Bush Addresses War In Iraq And Urges Approval Of Stimulus Bill At State of Union

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Giving what will be in final State of the Union address, President Bush has called forth an effort to stop the pork barrel spending of Congress. He said that he will veto any spending bill that does not cut in half the cost of pet projects by Congress which are known as earmarks.

Bush plans to issue an executive order on Tuesday that orders federal agencies to ignore earmarks that are not explicitly put into law. That would erase a common practice in which projects by lawmakers are outlined in nonbinding agreements that accompany the legislation itself.

But, he plans to not touch over 11,700 earmarks that total $16.9 billion that was approved last year by Congress.

“The people’s trust in their government is undermined by congressional earmarks – special interest projects that are often snuck in at the last minute, without discussion or debate,” Bush said at his State of the Union address.

“Last year, I asked you to voluntarily cut the number and cost of earmarks in half. I also asked you to stop slipping earmarks into committee reports that never even come to a vote. Unfortunately, neither goal was met,” he said.

Bush added: “So this time, if you send me an appropriations bill that does not cut the number and cost of earmarks in half, I will send it back to you with my veto.”

Dana Perino, the White House’s press secretary said that the restriction of earmarks is going forward and not backward.

He had also urged the country to stand confident against fears of recession and the grinding war still brewing in Iraq.

The latest poll by CBS News/New York Times show that three out of four Americans believed that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

“We have unfinished business before us, and the American people expect us to get it done,” said Bush as he faced a Democratic-controlled Congress that await the end of his term come January of 2008.