George W. Bush 2006 State of the Union Address
31 January 2006
Thank you all. Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of
Congress, members of the Supreme Court and diplomatic corps, distinguished
guests, and fellow citizens: Today our nation lost a beloved, graceful,
courageous woman who called America to its founding ideals and carried
on a noble dream. Tonight we are comforted by the hope of a glad
reunion with the husband who was taken so long ago, and we are grateful
for the good life of Coretta Scott King. (Applause.)
Every time I'm invited to this rostrum, I'm humbled by the privilege,
and mindful of the history we've seen together. We have gathered
under this Capitol dome in moments of national mourning and national achievement.
We have served America through one of the most consequential periods of
our history -- and it has been my honor to serve with you.
In a system of two parties, two chambers, and two elected branches,
there will always be differences and debate. But even tough debates
can be conducted in a civil tone, and our differences cannot be allowed
to harden into anger. To confront the great issues before us, we
must act in a spirit of goodwill and respect for one another -- and I will
do my part. Tonight the state of our Union is strong -- and together
we will make it stronger. (Applause.)
In this decisive year, you and I will make choices that determine both
the future and the character of our country. We will choose to act
confidently in pursuing the enemies of freedom -- or retreat from our duties
in the hope of an easier life. We will choose to build our prosperity
by leading the world economy -- or shut ourselves off from trade and opportunity.
In a complex and challenging time, the road of isolationism and protectionism
may seem broad and inviting -- yet it ends in danger and decline.
The only way to protect our people, the only way to secure the peace, the
only way to control our destiny is by our leadership -- so the United States
of America will continue to lead. (Applause.)
Abroad, our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal -- we
seek the end of tyranny in our world. Some dismiss that goal as misguided
idealism. In reality, the future security of America depends on it.
On September the 11th, 2001, we found that problems originating in a failed
and oppressive state 7,000 miles away could bring murder and destruction
to our country. Dictatorships shelter terrorists, and feed resentment
and radicalism, and seek weapons of mass destruction. Democracies
replace resentment with hope, respect the rights of their citizens and
their neighbors, and join the fight against terror. Every step toward
freedom in the world makes our country safer -- so we will act boldly in
freedom's cause. (Applause.)
Far from being a hopeless dream, the advance of freedom is the great
story of our time. In 1945, there were about two dozen lonely democracies
in the world. Today, there are 122. And we're writing a new
chapter in the story of self-government -- with women lining up to vote
in Afghanistan, and millions of Iraqis marking their liberty with purple
ink, and men and women from Lebanon to Egypt debating the rights of individuals
and the necessity of freedom. At the start of 2006, more than half
the people of our world live in democratic nations. And we do not
forget the other half -- in places like Syria and Burma, Zimbabwe, North
Korea, and Iran -- because the demands of justice, and the peace of this
world, require their freedom, as well. (Applause.)
No one can deny the success of freedom, but some men rage and fight
against it. And one of the main sources of reaction and opposition
is radical Islam -- the perversion by a few of a noble faith into an ideology
of terror and death. Terrorists like bin Laden are serious about
mass murder -- and all of us must take their declared intentions seriously.
They seek to impose a heartless system of totalitarian control throughout
the Middle East, and arm themselves with weapons of mass murder.
Their aim is to seize power in Iraq, and use it as a safe haven to launch
attacks against America and the world. Lacking the military strength
to challenge us directly, the terrorists have chosen the weapon of fear.
When they murder children at a school in Beslan, or blow up commuters in
London, or behead a bound captive, the terrorists hope these horrors will
break our will, allowing the violent to inherit the Earth. But they
have miscalculated: We love our freedom, and we will fight to keep
it. (Applause.)
In a time of testing, we cannot find security by abandoning our commitments
and retreating within our borders. If we were to leave these vicious
attackers alone, they would not leave us alone. They would simply
move the battlefield to our own shores. There is no peace in retreat.
And there is no honor in retreat. By allowing radical Islam to work
its will -- by leaving an assaulted world to fend for itself -- we
would signal to all that we no longer believe in our own ideals, or even
in our own courage. But our enemies and our friends can be certain:
The United States will not retreat from the world, and we will never surrender
to evil. (Applause.)
America rejects the false comfort of isolationism. We are the
nation that saved liberty in Europe, and liberated death camps, and helped
raise up democracies, and faced down an evil empire. Once again,
we accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed and move this world
toward peace. We remain on the offensive against terror networks.
We have killed or captured many of their leaders -- and for the others,
their day will come.
We remain on the offensive in Afghanistan, where a fine President and
a National Assembly are fighting terror while building the institutions
of a new democracy. We're on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear
plan for victory. First, we're helping Iraqis build an inclusive
government, so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency will
be marginalized.
Second, we're continuing reconstruction efforts, and helping the Iraqi
government to fight corruption and build a modern economy, so all Iraqis
can experience the benefits of freedom. And, third, we're striking
terrorist targets while we train Iraqi forces that are increasingly capable
of defeating the enemy. Iraqis are showing their courage every day,
and we are proud to be their allies in the cause of freedom. (Applause.)
Our work in Iraq is difficult because our enemy is brutal. But
that brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress of a new democracy.
In less than three years, the nation has gone from dictatorship to liberation,
to sovereignty, to a constitution, to national elections. At the
same time, our coalition has been relentless in shutting off terrorist
infiltration, clearing out insurgent strongholds, and turning over territory
to Iraqi security forces. I am confident in our plan for victory;
I am confident in the will of the Iraqi people; I am confident in the skill
and spirit of our military. Fellow citizens, we are in this fight
to win, and we are winning. (Applause.)
The road of victory is the road that will take our troops home.
As we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the
lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but those
decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by politicians in
Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
Our coalition has learned from our experience in Iraq. We've adjusted
our military tactics and changed our approach to reconstruction.
Along the way, we have benefitted from responsible criticism and counsel
offered by members of Congress of both parties. In the coming year,
I will continue to reach out and seek your good advice. Yet, there
is a difference between responsible criticism that aims for success, and
defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but failure. (Applause.)
Hindsight alone is not wisdom, and second-guessing is not a strategy.
(Applause.)
With so much in the balance, those of us in public office have a duty
to speak with candor. A sudden withdrawal of our forces from Iraq
would abandon our Iraqi allies to death and prison, would put men like
bin Laden and Zarqawi in charge of a strategic country, and show that a
pledge from America means little. Members of Congress, however we
feel about the decisions and debates of the past, our nation has only one
option: We must keep our word, defeat our enemies, and stand behind
the American military in this vital mission. (Applause.)
Our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices -- and showing a
sense of duty stronger than all fear. They know what it's like to
fight house to house in a maze of streets, to wear heavy gear in the desert
heat, to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who know
the costs also know the stakes. Marine Staff Sergeant Dan Clay was
killed last month fighting in Fallujah. He left behind a letter to
his family, but his words could just as well be addressed to every American.
Here is what Dan wrote: "I know what honor is.
It has been an honor
to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge
that you would not have to
. Never falter! Don't hesitate to honor
and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is
worth protecting."
Staff Sergeant Dan Clay's wife, Lisa, and his mom and dad, Sara Jo and
Bud, are with us this evening. Welcome. (Applause.)
Our nation is grateful to the fallen, who live in the memory of our
country. We're grateful to all who volunteer to wear our nation's
uniform -- and as we honor our brave troops, let us never forget the sacrifices
of America's military families. (Applause.)
Our offensive against terror involves more than military action.
Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat their dark
vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful alternative of political
freedom and peaceful change. So the United States of America supports
democratic reform across the broader Middle East. Elections are vital,
but they are only the beginning. Raising up a democracy requires
the rule of law, and protection of minorities, and strong, accountable
institutions that last longer than a single vote.
The great people of Egypt have voted in a multi-party presidential election
-- and now their government should open paths of peaceful opposition that
will reduce the appeal of radicalism. The Palestinian people have
voted in elections. And now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel,
disarm, reject terrorism, and work for lasting peace. (Applause.)
Saudi Arabia has taken the first steps of reform -- now it can offer its
people a better future by pressing forward with those efforts. Democracies
in the Middle East will not look like our own, because they will reflect
the traditions of their own citizens. Yet liberty is the future of
every nation in the Middle East, because liberty is the right and hope
of all humanity. (Applause.)
The same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a small clerical
elite that is isolating and repressing its people. The regime in
that country sponsors terrorists in the Palestinian territories and in
Lebanon -- and that must come to an end. (Applause.) The Iranian
government is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions, and the nations
of the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons.
(Applause.) America will continue to rally the world to confront
these threats.
Tonight, let me speak directly to the citizens of Iran: America
respects you, and we respect your country. We respect your right
to choose your own future and win your own freedom. And our nation
hopes one day to be the closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
(Applause.)
To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by
encouraging economic progress, and fighting disease, and spreading hope
in hopeless lands. Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting
enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need.
We show compassion abroad because Americans believe in the God-given dignity
and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an infant with malaria, or a
refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl sold into slavery. We also
show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by poverty, corruption,
and despair are sources of terrorism, and organized crime, and human trafficking,
and the drug trade.
In recent years, you and I have taken unprecedented action to fight
AIDS and malaria, expand the education of girls, and reward developing
nations that are moving forward with economic and political reform.
For people everywhere, the United States is a partner for a better life.
Short-changing these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of
our world, undercut our long-term security, and dull the conscience of
our country. I urge members of Congress to serve the interests of
America by showing the compassion of America.
Our country must also remain on the offensive against terrorism here
at home. The enemy has not lost the desire or capability to attack
us. Fortunately, this nation has superb professionals in law enforcement,
intelligence, the military, and homeland security. These men and
women are dedicating their lives, protecting us all, and they deserve our
support and our thanks. (Applause.) They also deserve the same
tools they already use to fight drug trafficking and organized crime --
so I ask you to reauthorize the Patriot Act. (Applause.)
It is said that prior to the attacks of September the 11th, our government
failed to connect the dots of the conspiracy. We now know that two
of the hijackers in the United States placed telephone calls to al Qaeda
operatives overseas. But we did not know about their plans until
it was too late. So to prevent another attack - based on authority
given to me by the Constitution and by statute -- I have authorized a terrorist
surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international communications
of suspected al Qaeda operatives and affiliates to and from America.
Previous Presidents have used the same constitutional authority I have,
and federal courts have approved the use of that authority. Appropriate
members of Congress have been kept informed. The terrorist surveillance
program has helped prevent terrorist attacks. It remains essential
to the security of America. If there are people inside our country
who are talking with al Qaeda, we want to know about it, because we will
not sit back and wait to be hit again. (Applause.)
In all these areas -- from the disruption of terror networks, to victory
in Iraq, to the spread of freedom and hope in troubled regions -- we need
the support of our friends and allies. To draw that support, we must
always be clear in our principles and willing to act. The only alternative
to American leadership is a dramatically more dangerous and anxious world.
Yet we also choose to lead because it is a privilege to serve the values
that gave us birth. American leaders -- from Roosevelt to Truman
to Kennedy to Reagan -- rejected isolation and retreat, because they knew
that America is always more secure when freedom is on the march.
Our own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy -- a
war that will be fought by Presidents of both parties, who will need steady
bipartisan support from the Congress. And tonight I ask for yours.
Together, let us protect our country, support the men and women who defend
us, and lead this world toward freedom. (Applause.)
Here at home, America also has a great opportunity: We will build
the prosperity of our country by strengthening our economic leadership
in the world.
Our economy is healthy and vigorous, and growing faster than other major
industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half years, America
has created 4.6 million new jobs -- more than Japan and the European Union
combined. (Applause.) Even in the face of higher energy prices
and natural disasters, the American people have turned in an economic performance
that is the envy of the world.
The American economy is preeminent, but we cannot afford to be complacent.
In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors, like China and
India, and this creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's
fears. So we're seeing some old temptations return. Protectionists
want to escape competition, pretending that we can keep our high standard
of living while walling off our economy. Others say that the government
needs to take a larger role in directing the economy, centralizing more
power in Washington and increasing taxes. We hear claims that immigrants
are somehow bad for the economy -- even though this economy could not function
without them. (Applause.) All these are forms of economic retreat,
and they lead in the same direction -- toward a stagnant and second-rate
economy.
Tonight I will set out a better path: an agenda for a nation that
competes with confidence; an agenda that will raise standards of living
and generate new jobs. Americans should not fear our economic future,
because we intend to shape it.
Keeping America competitive begins with keeping our economy growing.
And our economy grows when Americans have more of their own money to spend,
save, and invest. In the last five years, the tax relief you passed
has left $880 billion in the hands of American workers, investors, small
businesses, and families -- and they have used it to help produce more
than four years of uninterrupted economic growth. (Applause.)
Yet the tax relief is set to expire in the next few years. If we
do nothing, American families will face a massive tax increase they do
not expect and will not welcome.
Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we need more
than temporary tax relief. I urge the Congress to act responsibly,
and make the tax cuts permanent. (Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires us to be good stewards of tax dollars.
Every year of my presidency, we've reduced the growth of non-security discretionary
spending, and last year you passed bills that cut this spending.
This year my budget will cut it again, and reduce or eliminate more than
140 programs that are performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities.
By passing these reforms, we will save the American taxpayer another $14
billion next year, and stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009.
(Applause.)
I am pleased that members of Congress are working on earmark reform,
because the federal budget has too many special interest projects.
(Applause.) And we can tackle this problem together, if you pass
the line-item veto. (Applause.)
We must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory spending, or
entitlements. This year, the first of about 78 million baby boomers
turn 60, including two of my Dad's favorite people -- me and President
Clinton. (Laughter.) This milestone is more than a personal
crisis -- (laughter) -- it is a national challenge. The retirement
of the baby boom generation will put unprecedented strains on the federal
government. By 2030, spending for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
alone will be almost 60 percent of the entire federal budget. And
that will present future Congresses with impossible choices -- staggering
tax increases, immense deficits, or deep cuts in every category of spending.
Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security
-- (applause) -- yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem that
is not going away. (Applause.) And every year we fail to act,
the situation gets worse.
So tonight, I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine
the full impact of baby boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare,
and Medicaid. This commission should include members of Congress
of both parties, and offer bipartisan solutions. We need to put aside
partisan politics and work together and get this problem solved.
(Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires us to open more markets for all
that Americans make and grow. One out of every five factory jobs
in America is related to global trade, and we want people everywhere to
buy American. With open markets and a level playing field, no one
can out-produce or out-compete the American worker. (Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires an immigration system that upholds
our laws, reflects our values, and serves the interests of our economy.
Our nation needs orderly and secure borders. (Applause.) To
meet this goal, we must have stronger immigration enforcement and border
protection. (Applause.) And we must have a rational, humane
guest worker program that rejects amnesty, allows temporary jobs for people
who seek them legally, and reduces smuggling and crime at the border.
(Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care. (Applause.)
Our government has a responsibility to provide health care for the poor
and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility. (Applause.)
For all Americans -- for all Americans, we must confront the rising cost
of care, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, and help people afford
the insurance coverage they need. (Applause.)
We will make wider use of electronic records and other health information
technology, to help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors.
We will strengthen health savings accounts -- making sure individuals and
small business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that
people working for big businesses now get. (Applause.) We will
do more to make this coverage portable, so workers can switch jobs without
having to worry about losing their health insurance. (Applause.)
And because lawsuits are driving many good doctors out of practice -- leaving
women in nearly 1,500 American counties without a single OB/GYN -- I ask
the Congress to pass medical liability reform this year. (Applause.)
Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy. And here
we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is often
imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break
this addiction is through technology. Since 2001, we have spent nearly
$10 billion to develop cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable alternative
energy sources -- and we are on the threshold of incredible advances.
So tonight, I announce the Advanced Energy Initiative -- a 22-percent
increase in clean-energy research -- at the Department of Energy, to push
for breakthroughs in two vital areas. To change how we power our
homes and offices, we will invest more in zero-emission coal-fired plants,
revolutionary solar and wind technologies, and clean, safe nuclear energy.
(Applause.)
We must also change how we power our automobiles. We will increase
our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars, and in pollution-free
cars that run on hydrogen. We'll also fund additional research in
cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from
wood chips and stalks, or switch grass. Our goal is to make this
new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years. (Applause.)
Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach
another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports
from the Middle East by 2025. (Applause.) By applying the talent
and technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our environment,
move beyond a petroleum-based economy, and make our dependence on Middle
Eastern oil a thing of the past. (Applause.)
And to keep America competitive, one commitment is necessary above all:
We must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity.
Our greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated, hardworking,
ambitious people -- and we're going to keep that edge. Tonight I
announce an American Competitiveness Initiative, to encourage innovation
throughout our economy, and to give our nation's children a firm grounding
in math and science. (Applause.)
First, I propose to double the federal commitment to the most critical
basic research programs in the physical sciences over the next 10 years.
This funding will support the work of America's most creative minds as
they explore promising areas such as nanotechnology, supercomputing, and
alternative energy sources.
Second, I propose to make permanent the research and development tax
credit -- (applause) -- to encourage bolder private-sector initiatives
in technology. With more research in both the public and private
sectors, we will improve our quality of life -- and ensure that America
will lead the world in opportunity and innovation for decades to come.
(Applause.)
Third, we need to encourage children to take more math and science,
and to make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other
nations. We've made a good start in the early grades with the No
Child Left Behind Act, which is raising standards and lifting test scores
across our country. Tonight I propose to train 70,000 high school
teachers to lead advanced-placement courses in math and science, bring
30,000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms, and give
early help to students who struggle with math, so they have a better chance
at good, high-wage jobs. If we ensure that America's children succeed
in life, they will ensure that America succeeds in the world. (Applause.)
Preparing our nation to compete in the world is a goal that all of us
can share. I urge you to support the American Competitiveness Initiative,
and together we will show the world what the American people can achieve.
America is a great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet our greatness
is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat
one another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful
society.
In recent years, America has become a more hopeful nation. Violent
crime rates have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s. Welfare
cases have dropped by more than half over the past decade. Drug use
among youth is down 19 percent since 2001. There are fewer abortions
in America than at any point in the last three decades, and the number
of children born to teenage mothers has been falling for a dozen years
in a row. (Applause.)
These gains are evidence of a quiet transformation -- a revolution of
conscience, in which a rising generation is finding that a life of personal
responsibility is a life of fulfillment. Government has played a
role. Wise policies, such as welfare reform and drug education and
support for abstinence and adoption have made a difference in the character
of our country. And everyone here tonight, Democrat and Republican,
has a right to be proud of this record. (Applause.)
Yet many Americans, especially parents, still have deep concerns about
the direction of our culture, and the health of our most basic institutions.
They're concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged
by activist courts that try to redefine marriage. They worry about
children in our society who need direction and love, and about fellow citizens
still displaced by natural disaster, and about suffering caused by treatable
diseases.
As we look at these challenges, we must never give in to the belief
that America is in decline, or that our culture is doomed to unravel.
The American people know better than that. We have proven the pessimists
wrong before -- and we will do it again. (Applause.)
A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under
the law. The Supreme Court now has two superb new members -- new
members on its bench: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam
Alito. (Applause.) I thank the Senate for confirming both of
them. I will continue to nominate men and women who understand that
judges must be servants of the law, and not legislate from the bench.
(Applause.)
Today marks the official retirement of a very special American.
For 24 years of faithful service to our nation, the United States is grateful
to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. (Applause.)
A hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine that do not
cut ethical corners, and that recognize the matchless value of every life.
Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses
of medical research: human cloning in all its forms, creating or
implanting embryos for experiments, creating human-animal hybrids, and
buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift
from our Creator -- and that gift should never be discarded, devalued or
put up for sale. (Applause.)
A hopeful society expects elected officials to uphold the public trust.
(Applause.) Honorable people in both parties are working on reforms
to strengthen the ethical standards of Washington -- I support your efforts.
Each of us has made a pledge to be worthy of public responsibility -- and
that is a pledge we must never forget, never dismiss, and never betray.
(Applause.)
As we renew the promise of our institutions, let us also show the character
of America in our compassion and care for one another.
A hopeful society gives special attention to children who lack direction
and love. Through the Helping America's Youth Initiative, we are
encouraging caring adults to get involved in the life of a child -- and
this good work is being led by our First Lady, Laura Bush. (Applause.)
This year we will add resources to encourage young people to stay in school,
so more of America's youth can raise their sights and achieve their dreams.
A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering
and emergency -- and stays at it until they're back on their feet.
So far the federal government has committed $85 billion to the people of
the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. We're removing debris and repairing
highways and rebuilding stronger levees. We're providing business
loans and housing assistance. Yet as we meet these immediate needs,
we must also address deeper challenges that existed before the storm arrived.
In New Orleans and in other places, many of our fellow citizens have
felt excluded from the promise of our country. The answer is not
only temporary relief, but schools that teach every child, and job skills
that bring upward mobility, and more opportunities to own a home and start
a business. As we recover from a disaster, let us also work for the
day when all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope, and rich
in opportunity. (Applause.)
A hopeful society acts boldly to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS, which
can be prevented, and treated, and defeated. More than a million
Americans live with HIV, and half of all AIDS cases occur among African
Americans. I ask Congress to reform and reauthorize the Ryan White
Act, and provide new funding to states, so we end the waiting lists for
AIDS medicines in America. (Applause.) We will also lead a
nationwide effort, working closely with African American churches and faith-based
groups, to deliver rapid HIV tests to millions, end the stigma of AIDS,
and come closer to the day when there are no new infections in America.
(Applause.)
Fellow citizens, we've been called to leadership in a period of consequence.
We've entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite.
We see great changes in science and commerce that will influence all our
lives. Sometimes it can seem that history is turning in a wide arc,
toward an unknown shore. Yet the destination of history is determined
by human action, and every great movement of history comes to a point of
choosing.
Lincoln could have accepted peace at the cost of disunity and continued
slavery. Martin Luther King could have stopped at Birmingham or at
Selma, and achieved only half a victory over segregation. The United
States could have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been complicit
in the oppression of others. Today, having come far in our own historical
journey, we must decide: Will we turn back, or finish well?
Before history is written down in books, it is written in courage.
Like Americans before us, we will show that courage and we will finish
well. We will lead freedom's advance. We will compete and excel
in the global economy. We will renew the defining moral commitments
of this land. And so we move forward -- optimistic about our country,
faithful to its cause, and confident of the victories to come.
May God bless America.
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