George W. Bush in 2007 State of the Union address

On Budget & Economy: Priorities: balance budget; stop earmarks; fix entitlements

We must balance the federal budget. We can do so without raising taxes. What we need to do is impose spending discipline. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009--and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years.
The time has come to end the practice of earmarks. So let us expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress; and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half.

To keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are commitments of conscience--yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us work together and do it now. With enough good sense and good will, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid--and save Social Security. Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Education: NCLB has raised scores; now give more local flexibility

Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act--preserving local control, raising standards in public schools, & holding those schools accountable for results. And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap.

Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down standards, without taking control from local communities and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift student achievement even higher by giving local leaders flexibility to turn around failing schools and by giving families with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose something better. We must increase funds for students who struggle--and make sure these children get the special help they need. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America’s children--and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Energy & Oil: Reduce gasoline usage by 20% in 10 years

It is in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply--and the way forward is through technology. Dramatic advances are within reach. Let us build on the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20% in the next ten years--thereby cutting our total imports by the equivalent of 3/4 of all the oil we now import from the Middle East. To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017--this is nearly five times the current target. At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks--and conserve up to eight and a half billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.

As we continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must also step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways. And I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Government Reform: Expose every earmark to a vote; cut earmarks in half by 2008

There is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour--when not even C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90% of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate--they are dropped into committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process ... expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress ... and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session. Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Health Care: $7,500 tax deduction for health insurance

When it comes to health care, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs.

Tonight, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no taxes on $7,500 of their income.

At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Homeland Security: War on Terror is a decisive ideological struggle

It remains the policy of this government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to protect the American people.

This war is more than a clash of arms--it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto airplanes and come to kill us. What every terrorist fears most is human freedom. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies--and most will choose a better way when they are given a chance. So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates, reformers, and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security--we must.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Homeland Security: 92,000 more in Armed Forces; plus Civilian Reserve Corps

The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties.

One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military--so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years. A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. And it would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Immigration: Take pressure off border with guest worker program

Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America--with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. To secure our border, we are doubling the size of the Border Patrol--and funding new infrastructure and technology.

Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border--and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won’t have to try to sneak in.

We will enforce our immigration laws at the work site, and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers--so there is no excuse left for violating the law. We need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country--without animosity and without amnesty.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On Principles & Values: America wants Congress to cross the aisle to get things done

Some in this chamber are new to the House and Senate--and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but not our responsibilities.

We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don’t much care which side of the aisle we sit on--as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On War & Peace: We will not allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons

Shia extremists are determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah--a group second only to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.

Hezbollah t The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal that continues to this day.

The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. With the other members of the Quartet--the UN, the European Union, and Russia--we are pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

On War & Peace: 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Baghdad & Anbar

This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we are in. It is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. So let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.

We are carrying out a new strategy in Iraq--a plan that demands more from Iraq’s elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law and is an ally in the war on terror.

We are deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. And in Anbar province we are sending an additional 4,000 US Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out. We did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.

Source: 2007 State of the Union address to Congress Jan 23, 2007

The above quotations are from 2007 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Democratic Response: Jan. 23, 2007. Click here for other excerpts from 2007 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Democratic Response: Jan. 23, 2007. Click here for other excerpts by George W. Bush. Click here for a profile of George W. Bush.
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