[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 6 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Pages 176-177]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

January 31, 2004

    Good morning. This coming week, my administration will release our 
proposed budget for fiscal year 2005. In that detailed blueprint for 
Government spending, Americans will see my priorities clearly at work. 
We will devote the resources necessary to win the war on terror and 
protect our homeland. We'll provide compassionate help to seniors, to 
schoolchildren, and to Americans in need of job training. And we will be 
responsible with the people's money by cutting the deficit in half over 
5 years.
    With troops currently on the ground fighting our enemies, my budget 
increases defense spending by 7 percent, money that will go the pay for 
equipment, ammunition, and troop housing. We'll keep our military strong 
and ready for every challenge that may come. Since I took office, we 
have increased pay for our men and women in uniform by 21 percent. Next 
year, I propose raising their pay by another 3.5 percent. Our troops put 
their lives on the line to defend America, and we owe them our best in 
return.
    Given the continued terrorist threat against the American people, my 
budget nearly triples homeland security spending over 2001 levels, 
including an increase of nearly 10 percent next year, to $30.5 billion. 
This money will help tighten security at our borders, airports, and 
seaports, and improve our defenses against biological attack. I'm 
proposing to raise the budget for the FBI by 11 percent, including a 
$357 million increase in spending on counterterrorism activities. 
America will not let its guard down in our war on terror.
    My budget also focuses on our priorities at home. This year, we'll 
begin moving towards prescription drug coverage under Medicare by 
providing drug discount cards to seniors. We'll also help lower-income 
seniors this year and next with up to $600 in direct assistance for drug 
costs.
    We're devoting additional resources to our schools to help them meet 
the higher expectations set by the No Child Left Behind Act. My budget 
calls for a 49-percent increase over 2001 spending on our public 
schools. There will be additional money for early reading programs for 
schools in low-income areas and for enhanced Pell grant scholarships for 
students who complete a rigorous curriculum.
    My budget also asks Congress to fund my Jobs for the 21st Century 
Initiative, which will help young people and adults gain the skills they 
need to fill the new jobs in our changing economy. This initiative will 
help high school students who are falling behind in reading and math by 
supporting better teaching methods. And with the support of Congress, we 
will provide new funding to

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America's fine community colleges to help them teach the skills our 
changing economy demands.
    We're meeting these priorities within a responsible budget. Under my 
plan, overall discretionary spending will grow at less than 4 percent. 
And non-security-related spending would rise less than 1 percent, the 
smallest such proposed increase in 12 years. By exercising spending 
discipline in Washington, DC, we will reduce the deficit and meet our 
most basic priorities.
    To assure that Congress observes spending discipline, now and in the 
future, I propose making spending limits the law. This simple step would 
mean that every additional dollar the Congress wants to spend in excess 
of spending limits must be matched by a dollar in spending cuts 
elsewhere. Budget limits must mean something and not just serve as vague 
guidelines to be routinely violated. This single change in the 
procedures of the Congress would bring further spending restraint to 
Washington.
    Americans expect Government to meet its most basic responsibilities, 
protecting citizens from harm and promoting prosperity and compassion at 
home. Americans also expect our Government to live within spending 
limits. My 2005 budget is designed to meet both of these goals, using 
tax dollars wisely and by focusing resources where they are most needed.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 10:13 a.m. on January 30 in the 
Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 
31. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on January 30 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.