Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
ACCOM PLISHMEN TS
A N D R E SU LTS
George W. Bush
2 0 01 – 2 0 0 9
•
“I’ve been witness to the character of the
people of America, who have shown
calm in times of danger, compassion for
one another, and toughness for the long
haul. All of us have been partners in a
great enterprise.”
—President George W. Bush
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
1
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
2
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
In Afghanistan, the United States and our allies removed the regime that har-
bored the terrorists who plotted the 9/11 attacks. As a result, more than 25 million
Afghans are free; the terrorist training camps have been shut down; and Afghanistan
has become an ally in the war on terror.
“War came to our shores on September the 11th, 2001. It was a war
we did not ask for, it’s a war we did not want, but it is a war that I
intend to deal with so long as I’m your President.”
President Bush, April 6, 2008
3
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
4
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
“We will direct every resource at our command to win the war
against terrorists: every means of diplomacy, every tool of
intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial
influence. We will starve the terrorists of funding, turn them against
each other, rout them out of their safe hiding places, and bring them
to justice.”
President Bush, September 24, 2001
6
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
7
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
“In this new century, there is a great divide between those who place
no value on human life, and rejoice in the suffering of others, and
those who believe that every life has matchless value, and answer
suffering with compassion and kindness. The contrast is vivid—and
the position of America is clear. We will lead the cause of freedom,
justice, and hope, because both our values and our interests demand
it…We also know that nations with free, healthy, prosperous people
will be sources of stability, not breeding grounds for extremists and
hate and terror.”
President Bush, December 14, 2006
The President led an international campaign against terrorist financing and money
laundering and created the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the
Treasury Department to lead efforts that have made it harder, costlier, and riskier
for al Qaeda and like-minded allies to raise and move money around the world.
Together, all these measures have helped close critical intelligence gaps and provided
America’s law enforcement and intelligence communities with much-needed tools for
preventing acts of terror. More than seven years have passed without another attack
on our soil. This is not for lack of trying on the part of the terrorists. Since 9/11, the
United States and our allies have stopped deadly terrorist plots, including a 2002 plot
to hijack an airplane and fly it into the tallest skyscraper in Los Angeles, a 2003 plot
to hijack and crash planes into targets on the East Coast, and a 2006 plot to blow up
multiple passenger jets traveling from London.
8
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
9
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
10
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
11
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest com-
mitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history. Since the President
launched this initiative in 2003, PEPFAR has supported life-saving treatment for
more than 2.1 million people and care for more than 10.1 million people worldwide.
The Program was reauthorized in 2008, and under this legislation the next phase of
the program will support treatment for a total of at least three million people, the
prevention of 12 million new infections, and care for 12 million people, including five
million orphans and vulnerable children.
The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is on track to reduce malaria deaths by
half in 15 targeted countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2007 alone, the PMI
reached more than 25 million people with lifesaving treatment and prevention
services, and this good work continues. America’s also became the first and larg-
est contributor to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
America also expanded an initiative to treat more than 300 million people in Africa,
Asia, and Latin America suffering from seven major neglected tropical diseases.
12
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
14
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
During this Administration, America led the world in providing food aid and
natural disaster relief. In addition to feeding the hungry, the United States helped
lead relief efforts after the Southeast Asian tsunami, the cyclone in Burma, and the
tropical storms that devastated Caribbean and Central American countries.
15
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
“It’s your money. Tax relief will give you a chance to set your
priorities for your family. It says that we in the Federal government
have a fundamental trust in the people of America, and that’s where
our faith should be—in the people.”
President Bush, February 20, 2001
President Bush also worked with Congress to reduce tax rates on dividends and
long-term capital gains. Since these policies went into effect, capital gains have
increased nearly 150 percent, and dividend income growth has increased from an
average annual rate of about 8.5 percent to more than 14 percent. These pro-growth
policies helped America’s economy emerge from the recession that President Bush
inherited when he entered office in 2001. America’s economy rebounded with six
years of uninterrupted economic growth and an unprecedented 52 consecutive months
of job creation.
16
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
At the end of his Administration, the President responded to new economic chal-
lenges. When the housing market began to decline in 2007, the President moved
aggressively to help struggling families keep their homes. The Administration
launched FHA Secure and implemented Hope for Homeowners to help families
move into government-backed mortgages. The Administration helped facilitate the
formation of the HOPE NOW Alliance to coordinate private sector efforts to help
homeowners. Together, these efforts have helped more than two million American
families so far.
When the overall economy began to slow in early 2008, the President worked with
Congress to enact a $150 billion growth package. This package delivered rebates to
individuals and families and provided incentives for businesses to make new invest-
ments.
“We must trust American workers to compete with anyone in the
world and empower them by opening up new markets overseas.
Today, our economic growth increasingly depends on our ability
to sell American goods and crops and services all over the world.
So we’re working to break down barriers to trade and investment
wherever we can.”
President Bush, January 28, 2008
18
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
“It’s easy to set low expectations. . . . That’s the easy way out. What
No Child Left Behind says is that we’re going to take the hard way.
We’re going to set high standards, and then we’re going to measure to
determine whether or not those standards are being met.”
President Bush, January 7, 2008
19
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
NCLB has also provided parents with valuable information about how schools
are performing. When schools fall short of standards, the law empowers parents
with options, such as transferring their children to a better public school or enrolling
them in free tutoring. To further expand options for parents, the Administration has
provided funding to more than half of all public charter schools. And working with
Congress, the Administration created the first Federal private school-choice program.
Through D.C. Opportunity Scholarships, families in our Nation’s capital can now
choose to send their children to a private school, including a religious school.
20
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
for health care in other areas. Through the Medicare Advantage program, more
Medicare recipients have chosen the option of a private plan for their health care
coverage. Through Health Saving Accounts (HSAs), Americans of all ages have put
away money for routine medical expenses free of taxes. The number of individuals
covered by HSA-eligible plans at small businesses increased by 70 percent in 2008.
The President also increased transparency of health care pricing and quality of care
and launched an initiative to make electronic health records available to most Ameri-
cans within 10 years.
21
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
23
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
President Bush also worked to help America’s wounded warriors build lives of hope,
promise, and dignity. Over the past three years, the VA has dedicated more than a
billion dollars to support traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder
research and treatment. President Bush repealed a century-old provision to ensure
that military retirees with severe disabilities receive both their military retirement
pay and VA disability compensation. The President also oversaw other important
reforms including implementing recommendations from the Dole-Shalala commis-
sion he established.
24
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
26
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
27
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
The President worked to protect our forests. In 2002, he launched the Healthy
Forest Initiative. This initiative improved and protected more than 27 million acres
of Federal forests and grasslands and helped protect communities from catastrophic
fires.
President Bush worked to preserve our wetlands. In 2004, the President an-
nounced the Wetlands Initiative to protect, restore, or improve three million acres
of wetlands by 2009. When that goal was met a year early in 2008, a new goal was
launched to protect four million additional acres over the next five years.
The President worked with America’s farmers and ranchers to protect our Nation’s
soil, wildlife, and water. Under the Conservation Reserve Program, the Administra-
tion re-enrolled and extended contracts covering 28 million acres.
President Bush worked to protect ocean and coastal ecosystems. Through the
Oceanic Action Plan, the Administration worked to end overfishing, advance marine
science, and educate the public about the need for preservation. The President also
designated nearly 140,000 square miles of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as
a Marine National Monument. Today, this monument is the world’s largest fully
protected marine area.
President Bush worked to confront climate change through a rational and balanced
approach. The President put our Nation on track to reduce greenhouse gas intensity
18 percent by 2012 and set a goal to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions
by 2025. To help reach this goal, the Administration has advanced a series of new
Federal mandates, tens of billions of dollars in incentives, and innovative technology
partnerships.
28
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
Reduced Crime, Lowered Teen Drug Use, and Protected Vulnerable Children
During this Administration, the overall incidence of reported crime reached its
lowest level in decades. Thanks in part to the creation of Project Safe Neighbor-
hoods and innovative programs for enforcing Federal firearm laws, the overall rate of
reported crimes reached a 30-year low in 2007. The government also moved aggres-
sively to prosecute those who committed corporate fraud and corruption. Overall,
Federal prosecutors secured nearly 1,300 convictions for corporate fraud.
“Our nation has made this commitment: Anyone who targets a child
for harm will be a primary target of law enforcement.”
President Bush, October 23, 2002
30
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
initiative, more than 575 children have been rescued from sexual exploitation and
more than 300 defendants have been convicted. To combat predators on the Inter-
net, the Administration created Project Safe Childhood and expanded the Internet
Crimes Against Children program. The expansion of this program helped lead to the
apprehension of more than 2,350 suspected child predators in Fiscal Year 2007—a
15 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2006.
31
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
The President helped empower doctors and scientists to pursue new medical treat-
ments while respecting ethical boundaries. This Administration became the first
in history to make federal funds available for embryonic stem cell research, but this
historic step was taken in a way that did not encourage the destruction of human
32
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
embryos. Subsequent research has shown that adult skin-cells have the potential
to be reprogrammed to act like embryonic stems cells. This discovery supports the
President’s principle that our Nation can advance the boundaries of science while
maintaining a culture of life.
Appointed Judges Committed to Ruling by the Letter of the Law
President Bush kept his promise to appoint judges who strictly interpret the law
instead of legislating from the bench. The President appointed John Roberts and
Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States. Overall, the President’s
appointees now account for more than one third of all active Federal judges.
Showed Leadership on Reforms of Entitlement Programs and Immigration
The greatest long-term challenge to America’s fiscal health is the unsustainable
growth of entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The
President recognized these challenges and proposed innovative solutions to confront
them. While the Congress failed to act on these proposals, President Bush succeeded
in raising awareness about this important issue.
On immigration, President Bush proposed a comprehensive plan for reform. This
plan recognized that America is both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.
It included provisions for securing America’s borders, creating a temporary worker
program, holding employers accountable, and addressing the status of illegal im-
migrants already living in the United States. While the Congress did not pass the
President’s proposals, they will help shape the debate over immigration reform for
years to come. Even without this legislation, actions taken during this Administration
have increased employer accountability for hiring practices, put in place hundreds of
miles of tactical infrastructure, and increased staffing at the border. These actions
have slowed the flow of illegal immigrants into this country and have set the stage for
the next Administration to tackle this difficult issue.
33
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
34
100 Things
Americans May Not Know
About the Bush Administration Record
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
39
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
40
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
42
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
43
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
44
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
46
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
47
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
48
h ig hlights of accom plish ments and r esults
49
t h e a dm inistrat ion of pre si dent george w. bush
50
Published December 2008