[eabinga]

SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CALL IT A
GOOD RECORD.
I CALL IT A GOOD START.
TONIGHT I ASK THE HOUSE AND
SENATE TO JOIN ME IN THE NEXT
BOLD STEPS TO SERVE OUR FELLOW
CITIZENS.
OUR FIRST GOAL IS CLEAR, WE
MUST HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT GROWS
FAST ENOUGH TO EMPLOY EVERY MAN
AND WOMAN WHO SEEKS A JOB.
AFTER RECESSION, TERRORIST
ATTACKS, CORPORATE SCANDALS,
AND STOCK MARKET DECLINES, OUR
ECONOMY IS RECOVERING, YET IT'S
NOT GROWING FAST ENOUGH OR
STRONGLY ENOUGH.
WITH UNEMPLOYMENT RISING, OUR
NATION NEEDS MORE SMALL
BUSINESSES TO OPEN, MORE
COMPANIES TO INVEST AND EXPAND,
MORE EMPLOYERS TO PUT UP THE
SIGN THAT SAYS, HELP WANTED.

[eabinga]

JOBS ARE CREATED WHEN THE
ECONOMY GROWS.
THE ECONOMY GROWS WHEN
AMERICANS HAVE MORE MONEY TO
SPEND AND INVEST.
AND THE BEST AND FAIREST WAY TO
MAKE SURE AMERICANS HAVE THAT
MONEY IS NOT TO TAX IT AWAY IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
I AM PROPOSING THAT ALL THE
INCOME TAX REDUCTIONS SET FOR
2004 AND 2006 BE MADE PERMANENT
AND EFFECTIVE THIS YEAR.
UNDER MY PLAN, AS SOON AS I
HAVE SIGNED THE BILL, THIS
EXTRA MONEY WILL START SHOWING
UP IN WORKERS' PAYCHECKS,
INSTEAD OF GRADUALLY REDUCING
THE MARRIAGE PENALTY, WE SHOULD
DO IT NOW.
INSTEAD OF SLOWLY RAISING THE
CHILD CREDIT TO $1,000, WE
SHOULD SEND THE CHECKS TO
AMERICAN FAMILIES NOW.
THIS TAX RELIEF IS FOR EVERYONE
WHO PAYS INCOME TAXES, AND IT
WILL HELP OUR ECONOMY
IMMEDIATELY.
92 MILLION AMERICANS WILL KEEP,
THIS YEAR, AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST
$1,100 MORE OF THEIR OWN MONEY.
A FAMILY OF FOUR WITH AN INCOME
OF $40,000 WOULD SEE THEIR
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES FALL FROM
$1,178 TO $45 PER YEAR.
OUR PLAN WILL IMPROVE THE
BOTTOM LINE FOR MORE THAN 23
MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES.
YOU, THE CONGRESS, HAVE ALREADY
PASSED ALL THESE REDUCTIONS.
AND PROMISED THEM FOR FUTURE
YEARS.
IF THIS TAX RELIEF IS GOOD FOR
AMERICANS THREE, OR FIVE, OR
SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW, IT IS
EVEN BETTER FOR AMERICANS
TODAY.