For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
March 24, 2004
Remarks by First Lady Laura Bush at Rob Simmons for Congress Luncheon
Groton, Connecticut
12:35 P.M. EST
MRS. BUSH: Thank you all very, very much. I've really been looking
forward to being here today.
Thank you, Congressman Simmons, for inviting me to Groton to be
with you. I'm so happy to be here with you and your many supporters
and friends in the crowd today.
As many of you know, the Bush family has very strong ties to
Connecticut. Our cousins, Ambassador Debbie and Craig Stapleton are
here with us today. They live in Greenwich. Thank you all for being
here. (Applause.)
President Bush Number 41, as we call him, grew up here and his
father, Prescott Bush, was the United States Senator from Connecticut.
Our daughter, Barbara, has lived here the last four years in New Haven
while she has attended Yale.
But what I was really surprised to learn is that my husband,
President Bush, is the only President of the United States born in
Connecticut. (Applause.)
We're here today to show our support for an outstanding member of
Congress, Rob Simmons. (Applause.) You know Rob as a hardworking
public servant, a family man, an experienced leader deeply devoted to
serving the people of eastern Connecticut. He'll always listen to a
suggestion or a concern. He stays in touch with the people back home.
And you can count on him to speak out on issues that matter most.
But in Washington, we know Rob as a principled, skilled
legislator. He's respected by colleagues in both parties, and he's not
afraid to reach across the aisle to get things done. He's a strong
supporter of our military and of his fellow veterans.
I'm really happy to see Heidi here today as well, Heidi Simmons.
We have a lot in common -- we're both teachers, we both know what it's
like to raise teenagers, and we've both campaigned with our husbands
for Congress.
My husband's first campaign was really our honeymoon. It was a bid
for Congress in West Texas in 1978. Newly married, George and I spent
most of our time in the car, driving up and down the panhandle of West
Texas. The race didn't turn out as well as we hoped, but we had a
great time.
You learn a lot about your husband when you spend that much time in
a car with him. (Laughter.) By the end of the campaign, he even
convinced me to vote for him. (Laughter.)
President Bush sends his very best regards to all of you and he
also thanks you for supporting Rob Simmons.
From protecting our homeland, to supporting our troops and
veterans, to rebuilding the state university system, Congressman
Simmons has been an advocate for the people of Connecticut. He
understands your priorities and I hope we will make sure he is
reelected. (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 has made the most difficult decision
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 Rob Simmons to stand by
his side during these difficult times.
Congressman Simmons is a member of the House Armed Services
Committee and he is the longest serving military officer in Congress.
(Applause.) He has supported our troops by providing greater
equipment, training and pay. And he has also provided Connecticut's
fire fighters with greater resources to protect families here.
As a decorated solider and veteran, Rob knows that we must defend
our homeland and the peace of free people around the world. September
11th, 2001, was the defining moment for all of us. Many families from
the second district lost loved ones that day, and the entire nation
shared in the tragedy. We will never forget the bravery of our fellow
Americans, or the spirit of unity that spread over our country.
Since that fateful day, I've watched as the President's leadership
has not only made our world safer, but also people's lives better.
Thanks to my husband's decisions and America's actions, 50 million
people today are free from tyranny and oppression.
The people of Afghanistan have new leaders, new freedoms, and a
constitution guaranteeing the rights of women. And consider the lives
of women and girls in Afghanistan. Before the rout of the Taliban,
little girls were forbidden to go to school and women couldn't leave
their homes without a male escort, which meant that many widows -- and
there are many widows because of the wars in Afghanistan -- were forced
to beg because they couldn't work to support their families.
And now the people of Iraq are building a free and democratic
society.
We face many challenges. Terrorists commit acts of hate in the
hopes that we will abandon the Afghan and the Iraqi people. But
America's resolve is strong. We know that the work of building a
democracy isn't easy, but we know it's always right. We know this from
our own history and from the history of other emerging democracies.
For more than 200 years, dedicated Americans have worked to fulfill
the promise of our democracy. And today, our work to strengthen
America continues.
Working with Rob and others in Congress, President Bush is taking
steps to strengthen our economy. The President's tax cuts have put
more money back into people's pockets, and we're beginning to see real
results. Economic growth is at a 20-year high and home ownership is
the highest ever, and people are finding jobs.
But our economy is still in a period of great change. Increases in
productivity, advances in technology and competition from foreign
countries 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.
Rob has actually taught at universities around here. He has been a
teaching assistant, and he has worked with Republicans and Democrats to
help pass the most important education reform in a generation. The No
Child Left Behind Act provides more money for our schools and higher
standards for our children and teachers.
The President and Rob understand that providing a quality education
for our children is the single most important responsibility we have.
In Congress, he supports more funding for special education, reforms
for school lunch programs, and refinancing of student loans to help
ease the burden of rising tuition costs.
I know that you're here today because, like Rob, you believe that
every American deserves an education and the opportunity to achieve
their dreams. And you believe that we can help secure peace in the
world. You believe that through acts of faith and love, we can build a
more compassionate America.
President Bush and Rob Simmons share your beliefs and they will
continue to make them their priorities as they strive to build a
stronger America. Congressman Simmons will work with President Bush to
strengthen our national security, our homeland security and our
economic security. He will work with the President to make America
stronger, and to keep our children and families safe, so we can live in
a world free from terror. And Rob 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 Connecticut way, to help a neighbor in
need.
And I want to thank everyone here who works every day to help your
neighbors in your cities or in your state or in our country. Thank you
all very much for that.
And Rob will work with the President to make our country a more
compassionate nation, where neighbors help neighbors in need.
When you leave here today, I hope you will work to make sure Rob
Simmons is your Congressman. I urge you to redouble your efforts in
the months ahead. Talk to your friends, make sure your neighbors vote,
do everything you can to reelect Rob Simmons. Remember that every
single vote matters -- and every vote for Rob is a vote for a better
and stronger America.
This election is important to the President and to our country, but
most of all, it's important to you because you are electing someone who
will represent your hopes and your dreams in our nation's capital --
and someone who will uphold the strong character of a great state.
A few years ago, Rob received the Knowlton Award for his
contributions to the Military Intelligence Corps. This award
recognizes "Integrity, Moral Character, Professional Competence and
Selflessness." From the corps to Congress, these are the qualities Rob
Simmons has served America with his entire life. And these are the
qualities we need in the United States Congress.
Please join President Bush and me in supporting Rob Simmons for
Congress. Thank you all very, very much. (Applause.)
12:48 P.M. EST END
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