For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
April 23, 2004
Remarks by First Lady Laura Bush at a Reception for Lisa Murkowski
Washington Court Hotel Main Ballroom April 22, 2004
6:43 P.M. EDT
MRS. BUSH: Thank you all. I'm so glad to be here. I've really
been looking forward to have this chance to be with Senator Murkowski
and all of you. Thank you very much for your warm welcome.
I want to thank Senator Stevens for being here, and I'm so proud
that so many Alaskan Republican women are here. Thank you all.
(Applause.) I'm glad to see the mother of the Senator, Nancy Murkowski,
here. (Applause.)
President Bush sends his very best regards and his thanks to all of
you for supporting Senator Murkowski in her campaign for Senate. He
wants all of us to know how vitally important it is to have a strong
team in Alaska -- a team like Senator Stevens, Congressman Young, and
Senator Murkowski. (Applause.)
I know I won't have to convince you to support Senator Murkowski.
All of you know Lisa. You know her as a hardworking public servant, a
devoted mother, and an experienced leader. She'll always listen to a
question or a concern and you can count on Lisa to speak her mind.
(Applause.)
In Washington, we know Senator Murkowski as a principled, skilled
legislator who is not afraid to reach across the aisle to get things
done. She's respected by colleagues in both parties. And her
appointment as deputy whip is evidence of the respect that she's
earned.
Senator Murkowski is a strong supporter of Alaska's fisherman,
small business owners, seniors and native Americans. And she'll
continue to represent their views in Washington. From supporting tax
cuts to securing health care for uninsured children, Senator Murkowski
has been an advocate for the people of Alaska.
As a native Alaskan, Lisa has spent her lifetime working in her
home state on issues that matter to all Alaskans. She understands your
priorities and she'll make sure your voice is heard in Washington.
President Bush needs leaders like Senator Murkowski to strengthen
our national security, our homeland security and our economic
security. President Bush is working hard to keep our country safe and
strong. (Applause.)
Over the last three years, our country has faced some of the
toughest challenges in our history. I've watched as our President has
led our country with compassion and conviction. President Bush has
been steady and determined as he's made the most difficult decisions
any President can make -- and that's to send Americans to war to
protect our national security, and to defend the cause of freedom. And
President Bush is grateful to have leaders like Senator Stevens and
Senator Murkowski to stand by his side during these difficult times.
Senator Murkowski knows that we must defend our homeland and the
peace of free people around the world. September 11th was the defining
moment for all of us. We'll never forget the bravery of our fellow
Americans or the spirit of unity that spread around our country. And
since that fateful day, I've watched as the President's leadership has
not only made our world safer but also has made people's lives better.
Thanks to my husband's decisions and America's actions, 50 million
people are free from tyranny and oppression. Consider the women and
girls of Afghanistan. During the long years of the Taliban regime,
they were virtual prisoners in their homes, unable to leave their homes
without being escorted by a male relative. And if they didn't have a
male relative -- and many didn't because many were widowed from the
long period of wars -- they were actually forced to beg, because they
were forbidden to go to school or to work. Now the people of
Afghanistan have new leaders, new freedoms, and a constitution
guaranteeing the right of women. And little girls are in school in
Afghanistan, many for the first time in their lives. (Applause.)
And thanks to America's actions, the people of Iraq are free from
the tyranny and the torture of Saddam Hussein and today they're
building a free and democratic society. We still face many challenges
every day. Terrorists from Saddam's regime and Islamic militants
commit acts of hate in the hopes that we will abandon the people of
Iraq and their hopes for freedom. But, in fact, most of Iraq is
relatively stable and most Iraqi people reject violence and
dictatorship. Many brave Iraqi leaders are working with our troops and
coalition forces to help build a free Iraq.
We can't predict all the hazards that lie ahead or the costs that
they will bring. But we know that there's no safe alternative to
resolute action. The defeat of violence and terror in Iraq is vital to
the defeat of violence and terror around the world.
A strong economy is also essential to our security, and President
Bush needs Senator Murkowski's leadership to strengthen our economy and
to help make the tax cuts permanent. Thanks to the President's tax
relief plan, millions of families are keeping more of their own money
and deciding how to use it. For many families, tax relief means more
money to pay the monthly bills, to start a college savings plan for
their children or to save for their own retirement.
For small business owners, tax relief means expanding their
operations to hire more employees. These millions of individual
decisions are lifting our economy and improving the lives of people
around the country. Economic growth is at a 20-year high and home
ownership is at the highest ever.
As a leader of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator
Murkowski knows that to strengthen our economy, we must get an energy
bill passed to break America's reliance on foreign -- (applause). She
supports the construction of a natural gas pipeline and the exploration
of portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which would
generate jobs in Alaska and fuel the state's oil service industry.
Senator Murkowski also promotes the purchase of Alaska's seafood to
support local commercial fishermen. And she's working hard to conserve
Alaska's heritage and natural beauty while increasing opportunity for
tourists to explore in your magnificent parks.
Our economy is in a period of great change. Increases in
productivity, advances in technology and competition from foreign
sources require us to educate and equip workers with the new skills of
the future. For our work force to succeed, we must ensure that every
child receives an excellent education. (Applause.)
As the mother of two boys who are still in school, and as a former
PTA president, Senator Murkowski believes that providing a quality
education for our children is the single most important responsibility
we have. (Applause.) She supports the No Child Left Behind Act, which
provides more money for our schools than ever before from a federal
bill, and also supports higher standards for our children and our
teachers.
Senator Murkowski also wants better resources for teachers,
especially those in rural and under-served areas, where teachers are so
desperately needed. Lisa has always been an advocate for children.
She secured greater funding for Alaska's social service agencies to
support healthy babies and to end domestic violence and alcohol abuse.
And Senator Murkowski has co-sponsored legislation signed by President
Bush to establish a national missing child alert system.
I know that you're here today because, like Senator Murkowski, you
believe that every child deserves to grow up healthy and safe. And you
believe that every American deserves an excellent education. You
believe that we can help secure peace and freedom in the world. And
you believe that, through acts of faith and love, we can build a more
compassionate America.
President Bush and Senator Murkowski share your beliefs and they
will continue to make them their priorities as they strive to build a
stronger America. Senator Murkowski will work with President Bush to
make America stronger and to keep our children and families safe so
that we can live in a world free from terror. And Senator Murkowski
will work with the President to make our country a more compassionate
nation, where neighbors help neighbors in need. And I know that's the
Alaskan way. (Applause.)
When you leave here today, go to work to elect Senator Murkowski.
I urge you to redouble your efforts in the months ahead, talk to your
friends and make sure your neighbors vote. Remember that every single
vote matters, and every vote for Senator Murkowski is a vote for a
better and stronger America.
This election is important to the President and to all of our
country. But most of all, it's important to the people of Alaska, who
are electing someone who will represent their hopes and dreams in our
nation's capital, someone who will uphold the strong character of the
people of your state. Senator Murkowski serves the people of Alaska
with integrity and compassion and conviction. And these are the very
qualities we need in the United States Senate.
So please join President Bush and me in supporting Senator Lisa
Murkowski for Senate. Thank you all.
END 6:54 P.M. EDT
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