    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [January 25, 2003]
    [Pages 80-81]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    January 25, 2003

        Good morning. This coming Tuesday, I will deliver the State of the
    Union Address to Congress and the American people. Our Nation faces many
    great challenges all at once. We will meet all of them with courage and
    steady purpose.
        In 2003, we must work to strengthen our economy, improve access to
    affordable, high-quality health care for all our seniors, encourage
    compassion at home and abroad, and defend our Nation against the threats
    of a new era. The war on terror is an ongoing priority for our Nation.
    We will take every measure that is necessary to protect the American
    people from terrorist groups and outlaw regimes. The world depends on
    America's strength and purpose, and we will meet our responsibilities
    for peace.
        Today I want to speak to you about a few key domestic priorities.
    When I address Congress, I will urge them to pass my plan to strengthen
    our economy and help more Americans find jobs. The tax relief already
    planned for later in this decade should be made effective this year,
    including income-tax reduction, marriage penalty relief, and an increase
    in the child tax credit. When Congress acts, I will direct the Treasury
    to return this money to taxpayers right away, which will provide
    immediate help to our economy.
        We can also lay the foundation for future prosperity by encouraging
    investment and helping Americans to prepare for the new jobs a growing
    economy will bring. I will ask Congress to eliminate the unfair double
    taxation of dividends and raise the deduction limit for small businesses
    that invest in new machinery and equipment. And to help unemployed
    workers find a job as soon as possible, I propose new reemployment
    accounts. These accounts will assist with the cost of finding work,
    including training and child care and moving expenses, and provide a
    cash bonus to workers who find a job quickly.
        Strengthening and improving Medicare is also a priority for my
    administration in the coming year. I will urge Congress to join me in
    keeping our commitment to America's seniors by working to modernize
    Medicare and include a prescription drug benefit to help seniors who are
    squeezed by rising drug prices.
        As a prosperous nation, we have an obligation to help Americans who
    are struggling to build better lives for themselves. So I will propose
    new initiatives to bring the work of faith-based and community groups to
    the needs of our fellow citizens. All of these priorities will be
    reflected in the budget I submit to Congress in early February.
        As we fund important priorities, however, we must also practice
    spending discipline in Washington. Spending restraint is important to
    economic growth and job creation. And it is critical to reducing the
    deficit caused by war and national emergency and

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    recession. Under my budget, discretionary Federal spending will rise by
    4 percent, about the same as the increase in family incomes. Government
    should not grow faster than workers' paychecks. Government should follow
    the example of American families by setting priorities and staying with
    them.
        In this session of Congress, we must work to make our Nation safer,
    more prosperous, and more compassionate. I look forward to working with
    the Republicans and Democrats in this important year for America and the
    world. Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 12:03 p.m. on January 24 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January
    25. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on January 24 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.