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Skriven 2006-02-09 23:41:44 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0602099) for Thu, 2006 Feb 9
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Remarks by the Vice President on the 2006 Agenda
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
February 9, 2006

Remarks by the Vice President on the 2006 Agenda
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Washington, D.C.



7:39 P.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Dave, I appreciate those kind
words. And I want to thank you all for that warm welcome. Getting a
reception like that almost makes me want to run for office again. (Laughter
and applause.) Almost. (Laughter.)

Well, it's great to visit CPAC once again, be with so many conservative
leaders and activists from all across America. I welcome all of you to
Washington, and bring greetings from the biggest vote-getter in American
history, President George W. Bush. (Applause.)

I'm delighted to see our 2004 campaign manager, the superb chairman of the
Republican National Committee, Ken Mehlman. (Applause.) CPAC always brings
together an impressive group, and this 33rd gathering is no different. I'm
delighted that you'll be hearing tomorrow night from Ambassador John
Bolton, doing a magnificent job for America at the United Nations.
(Applause.)

Let me also thank the members of Congress who are here this evening, and
all of the distinguished guests, longtime friends that I see here at the
head table. I also want to thank the young people from the group Students
for Saving Social Security -- a new organization that already has members
nationwide. These young citizens remind all of us that their generation
deserves a Social Security system that is on firm financial ground -- and
those of us in government have a responsibility to get the job done right.
(Applause.)

Meeting responsibilities is the daily business of public life, and never
more than in times like these. The last five years have been marked by an
unprecedented series of challenges for our country. Our country has
experienced war, national emergency, economic recession, corporate
scandals, and historic natural disasters. Yet we faced up to those
challenges, and in the process we've shown our many strengths as a nation.
Ronald Reagan once described Americans this way. He said, "We, as a people,
aren't happy if we are not moving forward. A nation that is growing and
thriving is one that will solve its problems. We must offer progress
instead of stagnation; the truth instead of promises; hope and faith
instead of defeatism and despair."

If Ronald Reagan were with us now, he would be proud of this country, and I
believe he'd also be proud of the man who lives in the White House.
(Applause.) With George Bush as our leader, the United States is moving
forward with confidence and with hope. We have no fear of the future,
because we intend to shape it.

Our economy today is healthy, and vigorous, and growing faster than that of
any other major industrialized nation. Since August 2003, America has
created over 4.7 million new jobs -- more than Japan and Europe combined.
Despite all the challenges that have come our way, the real story of the
last several years is the incredible resilience of the American economy,
the strength of the free enterprise system, the productive genius of
American entrepreneurs, and above all, the skill and the pride of the
American worker.

To remain competitive, we need to keep this economy growing -- and growth
is more likely when Americans have more of their own money to spend, to
save, and to invest. In the last five years, the Bush tax relief has left
$880 billion in the hands of American workers, investors, small businesses,
and families. They have used it to help produce more than four years of
uninterrupted economic growth. Yet the tax relief is set to expire in the
next several years. So if we do nothing, Americans will face a massive tax
increase. That would be counterproductive, it would be irresponsible, it
would be bad for the economy. Congress needs to make the Bush tax cuts
permanent. (Applause.)

The President's tax policies have strengthened the economy, as we knew they
would. And despite forecasts to the contrary, the tax cuts have translated
into higher federal revenues. To take just one example, in 2003 the Joint
Committee on Taxation in the Congress projected, or scored, a fall-off in
capital gains tax revenues in 2004 and 2005. In fact, since the 2003
capital gains tax rate was reduced to 15 percent, tax revenues from capital
gains have been up substantially. Nobody's perfect, but when revenue
projections are off by 180 degrees, it's time to reexamine our assumptions
and to consider using more dynamic analysis to measure the true impact of
tax cuts on the American economy. (Applause.)

Recognizing this, the President's recently submitted budget would create a
new Dynamic Analysis Division within the Treasury Department to analyze
major tax proposals. The evidence is in, it's time for everyone to admit
that sensible tax cuts increase economic growth, and add to the federal
treasury. (Applause.)

Even as revenue grows, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the
taxpayers' dollar. Wise stewardship means taking a second look at the way
business has been done in Washington. As the Congressional leadership has
stated, we need reforms in the way projects are earmarked for funding. And
we look forward to working with the responsible members of the Hill on
earmark reform. Government has a duty to spend taxpayer dollars wisely, or
not at all. (Applause.)

As members of Congress know, yesterday the President signed into law the
new Deficit Reduction Act. I'm proud to say I helped bring the bill to
passage, by casting a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. (Applause.) The
great thing about it is -- every time I get to vote, our side wins.
(Laughter and applause.)

To keep America competitive, we need reliable and affordable sources of
energy. The President is asking Congress to pass legislation to encourage
the building or the expansion of new refineries. With all the energy needs
of this massive economy, and with the experience of increased gas prices,
it's incredible that the country has not built a new refinery since the
1970's. So we've got a lot of catching up to do.

At the same time, we can and should produce more crude oil here at home.
And one of the most promising sites for oil in America is a 2,000 acre site
in Alaska -- and thanks to modern technology, we can reach this energy with
little impact on the land or on wildlife. (Applause.) Congress needs to
look at the facts and send the President a bill that includes exploration
of ANWR for the sake of the nation. (Applause.) And for long-term energy
security, we will encourage breakthrough technologies -- from zero-emission
coal burning, to hydrogen fuel, to cutting-edge methods of producing
ethanol. Our nation can have a cleaner environment and much more diverse
and reliable supply of energy. And the sooner we get started, the better.

We have a full agenda for 2006 and beyond. President Bush understands that
every decision he makes will affect the lives of millions of Americans for
a long time to come. He takes that duty seriously -- always asking what is
best for America and what is right by the Constitution. And with George W.
Bush, there is never any doubt where he stands or what he believes.
(Applause.)

The President believes in equal justice under law -- and he has shown that
conviction in the kind of appointments he's made to the federal courts.
(Applause.) For all too many years, in too many cases, we've seen
non-elected judges imposing their own values and policy views and
disregarding the democratic rights of the people. From the free exercise of
religion in public places, to the pledge of allegiance, to issues of life
itself, some judges are acting like legislators. In two national campaigns,
George W. Bush ran on a promise to nominate judges who will faithfully
interpret the Constitution and the laws of our country. He's kept that
promise, and he's given the nation two outstanding members of the Supreme
Court, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. (Applause.) In
this second term, the President will continue to appoint men and women who
understand that judges must be servants of the law, and not legislate from
the bench. (Applause.)

Above all, President Bush never loses sight of his most fundamental duty --
to defend this nation and to protect the American people. (Applause.)

There is still hard work ahead in the war on terror, because we are dealing
with enemies who have declared an intention to bring great harm to any
nation that opposes their aims. Their prime targets are the United States
and the American people. And so we have a continuing responsibility to lead
in this fight.

The terrorists were at war with our country long before the liberation of
Iraq, and long before the events of 9/11. But for many years, they were the
ones on the offensive. They became convinced that if they killed enough
Americans, they could change American policy. In Beirut in 1983, terrorists
killed 241 service members. Thereafter, U.S. forces withdrew from Beirut.
In Mogadishu in 1993, terrorists killed 19 American soldiers. Thereafter,
U.S. forces withdrew from Somalia. Over time, the terrorists concluded that
they could strike America without paying a price, because they did,
repeatedly: They bombed the World Trade Center in New York in 1993,
committed murder at the Saudi National Guard Training Center in Riyadh in
1995, killed many at the Khobar Towers in 1996, attacked simultaneously our
two embassies in East Africa in 1998, and, of course, the U.S.S. Cole in
2000.

Believing they could strike us with impunity and that they could change
U.S. policy, they finally attacked us on 9/11 here in the homeland and
killed 3,000 of our fellow citizens. Now they're making a stand in Iraq --
testing our resolve, trying to intimidate the United States into abandoning
our friends and permitting the overthrow of a new Middle Eastern democracy.

We are on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan for victory. Progress
has not come easily, but it has been steady. In less than two years' time
the Iraqi people have gained sovereignty, voted for a transitional
government, drafted a progressive, democratic constitution in the heart of
the Middle East, then approved the document in a national referendum, and
elected a new government under the provisions of that constitution. And in
each successive election, there has been less violence, broader
participation, and bigger voter turnout. Iraqis have shown that they value
their own liberty and are determined to choose their own destiny -- and
America is proud to be an ally in freedom's cause. (Applause.)

Our coalition is also helping to build an Iraqi security force that is well
equipped and well trained. And as that force grows in strength and the
political process continues to advance, we'll be able to decrease troop
levels without losing our capacity to defeat the terrorists. Going forward,
any decisions about troop levels will be driven by conditions on the ground
and the judgment of our commanders -- not by artificial timelines set by
politicians in Washington, D.C. (Applause.)

Lately our forces in Iraq have been receiving some mixed signals out of
Washington. They have at times been unfairly criticized, as when John Kerry
said on national television that American soldiers were, quote,
"terrorizing" Iraqi women and children in their homes.

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Just before Christmas, I went to Iraq and had a chance
to meet with some of our men and women serving there. I told them that
we're all mighty proud of them, and of the tremendous progress they're
making every day. And I assured them that the American people do not
support a policy of resignation and defeatism in a time of war. (Applause.)

Here in Washington, if any believe America should suddenly withdraw from
Iraq and stop fighting al Qaeda in the very place they have gathered, let
them say so clearly. If any believe that America should break our word and
abandon our Iraqi allies to death and prison, let them make it known. If
any believe that America would be safer with men like bin Laden and Zarqawi
in charge of Iraq, let them try to make that case. The reality is that bin
Laden and Zarqawi regard Iraq as the central front in the war on terror.
And we must do the same. And this nation has made a decision: We will stand
by our friends, and engage our enemies with the goal of victory. As the
President said in the State of the Union, "We are in this fight to win, and
we are winning." (Applause.)

I recognize that some have claimed the fight in Iraq is somehow a
distraction from the war on terror. But that leaves me to wonder: Which
part of the war on terror do they consider worth fighting? Even on the home
front, where the attacks actually occurred, we're seeing attempts to
undermine vital protections put in place after 9/11 to track our enemies
and disrupt their plans. Just over four years ago, Congress passed the
Patriot Act. At that time there was no need for a tie-breaking vote,
because the bill passed 98 to one. Now there is a movement to undo the law,
led by senators who were for it before being against it. (Laughter.) One of
these original supporters, Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the
Senate, has boasted to liberal activists about his efforts to, "kill the
Patriot Act." But this law is helping to protect our country, by giving law
enforcement the same tools they use to fight drug trafficking and organized
crime. Congress needs to reauthorize the Patriot Act. (Applause.)

Another imperative on the war on terror is that we learn the intentions of
our enemy. We've heard it said many times that our government failed to
connect the dots before 9/11. We now know that two of the hijackers in the
United States placed telephone calls to al Qaeda operatives overseas before
that attack. We did not know about their plans until it was too late. So to
prevent another attack, and based on authority given him by the
Constitution and by statute, the President authorized a terrorist
surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international
communications of suspected al Qaeda operatives and affiliates calling to
and from America. (Applause.) Some of our critics call this a, "domestic
surveillance program." Wrong. That is inaccurate. It is not domestic
surveillance. We are talking about communications, one end of which is
outside the United States and therefore international, and one end of which
we have reason to believe is somehow tied to or related to al Qaeda. It's
hard to think of any category of information that could be more important
to the safety of the United States. (Applause.)

Previous presidents have used the same constitutional authority -- and
federal courts have approved the use of that authority. Appropriate members
of Congress have been kept informed. As conservatives, all of us are
committed to protecting the civil liberties of the American people. The
terrorist surveillance program is limited, and elaborate steps are in place
and have been taken to protect civil liberties. The President personally
has to reauthorize this program every 45 days, and he does so only after
it's been certified as necessary and required by our intelligence
professionals and signed off on by the Attorney General of the United
States. This program has also helped prevent terrorist attacks. It remains
essential to the security of America. And I want to add, I thought Attorney
General Al Gonzales did a fantastic job defending the program this week
before the Senate. (Applause.)

The terrorist surveillance program was highly classified, and information
about it was improperly given to the news media. As the Attorney General
pointed out this week, it's easy to imagine America's enemies "shaking
their heads in amazement" that anyone would disclose this information,
thereby giving notice to those enemies, damaging national security, and
putting our citizens at risk. But that is what happened, so a debate is now
underway. At the very least, this debate has clarified where all of us
stand on the issue. And with an important election coming up, people need
to know just how we view the most critical questions of national security,
and how we propose to defend the nation that all of us, Republicans and
Democrats, love and are privileged to serve. As always, the President has
made his thinking absolutely clear to the citizens of this land: If there
are people inside our country talking with al Qaeda, we want to know about
it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again. (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, when President Bush spoke to Congress after that
terrible day in 2001, he expressed the hope that life in this nation would
go back to normal. He rightly said that it would be good for Americans to
return to our lives and to our daily routine. He also said that the events
of 9/11 would be on his mind every day. Well, I see the President almost
every single day, starting first thing in the morning, in the Oval Office,
with our intelligence briefing. He knows what his job is. He knows what is
at stake. And he has not for a single moment relented in the work of
protecting the American people. (Applause.)

It seems more than obvious to say that our nation is still at risk of
attack. Yet as we get farther away from September 11th, some in Washington
are yielding to the temptation to downplay the threat, and to back away
from the business at hand. That mindset may be comforting, but it is
dangerous. We're all grateful that this nation has gone well over four
years now without another 9/11. Obviously, no one can guarantee that we
won't be struck again. But our nation has been protected by more than just
luck. We've been protected by sensible policy decisions, by decisive action
at home and abroad, and by round-the-clock efforts on the part of the
people in the armed services, in law enforcement, in intelligence, and in
homeland security. We are not dealing with a conventional enemy, but with a
group of killers whose objective is to slip into our country, to work in
sleeper cells, to communicate in secret, using every means of technology
from the Internet to cell phone networks. This enemy is weakened and
fractured, yet still lethal, still determined to hurt Americans. We have a
duty to act against them as swiftly and as effectively as we possibly can.
Either we are serious about fighting this war or we are not. And as long
George W. Bush leads this nation, we are serious, and we will not let down
our guard. (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, in these five years we've been through a great deal
as a nation. Yet with each test, the American people have displayed the
true character of our country. We have built for ourselves an economy and a
standard of living that are the envy of the world. We have faced dangers
with resolve. And we have been defended by some of the bravest men and
women this nation has ever produced. (Applause.) When future generations
look back on our time, they will know that we met our moment with courage
and with clear thinking. And they will know that America became a better
nation -- stronger, more prosperous, and more secure -- under the
leadership of President George W. Bush.

Thank you. (Applause.)

END 8:03 P.M. EST

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