For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
July 30, 2004
Remarks by First Lady Laura Bush at Richard Burr for Senate Luncheon
University of North Carolina Warwick Center Wilmington, North Carolina
12:25 P.M. EDT
MRS. BUSH: Thank you all and thank you very much, Congressman
Burr, for that kind introduction. I'm so happy to be here for you
today, to support your race for United States Senate for North
Carolina. Thank you all very much for the warm Carolina welcome. And
special thanks to the Wilmington College Republicans. I think I see
them right here at the middle table. Thank you all for coming. And to
everyone who is working so hard to elect Richard Burr to the United
States Senate, thank you all for being here and for your support. I
know that many of you are also working on my husband's campaign, and
President Bush and I appreciate that very much.
I'm so glad to recognize Senator George Allen from Virginia who is
over here. He's joining us today, the head of the Senatorial
campaign. And thank you very much for being here with us, Senator.
(Applause.)
Of course, I'm so excited to be joined on the podium today with
your candidate for Governor. Thank you very much, Patrick.
(Applause.)
I'm glad that Brooke Burr is with us. Brooke and I have a lot in
common. We're both committed to finding a cure for breast cancer.
We've campaigned with our husbands for Congress, and we both know what
it's like to raise teenagers. (Laughter.)
My husband's first race, George's first race, was a campaign for
Congress in West Texas in 1978. Newly married, we spent most of our
time in the car, driving up and down the Panhandle of Texas. The race
didn't turn out quite as we hoped, but we did have a great time. And
believe me, you learn a lot about your husband when you spend that much
time in a car with him.
President Bush sends his very best regards to all of you, and he
also thanks you for supporting Congressman Burr in his race for the
Senate. He wants you to know how vitally important it is to have a
strong team in North Carolina, led by Senator Elizabeth Dole and
Senator Richard Burr. (Applause.)
All of you know Congressman Burr as a community member, a member of
your community, a devoted father, a hardworking public servant, and an
experienced leader. He'll always listen to a question or a concern,
and you can count on Richard Burr to speak his mind. That's what
Brooke told me. (Laughter.)
In Washington, we know Congressman Burr as a principled, skilled
legislator, who is not afraid to reach across the aisle to get things
done for the people of his home state. From supporting tax relief and
increased pay for our troops to demanding greater resources for
protecting our homeland, Congressman Burr has spent his time in
Washington working on the issues that matter to the families of North
Carolina. He understands your priorities and he'll continue to make
sure that your voice is heard. And that's why it's so important to
elect Richard Burr to the United States Senate. (Applause.)
President Bush and Congressman Burr are working hard to keep
America strong and safe. Over the last three years, our country has
faced some of the toughest challenges in our history. I've watched as
my husband has led our country with compassion and conviction.
President Bush has been a steady and determined leader, as he has made
the most difficult decisions any President can make, and that's to send
young Americans to war to protect our national security and to defend
the cause of freedom. And President Bush is grateful to have leaders
like Richard Burr to stand by his side during these very difficult
times.
As a leader on the House Committee on Intelligence and the
Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, Congressman Burr knows
that we must defend our homeland and the peace of free people around
the world. He has supported greater pay and training for our military
and better housing and health care for their families. And his support
has helped to reverse the devastating cuts in defense from a decade
ago.
As a member of the Congress Committee on Bioterrorism, Congressman
Burr is strengthening our preparedness for bioterror threats. He is
providing North Carolina's police, fire fighters and first responders
with the resources they need to protect our hometowns.
For Congressman Burr and for all Americans, September 11th, 2001,
was a defining moment. We'll never forget the bravery of our fellow
Americans or the spirit of unity that spread across our country. And
since that fateful day, I have watched as President Bush's leadership
has made not only the world safer, but also people's lives better.
Thanks to my husband's decisions and to America's actions, 50 million
people are now free from tyranny and oppression. (Applause.)
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 without male supervision. And if they didn't have a
male relative -- and many didn't because they were widowed from long
years of war -- they were 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 rights of women. And millions of little
girls are in school in Afghanistan, many for the first time in their
lives.
And thanks to America's actions, the people of Iraq are free from
the tyranny and the torture of Saddam Hussein. We are now seeing great
progress in Iraq's transition to democracy. The new Iraqi interim
government assumed responsibilities for the citizens of Iraq, and they
are now making decisions about the economy, security and other issues
important to their fellow citizens.
The new Iraqi government has the full support of the United
Nations, NATO, the E.U. And we pledged to stand with the Iraqi people
at this historic and hopeful time for their nation.
We still face many challenges every day. 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 in the
world.
A strong economy is also essential to our security, and President
Bush needs Congressman Burr's leadership in the Senate to help make tax
relief permanent. Richard's strong support for the President's
economic stimulus plan is enabling millions of families -- including
two-and-a-half million here in North Carolina -- to keep more of their
own money.
For many families, tax relief means money to pay the monthly bills
or to start a college savings plan for their children or to save for
their own retirement. For small business owners, tax relief means
expanding the operations of their business and the ability to hire more
employees. These millions of individual decisions that people are
making with their own money are lifting our economy and improving the
lives of people around the country.
We're experiencing the fastest economic growth in 20 years. The
home ownership rate is at its highest level ever. Minority home
ownership is particularly strong. And I'm proud that we've set a new
record in the first quarter of this year. Now more than half of all
minority families own their own homes. And new jobs continue to be
created every day.
President Bush believes that America's workers are the best in the
world and that, when given a level playing field, we can compete
against workers anywhere. The President is providing more resources to
educate and equip American workers with the skills to meet the demands
of an ever-changing work force.
And that's just what Congressman Burr is doing here in North
Carolina. He developed an innovative program with local community
colleges to help displaced workers learn new skills for jobs in
biotechnology. His program is considered a prototype for community
colleges across the country.
Like President Bush, Richard also knows how vitally important it is
that every child receives an excellent education. Our children's
education is the single most important responsibility we have.
Congressman Burr supports the No Child Left Behind Act, which provides
more federal money for schools than ever before and higher standards
for our children and our teachers.
Congressman Burr also understands that reliable health care is
fundamental to our economic security. No one can build confidence
about the future if they feel the next illness they have might wipe out
their savings and drive them into debt. President Bush is taking
action to make health care more affordable and more accessible to
millions of Americans. He worked with Congressman Burr to add
prescription drug benefit to Medicare to help seniors afford their
medicines.
Congressman Burr's FDA bill streamlined the drug approval process
so that patients don't have to wait so long for lifesaving
medications.
Junk lawsuits drive up the cost of medicine and they drive good
doctors out of their practice. And I know that Richard Burr supports
the President's plan to reform the medical liability system to reduce
junk and frivolous lawsuits. (Applause.)
In this world of rapid change, some things never change, our
conviction that every life matters and that every life counts, our
belief in liberty and opportunity, and the non-negotiable demands of
human dignity. The individual values we try to live by, courage and
compassion, reverence and integrity, hard work and duty, the
institutions that give us direction and purpose, our families, our
schools, our religious congregations. These values are fundamental to
our lives, and they deserve the respect of our government.
I know that you're here today because, like Congressman Burr, you
believe that every child deserves to grow up healthy and safe. 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 Richard Burr share your
beliefs and they'll continue to make them their priorities as they
strive to build a stronger America.
When you leave here today, redouble your efforts to elect Richard
Burr to the United States Senate. There are just three months left,
three full months left until November 2nd. So go to work right now to
talk to your friends and make sure your neighbors vote. Remember that
every single vote matters and every vote for Congressman Burr is a vote
for a better and stronger America.
You are electing someone who will represent your hopes and dreams
in our nation's capital, someone who will uphold the strong character
of the people of North Carolina. Congressman Burr serves the people of
North Carolina with integrity and conviction and these are the values
we need in the United States Senate. Please join President Bush and me
in supporting Richard Burr for senator.
Thank you all so much. Thank you for being here. And thank you
for your friendship. (Applause.)
END 12:40 P.M. EDT
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