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Skriven 2006-11-03 23:50:16 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0611039) for Fri, 2006 Nov 3
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Mrs. Bush's Remarks at New Mexico Victory 2006 Rally
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For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
November 3, 2006

Mrs. Bush's Remarks at New Mexico Victory 2006 Rally
Journal Center II
Albuquerque, New Mexico



3:07 P.M. MST

MRS. BUSH: Thank you all. Thank you, Heather. Thank you, Heather, for that
very, very inspiring talk about voting.

I'm so proud and honored to have the chance to stand on this stage with
Congresswoman Heather Wilson. (Applause.) I'm also very happy to be here
with one of my favorite United States senators, Senator Pete Domenici.
(Applause.) According to my speech also, Congressman Steve Pearce is here.
Is he here? Well, he was here earlier. And Allen Weh, the Chairman of the
New Mexico Republican Party is here. Thank you, Allen, for joining us.
(Applause.)

And of course I want to recognize Jay Hone, Heather's husband. When your
spouse is involved in politics, you're involved whether you want to be or
not. (Applause.) And we know that successful politicians have families who
stand with them and who are there with them all the time, and I want to
thank Jay and Caitlin and Josh, Heather's children, for being there for her
all the time. (Applause.)

I'm delighted to be with you today to support Heather Wilson's campaign for
the United States Congress. Heather cares deeply about the people of New
Mexico, and in Washington, she's distinguished herself as a passionate
advocate for the 1st district.

Congresswoman Wilson is helping New Mexico families by increasing
employment opportunities in your state. A former small business owner
herself, Heather understands the needs of Albuquerque's entrepreneurs.
During her eight years in Congress, Heather has improved New Mexico's
business climate so local entrepreneurs can expand and then offer more jobs
for the people of the 1st district.

During the latest round of Base Realignment and Closure process, Heather
led the effort to keep nearby Kirtland Air Force Base off BRAC's list.
(Applause.) Heather's leadership saved not only the Air Force facility, but
also Sandia National Labs. Together, Kirtland and Sandia add around $11
billion to the 1st district's economy, and provide an estimated 90,000
local jobs -- jobs that were saved because of Heather. Thank you, Heather.
(Applause.)

Heather Wilson brings to Congress the principles of efficiency and
accountability that have defined her public service. She makes sure New
Mexico tax dollars are spent wisely and responsibly. Heather supports the
Presidential Line Item Veto, which will eliminate unnecessary spending from
the federal budget. (Applause.) And she supports tax cuts. (Applause.) The
tax cuts that she's voted for over the last six years have fueled our
economy, and they've added 6.8 million new jobs since 2003. That means 6.8
million more Americans wake up every morning with the dignity and the sense
of purpose that comes with a job.

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

Congresswoman Wilson is an enthusiastic steward of our country's natural
resources. She supported the Ojito Wilderness Act, which President Bush
signed into law last October. This bill preserves majestic landscapes, and
important Native American cultural sites, on 11,000 acres northwest of
Albuquerque.

As a member of the House Energy Committee, Heather helped pass the 2006
Energy Act. This legislation promotes alternative fuels by offering tax
incentives for the use of biomass, wind, and solar power in New Mexico
homes. Heather's efforts will help safeguard our environment, and end our
country's dependence on foreign oil. Thank you, Heather, for this vital
work. (Applause.)

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, and to national monuments are
great activities for young people, offering them healthy and positive ways
to learn and spend time with their families.

Congresswoman Wilson has a strong record of commitment to young people.
Heather improved the lives of children throughout your state as Secretary
of New Mexico's Children, Youth, and Family Services Department. In
Congress, Heather has secured $350,000 in funds to advance a cause close to
my heart: reading. (Applause.) These resources will help build a community
library in nearby Placitas, so that more families and young people can
enjoy and learn from good books. Thank you, Congresswoman Wilson, for your
commitment to New Mexico's children. (Applause.)

We all know, though, that the well-being of children in New Mexico and
across our country ultimately depends on our government's ability to
protect them -- by defeating terrorism and increasing liberty abroad.

Heather Wilson understands the needs of our troops at this crucial time in
our country's history. Heather is a former Air Force Officer, and a
graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. She's the only female
veteran currently serving in Congress. (Applause.) And she's a role model
for women and girls across your state and across our country. (Applause.)

When my father-in-law President Bush was in office, Congresswoman Wilson
served on the staff of the National Security Council. Through her current
leadership on the House Intelligence Committee, Heather makes sure our
troops have the information and the resources they need to protect our
nation. In Congress, Heather Wilson is a champion of the men and women of
the United States military. (Applause.)

Thanks to our troops, the Iraqi people are now free from the oppression of
Saddam Hussein, and are working to build a democratic future. (Applause.)

And in Afghanistan, women and girls can now be educated. (Applause.) It's
hard for us to imagine a government that would prohibit half of its
citizens from being educated. But now Afghanistan has a new, elected
government, and little girls are in school all over 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 these men and
women risk their lives overseas to make sure 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 cause.

Many of these men and women have given their lives for this belief.
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 their mission
through. They ask the American people to stand with our troops. (Applause.)

Heather Wilson stands with our troops. (Applause.) She understands that
this election is critical to the future of our country. And she knows that
America faces challenges too important to be reduced to just politics.

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 are 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 for us
overseas, and that we must conduct our debate here at home in a way that
does not jeopardize our troops in harm's way. (Applause.)

Heather Wilson understands her responsibility to you and to our country. So
we must stand with Heather at this important time in our country's history.
(Applause.)

Thanks to each and every one of you for supporting Heather Wilson. Thanks
especially to all the volunteers. Thank you to each one of you that are
going to take your list home and make your telephone calls, and make sure
people show up at the polls to vote.

We're looking forward to Election Day. This is a spirited contest, and
we've got great candidates. And we've got the best grassroots volunteers.
(Applause.) Our candidates are depending on you, so be sure to get everyone
you know to the polls. Tomorrow is the last day for early voting in New
Mexico. So make an extra effort to go to the phone banks, knock on those
doors, talk to your friends and neighbors about Heather Wilson and all of
New Mexico's great Republican candidates. They need your support, and our
country needs them. (Applause.)

Thank you all so much. Thank you for coming out today. And thank you for
your hard work to make sure Heather Wilson is re-elected to the United
States Congress on November 7th. (Applause.)

END 3:20 P.M. MST
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