    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [February 4, 2005]
    [Pages 146-154]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in a Discussion on Strengthening Social Security in Omaha,
    Nebraska
    February 4, 2005

        The President. Thanks for being here. Thanks for inviting me back.
    One of the last times I was here, I remember, I was out there with
    Senator Hagel, and he said,
    ``Give them your best fastball.'' [Laughter] This wasn't a political
    moment; this was the College World Series. [Laughter] I finally remember
    the college--Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you being
    able to extend the contract for the College World Series here to Omaha,
    Nebraska.
        We're not here to talk baseball today, and we're certainly not here
    to talk college football--[laughter]--if you know what I mean.
    [Laughter] We're here to talk public policy, about how to make America a
    better place.
        I want to thank the Governor for joining
    us today. Governor, where are you? Thanks for coming. I appreciate you
    being here. I guess you kind of like my decisionmaking. I'll be frank
    with you; I didn't ask Johanns to join my
    Cabinet to make you Governor, although--[laughter]--I'm sure you're
    going to do a fine job. I did it because, one, he's a fine guy; two,
    agriculture is important to this country, and no doubt he's going to be
    a fine Secretary of Agriculture.
        I am pleased to be working with Senator Chuck Hagel. He is a smart, capable man. He loves his
    country. He loves Nebraska. Looking forward to working with you, Chuck,
    for 4 more years. I'm proud that Senator Ben Nelson is here. He is a man with whom I can work, a person
    who is willing to put partisanship aside to focus on what's right for
    America. Senator, thanks for coming. Working my way through. Congressman
    Lee Terry is with us today. Congressman, proud
    you're here. Thanks for coming. Congressman Jeff
    Fortenberry is with us today. Thank you,
    Congressman--[applause]--sounds like they've heard of you. And of course
    Congressman Tom Osborne is with us today.
        Mayor, thanks for coming--former Mayor Hal Daub
    is with us today. Mayor, thank you for being here. He, by the way, is
    Chairman of the Social Security Advisory Board. The President needs a
    lot of advice. The country needs advice on Social Security, and that's
    what we're here to talk about after a while.
        By the way, Tom Osborne and I had the honor
    of being at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday. He gave a fantastic
    talk. He's a humble, decent guy. I reminded people that the State of the
    Union was kind of like a giant prayer session--Members of Congress were
    praying I'd keep my speech short. [Laughter]
        It's good to be here on the--right after the State of the Union.
    See, I believe one of my responsibilities is to travel our country
    talking about problems and how we intend to solve them, reminding people
    that the job of a President is to confront problems, not to pass them on
    to future generations and future Presidents.
        One of the problems we face is the war on terror. The war on terror
    goes on. And it's important as the Commander in Chief that I speak as
    bluntly and frankly as I can about the perils we face. That's why I told
    the Congress it's important for the Congress to continue to support our
    men and women who wear our Nation's uniform as they pursue the
    terrorists around the world.
        It's important for us to continue to work with our allies and
    friends to make the world a safer place. Every terrorist we bring to
    justice makes our children and grandchildren safer, and every country
    that accepts democracy as a way of life makes our children and
    grandchildren safer.

    [[Page 147]]

        This has been a remarkable time in history. It has been an amazing
    time. In Afghanistan, millions went to vote in a country where, 3 years
    earlier, people had doomed those people to the life under the Taliban.
    Millions of people voted for a President for
    the first time in 5,000 years. It's an amazing moment in the history of
    mankind. And that matters. That matters to future generations of
    Americans because the more free countries there are in the world, the
    more likely it is we'll have peace.
        The Ukraine voted for a President.
    The Palestinian people elected Abu Abbas [Abu Mazen].* And now I believe peace in the
    greater--in the Middle East is within our reach. I know that we'll
    achieve peace when the Palestinians develop a truly free, democratic
    society, which is what we're going to help them achieve. And then we'll
    be able to achieve a goal, two democracies living side by side in peace,
    Israel and the Palestine.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        * White House correction.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        And finally, last Sunday an amazing thing happened in what used to
    be a dark and discouraged part of the world. Tyranny was firmly
    rejected, and the people of Iraq went to the polls in spite of violence,
    in spite of the ambitions of a few. They showed the United States of
    America, our coalition, and the whole world that deep within the soul of
    every human being is the desire to be free.
        I was incredibly touched at the moment when the mom of the fallen
    marine hugged the woman from Iraq
    who had been given a chance to vote because of the sacrifices of this
    woman's son and people like her. It was a
    reminder that the people of Iraq truly appreciate the chance to live in
    freedom. It was a powerful moment when the country could see two women
    from different cultures embrace for the sake of peace.
        We're making progress in Iraq because the Iraqi people do want to be
    free. Our strategy is clear. We're going to help the Iraqis defend
    themselves. We'll accelerate training. We'll make sure there's a chain
    of command so that the troops that are trained can effectively operate.
    We'll help them stand up a high-quality security force. And when that
    mission is complete and Iraq is democratic and free and able to defend
    herself, our troops will come home with the honor they have earned. And
    we will be able to look back and say that this is a part of a more
    peaceful future for our grandchildren. You see, free societies will be
    peaceful societies. And peace in the greater Middle East will be a
    legacy that our generation can be proud of for generations to come.
        I was pleased to see our economy added 146,000 new jobs in the month
    of January. That's a good sign. More people are going to work around our
    country. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.2 percent. But we shouldn't
    be content. I'm looking forward to working with the Members of Congress
    to create the conditions for continued economic expansion.
        Look, I'm worried about a society in which there's too many
    lawsuits. I believe all these lawsuits make it hard for people to form
    capital. I've called upon Congress for legal reform, reasonable,
    commonsense legal reform to keep our economy growing. But I also
    understand what these lawsuits are doing to health care. Whether it be
    rural health care or urban health care, we've got too many lawsuits that
    are running up the cost of medicine and running too many good docs out
    of practice.
        We've got to get us an energy plan. We've been talking about it for
    4 years. Now is the time for Congress to get a good plan to my desk. I'm
    looking forward to working with Members of Congress on both sides of the
    aisle to encourage conservation, to encourage renewable sources of
    energy whether it be ethanol, biodiesel, or clean nuclear power. We're
    going to spend money on new technologies that will help us leapfrog the
    old command-and-control debate, so we can burn coal in clean

    [[Page 148]]

    ways that people couldn't imagine 20 years ago. I mean, there's things
    to be moving this process forward in a practical way. But one thing is
    for certain: We need an energy plan to make us less dependent on foreign
    sources of energy.
        I'm going to submit a budget on Monday. They've been--the people in
    Congress on both sides of the aisle have said, ``Let's worry about the
    deficit.'' I said, ``Okay, we'll worry about it again.'' My last budget
    worried about it; this budget will really worry about it. And I'm
    looking forward to working with Members of Congress to make tough
    choices. As I said in the State of the Union, we're going to eliminate
    or vastly reduce 150 programs that aren't meeting needs, aren't meeting
    priorities, and are not getting the job done. It's time to be wise with
    the people's money.
        Anyway, we got work to do, and I'm looking forward to it. We got a
    lot of work to do when it comes to fulfilling the promises of our
    society as well. I talked about Social Security in the State of the
    Union. Now, that should signal that we got a problem. Otherwise, most
    Presidents have shied away from talking about Social Security--except to
    make the benefits better. I see a problem, and I used time at the State
    of the Union to speak directly to the American people about the problem.
    That's why I've come to Omaha--besides saying hello to friends--is
    talking about the problem.
        And here's the problem. When the Social Security system was
    designed, the average life expectancy was about 60 years old, and
    benefits were at a certain level, and the number of payers into the
    system were significantly greater than they are today. As a matter of
    fact, in 1950, some 14 years after the system was designed, there were
    16 payers into the system for every beneficiary, as that chart says. And
    that's important, because the more beneficiaries there are paying into
    the system, the more likely it is a beneficiary is going to get paid.
        Secondly, what has changed since then is that we're living longer.
    The life expectancy is now 77 years old. And as a result of living
    longer, you've got people who have been made promises by the Government
    receiving checks for a longer period of time than was initially
    envisioned under Social Security. Secondly, the benefits that had been
    promised are increasing, so you've got more--and thirdly, baby boomers
    like me and Hagel and a bunch of
    others are getting ready to retire. So you've got more people retiring,
    living longer, with the promise of greater benefits.
        The problem is, is that the number of people putting money into the
    system is declining. So you can see the mathematical problem, right?
    Greater promises to more people who are living longer, with fewer
    payers. That's a problem, particularly when you start doing the math.
    And it's summed up by this chart that says in 2018--the facts are, in
    2018, that the amount of money going out of Social Security is greater
    than the amount of money coming into Social Security. And as you can see
    from the chart, it gets worse every year. That's what that red means.
        So, like, for example, in 2027, the amount of money required for the
    Government to come up with to meet the promises is 200 billion above the
    payroll taxes collected. And some 13 years later, the system is broke.
    In other words, in 2042, it is flat bust. So, because more people are
    receiving higher benefits and living longer, with fewer people paying
    into the system, the system goes into the red in a pretty short order.
    And every year it gets worse--200 billion in 2027, about 300 billion in
    2032. And so it just accumulates. And if we wait, it gets worse. In
    other words, it's more costly to solve the problem. So we have a
    problem.
        And I'm going to spend a lot of time traveling our country talking
    about the problem, because I fully understand that in the Halls of
    Congress, if people do not believe we have a problem, nothing is going
    to happen. There's no need to take risk

    [[Page 149]]

    on a solution if you're not willing to address the problem.

    [At this point, there was a disruption in the audience.]

        The President. We love free speech in America. I think it's
    important for people to be open about the truth when it comes to Social
    Security. That's what we're here to talk about. And I also have an
    obligation to help come up with solutions. It's one thing for a
    President to say we've got a problem. A President, in my judgment, also
    needs to come up with solutions. At the State of the Union, I said there
    have been some interesting suggestions, all of them on the table. I'm
    willing to work with anybody, Republican or Democrat or independent, who
    wants to come in and discuss ways to solve the problem. Everything is on
    the table except raising payroll taxes.
        I came up with an interesting idea that I want to discuss with you.
    I know some of our panelists will discuss it with you as well. I believe
    that younger workers ought to be able to set aside some of their own
    payroll taxes in what's called a personal retirement account. And let me
    tell you why. I'll tell you why I think it makes sense. First of all, a
    personal retirement account will earn a greater rate of return than that
    which your money earns in the Social Security trust. That's an important
    point for people to understand. If you invest your money in conservative
    stocks and bonds, you're likely to get around a 4 percent rate of
    return, which is greater than double than the money you're earning right
    now in the Social Security trust. And over time, that means your own
    money will grow faster than that which is in the Social Security trust.
    In other words, you'll have more money when it comes time to retire.
    That's what that means.
        And that's an important concept, and it's going to take a while to
    explain to people, but it's called the compounding rate of interest. And
    it means your money grows.
        Some people say, ``Well, sure, that's easy for the President to say,
    `It's going to grow,' but what happens if somebody puts it in the
    lottery--you know, `I hope it grows really big'--or shoots it in dice or
    something like that?'' Look, there's going to be guidelines, and that's
    important for people to understand. If we ever get the concept of
    personal retirement accounts started, there will be investment
    guidelines. You cannot take risks with your money. In other words, there
    will be certain mixes of stocks and bonds that are conservatively
    constructed to help get a better rate of return than that which is in
    the Social Security trust and, at the same time, helps manage risk.
        Secondly, people say, ``Well, can you draw it all out at some
    point?'' No, it's like a part of the Social Security system. It's your
    retirement account, but you can only draw money out on a regular basis
    to help complement the money you'll be receiving from the Social
    Security system.
        Thirdly, there are ways to mitigate risk for market downturn. But
    the truth of the matter is, when you look at the history of the stock
    market, over time the market has always increased with a conservative
    mix of stocks and bonds.
        Fourthly, this makes sense to me because it gives people an
    ownership. We want people owning more things in America. This is your
    account. Government cannot take it away from you. It's a part of your
    legacy to your family.
        And so just some guidelines to make what I think is a practical plan
    to make Social Security more available for younger workers. And it will
    be phased in over time. I know you have all these wild estimates of
    costs--``Bush wants to spend this, that, and the other.'' Look, this
    plan needs to start slowly and gradually so, one, workers can get used
    to it, and, two, we can better afford the plan within projected cashflow
    needs.
        It makes sense to me, and I want the Congress to seriously debate
    it. And one

    [[Page 150]]

    of the things--one of the reasons I'm traveling the country is not only
    to say, ``We got a problem. Let's come together and fix it. Here's an
    interesting part of the solution.'' I fully recognize a personal
    retirement account is not the only thing needed to make--to solve Social
    Security permanently. But it's a part of a solution. And I believe I
    have a responsibility, as someone who has put the issue on the table, to
    be a constructive voice in coming up with a solution that will save
    Social Security for younger workers.
        Let me say one other thing, and then we're going to have a
    discussion. It's probably hard to tell these panelists are here to be
    able to talk with me, talking as much as I am. One of the problems that
    people in the political world have is dealing with the issue of our
    seniors who have already retired. In other words, seniors hear ``Social
    Security'' and they say, ``Really what he's going to do is take away my
    check or part of my check.'' It is really important for our senior
    citizens, those who've retired and those near retirement, to know
    nothing changes. When I talk about a Social Security trust going
    bankrupt in 2042, there is enough money in the system to take care of
    the promises for those who have retired and those who are near
    retirement. That's a fact. We can argue about a lot of other issues, but
    one fact is certain: Social Security is in good shape and will meet its
    promises to those who've retired or nearly retired.
        The problem exists for younger workers. And that's why in my State
    of the Union, I put this issue in a generational context. I said to
    Congress, we have a duty to leave behind a better America for
    generations to come, and part of that duty is to make sure the
    retirement system is sound and solvent.
        All right, I've been talking enough. If Laura
    were here, she'd have said I've been talking way too much. [Laughter] By
    the way, she sends her best regards. What a fabulous woman she is. She's
    a--she's doing great.
        Syl Schieber is with us. Syl, where
    do you live and what do you do?
        Sylvester ``Syl'' Schieber. I live
    in--just outside of Washington, DC, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
        The President. Yes, good.
        Dr. Schieber. And I have worked on
    retirement issues for some 30, 35 years now----
        The President. Wrote a book.
        Dr. Schieber. ----and wrote several
    books on this, two on Social Security so far--may write another one
    someday.
        The President. Good. Nonfiction. [Laughter]
        Dr. Schieber. I've tried my best.
    There's a lot of fiction--a lot of fiction in this area.
        The President. That's good. Syl is an
    expert on the subject. In other words, he's spent a lifetime studying
    Social Security. I've asked him to come so he can maybe explain what I
    just tried to say--in English. [Laughter] Take Texan and convert it to
    English. [Laughter] Why don't you let her rip? Let people know what's on
    your mind on this issue.

    [Dr. Schieber, vice president of research and information, Watson Wyatt
    Worldwide, Chevy Chase, MD, made brief remarks.]

        The President. Good job. Thanks for coming.
        Rose Davis.
        Rose Davis. Yes, sir.
        The President. Welcome, Rose.
        Ms. Davis. Thank you.
        The President. What do you do?
        Ms. Davis. I'm a college professor at
    Metropolitan Community College.
        The President. Community college, yes--big backer, by the way, here
    of community colleges. I think they're really important.
        Ms. Davis. I know you approve of them.
        The President. Yes, they're doing--they're good.
        Ms. Davis. I teach social science,
    human relations, and criminal justice.

    [[Page 151]]

        The President. Good. Thanks. Do you want to be known as ``Rose'' or
    ``Professor''?
        Ms. Davis. Beg your pardon?
        The President. Rose or Professor?
        Ms. Davis. Rose is fine.
        The President. Rose is fine, good.
    [Laughter] You have had an issue with Social Security. Why don't you
    describe to the people your view.

    [Ms. Davis made further remarks.]

        The President. Yes. What she's saying
    is really an interesting point, isn't it? Mom dies at what age?
        Ms. Davis. She died at 67.
        The President. Sixty-seven, so she really didn't live long enough to
    take advantage of the money she had put in the system. And yet because
    of survivors--and there are survivor benefits, but there's an age limit
    on survivor benefits--the survivors receive nothing. And so Mom's
    lifetime of savings went into the system to pay for somebody else. And
    one of the benefits of personal accounts, a personal retirement account
    is that you leave something behind for your children or grandchildren.
        And I think it's fair. I think there's a group--the life expectancy
    of certain folks in our country is less than others, and that makes the
    system unfair. In other words, if you're dying earlier than expected,
    the money you put in the system simply goes to pay somebody else. One of
    the benefits of an ownership society is you could decide what to do with
    your own assets. Remember, it's your money to begin with. You've worked;
    it's payroll tax.
        Ms. Davis. That's why it's important to
    say that you're not lying to the American people because I'm living this
    right now.
        The President. Right.
        Ms. Davis. You're not lying.
        The President. That's right.
        You know, one of the interesting things, by the way, again, on
    personal accounts--admittedly, new concept, hard for some to understand,
    and it's just going to take a while for people to hear the debate and
    get used to the concept. The principles are easy to understand: your
    money; you own it; you can pass it on to whoever you want; you get a
    better rate of return. But it's been done before. In other words, this
    isn't the first time the thought of a Thrift Savings Plan has been
    advanced. As a matter of fact, Federal employees can now take some of
    their own money and put it into five different conservative portfolios
    of stocks and bonds as a part of their retirement package. It's an easy
    statement to say, but something I believe is if it's good enough for
    Federal employees, it ought to be good enough for younger workers.
        Mary is with us. Mary Mornin. How are you,
    Mary?
        Mary Mornin. I'm fine.
        The President. Good. Okay, Mary, tell us
    about yourself.
        Ms. Mornin. Okay, I'm a divorced single
    mother with three grown, adult children. I have one child, Robbie, who
    is mentally challenged, and I have two daughters.
        The President. Fantastic. First of all, you've got the hardest job
    in America, being a single mom.
        Ms. Mornin. Thank you.
        The President. You and I are baby boomers.
        Ms. Mornin. Yes, and I am concerned about--
    that the system stays the same for me.
        The President. Right.
        Ms. Mornin. But I do want to see change and
    reform for my children because I realize that we will be in trouble down
    the road.
        The President. It's an interesting point, and I hear this a lot--
    ``Will the system be the same for me?'' And the answer is absolutely.
    One of the things we have to continue to clarify to people who have
    retired or near retirement--you fall in the near retirement.
        Ms. Mornin. Yes, unfortunately, yes.
    [Laughter]

    [[Page 152]]

        The President. Well, I don't know. I'm not going to tell your age,
    but you're one year younger than me, and I'm just getting started.
    [Laughter]
        Ms. Mornin. Okay, okay.
        The President. I feel great, don't you?
        Ms. Mornin. Yes, I do.
        The President. I remember when I turned 50, I used to think 50 was
    really old. Now I think it's young, and getting ready to turn 60 here in
    a couple of years, and I still feel young. I mean, we are living longer,
    and people are working longer. And the truth of the matter is, elderly
    baby boomers have got a lot to offer to our society, and we shouldn't
    think about giving up our responsibilities in society. Isn't that right?
        Ms. Mornin. That's right.
        The President. Yes, but nevertheless, there's a certain comfort to
    know that the promises made will be kept by the Government.
        Ms. Mornin. Yes.
        The President. And so thank you for asking that. You don't have to
    worry.
        Ms. Mornin. That's good, because I work
    three jobs and I feel like I contribute.
        The President. You work three jobs?
        Ms. Mornin. Three jobs, yes.
        The President. Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is
    fantastic that you're doing that. Get any sleep? [Laughter]
        Ms. Mornin. Not much--not much.
        The President. Well, hopefully, this will help you get your sleep to
    know that when we talk about Social Security, nothing changes.
        Ms. Mornin. Okay, thank you.
        The President. That's great.
        Jerry Rempe is with us. Jerry, tell them
    what you gave me.
        Jerry Rempe. I came today because I'm
    married and have three children----
        The President. No, tell them what you gave me as--to make me look
    good at the household.
        Mr. Rempe. I work for Omaha Steaks, so we
    presented the President with Omaha steaks today.
        The President. They know something about beef in this State, isn't
    that right?
        Mr. Rempe. We know a little bit here.
        The President. About beef. That's the good thing about
    Johanns is he knows something about beef too.
    And he'll--[laughter]--he'll make sure the cattlemen as well as the
    grain growers and soybean growers all across the country are well
    represented in the Ag Department.
        Anyway, sorry to interrupt you, but I was just trying to get you
    kind of a subtle plug. [Laughter]
        Mr. Rempe. We appreciate that.
        The President. Yes.

    [Mr. Rempe, quality assurance assistant manager, Omaha Steaks, Omaha,
    NE, made further remarks.]

        The President. Yes, it's interesting--I want to--a real interesting
    point he made, when our folks were coming up,
    there wasn't anything like a 401(k). That was just numbers and a letter
    in the alphabet. [Laughter] And his dad, interestingly enough, said,
    ``Join.'' In other words, there's been a shift of attitude in our
    society over time. The 401(k) represents that shift, where more and more
    people are saving for their own. In other words, savings used to be done
    by third parties. Social Security is saving by a third party, the
    Federal Government. Here, what he's talking about is the company plans
    encourage individual savings, empower the individual to make decisions,
    had the individual look at the portfolio decisions, had the statement of
    the person's savings go directly to the individual on a quarterly basis.
        And basically what we're talking about here is helping evolve the
    Social Security system, modernize the system to reflect the current ways
    people save. And your dad was wise to give you that advice.
        Mr. Rempe. I appreciate it.

    [[Page 153]]

        The President. Yes, and you were wise to listen----
        Mr. Rempe. It looks amazing now.
        The President. ----as you now know. What he's also talking about is, over time a person's assets grow
    with the compounding rate of interest--as $1,000 earns a 4 percent rate
    of return, for example, that accumulates over time. The base is bigger
    the next year, and the 4 percent means more, and it continues to grow.
    And that's what he's witnessing here.
        Now, we've got Amanda Temoshek with us.
    Amanda, thank you for coming. What do you do?
        Amanda Temoshek. I own my own company,
    which is called Heartland Campaign Management.
        The President. Good--which does what? Heartland Campaign Management.
        Mrs. Temoshek. It does fundraising
    campaigns, consults on fundraising campaigns for nonprofit
    organizations.
        The President. For nonprofits--great, thank you for doing that. You
    know, one of the great strengths of the country is the fact that we're a
    compassionate nation. Many nonprofits exist to help heal broken hearts,
    and if you're a part of that effort, thank you for being a soldier in
    the army of compassion.
        Mrs. Temoshek. Well, you're welcome. I
    love the opportunity to help the nonprofits.
        The President. I also love the entrepreneurial spirit in America.
    It's strong. I mean, the truth of the matter is, a way forward for many
    minorities and women is through owning their own business. And we've got
    to promote entrepreneurship in America. So, good going.
        Mrs. Temoshek. Thank you.
        The President. Why are you sitting here? [Laughter]
        Mrs. Temoshek. Well, the reason why I'm
    interested in Social Security--first of all, because I do own my own
    business, I'm not only paying my portion of the Social Security; I'm
    paying the employer's portion. So I'm paying the whole portion of Social
    Security, and I write out that check myself. Right out of my company
    checkbook, I write that check.
        And I was married last year to my husband, Darren.
        The President. Where is he?
        Mrs. Temoshek. He is right back there.
        The President. Darren, good going. You
    did well. [Laughter]

    [Mrs. Temoshek made further remarks.]

        The President. This is an interesting question many young Americans
    are asking, ``Will there be benefits available?'' I don't remember
    asking that question when I was your age. I don't think many baby
    boomers were sitting around saying to their moms and dads or elected
    officials, ``Was Social Security going to be around?'' We never asked
    that. Actually, we were asking, ``Are they going to keep increasing
    benefits?'' We never said--and there was no doubt in our mind.
        And what's shifted on Social Security--and I saw this firsthand
    during my campaigns for the Presidency--what has shifted is there are a
    lot of younger folks in America who wonder out loud, who come right here
    on the stage with the President and say, ``Will the Social Security
    system not only be around for me, but will it be around for my
    children?'' That is what's shifted in the debate. Millions of younger
    Americans wonder whether or not the Social Security system will be
    healthy. And once we assure senior citizens nothing changes, or those
    who are soon to be senior citizens--well, not that soon, but one of
    these days will be senior citizens--nothing changes, the debate should
    really shift to those who've got the most at stake in inaction. The
    status quo is unacceptable to younger workers, and younger workers
    understand that in America.
        I want to thank our panelists--did a fine job. [Applause] Yes,
    thanks for coming. I hope you've enjoyed this discussion. I certainly
    have. I look forward to--I like to get out of Washington. It's good to
    get

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    out of the Nation's Capital and get out amongst the people. It's--the
    accommodations are nice there in Washington, but it's nice to get moving
    around and to be in front of folks. And I'm going to spend a lot of time
    over the course of the next couple of months describing the issue of
    Social Security in as plain of terms as I can--not only saying we've got
    a problem and pointing it out in different charts and facts and figures
    and getting experts and other citizens to join me but also calling
    Congress to work with the administration to come up with a solution.
        Now, they've said, ``Well, this is a hard issue. Why are you doing
    this, Mr. President, it's too hard an issue.'' Well, we got a job to do.
    It doesn't matter how hard the issue is. As a matter of fact, the harder
    the issue, the bigger the challenge, and the more exciting it's going to
    be when we get the job done.
        I want to thank you all for coming. I appreciate you being here. May
    God bless our great country.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:40 a.m. at the Qwest Center Omaha Arena.
    In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Mike Fahey of Omaha, NE; Gov. Dave
    Heineman of Nebraska; President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of the
    Palestinian Authority; and Janet Norwood, mother of Sgt. Byron Norwood,
    USMC, who was killed in Iraq on November 13, 2004, and Iraqi citizen and
    political activist Safia Taleb al-Suhail, both of whom were guests of
    the First Lady at the President's State of the Union Address on February
    2.