For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 3, 2005

President Bush's Second Term Accomplishments and Agenda

Today, President Bush Celebrated Key Legislative Victories That He Has Won In His Second Term. He also called on Congress to complete other important work, including: confirming Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court, restraining spending in appropriations, and reforming Social Security. The President also discussed the importance of staying on the offense in the War on Terror.

President Bush Worked With Congress To Make Progress On The Key Priorities Of The American People.

Economic Growth:

• The American Economy Is Growing And Creating Jobs. The economy is growing faster than any other major industrialized economy. Unemployment has declined to five percent, the lowest it has been since September 11th and lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Consumer confidence is high. Inflation remains low. The economy has already created over 2 million jobs in the last 12 months, and more Americans are working today than ever before.

• The Deficit Is Decreasing. Thanks to spending restraint and tax relief, the Federal deficit is projected to be $94 billion less than previously expected, and the government is ahead of pace to reach President Bush's goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009.

The Central America And Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement:

• President Bush Signed CAFTA To Level The Playing Field For U.S. Workers And Create New Markets For American Goods. CAFTA immediately eliminates tariffs on nearly 80 percent of U.S. exports to participating nations and is expected to generate billion 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.

• CAFTA Makes America Safer And Supports Young Democracies In The Region. The young democracies of Central America and the Dominican Republic still face forces opposed to democratic government and economic freedom. With passage of CAFTA, the United States supports stability and prosperity in the region, which will make Americans safer here at home.

Energy Legislation:

• President Bush Will Sign Into Law The First National Energy Plan In More Than A Decade. President Bush entered office four years ago and proposed the first comprehensive energy plan in decades. Congress has now responded and passed an energy bill, which President Bush will sign into law. The President's national energy plan will increase America's energy security, reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, increase domestic production, modernize the electricity grid, encourage energy efficiency and conservation, and promote alternative and renewable energy sources.

Highway Bill:

• President Bush Will Sign Into Law The Highway Bill. The highway bill will provide funding 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 may proceed, which will make driving safer, ease congestion, and ensure that the Nation's transportation system keeps pace with the rapidly expanding economy. The bill meets these objectives in a fiscally responsible manner.

Patient Safety Bill:

• 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 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.

These Achievements Build On Other Accomplishments This Year.

Class Action Reform:

• The President Signed Class Action Reform To Curb Lawsuit Abuse. The class action reform signed into law last February by President Bush will help end the lawsuit culture 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 a variety of other legal reform measures, including medical liability reform and asbestos litigation reform.

Bankruptcy Reform:

• President Bush Signed Bankruptcy Reform That Makes The System Fairer For Creditors And Debtors. Under the new law, Americans who have the ability to pay will be required to pay back at least a portion of their debts. This practical reform will help ensure that 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.

A Disciplined Budget Resolution:

• President Bush Is Calling On Congress To Deliver A Fair And Disciplined Budget. President Bush submitted the first budget to propose a cut in non-security discretionary spending since Ronald Reagan was President. Both the House and Senate have now passed a strong budget resolution that maintains fiscal discipline.

War Supplemental:

• President Bush Delivered The Funds Our Troops Need To Fight And Win The War On Terror. President Bush submitted a supplemental request for funds, which Congress approved, to ensure our troops overseas have all the resources they need to win the War on Terror.

Education:

• No Child Left Behind Is Working. New results show that math and reading scores for nine-year-olds are up from five years ago, as are math scores for 13-year-olds. The achievement gap is closing, and we are working to raise standards and accountability in high schools while expanding access to community colleges.

President Bush Urges Congress To Confirm Roberts, Act On Agenda.

Judge Roberts:

• President Bush Calls On The Senate To Confirm Judge John Roberts Before October 3rd. Judge Roberts has devoted his entire professional life to the cause of justice and is widely admired for his intellect and experience, his sound judgment and fairness, and his integrity and personal decency. He has argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court as an attorney and was confirmed by unanimous consent to the Federal bench just two years ago. Judge Roberts will faithfully interpret the Constitution and not legislate from the bench. He deserves a dignified process and a fair vote to ensure the Supreme Court can convene for its Fall term on October 3rd with a new justice in place.

Social Security:

• President Bush Is Working Hard To Strengthen Social Security For Future Generations. President Bush has made Social Security reform a priority of his second term so no American who works his or her entire life will have to retire into poverty. The President's plan combines progressive indexing with voluntary personal retirement accounts to ensure that everyone's benefits continue to grow and everyone has the opportunity to build a retirement nest egg that he or she can own and control. There will be no changes to Social Security for those born before 1950.

Taxes:

• President Bush Has Called On Congress To Make His Tax Relief Permanent, Repeal The Death Tax, And Reform The Tax Code. Making the President's tax relief permanent will help continue our economic growth, and the President believes the American people deserve a tax code that is simple, fair, and easy to understand.

Immigration Reform:

• President Bush Supports Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The President has called for a comprehensive, integrated approach to reform our current immigration system. This would strengthen border security to ensure legal entry, build a robust interior enforcement program to ensure compliance with the law, and fill an economic need for willing workers through a temporary worker program.

Medicare/Medicaid:

• President Bush's New Medicare Coverage Will Ensure Everyone On Medicare Has Better Choices. In January, the new prescription drug benefit takes effect, allowing seniors and Americans with disabilities to choose their health plans and get better drug benefits. Seniors and Americans with disabilities will be able to choose the plan that works best for their needs and will save on their prescription drugs.

• President Bush Supports Efforts To Institute Savings In Medicaid. The President supports reform to lower the cost of Medicaid to the taxpayer as well as to give states greater flexibility on implementation.

Welfare Reform:

• The President Supports Welfare Reform. President Bush supports the reauthorization of welfare reform that strengthens marriage and requires welfare recipients to spend 40 hours per week - either working at a job or in a program designed to help them achieve independence.

President Bush Is Committed To Winning The War On Terror.

• America Is Fighting Terrorism Across The World. The United States is at war against terrorism, and we will use all elements of our national power to defend our homeland, to break up terrorist cells, and to stay on the offensive, fighting the enemy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the world so that we do not have to face them here at home. We will defeat the terrorists' ideology of hatred and fear by spreading freedom, laying the foundation of peace, and offering an alternative of hope to troubled regions of the world.

• The President Calls On Congress To Complete Reauthorization Of The Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is a key part of our efforts to combat terrorism and protect the American people, and President Bush commends the House and Senate for voting to reauthorize provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire this year. The Patriot Act has enhanced information sharing between law enforcement and intelligence personnel, updated the law to adapt to changes in technology, and provided critical tools to investigate terrorists that have been used for years in cases against organized crime and drug dealers.

• A Strategy For Success In Iraq. We will pursue a two-track strategy for victory in Iraq, through political and military means. We will help Iraqis build a democracy that will be an example to the region, and we will support Iraqis as they draft a Constitution, vote in a referendum, and then elect a fully constitutional government. At the same time, we will hunt down the terrorists and train Iraqi security forces so that they can defend their own country. As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.

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