Wesley K. Clark
Remarks On Agenda For Children

(As prepared for delivery)

The sad fact is that, today in America, we are failing too many of our children.

Right here, in the richest country in the world, 12 million children live in poverty - half a million more since President Bush took office. Today, 13 million young people go without health insurance. And every day, millions of children across America attend classes in schools that are overcrowded, under-funded and failing.

For three long years, our president has made all the wrong choices for our children. He's made special interests priority number one, and put children at the bottom of the list. President Bush talks a lot about family values, but it's clear from his record he doesn't value families. He talks a lot about leaving no child behind, but the Leave No Child Behind Act is just that - an Act. An unfunded mandate that sets standards for our schools without providing the funds they need to meet them.

I think that today in America, we can do better.

I think we have a responsibility to base every decision we make about our future on the answer to one simple question: will it be good for our children?

That's exactly what I'm going to do when I'm in the White House.

First, we're going to reform our tax system to help American families make ends meet. My Families First Tax Reform plan eliminates income taxes for families of four making up to $50,000, and reduces taxes for families making up to $100,000 - all without increasing the deficit one dime. 159,000 families here in New Hampshire will receive a tax cut.

Second, we're going to lift 700,000 American children out of poverty - 1,000 here in New Hampshire. Because it is a disgrace that any child lives in poverty in this country. We're going to do this by combining tax reform with an increase in the minimum wage to $7 an hour by 2007.

Third, we're going to ensure that our children get the best education money can buy - from pre-school to college. We're going to provide pre-school for every single 4 year-old in America who wants it - 16,000 of them here in New Hampshire. We're going to fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act. And we're going to fix it, placing less emphasis on testing and punishment, and more emphasis on helping every child learn. And we're going to give those who need it $6,000 for the first two years of college so that an additional one million Americans - 4,200 here in New Hampshire - can enroll in college.

Finally, we're going to provide health insurance for every single American child up to the age of 22 - 32,000 children right here in New Hampshire. Because it's outrageous that so many children in this country get their only health care at the emergency room in the middle of the night. My plan will require families to sign up their children for health insurance, and it will provide tax credits to help them pay for it.

I believe that with courage, commitment, and hard work, we can bring a higher standard of leadership to Washington. One that will open the doors of opportunity to all our children.

Thank you.