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Bush Stumps for Defense Spending
Friday, March 15, 2002
(11:38 AM ET)
The Associated Press

President Bush speaks in Fayetteville, N.C., Friday to update local residents on the war against terror and thank servicemen and women from Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base for their contributions.
Image Credit: The Associated Press.

"I expect the United States Congress to not only pass the budget as I submitted, I expect them to make it the first order of business, so we can plan for this war," Bush said. "Now is not the time to play politics with the defense budget. Now is the time to get it out first and get it on my desk."

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C -- AP
President Bush sought support for his proposed military spending increase Friday among rank-and-file soldiers integral to the war in Afghanistan, urging Congress to make the extra funds "the first order of business so we can plan for this war."

Before a crowd of civilians and soldiers in the Cumberland County Arena -- where graduation ceremonies for a new class of Green Berets was held just days ago -- Bush said the United States is entering the second phase of "a tireless, relentless campaign" against terrorism worldwide, and will need both the patience and support of the American people to carry it out.

With the House preparing to vote on next year's target budget, Bush used a visit to Fort Bragg, N.C., to call attention to his plan to raise defense spending by $48 billion to $379 billion, the largest increase in two decades.

"Nothing is more important than the national security of our country. So nothing is more important than our defense budget," Bush said. "The price for freedom is high, but it's never too high as far as I'm concerned."
(More: The Orlando Sentinel News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan