    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [September 15, 2003]
    [Pages 1165-1169]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Bush-Cheney Reception in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
    September 15, 2003

        The President. Thanks for your warm welcome. Thanks for coming out
    tonight. I'm honored so many showed up. Thanks for coming. Thanks for
    your friendship, and thanks for your strong support. I appreciate the
    generous contributions you have made. The truth of the matter is, what
    we're doing is we're laying the groundwork for what is going to be a
    great nationwide victory in November of 2004.
        I'm going to count on you for more than just contributions. I need
    your help. I need you to put up the signs, to mail out the brochures.
    When you go to the coffee shop, you look them in the eye, and you tell
    them this administration has got a hopeful and optimistic vision for
    every single American.
        There's a lot of talk in the air, a lot of political talk, and the
    truth of the matter is, I'm loosening up. [Laughter] I'm getting ready.
    But the political season will come in its own time. I've got a job to
    do. I'm focused on the people's business in Washington, DC. I've got a
    lot on the agenda, and I will continue to work hard to earn the
    confidence of all Americans by keeping this Nation secure and strong and
    prosperous and free.
        Most of you probably wish you were at the fundraiser a month ago
    when Laura was the keynote speaker. [Laughter] If so, you've got great
    judgment. She's a fabulous First Lady.
        Audience member. So was your Mom! [Laughter]
        The President. I'm sorry she's not here
    tonight. And speaking about my mother, I'm
    still listening to her, by the way. [Laughter]
        I want to thank my friend David for
    being a fine chairman. He's been a longtime friend. I've called upon him
    time and time again to help, and he's never let me down. David, thank
    you, and the great team you put together, for--[applause].
        I've got two great campaign cochairmen for the State of
    Pennsylvania, two fine United States Senators, men with whom I work
    closely on key issues, Senator Santorum and
    Senator Specter. Thank you all for your--
    [applause]. Like me, Arlen married above himself. [Laughter] And I'm
    proud that Joan is with us today as well. Thank you for coming,
    Joan.
        I'm also honored that members of the Pennsylvania congressional
    delegation are with us today, Congressman Gerlach, Congressman Weldon, Congressman
    Greenwood. Congressman Sherwood is with us. It's good that you brought your family, Don.
    From the great State of New Jersey, Congressman Jim Saxton is with us as well.
        I'm also pleased that Attorney General Mike Fisher is with us today. General, thank you for coming. We've
    got another attorney general with us, from the State of Delaware, Jane
    Brady. Thank you for being here, Jane. I'm so
    pleased to be able to say hello to Bill Scranton. He's one of the great Pennsylvania political families.
    I'm honored you're here, Bill. Thank you for coming.

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        Finally, I have the pleasure of saying hello to a fantastic lady and
    her two children, Connie
    Katz. Connie is here. She is representing her
    husband, who is running a spirited campaign for
    the mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And we're proud you're here.
        I want to thank the grassroots activists who are here. I
    particularly want to thank Bob Asher, a
    national committeeman from Pennsylvania, and Alan Novak, who is the chairman. I thank my friend Mercer
    Reynolds, who is the national chairman of
    this campaign. He's from Cincinnati, Ohio, and he's taken a lot of time
    out of his life to help gather the resources necessary to wage a strong
    campaign in '04.
        Finally, I want to thank Bill Kay,
    who is the owner of this establishment. I want to thank Bill and all the
    good folks who have worked hard to put on this event. Most of all, thank
    you all.
        In the last 2\1/2\ years, our Nation has acted decisively to
    confront great challenges. I came to this office to solve problems, not
    to pass them on to future Presidents and future generations. I came to
    seize opportunities instead of letting them slip away. This
    administration is meeting the tests of our time.
        Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is
    what they got. We have captured or killed many key leaders of the Al
    Qaida network, and the rest of them know we're on their trail. In
    Afghanistan and in Iraq, we gave ultimatums to terror regimes. Those
    regimes chose defiance, and those regimes are no more. Fifty million
    people in those two countries once lived under tyranny, and now they
    live in freedom.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, our military was not receiving the
    resources it needed, and morale was beginning to suffer. So we increased
    the defense budgets to prepare for the threats of a new era. And today,
    no one in the world can question the skill and the strength and the
    spirit of the United States military.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession. And
    then the attacks came upon our country, as well as corporate scandals
    and the march to war, all of which affected the confidence of the
    American people. But we acted. We passed new laws to hold corporate
    criminals to account. And to get the economy going again, I have twice
    led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the
    American people.
        I believe and I know that when Americans have more take-home pay to
    spend, to save, or invest, the whole economy grows, and people are more
    likely to find a job. This administration also understands whose money
    we spend in Washington. It's not the Government's money. It's the
    people's money. We are passing more of the people's money so they can
    help raise their families. We're reducing the taxes on dividends and
    capital gains to encourage savings and investment. Small businesses now
    have new incentives to expand and to hire new people. With all these
    actions, we're laying the foundation for greater prosperity and more
    jobs, so that every single citizen of this country can realize the great
    promise of America.
        Two-and-a-half years ago, there was a lot of talk about education
    reform, but there wasn't much action. So I acted. I called upon and
    Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act. With a solid bipartisan
    majority, we delivered the most dramatic education reforms in a
    generation. We now bring high standards and strong accountability
    measures to every public school in America. We believe every child can
    learn the basics of reading and math, and we expect every school to
    teach the basics of reading and math. This administration is challenging
    the soft bigotry of low expectations. The days of excuse-making are
    over. We expect results in every single classroom, so that not one child
    is left behind.
        We reorganized our Government and created the Department of Homeland
    Security to safeguard the borders and ports

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    and to make America more secure. I picked a good man to run that
    Department. Tom Ridge is doing a great job. You
    trained him well. [Laughter]
        We passed trade promotion authority to open up new markets for
    Pennsylvania's entrepreneurs and farmers and manufacturers. We passed
    much needed budget agreements to bring spending discipline to
    Washington, DC. On issue after issue, this administration has acted on
    principle, has kept its word, and has made progress for the American
    people.
        The Congress gets a lot of credit. I appreciate working with Members
    of the Congress. Got a great relationship with the majority leader, Bill
    Frist, and Speaker Denny Hastert. We're going to continue to work together to try to
    change the tone of Washington, DC, to get rid of the needless bickering
    and endless politics and to focus on the people's business by focusing
    on results. Those are the kind of people I've asked to serve in my
    administration. I've put together a great team on behalf of America,
    good, honest, honorable citizens to serve the people of this country.
    Our country has had no finer Vice President than Dick Cheney. Mother may have a different
    opinion. [Laughter]
        In 2\1/2\ years, we've done a lot. We have come far, but our work is
    only beginning. I have set great goals worthy of a great nation. First,
    America is committed to expanding the realm of freedom and peace, not
    only for our own security but 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 to succeed
    and to realize the American Dream.
        It's clear that the future of peace and freedom depend on the
    actions of America. This Nation is freedom's home. We are freedom's
    defender. We welcome this charge of history, and we are keeping it. Our
    war on terror continues. 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 this danger to civilization is removed.
        We are confronting that danger in Iraq, where Saddam holdouts and
    foreign terrorists are desperately trying to throw that country into
    chaos by attacking coalition forces and aid workers and innocent Iraqis.
    They know that the advance of freedom in Iraq would be a major defeat
    for the cause of terror. This collection of killers is trying to shake
    the will of America and the civilized world. But America will not be
    intimidated.
        We're aggressively striking the terrorists in Iraq, defeating them
    so we will not have to face them in our own country. We're calling on
    other nations to help to build a free Iraq, which will make them more
    secure. And we're standing with the Iraqi people as they assume more of
    their own defense and move toward self-government. These aren't easy
    tasks, but they're essential tasks. We will finish what we have begun.
    We will win this essential victory in the war on terror.
        Our greatest security, however, comes from the advance of human
    liberty, because free nations don't support terror. Free nations don't
    attack their neighbors. Free nations do not develop weapons of mass
    terror to blackmail the world. Americans believe that freedom is the
    deepest need and hope of every human heart. And I believe that freedom
    is the right of every person, and I believe that freedom is the future
    of every nation.
        America also understands that unprecedented influence brings
    tremendous responsibilities. We've duties in the world, and when we see
    disease and starvation and hopeless poverty, 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
    suffering with AIDS. This great, strong, compassionate Nation is leading
    the world in this important work of human rescue.

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        We face challenges here at home, and our actions will prove that
    we're equal to those challenges. So long as anybody who wants to work is
    looking for a job, means that I'll continue to work for an environment
    that encourages the entrepreneurial spirit to flourish, working hard to
    make sure the environment is such that jobs grow so people can find
    work.
        We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by
    strengthening and modernizing Medicare. The Congress took historic
    action to improve the lives of older Americans. For the first time since
    the creation of Medicare, the House and the Senate have passed reforms
    to increase choices for our seniors and to provide coverage for
    prescription drugs. It is now time for both bodies to iron out their
    differences to get a good bill to my desk. It is time for the Congress
    to fulfill the promise of our seniors today and those of us who are
    going to be seniors tomorrow.
        For the sake of our health care system, we need to cut down on the
    frivolous lawsuits which increase the cost of medicine. People who have
    been harmed by a bad doc deserve their day in court. Yet the system
    should not reward lawyers who are simply fishing for a rich settlement.
    Frivolous lawsuits drive up the cost of health care, and therefore, they
    affect the Federal budget. Medical liability reform is a national issue
    which requires a national solution.
        I appreciate working with Congressman Greenwood. The House passed a good bill to reform the system. The
    bill is stuck in the United States Senate. Senators must realize that no
    one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit in America. Not these
    people.
        I have a responsibility as President to make sure the judicial
    system runs well, and I have met that duty. I have nominated superb men
    and women for our Federal courts, people who will interpret the law, not
    legislate from the bench. Members of--some Members of the United States
    Senate are trying to keep my nominees off the bench by blocking up-or-
    down votes. Every judicial nominee deserves a fair hearing and an up-or-
    down vote on the Senate floor. It is time for some Members of the United
    States Senate to stop playing politics with American justice.
        Congress needs to complete work on a comprehensive energy plan. The
    lessons of last summer ought to be an indication that we need to
    modernize our electricity grid. You all know it well here. I have
    submitted such a plan that will make the reliability standards
    mandatory, not voluntary, that will encourage new investment so we can
    say as we head into the 21st century, ``We're doing everything we can to
    make sure power is available to the American citizens.''
        We need to use our technology to promote conservation. We need to be
    able to explore for energy in environmentally friendly ways. We need an
    energy plan. For the sake of economic security and for the sake of
    national security, this Nation needs to be less dependent on foreign
    sources of oil.
        Our strong and prosperous Nation must also be a compassionate
    nation. I will continue to advance our agenda of compassionate
    conservatism, applying the best and most innovative ideas to the task of
    helping our fellow citizens who hurt. There are still millions of men
    and women who want to end their dependence on Government and become
    independent through hard work. Congress must build on the success of
    welfare reform to bring work and dignity into the lives of more of our
    fellow citizens. They should complete the ``Citizen Service Act,'' so
    more Americans can serve their communities and their country. And both
    Houses should reach agreement on the Faith-Based Initiative, to support
    the armies of compassion that are mentoring our children and caring for
    the homeless and offering hope for the addicted. It's in our churches
    and synagogues and mosques, it's

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    where we find Hindus and Jews and Christians and Muslims, that we find
    decency and compassion. This country should not fear faith in the
    important works of saving lives.
        A compassionate society must promote opportunity for all, including
    the independence and dignity that come from ownership. This
    administration will constantly strive to promote an ownership society in
    America. We want more of our citizens owning their own home. We have a
    minority homeownership gap in America. I have submitted plans to the
    Congress to close that gap. We want more citizens owning and managing
    their own health care plans. We want our citizens owning and managing
    their own retirement accounts. We want more people owning their own
    business, because we understand that when a person owns something, he or
    she has a vital stake in the future of America.
        In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take
    responsibility for the decisions they make. We're changing the culture
    of America from one that has said, ``If it feels good, do it,'' and ``If
    you've got a problem, blame somebody else,'' to a culture in which each
    of us understands we are responsible for the decisions we make in life.
    If you are fortunate enough to be a mom or a dad, you're responsible for
    loving your child with all your heart and all your soul. If you're
    worried about the quality of the education in the community in which you
    live, you're responsible for doing something about it. If you're a CEO
    in corporate America, you're responsible for telling the truth to your
    shareholders and your employees. And in a responsibility society, each
    of us is responsible for loving a neighbor just like we'd like to be
    loved ourselves.
        We can see the culture of service and responsibility growing around
    us here in America. I started the USA Freedom Corps to encourage
    Americans to extend a compassionate hand to a neighbor in need. And the
    response has been strong. Charities are strong. Our grassroots faith-
    based organizations are strong all across America. Policemen and
    firefighters and people who wear this Nation's uniform are reminding us
    what it means to sacrifice for something greater than yourself. Once
    again, the children of America believe in heroes, because they see them
    every day.
        In these challenging times, the world has seen the resolve and the
    courage of America. And I've been privileged to see the compassion and
    the character of the American people. All the tests of the last 2\1/2\
    years have come to the right nation. We're a strong country, and we use
    that strength to defend the peace. We're an optimistic country,
    confident in ourselves and in ideals bigger than ourselves.
        Abroad, we seek to lift up whole nations by spreading freedom. At
    home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading opportunity to every corner
    of this country. This is the work that history has set before us, and we
    welcome it. And we know that for our country and for our cause, the best
    days lie ahead.
        May God bless you all. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:35 p.m. at Drexelbrook. In his remarks,
    he referred to David Girard-diCarlo, Pennsylvania State cochairman,
    Robert Asher, Pennsylvania finance cochairman, and Mercer Reynolds,
    national finance chairman, Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.; Joan Specter, wife of
    Senator Arlen Specter; Pennsylvania State Attorney General Mike Fisher;
    Connie Katz, wife of Philadelphia, PA, mayoral candidate Sam Katz, and
    their children, Philip and Lauren; Alan Novak, chairman, Pennsylvania
    Republican Party; L. William Kay II, managing partner, Drexelbrook
    Associates; and former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.