nearly 10 million Americans. 

STRENGTHENED AMERICA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

•	 Empowered Americans to take charge of their health care decision-making 

by establishing tax-free Health Savings Accounts. 

•	 Infused transparency about price and quality into the health care system 

and launched an initiative to make electronic health records available to 

most Americans within 10 years. 

•	 Helped provide treatment to nearly 17 million people by establishing or 

expanding more than 1,200 community health centers focused in highpoverty areas. 

•	 Bolstered funding for medical research, which contributed to medical 

breakthroughs and new discoveries, including the HPV cancer vaccine. 
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IMPROVED LIVES BY ENGAGING FAITH-BASED 

ORGANIZATIONS AND PROMOTING VOLUNTEERISM

•	 Helped millions in need by expanding partnerships with nonprofits and 

leveling the playing field for faith-based and community organizations. 

•	 Created USA Freedom Corps following 9/11 to help Americans volunteer 

to serve causes greater than themselves. 

PROVIDED UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES FOR VETERANS

•	 Increased total funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs more than 

98 percent since 2001 and helped millions of veterans receive expedited and 

improved care. 

•	 Instituted reforms for the care of wounded warriors, many of which were 

based on the recommendations of the Dole-Shalala Commission, and 

dramatically expanded resources for mental health services. 

•	 Expanded education benefits for service members and veterans, increased 

placement and career counseling for returning veterans, and significantly 

reduced the processing time for disability claims. 

•	 Reduced the number of homeless veterans by nearly 40 percent from 2001 

to 2007. 

SUPPORTED AMERICAN WORKERS BY INCREASING TRADE, 

JOB TRAINING, AND COMPETITIVENESS

Expanded and Enforced Trade Agreements to Open New Markets for 

American Products 

•	 Leveled the playing field for American workers by increasing the number of 

countries partnered with the U.S. on free trade agreements from three to 17. 

•	 Negotiated and signed a trade agreement that helped increase U.S. exports 

to Central America by nearly $8 billion from 2005 to 2008. 

Helped American Workers and Businesses Remain Competitive 

•	 Created the American Competitiveness Initiative to help Americans 

compete in the global economy and increased research and development 

funding. 

•	 Invested nearly $1 billion in new job training initiatives to prepare workers 

for 21st century jobs and ensured fair pay for American workers. 

•	 Helped make broadband access available in 99 percent of America’s zip 

codes. 
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100 things americans may not know

•	 Created a new National Space Policy to ensure the continued free access and 

use of space for peaceful purposes and to help advance America’s economic 

competitiveness. 

SET A BRIGHT COURSE FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE

Took Unparalleled Action to Advance Cooperative Conservation and 

Protect the Environment

•	 Provided the highest recognition and protection to nearly 335,000 square 

miles as marine national monuments, the largest marine area in history. 

•	 Improved and protected the health of more than 27 million acres of Federal 

forest and grasslands and protected, restored, and improved more than three 

million acres of wetlands. 

•	 Instituted policies that helped reduce air pollution by 12 percent from 2001 

to 2007 and adopted new policies that will produce even deeper reductions. 

•	 Provided more than $6.5 billion to repair and improve our national parks, 

launched the National Parks Centennial Initiative, and established the 

Preserve America Initiative with First Lady Laura Bush to protect our 

cultural and natural heritage. 

Advanced America’s Energy Security and Took Steps to Develop 

Cleaner, More Efficient Sources of Energy

•	 Called for and signed legislation to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 

tens of billions of gallons of fuel and significantly improve energy efficiency. 

•	 Instituted policies that helped quadruple ethanol production to more than 

six billion gallons. 

•	 Removed the executive prohibition on offshore exploration for oil and gas. 

•	 Provided more than $18 billion to research, develop, and promote alternative 

and more efficient energy technologies such as biofuels, solar, wind, clean 

coal, nuclear, and hydrogen. 

•	 Encouraged the deployment of new nuclear reactors in the United States, 

which resulted in the first license applications to construct and operate new 

nuclear power plants in 30 years. 
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Reduced Crime, Lowered Teen Drug Use, Protected Vulnerable 

Children, and Helped Make America a More Equitable Country

•	 Launched innovative strategies that contributed to the lowest overall 

incidence of reported crime in three decades. 

•	 Convicted nearly 1,300 individuals of corporate fraud and corruption. 

•	 Reduced drug use among teens by 25 percent. 

•	 Rescued more than 575 children from sexual exploitation, arrested and 

convicted thousands of suspects, and helped recover nearly 400 missing 

children since 2002 by strengthening the AMBER Alert program. 

•	 Protected the right to vote for generations to come by reauthorizing the 

Voting Rights Act and advanced civil rights. 

Reduced Homelessness and Aided Struggling Homeowners

•	 Reduced the number of chronically homeless people by approximately 30 

percent between 2005 and 2007. 

•	 Helped more than two million individuals and families keep their homes by 

launching FHA Secure and helping to facilitate the HOPE NOW Alliance. 

Improved Transportation and Import Safety and Protected 

American Consumers

•	 Implemented congestion relief and safety measures that have made our 

highways and airways safer and more efficient. 

•	 Increased import safety for American consumers. 

•	 Enacted the Do Not Call List, which 145 million Americans have utilized 

to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls. 

STOOD ON PRINCIPLE, REFUSED TO PUT OFF TOUGH 

DECISIONS, AND SHOWED THE WAY AHEAD 

Advanced a Culture of Life

•	 Outlawed partial birth abortion, ensured that every infant born alive is 

protected, established consequences for violence toward unborn children, 

and took steps to protect the rights of health care providers to act according 

to their conscience. 

•	 Provided government funding for stem cell research while refusing to 

sanction the destruction of human life. 

•	 Prohibited foreign nongovernmental organizations that receive U.S. tax 

dollars for family planning from performing or actively promoting abortion. 
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Appointed Judges Committed to Ruling by the Letter of the Law

•	 Appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice 

Samuel Alito, and more than one-third of all active Federal judges, who will 

not legislate from the bench. 

Confronted Climate Change through Innovation and without Harming 

our Economy

•	 Set the country on course to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions 

below projected levels by 2025 and invested more than $44 billion in climate 

change-related programs. 

•	 Worked to build international consensus on practical actions to address 

climate change as a global issue. 

Demonstrated Leadership on Reforming Entitlement Programs, the 

Immigration System, and Government Sponsored Enterprises

•	 Proposed initiatives to fix Social Security and address the greatest threat to 

America’s fiscal future – the uncontrolled growth of Federal entitlements. 

•	 Laid out a comprehensive plan to reform and fix our broken immigration 

system. 

•	 Warned of the risk that government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and 

Freddie Mac posed to America’s financial security beginning in 2001. 

Directed Unprecedented Preparations for a Smooth Presidential 

Transition 

•	 Led the most comprehensive and forward-leaning effort in modern history 

to facilitate a smooth and effective transition. 
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100 THINGS AMERICANS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT 

THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION RECORD

KEPT AMERICA SAFE

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 – recognizing that terrorism 

represented an ongoing threat to our Nation – President Bush took the fight 

to the enemy to defeat the terrorists and protect America. The President 

deployed all elements of national power to combat terrorism, which had 

previously been considered primarily a “law enforcement” issue, and 

established the principle that the use of violence against civilians cannot 

be justified by any cause. He transformed our military and strengthened 

our national security institutions to wage the War on Terror and secure 

our homeland. The President also made missile defense operational and 

advanced counterproliferation efforts to help prevent our enemies from 

threatening us, and our allies, with weapons of mass destruction. There have 

been no attacks on American soil since 9/11, and because of the actions taken 

by President Bush, America is safer and more secure.

•	 Prevented another attack on our homeland for more than seven years 

after September 11, 2001. Protected our Nation and prevented another 

attack on U.S. soil for more than seven years, modernized our national 

security institutions and tools of war, and bolstered our homeland security. 

Waged the Global War on Terror

•	 Removed threatening regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, which freed 50 

million people. Removed the Taliban from power and brought freedom to 

the people of Afghanistan. Freed Iraqis from the rule of Saddam Hussein, 

a dictator who murdered his own people, invaded his neighbors, and 

repeatedly defied United Nations resolutions.

•	 Weakened the al-Qaeda network and its affiliates. Captured or killed 

hundreds of al-Qaeda leaders and operatives in more than two dozen 

countries with the help of partner nations. September 11 mastermind 

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is in U.S. custody and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 

the former leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, was killed in 2006. Removed alQaeda’s safe-haven in Afghanistan and crippled al-Qaeda in Iraq, including 

defeating al-Qaeda in its former stronghold of Anbar Province. 
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100 things americans may not know

•	 Disrupted terrorist plots and built a coalition of more than 90 nations to 

fight terrorism. Partnered with nations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, 

Africa, and Latin America on intelligence sharing and law enforcement 

coordination to break up terrorist networks and bring terrorists to justice. 

Successfully disrupted terrorist plots such as the 2006 plan to blow up 

airplanes flying from the United Kingdom to North America. 

Transformed Our Approach to Combating Terrorism After 

the 9/11 Attacks 

•	 Transformed the United States military and retooled the Department 

of Defense to meet 21st century challenges. Provided our military with 

the tools, equipment, and resources to combat terrorism and other emerging 

threats and started moving American forces from Cold War garrisons in 

Europe and Asia so they can deploy more quickly to any region of the world. 

Increased the size of our ground forces and number of unmanned aerial 

vehicles and strengthened special operations forces by increasing resources, 

manpower, and capabilities. Modernized and transformed the National 

Guard from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve. Reshaped our 

military command structure by establishing Northern Command and 

Africa Command, creating a new strategic command responsible for 

protecting America against long-range attacks, and doubling funding for 

Special Operations Command, which is now the lead command for the War 

on Terror. Increased the Defense Department’s base budget more than 70 

percent since 2001, including increased funding for military pay and benefits 

and research and development.

•	 Established the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the National 

Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), the Department of Homeland 

Security, and the Homeland Security Council (HSC). Shifted the 

FBI’s focus from investigating terrorist attacks to preventing them. 

Established a unified, collaborative intelligence community, led by the 

DNI, to ensure information is shared among all intelligence and law 

enforcement professionals so they have the information they need to protect 

the American people. Established the NCTC to break down barriers 

that restricted the sharing of information between the law enforcement 

and intelligence communities. Created an additional 66 fusion centers 

to help Federal, State, and local authorities coordinate and collaborate 

more effectively in combating terrorism. Consolidated 22 agencies and 

180,000 employees under one agency, the Department of Homeland 
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Security, to foster a comprehensive, coordinated approach to protecting 

our country. Established the HSC at the White House to ensure the 

effective coordination and implementation of all homeland security-related 

activities among executive departments and agencies. Combined the 

counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and intelligence elements of the FBI 

under the leadership of a senior FBI official. Created the Terrorist Screening 

Center and a National Security Division at the Department of Justice. 

•	 Advocated for and signed the Patriot Act, the Intelligence Reform 

and Terrorism Prevention Act, and a modernization of the Foreign 

Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Updated FISA to adapt to new 

advances in technology and give our law enforcement professionals and 

future administrations the tools they need to monitor what the terrorists are 

planning, while respecting the liberties of the American people. Enacted 

vital legislation such as the Patriot Act and the Intelligence Reform 

and Terrorism Prevention Act to close dangerous gaps between our law 

enforcement and intelligence communities and enable them to work closely 

and collaboratively to identify and disrupt terrorist plots and protect 

American lives.

Protected the United States Homeland 

•	 Arrested and convicted terrorists in the United States and captured 

and isolated key financiers and facilitators of terrorism. Arrested and 

convicted more than two dozen terrorists and their supporters in America 

since 9/11. Froze the financial assets in the United States of hundreds of 

individuals and entities linked to terrorism.

•	 Expanded the Border Patrol and improved border security. Doubled 

the Border Patrol to more than 18,000 agents, equipped the Border Patrol 

with better technology and new infrastructure, and effectively ended 

the process of catch and release at the border. Increased border security 

and immigration enforcement funding by more than 160 percent and 

constructed hundreds of miles of fencing and vehicle barriers. 

•	 Created the Transportation Security Administration, built a 

consolidated watchlist program, and strengthened programs for 

screening individuals entering the United States. Instituted a process to 

screen every commercial air passenger in the country, launched credentialing 

initiatives to better identify passengers, and expanded the Federal air 

marshal program. Replaced the multiple watchlists that were in place prior 

to 9/11 with a single, consolidated watchlist, and incorporated biometrics 
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in screening and identifying individuals entering our country. Created 

US-VISIT to screen foreign travelers and prevent terrorists from entering 

America. Required secure identification at our ports of entry to better 

monitor individuals entering the United States.

•	 Provided approximately $27 billion in homeland security grants, 

increased national preparedness, protected key infrastructure, and 

strengthened the capabilities of all levels of government. Developed 

a comprehensive plan that clearly defines roles and responsibilities for 

protecting critical infrastructure, such as chemical facilities, dams, 

and nuclear plants for all levels of government, private industry, nongovernmental agencies, and tribal partners. Forged a new, comprehensive 

cybersecurity policy to improve the security of government and military 

computer systems and made protecting these systems a national priority. 

Developed the National Response Framework and the National Strategy for 

Homeland Security, which strengthened homeland security efforts across 

all levels of government. 

•	 Improved cargo screening and security at U.S. ports and increased 

containerized cargo screening overseas. Increased scanning of cargo 

containers for potential radiological and nuclear threats to more than 

98 percent of all containers entering the supply chain via U.S. seaports. 

Created the Transportation Workers Identification Credential, a Federal 

ID for port employees to ensure that workers who have access to our ports 

do not pose a threat to our Nation. Implemented the National Strategy 

for Maritime Security, a coordinated Federal response to threats, and 

worked with Federal, State, local, and industry partners to secure our ports. 

Worked with international partners to employ the Container Security 

Initiative in 58 foreign seaports, which resulted in 86 percent of all U.S.-

destined containerized cargo being screened overseas before entering the 

U.S. supply chain.

•	 Invested more than $38 billion in public health and medical systems, 

created a biothreat air monitoring system, and developed a national 

strategy and international partnership on avian and pandemic flu. 

Built programs to ensure early warning and rapid response to a biological 

attack or any event that threatens the health and safety of Americans. 

Increased the Strategic National Stockpile of vaccines, antibiotics, and 

antidotes to prepare for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 

incidents or attacks, including enough smallpox vaccine for every 
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American and 60 million courses of antibiotics for anthrax. Implemented 

a groundbreaking air monitoring system in 30 cities that could help save 

lives in the event of a biological attack. Developed mitigation strategies 

and guidelines for controlling influenza outbreaks in communities, and 

made significant investments in vaccines, antiviral medications, and 

research to respond to a potential outbreak of avian or pandemic flu. Better 

protected our agriculture and food sectors through increased education, 

training, surveillance systems, and inspection capabilities. Worked with 

international partners such as Australia, Canada, the European Union, and 

Japan to ensure a coordinated response to a possible outbreak.

Advanced Missile Defense and Counterproliferation Efforts, and Prevented our Enemies from Threatening America and Our Allies with 

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

•	 Secured a commitment from North Korea to end its nuclear weapons 

program. Created a multi-lateral framework, the Six-Party Talks, which 

secured a commitment from North Korea to abandon all nuclear weapons 

and existing nuclear programs.

•	 Persuaded Libya to disclose and dismantle all aspects of its WMD and 

advanced missile programs and renounce terrorism. Worked with the 

United Kingdom to persuade Libya to verifiably dismantle its chemical 

weapons, nuclear weapons, and Missile Technology Control Regime-class 

missile programs. Removed 1.8 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride and 

more than 500 metric tons of centrifuge components and related materials. 

Persuaded Libya to renounce terrorism and accept responsibility for prior 

acts of terror, and normalized our relations with Libya as a result of its 

actions. 

•	 Withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and operationalized 

missile defense. Signed agreements for missile defense sites in the Czech 

Republic and Poland to help protect America and its allies from the threat 

of WMD delivered by ballistic missiles. Obtained NATO endorsement of 

plans to deploy missile defense assets in Europe.

•	 Dismantled the A.Q. Khan nuclear proliferation network. Dismantled 

and prevented the reconstitution of this extensive, international network 

that had spread sensitive nuclear technology and capability to Iran and 

North Korea.
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•	 Established the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and multilateral 

coalitions to stop WMD proliferation and strengthen our ability to 

locate and secure nuclear and radiological materials around the world. 

United more than 90 nations under the PSI to take cooperative action to 

stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, 

and related materials. Established the 22-country G-8 Global Partnership 

Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the 

75-member Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism to reduce the 

threat of a nuclear terrorist attack. Secured the passage of United Nations 

Security Council Resolution 1540, which required all United Nations 

members to take and enforce actions against the proliferation of WMD and 

related materials. Created the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and the 

Nuclear Materials Information Program, which have bolstered our ability to 

detect the illicit movement of nuclear and radiological materials and identify 

their sources.

•	 Halved the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile five years ahead of schedule. 

Set a new goal of an additional 15 percent reduction by 2012. 

PROMOTED LIBERTY ABROAD 

President Bush has promoted the spread of freedom as the great alternative 

to the terrorists’ ideology of hatred, because expanding liberty and democracy 

is the best way to defeat the extremists and protect the American people. 

President Bush also acted quickly and decisively to help end international 

crises that arose during his term in office and to confront regimes that 

threatened our Nation and world security. By working to spread liberty in 

these volatile regions, the President has helped make the American people 

safer by combating the conditions that breed extremism. 

Removed Totalitarian Regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and Helped 

Transform Both Nations into Emerging Democracies and Allies in the 

War on Terror

•	 Helped establish an emerging democratic Afghan government and 

helped improve the lives of the Afghan people, especially women and 

children. Supported the creation of an Afghan government that is elected 

by its people, respects the rule of law, and guarantees women the right 

to vote. Helped stand up the Afghan National Army and police force. 

Provided humanitarian, development, and security assistance to help 

Afghanistan rebuild its economy, civil society, and vital institutions such as 

hospitals and schools. More than six million children, approximately two 
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million of whom are girls, are now in Afghan schools, compared to fewer 

than one million in 2001. Created the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council to 

promote public-private partnerships between U.S. and Afghan institutions 

and to mobilize private sector resources to support Afghan women. 

•	 Helped establish an emerging democratic Iraqi government and the 

Iraqi Army, and ordered the surge of U.S. forces, which dramatically 

reduced violence and created the conditions for political and economic 

progress. Supported the creation of a democratic Iraqi government that 

is operating under one of the most progressive constitutions in the Arab 

world, and helped train and equip more than half a million Iraqi Army 

and police forces. Helped Iraq’s young democracy build its civil society 

and economy, including efforts to build a functional judicial system and 

implement economic reforms that led to a dramatic reduction in inflation 

and an increase in economic growth and business registrations. Ordered the 

surge in Iraq and helped create the conditions that allowed Iraq’s leaders to 

pass vital legislation, work towards national unity, and implement economic 

reforms. Since the surge was implemented, total security incidents and 

ethno-sectarian violence have been drastically reduced, Iraqi security forces 

are now responsible for security in 13 of 18 provinces, including al-Qaeda 

in Iraq’s former stronghold of Anbar Province, budgets and numerous 

legislative measures - including a Provincial Election Law - have been 

passed, and reconciliation is moving forward. Successfully negotiated a 

Strategic Framework Agreement and a Security Agreement with Iraq, 

which will further strengthen the relationship between our nations, provide 

the United States with vital protections and authorities to continue our 

mission to help stabilize Iraq, and establish a path for U.S. forces to reduce 

their presence in Iraq and return home on success.

•	 Established innovative programs, such as Provincial Reconstruction 

Teams (PRTs), to help create the conditions for peace and security in 

Iraq and Afghanistan. Deployed PRTs comprised of military and civilian 

experts to ensure security gains are followed by real improvements in daily 

life. Helped local communities strengthen their economies and create jobs, 

deliver basic services, improve governance and fight corruption, and build 

or repair key infrastructure such as roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. 

Supported grassroots efforts, such as the Sons of Iraq movement, to help the 

Iraqi people improve security and drive extremists from their communities. 

Created Agricultural Development Teams in Afghanistan to help farmers 

feed their people and become more self-sufficient.
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Created Institutions to Propel the Spread of Democracy Worldwide, 

Helped Oppressed People Secure their Freedom, and Strengthened 

Support for Dissidents and Democracy Activists

•	 Created international organizations to promote the spread of freedom 

abroad and more than doubled funding to promote democracy 

worldwide. Proposed and initiated the U.N. Democracy Fund, which 

consists of nearly $100 million in contributions from more than 30 

member nations, to finance projects that build and strengthen democratic 

institutions, promote human rights, and ensure the participation of all 

groups in democratic processes. Created the Asia-Pacific Democracy 

Partnership, which has begun to provide election observation in the AsiaPacific region. Secured approval of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, 

which obligates governments to promote and defend democracy among and 

in the 34 members of the Organization of American States. Set up the 

Middle East Partnership Initiative, which has provided nearly $500 million 

to advance women’s rights, educational reform, economic opportunity, and 

democratic governance. Increased the budget for the National Endowment 

for Democracy by more than 150 percent since 2001. Doubled democracy 

funding from Fiscal Year 2001 to Fiscal Year 2008 to promote the spread 

of liberty abroad and protect the American people by addressing the 

conditions that breed terrorism.

•	 Generated international pressure to end the Syrian occupation of 

Lebanon and helped restore democracy and civilian rule in Pakistan. 

Strengthened our relationship with and support to a democratic Lebanon. 

Called for and supported parliamentary elections in Pakistan that reflected 

the will of the people and ended more than eight years of military rule.

•	 Supported the development of democracy in Ukraine and Georgia and 

helped establish Kosovo as an independent, multi-ethnic democracy. 

Supported civil society and democratic activists during the successful 

Orange Revolution in Ukraine and Rose Revolution in Georgia, and 

fostered the development of civil societies in both countries. Supported 

Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic recovery in the 

wake of Russia’s August 2008 invasion, including a $1 billion economic and 

humanitarian support package. Recognized Kosovo as an independent and 

sovereign state in February 2008. 
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•	 Focused international attention and applied tough sanctions on 

oppressive regimes in Burma, Belarus, Zimbabwe, and other nations, 

and bolstered civil society activists in countries such as Cuba and 

Venezuela. Met with activists from more than 35 countries and helped 

unify democracy advocates and boost the international standing of the 

opposition in countries run by totalitarian and oppressive regimes. Imposed 

travel and financial sanctions on repressive regimes, select individuals, and 

those who provide them with material support. First Lady Laura Bush 

hosted an event at the United Nations headquarters to draw international 

attention to human rights abuses in Burma, and has been a leading advocate 

for human rights in Burma. Established the Commission for Assistance 

to a Free Cuba to reassure the Cuban people that the United States stands 

ready to help them transition toward democracy and provided $400 million 

to promote democratic change in Cuba. Supported pro-democracy forces 

in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, and supported election observation 

missions in Guatemala, Bolivia, Honduras, Venezuela, and Haiti.

Confronted Threats and Helped Defuse Regional Conflicts

•	 Worked with our international partners to confront Iran’s destructive 

policies and to pressure Iran to suspend nuclear enrichment. Worked 

with European partners to limit Iran’s ability to procure weapons and 

finance terrorism, and initiated targeted sanctions against Iran’s Quds 

Force. Gathered support for and won passage of three United Nations 

Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on Iran and require Iran 

to suspend its uranium enrichment and other proliferation-sensitive nuclear 

activities. 

•	 Laid the foundation for a future Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement and 

a democratic Palestinian state by launching direct negotiations between 

Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) at the Annapolis Conference 

and working with the PA to build accountable institutions. Became the 

first U.S. Administration to call for a two-state solution, worked to secure 

Israeli, Palestinian, and international support, and committed the United 

States to help create the conditions where two democratic states can live side 

by side in peace and security.

•	 Led the international response to the genocide in Darfur and worked 

to end major conflicts in Africa. Issued sanctions against the Bashir 

regime, provided funding and support for peacekeepers, including the 

airlift of critical assets such as equipment and vehicles and $1.5 billion in 

new funding since 2004 for African peacekeepers destined for Darfur, 

and led the humanitarian response to the crisis through more than $2 
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billion in food and medical assistance. Helped end conflicts in Angola, the 

Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, as well 

as Sudan’s north-south civil war, by using diplomacy and providing historic 

levels of resources. Led the international effort to maintain peace and secure 

a National Unity Government in Kenya following the political crisis and 

disputed election in December 2007.

HELPED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD 

THROUGH A NEW APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT

President Bush established a new paradigm for development assistance that 

treats recipient nations as full partners while insisting that our joint efforts 

achieve measurable results. The key to this success is partner countries that 

govern justly, invest in the health and education of their people, and use 

the power of free trade and free markets to lift people out of poverty. The 

President believes that every human life has matchless value, that to whom 

much is given, much is required, and that it is the responsibility of America 

to help people in need across the world. In addition to improving the lives of 

millions around the globe, these programs also help combat the conditions that 

enable terrorists and extremists to recruit new members.

•	 Doubled foreign assistance worldwide and transformed our foreign 

assistance programs to increase transparency and hold governments 

accountable for making democratic and economic reforms. Doubled 

foreign assistance worldwide from 2000 to 2007 through new programs 

that are centered on the principles of country ownership, good governance 

and the rule of law, accountability, and economic reform. Doubled foreign 

assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa and put the United States on track to 

double assistance again by 2010, and doubled bilateral assistance to Latin 

America.

•	 Helped save millions of lives through the President’s Emergency Plan 

for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). 

Supported life-saving treatment for more than 2.1 million people and care 

for more than 10 million people (including more than four million orphans 

and vulnerable children) around the world through PEPFAR. More than 

237,000 babies have been born HIV-free due to PEPFAR’s programs to 

prevent mothers from passing the virus to their children. Reauthorized 

PEPFAR, which will support treatment for a total of at least three million 

people, help prevent 12 million new infections, provide care for 12 million 

people (including five million orphans and vulnerable children), and commit 

billions of dollars to fight malaria and tuberculosis. Committed $1.2 billion 
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in funding through the PMI over a five-year period, which is on track to 

help reduce malaria deaths by 50 percent in 15 targeted countries in SubSaharan Africa. The President and First Lady Laura Bush hosted the 2006 

White House Summit on Malaria to establish a united effort to combat the 

disease, and in 2007, more than six million insecticide-treated mosquito nets 

were distributed through PMI affiliates.

•	 Committed $350 million over five years to treat more than 300 million 

people suffering from seven neglected tropical diseases and became 

the first, and largest, contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, 

Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Pledged $350 million over five years to target 

seven major neglected tropical diseases and provide treatment for more than 

300 million people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Contributed more 

than $3.3 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and 

Malaria. 

•	 Created the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which holds 

recipient countries of foreign aid accountable to make political and 

economic reforms, expanded the African Growth and Opportunity Act 

(AGOA), and provided debt relief to impoverished nations. Established 

a new paradigm for foreign assistance through the MCC by investing in 

countries that govern justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic 

freedom. The MCC has signed agreements, which seek transformational 

change in the development of recipient countries, for $6.7 billion in grant 

funding for 35 countries. Expanded AGOA to provide trade assistance 

and benefits to nations that have instituted economic reforms to help their 

people. Helped nations in Sub-Saharan Africa develop their economies and 

farming capabilities and created new markets for U.S. goods and services. 

Secured debt cancellation agreements for impoverished nations by working 

with the IMF, World Bank, African Development Bank, and the InterAmerican Development Bank. Expanded the use of microloans to spur 

investment and improve the lives of people in the developing world and to 

fight the conditions that breed extremism and terrorism.

•	 Created programs that will help educate more than 65 million children 

in the developing world. Launched the Africa Education Initiative, which 

committed $600 million over eight years to increase access to education 

opportunities for tens of millions of children in Africa. In 2007, the 

President and First Lady announced the Initiative for Expanding Education, 

which committed an additional $525 million to provide greater access to 

quality education. Established the Partnership for Latin American Youth, 

a three year, $75 million initiative to help disadvantaged youth learn English 

and improve their ability to find jobs. 
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•	 Provided more than $16 billion for global food aid and more than $10 

billion for disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts worldwide since 

2001. Led the world in providing food aid to alleviate worldwide hunger 

and food assistance to people in oppressed nations. Led the relief effort 

in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and provided critical 

support to the relief effort for Cyclone Nargis that devastated Burma and 

for earthquake relief in Pakistan. Provided vital resources to respond to 

tropical storms in the Caribbean and Central America, among others. 

Worked with 24 other nations to create an operational global tsunami 

warning system that provides warnings in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian 

Oceans. Carried out hospital ship missions to provide medical care and 

treatment to people in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Asia-Pacific 

region.

STRENGTHENED AMERICA’S INTERESTS AND

ALLIANCES ABROAD

President Bush used diplomacy to strengthen our relationships with other 

nations and bolster our standing in the world community. Through his work 

to invigorate international alliances and partnerships, the President has made 

America and the world safer and more secure.

•	 Transformed the State Department and our approach to diplomacy 

to help spread democracy worldwide and combat the conditions 

that breed terrorism. Focused U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote 

democratic, well-governed states that respond to the needs of their people, 

reduce poverty, and conduct themselves responsibly in the international 

system. Repositioned Department staff to higher priority locations and 

transformational missions, constructed new overseas diplomatic facilities, 

created an active response corps to deploy quickly to respond to crises, and 

improved our ability to operate in post-conflict areas. Increased the base 

budget for the Department of State and international programs by more 

than 70 percent since 2001. 

•	 Transformed the NATO Alliance by inviting new members, launching 

operations around the globe, and developing 21st century capabilities. 

Helped secure several new democracies with the expansion of NATO to 

include Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, 

Croatia, and Albania. Led the push for NATO to undertake out-of-area 

security missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Darfur. Helped improve 

NATO’s military capacity by establishing a NATO Response Force. 

Expanded NATO’s political dialogue and partnerships with non-member 

states. 
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•	 Improved our relationship with China while encouraging democratic 

change, transformed our alliances with democracies in East Asia, and 

strengthened our partnership with the European Union to advance 

freedom around the world. Expanded economic cooperation with China 

by establishing regular, high-level economic engagement between U.S. and 

Chinese officials. Called on China to adopt democratic changes and become 

a responsible international stakeholder, and worked to improve relations 

between China and Taiwan. Strengthened alliances with countries such as 

Japan and South Korea through a major force realignment and relocation 

program and by strengthening multilateral, regional institutions such as 

the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summits. Signed a new Strategic 

Defense Trade Treaty with Australia and a new Strategic Framework 

Agreement with Singapore. Collaborated with our European allies on 

issues of common interest such as combating terrorism, Middle East peace, 

Afghanistan and Iraq reconstruction, HIV/AIDS and global health issues, 

the economy, and energy security. 

•	 Signed an historic civil nuclear agreement with India, worked with 

Brazil to develop and promote alternative fuels, and developed broad 

strategic partnerships with both countries. Completed the U.S.-India 

Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative and worked to expand cooperation 

with India on a broad range of issues including defense, science, technology, 

and the promotion of democracy. Increased cooperation with Brazil in the 

research and development of ethanol and other biofuels and supported the 

expansion of the international market for biofuels. Established the BrazilUnited States CEO Forum to strengthen the economic and commercial ties 

between Brazil and the United States.

•	 Worked with Mexico and Central American nations to combat drug 

cartels and gangs and helped Colombia fight narco-terrorism and restore 

democratic governance. Established the Merida Initiative with Mexico and 

Central American nations to break the power and impunity of drug cartels 

and criminal gangs. Provided resources and assistance to help Colombia 

combat narco-terrorist organizations. Kidnappings, terrorist attacks, and 

murders have dropped significantly in Colombia since 2002. 
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LOWERED TAXES, INSTITUTED PRO-GROWTH 

POLICIES, AND ADDRESSED ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

President Bush provided the largest tax relief in a generation and reduced 

the tax rate for every American who pays income taxes. Americans would 

have paid an additional $1.7 trillion in taxes by the end of 2008 had it 

not been for the President’s tax relief packages, which fueled six years of 

uninterrupted economic growth and 52 consecutive months of job growth. 

This unprecedented growth was ended by the turbulence in the housing and 

credit markets, which the President responded to with bold action. 

•	 Provided tax relief to every American who pays income taxes, which 

helped fuel six years of uninterrupted economic growth and 52 

consecutive months of job growth. Reduced individual income tax rates, 

doubled the child tax credit, created a new 10 percent bracket rate, provided 

marriage penalty relief, eliminated income taxes for 13 million American 

taxpayers, and began a phase-out of the estate tax.

•	 Helped businesses grow and add workers by reducing the tax burden. 

Reduced tax rates on dividends and long-term capital gains, which helped 

lead to an increase in capital gains realizations of approximately 150 percent 

and an increase in dividend income growth from an average annual rate of 

approximately 8.5 percent in the 20 years before the tax cut to an average 

rate of more than 14 percent after the tax cut. Provided increased expensing 

for small businesses, which made it cheaper for them to invest in new 

equipment.

•	 Led the response to the 2008 financial crisis. Addressed the weakness in 

the economy early in 2008 by leading the bipartisan passage of an economic 

growth package that boosted consumer spending and encouraged businesses 

to expand. Responded with bold action when the financial crisis intensified 

by leading the passage and implementation of a rescue plan that helped 

address the root of the financial crisis, protected the deposits of individuals 

and small businesses, and helped ensure credit would remain available to 

individuals and families. Convened a summit with the leaders of the G-20 

nations to discuss efforts to strengthen economic growth, deal with the 

financial crisis, reaffirm a commitment to free market principles, and lay the 

foundation for reform to help ensure that a similar crisis does not happen 

again.
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REDUCED WASTEFUL SPENDING AND IMPROVED 

GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND 

ACCOUNTABILITY

President Bush instituted policies that reduced wasteful Federal spending, 

saved taxpayers billions of dollars, and brought greater accountability and 

effectiveness to the Federal Government. The President reduced the growth of 

non-security discretionary spending to levels below the rate of inflation, issued 

an Executive Order making it an official policy of the Federal Government 

“to spend taxpayer dollars effectively, and more effectively each year,” enacted 

sensible entitlement reform, and cut and reduced unnecessary government 

programs. The President also brought greater transparency to the earmark 

process and government regulations, and held Federal agencies and employees 

accountable by creating sound management practices.

•	 Reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending from a 

rate of 16 percent to below the rate of inflation. Inherited non-security 

discretionary spending at a rate of 16 percent growth and brought it down 

to under three percent growth, which is below the rate of inflation.

•	 Saved taxpayers nearly $40 billion over five years through sensible 

entitlement reform and by terminating and reducing ineffective Federal 

programs. Enacted the Deficit Reduction Act, which reduced the annual 

growth of mandatory spending and will save approximately $300 per 

taxpayer. 

•	 Delivered transparency to the earmark process. Set up an online public 

database at earmarks.omb.gov that exposed thousands of earmark projects 

that totaled tens of billions of dollars. Called for and signed legislation 

requiring the disclosure of earmarks and their sponsors to achieve greater 

accountability. Issued an Executive Order that directed agencies to ignore 

earmarks that were not subject to an up-or-down vote by Congress. 

•	 Increased the accountability, transparency, and effectiveness of the 

Federal Government, which improved the Government’s performance 

and helped save billions of dollars. Required all Federal programs to 

have clear, quantifiable outcome and efficiency goals, and ensured agency 

performance ratings and Federal earmarks, contracts, grants, and loans 

are readily transparent to the general public. Required all employees to be 

rated on their performance relative to their goals, and required that salary 

increases for all Senior Executives and approximately 20 percent of all 

Federal employees be based on performance. Since 2004, reduced improper 

payments by $8 billion, reduced underutilized real property by $8 billion, 
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and projected to reduce the cost of commercial services more than $1 billion 

per year. Generated average annual net benefits from new regulations: 

the quantified value of the environmental, public health, and welfare 

improvements from regulations issued during this Administration average 

approximately $26 billion per year, compared to approximately $6.5 billion 

per year during the previous Administration. Improved access to a wide 

range of Federal services by launching citizen-centered websites, including 

sites that help people file tax returns, apply for Federal jobs, grants, and 

loans, and plan vacations at national parks.

IMPROVED EDUCATION FOR EVERY AMERICAN CHILD

President Bush transformed the Federal Government’s approach to education 

through No Child Left Behind, which brought greater accountability to 

schools, options to parents of children in underperforming schools, and results 

to students. Since No Child Left Behind took effect, test scores have risen, 

accountability has increased, and we have begun to close the achievement gap 

between white and minority students. President Bush also increased funding 

for the Pell Grant program to help make college affordable for more American 

students.

•	 Held public schools accountable, through the No Child Left Behind 

Act, for producing results for all students and required highly-qualified 

teachers in every classroom. Ensured that States set standards that 

required students to be able to read and do math at grade level, and held 

schools accountable if they did not help their students meet these standards. 

Increased the percentage of highly-qualified teachers in classrooms from 

87 percent in the 2003-04 school year to 94 percent in the 2006-07 school 

year. Created the $100 million Teacher Incentive Fund, which rewards 

teachers who improve student achievement in high-need school districts.

•	 Raised reading and math scores and narrowed the achievement gap 

between white and minority students. Instituted policies that helped 

fourth-grade students achieve their highest reading and math scores on 

record and eighth-grade students achieve their highest math scores on 

record. Increased the percentage of first-grade students reading at grade 

level in 44 of 50 States. Helped African-American and Hispanic students 

post all-time highs in several categories on national assessments.

•	 Provided parents with more information about school performance 

and choices for students stuck in low-performing schools, and created 

the first Federal school-choice program. Gave parents the opportunity 

to choose a better public school, a public charter school, or a tutor if their 
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child’s school doesn’t improve. Provided funding to more than half of all 

public charter schools in the country to expand alternatives for students 

in struggling schools. Since 2000, the number of charter schools in the 

United States has more than doubled. Established the D.C. Opportunity 

Scholarships program, the first Federal school-choice program, which 

provided more than 2,600 students with scholarships to attend the private 

or religious school of their choice.

•	 Increased the size of college Pell Grants to an all-time high and nearly 

doubled support for the Pell Grant program. Increased the maximum 

Pell Grant award to more than $4,700, the largest amount ever, and 

increased funding for the Pell Grant program from $8.8 to $16.2 billion. 

Expected to help more than 5.5 million Americans attend college in the 

2008-09 school year - 1.2 million more than in the 2001-02 school year. 

•	 Established the Helping America’s Youth Initiative, led by First Lady 

Laura Bush, to help adults connect with at-risk children. Created the 

Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs through an Executive 

Order, which has further advanced efforts to improve the lives of at-risk 

children.

REFORMED MEDICARE AND ADDED A PRESCRIPTION 

DRUG BENEFIT 

President Bush instituted the most significant reforms to Medicare in nearly 

40 years, most notably through a prescription drug benefit, which has 

provided more than 40 million Americans with better access to prescription 

drugs. The President also added preventive screening programs to Medicare 

to help diagnose illnesses earlier, and increased competition and choices 

available to Medicare beneficiaries. 

•	 Provided more than 40 million Americans with better access to 

prescription drugs through the market-based Medicare Prescription 

Drug Benefit. Established competition among private drug plans, which 

contributed to a 40 percent decline in the actual average 2008 premiums for 

Medicare drug coverage compared to original estimates. Projected overall 

program spending between 2004 and 2013 is approximately $240 billion 

lower, nearly 38 percent, than originally estimated.

•	 Added preventive screening programs to Medicare. Improved the quality 

of health care for Medicare beneficiaries by adding preventive screening 

programs to help diagnose illnesses earlier. 
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•	 Increased competition and choices by stabilizing and expanding private 

plan options through the Medicare Advantage program, and increased 

enrollment to nearly 10 million Americans. Increased private plan 

enrollment from 4.7 million in 2003 to nearly 10 million in 2008 (more 

than 20 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries). Ensured nearly every county 

in America has a private plan choice, many with zero dollar premiums and 

supplemental benefits.

STRENGTHENED AMERICA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

President Bush enacted policies to help Americans receive the care they need 

at a price they can afford and also infused transparency and innovation 

into the health care system. The President created tax-free Health Savings 

Accounts to help Americans take charge of their health care decision-making, 

and increased funding for medical research, which contributed to medical 

breakthroughs such as the development of the HPV cancer vaccine.

•	 Empowered Americans to take charge of their health care decisionmaking by establishing tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). 

Enabled more than six million Americans who have enrolled in HSAeligible plans to save money tax-free for current and future medical expenses.

•	 Infused transparency about price and quality into the health care system 

and launched an initiative to make electronic health records available 

to most Americans within 10 years. Directed Federal agencies to inform 

beneficiaries of the prices paid to doctors and hospitals and empowered 

Americans to find better value and better care, largely through increased 

competition. Ordered Federal agencies to use improved health IT systems 

to facilitate the rapid exchange of electronic health information to improve 

the quality of care for Americans.

•	 Helped provide treatment to nearly 17 million people by establishing or 

expanding more than 1,200 community health centers focused in highpoverty areas. Increased the number of patients treated at health centers 

by more than 60 percent, to nearly 17 million people, since 2001.

•	 Bolstered funding for medical research, which contributed to medical 

breakthroughs and new discoveries, including the HPV cancer vaccine. 

Increased funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the primary 

Federal agency for medical research, by more than 44 percent since 2001, 

and fulfilled the commitment to double the NIH budget over the five year 

period from 1998 to 2003. This contributed to breakthroughs such as the 

development of the HPV cancer vaccine, advances in cell reprogramming, 

the development of the Cancer Genome Atlas, and the completion of the 

Human Genome Project.
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IMPROVED LIVES BY ENGAGING FAITH-BASED 

ORGANIZATIONS AND PROMOTING VOLUNTEERISM

President Bush launched the Faith-Based and Community Initiative and 

USA Freedom Corps to strengthen the nonprofit sector and mobilize 

volunteers to help those in need across the country and around the globe. 

These initiatives have mobilized America’s armies of compassion in a 

determined attack on need and have demonstrated remarkable results in the 

lives of countless individuals and communities.

•	 Helped millions in need by expanding partnerships with nonprofits and 

leveling the playing field for faith-based and community organizations. 

Developed grassroots partnerships, set clear, Constitutional guidelines 

for the use of public funds by faith-based organizations, and established 

faith-based and community-service offices at 11 Federal agencies. These 

partnerships helped provide care for more than ten million people affected 

by HIV/AIDS, supported the recovery of more than 260,000 addicts, and 

matched mentors with more than 100,000 children of prisoners. 

•	 Created USA Freedom Corps following 9/11 to help Americans 

volunteer to serve causes greater than themselves. Helped match 

Americans with service opportunities by creating Citizen Corps and 

Volunteers for Prosperity and by strengthening programs such as 

AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. Between 2002 and 2007, Americans 

donated more than 49 billion hours of service. 

PROVIDED UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES 

FOR VETERANS

President Bush nearly doubled funding for veterans, providing the highest 

level of support for veterans in American history. The President also 

increased the benefits available to those who have served our Nation and 

transformed the veterans health care system to better serve those who have 

sacrificed for our freedom. 

•	 Increased total funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 

more than 98 percent since 2001 and helped millions of veterans receive 

expedited and improved care. Increased funding for veterans’ medical care 

by more than 115 percent since 2001. Committed more than $6 billion to 
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modernize and expand VA medical facilities, ensuring more veterans could 

receive quality care close to home. Provided more than a billion dollars to 

VA since 2007 to support traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress 

disorder treatment and research. Created the Defense Centers of Excellence 

for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and expanded VA’s 

polytrauma system of care to 22 network sites and clinic support teams to 

provide state-of-the-art treatment to injured veterans at facilities closer to 

their homes. Expanded VA’s use of electronic health records to improve the 

quality of medical care for veterans.

•	 Instituted reforms for the care of wounded warriors, many of which were 

based on the recommendations of the Dole-Shalala Commission, and 

dramatically expanded resources for mental health services. Created 

a joint Department of Defense/VA Recovery Coordinator Program for 

seriously-injured service members. Initiated a pilot program to replace the 

cumbersome system of two separate disability examinations with a single, 

comprehensive medical exam. Expanded training, screening, and staff 

resources to help service members and veterans suffering from mental health 

disorders. Signed legislation and issued regulations amending the Family 

Medical Leave Act to permit family members of injured service members to 

take additional time away from their jobs to care for their loved one.

•	 Expanded education benefits for service members and veterans, 

increased placement and career counseling for returning veterans, and 

significantly reduced the processing time for disability claims. Increased 

education benefit amounts for service members and veterans and lengthened 

the time period in which they can use those benefits. Made it easier 

for service members to transfer their unused education benefits to their 

spouses or children. Increased placement and career counseling services 

for returning veterans, particularly those wounded in combat. Reduced the 

average length of time to process a veteran’s disability claim from a high of 

230 days to under 180 days. 

•	 Reduced the number of homeless veterans by nearly 40 percent from 

2001 to 2007. Established VA homeless-specific programs, which 

constitute one of the largest integrated networks of homeless treatment and 

assistance services in the country. 
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SUPPORTED AMERICAN WORKERS BY INCREASING 

TRADE, JOB TRAINING, AND COMPETITIVENESS

President Bush took a stand against isolationism and opened export markets 

and increased opportunities for our farmers, workers, and businesses. As a 

result, America remains the world’s largest exporter of goods and services. 

Trade has become a driving force of our Nation’s economy, has helped create 

American jobs, and now accounts for a larger percentage of our GDP than 

at any time in history. Trade advances our national security by helping to 

expand democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and lift people out of poverty 

worldwide. President Bush also instituted policies and launched new 

initiatives to ensure American workers and businesses remain competitive in 

the 21st century economy.

Expanded and Enforced Trade Agreements to Open New Markets for 

American Products 

•	 Leveled the playing field for American workers by increasing the 

number of countries partnered with the U.S. on free trade agreements 

(FTAs) from three to 17. Agreements with three countries are awaiting 

Congressional approval. Increased overall goods and services exports by 

more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2007 to a level that accounts for 

more than 13 percent of our GDP, greater than any time in history. Exports 

to the 11 trade partners with FTAs that went into effect between 2001 and 

2007 grew more than 70 percent faster on average than U.S. exports to 

the rest of the world during the periods in which the FTAs were in effect. 

Opened new markets for American farmers and ranchers, which helped 

create a record level of U.S. agricultural exports of $92.4 billion in 2007, up 

more than 70 percent since 2000. Ensured other countries abided by trade 

rules and won or settled 24 trade disputes brought by the United States to 

the World Trade Organization since 2001. 

•	 Negotiated and signed a trade agreement that helped increase U.S. 

exports to Central America by nearly $8 billion from 2005 to 2008. 

Dramatically increased U.S. exports to Central America following initial 

entry into force of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United 

States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). CAFTA countries increased 

their annual goods exports to the U.S. from $14.7 billion in 2005 to an 

annualized $15.6 billion in 2008, an increase of 6.5 percent, which has 

supported jobs in the region.
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Helped American Workers and Businesses Remain Competitive 

•	 Created the American Competitiveness Initiative to help Americans 

compete in the global economy and increased research and development 

funding. Increased overall Federal research and development investment 

to a record $143 billion, a 57 percent increase since 2001, and made a 

commitment to double critical basic research in the physical sciences over 

10 years. Authorized the Math Now and Advanced Placement Incentive 

Programs and basic research programs through the America COMPETES 

Act. Created the National Mathematics Advisory Panel to review the best 

available scientific evidence on the teaching and learning of math. 

•	 Invested nearly $1 billion in new job training initiatives to prepare 

workers for 21st century jobs and ensured fair pay for American 

workers. Launched the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic 

Development, which invested $326 million in job training and workforce 

development. Invested more than $325 million to help more than 200 

community colleges train workers and launched the High Growth Job 

Training Initiative, which has provided $288 million to more than 150 

partnerships between community colleges, workforce agencies, and 

employers. Expanded the Trade Adjustment Assistance program to cover 

more trade-impacted workers and added a tax credit to help displaced 

workers afford health insurance. Strengthened overtime protection for 

millions of workers, including the first-ever explicitly guaranteed rights 

for police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and other first responders. 

Achieved record recoveries of more than $1.25 billion for nearly two million 

workers and increased the amount of back wages collected in 2007 by nearly 

70 percent compared to 2001. 

•	 Helped make broadband access available in 99 percent of America’s zip 

codes. Instituted policies that helped make broadband internet accessible 

to 99 percent of the country’s zip codes, by making new radio spectrum 

available, increasing competition and investment, and preserving the 

Internet tax moratorium. As a result, the number of broadband lines in the 

United States has increased by nearly 1,000 percent since 2001. 

•	 Created a new National Space Policy to ensure the continued free access 

and use of space for peaceful purposes and to help advance America’s 

economic competitiveness. Protected our national interests in space, 

governed the conduct of U.S. space activities, and enhanced the domestic 

space technology market. 
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SET A BRIGHT COURSE FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE

During his time in office, President Bush worked to improve our 

environment, energy security, and the quality of life for Americans. Because 

of the President’s efforts to encourage cooperative conservation, innovation, 

and new technologies, America’s air is cleaner, our water is purer, and 

our natural resources are better protected. President Bush strengthened 

America’s energy security by advancing clean energy technologies, renewable 

energy, and energy efficiency to reduce our dependence on oil. Under the 

President’s leadership, crime in our Nation has been reduced to historic lows, 

children in America are safer, teen drug use has declined, fewer Americans 

are homeless, American consumers have been better protected, and we have 

helped make the United States a more equitable country. 

Took Unparalleled Action to Advance Cooperative Conservation and 

Protect the Environment

•	 Provided the highest recognition and protection to nearly 335,000 

square miles as marine national monuments, the largest marine area in 

history. Designated approximately 195,000 square miles in the Central 

Pacific as marine national monuments, which include and surround the 

Marianas Trench, Rose Atoll, and the Pacific Remote Islands. Designated 

nearly 140,000 square miles of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which 

contains more than 7,000 species, as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine 

National Monument. Protected more than 660,000 square miles of other 

fish habitat. Reduced marine debris, protected America’s fisheries and 

reduced over-fishing, and conserved popular recreational fish. 

•	 Improved and protected the health of more than 27 million acres of 

Federal forest and grasslands and protected, restored, and improved 

more than three million acres of wetlands. Cleared dry brush, dead 

trees, and overstocked forests on 27 million acres of forest and range lands 

through the Healthy Forest Initiative. Created important wildlife habitats, 

including 15 new National Wildlife Refuges.

•	 Instituted policies that helped reduce air pollution by 12 percent from 

2001 to 2007 and adopted new policies that will produce even deeper 

reductions. Established stringent air quality standards and adopted rules 

that will cut hazardous industrial emissions and will cut power plant 

emissions by nearly 70 percent and diesel engine emissions by more than 

90 percent.
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100 things americans may not know

•	 Provided more than $6.5 billion to repair and improve our national 

parks, launched the National Parks Centennial Initiative, and 

established the Preserve America Initiative with First Lady Laura 

Bush to protect our cultural and natural heritage. Created the National 

Parks Centennial Initiative with First Lady Laura Bush to hire more park 

rangers, repair buildings, improve natural landscapes, and engage more 

children as junior rangers. Created seven new units of the National Park 

System. Awarded more than 220 Preserve America grants and numerous 

recognitions totaling $17 million in more than 650 communities in all 50 

States to advance community efforts to protect our cultural and natural 

heritage. 

Advanced America’s Energy Security and Took Steps to Develop 

Cleaner, More Efficient Sources of Energy

•	 Called for and signed legislation to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption 

by tens of billions of gallons of fuel and significantly improve energy 

efficiency. Signed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which, 

though less ambitious than the President’s goal of reducing consumption by 

20 percent in 10 years, mandated that fuel producers use at least 36 billion 

gallons of renewable fuel by 2022 (a nearly five-fold increase over previously 

required levels). Required a national fuel economy standard of 35 miles 

per gallon by 2020 to increase fuel economy by 40 percent and save billions 

of gallons of fuel. Signed legislation that mandated new energy efficiency 

standards for appliances and lighting.

•	 Instituted policies that helped quadruple ethanol production to more 

than six billion gallons. Supported policies and incentives that contributed 

to an increase in ethanol production from 1.6 billion gallons in 2000 to an 

estimated 6.5 billion gallons in 2007. Dedicated more than $1 billion to 

advance cellulosic ethanol made from switchgrass, wood chips, and other 

non-food sources. 

•	 Removed the executive prohibition on offshore exploration for oil 

and gas. Successfully pressured Congress to remove its ban on offshore 

exploration and took steps to increase domestic oil exploration to reduce our 

dependence on foreign oil. 

•	 Provided more than $18 billion to research, develop, and promote 

alternative and more efficient energy technologies such as biofuels, solar, 

wind, clean coal, nuclear, and hydrogen. Dedicated more than $3.5 billion 

to research, develop, and demonstrate clean coal technologies and fulfilled 

the President’s $2 billion commitment to the Coal Research Initiative three 

years early. Invested approximately $1.2 billion in hydrogen and fuel cell 
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vehicle research and development. Supported tax incentives that helped 

industry to increase wind energy production by more than 400 percent since 

2001, double the United States’ solar energy capacity between 2000 and 

2007, and grow solar installations by more than 32 percent in 2007 alone. 

•	 Encouraged the deployment of new nuclear reactors in the United 

States, which resulted in the first license applications to construct and 

operate new nuclear power plants in 30 years. Launched the Nuclear 

Power 2010 Program and other significant efforts that helped encourage 

industry to submit 17 applications for 26 new nuclear reactors in the United 

States. Invested more than $300 million in research and development of 

nuclear technologies in 2007 alone, and in 2003, joined the international 

research project to harness the energy of fusion. Signed legislation giving 

the Department of Energy the authority to provide up to $18.5 billion in 

loan guarantees for nuclear power facilities and up to $2 billion in loan 

guarantees for advanced facilities that process nuclear fuel.

Reduced Crime, Lowered Teen Drug Use, Protected Vulnerable 

Children, and Helped Make America a More Equitable Country

•	 Launched innovative strategies that contributed to the lowest overall 

incidence of reported crime in three decades. Reduced the rate of 

reported crime in 2007 by 9.6 percent compared to 2000. In 2007, the 

violent crime rate was 43 percent lower than the rate in 1998. Created 

Project Safe Neighborhoods, vigorously enforced Federal firearms laws, and 

filed more than 68,000 firearms cases against more than 83,000 defendants 

from Fiscal Year 2001 through Fiscal Year 2007 – more than double the 

number of Federal prosecutions filed in the previous seven-year period.

•	 Convicted nearly 1,300 individuals of corporate fraud and corruption. 

Convicted more than 200 CEOs and corporate presidents, more than 120 

corporate vice presidents, and more than 50 chief financial officers.

•	 Reduced drug use among teens by 25 percent. Created a national drug 

control strategy, which helped reduce the number of American teens using 

drugs by approximately 900,000. Helped break-up more than 5,000 

drug trafficking organizations. Increased parental awareness of youth 

prescription drug abuse. 

•	 Rescued more than 575 children from sexual exploitation, arrested and 

convicted thousands of suspects, and helped recover nearly 400 missing 

children since 2002 by strengthening the AMBER Alert program. 

Launched the Innocence Lost Initiative, a joint Federal and State effort to 

prevent child prostitution, which has led to the recovery of more than 575 

children and the convictions of more than 300 defendants. Posted a nearly 
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100 things americans may not know

28 percent increase in Federal prosecutions of child predators in Fiscal Year 

2007. Apprehended more than 2,350 suspects through the Internet Crimes 

Against Children program in Fiscal Year 2007. Created a national network 

of 59 Department of Justice-funded regional task forces that investigate 

computer-facilitated child sexual exploitation. Launched Project Safe 

Childhood to further protect children from exploitation over the Internet. 

Developed a national network of AMBER Alert systems, appointed the 

first National Coordinator in 2002, and assured the National Coordinator’s 

continuity and authority by signing the PROTECT Act in 2003. Helped 

increase successful recoveries of missing children sought through AMBER 

Alerts approximately ninefold, with nearly 400 children recovered since 

2002.

•	 Protected the right to vote for generations to come by reauthorizing 

the Voting Rights Act and advanced civil rights. Signed the Fannie 

Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act 

Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 to ensure Americans enjoy 

the full promise of freedom by prohibiting the use of tests or devices to 

deny Americans the right to vote. Launched the Post-9/11 Discriminatory 

Backlash Initiative to investigate bias-motivated crimes and unlawful 

discrimination against individuals in the United States after the 9/11 

attacks, resulting in more than 800 criminal investigations. Worked to root 

out discrimination on college campuses, and investigated and resolved more 

than 1,100 Title IX complaints from 2002 to 2006. 

Reduced Homelessness and Aided Struggling Homeowners

•	 Reduced the number of chronically homeless people by approximately 

30 percent between 2005 and 2007. Awarded approximately $10 billion 

to support local housing and service programs since 2001. Lowered the 

number of chronically homeless Americans by approximately 50,000 people 

between 2005 and 2007 thanks in part to increased funding to address 

homelessness. In 2005, the Administration became the first to estimate the 

total homeless population based on data from virtually all communities.

•	 Helped more than two million individuals and families keep their homes 

by launching FHA Secure and helping to facilitate the HOPE NOW 

Alliance. Launched FHA Secure, which expanded the ability of individuals 

and families to refinance into FHA-insured mortgages. Facilitated the 

formation of the innovative, private-sector HOPE NOW Alliance to help 

individuals and families keep their homes.
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Improved Transportation and Import Safety and Protected American 

Consumers

•	 Implemented congestion relief and safety measures that have made 

our highways and airways safer and more efficient. Created new safety 

measures that contributed to the largest reduction in vehicle fatalities in 

15 years and the lowest-ever rate of highway deaths. Improved aviation 

safety oversight, which has led to the safest six-year period in the history 

of commercial aviation. Instituted a new national rail safety plan that has 

contributed to a 25 percent decline in the number of rail crashes since 2005. 

Launched new strategies that include increasing flight capacity at America’s 

busiest airports and freeing up airspace during peak travel times to curb 

transportation congestion and reduce delays. Provided increased protection 

for consumers, including measures requiring airlines to provide greater 

compensation for lost bags and imposing tougher penalties when airlines fail 

to notify travelers of hidden fees.

•	 Increased import safety for American consumers. Instituted an Import 

Safety Action Plan to better protect American consumers and took strong 

enforcement action against manufacturers of tainted imports. Established 

unprecedented import safety coordination with China by stationing FDA 

inspectors in China and signing agreements that enhanced the safety 

of products traded between our nations to protect consumers and the 

environment.

•	 Enacted the Do Not Call List, which 145 million Americans have 

utilized to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls. Instituted the DoNot-Call Registry, which prohibits commercial telemarketers from calling 

Americans who have added their phone numbers to the Registry. 

STOOD ON PRINCIPLE, REFUSED TO PUT OFF TOUGH 

DECISIONS, AND SHOWED THE WAY AHEAD 

President Bush made decisions based upon principles, not polls. His 

character, vision, leadership, and refusal to compromise his core beliefs have 

allowed him to tackle tough issues and do what is right for America.

Advanced a Culture of Life

•	 Outlawed partial birth abortion, ensured that every infant born alive 

is protected, established consequences for violence toward unborn 

children, and took steps to protect the rights of health care providers to 

act according to their conscience. Called for and signed the Partial Birth 
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100 things americans may not know

Abortion Ban Act of 2003 to outlaw partial birth abortion and successfully 

defended this law before the Supreme Court. Required Federal law to 

recognize any infant born alive as an individual, including the survivors 

of abortion procedures, by signing the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. 

Created a separate criminal offense for any person who causes the death or 

injury of a child in the womb by signing the Unborn Victims of Violence 

Act of 2004. Issued a regulation to ensure health care providers are not 

forced to choose between practicing medicine and following their moral and 

ethical convictions. 

•	 Provided government funding for stem cell research while refusing to 

sanction the destruction of human life. Supported research on existing 

embryonic stem cell lines within moral boundaries, which extended the 

frontiers of medicine without destroying human life as demonstrated by the 

discovery that reprogramming technologies can be used to make adult cells 

function like other cells, including embryonic stem cells.

•	 Prohibited foreign nongovernmental organizations that receive U.S. 

tax dollars for family planning from performing or actively promoting 

abortion. Restored the Mexico City Policy to ensure our international 

family planning programs are not indirectly subsidizing abortion or the 

promotion of abortion.

Appointed Judges Committed to Ruling by the Letter of the Law

•	 Appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice 

Samuel Alito, and more than one-third of all active Federal judges, who 

will not legislate from the bench. Ensured two justices seated on our 

Nation’s highest court will decide cases based on the Constitution and laws 

as written, not policy preferences. Appointed more than 300 Federal judges, 

including 61 Circuit Court judges, who will not impose an activist agenda on 

the courts.

Confronted Climate Change through Innovation and without Harming 

our Economy

•	 Set the country on course to stop the growth of greenhouse gas 

emissions below projected levels by 2025 and invested more than $44 

billion in climate change-related programs. Set an initial national goal 

to reduce greenhouse gas intensity 18 percent by 2012, which the United 

States is on track to meet or exceed. Supported new Federal and State 

mandates and incentives that are projected to take at least five billion tons of 

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions out of the air. Invested more than $44 billion 
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to advance climate related science, technology, observation, and incentives. 

Signed laws giving the Department of Energy the authority to provide more 

than $67 billion in loans and guarantees to help support innovative energy 

projects to reduce greenhouse gas or air pollutant emissions and to retool 

auto plants to produce more efficient vehicles. 

•	 Worked to build international consensus on practical actions to address 

climate change as a global issue. Convened the leaders of the world’s major 

economies, both developed and developing, to work on ways to further 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security without 

harming our economies or giving any nation a free ride. Led a global 

agreement that will dramatically cut emissions of a potent greenhouse gas 

by more than what the Kyoto Protocol might achieve. Launched the AsiaPacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate to address climate 

change and help develop and accelerate the deployment of cleaner and more 

efficient energy technologies.

Demonstrated Leadership on Reforming Entitlement Programs, the 

Immigration System, and Government Sponsored Enterprises

•	 Proposed initiatives to fix Social Security and address the greatest 

threat to America’s fiscal future – the uncontrolled growth of Federal 

entitlements. Entitlement programs are projected to grow faster than the 

economy, faster than the population, and faster than the rate of inflation, 

with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid on course to consume 60 

percent of the entire Federal budget by 2030. President Bush proposed 

reforms to the Social Security program and embraced policies that would 

have solved most of the projected Social Security shortfall, including 

giving individual Americans the option to put part of their payroll taxes 

in voluntary personal retirement accounts, but Congress failed to act. 

Additionally, in his Fiscal Year 2009 Budget, President Bush proposed $178 

billion in five-year Medicare savings that would have slowed the average 

annual rate of growth in Medicare from 7.2 percent to 5 percent. The 

President also proposed regulatory actions to strengthen Medicaid program 

integrity that would have saved more than $14 billion over five years and 

slowed the average annual growth rate from 7.6 percent to 7.4 percent over 

the same period.
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100 things americans may not know

•	 Laid out a comprehensive plan to reform and fix our broken immigration 

system. President Bush proposed a plan that placed border security first, 

created a temporary worker program, held employers accountable for the 

workers they hired, addressed the situation of immigrants already living 

in the United States, and honored the American tradition of the melting 

pot. Although Congress failed to address this difficult challenge, President 

Bush’s bold solution has helped shape the future debate on fixing our broken 

immigration system.

•	 Warned of the risk that government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac posed to America’s financial security 

beginning in 2001. In 2001, President Bush’s first budget warned 

that “financial trouble of a large GSE could cause strong repercussions 

in financial markets.” In 2003, the Administration began calling for a 

new GSE regulator. Despite resistance from Congress, President Bush 

continued to call for GSE reform until Congress finally acted in 2008 to 

provide the additional oversight the President requested five years earlier. 

Unfortunately, the reform came too late to prevent systemic consequences.

Directed Unprecedented Preparations for a Smooth Presidential 

Transition 

•	 Led the most comprehensive and forward-leaning effort in modern 

history to facilitate a smooth and effective transition. In 2007, some 

Federal agencies began identifying and preparing career executives to 

assume leadership roles and to start developing briefing materials for 

the new Administration. By the summer of 2008, briefings began with 

the major party presidential candidates and their transition teams and 

the Department of Justice and the FBI began work to provide security 

clearances for transition personnel. In the fall of 2008, national intelligence 

officials began providing intelligence briefings to the candidates and 

immediately after the election, daily briefings for the President-elect 

began. President Bush has acted vigorously on his commitment to honor 

a hallmark of American democracy, the peaceful transfer of power, and 

has worked to ensure that the American people are kept safe during these 

consequential times.