Text 1918, 340 rader
Skriven 2005-12-22 23:32:38 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0512222) for Thu, 2005 Dec 22
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Fact Sheet: President Bush's Accomplishments in 2005
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 22, 2005
Fact Sheet: President Bush's Accomplishments in 2005
A Week Of Accomplishments
þ The President Will Work With Congress To Complete Reauthorization Of
The Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is a key part of America's efforts to
combat terrorism and protect the American people. The Patriot Act has
enhanced information sharing between law enforcement and intelligence
personnel and has provided critical tools to find and catch terrorists
- tools that have been used for years to investigate other crimes such
as organized crime and drug dealing. The President looks forward to
continuing to work with Congress on reauthorization.
þ
Congress Took Action To Reduce Government Spending. Both the House and
Senate made a fiscally responsible vote to cut spending by $39.7
billion and keep the government on track to cut the deficit in half by
2009. This will also be the first time in nearly a decade that Congress
has reduced entitlement spending. This demonstrates a strong commitment
to funding the Nation's priorities while ensuring that taxpayer money
is spent wisely.
þ President Bush Signed The "Gulf Opportunity Zone Act Of 2005." To
further spur economic growth, the President proposed - and Congress
passed - provisions for a Gulf Opportunity Zone, with tax relief and
loans to be provided to businesses and entrepreneurs in Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama.
þ President Bush Signed The "Stem Cell Therapeutic And Research Act Of
2005." This legislation creates a new Federal program to collect and
store cord blood and expands the current bone marrow registry program
to also include cord blood.
President Bush Is Committed To Winning The War On Terror
þ The United States Is Advancing Democracy Around The World. To win the
War on Terror, the United States is supporting the growth of democratic
movements and institutions that offer an alternative to the hatred and
fear espoused by the terrorists. Millions turned out to vote in Iraq
and Afghanistan after decades of tyranny, and Afghanistan inaugurated
its new freely and fairly elected legislature just this past week. This
year, the world has witnessed democratic revolutions in Georgia,
Lebanon, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. By advancing the cause of liberty and
freedom, America is giving millions an alternative to intolerance and
violence and ensuring security for future generations.
þ The United States Is Pursuing A Comprehensive Strategy For Victory In
Iraq. To strengthen security, the Coalition and Iraqi security forces
are clearing out areas controlled by the enemy, working with Iraqi
forces to hold that territory, and following up with targeted
reconstruction to help Iraqis rebuild their lives. America is helping
Iraqis build inclusive democratic institutions that protect all Iraqis,
engage those who can be persuaded to join the new Iraq and marginalize
those who never will. The Coalition is working with Iraqis to help them
build capable and effective Iraqi security forces so that Iraqis can
secure their own country. Economically, America is helping the Iraqis
restore infrastructure, reform their economy, and build the economic
framework that will give all Iraqis a stake in a free and peaceful
Iraq.
þ Iraq Has Made Tremendous Political Progress. In just over
two-and-a-half years, Iraqis have gone from living under a brutal
tyrant to liberation, free elections, and a democratic
constitution. Just this past week, over 10 million Iraqis voted to
elect the only constitutional democratic government in the Arab
world. The Iraqi people are sending a message they will not be
intimidated and will determine their own destiny. By helping Iraqis
build their democracy, the United States will gain an ally in the
War on Terror, inspire reformers across the Middle East, and make
the American people more secure.
þ America Is Fighting Terrorism And Safeguarding The Homeland. Defeating
a broad and adaptive terrorist network requires patience, constant
pressure, and strong allies. Working with these partners, the United
States is disrupting conspiracies to attack Americans, destroying the
terrorists' ability to wage war, and stopping proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction (WMD). To defend the homeland, the Administration
is working to reform the intelligence services and the FBI, training
more first responders, and disrupting terrorist cells in our midst with
tools like the Patriot Act. The United States is hunting down the
terrorists in the shadows before they can attack this country again.
þ The President Nominated The First Director Of National Intelligence
(DNI). President Bush signed into law the landmark Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which overhauls the
intelligence community, mandating a range of reforms and
centralizing in one office key authorities. The DNI serves as
President Bush's principal intelligence advisor and the leader of
the Intelligence Community. The first DNI, Ambassador John
Negroponte, was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in this past
April.
þ President Bush Released The National Strategy For Pandemic
Influenza. The President outlined the Nation's strategy to detect
outbreaks, expand domestic vaccine production capacity, stockpile
treatments, prepare to respond to a pandemic, and ensure the health
and safety of all Americans. The Administration's ongoing
implementation of the National Strategy will ensure a coordinated
and effective Federal response and close cooperation with
international partners and state, local, and tribal governments.
þ President Bush Is Combating The Spread Of WMD. The President has
made clear that WMD in the hands of terrorists represents a grave
threat, and he has taken aggressive steps on multiple fronts to
limit access to - and prevent the use of - WMD materials or weapons
by terrorists. The Administration has established the Global Threat
Reduction Initiative, led efforts at the United Nations to adopts
UNSCR 1540, freeze assets of WMD proliferators, established the
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, worked with overseas partners to
combat proliferation, and developed a comprehensive plan with
Russia to secure all nuclear material in Russia two years ahead of
schedule.
þ President Bush Proposed A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Plan To
Enhance America's Homeland Security. The President has outlined
efforts to secure the border, prevent illegal crossings, and
strengthen enforcement of immigration laws. The President also
proposes to take pressure off the border by creating a Temporary
Worker Program that meets the economy's demands while rejecting
amnesty for those who break America's laws.
President Bush Is Advancing His Agenda To Maintain A Strong And Vibrant
Economy
þ The Economy Is Growing And Creating Jobs. Since May 2003, the economy
has added nearly 4.5 million new jobs. The unemployment rate is down to
5 percent - lower than the average for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Last quarter, the economy grew at 4.1 percent and has been growing
steadily for more than two years. More Americans now own their homes,
and minority home ownership is near record highs. Real disposable
income is up, and consumers are confident. New orders for durable goods
have risen sharply, and shipments of manufactured goods are up. Over
the past four-and-a-half years, productivity has grown at its fastest
rate since the 1960s, and small businesses are thriving.
þ Cutting The Deficit. Each year the President has been in office, the
rate of growth of non-security discretionary spending has been cut.
þ President Bush Calls On Congress To Restrain Spending. Last
February, the President submitted the most disciplined budget
proposal since Ronald Reagan was in the White House. Congress has
cut non-security discretionary spending and mandatory spending. The
President's plan proposed to terminate or reduce more than 150
government programs, and Congress is poised to deliver savings on
about 90 of these proposals.
þ We Remain On Track To Cut The Budget Deficit In Half By 2009. By
continuing spending restraint and pro-growth economic policies, we
will stay on track to meet the President's goal of cutting the
deficit in half by 2009
þ President Bush Has Called On Congress To Make Tax Relief Permanent. The
President's tax relief, which is helping to grow the economy, will
expire unless Congress acts. To maintain growth, there has to be
certainty in the tax code, workers need to keep more of their
paychecks, and Congress needs to make the tax cuts permanent.
þ President Bush Signed Into Law The First National Energy Plan In More
Than A Decade. The energy bill makes an unprecedented commitment to
energy conservation and efficiency by promoting smarter technology;
helps make cleaner and more productive use of our existing energy
resources; and helps diversify energy supply by promoting alternative
and renewable energy sources. The bill also helps promote needed
investment in energy infrastructure. This is a good first step toward a
more affordable and reliable supply of energy for American consumers.
þ President Bush Signed Into Law The Highway Bill. The highway bill will
provide funding and flexibility for states to modernize America's
network of roads, bridges, and mass transit systems, without raising
gas taxes. With this multi-year funding bill in place, vital new
transportation projects will proceed, which will make driving safer,
ease congestion, and ensure that the Nation's transportation system
keeps pace with our rapidly expanding economy.
þ President Bush Signed The Central America And Dominican Republic Free
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) To Level The Playing Field For U.S. Workers
And Open New Markets For American Goods. CAFTA-DR immediately
eliminates tariffs on nearly 80 percent of U.S. exports to
participating nations and is expected to generate billions of dollars
in increased sales of U.S. goods and farm exports. This will help keep
jobs in the United States and make American workers better able to
compete. Also, with passage of CAFTA-DR, the United States supports
stability and prosperity in the region, which will make Americans safer
here at home.
þ The President Challenged The International Community To Help
Developing Nations Through Free Trade. The international community
must work together in the Doha negotiations to eliminate
agricultural subsidies that distort trade and stunt development and
also to eliminate tariffs and other barriers to open markets for
farmers around the world. The United States has proposed to
eliminate all trade-distorting tariffs, subsidies, and other
barriers to the free flow of goods and services as other nations do
the same. This is key to overcoming poverty in the world's poorest
nations - and to promoting prosperity and opportunity for all
nations.
þ The President's Initiatives Are Spreading Opportunity To Developing
Nations. The President has encouraged developing countries to take
primary responsibility and ownership for their own development
through good governance, the rule of law, and sound economic
policies, as well as by cultivating domestic and private resources
in development. He has supported these goals through bold new
programs, including the Millennium Challenge Account, which rewards
developing countries that fight corruption and implement sound
policies; the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a
five-year, $15-billion effort that is providing hope throughout the
developing world; and multilateral debt relief, which will provide
100-percent debt cancellation and a path towards the private
capital markets for qualifying heavily indebted poor countries.
þ President Bush Nominated Ben Bernanke To Serve As Chairman Of The
Federal Reserve Board Of Governors. Dr. Bernanke is a leading monetary
policy expert, respected for his work as Chairman of the President's
Council of Economic Advisers, as a former Governor of the Federal
Reserve, and as a Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at
Princeton University. His enormous credibility will give confidence to
the financial markets and win him the respect of economists and
investors alike.
The President Nominated Well-Qualified Candidates To The U.S. Supreme Court
þ The President Nominated, And The Senate, Confirmed Chief Justice John
Roberts. During his confirmation hearings, members of the Senate and
the American people saw a nominee of exceptional integrity, deep
humility, uncommon talent, experience, and character. Americans are
confident that as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, John
Roberts will be prudent in exercising judicial power, firm in defending
judicial independence, and a faithful guardian of the Constitution.
þ President Bush Nominated Judge Samuel Alito To Serve As Associate
Justice Of The U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Alito has the keen intellect,
impartiality, temperament, sound legal judgment, and integrity
necessary to serve on the Supreme Court. As a Federal judge, he has a
record of strictly interpreting the law. He has more judicial
experience than any Supreme Court nominee in the past 70 years. The
President knows the Senate will recognize Judge Alito's mastery of the
law, deep commitment to justice and equality, great personal character,
and he urges the Senate confirm him by January 20 to be the next
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Bush Has Worked With Congress To Pass Legislation Important To
The American People
þ President Bush Signed The Patient Safety And Quality Improvement Act Of
2005. President Bush signed into law a patient safety bill to improve
health care by reducing medical errors. It also establishes a voluntary
system to report health care errors. By giving patient safety
organizations the ability to analyze past medical mistakes, this
legislation will help prevent future mistakes and will improve the
quality of care and lower costs for patients nationwide.
þ The President Signed Class Action Reform To Curb Lawsuit Abuse. The
class action reform signed into law last February by President Bush
will help reduce lawsuit abuse in our country and ease the burden of
needless litigation on every American worker, business, and family. In
particular, it helps prevent abusive class action lawsuits that result
in large fees for lawyers and minimal awards for injured parties.
President Bush is urging Congress to pass other legal reform measures,
including medical liability and asbestos litigation reforms.
þ President Bush Signed Bankruptcy Reform Legislation That Makes The
System Fairer For Creditors And Debtors. Under this law, Americans who
have the ability to pay will be required to pay back at least part of
their debts. This practical reform will help ensure debtors make a
good-faith effort to repay as much as they can afford. This will make
credit more affordable because when bankruptcy is less common, credit
can be extended to more people at better rates.
þ No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Is Working. As a result of NCLB, standards
are higher, national test scores are on the rise, and minority students
have made progress toward closing the achievement gap. On this year's
National Assessment of Educational Progress, fourth-grade reading
scores were six points higher than in 2000, and fourth- and
eighth-grade math scores were the highest in the test's history.
Between 2000 and 2005, scores for African-American students for
fourth-grade reading and math and eighth-grade math have increased -
and the gap between white and African-American students in those
categories has decreased during that time.
þ President Bush's New Medicare Coverage Will Ensure That Everyone On
Medicare Has Better Choices. The new Medicare law provides preventative
care, prescription drug coverage for the first time, and more choices.
In November, seniors began enrolling for the new prescription drug
benefit that takes effect on January 1, 2006. All Medicare drug plans
offer more and better choices and help low-income beneficiaries.
þ Congress Is Acting To Extend Welfare Reform. Both the Senate and House
have agreed to extend provisions of welfare reform set to expire at the
end of December and strengthen work requirements for welfare
recipients.
The President Is Acting To Help The Gulf Coast Recover From Natural
Disaster
þ The President And Congress Have Acted To Provide Resources For
Hurricane Recovery. Since Hurricane Katrina struck, more than $70
billion has been made available for Gulf hurricane recovery efforts
through the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, low-interest loans to local
governments, flood insurance, and funding relief from cost-share
requirements.
þ President Bush Is Working To Make The New Orleans Levee System Better
And Stronger. The President is focused on the safety and security of
the citizens of New Orleans and is committed to providing the resources
necessary for them to return home and rebuild their lives. The
additional levee protections the Administration is proposing -
including armoring, closing the three interior canals, and installing
state-of-the-art pump stations - will address the main causes of the
catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina.
þ The Administration Is Helping Hurricane Evacuees Find Housing. FEMA has
provided rental assistance to more than 650,000 households to date and
remains committed to providing families with the tools they need to
become self-sufficient again. FEMA continues to reach out to those who
have not yet found longer-term housing. For these evacuees, FEMA will
continue payment for hotel rooms through January 7, 2006, or longer.
þ The Government Is Providing Education Assistance To States And Schools.
The Department of Education is working with States and schools in the
region and elsewhere to ensure a minimum of disruption for the hundreds
of thousands of students affected by Hurricane Katrina. The President
has proposed aid to affected states and to school districts taking in
evacuated students, payments to States to enable displaced children to
enroll in schools of their choice, and assistance to post-secondary
institutions, students, and borrowers.
þ The Federal Government Is Helping The States Remove Debris. Nearly 56
million cubic yards of debris have been removed in AL, TX, MS, and LA.
FEMA reimbursed the states at 100 percent for this expense for a month
or longer in Alabama and Texas. This week, the President extended full
Federal reimbursement for Louisiana until June 30, 2006, and for
Mississippi until March 15, 2006.
þ The Federal Government Acted Aggressively To Ensure Energy Supply.
Following the hurricanes, President Bush directed all Federal agencies
to minimize possible shocks to the economy. The Department of Energy
made crude oil available from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, ensuring
continuity of energy supplies. The International Energy Agency agreed
to release 60 million barrels of oil and gasoline. Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff temporarily waived the Jones Act, allowing
foreign-flagged ships to transport fuel between U.S. ports and import
oil from Europe. The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the
Treasury, and Department of Transportation eased regulatory rules to
increase flexibility and availability of fuel supplies by waiving
winter/summer blend requirements and rules for dyed diesel fuel. The
Administration worked with private firms to restore the Gulf Coast's
energy infrastructure. These actions have ensured a continuity of
energy supplies to drivers, families, consumers, and small businesses.
The President Called On Americans To Help Those In The Gulf Coast Region.
USA Freedom Corps created a nationwide information clearinghouse allowing
individuals, businesses, schools, groups, and families to connect with
volunteer opportunities to help families in the Gulf Coat. To date,
American companies and individuals have combined to donate nearly $2.9
billion for relief, recovery, and reconstruction. Former Presidents Bush
and Clinton have led a private fundraising effort that has already received
pledges of more than $100 million to aid the Gulf Coast's recovery.
Americans who want to contribute or volunteer can in the Gulf Coast can
find more information at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
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