State of the Union
This Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.
President Bush gave his yearlyState of the Union message Tuesday. He spoke to a joint meeting ofCongress. Mister Bush's State of the Union speech marked his thirdsuch message. The Constitution requires the president to report toCongress "from time to time." It also says the president shouldsuggest measures necessary for the nation.
President Bush reported to the nation about Iraq, tax reductionsand other issues. Mister Bush spoke more about his policies thanabout proposed new legislation. But he suggested a number of actionsby Congress. For example, he called for extending the USA PatriotAct.
Congress passed the act after Islamic extremists attacked theUnited States in two-thousand-one. The act increases the powers oflaw enforcement and intelligence agencies. Critics say parts of theact violate Constitutional guarantees of privacy and fair treatmentunder the law.
The president praised the recent capture of ousted IraqiPresident Saddam Hussein. Mister Bush also strongly defended theinvasion of Iraq. He said that Saddam's program for weapons of massdestruction would still be active if the United States had notacted.
Such weapons have not been found in Iraq. But Mister Bush saidenough proof existed of activities related to the weapons to launchan invasion. The president also answered critics who say othernations should be more involved in Iraq. He listed nations that havetaken part in the effort.
President Bush praised his tax cuts for Americans. He urgedCongress to make the tax reductions permanent. He also praised theMedicare health care law for older citizens. He said the new lawwill help forty-million old people buy medicines ordered for them bytheir doctors.
Mister Bush criticized American courts for actions supportingmarriage between people of the same sex. He appeared to besupporting a Constitutional amendment to ban such marriages.
Democratic Party leaders in Congress presented their party'sofficial reaction to Mister Bush's speech. House of RepresentativesMinority Leader Nancy Pelosi said three-million private industryjobs were lost during Mister Bush's presidency. She also criticizedthe cost of the war in Iraq, both in dollars and human lives.
Hours after his State of the Union speech, the president leftWashington to visit three states important to his re-election.
Mister Bush is the Republican Party candidate for president inNovember. He is seeking a second four-year term in the White House.
Seven Democrats are competing for their party's nomination forpresident. On Monday, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry won the IowaCaucuses. The caucuses are the first in a series of nominatingevents in American states. These nominating meetings and primaryelections will choose the Democratic Party's candidate forpresident.
In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by JerilynWatson. This is Steve Ember.
