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Thank you, and, Mayor Koch-and I thank him; he is the donor of that jacket which I am very proud to have-Commissioner McGuire, Senator D'Amato, Congressman Molinari, and James Wieghart, together with the residents of this great city, you are reminding all Americans of what is right and good about our people and our country. My hat is off to New York and its police force for their dedicated and often thankless battle against crime. And I congratulate the New York Daily News for caring enough about its community that it sponsors the New York Crime Fighters Award program. I understand that more than $60,000 in those prize moneys that Mr. Wieghart mentioned have been given out so far, and that is quite an investment in our collective peace of mind. By working together, the city and the Daily News are another example of how our public and private institutions can be made even more effective in improving the quality of our lives. But most of all, I want to thank these citizens here for-they are everyday Americans-thank them for their courage in unexpected circumstances and for their becoming heroes they were. You know, someone once said that a hero is not braver than anyone else. I do not know whether that is the answer or not, but God bless them all. And those who say we are in a time when there are no heroes, they just do not know where to look. They certainly have not been flipping through the pages of the New York Daily News lately. I wish all our people could read, as I have, the accounts of your individual acts of heroism. In each case you seem to think you acted as anyone else would have in the same situation. And you spoke from your hearts about how we all depend on one another. If somebody needs help, we should try to help out. Well, when you read how the Torres brothers chased down a purse-snatcher wielding a knife; how Mrs. Keneally, a grandmother, collared a pickpocket by his neck scarf and gave him the back of her hand until the police arrived-I liked the picture of that one more than anything- -and how Rabbi Rosenfeld immobilized a mugger armed with a machete; you realize there is nothing very average about the average American. Sometimes I have accused some of our political opponents of referring so much about the common man, and I prefer to think that most Americans are pretty uncommon.

monologic

Whatever successes this administration has had in combating global poverty, Colin Powell gets a lot of credit. I will spend some time talking about our responsibility as government to address global poverty. It is a responsibility we take seriously, and it is a responsibility that Colin Powell carried out in his distinguished tenure as the Secretary of State of our country. I want to thank you for being a friend, and thank you for your service to the country. Thank you all for allowing me to come by to speak. I appreciate the cofounders and the leaders of the Global Development effort. I want to thank you for having this summit. Thank you for being what I call social entrepreneurs, people who care about the plight of other people. Across the globe, more than a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. That should be a troubling statistic to all Americans. They lead lives of hunger; they lead lives of desperation. That struggle ought to inspire us here in America. It is inspired you; it ought to inspire all our citizens. I want to thank you for lending your expertise and your funds to address problems alongside your Government. Colin said, You know, this is not a governmental effort; it is not a business effort; it is not an NGO effort; it is a combined effort by a lot of compassionate hearts to address a significant problem. And so I am here to thank you for your commitment and to let you know, we are pleased to stand with you. I want to thank Susan Schwab, who traveled with me today. Maybe you do not know who she is, but you will soon, because she just got sworn in as the new Trade Representative for the United States. So who do you pick to be the Trade Minister? Well, you pick somebody who is a good negotiator, for starters, somebody who understands that opening markets is in our national interest and that when you open a market, you make sure-as we open our markets, you make sure you are treated fairly. That is what we want. We want to be able to tell the American people that free trade is good for our country, but fair trade means that it is responsible. And so she understands that. She will be a good, hard negotiator, but she also understands something I understand, and that is, trade is one of the best ways to help lift people out of poverty. I am going to talk about that in a little bit.

monologic

I am sorry Laura could not be with me here. She is a-she is a person who cares deeply about the suffering in places like the continent of Africa. When she travels, she brings the message to the people there that a lot of Americans care deeply about ENTITY or care deeply about hunger or malaria. She sends her greetings. I am lucky she said yes when I asked her to marry me. I think this country is lucky to have her as an ambassadress for the good hearts of the American people. I thank Bill Clapp and General Shalikashvili, former Senator Dan Evans, Bill Ruckelshaus, cofounders of the Initiative for Global Development. I thank the members who are here as well. I appreciate Ambassador Randy Tobias. He had a pretty easy job there in Indianapolis at one time. I asked him to-I asked him-I said, Look, Randy, you have got management skills, and you care; why do not you serve your country, see; why do not you come here to Washington, DC, and put up with all the rhetoric and the noise and the sharp elbows and do something for people around the world? He ran the-he ran our ENTITY/ENTITY initiative, and he did a really good job. America is on the leading edge of fighting ENTITY/ENTITY, and one of the reasons we are effective is because of Randy Tobias. See, I got a place in Montana where I can fish. I think you got one in Montana, do not you? Yes, he started talking about his fishing place in Montana. I said, You need to run USAID. It is an important part of helping deal with global poverty. It is an important part of our strategy. I want to thank you for staying on, and I want to thank you for your hard work and your vision. You represent the very best of corporate America. You get your skills; you make a living; and then you come and serve your fellow countrymen and the world. Randy, I really thank you for the inspiration and the example you have set. I am going to talk about the Millennium Challenge Account. Colin mentioned it. The head of it is here today, John Danilovich. Like, we were not moving money out the door, and Congress began to get nervous. I remember Colin was coming to the Oval saying, Look, it is a great idea, but we got to show some results here pretty quick.

monologic

Danilovich understands the job is to be less bureaucratic and more forward-leaning when it comes to implementing the Millennium Challenge Account strategy. I want to thank you for taking on this important job. And I also want to thank my friend Rob Mosbacher, fellow Texan, who is running OPIC. Appreciate you serving the country. I believe to whom much is given, much is required. This country has been given a lot. We have got a great system; we have got wonderful entrepreneurs; and we are wealthy. We are wealthy because of the ingenuity of the American people. We are wealthy because we have got a fiscal system that encourages the private sector to flourish. We are wealthy because we are a country of rules and laws. I also believe that with prosperity comes an enormous responsibility. We have a moral duty to care for those who hurt here at home, and we have a moral duty to care for those-as best as we can for those abroad. That is part of the foreign policy of our country. It is a foreign policy that Secretary of State Powell helped implement-helped form and implement. We believe every person, no matter their income or economic status, bears the image of a Creator. That is what I believe. I believe every person, no matter their income or their status or where they live, has dignity of matchless value. And we believe that those who live in the most extreme poverty deserve this country's help. It serves our Nation's interests as well. It is the country's economic interest that we fight global poverty, because as developing nations grow in prosperity, they create better lives for their citizens and markets for U.S. products. It is in our security interests that we fight global poverty, because weakened, impoverished states are attractive safe havens for terrorists and tyrants and international criminals. We believe that young people without opportunities are susceptible to ideologies of hatred. And so by helping poor nations create a more hopeful future, we can not only build prosperity; we reduce the appeal of radicalism. The reduction of extreme poverty in our world must be a key objective of American foreign policy. And so today I want to talk to you about the need for us to expand trade, to promote freedom, and to reform the programs that we have in place, in order to achieve results, in order to say that-to the American taxpayer, the money is not only being spent; it is being spent wisely.

monologic

First, the strategy to defeat extreme poverty begins with trade. The value of trade is more than 10 times the value of foreign investment and foreign aid combined. In other words, prosperity as a result of trade is more likely, 10 times more likely, to have a positive effect on somebody living in a poor society than just investment and grants. History has shown what I am talking about. It is probably hard for some to remember, back in the fifties, particularly if you were born in the sixties- -but South Korea was one of the poorest nations in Asia. South Korea reformed its economy and opened its markets to the world. And today, export growth-the capacity for people to find work in South Korea, for products that are sold elsewhere-has made this country the tenth largest economy in the world. India, for a long period of time, had restricted its markets. India opened its markets to global trade 15 years ago. It has doubled the size of its economy since then and created a middle class which is larger than the entire population of the United States. The World Bank study found that developing nations that lowered their trade barriers in the 1990s grew three times faster than those that did not. Economic growth is one important way to reduce poverty. It is the most effective way to reduce poverty. The best way to help millions mired in poverty is to expand the benefits of global trade. That is part of this administration's strategy. I asked Congress, and Congress granted trade promotion authority. It took a lot of work, as you recall, Mr. Secretary, but it was a necessary part of our capacity to expand trade. And since then, we have completed negotiations on free trade agreements with 15 nations on 5 continents with a combined population of 200 million people. We have built on the success of the African Growth and Opportunity Act. For those of you who follow the economic vitality of Africa, you know that AGOA has been a very effective policy. It was put in place by my predecessor, President Clinton. And we signed into law the AGOA Acceleration Act. In other words, we took the step that President Clinton took and took it farther. Trade helps lift people out of poverty. Since AGOA's inception, U.S. imports from Africa have increased by 114 percent. Last year, over 98 percent of U.S. imports from AGOA-eligible countries entered this country duty-free. When somebody is able to sell a product into the United States, it means somebody is working.

monologic

It means somebody has got a job. It means that people are not reliant upon the Government to help them realize their dreams. This is like-AGOA has created new opportunities. Americans have got to understand that when we talk about trade, we are not only talking about enhancing economic growth and vitality; we are helping people get out of poverty. Trade is an important part of making sure that we implement this strategy. You know, the AGOA showed that bipartisan cooperation here in Washington is possible. And one thing you can help is to make sure that bipartisan cooperation on other trade agreements is possible in Washington, DC. If you are genuinely serious about reducing poverty, you need to help us make sure this Nation does not become a protectionist nation. The tendencies are to say, Let us just wall ourselves off from competition. But if we become a protectionist nation, if we lose our confidence and our capacity to compete in the global economy, it will make it much harder to achieve the common goal of reducing global poverty. Now we are confronted with a really good opportunity, by the way, to deal with global poverty, and that is to complete the Doha round of the WTO negotiations. You know, national interests seem to be kind of more important than a-than reducing barriers and tariffs across the world. You know, local politics has a lot to do with whether or not this Doha round is going to get completed, and I understand that. And I knew that going into the negotiations. We are ready to eliminate all tariffs and subsidies and other barriers to free flow of goods and services, and we expect other nations to do the same. That is what I said to get the Doha round moving. See, we are ready to make the move on agriculture and services and manufacturing, but we expect other nations to do the same thing. We expect other nations to give us market access. I want to be able to go to people here in the United States, producers, and say, We got you market access so you can compete fairly. And that is why we are going to get rid of the subsidies that now exist on the books. The Doha negotiations are at a critical moment. It is-in my view, countries in Europe have to make a tough decision on farming. And the G-20 countries have to make a tough decision on manufacturing. And the United States is prepared to make a tough decision along with them. That is my message to the world. Susan's going to carry that message.

monologic

I am going to carry it to Europe next week at the EU summit. Now is the time for the world to come together and make this world a free trading world, not only for the benefit of our own economies but as an important part of the strategy to reduce poverty around the world. I think we have to expand freedom in order to reduce poverty. Free nations produce the vast majority of the world's economic output. Many of the worst dictatorships are some of the world's most poorest nations. I believe there is a correlation between prosperity and freedom. And this country of ours will continue to pursue an agenda that understands that human liberty is universal. It is just not a U.S. thing; it is its own-liberty is something that everybody yearns for. And freer the world becomes, the more prosperous the world becomes and the more likely people will not be mired in poverty Nations that build institutions that secure the rule of law and respect human dignity also are more likely to create an economic climate that fosters investment and growth. And so we support the rise of free and democratic societies across the world. And the story of freedom is one of the really, really interesting chapters of the 21st century, when you think about it. From Afghanistan to Iraq to Lebanon to Georgia to Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan, people have gone to the polls and elected their leaders. In the last 5 years, more than 110 million people have joined the ranks of the free. That is an astonishing development when you think about it. And it is a positive development for those of us who care deeply about global poverty. As more people gain their freedom, they will also gain the opportunity to build a better life. That is a fact of life. And so this country has got to be confident in our willingness, in our desire to help people- to help free people from the clutches of tyrants. I said in my second Inaugural speech, The goal of this country ought to be to end tyranny in the 21st century. I could have easily have said, One way to reduce global poverty is to reduce tyranny in the 21st century. Free peoples need to do more than cast their ballots. We recognize that. It is just the beginning of a process to reduce global poverty. And so the United States has an obligation to help others build the institutions necessary-in a civil society-necessary to be able to deal in a-with the advent of freedom.

monologic

And so we are helping new democracies build free institutions that are responsive to the people's needs. And we are doing so through organizations like the National Endowment of Democracy. We have worked to double its budget over the past 5 years. Those funds support programs that will help form civic organizations. We are helping businesses in new market economies organize trade associations and chambers of commerce. It is the things we take for granted here in America, these funds are meant to do. It is one thing to promote trade; it is one thing to promote freedom, but we have got to recognize that our own aid programs have got to help complement those objectives. In other words, we want results from the money we spend. That is what the American people expect, by the way. See, when we talk about foreign aid, they expect the foreign aid to mean something. I think about people out there that are working hard for a living, and they say, You know, you are spending this money overseas. And the answer is, because not only do we have a moral duty, it is in our national interest to do so. But I have got to be able to tell them, as well, and anybody in elected office has got to be able to say, We are making a difference with the money, see; it is actually producing results. For decades, we provided aid with good intentions. We did not always ask if we were getting good results. One of the great reforms of Colin Powell's tenure as Secretary of State is, he started asking, What are the results of the programs; what are we achieving? Since 2002, we have committed to increase the resources we devote to fighting poverty across the world. As Colin mentioned, since taking office, we more than doubled assistance around the world from 10 billion to 27 1/2 billion. It is the largest increase, by the way, of foreign aid since the Marshall plan. And you get a lot of credit for that, Mr. Secretary. I remember you coming into the Oval Office saying, Let us put our hearts out there for people to see. And one way to do it is by increasing our budgets. I want to remind you what we are doing with that money. We are fighting ENTITY/ENTITY, and we are helping countries fight malaria. We are expanding education for women and girls. We are rewarding developing nations that move forward with economic and political reform.

monologic

And by the way, shortchanging these efforts-Congress has got to understand, in shortchanging these efforts, if they choose to do so in the appropriations process, they would undercut our long-term security and dull the conscience of our country. I urge Congress to serve the interests of America by showing the compassion of America and approve my full funding request for foreign assistance this year. And as we increase the resources, we will increase accountability for those who have received American aid. In many poor countries, it is really important for all of us who are involved in this program to admit that corruption runs deep. And a lot of times, the assistance we have provided has been wasted or put in the pockets of corrupt officials. If we expect the people to support us in our efforts to be robust in our compassion overseas, then we have got to recognize that sometimes that money gets stolen and people do not get the results for the money that they expect. And so we decided to do something about it. We decided that our foreign policy ought to recognize true compassion as measured by real improvements, not just by the amount of money spent. And real improvement is the goal of our assistance. And so we have set up the Millennium Challenge Account. And it was set up under the-in the State Department when Colin was there. And here is what it says, it says, We want to grant you money. We want to give assistance, but you have got to be responsible. You, the recipient, have got to be responsible for fighting corruption, embracing democratic government, encouraging free markets, and investing in the health and education of your people. I remember when we put that out, it was a little controversial, as you remember. I do not see what is controversial in that. I do not see what is wrong with saying to a nation, You do not get any money if you are corrupt. Because we believe countries are capable of getting rid of corruption. I do not see what is wrong with saying, You have got to show real investment in education and health care in order to receive our money. I think if part of the goal is to encourage economic development, we ought to say to countries, in return for U.S. aid, open your markets so you can enhance the prosperity of your citizens. Every nation that applies for a Millennium Challenge grant develops its own priorities and develops its own strategies.

monologic

But one of the things we do-and this is what Danilovich does and his staff does- they develop clear goals that are measurable. So we say, This is what you are going to do? Show us as time goes on that you are doing it. So far, eight nations have compacts in place that is worth over $1 1/2 billion. Additional 15 countries are now negotiating with the Millennium Challenge Account. And we are going to get the money out the door so long as they meet the criterion. But the point I am trying to make to you is that wise use of Government monies can help us achieve objectives which lead to the reduction of global poverty. And so we are just through spending the money without asking for results. We believe countries have got the capacity to change; that is what we believe. We refuse to accept the status quo. It is time for other countries around the world to demand anticorruption regimes. If we are truly interested in reducing global poverty, those of us who are granting money need to stand up with a united voice and say, We are not going to tolerate corruption. One of the things Randy Tobias and others are going to do at the State Department, they are going to apply the same principle I have just described to you to all our development aid. We are going to insist upon transparency and performance and accountability. We are going to ensure that every American aid dollar encourages developing nations to build institutions necessary for long-term success. And we are going to help developing nations achieve economic independence. That is what we are going to do. We are going to get away from this notion about, kind of, just analyzing monies based upon percentage of this, that, or the other. We are going to be generous in our contribution and demand results in return. Now, what is interesting about the goal of eliminating poverty is that about 85 percent of American resources to the developing world come from the private sector. It is one thing for me to talk, and now I am changing from what we are doing to encouraging you to continue doing what you are doing. The truth of the matter is, our generous Nation is-the generosity of our Nation is reflected in the private sector a lot. You know, government helps, and government does a lot. As I said, we have doubled aid, but what our private sectors do is-it is unbelievable, when you think about it. And corporate America has a responsibility.

monologic

And for those of you who represent the NGOs and faith-based groups, thank you for joining the cause as well. Some of the best work in fighting poverty is accomplished in partnership with private institutions. The Global Development Alliance has successfully built 400 worldwide alliances. You have leveraged about 1.4 billion of taxpayers' dollars to over $4.6 billion. In other words, you have taken the money we are spending as kind of a-I would not call it a downpayment, but it is part of a way to really leverage your generosity. And you are making a difference in the lives of millions of people. I am grateful for you. That is what I have really come to say. I have come to assure you that the effort to eliminate global poverty is an integral part of our foreign policy. And I think it needs to be a foreign-part of foreign policy after 2 1/2 years, by the way. I think it needs to be a-I think it needs to be part of the calling of the United States in the 21st century. One of the moral objectives of our time-the great moral objectives of our time is to reduce poverty. I like what Alexis de Tocqueville said about America. Back in 1832, he captured a lot of the spirit of this country. He said this, he said, When an American needs the assistance of his fellows, it is very rare that it be refused. When some unexpected disaster strikes a family, a thousand strangers willingly open their purses. That was the America he saw in the 1830s. It is still got to be the America of the 21st century as well, but not only to help our fellow citizens here at home but for our national interests and our economic interests, and just to answer the call of our hearts It ought to be the center of our foreign policy and the center of the social entrepreneurs in America. We moved hard for the tsunamis, with a military presence that helped organize relief. When the earthquake came in Pakistan, we did not hesitate; we moved. We know that when a neighbor needs assistance, that we have an obligation to help provide it. My assurance to you is that we will continue to stand with our brothers and sisters who are poor, to help as best as we possibly can, and I want to thank you for helping as well. God bless your efforts, and may God bless our country.

monologic

Earlier this week Hillary and I were honored to welcome America's Olympic team to the White House. Our athletes amassed a terrific record. There were powerful moments of courage in victory and defeat that captured the imagination of the entire world. I think most of us wish the world would work more like the Olympics. All the individuals and teams had a chance, gave it their best, and win or lose, were better off for their efforts. As heroic as the feats of the athletes in this Olympics was the way all those involved in the Atlanta games pressed on in the face of adversity. Just 2 weeks ago today a pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park. It was a terrorist act aimed not only at the innocent people there but the very spirit of the Olympics. This was brutal evidence that no nation is immune from terrorism and an urgent reminder that we must do everything we can to fight the terrorists. People have more opportunities than ever because people and technology and information travel quickly across national borders. But these things that make us all closer and give us more chances also make us more vulnerable to the forces of organized destruction, to the drug traffickers, the organized criminals, the people who sell weapons of mass destruction, and of course, especially to the terrorists. What happened in the Olympic Centennial Park, that wonderful public space open to all people who visited Atlanta, is symbolic of the world's problem with terrorism. Now, that is why terrorism must be a central national security priority for the United States. We are pursuing a three-part strategy against terrorism. First, we are rallying the world community to stand with us against terrorism. From the Summit of the Peacemakers in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt, where 13 Arab nations for the very first time condemned terror in Israel and throughout the Middle East to the antiterror agreements we reached with our G-7 partners in Russia last month to take specific common actions to fight terrorism, we are moving forward together. Our intelligence services have been sharing more information with other nations than ever to stop terrorists before they act, capture them if they do, and see that they are brought to justice. We have imposed stiff sanctions with our allies against states that support terrorists. When necessary, we are acting on our own. A law I signed this week will help to deny Iran and Libya the money they use to finance international terrorism. Second, our antiterrorism strategy relies on tough enforcement and stern punishment here at home.

monologic

We made terrorism a Federal offense, expanded the role of the FBI, imposed the death penalty. We have hired more law enforcement personnel, added resources, improved training. And I am proposing a new law that will help to keep terrorists off our soil, fight money laundering, and punish violent crimes committed against Americans abroad. Third, we are tightening security on our airplanes and at our Nation's airports. From now on, we will hand-search more luggage and screen more bags and require preflight inspections for any plane flying to or from the United States. I have asked Vice President Gore to head an effort to deploy new high-technology inspection machines at our airports and to review all our security operations. We will continue to press forward on all three of these fronts. But we cannot cast aside any tools in this fight for the security of our country and the safety of our people. That is exactly what the Republican majority in Congress did by stripping from the antiterrorism legislation key provisions that law enforcement needs to help them find out, track down, and shut down terrorists. Law enforcement has asked for wiretap authority to enable them to follow terrorists as they move from phone to phone. This is the only way to track stealthy terrorists as they plot their crimes. This authority has already been granted to our law enforcement officials when they are dealing with organized criminals. Surely it is even more urgent to give them this authority when it comes to terrorists. And law enforcement has also asked that explosives used to make a bomb be marked with a taggant, a trace chemical or a microscopic plastic chip scattered throughout the explosives. This way sophisticated machines can find bombs before they explode, and when they do explode police scientists can trace a bomb back to the people who actually sold the explosive materials that led to the bomb. In Switzerland over the past decade it is helped to identify who made bombs and explosives in over 500 cases. When it was being tested in our country several years ago, it helped police to find a murderer in Maryland. In the last 2 weeks since the Olympic bombing, our law enforcement officers have been working around the clock, but they have been denied a scientific tool that might help to solve investigations like this one. Our antiterrorism bill would have given us the ability to require tagging gunpowder often used in making pipe bombs. The Republicans in Congress could give law enforcement this antiterrorism tool, but once again they are listening to the gun lobby over law enforcement.

monologic

To be selected as their ENTITY candidate by a great party convention, representing so vast a number of the people of the United States, is a most distinguished honor, for which I would not conceal my high appreciation, although deeply sensible of the great responsibilities of the trust, and my inability to bear them without the generous and constant support of my fellow countrymen. Great as is the honor conferred, equally arduous and important is the duty imposed, and in accepting the one I assume the other, relying upon the patriotic devotion of the people to the best interests of our beloved country, and the sustaining care and aid of Him without whose support all we do is empty and vain. Should the people ratify the choice of the great Convention for which you speak, my only aim will be to promote the public good, which in America is always the good of the greatest number, the honor of our country, and the welfare of the people. The questions to be settled in the National contest this year are as serious and important as any of the great governmental problems that have confronted us in the past quarter of a century. They command our sober judgment, and a settlement free from partisan prejudice and passion, beneficial to our selves and befitting the honor and grandeur of the Republic. They touch every interest of our common country. Our industrial supremacy, our productive capacity, our business and commercial prosperity, our labor and its rewards, our National credit and currency, our proud financial honor, and our splendid free citizenship-the birthright of every American- are all involved in the pending campaign, and thus every home in the land is directly and intimately connected with their proper settlement. Great are the issues involved in the coming election, and eager and earnest the people for their right determination. Our domestic trade must be won back, and our idle working people employed in gainful occupations at American wages. Our home market must be restored to its proud rank of first in the world, and our foreign trade, so precipitately cut off by adverse National legislation, reopened, on fair and equitable terms for our supreme agricultural and manufacturing products. Protection and Reciprocity, twin measures of a true American policy, should again command the earnest encouragement of the Government at Washington. Public confidence must be resumed, and the skill, the energy and the capital of our country find ample employment at home, sustained, encouraged and defended against the unequal competition and serious disadvantages with which they are now contending.

monologic

The Government of the United States must raise enough money to meet both its current expenses and increasing needs. Its revenues should be so raised as to protect the material interests of our people, with the lightest possible drain upon their resources, and maintain that high standard of civilization which has distinguished our country for more than a century of its existence. The income of the Government, I repeat, should equal its necessary and proper expenditures. A failure to pursue this policy has compelled the Government to borrow money in a time of peace to sustain its credit and pay its daily expenses. It must be apparent to all, regardless of past party ties or affiliations, that it is our paramount duty to provide adequate revenue for the expenditures of the Government, economically and prudently administered. This the Republican party has heretofore done, and this I confidently believe it will do in the future, when the party is again entrusted with power in the legislative and executive branches of our Government. The National credit, which has thus far fortunately resisted every assault upon it, must and will be upheld and strengthened. If sufficient revenues are provided for the support of the Government, there will be no necessity for borrowing money and increasing the public debt. The complaint of the people is not against the Administration for borrowing money and issuing bonds to preserve the credit of the country, but against the ruinous policy which has made this necessary. It is but an incident, and a necessary one, to the policy which has been inagurated. The inevitable effect of such a policy is seen in the deficiency of the United States Treasury, except as it is replenished by loans, and in the distress of the people who are suffering because of the scant demand for either their labor or the products of their labor. Here is the fundamental trouble, the remedy for which is Republican opportunity and duty. During all the years of Republican control following resumption, there was a steady reduction of the public debt, while the gold reserve was sacredly maintained, and our currency and credit preserved without depreciation, taint or suspicion. If we would restore this policy, that brought us unexampled prosperity for more than thirty years under the most trying conditions ever known in this country, the policy by which we made and bought more goods at home and sold more abroad, the trade balance would be quickly turned in our favor, and gold would come to us and not go from us in the settlement of all such balances in the future.

monologic

The party that supplied by legislation the vast revenues for the conduct of our greatest war; that promptly restored the credit of the country at its close; that from its abundant revenues paid off a large share of the debt incurred in this war, and that resumed specie payments and placed our paper currency upon a sound and enduring basis, can be safely trusted to preserve both our credit and currency, with honor, stability and inviolability. The American people hold the financial honor of our Government as sacred as our flag, and can be relied upon to guard it with the same sleepless vigilance. They hold its preservation above party fealty, and have often demonstrated that party ties avail nothing when the spotless credit of our country is threatened. The money of the United States, and every kind or form of it, whether of paper, silver or gold, must be as good as the best in the world. It must not only be current at its full face value at home, but it must be counted at par in any and every commercial center of the globe. The sagacious and far-seeing policy of the great men who founded our Government; the teachings and acts of the wisest financiers at every stage in our history; the steadfast faith and splendid achievements of the great party to which we belong, and the genius and integrity of our people have always demanded this, and will ever maintain it. The dollar paid to the farmer, the wage-earner, and the pensioner must continue forever equal in purchasing and debt-paying power to the dollar paid to any Government creditor. The contest this year will not be waged upon lines of theory and speculation, but in the light of severe practical experience and new and dearly acquired knowledge. The great body of our citizens know what they want, and that they intend to have. They know for what the Republican party stands and what its return to power means to them. They realize that the Republican party believes that our work should be done at home and not abroad, and everywhere proclaim their devotion to the principles of a protective tariff, which, while supplying adequate revenues for the Government, will restore American production, and serve the best interests of American labor and development. Our appeal, therefore, is not to a false philosophy, or vain theorists, but to the masses of the American people, the plain, practical people, whom Lincoln loved and trusted, and whom the Republican party has always faithfully striven to serve.

monologic

Well, first let me thank Reverend Jackson. This is the first time I have ever spoken from this microphone. You know, as ENTITY, I am superstitious, and we have had such a good stock market. I do not ever comment on it except I like the way it finished today. I wanted to say just a couple of things very briefly. First of all, I want to thank Dick Grasso for his leadership in the Wall Street Project. A lot of people do not know that the stock market was organized over 200 years ago so that there would be a mechanism through which bonds could be issued to finance America's debts in the war for our independence. So, in the beginning, this stock market had not just a profit motive but a public interest purpose. This man has infused the stock market not only with its greatest success in history but with a public interest purpose, to include all Americans in our prosperity. And we thank him. Most of you were with us today in the afternoon, and I will not make you sit through my speech againor stand through my speech again, even though I'd kind of like to, because this is the first crowd in a long time when I have been guaranteed a standing ovation. I just want to make two points. One, I want to thank Jesse Jackson for being there on this issue for a long time, saying we would never be the country we ought to be until we really had economic opportunity for allthat's what the Wall Street Project is all aboutand that it would be good business, as well as good morality. The second point I want to make, that I made today and I leave with all of you is, this is the only time in my lifetime we have had a booming economy, improvements in all of our social fabric, the absence of crisis at home and domestic threats, and the absence of threats to our security around the world as big as those we faced in the cold war. None of this has ever happened before. The big question before us is, what are we going to do with this magic moment? Are we going to take the long look into the future and do the big things that America needs, or are we going to indulge ourselves in shortsighted frittering away of our present wealth and serenity at home and stability around the world?

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If I am late getting up here, I just had to finish the story. President Zia, Begum Zia, distinguished guests, it is an honor for me to welcome you to the White House this evening. President, our talks this morning underlined again the strong links between our countries. We find ourselves even more frequently in agreement on our goals and objectives. And we, for example, applaud your deep commitment to peaceful progress in the Middle East and South Asia, a resolve which bolsters our hopes and the hopes of millions. In the last few years, in particular, your country has come to the forefront of the struggle to construct a framework for peace in your region, an undertaking which includes your strenuous efforts to bring peaceful resolution to the crisis in Afghanistan-a resolution which will enable the millions of refugees currently seeking shelter in Pakistan to go home in peace and honor. Further, you have worked to ensure that progress continues toward improving the relationship between Pakistan and India. And in all these efforts the United States has supported your objectives and will applaud your success. A great intellectual forefather of Pakistan, Muhammed Iqbal, once said that, The secret of life is in the seeking. Well, President Zia, today the people of the United States and Pakistan are seeking the same goals. Your commitment to peace and progress in South Asia and the Middle East has reinforced our commitment to Pakistan. We want to assure you, Mr. President, and the people of your country that we will not waver in this commitment. It stretches back to Pakistan's first days of independence. It is based on mutual interest, yes, but also on shared visions and goals in the world around us. It is based, as well, on the fact that the people of both our countries sincerely value the good relations and the affinity between us. Our people already work together in significant ways through educational exchanges, tourism, economic cooperation, and through bonds of family and friendship. We have cooperative programs in science and technology and in agriculture, and we hope to explore with the Government of Pakistan various ways of enhancing cooperation. Differences may come between our nations or have come between our nations in the past, but they have proven to be transitory while the ties which bind us together grow stronger year by year.

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Ladies and gentlemen, because this is the only time I am going to be before the press today, at the outset of my remarks I'd like to say a few things about the situation in Iraq. For more than 3 months, the United States and the international community have very patiently sought a diplomatic solution to Iraq's decision to end all its cooperation with the U.N. weapons inspectors. Iraq's continued refusal to embrace a diplomatic, peaceful solution, its continued defiance of even more United Nations resolutions, makes it plainer than ever that its real goal is to end the sanctions without giving up its weapons of mass destruction program. The Security Council and the world have made it crystal clear now that this is unacceptable, that none of us can tolerate an Iraq free to develop weapons of mass destruction with impunity. Still, Saddam Hussein has it within his hands to end this crisis now by resuming full cooperation with UNSCOM. Just yesterday his own neighbors in the Arab world made it clear that this choice is his alone and the consequences, if he fails to comply, his alone in terms of responsibility. Now, let me say to all of you, this is a very good day for the United States. I want to thank Officer Sandra Grace from New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Detective Gary McLhinney from Baltimore for their service, for sharing their stories, for representing their organizations so well, for reminding us why all of those here have worked so hard to pass the laws that in a few moments I will sign, laws to help us honor the memory of law enforcement officers by helping to prevent the kind of gun-related crimes that took their lives and by supporting the families they leave behind. I'd also like to thank Secretary Rubin, Attorney General Reno, Director Magaw, the ATF, Assistant Secretary Johnson, and the others who are here from the Treasury and Justice Departments; Attorney General Curran from Maryland, who joined us today. And a special word of thanks to my good friend Senator Biden, who had to leave; and to Congressman Stupak; Congressman King, who spoke so well and did so much. And thank you, Congressman Fox, for joining us here today in celebration of the work you did that I hope you will be proud of all your life, sir. This is a special day for me personally because I was attorney general of my own State. I was Governor for a dozen years. I have spent a lot of hours riding around in State police cars with officers.

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I have been to altogether too many funerals of law enforcement officials killed in the line of duty. And because I come from a small State, very often I knew these people well. I knew their families, their children, their circumstances. Just last weekend I went home to dedicate an airport, and the first people that came running up to me were the three State police officers who were assigned to work the event. And we stood there and relived a lot of old times. And I think, again, we should thank, especially, the Members of Congress who are here; the police officers; Gil Gallegos and the FOP; Thomas Nee and the National Association of Police Officers; Jerry Flynn, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers; Rich Gallo, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association; Sam Cabral, the International Union of Police; and Debbie Geary from the Concerns of Police Survivors. I'd like to ask you all just to give them all another hand. Six years ago when I became ENTITY, one of my most urgent priorities was to put the Federal Government on the side of supporting our police officers and reducing the crime rate. At the time, the crime rate was on the rise; gangs, guns, and drugs were sweeping through our neighborhoods, terrorizing our families, cutting off the future of too many of our children. The thing that bothered me most when I was out around the country seeking the Presidency was that there were so many people who were full of hope and optimism for our country, but when it came to crime, they seemed almost to have given up, to have simply accepted the fact that a rising crime rate was a part of the price of the modern world. We were able to galvanize, all of us together, the energies of the American people to fight back. I never met a law enforcement officer who believed that a rising crime rate was inevitable. Every law enforcement officer I met believed that if we did the right things-if we were tough, yes, but tough was not enough; we had to be smart, too-that if we both punished people who should be punished and did the intelligent things to prevent crime from happening in the first place, that the crime rate could go down. And we passed in 1994 a historic crime bill, along with the Brady law, which among other things focused on community policing, aggressive prevention, and tougher penalties for violent repeat offenders. Now we are ahead of schedule and under budget in putting those 100,000 police on the street.

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We have gone after gangs and drugs with the full authority of Federal law. The Brady law has prevented about a quarter of a million felons, fugitives, and stalkers from buying firearms in the first place. Crime rates have fallen to a 25-year low. All across America, robbery is down; assault is down; murder is down. Respect for the law is on the rise. fewer broken windows, less graffiti, cleaner streets in city after city after city. We must never forget that this victory was won, however, at a very high price for some of our law enforcement officials. We must never forget that police officers put on their uniforms, their badges, go to work every day knowing that that day could be their last, just by doing their jobs. Officer Bradley Arn served on the police force of St. Joseph, Missouri, for the last 7 years. He patrolled the streets by day and worked his way through college by night. At 28, more than anything else, he wanted a better life for his wife and his 2-year-old twin daughters. On Tuesday, just a couple of days ago, he answered a distress call. A career criminal with a semiautomatic gun was terrorizing pedestrians. He responded to the call and was brutally gunned down. According to the police, the murderer had a deadly goal, quote, He wanted to hurt people in black-and-white cars wearing dark blue uniforms. Only the bravery of a fellow officer stopped the shooting spree. Every year there are too many police officers like Bradley Arn who make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. Not very long ago, I went up to the Capitol to honor the two police officers who were killed there. But we have to do more than build monuments to honor these people. We have to take action to prevent more needless tragic deaths, to work for those who have given their lives, and we have to take action to help families they leave behind. Two years ago we acted to provide college scholarships to the families of slain Federal law enforcement officers. Last year I pledged to make those same scholarships available to the families of State and local law enforcement officers and all public safety personnel. Today the legislation I sign honors that pledge. From now on, children and spouses of public safety officials who lose their lives in the line of duty will be able to apply for nearly $5,000 a year to pay for college tuition.

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I should point out that because virtually 100 percent of these families will be people on very modest incomes, they will be eligible also for the $1,500-a-year HOPE tax credit in the first 2 years of college, tax credits for the junior and senior year, expanded work-study programs, student loan programs-a student loan program which in most places allows them to pay the loan back as a percentage of the income that they earn-and the IRA that can be withdrawn from without penalty if the money's used to educate children. Most of that was the product of the bipartisan Balanced Budget Act of 1997. So we believe that if you look at this scholarship amount with the other things that have been passed in the last couple of years, as Peter King said, with overwhelming bipartisan support, Democrats and Republicans working together on these issues, we will be able to protect the families and the children in their education and, in so doing, to honor the families and the law enforcement officers. It is the least we can do, and we have to do it. The bill I am about to sign was enacted in memory of U.S. Deputy Marshal William Degan, the most decorated deputy marshal in our history, who lost his life in a brutal shootout. His son, Billy Degan, was the first young person to benefit from this program. He recently graduated from Boston College, and he is here with us today. I'd like to ask him to stand and be recognized. Now, let me say just a brief word about the other legislation that I am going to sign; Mr. McLhinney talked about it. I am very proud that we are announcing these scholarships, but I cannot wait for the day when there is not a single person eligible for one. And I think that all of us should think about that. We know from painful experience that the most serious threat to the safety of police officers is a criminal armed with a weapon. Most police officers who lose their lives die from gunshot wounds. That is why we fought hard to keep guns off the streets, out of the hands of criminals. Brady background checks, as I said earlier, have prevented nearly a quarter of a million felons, fugitives, and stalkers from buying guns. Last week I announced a new step to close a loophole in the law that makes it easier for gun traffickers and criminals to avoid those checks at private gun shows.

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Make no mistake, the insidious practice of sidestepping our guns laws is not an idle threat. The city of Chicago recently concluded an undercover investigation of gun dealing. And as you saw, I hope, in the morning press, it has just filed suit alleging widespread practices by gun dealers in the Chicago area of selling guns illegally, counseling purchasers on how to evade firearms regulations, even selling guns to purchasers who say they intend to violate the law. We know legitimate gun dealers make every effort to comply with the law, but these charges in Chicago, if proven true, would demonstrate that at least some parts of the gun industry are helping to promote an illegal market in firearms. Such disrespect of our law endangers our people, and we will be watching the progress of this lawsuit closely. The ATF already vigorously investigates gun dealers and other gun traffickers who violate Federal laws. We will continue to work closely with State and local police to trace the crime guns back to their source and prevent illegal gun sales, especially to criminals and juveniles. But there is more we can do to protect our communities and police officers. You have heard a little bit of it from Detective McLhinney, but let me just say again, for several years now criminals who have used guns to commit their crimes have been subject to stiff mandatory penalties under Federal law and virtually every State law in the country. To protect our families and police officers, the bill I sign today will add 5 years of hard time to sentences of criminals who even possess firearms when they commit drug-related or violent crimes. A second conviction means a quarter century in jail. This is very important to try to reduce the threat of violent crime. Just a couple of days ago on Veterans Day, as I have every year since I have been ENTITY, I laid a wreath on the tomb of the unknown servicemen who gave their lives in service to our country. Today it is with great pride that I stand here with many of our law enforcement officers who every day are prepared to make the same sacrifice. Together, we are working to make America stronger in the 21st century. And again, let me thank you all. Now I'd like to ask the Members of Congress and Officers Grace and McLhinney and Mr. Degan, if you would come up here, I'd like for you to stand with us as we sign the bill, please.

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This week, the independent Commission on the September the 11th attacks issued its final report. I appreciate the hard work of the Commission over the past 20 months. They have produced a serious and comprehensive report, and I welcome their recommendations. Indeed, we have already put into action many of the steps now recommended by the Commission, and we will carefully examine all the Commission's ideas on how we can improve our ongoing efforts to protect America and to prevent another attack. The events of September the 11th, 2001, dramatically demonstrated the threats of a new era. In the nearly 3 years since the attacks, we have waged a steady, relentless, determined war on terrorists. We are fighting them in foreign lands so we do not have to face them here in America, and we are taking unprecedented steps to defend the homeland. Since September 2001, America and our allies have captured or killed thousands of terrorists, removed terrorist regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, convinced Libya to give up its weapons of mass destruction, and put the world's most dangerous nuclear trading network out of business. We are chasing down terrorist enemies abroad and within our own borders. On the homefront, we have dismantled terrorist cells and prosecuted terrorist supporters from California to Florida to Massachusetts. As the Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, Tom Kean, said this week, We are safer today than we were on 9/11. But as Governor Kean also noted, The danger to America has not passed. And no matter how good our defenses are, a determined enemy can still strike us. Yet all Americans can be certain our Government is using every resource and technological advantage we have to prevent future attacks. We have created a new Department of Homeland Security with a single mission, protecting the American people. We have established better communications networks to make information on rapidly emerging threats available to local officials in real time. We are transforming the FBI into an agency whose primary focus is stopping terrorism. And we created a new Northern Command in the Department of Defense with the mission of defending the American homeland. To better protect the country, we have posted Homeland Security personnel at foreign ports, beefed up airport and seaport security at home, and instituted better visa screening for those entering our country. We have placed state-of-the-art equipment in major cities to detect biological agents and stockpiled enough smallpox vaccine for every American, in case of an emergency.

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It is now been nearly 5 years since an economic crisis and a punishing recession came together to cost far too many Americans their jobs and their homes and the sense of security that they had built up over time. And by the time I took office, my team and I were facing bubbles that had burst, markets that had cratered, bank after bank on the verge of collapse. And the heartbeat of American manufacturing, our auto industry, was flatlining. And all this meant that hundreds of thousands of Americans were losing their jobs each month. And nobody had any idea where the bottom would be. Four and a half years later, our businesses have created nearly 7 million new jobs over the past 36 months. We are producing more of our own energy; we are consuming less that we import from other countries. The cost of health care is slowing. The wealth that was lost from that recession has now been recovered. All of this progress is a testament to the grit and resolve of the American people, most of all. But it is also due in some measurable way to the incredible dedication of the men and women who helped to engineer America's response. Alan Krueger and Jason Furman. Today I can announce that Alan is heading back to teach his beloved students at Michelle's alma mater, Princeton University. When they get together, all they can talk about is Princeton, and they are all very proud, and those of us who did not go to Princeton have to put up with it. And I am proud to say that Jason Furman has agreed to replace Alan as the Chairman of my Council of Economic Advisers. Now, during the crisis, Alan stepped in initially to help engineer our response as Assistant Secretary and chief economist at the Treasury Department. He was so good that we then had to beg him to come back, extend his tour, to serve as the Chairman of my Council of Economic Advisers, where he is been the driving force behind actions that we have taken to help restart the flow of lending to small businesses and create new jobs and arm workers with the skills they need to fill them, to reduce income inequality, to rebuild our aging infrastructure, and to bring down our deficits in a responsible way. the idea that hard work should be rewarded. He is motivated by the principle that no one who works full time in the greatest nation on Earth should have to raise their families in poverty or below poverty levels.

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His commitment to a rising, thriving middle class shines through in his often passionate presentations andat least for an economist, they are passionate and in the policies that he is pushed, and I know this will continue to be a focus of his research. Alan's wife and son are here today, and I know that they are all looking forward to having Alan back. rockonomics, the economics of rock and roll. This is something that Alan actually cares about; seriously, on Wednesday, he is giving a speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is got a T-shirt under his suit with a big tongue sticking out. So Alan has become one of my most trusted advisers. But I know that he will continue to do outstanding work, and fortunately, he will still be available for us to consult with him periodically, because he is a constant font of good ideas about how we can further help the American people. So thank you very much, Alan, for all the good work that you have done. Now, I am also proud to nominate another outstanding economist to take his place. Jason Furman is one of the most brilliant economic minds of his generation. You can talk to other economists who know a lot more than I do about it. He is won the respect and admiration from his peers across the political spectrum. His Ph.D. thesis adviser, Greg Mankiw, chaired the Council of Economic Advisers under George W. Bush. Nobel Prize Winner Joe Stiglitz, on the other side of the economic spectrum, hired Jason to work for the CEA under President Clinton. After leaving President Clinton's White House, Jason finished his Ph.D. in economics, quickly acquired a reputation as a world-class scholar and researcher. But public service kept calling, and Jason's kept answering that call because he believes deeply in it. So from working at the World Bank on issues of inequality and international finance to developing new proposals to strengthen our health and retirement programs, he helped to shape some of our most important economic policy debates. And when I asked him to join my team in 2008, even though his baby daughterthat's right you were this big, had just been bornhe agreed to serve once again. middle class families, folks who are working hard to climb their way into the middle class, the next generation. And when the stakes are highest, there is no one I'd rather turn to for straightforward, unvarnished advice that helps me to do my job.

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He understands all sides of an argument, not just one side of it. He is worked tirelessly on just about every major economic challenge of the past 4 years, from averting a second depression to fighting for tax cuts that help millions of working families make ends meet, to creating new incentives for businesses to hire, to reducing our deficits in a balanced way that benefits the middle class. And so Eve, Jason's wife, who is an accomplished writer herself, has put up with a lot of hours with Jason away. Henry and Louisa, who are here, they have made a lot of sacrifices so that their husband and dad could be here working for the American people. So I appreciate you guys for sharing daddy just a little bit longer. And the reason it is important is because, while we have cleared away the rubble of crisis and laid a new foundation for growth, our work is nowhere near done. Inequality is still growing in our society. Too many young people are not sure whether they will be able to match the living standards of their parents. We have too many kids in poverty in this country still. There are some basic steps that we can take to strengthen the position of working people in this country, to help our economy grow faster, to make sure that it is more competitive. And some of that requires political will. Some of it requires an abiding passion for making sure everybody in this country has a fair shot. But it also requires good economists. Alan and Jason appreciate that. So sometimes, the rest of my staff thinks, oh, Obama is getting together with his economists, and they are going to have a wonkfest for the next hour. It is not just numbers on a page. It makes a difference in terms of whether or not people get a chance at life and also, how do we optimize opportunity and make sure that itwe do not have a contradiction between an efficient, growing, free market economy, and one in which everybody gets a fair shot and where we are caring for the vulnerable and the disabled and folks in our society who need help. So a growing economy that creates good middle class jobs, that rewards hard work and responsibility, that is our north star. Jason shares that focus. I know Alan shares that passion. In Jason's new role as the Chairman of the EconomicCouncil of Economic Advisers, he will be working with some of our country's leading economists, including Jim Stock, who has joined us.

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IT IS very hard to keep secrets in government, and I must say that the other day here in this room when we announced the nomination of Gerald Ford as Vice President, that was a pretty well-kept secret. I think, tonight, this is certainly something that Bill Rogers does not expect, and consequently, I think all of us will enjoy the presentation I am now about to make. The Medal of Freedom, as you know, is the highest civilian honor that can be given to an American citizen. Bill Rogers has served for almost 20 years in government, and in those 20 years he has served for 4 years as Attorney General of the United States and 4 1/2 years as Secretary of State. In that period as Secretary of State, he has traveled to 72 countries, has probably made over 150 speeches, formal and many more informal, has had to sit through at least 500 tedious dinners and perhaps 1,000 or even more tedious cocktail parties, but in that period of time, he has represented this Nation, as we all know, with very great dignity. He has made us all very proud of our country and of his representation of that country as Secretary of State. I think that a French Foreign Minister put it pretty well when he summed up. I think it was something like this. He said that Secretary Rogers always says the words that he means, always means the words that he says, but does not always say the words that he means, and he said, I --he went further to say, he said-- I am always happy when he agrees with me, but I am never unhappy when he disagrees with me. That is the mark of a very successful Secretary of State. As you know, of course, we have enjoyed the friendship of the Rogerses for over 30 years. We met 32 years ago at Quonset Point when we were both one of the lowest forms of life, I mean lieutenants, junior grade, in the United States Navy Reserve, and we have been close friends since that time. But tonight, both as a personal friend and recognizing his services during the period I was Vice President and now in the period as President, and representing all of the American people, I have the honor to present to William P. Rogers the Medal of Freedom.

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THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AWARDS THIS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO WILLIAM P. ROGERS Prosecutor, Congressional investigator, and Cabinet leader under two Presidents, his brilliant career of public service has spanned more than a third of a century and touched all three branches of Government. As the 63rd Attorney General of the United States, he pioneered in the battle for equal rights. As the Nation's 55th Secretary of State, he played an indispensable role in ending .our longest war and in starting to build a new structure of peace. Through these efforts, the decency and integrity that are William Rogers' personal stamp are now felt more strongly among all people and nations. No man could seek a greater monument. Now, the Secretary, of course, is desperately-will you please be seated is desperately trying to get up here to respond, but I have another award to make tonight, one that I know that even he did not anticipate. I think that we sometimes underestimate the great role that is played by those who stand by our side, and when we think of Mrs. William Rogers--Adele Rogers, as we know her--when we think of her graciousness through the years, of her superb poise, I think that we all would say that she truly deserved the title of being the First Lady of the Cabinet. And consequently, tonight, an award is appropriate for her as well. The President's Citizens Medal has only been awarded once before, to Roberto Clemente posthumously, and so the second President's Citizens Medal will be awarded tonight and awarded to one who does not hold a government position, because the Citizens Medal does not go to people who held government positions, but to one who, standing with her husband, has represented this country at home and abroad with such magnificent dignity and poise and grace. As the Nation's premiere hostess in foreign affairs, Adele Rogers provided a warmth and charm that helped to humanize the climate of diplomacy in a time of vital American initiatives for peace. Her work as a leader in voluntary action and community affairs among her fellow Cabinet and Foreign Service wives set an example for millions in a time of widening horizons for American women. The first woman ever honored with this award, her achievements eloquently prove its credo---that a citizen need not hold public office to render far-reaching public service.

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creating jobs and economic growth on which our country's prosperity depends . Yesterday's job report showed that despite 11 consecutive months of private sector job growth, despite creating more than 1 million private sector jobs this year, it is not enough. We have to do more to accelerate the economic recovery and create jobs for the millions of Americans who are still looking for work. And essential to that effort is opening new markets around the world to products that are Made in America. Because we do not simply want to be an economy that consumes other countries' goods, we want to be building and exporting the goods that create jobs here in America and that keeps the United States competitive in the 21st century. That is why today I am very pleased that the United States and South Korea have reached agreement on a landmark trade deal between our two countries. I am joined this morning by my outstanding U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk, as well as Michael Froman, who was one of our lead negotiators. As you will remember, we did not finalize this agreement on my recent visit to South Korea. The deal was not good enough. It was not good enough for the American economy, and it was not good enough for American workers. As I said in Seoul, I am not interested in signing trade agreements for the sake of signing trade agreements, I am interested in agreements that increase jobs and exports for the American people and that also help our partners grow their economies. So I told Ron and our team to take the time to get this right and get the best deal for America. And that is what they have done. It is a win-win for both our countries. This deal is a win for American workers. For our farmers and ranchers, it will increase exports of American agricultural products. From aerospace to electronics, it will increase our manufacturing exports to Korea, which already support some 200,000 American jobs and many small businesses. In particular, manufacturers of American cars and trucks will have much more access to the Korean market, we will encourage the development of electric cars and green technology in the United States, and we will continue to ensure a level playing field for American automakers here at home. In short, the tariff reductions in this agreement alone are expected to boost annual exports of American goods by up to $11 billion. And all told, this agreement, including the opening of the Korean services market, will support at least 70,000 American jobs.

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It will contribute significantly to achieving my goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next 5 years. In fact, it is estimated that today's deal alone will increase American economic output by more than our last nine free trade agreements combined. This deal is also a win for our ally and friend South Korea. They will gain greater access to our markets and make American products more affordable for Korean households and businesses, resulting in more choices for Korean consumers and more jobs for Americans. I would add that today is also a win for the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea, which for decades has ensured that the security that has maintained stability on the peninsula continues. It is also allowed South Korea its extraordinary rise from poverty to prosperity. At a time in which there are increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, following the North's unprovoked attack on the South Korean people, today we are showing that the defense alliance and partnership of the United States and South Korea is stronger than ever. I am especially pleased that this agreement includes groundbreaking protections for workers' rights and for the environment. In this sense, it is an example of the kind of fair trade agreement that I will continue to work for as President, in Asia and around the world. This agreement also shows that the United States of America is determined to lead and compete in our global economy. We are going to stand up for American companies and American workers, who are among the most productive and innovative in the world. And we are going to compete aggressively for the jobs and markets of the 21st century. But I want to give special thanks to my partner, South Korean President Lee, for his commitment to a successful outcome. And again, I want to thank Ron and Mike for their outstanding work and their entire team for their tireless efforts. They were up late a lot of nights over the last several months. We are going to continue to work with our Korean partners to fully implement this agreement and build on our progress in other areas, such as ensuring full access for U.S. beef to the Korean market. And I look forward to working with Congress and leaders in both parties to approve this pact. Because if there is one thing Democrats and Republicans should be able to agree on, it should be creating jobs and opportunity for our people. Which brings me to the other issue I want to address. Earlier today the Senate voted on two provisions to extend tax cuts for the middle class.

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I have come to believe that the people of West Virginia arise earlier in the morning than the citizens of any other State. In order to manage my job I have to get up about 6 o'clock in the morning, but I believe from the great crowds that welcome me early each morning as I pass through this State that you rise even earlier than that. The greetings that I have received in passing to and fro through West Virginia are most encouraging. You have been generous, and you have given a profound indication to the country as to where you will stand on the 8th day of November. A short occasion like this renders it difficult to adequately speak on national issues. I have seen this morning an advertisement of a New York retail establishment, in which they state that they are able to offer hosiery at prices which are demonstrated by our officials as 30 to 40 percent less than you can manufacture them in this community, and that the reason they are able to offer them at these prices is due to the depreciated currencies abroad and their ability to take advantage of that lower exchange in securing commodities in competition with your workmen. And in the face of this our Democratic opponents propose to reduce the tariff as it stands. The Republican Party not only proposes to hold the tariff where it stands but through the Tariff Commission, whose authorities were created by the Republican Party in the Smoot-Hawley bill about a year ago, we propose a review of the differences in cost of production at home and abroad and determine if we are justified in an adjustment that should protect your community. If this advertisement is true I am confident that it will show such a change in the costs of production as will make it possible to give to you relief. And I ask you whether the fate of your city and your community and your State will be more safe in the hands of the party which has fathered and for 70 years supported and strengthened the protective tariff than in the hands of the party who have always opposed these policies and who now promise a reduction of these protective tariffs. Our Nation for the past 3 years has been passing through a great crisis. The early stages of the depression were more or less the normal stages of retribution from overspeculation and exploitation of our people. We have experienced them many times before and recovery has speedily followed. But about 18 months ago came a blow to the United States through the collapse of the nations abroad as an aftermath of the World War, the repercussions of which endangered this entire Republic.

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The unprecedented action taken by the Republican Party, supported, I am glad to say, by those patriotic members of the Democratic Party who placed patriotism higher than politics, enabled the Nation to escape those dangers, have saved the Nation from chaos and collapse, and brought us into the stage of recovery. Our measures and policies have been turned from defense into measures of attack upon the depression. Since the adjournment of the Democratic House of Representatives, we have seen every day evidences of constant recovery. You will notice if you look at the business statistics of the country the increasing employment month by month. You will notice the increased car loadings which show again the increasing movement of goods. You will find in every quarter of the country the signs of recovery. And if the strategy and if the policies which have directed this great battle for the preservation of the United States and for the institutions and are now operating for recovery shall be continued without change they will bring restored prosperity to the American people. We have carried the first-line of trenches by the reestablishment of confidence in the stability of the United States. And if we can proceed with the battle without change or halt we shall win a victory for the American people that will assure their safety. I wish again to express the appreciation that I have for the support and encouragement from the people of West Virginia. I believe that you will rally to the support of the Republican Party on the 8th day of November as the party of constructive action and give to us a victory which the party deserves for the service it has given over these many years to the American people. I deeply appreciate this greeting. It is encouraging, and it is an indication of the action which you will take on the 8th of November. In the short moment I have here I would like to refer just one moment to the railway problems which we have faced during the past 2 or 3 years. You are interested in the success of the railways. A year and a half ago we were faced with the fact that the earnings of the railways were less than the amount necessary to meet their fixed charges. Over the trough of this depression we were faced with the possibility of receivership of three-fourths of the railways of the United States. Such a failure would jeopardize the policyholders in our insurance companies and the savings in our banks which are invested in our railways. And those of you who have had experience with a railroad in receivership know what the result is to the men who work upon those railways.

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You know that once the railways go out of the hands of their responsible managers, the intimate contacts of the men with the management of the railways is gone, contracts and understandings suffer. And of further importance is the fact that by supporting the railways we have been able to support them in the maintenance of a reasonable wage to the men who have to operate the railways of the United States. You will recollect that early in the depression I secured an agreement between the industrial leaders, including the railway leaders and the leaders of labor, that there would be no reduction in wages. That was the first time in the history of 15 depressions in the United States that the first act of depression was not the so-called liquidation of wages--placing the first burden of the readjustment of the depression on the back of the workers. As time went on and the depression deepened, the cost of living decreased, profits vanished, and there were readjustments in wages, but those readjustments represented the contribution of the men to the stability of their own industry. They were not by the violence of strikes and lockouts and social disturbances and destruction to the whole social stability of the United States. They were your voluntary contribution to your own order. We have immediately provided advances to the railways to enable them to repair equipment, to replace their equipment in order that with the gradual resumption of traffics they shall be able to meet that demand, and thus increase and maintain employment. You know and I know that since the adjournment of the Democratic House of Representatives these great measures that we have in action for rehabilitation of the country have begun to have their effect. We have witnessed increase of car loadings from about 490,000 cars a week to over 650,000 a week. This means the recovery of the United States, and it means the recovery of employment to the railway workers. And this is but one segment of the great program and the great problems that are involved in the rehabilitation of our country. There are many others affecting different communities, but everywhere they have begun to have their effect and we have begun to see their results. This is no time, when we are in the midst of the most gigantic battle that our country has ever been plunged into in time of peace, to change that strategy or the policies of battle. I wish to express my appreciation for this greeting. It gives me an opportunity to see some of the people of West Virginia. It gives you an opportunity to look at me.

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But it is very encouraging to have you come to the station and give me this welcome. It is an evidence of what you will do on the 8th of November, for it means the support and encouragement of this administration in its work for restoration of employment and agriculture in the United States. We have already made progress on that road. We are making more rapid progress every day. But this is not a time to discuss national issues. It is a time for me to express my appreciation to you for the kindliness of your greeting. I deeply appreciate your coming this morning to give me this greeting. And it is evidence of what you propose to do on the 8th day of November. This is not an occasion at which I could speak at length on our national issues. Many of you realize the difficulties we have passed through in the last 3 years and the battle which we have made to protect our country from great disasters. You know that we have succeeded in a great defensive battle against the sweep of destruction and chaos. You know that we have now turned the forces and agencies in our control towards restoration of employment and the restoration of agriculture. You have seen during the past few months evidence of recovery from these difficulties. They are evidence that the Republican Party has conducted the country wisely; that it has met the Nation's difficulties with courage; that it has devised the means and methods by which our people have been protected and by which they shall continue to make progress to recovery. I wish to express again my appreciation for your coming. It gives me a great hope and a great faith in the battle which we are carrying on. I wish to express my gratitude this time for two things: first, for the basket of apples. They are always gratefully received from Martinsburg. And second, I want to express my appreciation for your coming to greet me. It is always helpful, and besides that it is a sign as to what will happen in Martinsburg on the 8th day of November. I have thought the people of Martinsburg might be interested if I was to read an advertisement. Sometimes we resent reading advertisements, but here happens to be one of peculiar interest to the people of Martinsburg. This advertisement in a New York paper, refers to wool hose. It states that 8,000 pairs of these snug fitting, ribbed, soft English hose have been purchased abroad at the low wool and sterling prices because of the depreciation on that currency. And they are offered for sale at 39 cents a pair.

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I am informed that even at the reduced wages--and I understand there have been two or three reductions in wages in your factory in Martinsburg--but even at this reduced wage you cannot manufacture those hose for less than 50 cents a pair. This raises a great question--a question that is an issue in this campaign. The Republican Party stands for the protective tariff. Our Democratic opponents propose to reduce the tariff, and they propose to reduce it in the face of these depreciated foreign currencies, in the face of the fact that living and wages have been decreased abroad as the result of the depreciation of those currencies below the standards of the tariff when that act was passed. Today at reduced wages, the people in Martinsburg are losing employment and suffering reductions of wages. I recently asked the Tariff Commission, a bipartisan body, to investigate the differences of cost of production between those of Martinsburg and those of the places in England where these hose are produced, and to determine whether or not under the flexible provisions of the tariff some relief could be given to the people of Martinsburg. The Democratic Party proposes as one of the issues in this campaign that it will take from that Commission the authority under which such acts could be performed. I want to leave these thoughts with you that here is a town where the well-being of your homes, where the satisfactions and comforts of your life, are today and will be further jeopardized by the transfer of the power of the Government of the United States to the Democratic Party on the 8th day of next November. You will all realize that we have gone through a time of great difficulty. For the last 3 years we have been fighting with forces such as we have never before met in peacetime history of the United States. They have accumulated in strength and in volume at one time to a point where it appeared that we could scarcely save our country from chaos and degeneration. We did, however, through the courage of the American people, through the cooperation of the united action of the whole of the country, and the leadership of the Republican Party, get by and save ourselves from collapse. And we have now turned those agencies and those policies to the problem of recovery in the United States, and those of you who are familiar with the events of the last 4 months will realize that we are moving on that road to recovery.

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We want to welcome each of you to the White House. We gather together to draw attention to an issue that is as vital to the future of this country as any that we face. No one should doubt that economic and technological progress will have very little impact unless the spirit of our people remains strong. Calvin Coolidge, a President whom I greatly admire, once said, The government of a country never gets ahead of the religion of a country. I deeply believe that if those in government offer a good example, and if the people preserve the freedom which is their birthright as Americans, no one need fear the future. Unfortunately, in the last two decades we have experienced an onslaught of such twisted logic that if Alice were visiting America, she might think she'd never left Wonderland. We are told that it somehow violates the rights of others to permit students in school who desire to pray to do so. Clearly this infringes on the freedom of those who choose to pray-a freedom taken for granted since the time of our Founding Fathers. This would be bad enough, but the purge of God from our schools went much farther. In one case, a Federal court ruled against the right of children to voluntarily say grace before lunch in the school cafeteria. In another situation a group of children, again on their own initiative and with their parents' approval, wanted to begin the school day with a minute of prayer and meditation, and they, too, were prohibited from doing so. Students have even been prevented from having voluntary prayer groups on school property after class hours just on their own. Now, no one is suggesting that others should be forced into any religious activity, but to prevent those who believe in God from expressing their faith is an outrage. And the relentless drive to eliminate God from our schools can and should be stopped. This issue has brought people of good will and every faith together to make the situation right. We believe that permitting voluntary prayer in public schools is within the finest traditions of this country and consistent with the principles of American liberty. Neither the constitutional amendment that I have endorsed nor the legislative remedies offered by others permits anyone to be coerced into religious activity. Instead, these measures are designed to protect the rights of those who choose to pray as well as those who choose not to. I want to thank all of you and all of those who'll gather on the Capitol Mall this evening for what you are doing on this vital issue.

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And a special thanks to Senator Helms and Senator Thurmond and Congressman Kindness for all that they have done. And today I'd like to take this opportunity to urge the Senate to move directly on the constitutional amendment now awaiting action. The leadership in the House has the proposed constitutional amendment bottled up and has, thus far, failed to hold the appropriate hearings. Some suggest we should keep religion out of politics. Those in politics should keep their hands off of the religious freedom of our people, and especially our children. Earlier I quoted Calvin Coolidge. He had some other words I'd like to share with you. It would be difficult for me to conceive, President Coolidge said, of anyone being able to administer the duties of a great office like the Presidency without a belief in the guidance of Divine Providence. Unless the President is sustained by an abiding faith in the divine power, I cannot understand how he would have the courage to attempt to meet the various problems that constantly pour in upon him from all parts of the earth. Well, after 20 months I can attest to the truth of those words. Faith in God is a vital guidepost, a source of inspiration, and a pillar of strength in times of trial. In recognition of this, the Congress and the Supreme Court begin each day with a prayer, and that is why we provide chaplains for the Armed Forces. We can and must respect the rights of those who are nonbelievers, but we must not cut ourselves off from this indispensable source of strength and guidance. I think it'd be a tragedy for us to deny our children what the rest of us, in and out of government, find so valuable. If the President of the United States can pray with others in the Oval Office-and I have on a number of occasions-then let us make certain that our children have the same right as they go about preparing for their futures and for the future of this country. And now I understand that we are to light some candles. I think you children are to go down there and someone is to present me with a-there it is. These-candles, as I understand it, will start the ceremony tonight on the Mall. Happy that we have had this opportunity this morning. God bless you all.

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Tonight we celebrate the coming of a new year, a time of expectation and promise. And our policy of peace through strength is paying off in spades. In 6 weeks time, the Soviet Union is due to pull its remaining forces out of Afghanistan. I am confident the Soviets will stick to their timetable and be out by the 15th of February, which will then be a great day for world peace. I am also confident about 1989 because in just 3 weeks George Bush will be sworn in as the 41st President of the United States. He has handled skillfully the selection of his Cabinet, and the transition process is proceeding well and smoothly. Of course, we still reel in shock and horror from the bombing of Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and we extend our sympathy to the bereaved. The pledge we made to seek out the truth and punish the guilty is a sacred one which George Bush shares. Indeed, President-elect Bush knows as thoroughly as anyone in the world today the nature and problem of terrorism. As chairman of this administration's task force on terrorism he oversaw a report that is the toughest statement to date on the need for strong action-including, when warranted, military action-against terrorists. That report ought to be giving some people sleepless nights right about now. That crime aside, however, there is little to disturb us about the overall state of the Nation as we join together to make merry and sing Auld Lang Syne. But still, during these days, when you turn on the television or read through the newspaper, you might get the idea that what faces George Bush upon his assumption of the responsibilities of the Presidency of the United States will be nothing but a series of impossible choices, heartaches, and just general trouble. Now, I am sure most of this talk is simply evidence that we are about to go through a change of leadership, a moment in time that does funny things to people, particularly in Washington. For some, this is a time to put in their bids on the agenda of the future. For others, this is a time for the jitters because they try to imagine what the future will bring and find it a little confusing. These jitters have been overcome with courage and vision in both the United States and Canada as the way has been cleared for an historic new free-trade agreement to take effect tomorrow.

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It is great to be back in Hillsborough County, one of the strongest Republican counties in New England, and let us hear it for Chairman Chris Egger and the Hillsborough County Republican party, everybody. And I want to extend congratulations to the Hillsborough County Republican party and especially the town committees that are being honored tonight. Because of all of you, Republicans now hold majorities in both Houses of the state legislature. But it really is great to be back at this dinner. I was reminded that I was graciously invited to speak to the Hillsborough County Republican party 11 years ago, and I get an invitation I guess every 11 years to come back. But it was amazing when I think of that year, 2010. It was the year that we won back to the House of Representatives from Nancy Pelosi's Democrat majority. A couple years later, we won the Senate, and then we won back America. And I am here to say, I believe we are on the verge of another great Republican comeback and it starts right here in the live free or die state of New Hampshire. I believe it. And I want to thank a couple of people, and most notably, the man you just heard from. I mean, talk about a good guy, someone who has a heart for public service. I knew a couple others in the course of my life and my career and I count them as friends as well, but I have to tell you, the people of New Hampshire are blessed by the extraordinary and compassionate leadership of Governor Chris Sununu and I am grateful for his esteem and support. I appreciate that overly generous introduction that he made, but Chris knows me well enough to know that the introduction I prefer is a little bit shorter. I am a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, and it is my honor to be back in the state of New Hampshire. I also want to thank Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler on a lifetime of service and his recognition tonight, and also Speaker Sherm Packard is here. I know they are in session, and Mr. Speaker, we appreciate all the great leadership that you have provided, a Republican majority are providing here in New Hampshire. God bless you. Well, I came here tonight really for two reasons. First and foremost, I wanted to pay a debt of gratitude. To the people of New Hampshire, I just want to say thank you on behalf of myself and my family.

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And secondly, after 134 days where the Biden administration and Democrats in Washington have been pushing open borders, higher taxes, runaway spending, more government, defunding the police, abandoning the right to life, censoring free speech, canceling our most cherished liberties, I came here to say enough is enough. I came here to say the time is now for every patriotic American who shares our ideals and values to stand up and fight back against the agenda of the radical left. I learned a lot serving alongside President Donald Trump. Some people think we are a little bit different, but I think what President Trump showed us was what Republicans can accomplish when our leaders stand firm on conservative principles and do not back down. That is exactly what he did for four years. And under President Donald Trump and our administration, it was four years of consequence, four years of results. It was four years of promises made and promises kept. I mean, think about it, think about it. In our 48 months, the Trump-Pence administration achieved the lowest unemployment, the highest household incomes, the most energy production, the most pro-American trade deals, the most secure border and the strongest military in the history of the world. I am writing a book about our time in the White House and almost everybody's excited about it. I cannot wait to unpack all that we did under this President's leadership and with the strong support of the people here in the Republican party on New Hampshire. I mean, in our first three years, think about it, we rebuilt the military and defeated the ISIS caliphate. We revived the economy and created seven million good paying jobs. We cut taxes. We cut regulations at a record pace, became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 70 years. We held China accountable for years of trade abuses and brought jobs back to the USA. And in the face of the worst pandemic in 100 years, we launched the greatest national mobilization since World War II. But I have to tell you, to provide for the common defense is the first object of the national government, and I am proud to say our record was unparalleled for any administration in history. And I am proud and grateful for that record, not just because I was your Vice President, but I am the proud father of a United States Marine Captain who is currently deployed in service of the United States.

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And I am also proud to say one of my unworthy son-in-laws is a Lieutenant and a pilot in the United States Navy. But under our administration, we rebuilt the military, a record $3 trillion in our national defense. And with that renewed American strength, we stood with our allies and stood up to our enemies as never before. Our forces defeated the ISIS caliphate and took down their leader without one American casualty. We isolated Iran as never before, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, and just a year ago, we saw Arab nation sign historic peace agreements with Israel for the first time in 25 years. And it was this President and this administration that kept our word to the American people and our most cherished ally when we moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel. And every day for four years, we stood up the timeless values that have always made this country great. Nearly 300 conservatives confirmed to our federal courts at every level, including Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. And every single day, we defended all the God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution and our Bill of Rights for every American of every belief. And we stood without apology every single day for the sanctity of human life. With your support here in New Hampshire, the support of people all across this country, and your prayers, we made history, we made a difference, we made America greater than ever before. I know the Governor said he did not come here to bash the current administration- 134 days, and the Biden-Harris administration has launched an avalanche of big government liberal policies, the likes of which I have never even imagined I'd see in our lifetime. And all of it designed to derail the progress that we made over the last four years. When President Biden takes to the podium in the Congress of the United States, and he announced an explosion of runaway spending, another $6 trillion. And after our administration worked in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in a bipartisan way, every bill that passed the Congress passed on a bipartisan basis, they forced through the Congress a ENTITY bill to fund to massive expansion of the welfare state. And they passed it on a partisan vote. It is amazing the difference in approach. You heard Governor Sununu talk about the difference in engagement and I will leave that opinion to him. But I will tell you things are a little bit different.

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Our FDA worked closely with research companies and our administration to launch Operation Warp Speed. We cleared out the underbrush, we provided billions in support and we developed two safe and effective vaccines in nine months that are saving lives all across America and all over the world. Their FDA, I saw on the plane when I was flying here today, actually just issued a warning to Americans and I quote, Do not eat cicadas. I did not make that up. I mean, the truth is, they have been so busy on their side. Sometimes I think the left hand does not know what the far left hand is doing. They have literally, they have proposed trillions of dollars in the so-called infrastructure bill that is just a thinly disclosed climate change bill and the Green New Deal. And just as our economy here in New Hampshire and across America is getting back on our feet and Americans are going back to work, they plan to pay for all of this massive spending with military budget cuts and the largest tax increase in 50 years. And we are going to stand strong and send a message from right here in the live free or die state that we are going to stand strong for freedom, and we are going to stand strong for a growing and prosperous America with a limited federal government. After inheriting the most secure border in American history, the Biden administration ended construction on the border wall and canceled policies that had reduced illegal immigration by 90%. And I do not have to tell you they have unleashed the worst border crisis in history. They have bent the knee to international bureaucrats planning to join the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran Nuclear Deal. They formed a commission to pack the Supreme Court, supported more calls for gun control, eroding our second amendment rights. And they have joined the woke chorus accusing law enforcement in America of systemic racism. And President Biden's failed leadership, his home and only been matched by weak leadership abroad. It has set off the worst outbreak of violence in the Middle East in seven years. After our administration stood strong with Israel every day for four years, President Biden restored hundreds of millions of dollars to the Palestinian authority. And he even remained silent as Hamas terrorists were firing thousands of rockets at Israeli citizens. President Biden replaced strength with weakness, moral clarity with confusion, and loyalty with betrayal. But you in New Hampshire know what I know.

monologic

When it comes to the foreign policy of the United States of America, if the world knows nothing else, let the world know this, America stands with Israel. And maybe the most troubling developments to families in the past few months has been the Biden administration's wholehearted embrace on the radical left's all encompassing assault on American culture and values. Under the Biden administration, patriotic education has been replaced with political indoctrination. They abolished our 1776 Commission and authorized teaching critical race theory in our schools. Instead of teaching all of our children, regardless of race or creed or color to be proud of their country, critical race theory teaches children as young as kindergarten to be ashamed of their skin color. Well, let me say, as my friend Tim Scott said, with great effect on the national stage, not long ago, America is not a racist country. It is past time for America to discard the left wing myth of systemic racism. And I commend state legislatures all across the country and governors who are banning critical race theory from our schools. Our founders said that we were to strive for a more perfect union. And so we have done throughout the long and storied history of this country. And while we are not perfect yet, we ought to do justice to all the progress that has been made and recognize that the United States of America is the most just, noble and inclusive nation that has ever existed on the face of the Earth. And the United States military is the greatest force for good the world has ever known. As our soldiers protect us abroad, we also do well to always pay a debt of honor and a debt of gratitude to those who put on a different uniform every day, put on a sidearm. And like my uncle who walked a beat in Chicago for 25 years, count our lives every day as more important than their own. Law enforcement officers in the United States of America are heroes, and they should be honored by every American every day. Last August at Fort McHenry I told the American people that they would not be safe in Joe Biden's America. And it grieves my heart to report to you tonight in Hillsborough county that murders have now increased by more than a third in our largest cities. Democrat efforts to defund the police, withdraw support for law enforcement has set off a violent crime wave that is wreaking havoc in families all across the nation. Black lives are not endangered by police, Black lives are saved by police every day.

monologic

We do not need to defund the police. The anti-law enforcement agenda of Joe Biden and the Democrats in Washington and put the lives of law-abiding citizens, every race, and creed, and color first. It is just amazing when you think of that, we are 134 days. In 2020, you remember Joe Biden was campaigning as a moderate when he campaigned, but he is literally governed as the most liberal president since FDR. Even AOC said that President Biden had exceeded Progressive's expectations, And that is saying a lot. But I do not believe for one moment that that is what the American people voted for in 2020. They did not vote to open our borders, to give away safety of our streets, their prosperity, or our freedom, or our future. So I want to say again, coming here to New Hampshire tonight, it is time. It is time for freedom loving Americans to stand up and say, No more. It is time for freedom loving Americans to unite behind an agenda that will bring America back. For all of my years in this movement, I actually first ran for Congress when one of the namesakes of this dinner was still in the White House. I had a chance to meet President Reagan in the Blue Room, my wife and I met him. I will never forget, I sat down next to him. I mean, Ronald Reagan was the reason why I joined the Republican Party, maybe like many of you. But I sat down next to him, felt like I was talking to Mount Rushmore. And I said, Mr. President, I, I said, I just want to thank you for everything you have done for this country and to encourage my generation to believe in this country again. And for all of my life, I will believe in that moment, that the 40th President of the United States of America blushed and said, Well, ENTITY, that is a very nice thing of you to say. But President Reagan articulated an agenda that he never took credit for, because it was an American agenda. He said, I am not a great communicator, I just communicated great things, And President Donald Trump did the same. There is an agenda of a strong and prosperous America built on freedom, and that is our agenda. The truth is our Republican Party has now become the home party for the American agenda. An agenda that believes in a strong national defense in a limited federal government in life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

monologic

It is all fallen to us. We have been blessed in this nation. And to whom much is given And you are here tonight, because you know we have an obligation as they did in their time to do in our time, to stand strong for that positive American agenda, a strong military, secure borders, free enterprise, safe neighborhoods, support for law enforcement, America first trade deal, judges that uphold all of our God-given liberties, to fight for the opportunity of every American to choose where their children go to school, whether it is public, private, or parochial. And we, as Republicans, recognize that at the center of our Republic, at the center of our democratic institutions is the principle of one person, one vote. I mean, the truth is after an election that saw several states around the country literally set aside laws enacted by their legislature, now is the time for states to ensure that one person, one vote principle, that it is a center of our system, is protected and guaranteed. And make no mistake about it, that principal's under threat. Under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats in Washington want to nationalize our elections with their bill called H.R. 1. They want to literally codify many of the very practices that create the greatest opportunity for fraud. I mean, none other than New Hampshire's legendary Secretary of State Bill Gardner probably put it best. He said Nancy Pelosi's election bill, which the Senate will take up later this month, is a egregious overreach of federal authority that would render the New Hampshire Constitution null and void. Well, let me make you a promise, with your support, and your efforts, and the efforts of Republicans all across this nation, we are not going to let Nancy Pelosi override New Hampshire's Constitution or the state constitution of any state. And we will never let Nancy Pelosi take the first in the nation primary from New Hampshire! Our founders had a debate at the Constitutional Convention, Mr. Speaker, you know this, about where elections ought to be governed. He says, Right here at the state level, not in Washington DC. It is at the very center of our system and we are going to stand up and that system. We are going to defend state-based election reform, we are going to support voter ID, and we are going to work every day to restore the confidence of every American in every vote.

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And beyond all of that, having to do with prosperity, and security, and the integrity of the ballot, ours will be the party that stands for the religious liberty of every American of every faith, and we will defend the right to life. That is a winning agenda that will unite our country, restore our future. And that is an agenda that'll win back America. I have no doubt in my heart. So tonight in New Hampshire, I want you to be encouraged, I really do, because I am more confident than ever that victory is right around the corner, and not just the down-ballot victories that you delivered here in New Hampshire in 2020, but victories up and down the ballot, because we have seen this movie before. It was 2010 the last time I was at the Hillsborough County Republican Lincoln Reagan Dinner. I was serving as chairman of the House Republican conference. We were in the minority. Coming here to the Hillsborough County Republican Party Dinner, I just knew that if we offered a positive conservative agenda to the American people, we'd win back the House, we'd win back the Senate, we'd win back America. We'd win back the Senate, we'd win back America. And that is just what we did. And we are going to do it again in 2022 and 2024. We have just got to do a couple of things. We have got to tell our story and we have got to come together. Hey, I ran into ENTITY the other day. I mean, that guy, like half his speech was just talking about everything we got done in the first three years of our administration, and then steered this nation through one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime in our last year. I mean, we do not have to accept a future of socialist decline and moral decay. What we proved in the last four years is we can be a nation built on freedom whose government exists to serve its citizens, not the other way around. We can elect leadership that puts America and the American people first. And we can be a nation where every American has the freedom to live, to work, to worship according to the dictates of our conscience. We proved it. But we have got to tell our story and we have got to do one more thing. We have all been through a lot over the past year, a global pandemic, civil unrest, a divisive election and tragedy at our nation's Capitol.

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As I said that day, January 6th was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol. But thanks to the swift action of the Capitol Police and federal law enforcement, violence was quelled, the Capitol was secured, and that same day we reconvened the Congress and did our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States. President Trump and I have spoken many times since we left office. And I do not know if we will ever see eye-to-eye on that day, but I will always be proud of what we accomplished for the American people over the last four years. I will not allow Democrats or their allies in the media to use one tragic day to discredit the aspirations of millions of Americans, or allow Democrats or their allies in the media to distract our attention from a new administration intent on dividing our country to advance their radical agenda. My fellow Republicans, for our country, for our future, for our children and our grandchildren, we must move forward united. Ronald Reagan probably said it best in 1976 after he'd come up short for the Republican Convention. He was called to the podium by President Ford. And he said words that I think speak to our party and our movement today. Ronald Reagan said, We have got to quit talking to each other and about each other, and go out and communicate to the world and carry them the message they have been waiting to hear. Let us press on with a positive agenda. Let us tell the story to our neighbors and friends of everything we were able to accomplish when we put Republican conservative principles into practice in a short period of time, and made a stronger and more prosperous and more secure America. Compelled by that energy that has worked so powerfully in the hearts of generations of Americans. We have got to keep the faith. We have got to keep faith with our founders and our highest ideals. We have got to defend the freedoms enshrined in our declaration and our constitution, and be ready to keep our oath even when it hurts, as the good book says. We have got to keep faith with 74 million Americans who believe we could be prosperous again, who believe we could be strong again and deliver for ourselves and our prosperity a record. And lastly, we have got to keep faith with him who has ever guided this miracle of democracy on these wilderness shores. Keep faith that he is still with the good people of this nation today. God is not done with America yet.

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Wendell Phillips once said that you can always get the truth from an American statesman after he has turned 70 or given up all hope of the Presidency. Well, today I welcome you, President Mubarak, as a friend. Coming from a 76-year-old constitutionally prohibited from seeking another term, you can rest assured those sentiments are genuine and come from the heart. This visit is a particularly happy occasion as it provides the opportunity to congratulate you personally on your reelection to a second term as ENTITY. As a second term veteran myself, however, let me suggest, Mr. President, it does not get any easier. The referendum that approved your second term reflects the strong confidence that the Egyptian people have in your leadership. We share that same confidence. Nevertheless, Mr. President, we both know that governing a country in which there are divergent political views and a lively opposition is a tough job. We respect your work to broaden participation in the political process and are confident it will help create the stable political environment needed for Egypt to move forward. Egypt today, under your guidance, is resuming its rightful place in the forefront of world leadership. This is particularly important at a time when the forces of fanaticism and blind hatred threaten the security and stability of the Middle East. Egypt, by again exerting its wise and calming influence, provides the world hope that the serious challenges facing the Middle East can and will be overcome and that the region will be restored to a happier and more tranquil course. Likewise, President Mubarak, you have wisely and effectively led Egypt onto a course of economic reform and development. We, too, learned in our own efforts to strip away years of government intervention in our marketplace how monumental this task can be, how ingrained is the dependence on intervention, and how powerful are the interest groups that resist change. But we are convinced that such vigorous reform is the surest path to economic progress. And, Mr. President, Americans will stand and work with Egyptians in the cause of growing prosperity, just as we do in the cause of peace. And in saying that, I propose a toast to you, Mr. President, Mrs. Mubarak, the people of Egypt, and to the close and amicable ties that will continue between our peoples and our governments. The elegant and warm reception you have accorded us reflects the best tradition of American friendship and genuine openness. It is a tradition that has deep roots in our culture, too.

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We value friendship and loyalty to friends. As usual, President Reagan and his graceful spouse have made us feel welcome and quite at home the minute we arrived at the White House this morning. They symbolize the American spirit at its best. My meeting with the President today was another confirmation of my belief that he is a man of wisdom and vision. He is an American in the true sense of the word. I expressed to him my admiration of the relentless efforts he exerted for years to make the world more safe and secure for future generations. His recent achievement in this area will certainly have a lasting effect on world peace and stability. I have no doubt that other steps will follow in the same direction during the months ahead. I am certain that regional conflicts will figure high on the agenda throughout the year. Of these conflicts, the Middle East problems deserve special attention and priority. Strenuous efforts are needed to stop the war, which is still raging in the Gulf, and set the peace process in motion again. We have to demonstrate to all the parts concerned that peace is the only meaningful and effective way to settle disputes and solve problems. With this in mind, Egypt has not hesitated at any point to take pioneering steps in order to make peace. It is for this reason, too, that I have proposed a few days ago a moratorium on all forms of violence and repression. I am quite convinced that this proposal, which is conceived as a preparatory step towards comprehensive peace, reflects the real sentiment of people of good will and human principles everywhere. No one who looks ahead and thinks of the future can accept the continuation of occupation and oppression. No one can, in good conscience, condone a policy of shooting and beating in a land that is holy to all of us. What I am proposing here is a policy of hope and positivity to replace despair and fear. I am sure that I am not alone in that, for I am backed by millions of men and women of courage and conviction everywhere. Let me seize this opportunity to thank all those Americans, Israelis, and others who raise their voices in support of peace and in defense of liberty. Dear friends, American leaders have worked with Egyptian leaders over the years in order to construct a model for friendship and cooperation among nations. In particular, President Reagan has made a great contribution to the development of friendly relations between Egypt and the United States.

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From what I have been able to gather in the brief time I have been in your great city, I learned the pollsters are somewhat divided about the New York City vote. A reporter asked me the other day after looking at both the Gallup and the Harris polls, which was my favorite poll. I did not hesitate for a second. I told him my favorite poll is Muskie. Tell me, Daddy, how was it that after losing a national election in 1960 to President Kennedy and then after losing a State election as Governor in California in 1962 to Pat Brown, how does it happen that Richard Nixon has been able to win his party's nomination for the Presidency in 1968? I told her if she would give me a week I would try to think of some reasons. Not long ago, I was talking to a very wise friend about some of the great political campaigns we had had in this country in past years. We talked about 1948 the campaign that resembles this campaign in so many ways. There was a Midwestern progressive, you will remember, who had won election after election, and he was running against a Wall Street lawyer, who had tried out for the job once before and had been roundly rejected. He has not changed his opinions since then either. He has learned a thing or two about how to win friends and how to influence people-some people, at least in the past few years. It was harassing the Democratic candidate with catcalls and cloud nine ideas about a world that never was. Everybody told the Republican candidate then in '48 that he was a shoo-in. He avoided taking a position on anything more controversial than Mother's Day. And he was for it. The polls and the pundits had buried the Democratic candidate by late September. And not many of them looked to see if he stayed buried. As you may remember, that Midwestern progressive just absolutely refused to cooperate at his own funeral. But I came here to tell you today it is coming, as sure as I stand here. And the Midwestern progressive of 1968 Hubert Humphrey is going to wake up on the morning of November 6 as the new President-elect of the United States. My friend and I talked about another election this one a defeat for the Democrats, but a defeat that foreshadowed victory 4 years later.

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Roman Catholic progressive-spokesman for the cities, the poor farmer, the laboring man, the Negro, and all the great peoples who had immigrated from Europe to enrich America with their talents and their traditions. I do not need to remind any of you of the bitter campaign that followed in 1928. Demagogues had a field day playing on the fear of Catholicism, the fear of foreigners, the fear of the cities, and the corruption that the cities were supposed to contain. Al Smith and Joe Robinson of Arkansas, his running mate fought back, reminding the people that their interests lay in a better deal for the farmer and the worker, and in building a more united and unified nation not ever in cultivating hatred and suspicion of their neighbors. Smith and Robinson lost that election. the forces they set in motion the alliance they called into being gave Franklin Delano Roosevelt and three later Democratic Presidents the basis of smashing victories at the polls that we had never known before. The 1920 census had showed that for the first time more people were now living in the cities than were living in rural areas. jobs, housing, transportation, law and order, relations between the races and ethnic groups. When the Democrats nominated Al Smith, they were nominating a man who had grown up in the city, who understood city problems, who had the energy and the will to master these problems. Maybe maybe Al Smith was ahead of his time. It would take eight more elections before religious prejudice could be overcome and a Catholic could be elected President in the United States. But in a deeper sense, Al Smith was right-right for his time. In nominating him the Democrats were facing the problems of the hour, and they were facing those problems when they occurred. That my friends is the essential difference between the two parties in America. Democrats face problems; Republicans defer problems. It is a lot easier on the party in power to defer problems for somebody else to handle later on. But it is not easy on your country. The problems deferred mean solutions deferred, and that means trouble. It has been called one of the greatest single migrations in the history of the world from the rural areas to the cities of North America greater than the emigration from Europe in the peak years at the turn of the century; greater than the Indian and Pakistani migrations in 1947; greater by far than the Israelite exodus from the land of the Pharaohs.

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In the 1950's alone during which Republicans were in office most of the time-nearly 10 million Americans left the farm for the city. That meant not only fewer farms more than a million and a half fewer farms but it meant an unbearable strain on the ability of the cities to provide for their new residents. Did any of you ever hear the Republicans calling for a model cities program to relieve the blight of the slums? Did any of you hear the Republicans saying that we must build 26 million new housing units for families of modest means, as we said in the Congress this year? Did you hear them say that the schools needed Federal help that poor kids were entitled to a head start in life? Did you hear the Republicans urging the country to find jobs and to provide training for rural people who had no skills when they came to the city and wanted to work? Did you find them pressing for help to depressed areas, so that the people might be encouraged to remain in rural America, instead of crowding into the cities? You heard nothing of that. You heard veto. You heard sermons about kennel dogs. You heard talk about rolling readjustments when the country went through three recessions in 8 years of Republican rule. Meanwhile, the fuse of trouble burned. We could either continue to close our eyes to the urgent needs of our people or we could get this country moving toward meeting those needs. I think everyone in this room knows the choice that we made. And for all the Gallup polls and all the pundits in the world, I would not take back that choice that we made. You just cannot expect peace and quiet when you start to deal with and try to handle trouble when people who have lived in the hopeless world of poverty, and malnutrition, and disease, when they suddenly find out that there is a better way to live. Some of what you start to do fails to achieve its objective. And then the apostles of inaction-the people who ignored the Nation's problems when they were in office they began to set up a peevish wail from the sidelines. Turn back, they said, it is too expensive to meet these problems. Forget them and somehow they will go away. But they can be mastered and if we have the vision and we have the will to master them, we can. And we are on the way to mastering them right this minute. An unemployment rate that we have cut in half. Seventeen million children getting additional Federal help in school.

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A million and a half young people going to college with the help of the Federal Government. The high school dropout rate is down 27 percent in the last 5 years. The number of persons living in poverty is down 38 percent in the last 5 years. The cash benefits under social security are up 60 percent in the same period. What it adds up to is meeting America's needs to facing America's problems and facing them now, not deferring them until they have multiplied beyond the power of the next generation to cope with them at all. Now, the choice that you are going to have to make just 9 days from now is clear as a crystal. that Cuba in that period had been lost to communism; that in 1960 an ultimatum hung over Berlin; that in Southeast Asia, Laos was disintegrating, and the situation in Vietnam where he had recommended intervention in 1954 growing steadily worse; that a summit conference had been canceled because of a U-2 flight; that the projected visit of our own American President to Japan had been canceled because of the fear of hostile demonstrators; that the Russian Premier was threatening to bury us economically, and many people feared that he might just do that; that the Congo was in flames and mortal danger was faced all through Africa where they were faced with being taken over by the Communists; and that Indonesia, the fifth largest nation in the world, with more than 100 million people, was sliding toward the same fate; that Chinese power threatened to overwhelm India and the rest of Asia. I could go on and talk about some other problems of that time, too. But I cite it to you today in the light of the ugly and unfair charges that have been made about our security gap and the charges that have been made about our attempts to win peace in the world. On the night of March 31st, with all the sincerity I could command, I said to the American people what I had concluded sometime before; that I wanted 1968 to be a peace year for me instead of a political year for me. Well, we are working very hard at that. It is a matter that we cannot settle in the newspapers. I do not believe we can make much progress here at the luncheon club. But I can tell you that there is not a man in all of this world that wants progress as much as I do. And there is not anybody that is doing any more about it, either.

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I wish I could give you some better news and I wish I could tell you more than I have. I know how each of you feels. I am curious myself a great deal of the time. And particularly you women I live with three or four of them and I know their curiosity always prevails. Grandmother Johnson has been worried for 3 days about what our new granddaughter is going to be named. The press sometimes refers to these things as political observers believe that is what the fellow means that is writing it. But when we say something, you remember it a long, long time. There is one thing when we are dealing with the lives of human beings we must not do. We must not be careless and we must not be soft and we must not play it loose. As eager as I am and I work on it every day and every night, and I have for many, many months I just cannot make news until there is news. As soon as there is news, you will be the first to know it you, the American people and the people of the world. I am thinking now of the words that I uttered when I got off the plane the day President Kennedy was taken from us when I began to try to assume the terrifying responsibilities of the Presidency I said, Give me your prayers. What I need now is not your curiosity, I need your prayers. I have told you about some of the conditions in 1960. I tried to help solve those problems and not add to them. But I have not forgotten them. I cite them lest we forget the shape of the world the last time Richard Nixon held public office. He can make whatever promises he wants to for the future. But I am not going to let him rewrite the history that he made in the past. Now, there is a second choice this year a fellow whose fame until now rested on his ability to stand in college doorways, defying the law, and on encouraging people in his State to feel that they were a part of a separate nation. You line up a few thousand troops on the sidewalks of the city to preserve order. You throw those bureaucrats' briefcases into the Potomac not including the ones, I suppose, that contain the help for the people of Alabama. You turn the most difficult diplomatic and military problems of the country over to General Curtis LeMay. And then you use the Presidential limousine to take care of the protest movement.

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Well, there it is that is a program to establish justice, to insure domestic tranquillity, to provide for the common defense, and to promote the general welfare. It is amazing that somebody did not think of that before. Well, maybe somebody did and is now consigned to the forgotten footnotes of history. He is a man who began fighting for human rights before others began to pay even rhetorical tributes to freedom. He is a man who saw the needs of our schoolchildren, and he introduced one of the earliest and more far-reaching aid-to-education bills. He is a man who introduced Medicare legislation in the United States Senate, and who endured the violent abuses of its opponents. Johnnie Rooney, your great Congressman, who sits at this dais with me today, knows that Hubert Humphrey has been a general in every effort to improve living conditions in the cities of America and to lift the workingman, and the farmers' income, and to open American doors to new immigrants. Hubert Humphrey has faced America's problems all of his livelong life. He has not deferred any of them not even a single day. He has not ignored any of them. He has not offered simplistic solutions that appeal to the voters' fears. He has offered practical solutions that appeal to the best instincts of our people. And when John Kennedy turned to him at the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, he said, Hubert, handing him this pen this is your treaty. And it was the culmination of years of working and planning for a world without nuclear fallout. Hubert Humphrey, wherever he is now, is fighting for a new treaty to halt the spread of nuclear weapons that we have negotiated but it is held up in the Senate because Richard Nixon said, Let us slow down and not take it up now until we can have a political election. because I believed that he was the best qualified man in America to be President, in the event I could not finish out my term. The 4 years since then have convinced me that my judgment was right; that today, in 1968, Hubert Humphrey is beyond question the American public servant who is best prepared by intelligence, by experience, by compassion, and by character to succeed to the highest office in this land.

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You know, Coach Fulmer came up 48 hours ago, and he and Al practiced all this 15 times. We are going to be cited by the Federal Election Commission for this event. Let me tell you you know, I am not running for anything. I can tell you the whole story about this this Tennessee-Arkansas deal. And for all of you who are covering this who are not from one of the two States, let me the game was an unbelievable game, and Arkansas was ahead at the end. And there was only a minute and a half to go, and we seemed to have an insurmountable lead. And our quarterback was trying to kill the clock, a little of the clock. And the Tennessee line broke through the Arkansas offensive line and tackled him behind the line. And he fell, not with his free hand but with the hand on the ball, which squirted out into the arms of Tennessee. Who is responsible for that over there? And what you really do not what Al could not tell you, because he is not like me; I am not running for anything is that I was actually watching this game as this foreign policy crisis was unfolding. And I was talking on the phone, injecting things, and they thought, you know, I was being tougher on what was happening on the phone, and I was really just reacting to the ballgame. But to be fair, to be perfectly fair to Tennessee, I think that you had over 40 yards still to go Coach Fulmer. So it was not like he fumbled on the goal line. And they won the game, and they went on to the national championship. And I paid off my bet, and The Vice President. I will get you some ribs. aand we have had a lot of laughs about it. But I do want to say, you know, I was the first President from my home State ever elected. I owe a lot to Tennessee; if it had not been for the Vice President joining the ticket, I might not have won the first time, almost certainly would not have won the second time, because we made all the record we made together. I like teams, and people, who do not quit, who never say die, and who stick together. I like the fact that this team had a lot of stars, at different times during the year, but won as a team.

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Well, you know, I really appreciate that lesson in history from the Vice President. I will tell you one thing you remember what John Nance Garner said about the Vice Presidency; he said it was not worth a warm what kettle of spit, or something like that. That is before Al Gore got ahold of it. Nobody will ever say that again ever, ever, ever say that again. And just for your information, George Clinton of New York, doubtless a relative of mine the only man in America ever to be the Governor of a State in excess of 20 years he served for 21 years as Governor of New York. It just sort of runs in the family, you know. I want to tell you all first to the White House staff and to all the appointees who are here; to the members of the Clinton/Gore campaign, from our wonderful campaign manager, Peter Knight, on down; and to the members of the people who work for our Democratic Party campaign. I want to say a special word of thanks to Don Fowler and Chris Dodd; they did a wonderful job, all the people at the party. To our terrific Cabinet over here on the left you know, they have labored for 4 years to uphold the dignity of our Government, and they sort of changed their image today. That picture of Warren Christopher in that T-shirt gets out he will be on Letterman and Leno within 48 hours. I thank you all so much. Last night I had a chance to do something really quite wonderful for me. I was able to have a meeting with when I was home in Arkansas with everybody who ever worked for me there at least we invited them all the people who worked for me 20 years ago when I was attorney general, the people who worked for me during all my five terms as Governor. And I told them something I want to tell you; that is, I have always been a very hard-working, kind of hard-driving person. I am always focused on the matter before me. Sometimes I do not say thank you enough. And I have always been kind hard on myself, and sometimes I think just by omission I am too hard on the people who work here.

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You have accomplished a phenomenal amount in the last 4 years, and you have proved that even in this vast country of ours, where the Government is only one part of our national partnership and billions upon billions of decisions are made every day by people who are not in our Government thank goodness we are primarily a country of free individuals with a free enterprise system but you have proved again something that was clearly in doubt in 1992 at election time. You have proved that with disciplined, sustained, focused effort, America can be changed for the better. You have proved that we can galvanize the energies of the American people and that we can, in fact, bring the deficit down it is not a permanent feature of American life; we can, in fact, grow the economy on a sustained basis; we can, in fact, improve the education and the educational opportunities of our children; we can, in fact, lower the crime rate; and in fact, if people will help us enough in communities across the country, we can even help to change some of the very difficult cultural patterns that had begun to develop in our country over the last several years. You all did that. Very often, I get the credit for the work you do, and then when something goes haywire, if I make a mistake, you have to try to figure out how to clean it up. And I appreciate that. And I am sure I will give you other opportunities in the year ahead. I just want you to know, all of you, from the Cabinet to the staff, to the appointees, to all the others who are here, you should be very proud of this. This race was won because of the record we made and because of the plans we have and because we have established in the minds of the American people that it is more than talk with us, that we work at it hard every day. All of us, we work hard. a vision, a strategy, hard work, and success. And we have a lot more work to do. But when our work is done and when there is 8 years of sustained, disciplined effort, we will have gone a long way toward preparing our country for this new century. I cannot even imagine what the world is going to be like, but I try to imagine it all the time, 20 or 30 or 40 years from now.

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As we meet here today, the serious crisis in world affairs overshadows all that we do. This country of ours, together with the other members of the United Nations, is engaged in a critical struggle to uphold the values of peace and justice and freedom. We are struggling to preserve our own liberty as a nation. More than that, we are striving to cooperate with other free nations to uphold the basic values of freedom of peace based on justice which are essential for the progress of mankind. As we engage in that struggle, we must preserve the elements of our American way of life that are the basic source of our strength. This is the purpose of this Midcentury White House Conference on Children and Youth. We are seeking ways to help our children and young people become mentally and morally stronger, and to make them better citizens. I think you should go right ahead with this work, because it is more important now than it has ever been. Our thoughts and prayers are with our young men who are fighting in Korea. They are engaged in a battle against tremendous odds. The full effort of the united people of this country is behind them. All of us are aware of the grave risk of general conflict which has been deliberately caused by the Chinese Communist leaders. Their action greatly changes the immediate situation with which we are confronted. It does not change our fundamental purpose to work for the cause of a just and peaceful world. No matter how the immediate situation may develop, we must remember that the fighting in Korea is but one part of the tremendous struggle of our time the struggle between freedom and Communist slavery. This struggle engages all our national life, all our institutions, and all our resources. For the effort of the evil forces of communism to reach out and dominate the world confronts our Nation and our civilization with the greatest challenge in our history. I believe the single most important thing our young people will need to meet this critical challenge in the years ahead is moral strength and strength of character. I know that the work of this conference will be of tremendous assistance in the urgent task of helping our young people achieve the strength of character they will need. If we are to give our children the training that will enable them to hold fast to the right course in these dangerous times, we must clearly understand the nature of the crisis. We must understand the nature of the threat created by international communism. In the first place, it is obviously a military threat. The Communist dominated countries are maintaining large military forces-far larger than they could possibly need for peaceful purposes.

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And they have shown by their actions in Korea that they will not hesitate to use these forces in armed aggression whenever it suits their evil purposes. Because of this military threat, we must strengthen our military defenses. We are now engaged in a great program of rearmament. This will change the lives of our young people. A great many of them will have to devote some part of their lives to service in our Armed Forces or other defense activities. In no other way can we insure our survival as a nation. Our objective is not simply to build up our own Armed Forces. Our objective is to help build up the collective strength of the free nations the nations which share the ideals and aspirations of free men everywhere. As a matter of defense, we need the combined resources and the common determination of the free world to meet the military threat of communism. But our problem is more than a military matter. Our problem and our objective is to build a world order based on freedom and justice. We have worked with the free nations to lay the foundations of such a world order in the United Nations. We must remain firm in our commitment to the United Nations. That is the only way out of an endless circle of force and retaliation, violence and war which will carry the human race back to the Dark Ages if it is not stopped now. And this is a point that we must make sure our children and young people understand. The threat of communism has other aspects than the military aspect. In some ways the moral and spiritual dangers that flow from communism are a much more serious threat to freedom than are its military power. The ideology of communism is a challenge to all the values of our society and of our way of life. Some people are most concerned about the Communist threat to our economic system. But, serious as this is, it is only one of the many problems that communism raises. Communism attacks our main basic values, our belief in God, our belief in the dignity of man and the value of human life, our belief in justice and freedom. It attacks the institutions that are based on these values. It attacks our churches, our guarantees of civil liberty, our courts, our democratic form of government. Communism claims that all these things are merely tools of self-interest and greed that they are weapons used by one class to oppress another. We who live in this country know, from our own experience, how false this attack of communism is.

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But there are many people in other parts of the world who have suffered injustice, who have been oppressed, or who stagger under burdens of poverty or disease, to whom the false doctrines of communism have an appeal. Every time our American institutions fail to live up to their high purposes, every time they fail in the proper administration of justice, the forces of communism are aided in their attempt to poison the minds of men everywhere against us and our institutions. Our teachers and all others who deal with our young people should place uppermost the need for making our young people under, stand our free institutions and the values upon which they rest. We must fight against the moral cynicism the materialistic view of life on which communism feeds. We must teach the objectives that lie behind our institutions, and the duty of all our citizens to make those institutions work more perfectly. Nothing is more important than this. And nothing this conference can do will have a greater effect on the world struggle against communism than spelling out ways in which our young people can better understand our democratic institutions. We must teach them why we must fight, when necessary, to defend our democratic institutions, our belief in the rights of the individual, and our fundamental belief in God. These White House Conferences have done much, over the years, to make our people and our Government conscious of our social problems, as they affect children, and to help solve those problems. These conferences have made our democracy work better have aided it to carry out its promise of a better life for all. In this fifth conference of this White House series you are carrying on that great tradition. This year you are mainly concerned with the mental and moral health of our children. And that is exactly what you should be concerned with at this time. I do not claim to be an expert in these things, and I know that I am addressing a conference of experts, but I think there are certain fundamental factors in the development of the American character that it is necessary for us to look to. That reminds me, when I was running the county at home Jackson County we had a welfare department. And it occurred to me that we needed an expert in that welfare department, and I succeeded in getting a couple of fine women to come out and help us carry on that program. The director of welfare came to me one day, all out of breath, and he said, Now Judge, I do not think this thing is going to work.

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I find that these experts of yours never washed a dish or pinned a diaper in their lives. It did work, however, and it was a very satisfactory outcome we had with that welfare department. The basis of mental and moral strength for our children lies in spiritual things. It lies first of all in the home. And next, it lies in the religious and moral influences which are brought to bear on the children. If children have a good home a home in which they are loved and understood and if they have good teachers in the first few grades of school, I believe they are well started on the way toward being useful and honorable citizens. I have always considered my mother and father as my first great influence. I was lucky to have picked the right mother and father. I have always considered that my first, second, and third grade teachers made an immense contribution to any character that I may have at the present time. And I do not think I am being old-fashioned when I say that they ought to have religious training when they are young, and that they will be happier for it and better for it the rest of their lives. In the days ahead there will be many cases in which we will have to make special efforts to see that children get a fair chance at the right kind of start in life. For as our defense effort is increased, special problems will be created by the disruption of the lives of many families. When the White House Conference was held in 1940, the nature of the defense problems which lay ahead was not very clear to those who participated. But in the years that followed we found that the defense program created many problems that affected our children. Today we know much more about these problems, and our recent experience in trying to solve them is fresh in the minds of most of us. I know the work of this conference will give us some important guidelines as to how we can handle these matters best. Our defense effort is all-important, but we must do everything we can to see that it does not handicap the lives of children who are affected by it. The delegates to this conference can help us do a better job this time in meeting our defense problems. This is a vital part of the work of helping to make a healthier and happier life for all our children in the years ahead. We must remember, in all that we do at this conference and afterward, that we cannot insulate our children from the uncertainties of the world in which we live or from the impact of the problems which confront us all.

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I am pleased to be back in the great State of New Hampshire again. And I am honored to be with the ENTITY and Air National Guard, and with reservists from every branch of our military. You are demonstrating that duty and public service are alive and well in New Hampshire. You stand ready to defend your fellow citizens, and you need to know your fellow citizens are grateful. All of you are balancing jobs and your lives and public service. You care about your communities, and you care about your country. Today I am going to talk about two great priorities for our country. We will promote economic growth and create jobs for America, and we will wage the war on terror until it is won. I want to thank Major General Blair for the introduction and for putting up with my entourage. I want to thank his commander in chief, the Governor of the great State of New Hampshire, for joining us today, Governor Benson, and first lady Denise. I want to thank Major General Joseph Simeone, Brigadier General John Weeden, Brigadier General Benton Smith, Colonel Protzmann Carolyn Protzmann, Lt. Colonel Robert Monahan, and Lt. Colonel Leroy Dunkelberger, State Command Sergeant Michael Rice, Command Chief Master Sergeant Ronald Nadeau. This State is fortunate to have an excellent Governor. You are fortunate to have an excellent congressional delegation as well. I am proud to be here today with two fine United States Senators, my friend Judd Gregg and his wife, Cathy and my friend John Sununu. These Senators are strong supporters of your mission. They appreciate what you do. They vote for strong defense budgets because they know what I know, that any time we put our troops into harm's way, you must have the best training, the best equipment, the best possible pay. Congressman Charlie Bass and Congressman Jeb Bradley, who are with us today, understand that as well. My friend Ruth Griffin is here from the Executive Council of New Hampshire. I appreciate the local officials who have come State and local officials to greet me and to be here with you today. I'd like to give you some advice, but I do not know how to ice skate. Today when I landed, I met a lady named Cathy Rice. It is important for me to herald the armies of the soldiers of compassion, people I meet when I land in respective cities. It is important because it helps our country understand our true strength is not our military might or the size of our wallet.

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The true strength of America is the hearts and souls of fellow citizens who are willing to help people who need help. You see, Cathy Rice supports provides support services to hundreds of New Hampshire National Guard families. She helps find babysitters and prepares meals and assists with paying bills, helps families when there is a deployment. She knows people stay behind; they worry about their loved ones. She helps fill that void with love and compassion and care. She offers support to the New Hampshire ENTITY National Guard Family Volunteer Program. It is an important part of completing the mission. She does so because she cares about a fellow citizen. I am proud of Cathy. I am proud of her heart. I want to thank her for her service and encourage each and every one of you to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. America's strength is the heart and soul of our citizens. New Hampshire has had citizen soldiers since before America was a country. Militia and volunteers and guardsmen have served from the Revolution to the Civil War to World War II to Desert Storm. Honor and service and courage are great New Hampshire traditions, and you are upholding those traditions. We live in an era of new threats, and the citizens of New Hampshire are stepping forward to meet those dangers. Citizen soldiers have performed mid-air refueling missions for coalition forces in Iraq. You are training members of the Afghan National ENTITY. You are guarding suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, preparing for homeland security missions. Citizen soldiers are serving on every front on the war on terror, and you are making your State and your country proud. Your lives can be changed in a moment, with a sudden call to duty. I want to thank you for your willingness to heed that important call. And I want to thank your families. I want to thank your sons and daughters, your husbands and wives, who share in your sacrifice, who are willing to sacrifice for our country, and who stand behind you. You are serving at a time of testing for this Nation. And we are meeting the tests of history. We are defeating the enemies of freedom. We are confronting the challenge to build prosperity for our country. Every test of America has revealed the character of America. And after the last 2 years, no one in the world, friend or foe, can doubt the will and the character and the strength of the American people. When you become the President, you cannot predict all the challenges that will come.

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But you do know the principles that you bring to the office, and they should not change with time or with polls. I took this office to make a difference, not to mark time. I came to this office to confront problems directly and forcefully, not to pass them on to other Presidents and other generations. The challenges we face today cannot be met with timid actions or bitter words. Our challenges will be overcome with optimism and resolve and confidence in the ideals of America. Because we believe in our free enterprise system, we can be confident in our economy's future. Our economy has been through a lot. When I took office, the stock market had been declining for 9 months, and our economy was headed into recession. And just as we started to recover, the attacks of September the 11th struck another blow to our economy. And then investor confidence was shaken by scandals scandals in corporate America, dishonest behavior we cannot and we will not tolerate in our country. And then we faced the uncertainty that preceded the battles of Afghanistan and Iraq. No, we have been through a lot. We acted to overcome these challenges and acted on principle. Government does not create wealth. The role of Government is to create the kind of conditions where risktakers and entrepreneurs can invest and grow and hire new workers. We acted to create the conditions for job growth so people can find work. When Americans have more take-home pay, more money in their pocket to spend or save or invest, the whole economy grows, and people are more likely to find a job. So I twice led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the American people. We wanted tax relief to be broad and fair as possible, so we reduced taxes on everyone who pays income taxes. We have a Tax Code that penalizes marriage. That does not make sense. So we reduced the marriage penalty. It costs a lot to raise children we understand that in Washington, DC and it costs a lot to pay for their education. So we increased the child credit to $1,000 per child. And when we said, The check was in the mail, we meant it. We recognize that it is counterproductive to discourage investment, especially during an economic recovery. So we quadrupled the expense deduction for small-business investment and cut tax rates on dividends and capital gains. It is unfair to tax the estates of people people leave behind after a lifetime of saving or building a small business or running a farm.

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When you leave this world, the IRS should not follow you. So we are phasing out the Federal death tax. I proposed and signed these measures to help individuals and help families, but I did so as well to help small businesses. See, most small-business owners pay taxes under the individual tax rates, and therefore, when we cut all rates, small businesses benefit. We help mom-and-pops and start-ups and small businesses by allowing higher expense deductions. The reason I did so is because I understand small businesses create most of the new jobs in America. If we are worried about job creation, if we want there to be jobs for America, we must encourage small businesses. See, small businesses are the first to usually the first to take risk, the first to hire new people. By helping small businesses, we help the entire economy. These actions are helping people across this State. We have cut taxes on 112,000 small-business owners in New Hampshire. We have reduced the marriage penalty for 192,000 couples. We have increased the child credit for 124,000 families. I know that New Hampshire citizens can spend their money better than the people in Washington, DC. We are following a clear and consistent economic strategy, and I am confident about our future. Last month this economy exceeded expectations and added net new jobs. After-tax incomes are rising. Homeownership is at record highs. Factory orders, particularly for high-tech equipment, have risen over the last several months. Our strategy has set the stage for sustained growth. By reducing taxes, we kept a promise, and we did the right thing at the right time for the American economy. We cannot be satisfied so long as we have fellow citizens who are looking for work. I understand that here in New Hampshire, one out of every five jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector. We must act boldly from this point forward to create jobs for America. So I want Congress to join me in a six-point plan to encourage job creation. First, we must help small businesses grow and hire by controlling the high cost of health care. I have laid out a plan to do so. We must confront the junk lawsuits that are harming a lot of good and honest businesses. I have laid out a plan to do so. We must have a sound national energy policy. We must keep the lights on and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy. We must continue to cut useless Government regulations that choke job creation.

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We must work for a free trade policy that opens up markets and levels the playing field for American workers and manufacturing companies. And we need to make sure the tax relief we passed does not disappear in future years. Now, you are wondering why I would say that. Well, because of a quirk in the legislation, the tax cuts that we passed are scheduled to go away unless we act. See, the child credit goes away in a couple of years. In other words, you get the $1,000 now; it is going down to $700 in a couple years unless the Congress acts. You see, when we passed tax relief, I know most Americans did not expect to see higher taxes come back through the back door. I also understand for job creation, it is important to have certainty in the Tax Code. And so if Congress is really interested in job creation, they will make the tax cuts we passed permanent. And as we overcome our challenges to the economy, we are answering great threats to our security. September the 11th, 2001, moved our country to grief and moved our country to action. We will bring the guilty to justice; we will take the fight to the enemy. We now see our enemy clearly. The terrorists plot in secret. They target the innocent. They defile a great religion. They hate everything this Nation stands for. These committed killers will not be stopped by negotiations; they will not respond to reason. The terrorists who threaten America cannot be appeased. This is a new kind of war, and we must adjust. It is a new kind of war, and America is following a new strategy. We are not waiting for further attacks. We are striking our enemies before they can strike us again. We have taken unprecedented steps to protect our homeland. And for those of you who are here who are on the frontlines of homeland protection, thank you. Thank you for what you are doing. Yet wars are won on the offensive, and our friends and America are staying on the offensive. We are finding them. We are on the hunt. We are rolling back the terrorist threats, not on the fringes of its influence but at the heart of its power. We are making good progress. We are hunting the Al Qaida terrorists wherever they hide, from Pakistan to the Philippines to the Horn of Africa to Iraq. Nearly two-thirds of Al Qaida's known leaders have been captured or killed.

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No matter how long it takes, all who plot against America will face the justice of America. We have sent a message understood throughout the world, If you harbor a terrorist, if you support a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, you are just as guilty as the terrorists. And the Taliban found out what we meant. Thanks to our great military, Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for terror, the Afghan people are free, and the people of America are more secure from attack. And we have fought the war on terror in Iraq. The regime of Saddam Hussein possessed and used weapons of mass destruction, sponsored terrorist groups, and inflicted terror on its own people. Nearly every nation recognized and denounced this threat for over a decade. Last year, the U.N. Security Council in Resolution 1441 demanded that Saddam Hussein disarm, prove his disarmament to the world, or face serious consequences. The choice was up to the dictator, and he chose poorly. I acted because I was not about to leave the security of the American people in the hands of a madman. I was not about to stand by and wait and trust in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein. So our coalition acted, in one of the swiftest and most humane military campaigns in history. And 6 months ago today, the statue of the dictator was pulled down. Since the liberation of Iraq, our investigators have found evidence of a clandestine network of biological laboratories. They found advanced design work on prohibited longer range missiles. They found an elaborate campaign to hide these illegal programs. There is still much to investigate, yet it is now undeniable that Saddam Hussein was in clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441. The Security Council was right to demand that Saddam Hussein disarm, and we were right to enforce that demand. Who can possibly think that the world would be better off with Saddam Hussein still in power? Surely not the dissidents who would be in his prisons or end up in mass graves. Surely not the men and women who would fill Saddam's torture chambers or the women in his rape rooms. Surely not the victims he murdered with poison gas. Surely not anyone who cares about human rights and democracy and stability in the Middle East. Now our country is approaching a choice. After all the action we have taken, after all the progress we have made against terror, there is a temptation to think the danger has passed. Since September the 11th, the terrorists have taken lives.

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Since the attacks on our Nation that fateful day, the terrorists have attacked in Casablanca, Mombasa, Jerusalem, Amman, Riyadh, Baghdad, Karachi, New Delhi, Bali, and Jakarta. The terrorists continue to plot and plan against our country and our people. America must not forget the lessons of September the 11th. America cannot retreat from our responsibilities and hope for the best. Our security will not be gained by timid measures. Our security requires constant vigilance and decisive action. We must fight this war until the work is done. We are fighting on many fronts, and Iraq is now the central front. Saddam holdouts and foreign terrorists are trying desperately to undermine Iraq's progress and to throw that country into chaos. The terrorists in Iraq believe that their attacks on innocent people will weaken our resolve. That is what they believe. They believe that America will run from a challenge. The United States did not run from Germany and Japan following World War II. We helped those nations to become strong and decent democratic societies that no longer waged war on America. And that is our mission in Iraq today. We are rebuilding schools a lot of kids are going back to schools reopening hospitals. Thousands of children are now being immunized. Water and electricity are being returned to the Iraqi people. Just ask people who have been there. They are stunned when they come back when they go to Iraq, and the stories they tell are much different from the perceptions that you are being told life is like. You see, we are providing this help not only because we have got good hearts but because our vision is clear. A stable and democratic and hopeful Iraq will no longer be a breeding ground for terror, tyranny, and aggression. Our work in Iraq is essential to our own security, and no band of murderers or gangsters will stop that work or shake the will of America. Nearly every day in Iraq we are launching swift, precision raids against the enemies of peace and progress. Helped by intelligence from Iraqis, we are rounding up the enemy. We are taking their weapons. We are working our way through the famous deck of cards. We have already captured or killed 43 of the 55 most wanted former Iraqi leaders, and the other 12 have a lot to worry about. Anyone who seeks to harm our soldiers can know that our soldiers are hunting for them. Our military is serving with great courage. Some of our best have fallen. We mourn every loss. We honor every name.

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We grieve with every family. And we will always be grateful that liberty has found such brave defenders. In defending liberty, we are joined by more than 30 nations now contributing military forces in Iraq. Great Britain and Poland are leading two multinational divisions. And in this cause, with fine allies, we have got the Iraqis as well. They care about the security of their country. They love freedom just like we love freedom. Last week, the first battalion of the New Iraqi ENTITY completed its training. Within a year, Iraq will have a 40,000-member military force. Tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens are also guarding their own borders, defending vital facilities, and policing their own streets. Six months ago, the Iraqi people welcomed their liberation. Today, many Iraqis are armed and trained to defend their liberty. Our goal in Iraq is to leave behind a stable, self-governing society which will no longer be a threat to the Middle East or to the United States. We are following an orderly plan to reach this goal. Iraq now has a Governing Council, which has appointed interim Government ministers. Once a constitution has been written, Iraq will move toward national elections. The free institutions of Iraq must stand the test of time. And a democratic Iraq will stand as an example to all the Middle East. We believe, and the Iraqi people will show, that liberty is the hope and the right of every land. Our work in Iraq has been long. We will stay the course. We will complete our job. And beyond Iraq, the war on terror continues. I am confident of victory because I know the character of our military, shown in people like Master Sergeant Jack Negrotti of Plaistow, New Hampshire. Jake is a member of the New Hampshire Air National Guard who is volunteered for overseas deployments 3 times since September the 11th. He served in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Right now Jake is an airport manager at Baghdad Airport, helping make sure our military and humanitarian operations move ahead. People like Jake Negrotti are showing what it means to be a patriot and a citizen. We are honored to have Jake's wife, Donna, and his children, Alicia and Christopher, with us here today. Next time you talk to Jake, Donna, you tell him his President appreciates his service, and his country is grateful. The war on terror has brought hardship and loss to our country, beginning with the grief of September the 11th.

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Before I take your questions, let me speak with the American people about the situation in Iraq. This has been tough weeks in that country. Coalition forces have encountered serious violence in some areas of Iraq. Some remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime, along with Islamic militants, have attacked coalition forces in the city of Fallujah; terrorists from other countries have infiltrated Iraq to incite and organize attacks; in the south of Iraq, coalition forces face riots and attacks that are being incited by a radical cleric named Al Sadr. He has assembled some of his supporters into an illegal militia and publicly supported the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Al Sadr's methods of violence and intimidation are widely repudiated by other Iraqi Shi'a. He is been indicted by Iraqi authorities for the murder of a prominent Shi'a cleric. Although these instigations of violence come from different factions, they share common goals. They want to run us out of Iraq and destroy the democratic hopes of the Iraqi people. The violence we have seen is a power grab by these extreme and ruthless elements. Most of Iraq is relatively stable. Most Iraqis, by far, reject violence and oppose dictatorship. In forums where Iraqis have met to discuss their political future and in all the proceedings of the Iraqi Governing Council, Iraqis have expressed clear commitments. They want strong protections for individual rights. They want their independence, and they want their freedom. America's commitment to freedom in Iraq is consistent with our ideals and required by our interests. Iraq will either be a peaceful, democratic country, or it will again be a source of violence, a haven for terror, and a threat to America and to the world. By helping to secure a free Iraq, Americans serving in that country are protecting their fellow citizens. Our Nation is grateful to them all and to their families that face hardship and long separation. This weekend, at a Fort Hood hospital, I presented a Purple Heart to some of our wounded, had the honor of thanking them on behalf of all Americans. Other men and women have paid an even greater cost. Our Nation honors the memory of those who have been killed, and we pray that their families will find God's comfort in the midst of their grief. As I have said to those who have lost loved ones, we will finish the work of the fallen. America's Armed Forces are performing brilliantly, with all the skill and honor we expect of them. We are constantly reviewing their needs.

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Troop strength, now and in the future, is determined by the situation on the ground. If additional forces are needed, I will send them. If additional resources are needed, we will provide them. The people of our country are united behind our men and women in uniform, and this Government will do all that is necessary to assure the success of their historic mission. One central commitment of that mission is the transfer of sovereignty back to the Iraqi people. We have set a deadline of June 30th. It is important that we meet that deadline. As a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation, and neither does America. We are not an imperial power, as nations such as Japan and Germany can attest. We are a liberating power, as nations in Europe and Asia can attest as well. We seek an independent, free, and secure Iraq. Were the coalition to step back from the June 30th pledge, many Iraqis would question our intentions and feel their hopes betrayed. And those in Iraq who trade in hatred and conspiracy theories would find a larger audience and gain a stronger hand. We will not step back from our pledge. On June 30th, Iraqi sovereignty will be placed in Iraqi hands. Sovereignty involves more than a date and a ceremony. It requires Iraqis to assume responsibility for their own future. Iraqi authorities are now confronting the security challenge of the last several weeks. In Fallujah, coalition forces have suspended offensive operations, allowing members of the Iraqi Governing Council and local leaders to work on the restoration of central authority in that city. These leaders are communicating with the insurgents to ensure an orderly turnover of that city to Iraqi forces, so that the resumption of military action does not become necessary. They are also insisting that those who killed and mutilated four American contract workers be handed over for trial and punishment. In addition, members of the Governing Council are seeking to resolve the situation in the south. Al Sadr must answer the charges against him and disband his illegal militia. Our coalition is standing with responsible Iraqi leaders as they establish growing authority in their country. The transition to sovereignty requires that we demonstrate confidence in Iraqis, and we have that confidence. Many Iraqi leaders are showing great personal courage, and their example will bring out the same quality in others. The transition to sovereignty also requires an atmosphere of security, and our coalition is working to provide that security.

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We will continue taking the greatest care to prevent harm to innocent civilians, yet we will not permit the spread of chaos and violence. I have directed our military commanders to make every preparation to use decisive force, if necessary, to maintain order and to protect our troops. The nation of Iraq is moving toward self-rule, and Iraqis and Americans will see evidence in the months to come. On June 30th, when the flag of free Iraq is raised, Iraqi officials will assume full responsibility for the ministries of Government. On that day, the transitional administrative law, including a bill of rights that is unprecedented in the Arab world, will take full effect. The United States and all the nations of our coalition will establish normal diplomatic relations with the Iraqi Government. According to the schedule already approved by the Governing Council, Iraq will hold elections for a national assembly no later than next January. That assembly will draft a new, permanent constitution which will be presented to the Iraqi people in a national referendum held in October of next year. Iraqis will then elect a permanent Government by December 15th, 2005, an event that will mark the completion of Iraq's transition from dictatorship to freedom. Other nations and international institutions are stepping up to their responsibilities in building a free and secure Iraq. We are working closely with the United Nations envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, and with Iraqis to determine the exact form of the Government that will receive sovereignty on June 30th. The United Nations election assistance team, headed by Karina Parelli, is in Iraq, developing plans for next January's election. NATO is providing support for the Polish-led multinational division in Iraq. And 17 of NATO's 26 members are contributing forces to maintain security. Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of State Rumsfeld and a number of NATO defense and foreign ministers are exploring a more formal role for NATO, such as turning the Polish-led division into a NATO operation and giving NATO specific responsibilities for border control. Iraqis' neighbors also have responsibilities to make their region more stable. So I am sending Deputy Secretary of State Armitage to the Middle East to discuss with these nations our common interest in a free and independent Iraq and how they can help achieve this goal. As we have made clear all along, our commitment to the success and security of Iraq will not end on June 30th. On July 1st and beyond, our reconstruction assistance will continue, and our military commitment will continue.

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Having helped Iraqis establish a new Government, coalition military forces will help Iraqis to protect their Government from external aggression and internal subversion. The success of free Government in Iraq is vital for many reasons. A free Iraq is vital because 25 million Iraqis have as much right to live in freedom as we do. A free Iraq will stand as an example to reformers across the Middle East. A free Iraq will show that America is on the side of Muslims who wish to live in peace, as we have already shown in Kuwait and Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan. A free Iraq will confirm to a watching world that America's word, once given, can be relied upon even in the toughest times. Above all, the defeat of violence and terror in Iraq is vital to the defeat of violence and terror elsewhere and vital, therefore, to the safety of the American people. Now is the time, and Iraq is the place, in which the enemies of the civilized world are testing the will of the civilized world. The violence we are seeing in Iraq is familiar. The terrorist who takes hostages or plants a roadside bomb near Baghdad is serving the same ideology of murder that kills innocent people on trains in Madrid and murders children on buses in Jerusalem and blows up a nightclub in Bali and cuts the throat of a young reporter for being a Jew. We have seen the same ideology of murder in the killing of 241 marines in Beirut, the first attack on the World Trade Center, in the destruction of two Embassies in Africa, in the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and in the merciless horror inflicted upon thousands of innocent men and women and children on September the 11th, 2001. None of these acts is the work of a religion; all are the work of a fanatical political ideology. The servants of this ideology seek tyranny in the Middle East and beyond. They seek to oppress and persecute women. They seek the death of Jews and Christians and every Muslim who desires peace over theocratic terror. They seek to intimidate America into panic and retreat and to set free nations against each other. And they seek weapons of mass destruction to blackmail and murder on a massive scale. Over the last several decades, we have seen that any concession or retreat on our part will only embolden this enemy and invite more bloodshed. And the enemy has seen, over the last 31 months, that we will no longer live in denial or seek to appease them.

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New Year's Day will soon be upon us, and with it will come New Year's resolutions. This weekend is a good time to give thanks for our blessings and to resolve to do better in the coming year. One of our greatest blessings as Americans is that we live in a country with a growing economy, where people can pursue their dreams, turn ideas into enterprises, and provide for their families. It is a measure of our economy's resilience that even with high oil prices and softness in the housing market, we are still growing. In November, our economy added jobs for the 51st straight month, making this the longest period of uninterrupted job growth on record. And the fundamentals of our economy are strong. Yet it is more important to remember that behind all these numbers are real people. These people include the entrepreneurs who live their dreams by starting up new businesses. These people include small-business owners who create most of the new jobs in our economy. And most of all, these people include the tens of millions of working moms and dads whose jobs provide for their families. I know that even in this growing economy, some of you have real concerns. Some of you worry about your ability to afford health care coverage for your families. Some of you are concerned about meeting your monthly mortgage payments. Some of you worry about the impact of rising energy costs on fueling your cars and heating your homes. You expect your elected leaders in Washington to address these pressures on our economy and give you more options to help you deal with them. And I have put forth several proposals to do so. In the last month, Congress has responded to some of my initiatives. They passed a good energy bill, they passed a temporary patch to protect middle class families from the burden of the Alternative Minimum Tax, and they passed a law that will help protect families from higher taxes when their lenders reduce their mortgage debt. Congress needs to do more to decrease America's dependence on oil. Congress needs to pass legislation that will help make health care coverage more affordable for small businesses and workers who buy their own policies. And Congress needs to act quickly on the rest of my proposals to help families struggling with rising mortgage payments keep their homes. Most of all, we need to set a good example in Washington by being careful with your money. I am disappointed that leaders in Congress sent me a massive spending bill that includes about 9,800 earmarks.

monologic

Well, Mr. Vice President, you sure convinced me. I want to thank all of you so much for being here. Somebody's talked to Al Gore about playing Tom Hanks in an autobiography. I want to thank young Ashley Ballard. I wish her well. I thank the chairs and the vice chairs and the executive committee and the host committee, everybody who is responsible for this, this very wonderful night. I thank you all for being here. A lot of you come to a lot of these things, I know, and they may get old to you, but you know it is important. But I want to say something rather unconventional tonight about this dinner. We are doing our best to finance our campaign early and in a disciplined way so that I can spend the maximum possible time doing the job the American people elected me to do in 1992, being ENTITY. But the most important thing you can do is to take the little article and the summary of the record and leave here and make up your mind that between now and November of 1996, you are going to take every opportunity you can to talk to the people you come in contact with about what is really at stake in this election. And I was trying to think if there was some simple and halfway hilarious characterization I could give you about what is really at stake here. I think it is fair to say that everybody has figured out this is a time of great change, and the people who would like to see someone else be elected President have an enormous and psychological advantage because they are telling you, All you have to do to change this country is to destroy the Federal Government. Nothing wrong with the rest of us, it is just them, those slugs in Washington. It is interesting, because nearly all of them have been in Washington a lot longer than I have. I still have a hard time finding my way in from Andrews Air Force Base when I . And they are taking all of your money, and they are squandering it on welfare and immigration and they are just throwing it away and just get rid of them. But you do not have to do anything. I have a harder burden because I think we all have to do things. And I was making this little speech to my senior Senator, Dale Bumpers, a couple of months ago, who is one of the funniest people I ever heard.

monologic

That not since the late 1800's, in the early 1900's, when we moved from being a rural agricultural society to being a more urbanized industrial society, when we moved from being a country in splendid isolation, the one that had to assume the burdens of world leadership in World War I, not since then has there been such a change in the way Americans live and work; as we move from our industrial age into a post-industrial, information-technology-based society of which many of you are the world's most glittering embodiment; as we move from a cold war period when the world is more or less organized around functioning nation-states that are divided into two opposing camps but all more or less capable of delivering basic services and sustenance to their people, into a global economy characterized by free markets and openness and rapid movement of money and management and people and technology, where there are all kinds of pressures to have global integration and a lot of pressures of economic disintegration on individual workers and families and communities throughout the world, of a world in which we think we are moving toward peace but we still see madness everywhere. In other words, there is a lot of good and a lot that is troubling. And we need a vision for what we want America to look like, because all the good things and all the troubling things are occurring in this great diverse cauldron we call the United States, every day. And my vision is that we ought to build an America for the 21st century that is a high-opportunity place where hard-working entrepreneurs can live out their dreams, where we grow the middle class and shrink the under class, where we do what is necessary to help individuals make the most of their own lives and help families and communities to solve their own problems and where we come together across all these lines that divide us, these income and racial and regional and religious and other lines that divide us so that the 21st century can still be an American century, so that we can be the world's force for freedom and peace and human rights and prosperity.

monologic

And I think to get there we have to have a lot of new ideas, but I really believe they have to be rooted in old-fashioned American values, things that sound corny like freedom and responsibility and work and family and community, seeking the common good instead of the short-term wedge issue that divides us politically and being willing to do things that are unpopular in the moment because you know that when your children are grown and look back, they will look like the right decisions. That is what I think we have to do. And just let me give you a couple of illustrations why. The Vice President talked about the economy, and I am very proud of our economic record. We have had a very serious strategy, the first time the United States has had one in a long time. We wanted to reduce the deficit while increasing investment in defense conversion to help California and other places, in new technologies, and in education and training. We wanted a vast increase in trade. We wanted to be for free but also for fair trade. And we thought we could do some good economically. But if I had told you on the day I was inaugurated ENTITY that after 30 months the following things would happen, would you have believed it? That we would have 7 1/2 million new jobs, 2 1/2 million new homeowners, 2 million new small businesses, a record number of self-made millionaires, the stock market would be at 4,700, but the guy in the middle had an income that dropped. It has never happened before in the history of the Republic. More than half the people are working harder for the same or lower wages. Because that is the way the global economy affects us today. And if we want a future where we grow the middle class and shrink the under class, we have to figure out how to deal with that. In every State in the country, the crime rate is down, the murder rate is down, believe it or not, notwithstanding the rhetoric in Washington, because the economy is better, the welfare rolls are down, and the food stamp rolls are down. Drug use among people between the ages of 18 and 34 is down. But underneath it, just like on the economy, in spite of a falling crime rate, the rate of random violence and crime by people between the ages of 12 and 17 is up, and the rate of casual drug use by children between the ages of 12 and 17 is up. So we have got to figure out what to do about that.

monologic

We have got a lot of heart-wrenching publicity, and everybody was moved by that terrible encounter in which the child lost his life here just a few days ago. But we have become inured to all the children that lose their lives every day in these violence-ridden places in America. The other day we had a study come out of the Justice Department that said that two-thirds of the gang members in America felt justified in shooting someone just because they treated them with disrespect. And within a week, blaring headlines in the East of a 16-year-old boy who shot a 12-year-old, then ran over and stood over him and emptied his gun into him because he thought the 12-year-old treated him with disrespect. It turned out the 12-year-old was the neighborhood wit who made fun of everybody and lost his life for it. Whatever happened to Count to 10 before you say, much less do, something ? Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me ? I joked to somebody in the White House the other day that if I took that approach, everybody treated me with disrespect, there would be no ammunition left in America. You have got a whole generation of kids out there raising themselves, getting out of school an hour or two earlier than any of us ever got out of school, no place to go, nothing to do. We have to figure out what we are going to do to help them, too, because I believe we are a community. So I am proud of the fact that the crime rate is going down. But I am really worried about these kids because when they all get grown, if enough of them do this and the next generation of 12 to 17-year-olds keep doing what they are doing, then the strategies we have for driving the crime rate down will not work anymore. In foreign policy, the Vice President litanized all the things we'd done. I am proud of the fact there are no Russian missiles pointed at our kids for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age. I am proud of what we were able to do in the Middle East and Northern Ireland and Southern Africa.

monologic

I am proud of the fact that in Bosnia we may be on the verge of a breakthrough because good people now in all those factions, the Muslims, the Croatians, and the Serbs, I think, have seen it is time to make a decent peace and quit killing each other. I am proud of that. The real threat to the world today is that in an open world where you have to have free movement of people and technology, where the Internet is full of wonderful things that we celebrated today, we all are more vulnerable to the forces of organized evil. And there are people that are preying on hatred and paranoia, rooted in religious or ethnic or racial bigotry. And they can still do bad things. They can blow up buses full of kids in Israel. They can break open vials of sarin gas in subways in Tokyo. And yes, they can find out on the Internet how to make a simple bomb that will blow up a Federal building in Oklahoma City. So until we have a way of dealing with that, we have to celebrate our progress, but we have to realize that there have to be some changes in the way we look at ourselves and our responsibilities to get to where we want to go. I believe with all my heart that the best days of the United States are ahead of us if, but only if, we face these changes and if we do it with new ideas rooted in old-fashioned values. Now, the big news in Washington today is the fight about the budget. The budget is more about values than it is about money. Both parties now agree we ought to balance the budget. I say, high time. We never had a structural deficit in the United States of America until 1981. We quadrupled the debt of the country in the 12 years before I showed up. It is so bad that the budget would be in balance today but for the interest we pay on the debt run up in the 12 years before I became ENTITY. We have got to quit this. Next year interest on the debt will be bigger than the defense budget. If we were not paying so much interest on the debt, we could invest more money in California to help you overcome the big defense downsizing and what has traumatized your economy so. So we should balance the budget. And are we interested in balancing the budget consistent with our values? I told you what my values are.

monologic

Their argument is, the people who disagree with us, is that you do not have to believe in all that, you do not have to change anything, all you have got to do is get rid of the Government. We ought to balance the budget, but we do not have to cut education to balance the budget. You want to know what will happen if we stop giving little kids a chance to get off to a good start in school; if the Federal Government walks away from its responsibility to help with smaller class sizes, more computers, and higher standards; if the National Government walks away from its responsibility to give kids the opportunity to serve in national service programs, the AmeriCorps program, to earn their way to college, or get more Pell grants if they are poor or have better access to lower cost college loans like we have done? You raised the costs of higher education. And in the teeth of a bad economy, enrollment in higher education went down here when it should have gone up. We cannot let that happen to the United States. It is not necessary to balance the budget, and it would be wrong. And that is exactly what walking away from our responsibilities in education is. You look at this debate over the environment under the guise of balancing the budget, gutting the ability of the EPA to enforce the clean air law, putting on the budget all these riders, these limitations on our ability to protect our natural resources. You know, Hillary and Chelsea and I went to the West, to Wyoming, and we went to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks this summer. We got lucky; we got to do one or two things that most people could not do. We got to feed the wolves in Yellowstone because we happened to be there at feeding time. But basically, everything we did there, any American family could do. They could drive a car up there and fork over 10 bucks. And all across America we have this network of parks preserving our natural heritage. Some of these people say that in order to balance the budget we need to close half the parks or that it is okay to put a big mine right next to Yellowstone, even if we do not know how we are going to protect the water quality. Or it is okay, now that we created a California Desert Protection Act, just not to fund it and hope it will go away and die. Now, I know that sometimes we make mistakes with the Nation's environmental laws.

monologic

I thought it was kind of crazy to see that guy indicted for killing a kangaroo rat on his farm. But that stuff happened for a long time before we showed up. And under Al Gore's leadership, we have actually reduced the burden of crazy regulation. But I am telling you something, the world is not free of environmental problems. The world is not free of public health problems. People died just a couple years ago in Milwaukee because their water supply was poison. Children died just a couple of years ago in the Pacific Northwest from poison meat from E. coli, partly because the Government still inspects meat, as I said yesterday, believe it or not, the way dogs do. That is how your Government inspects meat. They touch it, they look at it, and they smell it. But we wanted to put in new regulations using high-technology equipment to stop E. coli, and there were people that actually voted not once but twice in the House of Representatives under the guise of cutting Government spending to stop us from doing that. So, yes, let us balance the budget, but do not tell me that we should sacrifice the clean air, clean water, and natural heritage of the United States. It is the rightful, rightful legacy of every American to do it. The Vice President talked about the crime bill. We did some important things in the crime bill because people in law enforcement told us to do it. They said, Do not spend all your money on prisons; spend some money to keep these kids out of trouble. And put 100,000 police out there on the street so they can help prevent crime as well as catch criminals. I started the week in Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday morning with an African-American Democrat who was elected sheriff in an overwhelmingly white Republican county. Then he got elected sheriff because people thought he'd be a good sheriff and because there was no partisan constituency for crime. Out here in the country, I cannot find anybody for raising the crime rate. It is only in Washington that people say, Well, that is what the Democrats put in the crime bill; we have got to gut the prevention money, and we have got to kill the 100,000 cops. And we will just give the cities and the counties and the States a little less money and we will give it to them in a block grant, and we do not care how they spend it. Now, we know what lowers the crime rate, but we are going to stop doing it anyway.

monologic

Well, I am sorry, we ought to balance the budget, but there is no constituency and no conscience in doing things that you know will interrupt the fight to lower the crime rate. That is one of the great triumphs of the last 5 years, America proved we could lower the crime rate. Before, people did not think we could do it. Let us stop trying to undo it, stick with what works, and balance the budget and still do our justice to the streets of Los Angeles and the other places in the United States. I could give you a lot of other examples, but let me just mention one. And you have heard all this, and the numbers are so confusing it probably makes your head hurt. Let me tell you what the basic facts are. Medicare is a program that provides health care to people over 65. Part A of Medicare is hospital care; it is funded by a payroll tax. Part B is all of the other things you get on Medicare, and it is funded by general tax money and what elderly people pay out of their own pocket. Medicaid is a program that takes care of old people on low incomes and disabled people who need nursing home care or get care in their homes, and it provides medical care for all these poor children and their parents. You know, it is not fashionable to stick up for the poor anymore, but those kids are going to grow up and be part of our country. Why do you think the Los Angeles health care system's in trouble? Because they have got a lot of poor kids to care for. Now, we need to slow the growth of both those programs. They have been growing too fast, and they are crowding out our ability to invest in education and technology and the future. Everybody knows it. And we need to make sure that the so-called Medicare Trust Fund that guarantees hospital care for the elderly is secure. And everybody knows that. The congressional majority has made a decision that in order to balance the budget in 7 years and get $250 billion in tax cuts, they have to take $450 billion out of the health care system over the next 7 years that we thought they were going to have to spend. Now, we should take some money out.

monologic

But I am telling you, we cannot take that much money out without charging elderly people more than they can afford and keep in mind, threequarters of the people in this country over 65 live on less than $24,000 a year we cannot do that without risking closing rural hospitals and urban hospitals, and we cannot do it without hurting all those poor kids. We cannot do it. So I say, of course, let us slow the growth in medical inflation. I do not care what happens to the health care system, this is how much I am going to jerk out. That is inconsistent with our values. This is not about money. This is about our values. Yesterday in Denver I was with the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of Roman Catholic nuns who spend their whole life serving in ways that most of us could never even dream of doing. And they run a home there for elderly people that you could eat breakfast off of any morning. You'd be proud to have any member of your family there. And they are giving their whole lives to do this. But with all of their sacrifice, they cannot do it unless the rest of us chip in a little money through Medicaid to keep those folks there. And I do not know about you, but I am glad they do it. And if we can balance the budget without gutting them, we ought to. And we can and we will, if I have anything to say about it. I just want to make two more points because California is on the forefront of both these issues. The first is that our meal ticket to the future is our diversity. If we can learn to live together and work together and respect each other, that is our meal ticket to the future. In a global economy, who is better positioned than the United States to take advantage of the blizzard of interconnections that will be the best of tomorrow? So I say to you, when we have issues that are troubling, we need to solve them in ways that bring us together, not use them as wedges used to drive us apart. Welfare reform . I led the fight to reform welfare. While the Congress has been fighting for 3 years, we have given 70 percent of the States permission to get rid of Federal rules to figure out how to move people from welfare to work. I did it not because it is costing you a lot of money. The welfare budget is a tiny part of the Federal budget.

monologic

I did it because it is inconsistent with American values for people to be trapped in dependency when they want to be free, because most parents in this country have to work and people on welfare should be able to work, but they ought to be able to be good parents as well. So I want to change the welfare system, and I do not mind being very tough on requiring people to work. But you have to give them education and training and you have to give them child care, and we ought to collect the child support enforcement that people owe them as well. That is what I believe. So we should do this together. We should not look for some way to put people down; we should look for ways to lift people up. You look at the affirmative action issue, this affirmative action issue. We have to fix some. We have already fixed some. But let me tell you, I have hired hundreds of people in my life. I have worked with all kinds of people. I have been in all kinds of different circumstances. And I believe with all my heart we have not yet reached the point in our country when we are totally oblivious to our gender and racial differences. And as long as we are not, as long as we see troubling reminders of what may lurk in the hearts of people that they never say, I think it is appropriate not for Government to practice reverse discrimination, not for Government to have quotas, not for Government to guarantee anything to somebody who is unqualified to receive it but for the Government to say you should be conscious, you should be aware when you make decisions of the abilities and the potential of all the people in the community without regard to their race or gender. So I say fix affirmative action, but do not throw it away for a short-term political gain until we have solved this problem. And I feel the same way, as all of you know, because of what I said 2 years ago about immigration. I knew we had immigration problems, and I had never dealt with them before 2 1/2 years ago. So I asked former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan to set up a commission to deal with immigration in a forthright, humane, hardheaded way to just try to talk sense and not to use it for political benefits. And we have done more than any previous administration to try to close the borders and send illegal immigrants back.

monologic

We have recommended a disciplined reduction in the annual quota of immigration until we get our own low-skill workers back in the work force and until we can manage our own economy better. Except for the Native Americans that are here tonight and I thank them for being here everybody else here came from somewhere else, and we should never, ever forget that. I will bet you everybody here has disagreed with five or six things I have done in the last 2 1/2 years. And what I try to do is figure out what this is going to look like when my daughter's my age. What is the 21st century going to be like for the United States? And so I do a lot of things that are not popular. But when we do things like that, if you agree that we should keep leading, then you have to step into the breach as well and be heard. All the political advice I got was, Do not you be the first ENTITY in American history to take on the NRA over the Brady bill and assault weapons. Do not do it, because what will happen is they will gut you, and they will gut your Congressmen who stand with you. And all the people who agree with you will find some other reason to vote against them. And sure enough, last fall in '94, that is what happened. I can tell you today that the Democrats would still be in the majority in the House of Representatives if they had not fought to ban assault weapons and for the Brady bill. I do not care what anybody else said. I have looked at those votes district by district, and I know what I am talking about. There were other reasons for the gain, the promise of the tax cut and all that; the Christian Coalition's great outpouring, they had a lot to do with it. But in the close races, the NRA took them down, the people that stood up for taking Uzis off the street and Uzis out of the schools, for making people check to see if they had a criminal or a mental health background. And there are thousands and thousands of people who now have not gotten guns because the Brady bill passed. There are children who are going to live because of the assault weapons ban. And you ought to stand up for those people who did it. Same thing happened with Haiti. People said, You have got to be out of your mind.

monologic

Al Gore and I were 50 percent of all the people in Washington, DC, that thought it was a good idea to send our forces to Haiti. They said, You will never be able to explain this to the American people; everybody knows our national security is not at stake. You know what we said? Those military dictators came to the United States, to New York City, stood in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, and promised to leave and let President Aristide come back. If the United States can be lied to on its own soil in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty when we say we want every country in our hemisphere to be a democracy, how can we turn away the hoards of people who are risking their lives and dying in the seas from Haiti. How can we ever say we are the force for freedom and democracy? And so we did it. And we did it without firing a shot. When Hillary was trying to decide about going to China, everybody said, This is a really dumb idea. If you go, the people who are against their human rights practices will say you have legitimized them just by going. And then if you say what you need to do, the people that want to have stronger trade relationship will say you are wrecking our relationship. But you know what we decided? All over the world the kind of future we have depends in large measure on how we treat women and their little children, especially their little female children. Do you know just for an example, in all of Asia today, there are now 77 million more boys than there are girls, because little girl children are still being killed because they are not supposed to be worth anything? I can give you a lot of other examples. And so we decided that she ought to go because she could stick up for the women and the children and especially the girl children of this world, and she could talk not only about China and not singling China out but about what is happening in other countries including our own country that is not right. And now it looks like a great decision. I could give you a lot of others, but I will give you one more, because the Vice President had a lot to do with this. We were trying to decide whether to go forward with our campaign to try to stamp out, or at least dramatically discourage, illegal smoking by teenagers. These tobacco companies never lose in court; they never lose anywhere.

monologic

They got a double ton of money, and they will gut you, not because they will get on television and run ads saying we think kids ought to smoke but because they have mailing lists, they can write people, they can inflame people. There are all these wonderful, wonderful Americans who grow tobacco like their families have been growing it for 100 and 200 years. But they can terrify them, and they will give them all kinds of propaganda about how you are going to drive them into the dirt, and those people will become a political force against you. And all the Americans who agree with you, they will find some other reason to be against you. That is why people do not ever take on organized interests. So do not you be you have already been the first ENTITY to take on the NRA; for goodness sakes, do not take on the tobacco companies, everybody else gave that one a pass. But we knew 2 things after 14 months of study. We knew, number one, that for 30 years some of these companies have known that tobacco was addictive and dangerous and that they were consciously marketing it to children. And the second thing we knew was that 3,000 kids a day begin to smoke, and 1,000 of them will end their lives early. So finally, we decided, how in God's name can we walk away from this? A thousand kids a day living a better, fuller, longer life is worth any amount of political sacrifice. There is so many other things like this that I could tell you about, but you get the idea. I do not want you to be upset about what you think is going on in Washington; I want you to be determined to do what you think is best for America, consistent with our values. This debate was inevitable, as inevitable as the sun coming up in the morning, because of the depth of the changes that are going on. Because we are changing the way we work, we are changing the way we live, we have to change the way we do government. Do not you forget we have been around for nearly 220 years now because most of the time when the chips are down, the American people do the right thing. I was born nearly 50 years ago to a widowed mother in a State where the per capita income was barely half the national average. My granddaddy raised me til I was 4. He had a sixth grade education.

monologic

President, I thank you for your wonderful hospitality. Two years ago in this city, world leaders formed the Monterrey Consensus. We pledged to work for government that is responsive to the basic needs of every human being and for policies that promote opportunity for all. At this year's summit, we are embracing the challenge of implementing that consensus to bring all the hemisphere's people into an expanding circle of development. To advance these goals, my Nation revolutionized the way we provide aid, and we substantially increased our aid to developing countries. Under our new Compact for Development, U.S. assistance is linked to good governments, investment in people, and economic freedom. Development assistance should light a path to reform and economic growth rather than perpetuate the need for further aid. The nations of this hemisphere must identify concrete steps to implement the noble ideas of the Monterrey Consensus. We must work to provide quality education and quality health care for all our citizens, especially for those suffering from ENTITY/ ENTITY. We must also chart a clear course toward a vibrant free market that will help lift people out of poverty and create a healthy middle class. We must increase the credit available to small businesses that generate the majority of jobs in all our economies and reduce the time that it takes to start a business. We must strengthen property rights so that land can be leveraged as a source of capital to start businesses or hire new workers. And we must lower the cost of sending money home to the families of hard-working men and women who are earning a living abroad. Over the long term, trade is the most certain path to lasting prosperity. The openness of our market is the key driver of growth in the region and a testament to the United States' belief in the mutual benefits of trade. Last year, about 83 percent of Latin America's exports to the United States, roughly $176 billion worth of goods, entered my country duty-free. My country is committed to free and fair trade for this hemisphere through the Free Trade Area of the Americas and through the growing number of bilateral free trade agreements we have completed and are negotiating. Our NAFTA partners have been vital free trade allies for 10 years now. Our free trade agreement with Chile entered into force on the first of this year. We are completing a free trade agreement with our Central American partners. This week we will launch negotiations with the Dominican Republic, and soon we will begin negotiations with Panama and some of our Andean friends.

monologic

First, I would like to thank Susan Fitz, Fran Jackson; the teachers, Lori Kuzniewski I was in her class Ms. Kristen Mullen's class; Alan Leis, Paula Johnson, your superintendents; John Butterfield, from the education association; Jim and Molly Cameron, from the PTA; all the people who made me feel so welcome at this school today. This is the best of our country's future. I look around this crowd today, and I see people whose roots are all over the world, whose languages are very different, whose cultures are different, whose religions are different, who have come together on this school ground in a common endeavor of learning with a promise that our country opens to all people who are willing to work hard and be good citizens and do their part. It is thrilling for me to be here and look at you. I have a much better view than you do today. And I loved being with the children in the classroom. The best part of this morning so far, for me, has been answering the children's questions. They ask very good questions; some of them I did not want to answer even, they were so good. And it gave me a great deal of hope for the future. You just heard my weekly radio address, so you know that I am very concerned about the overcrowding in our Nation's classrooms. We have, almost suddenly, the largest group of schoolchildren in our Nation's history. I was part of the last large group, the baby boom generation; all of us are now between the ages of 34 and 52. This group in school today is the first group that is larger. One is represented here, all the housetrailers; the other is represented by the dilemma in our largest cities, where we have huge numbers of students and wonderful old school buildings that were unoccupied for many years. Many of them now cannot even be hooked up to the Internet. And we must, as a nation, face this challenge. In the last Congress, we were able to get a big downpayment on my plan for 100,000 more teachers in the early grades to take the average size of the classes down to 18 across America in the first 3 grades. But we have to have the school buildings, as well. And I did present a plan to the Congress, that I will present again early next year, that would enable us to build or modernize 5,000 schools.

monologic

If you want the smaller classes, the teachers have to have some place to meet with the students. And I ask all of you, based on your personal experience here and without regard to any political differences you may otherwise have, to please, please help me convince the Congress that it is the right thing for America's children to have the smaller classes, to have more teachers, and to have modern schools. Every single child in America deserves them, and the United States ought to be in the forefront of helping achieve that. And I thank you for that. Let me also say to all of you, I learned when I came here today, because I received a little card from one of the students, that next week is the week you have student elections at the school here. And what I'd like to say is, I hope that all the parents will be just as good citizens as the students are. Because Tuesday is election day in America, as well. For nearly 6 years, I have worked hard to bring our country together across all the lines that divide us, so that America would work the way this school works, so that we could all feel the way I think all of you feel today, coming from your different walks of life to this common ground. America ought to be a place of common ground, where we move forward together. I am grateful for the fact that after 6 years we have nearly 17 million new jobs and the lowest unemployment in 28 years; the highest homeownership in history, over two-thirds of Americans in their own homes for the first time ever; the smallest percentage of our people on public assistance, welfare, in 29 years; lowest crime rate in 25 years. I am proud of that. I am also determined that we take this moment of prosperity, which has given us the first balanced budget since 1969 and a surplus, to meet the long-term challenges of America. We talked about education today. Those of you who come from the rest of the world and have come here as immigrants, who have relatives in other countries, know that there is a lot of financial turmoil in the rest of the world. I have done my best to try to help stabilize the global economy because America depends upon the success of other people in other countries and their being able to have good jobs and raise their children and do better. I have done my best to see America stand on the forefront of world peace.

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A week ago yesterday, we announced the latest agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and we hope it will be fully and faithfully implemented. And we will continue the work toward peace in the Middle East. We have to look ahead to what happens when this huge generation of baby boomers retires, which is why I have said we should not spend this surplus on anything until we have reformed the Social Security system and reformed the Medicare system, to make sure that it can be preserved for the people who need it, especially when all the baby boomers retire. We have to continue to work on the fact that many of our people, literally over half of our people, are in HMO's or other managed care plans. And this can be a good thing, because we have to save all the money we can. But it is wrong if a person is in a health care plan and the doctor says, You need to see a specialist, and the plan says no. It is wrong if someone is in a car accident and they have to pass three hospitals that are closer on the way to an emergency room that happens to be covered by the plan. It is wrong if someone is pregnant and during the pregnancy, or someone is sick with cancer and has had chemotherapy and during that treatment, an employer changes health care providers and the person has to change doctors. All of that is wrong. Okay, let us manage the system, but let us put the health care of our people first and let medical decisions be made by medical professionals, not accountants. All these issues are out there, issues that will affect the long-term stability and strength of the United States and our ability to do what should be done in the world. So let me say that I have been very concerned periodically over the last 6 years, and I was especially concerned last year, that in Washington, DC, in National Government, there are not only different parties with different philosophies and different views that is a good thing; we should have different parties, different philosophies, different views, different opinions but there is a great deal of difference in constructive debate and extreme partisanship which keeps things from being done. In the last year, for 8 months, we had extreme partisanship which kept things from being done. And what we need to do is to put the progress of all of our people over the partisanship; we need to put people over politics; we need to celebrate our differences, but work together.

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That is what I am hoping will come out of this coming election. I hope that a Congress will be elected on Tuesday that will put the education of our children first and build or modernize these 5,000 schools. I hope the election will produce a Congress that will not spend that surplus until we fix Social Security first, to stabilize our country, to stabilize our economy, and to avoid a situation where when we retire we will have to either lower our standard of living or lower the standard of living of our children because we refused to take this moment to fix the Social Security system. I hope the next Congress will provide the American people with a Patients' Bill of Rights. I hope the next Congress will provide the American people with a bill to protect our children from the dangers of tobacco, the number one public health problem in America today. It is wrong that 3,000 children start smoking every day; 1,000 will die sooner because of this. I hope the next Congress will reach across partisan lines and raise the minimum wage for 12 million Americans. You cannot support a family on $5.15 an hour. We can afford to do it, and we should do it, and we ought to do it as Americans, across partisan lines. I hope the next Congress will produce a genuine and bipartisan system of campaign finance reform, so that honest debate, instead of big money, controls elections. All of these things are within your hands. Look at these children; look at how fortunate we are that they can come together and learn from each other and have the right kind of disagreements and go have an election next week in which they campaign and make their case and everybody votes. We should set a good example. This country is still around after 220 years, having undergone unbelievable changes in the makeup of our citizenry, because more than half the time, more than half the people have been right on the big issues. The future of these children, the future of our country in the 21st century, is riding on it. So I implore all of you, if the education of our children is important to you, if the stability of our country and the stability and cause of peace in the world is important to you, please set a good example. Show up on Tuesday, vote, make your voice heard, and go home and talk to your children about what you did and how it is at the core of everything that makes our country worth living and fighting for. Thank you, and God bless you all.

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Thank you, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, for telling me I should come here today, thank you. I must say, I would rather be in the choir than in the pulpit. I thank three members of my Cabinet- Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman; the Secretary of Transportation, Rodney Slater; and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Frank Raines-for coming with me, and many members of the White House staff and friends. We are all glad to be here, and we have a happy heart after hearing all the wonderful music and seeing the people here, and especially the children. Sean and Ahjah and the other children gave me the letters and the drawings; I was back there reading them. One letter said, Can Project Spirit come and visit the White House and see the Christmas tree? As a matter of fact, Dr. Hicks, anybody, any of these children in your youth group you want to bring, just bus them on in. We'd be glad to see them, and we will arrange it. I'd like that. Now, the letters contain some interesting things. One young man wrote, I am not trying to get myself in trouble, but I have always had a crush on Hillary. Now, I can certainly understand that. A lot of the letters were serious. They said, can I do more to get rid of violence, guns. A lot of them said very specific things about what they'd like to do to make their schools better. Or, at least, why am I here today, instead of down the street at Foundry, where I normally am on Sunday? Ephesians says we should speak the truth with our neighbors, for we are members, one of another. I believe that. I think that is the single most important political insight, or social insight, in the Bible. And I think it is what should drive us as we behave together. Is my destiny caught up in yours; are your children my children; do you care about my daughter; are we part of the same family of God? It is not enough to say that we are all equal in the eyes of God. We are all also connected in the eyes of God. Now, just because we have responsibilities one to another does not mean we do not have a primary responsibility to ourselves. God helps those who help themselves. So we have responsibilities to ourselves, but we owe a lot to each other.

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I come here to say that I do not believe our National Government has always been the best neighbor to the City of Washington, Mr. Mayor, Ms. Cropp, Congresswoman Norton, but we are committed to becoming a better neighbor. Washington has gotten a lot of lectures from people in national politics about being more responsible, from making the schools work better, to the streets become safer, to the neighborhoods having more hope and economic opportunity. But in the essence of our Constitution is the idea that responsibility requires freedom. And so I believe in the independence of Washington, DC. I want Washington, DC, to be able to run its own affairs. In this last meeting of Congress we did more things to take loads off of Washington that it should not have and to give Washington responsibilities that it should have. And we must do more. I met with the mayor, the city council, the control board, and a lot of community leaders just a few days ago, a meeting that the Congresswoman requested. And we talked about what we could do together. But I want to say to you that I come here at this Christmas season to say that I hope one of the gifts that I and our administration can leave for the 21st century is a National Capital that is a shining city on the hill for all America, that every American is proud of. I want a National Capital where every child looks like the children that I heard sing and who brought me those letters today, where they are all filled with a spirit of their own goodness, where they all believe they are children of God, where they all are animated to believe that they can have hope to live out their dreams. And this place symbolizes that. Would not you like it if your city and your country worked the way this church did? Would not you like that? And I am not violating the first amendment by saying that. This has nothing to do with the separation of church and state. This has to do with the values we all share. Most people who are not even Christians, who are Jewish people, who are Muslims, who are Buddhist, who are all the different religions we have in our country today, they'd still like it if our country worked more the way this church does-and often the way their houses of worship do.

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I welcomed Prime Minister Thorsteinn Palsson to the White House with particular pleasure, for he is the first Icelandic Prime Minister to make an official working visit to the United States. The Prime Minister and I had a very good and friendly meeting this morning, and we continued our conversation over lunch. Prime Minister, as you are well aware, ties between the United States and Iceland are deep and long-lived. In fact, they go back to the year 1000, when Leif Erikson, a son of Iceland, first came to these shores. I distinctly remember the statue of Left the Lucky in front of Iceland's largest church atop Reykjavik's tallest hill. It was a gift from the American people to Iceland in 1930 for the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the Icelandic Parliament. Your Parliament, the Althing, is the oldest in the world; and it existed long before most parliamentary systems ever got started. That statue now stands as a reminder of the traditionally close and cooperative ties between our two democratic nations. It also reminds us of how fortunate it is that Icelanders were and remain a brave and seafaring people. On the occasion of the Prime Minister's visit to the White House today, I want again to express my personal thanks and the appreciation of the American people for the gracious hospitality shown by the Icelandic people and Government in hosting my meeting with General Secretary Gorbachev in October of 1986. Prime Minister, I have nothing but admiration for the efficiency and speed with which your entire nation successfully met an immense challenge on such short notice. I was told while there that Icelanders are accustomed to responding to such things as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. But I am sure, however, they had never previously witnessed the upheaval of a U.S.-Soviet summit, complete with more than 3,000 journalists. But you and your countrymen took it all in stride, and we are all left with an unforgettable impression of your warmth, generosity, and hospitality. In the wake of the Moscow summit, I must note that the talks that the General Secretary and I had in Hofdi House were an important milestone in the development of our current dialog with the Soviet Union, a dialog made possible by the firm determination and unity of the Western alliance of which your nation was a founding member. NATO has more than stood the test of time, and Iceland was there at the beginning. NATO is an alliance of sovereign equals whose members have agreed to share both its benefits and responsibilities.

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I want to pick up her speech because I think I can sell it for a lot of money. You are going to see that tonight. Thanks also to the members of NFIB's Board of Directors who I have spent time with. Just took some wonderful pictures with good-looking group, I have to tell you. Together, you have been a powerful voice for America's small businesses. And now you have a true friend and ally in the White House. You know that. You know that. I am honored to be with you today for, really, this historic celebration. This was something when they asked me to do, I did not think about it for more than about a second. I said, I will do it. And let me officially say, on behalf of the American people, happy 75th anniversary to the National Federation of Independent Business. I tell you, you deserve a big happy. Joining us today are some terrific people who work very, very hard. And actually, they are starting to get a lot of credit. In fact, we had our highest poll numbers today. Can you believe this? So they are doing a good job. You know the old story when I was campaigning, I only mentioned that when we were doing well in the polls. When we are not doing well, I do not talk about it. You do the same thing. They are fighting hard for small business and for large business. They are fighting hard for our country, frankly, each and every day. And they are doing a terrific job. Most importantly, I want to thank all of you, the small business owners, who are the engine of American prosperity. And, you know, I have been saying it for a long time, but you really are. You look at even the stats and you look at the numbers. You look at the taxes that are paid. You look at the jobs. It is all about small business. So small businesses, really I say this to Linda McMahon all the time head of Small Business. For many years, Washington tried to hold you back and tear you down, crushing the American small business with crippling taxes and oppressive regulation. But all that has changed starting in November 2016. The Trump administration is with you, and we are with you 100 percent. Instead of punishing entrepreneurship, we are now promoting entrepreneurship. the illegal immigration crisis on our southern border. It is been going on for many, many decades and many years. And it has its ups and its downs.

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And all we need is good legislation, and we can have it taken care of. And we have to get the Democrats to go ahead and work with us. Because as a result of Democrat-supported loopholes in our federal laws, most illegal immigrant families and minors from Central America who arrive unlawfully at the border cannot be detained together or removed together, only released. These are crippling loopholes that cause family separation, which we do not want. As a result of these loopholes, roughly half a million illegal immigrant family units and minors from Central America have been released into the United States since 2014 at unbelievably great taxpayer expense. Nobody knows how much we are paying for this monstrosity that is been created over the years legislation that nobody has any idea what they are doing. They do not even know what it means. And you have to see this; it is a mile high. Child smugglers exploit the loopholes, and they gain illegal entry into the United States, putting countless children in danger on the perilous trek to the United States. They come up through Mexico. Mexico does nothing for us. They do nothing for us. They could stop it. They have very, very strong laws. They do nothing for us, and I see it through NAFTA. I see with $100 billion-plus that they make on trade through NAFTA one of the worst deals ever made by this country. And we are trying to equalize it. And we are going to take care of our American farmers, and we are going to take care of our manufacturers, and our manufacturing jobs. But they are making unbelievable amounts of money, and that is not including the drugs that are flowing through our border, because we have no wall and we have no protection. The drugs that are coming in from Mexico and through the southern border is disgraceful. We can do one-on-one with Mexico; one-on-one with Canada. And, by the way, Canada they like to talk. They fought World War II with us. We appreciate it. They fought World War I with us. And we appreciate it, but we are protecting each other. There was a story two days ago, in a major newspaper, talking about people living in Canada, coming into the United States, and smuggling things back into Canada because the tariffs are so massive. The tariffs to get common items back into Canada are so high that they have to smuggle them in.

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They buy shoes, then they wear them. They scuff them up. And I told them, if they do not change their ways and we have a tremendous deficit. People say, Well, there is really not that much of a deficit. energy and timber. And those are the two big things when it comes to Canada. No, we have to change our ways. So hopefully, we will be able to work it out with Canada. We have very good relationships with Canada. We have for a long time. But Canada is not going to take advantage of the United States any longer, and Mexico is not going to take advantage of the United States any longer. And when I campaigned, I said I will either renegotiate NAFTA or I will terminate it and we will start from an even base. And people are afraid of that. You know, I have had so many people they come up, they say, Oh, please do not terminate NAFTA. Yeah, but we know what we have. People are worried because they know what they have. If you look at I love the American farmer more than anybody. They have backed me. I love the American farmer. And by the way I will tell you in a little while because it is in one of my notes the American farmer virtually will not have to pay any more estate tax on their farms when they pass away and they want to leave it to their children. And that goes for almost all small businesses. You will not have the estate tax to pay anymore, which was crippling. That was in our bill. Now, he is too young to be leaving it, so that means he is a beneficiary. And I am honored to have done it, because it was destroying the estate tax small businesses and farms. People were mortgaging them to the hilt to pay the tax, and then they could not pay the interest on the mortgage, and the banks would take them away. You do not have to pay the estate tax any longer. In other words, loopholes if your farm is really big, you start to pay. It is a pretty big level, you know that. These loopholes have created a massive child smuggling trade. Can you believe this? In this day and age, we are talking about child smuggling. We are talking about women smuggling in this day and age. The worst it is been in history because the Internet has led to this.

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