President Bush's Message of Hope and Remembrance
on Independence Day
"On July 4, 1776, our Founders adopted the Declaration of Independence, creating a great Nation and establishing a hopeful vision of liberty and equality that endures today. This Independence Day, we express gratitude for our many blessings and we celebrate the ideals of freedom and opportunity that our Nation holds dear.
"America's strength and prosperity are testaments to the enduring power of our founding ideals, among them, that all men are created equal, and that liberty is God's gift to humanity, the birthright of every individual. The American creed remains powerful today because it represents the universal hope of all mankind.
"On the Fourth of July, we are grateful for the blessings that freedom represents and for the opportunities it affords. We are thankful for the love of our family and friends and for our rights to think, speak, and worship freely. We are also humbled in remembering the many courageous men and women who have served and sacrificed throughout our history to preserve, protect, and expand these liberties. In liberating oppressed peoples and demonstrating honor and bravery in battle, the members of our Armed Forces reflect the best of our Nation.
"We also recognize the challenges that America now faces. We are winning the war against enemies of freedom, yet more work remains. We will prevail in this noble mission. Liberty has the power to turn hatred into hope.
"America is a force for good in the world, and the compassionate spirit of America remains a living faith. Drawing on the courage of our Founding Fathers and the resolve of our citizens, we willingly embrace the challenges before us.
"Laura joins me in sending our best wishes for a safe and joyous Independence Day. May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America."
GEORGE W. BUSH
Health Care and Prescription Drug Choice Within Reach Due to President's Urging
In response to President Bush's call to action on delivering lower costs for prescription drugs and health care choices to America's seniors the House and Senate have passed historic Medicare reforms. Following the President's framework the House and Senate bills offer:
- Individual Choice Over One-Size Fits All: The President's plan would offer seniors the ability to choose the health plan that best meets their own personal health needs - rather than being forced into a one-size fits all government plan.
- Competition Over Price Controls: Seniors' costs for health plans and prescription drugs would be held down by competition for seniors' business rather than government price setting.
- Innovation Over Bureaucracy: Government micromanagement of health care stifles innovation and access to the newest and most effective treatments. Participation of private health plans in Medicare will help ensure up-to-date coverage for breakthrough medical treatments.
- Long-Term Savings Over Higher Costs: The President's framework of $400 billion enables his reforms while controlling Washington spending, offering more health care choice and greater savings to taxpayers in the long run.
More Choices for Parents Enable Education Excellence
President Bush brought his message of accountability for educating every child by measuring results and offering more choices for every parent to a school in our nation's capitol. Joined by Washington, D.C. Mayor Tony Williams and local school officials the President announced a national school choice initiative.
President Bush said, "I'm going to request $75 million from the Congress for what we call a choice incentive fund. This will be basically scholarships for students to be able to use the money as they see fit, public or private ... It is the beginning of an experiment that will show whether or not private school choice makes a difference in quality education in public schools. I happen to believe it will."
Over 95,000 Americans in All Fifty States Offer
Record Levels of Support to Re-electing President Bush
In the six weeks since President Bush filed for re-election over 95,000 Americans contributed to President Bush's re-election campaign - raising $34.2 million. This broad support represents the overwhelming enthusiasm for President Bush's leadership and the progress he has made for the American people, as well as his continued commitment to keeping our nation prosperous, strong, and secure.
Thank you to everyone that helped to make this important achievement possible.
Bipartisan Support for President Bush's Modernization of Medicare
"The passage of Medicare prescription drug bills in the House and Senate clearly mark progress toward the most significant milestone in Medicare since its creation in 1965."
-- Bill Novelli, AARP CEO, June 27, 2003
"This is an historic opportunity to combine the best of what government can do with the best of what the private sector can do."
-- Democrat Senator John Breaux, June 27,2003
"The bipartisan backing mirrors the broad support the Bush administration developed for its major education bill in 2001. The wide range should help Washington work out the details of modernizing Medicare. Then, the important part begins: All seniors begin to get a drug benefit and receive greater choices among health plans. Help is on the way."
-- Editorial, Dallas Morning News, June 25, 2003
"However this turns out, President Bush deserves credit for getting the issue this far. A Medicare drug benefit was one of his campaign promises, and he has never forgotten about it. Now he's using his accumulated political capital to make it a reality."
-- Editorial, Annapolis [MD] Times, June 29, 2003
"A USA Toda/CNN/Gallup Poll over the weekend found that 76% of adults favor Congress' move to spend $400 billion over 10 years to help seniors get insurance coverage for their prescriptions."
-- USA Today, July 1, 2003
