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JANUARY 25, 2007 |
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This morning, President Bush will participate in a tour of Saint Luke's East – Lee's Summit. Saint Luke's East – Lee's Summit is part of Saint Luke's Health System, which consists of 11 area hospitals and a number of primary care practices in the metropolitan Kansas City area and the surrounding region. Following his tour, the President will participate in a roundtable on healthcare initiatives. In his State of the Union address, President Bush announced proposals to make basic, private health insurance available and affordable for more Americans by reforming the tax code with a standard deduction for health insurance and helping States make affordable private health insurance available to their citizens. |
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President Bush
Discusses His Twenty In Ten Energy Proposal During Visit To The
DuPont Experimental Station.
"The
presidential visit to the DuPont Experimental Station, which
conducts federally financed research into the development of
alternative fuels, amounted to a sales pitch for Mr. Bush's plan to
reduce projected gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10
years. ... 'What our citizens need to know,' Mr. Bush said, with a
microbiologist, Armando Byrne, by his side, 'is that because of the
research you're doing here, with some of their taxpayer dollars,
that switchgrass, that can be grown all across America, can end up
being made into fuel that powers their automobiles.' ...
Later, in a speech to DuPont employees, Mr. Bush said he had ordered
the federal government to buy more hybrid vehicles that use ethanol
or alternative fuels, and to buy hybrid plug-in cars 'as soon as
they hit the market.'"
(Sheryl Gay
Stolberg, "Bush Makes Sales Pitch For Proposal On Energy,"
The New York
Times, 1/25/07)
The Administration Will Request $1.6 Billion For Renewable Energy Research As Part Of Its Farm Bill Proposal. "The Bush administration will ask for $1.6 billion over 10 years for new research into renewable energy, particularly from cellulose, said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Wednesday. Cellulose, found in woody shrubs, crop residue, wood chips and grasses, is expected to become a major feedstock for fuel ethanol. Most ethanol now is distilled from corn (maize). 'We have had great success with corn-based ethanol,' Johanns told the Agriculture Department's radio news service. 'Now we have set our sights higher ...' The $1.6 billion would be part of the administration's proposals for overhaul of U.S. farm policy, due this year." ("Bush To Ask $1.6 Bln For Renewable Energy Research," Reuters, 1/24/07) Health And Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt Discusses The President's Plan To Make Basic Private Health Insurance More Affordable. "'A rigorous and robust debate is about to ensue on how to accomplish' the goal of providing affordable health insurance for all, says Michael Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services. ... 'In my mind, it is simply indefensible for our country to have a tax policy that provides a tax benefit to part of our citizens and simply ignores the rest,' Leavitt said. The president also rolled out what the administration called an 'Affordable Choices Initiative.' Under the plan, states that provide poor and hard-to-insure citizens with basic health insurance will get additional federal funding to help cover the cost of the insurance. ... The current approach 'is not a very efficient system,' Leavitt said. 'There is a better way to deal with this.'" ("Michael Leavitt," The Christian Science Monitor, 1/25/07) President Bush's Health Care Proposal "Has Managed To Focus Attention On The Uneven Tax Treatment Of Health Care Benefits." "President Bush's proposal to provide a standard deduction for all who buy health insurance is intended to encourage workers and their employers to pay more attention to the cost of health care. It's also designed to make health insurance more affordable for the 47 million Americans who are uninsured. ... But Bush's proposal has managed to focus attention on the uneven tax treatment of health care benefits. Currently, employees aren't taxed on employer-provided health insurance. The self-employed can deduct the cost of a health insurance plan. But taxpayers who work for an employer that doesn't provide insurance can't deduct the cost of buying an individual policy. President Bush's plan would address that by creating a standard deduction for all taxpayers who obtain health insurance." (Sandra Block, "Bush Plan Spotlights Uneven Tax Treatment Of Health Benefits," USA Today, 1/25/07) Senate Armed Services Committee Unanimously Approves General Petraeus' Nomination To Serve As Chief U.S. Commander In Iraq. "President Bush asked the Senate Wednesday to quickly confirm the top commanders he has chosen to oversee the war in Iraq. 'It is important to get these three fine individuals in their posts as soon as possible so that we have continuity as we do our duty to protect the American people,' the President said. ... Late Wednesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously voted to approve Petraeus and sent his nomination to the full Senate." (Deb Riechmann, "Bush Seeks Action On Iraq Confirmations,"The Associated Press, 1/24/07) Vice President Cheney Says "We Can Complete The Task In Iraq." "Cheney acknowledged the situation in Iraq was very unstable but said toppling Saddam Hussein had been the right thing to do. He said he trusted Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who he said had demonstrated a willingness to take on lawbreakers regardless of their religious or ethnic affiliations. 'The critics have not suggested a policy – they haven't put anything in place,' Cheney said in an occasionally testy interview with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. 'All they've recommended is to redeploy or to withdraw our forces. The fact is, we can complete the task in Iraq. We're going to do it. We've got (Lt. Gen. David) Petraeus – Gen. Petraeus taking over. It is a good strategy. It will work. But we have to have the stomach to finish the task.'" ("Cheney: Situation In Iraq Not Hopeless," The Associated Press, 1/24/07) White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Discusses The President's New Iraq Strategy. SNOW: "Look, we understand right now that there are going to be a lot of people having conversations on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile we're moving forces in to Iraq and furthermore a demonstration of American strength and determination. ... The president believes strongly that his way forward if the proper way. ... First you're going to have a greater presence of Iraqi troops. What you're really talking about is not merely 21,000 Americans but upwards of 80,000 Iraqis. ... When they get to those districts, they're facing a completely different set of challenges and also rules of engagement. Last time around, if people went in to Baghdad, a politician could call up on a cell phone and say stop that raid. We don't want it to proceed. That isn't the case anymore. Our folks can to what they need to get peace on the ground and get Iraqis in the lead. ... There's a new tone in Iraq and furthermore there are new rules of engagement." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 1/24/07) The Wall Street Journal Says Congress Should Give The President's New Iraq Strategy A Chance. "As Commander-in-Chief, the President has the sole Constitutional authority to manage the war effort. Congress has two explicit war powers: It has the power to declare war, which in the case of Iraq it essentially did with its resolution of 2002. It also has the power to appropriate funds. There is a long and unsettled debate over whether Congress can decide to defund specific military operations once it has created a standing Army. We lean toward those who believe it cannot, but the Founders surely didn't imagine that Congress could start dictating when and where the 101st Airborne could be deployed once a war is under way. Mr. Bush was conciliatory and respectful in his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, asking Congress to give his new Iraq strategy a chance. In a better world, the Members would do so." (Editorial, "Senators-In-Chief," The Wall Street Journal, 1/25/07) Education Secretary Margaret Spellings Discusses Proposals To Strengthen And Reauthorize The No Child Left Behind Act. "Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said yesterday the administration will fight tenaciously for a few key changes to its signature education law, including helping children in chronically failed public schools to attend private schools instead. ... 'We must be much more aggressive and much more vigorous about those restructuring notions, including offering real school choice to the kids on those campuses,' Mrs. Spellings said. 'We've given them a chance, we've given them resources, and it's time for us to say "[The law] is a real promise and other options have to be brought to bear."' ... 'What levels of funding are calibrated to what levels of reform I think is the discussion we'll have this year,' Mrs. Spellings said. 'But you bet I am going to fight for these policies.'" (Amy Fagan, "Spelling Stands Firm On 'Real School Choice'," The Washington Times, 1/25/07) Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice Announces Request To More Than Triple U.S. Aid To Lebanon. "The Bush administration is seeking $770 million in new aid for Lebanon. The money, which must be approved by Congress, would fund long-term redevelopment and immediate rebuilding from the devastating summer war between Hezbollah militants and Israel. 'This is a package that is for Lebanon,' Rice said when asked if the money is contingent on the survival of a U.S.-backed government in Beirut. 'Lebanon is a democracy.' Total U.S. aid pledges are about $1 billion since the end of Israel's 34-day war with Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon last summer. Rice said the money reflects U.S. 'faith in the Lebanese people and their ability to overcome their difficulties.'" (Anne Gearan, "U.S. To More Than Triple Aid To Lebanon," The Associated Press, 1/25/07) Dow Jones Marks 26th Record Finish In Less Than Four Months. "A fresh spurt of optimism about the economy, and a wave of new money flowing into the market, propelled the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 12600 for the first time, marking its 26th record finish in less than four months. The blue-chip average turned in its largest one-day point or percentage gain of the new year, jumping 87.97 points, or 0.7%, to 12621.77. It is up 1.3% since the year began. ... 'It is still gangbusters. There is still money flowing in,' said Tim Smalls, head of U.S. stock trading at brokerage firm Execution in Greenwich, Conn." (E.S. Browning, "Stocks Surge On Optimism And New Cash," The Wall Street Journal, 1/25/07) OMB Director Rob Portman Discusses CBO Projections That See Federal Deficit Disappearing by 2012. "The federal budget deficit will fall to $172 billion this year and $98 billion next year, then disappear completely by 2012, according to a report released yesterday by the Congressional Budget Office. ... In a statement, Bush's budget director, Rob Portman, hailed the CBO projections as further evidence that the nation is 'on a solid path toward the president's new goal to achieve a balanced budget by 2012.' But Portman told reporters that the White House, too, is projecting larger immediate deficits than the CBO foresees. ... 'Our number will be a little higher than theirs because we make different assumptions. But we'll be consistent in our ability to reduce deficits and balance the budget by 2012,' Portman said, adding that the president's plan predicts a surplus in 2012." (Lori Montgomery, "For What It's Worth, CBO Sees Zero Deficit," The Washington Post, 1/25/2007) To subscribe directly to this mailing list, please e-mail WhiteHouseCommunications@whitehouse.gov .
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President Bush Discusses Energy Initiative President Bush Meets with the Joint Chiefs and Combatant Commanders Executive Order: Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management Ask The White House: Samuel Bodman, Secretary of Energy
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