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Skriven 2006-10-24 23:31:26 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0610245) for Tue, 2006 Oct 24
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Mrs. Bush's Remarks at a Pennsylvania Victory 2006 Rally
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For Immediate Release
October 24, 2006

Mrs. Bush's Remarks at a Pennsylvania Victory 2006 Rally
Sellersville Fire Company
Sellersville, Pennsylvania



1:05 P.M. EDT

MRS. BUSH: Thank you so much, Congressman. Thank you, Mike, for that very
kind introduction, and thanks to each and every one of you for coming out
today to give me this warm welcome to Pennsylvania.

It is so beautiful here in Bucks County. It's great to see how beautiful
the leaves are. (Applause.) We had a wonderful drive in, and it's so pretty
-- it's really a wonderful opportunity for me to see our country as I've
had the opportunity to travel around our country and to campaign for our
great Republican candidates all over the United States. (Applause.)

I want to thank Pat Poprik, the Treasurer of the Republican State Committee
-- Pat. I don't know where she is. I met her when I came in. (Applause.)
Harry Fawkes, the Chairman of Bucks County Republican Party, thank you very
much, Harry. (Applause.) And Jim Cawley, Jr., the Commissioner Chairman of
Bucks County. (Applause.)

And of course I want to pay special recognition to Kathy Fitzpatrick.
(Applause.) When your spouse is in politics, you're involved whether you
want to be or not. (Laughter.) And we know that successful politicians are
the ones whose families stand with them and who are there with them all of
the time. So thank you, Kathy, very, very much. (Applause.)

I'm delighted to be with you today to support Mike Fitzpatrick's campaign
for the United States Congress. (Applause.) Mike has gotten off to a great
start in Washington during his first term, and he's already distinguished
himself as a passionate advocate for the families in the 8th district.
Congressman Fitzpatrick is helping Pennsylvania families by improving
employment opportunities in your state. Through his leadership on the House
Financial Services and Small Business Committees, Mike has improved the
business climate for Pennsylvania entrepreneurs so they can expand their
companies and create more jobs.

Congressman Fitzpatrick has secured almost $26 million for transportation
initiatives in Bucks County -- construction projects that will boost local
economies, improve the quality of life for all of you, and create good jobs
through the district.

Mike Fitzpatrick brought to Congress the principles of efficiency and
accountability that have defined his public service. As Chairman of the
Bucks County Board of Commissioners, Mike successfully managed 2,600
employees, and a county budget of $385 million. And in Washington, Mike's
management and leadership skills are ensuring that Pennsylvania tax dollars
are spent responsibly and wisely.

Congressman Fitzpatrick supports the Presidential Line Item Veto, which
will eliminate unnecessary spending from the federal budget. (Applause.)
Like my husband, Mike supports tax cuts, and this year, with Congressman
Fitzpatrick's help, President Bush signed into law the largest tax relief
package in America's history. (Applause.) And these tax cuts have fueled
our economy. They've helped add 6.6 million new jobs since 2003. And that
means 6.6 million more Americans wake up every morning with the dignity and
sense of purpose that come with a job. (Applause.)

Something else Congressman Fitzpatrick and the President have in common --
and something I share with them -- is a commitment to natural preservation.

In 2003, President Bush announced the Preserve America Initiative, which
encourages communities to safeguard both their natural and their historical
treasures. Preserve America can also boost local economies, because we know
that recognized landmarks attract visitors and business.

Congressman Fitzpatrick is an enthusiastic steward of our country's natural
resources. (Applause.) As Bucks County Commissioner, Mike launched an
initiative to preserve more than 10,000 acres of open space here in
southeastern Pennsylvania. And in Washington, Mike introduced legislation
that provides tax incentives to property owners who set aside land for
conservation. Thank you, Congressman Fitzpatrick, for this very important
preservation work. (Applause.)

And one of the benefits of natural and historical preservation is that it
gives our children more opportunities to learn about our country. Visits to
national parks, to museums, to aquariums, to monuments, are great
activities for young people, offering them healthy and positive ways to
learn and spend time with their families.

Congressman Fitzpatrick has a strong record of commitment to young people.
Here in Pennsylvania, Mike -- who's a former Eagle Scout -- and Kathy --
who's a Girl Scout troop leader -- are helping boys and girls develop the
leadership skills and the character they need to grow up to be successful
young men and women.

In Washington, Congressman Fitzpatrick has dedicated himself to protecting
young people here in the 8th district and throughout our country. He
co-sponsored the Gang Elimination Act, to help end the threat of gang
violence in Pennsylvania. Through his leadership in the House Suburban
Caucus, Mike supported legislation requiring checks for school employees,
background checks for school employees so that young people are safe in
their classrooms. (Applause.)

And Mike authored and helped pass the "Deleting Online Predators Act" --
legislation that gives parents, teachers, and librarians the resources they
need. (Applause.)

We all know, though, that the well-being of young people in Pennsylvania
and throughout our country ultimately depends on our government's ability
to keep them safe -- by defeating terrorism and increasing liberty abroad.
In Washington, Mike is a champion of the men and women of the United States
military. (Applause.) And thanks to our troops, the Iraqi people are now
free from the oppression of Saddam Hussein, and are working to build a
democratic future for their country. (Applause.)

And in Afghanistan, women and girls can now be educated. (Applause.) It's
hard for us to imagine a country that would actually forbid half of its
population from being educated. But now, little girls are in school in
Afghanistan. (Applause.)

All of us are proud of the men and women who are deployed around the world
defending our country. (Applause.) Every day, thousands of young men and
women risk their lives overseas -- thousands of young men and women risk
their lives overseas to make sure that their families, and all of our
families, are kept safe here in the United States. Their love of our
country, and of liberty, never wavers, and neither does their belief in
their mission. Many of these young men and women have given their lives for
this belief.

Around the country, President Bush and I meet with their families. In
military hospitals, we meet with their fellow soldiers who've been wounded
in combat. And from our troops and their families, the President and I hear
the same request: that we honor the sacrifice of these men and women by
seeing the mission through. (Applause.) They ask the American people to
stand with our troops until we've succeeded in securing Iraq, and ensuring
that the Iraqi people have a government that is stable and that's an ally
to the United States.

Mike Fitzpatrick appreciates our troops' sacrifice. He knows that this
election is critical to the future of our country. And he knows that
America faces challenges too important to be reduced to just politics.

President Bush has an ambitious agenda for the rest of his time in
Washington, and he takes his responsibility to the American people very
seriously. (Applause.) Ending our dependence on foreign oil, reforming our
immigration system, rebuilding the Gulf Coast, and keeping our country safe
from terrorism are not easy tasks, but they're absolutely vital goals. To
accomplish them, we must have serious national conversations, conducted
with civility and respect.

The right to have these conversations is part of what makes our country
great, and our democracy strong. We must be mindful that people around the
world are listening to these discussions. Responsible candidates understand
that the men and women of our military are risking their lives overseas,
and that we must conduct the debate here at home in a way that does not
jeopardize our troops in harm's way. (Applause.) And it's critical that all
of us stand with Mike and with all of our Republican candidates, since
they're such a thoughtful and positive powerful -- positive part of this
dialogue.

Thanks to each and every one of you for supporting Mike. And thanks
especially to all the volunteers for your hard work making the phone calls
and knocking on doors. You've already done so much for Mike and your other
great candidates -- your terrific Senator, Rick Santorum, and your
candidate for governor, Lynn Swann. (Applause.) And in the next two weeks,
they'll need more of your energy and your enthusiasm. Go to the phone
banks, knock on those doors, and talk to your neighbors about Mike and all
of Pennsylvania's great Republicans. They need your support, and our
country needs them. (Applause.)

Thank you all so much. Thank you for coming out today. Thank you in advance
for all the good work you're going to do over the next two weeks to make
sure Mike Fitzpatrick, and all of our candidates, are elected on November
7th.

Thank you all very, very much. (Applause.)

END 1:20 P.M. EDT

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