With us tonight is the Mayor of Philadelphia. Please help me welcome Mayor John Street. Hi, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Street has encouraged faithbased and community organizations to make a significant difference in Philadelphia. He has invited me to his city this summer to see compassion in action. I am personally aware of just how effective the mayor is.
Mayor Street is a Democrat. Let the record show I lost his city, big time. But some things are bigger than politics. So I look forward to coming to your city to see your faith-based programs in action.
As government promotes compassion, it also must promote justice. Too many of our citizens have cause to doubt our Nation's justice when the law points a finger of suspicion at groups, instead of individuals. All our citizens are created equal and must be treated equally. Earlier today, I asked John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, to develop specific recommendations to end racial profiling.
It is wrong, and we will end it. It is wrong. In so doing, we will not hinder the work of our Nation's brave police officers. They protect us every day, often at great risk. But by stopping the abuses of a few, we will add to the public confidence our police officers earn and deserve.
My budget has funded a responsible increase in our ongoing operations. It has funded our Nation's important priorities. It has protected Social Security and Medicare. And our surpluses are big enough that there is still money left over.
Many of you have talked about the need to pay down our national debt. I listened, and I agree.
We owe it to our children and our grandchildren to act now, and I hope you will join me to pay down $2 trillion in debt during the next 10 years.
At the end of those 10 years, we will have paid down all the debt that is available to retire. That is more debt repaid more quickly than has ever been repaid by any nation at any time in history.
We should also prepare for the unexpected, for the uncertainties of the future. We should approach our Nation's budget as any prudent family would, with a contingency fund for emergencies or additional spending needs.