[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       A SAFER, STRONGER AMERICA

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, after 4 years of leadership by President 
Bush, I believe our Nation is safer, stronger and better. We are 
fighting and winning a war on terror on many fronts, including Iraq and 
Afghanistan; Afghanistan is free; Libya is disarmed; and Iraq is well 
on its way to becoming a free country in the heart of the Middle East. 
The spread of democracy in this part of the world will help ensure our 
safety here in the United States.
  Recent economic data is a powerful confirmation that the President's 
pro-growth economic policies are working. Home ownership rates are up, 
and minority home ownership is at its highest level ever. Real GDP has 
grown at its fastest rate in almost 20 years over the last three 
quarters. Productivity has grown at its fastest 3-year rate in 40 years 
during the past 12 quarters.
  Mr. Speaker, we have overcome the triple shock of terrorist attacks, 
corporate scandals and recession, and we are a stronger country on many 
fronts, thanks to the leadership of President George Bush.

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