    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [May 21, 2003]
    [Pages 523-526]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the President's Dinner
    May 21, 2003

        Thank you all. Thanks for the warm welcome. It's always nice to have
    a nice quiet dinner with a few friends. [Laughter] Can't tell you how
    much we appreciate you coming, though.
        First I want to thank my friend George Allen for putting together this fine event. I want to thank
    all those who've helped. I particularly want to thank all of you all for
    coming from all across the great country. Thank you for your support. It
    makes a huge difference to our ``Grand Party.'' Your participation in
    the process makes a great difference to our great country.
        All of us who serve this country have important responsibilities.
    You've got responsibilities at home to love your children with all your
    heart and all your soul. You've got responsibilities in your communities
    to love a neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself. If you're a CEO
    in corporate America, you have a responsibility to tell the truth to
    your employees and shareholders. And we have responsibilities here in
    Washington, DC, to work together to keep this Nation strong and secure
    and prosperous and hopeful, and we accept that responsibility.
        I appreciate so very much the Speaker of the House, Denny
    Hastert.  Dennis He is such a good Speaker. We
    want to keep him as the Speaker. And the same goes for the majority
    leader in the United States Senate, Senator Bill Frist. It is a joy to work with these two fabulous Americans.
        I'm also honored to be on the--sharing the stage with the Senate
    dinner chairman, Senator Orrin Hatch from
    Utah; the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, from
    the State of New York, Congressman Tom Reynolds; the House dinner chairman, Congressman Dave Camp from Michigan. I want to thank all the Senators and
    Members of the House of Representatives who are here. America is
    fortunate to have you--your service on behalf of all of us.

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        I want to thank the members of the Cabinet who are here. I want to
    thank the Oak
    Ridge Boys for
    sharing their beautiful voices. Most of all, I want to thank you all for
    supporting us and what we're doing for the country.
        For the last 2\1/2\ years, this country has faced incredible
    challenges, and those challenges brought out the best in America. The
    testing of America has revealed the spirit of America. The world has
    seen that we are courageous, resolute, tough when we have to be, and a
    compassionate people. The world has seen the strength and the idealism
    of the United States military. Thanks to the skill and courage of our
    troops and the technology of our military, the world has seen that the
    guilty have more to fear from the United States of America.
        Thanks to the skill and bravery of our troops and coalition forces,
    because the guilty can no longer hide behind the innocent, the world
    will be a more peaceful place. The terrorists will have fewer places to
    hide. Tyrants will no longer be free to enslave their people. Freedom
    has arrived in far corners of the Earth.
        Every friend of this country and every enemy of this country can be
    certain America will always work to keep the peace, and we will always
    keep our word.
        We're working hard to change the tone in Washington, DC, and I
    believe we have. We've raised the debate to focus on results and
    progress, and we're achieving great results for the American people. One
    reason we're able to do so is because I put together a fabulous team. To
    the Cabinet members here, I want to thank you for your service. But I do
    want to mention one member of my team that is not with us tonight but is
    doing a fabulous job for America, and that's the finest Vice President
    our Nation has ever known, Vice President Dick Cheney.
        Now, my mother may have a different point
    of view--[laughter]--but I got the mike. [Laughter]
        The Vice President and members of the Cabinet and everybody else who
    works for me is resolved to keep the vow we made to restore honor and
    dignity to the office of the President of the United States.
        And I'm proud of the United States Congress. The Congress is focused
    on results, and they have delivered tremendous results for the American
    people: Major tax cuts so the working people can keep more of their own
    money; education reform; Homeland Security Department to better secure
    America; trade legislation. No, this Congress, instead of endless
    bickering and needless partisanship, has focused on what's--doing right
    for the American people. And I'm proud of what you all have done.
        We've come a long way in 2\1/2\ years, but we've got a lot more work
    to do. We've got a lot to do. First, America is committed to expanding
    the realm of freedom and peace for our own security and for the benefit
    of the world. And second, in our own country we must work for a society
    of prosperity and compassion, so that every citizen has a chance to work
    and succeed and realize the great promise of the United States of
    America.
        Across the world it has never been more clear that the future of
    freedom and peace depend on the actions of the United States. This
    Nation is freedom's home and defender. We welcome this charge of
    history, and we will keep it.
        As we saw again last week in Saudi Arabia and in Morocco, the war on
    terror continues. Our work is not done. The enemies of freedom are not
    idle, and neither are we. This country will not rest. We will not tire.
    We will not stop until the danger to civilization is removed.
        Our national interest involves more than eliminating aggressive
    threats to our safety. Our greatest security comes from the advance of
    human liberty, because free nations do not support terror. Free nations
    do not attack their neighbors. Free nations do not threaten the world
    with weapons

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    of mass murder. As Americans, we believe that freedom is the deepest
    need and hope of every human heart. And we believe that freedom is the
    right of every person and the future of every nation.
        America also understands that unprecedented influence brings
    tremendous responsibilities. We have duties in the world. When we see
    disease, starvation, and hopeless poverty, we cannot and we will not
    turn away. On the continent of Africa, America is now committed to
    bringing the healing power of medicine to millions of men and women and
    children who suffer from AIDS.
        I want to thank the United States Congress. I want to thank the
    House, once again, for voting for the package today to make sure that
    the great compassion of America is felt in some of the most hopeless
    corners of the world. I want to thank Henry Hyde and Dick Lugar and Bill
    Frist, who guided this important legislation
    through both Houses, a piece of legislation which I look so forward to
    signing next week before I go overseas. And when I go overseas, I will
    remind our partners in Europe about our great heart, our great
    compassion, and call upon them to join us in this great work.
        We have challenges at home, and there's not doubt in my mind we are
    equal to those challenges. Our most urgent mission in the months ahead
    is to strengthen this economy, to create the conditions for job growth,
    and to provide economic security and opportunity for all our American
    citizens. Prosperity is the result of hard work and the dreams of the
    American people. The role of Government is not to create wealth but the
    environment in which work and entrepreneurship pay off.
        Republican Members of the House and Senate understand that. Each
    body has now passed additional tax relief to leave more money into the
    hands of the American people. See, we understand this: The money we talk
    about in Washington, DC, is not the Government's money. The money we
    talk about in Washington, DC, is the people's money.
        Chairman Thomas in the House and
    Chairman Grassley in the Senate are
    working hard to reconcile any differences, and I'm confident they'll be
    able to do so and get a package to my desk that I can sign into law. The
    Members of the House and the Senate are results-oriented people. When
    they see a problem, they act. We want everybody in America who wants to
    work to be able to find a job.
        Economic security also depends on a good education for every child.
    I came to Washington with a deep desire to pass fundamental reforms in
    education, to bring high standards, accountability, regular testing to
    every public school in America. With a solid bipartisan majority, we
    passed the No Child Left Behind Act. This is a good start, but it's only
    a start. And now we're working with Governors and chief school officers
    of every State to make reform a reality. Every child can learn the
    basics of reading and math, and every school must teach those basics.
    The days of excuse-making are over, and now we expect results in every
    classroom, so that not one single child in America is left behind.
        We can use our past success as a model for meeting other priorities
    currently before the Congress. Members of the Congress are working with
    us now to strengthen and modernize Medicare, to give seniors more health
    care choices and access to prescription drugs. All of us on the Federal
    payroll get a choice in health care plans. Seniors ought to have the
    same choices. If choice is good enough for Federal workers, it is good
    enough for the seniors in America.
        Together, we've been working to cut down on frivolous lawsuits and
    pass meaningful medical liability reform. People who have been
    mistreated by doctors deserve a day in court. Yet the system should not
    reward lawyers fishing for large settlements. The medical liability
    issue is a national problem that requires a national solution.

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    The House has passed a good bill, and the Senate should follow suit.
        I also continue to work with the Congress to pass a comprehensive
    energy plan to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
        We must also advance our agenda of compassionate conservatism. We
    have a responsibility to apply the best, most innovative ideas to the
    task of helping our fellow citizens in need. We must continue to work
    for meaningful, real welfare reform, to bring work and dignity into the
    lives of more and more Americans. The Congress should finish work on a
    faith-based bill to support the armies of compassion, for mentoring
    children and caring for the homeless and offering hope to the addicted.
        I appreciate the hard work of Orrin Hatch
    and Bill Frist to make sure that our judiciary
    functions properly. I have submitted superb nominations to our Federal
    courts. The confirmation process in the United States Senate should be
    about justice, not about empty politics.
        We have a full agenda for America, and a clear and optimistic vision
    for our future. We believe in an ownership society. We want Americans to
    own their own health plan. We want Americans to be able to start their
    own businesses. We want more families to own homes. We want people to be
    owning a piece of their retirement, so that every person has the dignity
    and independence that come from ownership, assets and property that they
    can call their own.
        We also have a vision for a responsibility society. We're changing
    the culture in this country, from one that has said, ``If it feels good,
    just go ahead and do it,'' and ``If you've got a problem, blame somebody
    else.'' The culture is shifting to one in which people know they're
    accountable for what they do, they're responsible for the children they
    bring into the world; a culture which says, ``You have a responsibility
    to help a neighbor in need.''
        We can see the culture of service and responsibility is rising
    around us in America. We started what's called the USA Freedom Corps.
    The response has been fantastic. Our fellow citizens from all walks of
    life, all political parties, have joined in making sure that people who
    hurt receive the love and affection they need. Our faith-based charities
    are strong and vibrant in America. We've got people who are willing to
    sacrifice on behalf of others, those who wear the uniform, the police
    and the firefighters. We've got people who are now serving in their
    communities and being held up as examples--positive examples--so that
    children can learn the meaning, the real meaning of hero. No, America's
    culture is changing and changing to the better.
        It is such an honor to be the President of a great country. Our
    Nation has faced mighty challenges over 2\1/2\ years. We've endured
    terrorist attacks, yet we have grown stronger. We've led the world in
    the fight against terrorism. We freed a great people from a ruthless
    dictator and eliminated the threat posed to world peace.
        We met every challenge, and we will meet every challenge that comes,
    because this is the greatest country on the face of the Earth. And the
    reason it is, is because of the great strength and compassion of the
    American people.
        It is such an honor to be here. May God bless you all, and may God
    bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 7:20 p.m. at the Washington Convention
    Center. In his remarks, he referred to Senator George Allen of Virginia,
    chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee; and entertainers the
    Oak Ridge Boys, who sang the national anthem.