As we observe Memorial Day this weekend and pay homage to all of the brave Americans who have fought and died for our freedom, I ask that all Floridians be mindful of the true significance of this national holiday.

Our freedoms are due in great part to the willingness of members of our armed forces to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our country.  We saw this most recently during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Tragically, in their successful mission to liberate the people of Iraq, some of our brave
soldiers were killed in the line of duty, including 11 Floridians. I hope all Floridians will keep these brave soldiers and their families, both at home and abroad, in their thoughts and prayers, not only this weekend but everyday."

To honor all those Americans who have served in the Armed Forces of their country, I was proud to sign four bills on Friday to begin observance of Memorial Day weekend:

SB 0260 Condominiums/Armed Services Flags
This bill allows condominium owners, regardless of their association rules, to fly flags representing any of the armed services on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

SB 2378 Veterans' Affairs
This bill makes it easier for the state to recognize and provide benefits for wartime veterans, by defining "wartime veteran" as anyone who participated in a military campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was issued.  In addition, this bill will help speed completion of Florida's
World War II memorial by allowing for donations from public organizations. These donations will supplement the $200,000 in state funds the Governor has proposed for this worthy project in the next fiscal year.

SB 0482 Rental Agreements
This bill protects military personnel from paying liquidated damages to their landlords if they have received permanent change of station orders. In addition, this bill provides that no landlord of any dwelling in our state can discriminate against a member of the United States Armed Forces
either in offering a place to rent or through any item in a rental agreement.

SB 2802 Military Student Education 
This bill addresses the specific needs of children in military families who transfer to Florida's public schools.  It directs our Department of Education to develop ways to ease the transition of these children during their first two weeks in the classroom, and encourages partnerships between
military bases and local school districts.

We are all honored by the continued service and sacrifice and equally humbled by these soldiers' unwavering courage and commitment to this great nation.

Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely, Jeb Bush

Although significant progress was made on a budget, the Legislature was unable to pass a final plan.  I will call a special session from May 12-27, during which time the House and Senate will focus exclusively on passing a budget and bills necessary to implement it. 

Once we have a budget, we need to focus on passing meaningful reform related to medical malpractice and workers' compensation in this state.  Legislative inaction on these issues has a direct impact on Floridians, as witnessed this week by doctors in Jacksonville suspending practice.

I am encouraged by the passage of several important items, including legislation related to victims' freedom and public corruption.  I am also extremely pleased with the Legislature's response to the Medically Needy issue, which I signed into law this week.  Their ability to work closely to pass a temporary extension of this program bodes well for their ability to achieve consensus on the vital issues still before them.

In the middle of such a challenging week, the National Day of Prayer event on Thursday could not have come at a more appropriate time.  The National Day of Prayer is always a special event, but this year's ceremony was even more meaningful in the wake of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The theme of this year's event, "Righteousness Exalts A Nation," speaks directly to the sacrifice of our brave servicemen and women and to the pride that we feel for all of our troops at home and abroad. 

Thank you for your continued support. 
Sincerely, Jeb Bush

We started this week with two important announcements regarding our mentoring initiative.  In celebration of the second annual National Mentoring Month, I was pleased to report a 20 percent increase in one-on-one mentoring in Florida for the 2002 school year.  There are currently more than 135,000 adults serving as mentors to Florida’s youth, brining us that much closer to our original goal of 200,000 mentors.  We also announced the opening of the second phase of the Teen Trendsetters Reading Mentor Program application process.  Since the program began last June, the 30 students selected as Teen Trendsetters have recruited more than 250 high school students to serve as reading mentors to third grade students in Florida’s elementary schools.  Students interested in becoming Teen Trendsetters should visit www.floridanext.com or www.flamentoring.org for more information.

On Thursday, I met with the Board of Directors of the public-private partnership, Enterprise Florida, and called on the group to join me in taking a focused, ownership role in guaranteeing a team approach to advancing the state’s economic development efforts.  Diversifying Florida’s economy and job market is one of the top three priorities of my second term.  During these tough economic times, Florida has been fortunate.  We’ve created new jobs and remained fiscally sound, and we continue this work to ensure a bright outlook for all Floridians.  To reach that goal, we will be retaining all economic development programs under my Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.  In addition, we are setting up a statewide strategic planning process to place a higher profile on economic diversification.

On Friday, I attended a variety of education and economic development events in Miami.  I was joined at the Assistance Plus conference by local school officials, district improvement staff, and DOE staff.  Last summer, recognizing that no public school in Florida is doomed to fail, we resolved that we could turn struggling schools around.  We developed the Assistance Plus program to give “F” schools and districts the resources that they need and make a positive difference in their student’s learning. This "Gauging the Progress” Summit is part of the Department of Education’s effort to help Florida schools improve student achievement levels by merging together quality resources, research and technical assistance. 

Later that day, I made an important announcement at the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) press conference regarding our collective efforts to bring the FTAA’s Permanent Secretariat to Miami.  I shared this message again later in the day at the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA) Conference, a gathering of presidents and CEO’s of all of the American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America.  We have assembled an impressive team of individuals from the private and public sectors to serve as the Board of Directors.  This group will help ensure the success of the upcoming Ministerial meeting and Americas Business Forum scheduled for November in Miami.  The level of cooperation that Miami-Dade area officials have demonstrated on this initiative is commendable, and it is this spirit of unity that will help us win the Permanent Secretariat for Miami and the entire state of Florida. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely, Jeb Bush

I thank Almighty God for the opportunity to be here today, and for the colleagues, friends, and family who have gathered to celebrate our common purpose.  I also thank the people of Florida who have honored me with a second term as Governor.  I am humbled and grateful for the trust you have placed in me.

Can it be that only four years ago we paused under these oaks to talk about the future with an enthusiasm, and in hindsight, an innocence, that was unique to that day? Only four years, yet a generation's wisdom learned in that time. 

Through goals achieved and hardships endured, we have seen the world change in ways that were then unimaginable.  It is fitting and good that we, as Floridians, return here today wiser and more resolute, with the energy and commitment to continue our journey forward.  But most important is this: That we come here today as a people; as a community; as a state that has for the first time in our modern experience united behind common goals that elevate all of us and the least of us.

And how will we realize our destiny?  We will do it with the grace of God, a fierce determination, and the lessons we have learned.

Those of you who were here for the last inaugural may remember the warm tropical breeze that enveloped our capital city.  I hope you also remember my message that day.  I said that government is not the answer; that we must build a life centered on faith, friends and family.  Four years later, I am more convinced than ever that if we remain true to this focus our lives will be fulfilling and meaningful.

Faith is grounded in humility, gratitude, and generosity; an acknowledgement that through life we have been given a gift that is wholly unearned and never fully understood.  It requires the difficult acceptance that we are loved, despite our flaws, just as we should love others, despite theirs.  In our darkest hours, it is what sustains us.  In our final darkness, it will bring us light. 

Friends, too, sustain us.  Through laughter and loyalty, they fill our lives through a bond made all the more extraordinary because it is freely chosen.  This, too, is a priceless gift, and many listening today have blessed me with their friendship. Through these relationships a life is made rich; and through the web of relationships that spring from friendship a society emerges and flourishes. 

And then there is family. It is family that taught me the importance of faith and friends. These weren't conclusions I drew based on reading or research, but on seeing my own parents make these their priorities.  My mom and dad are here today, and each remains for me a very personal and compelling example of a life fully lived; of people who have experienced both the triumphs and pain that come from giving themselves over to the vibrant core of human experience and to the service of others.  To this day, I call my dad for advice, and his response is always as gracious as it is wise.  He is now and forever my greatest hero. 

Now my mother, she doesn't usually wait for my call.  She calls me.  And what she lacks in coddling, she more than makes up for in smaller phone bills by keeping her comments short, to the point, and right on target.

At any rate, my parents have shown me that when we accept personal responsibility for ourselves and those we love, we don't have to invent government programs that apply complex rules to matters better addressed by profound human caring.  What is a checklist compared to kindness?  What is agency procedure compared to compassion?

But without a caring society, without each citizen voluntarily accepting the weight of responsibility, government is destined to grow even larger, taking more of your money, burrowing deeper into your lives. 

Consider the mathematics of the tragedy: Each year in Florida, eighty thousand children are born without a father in the home.  Each year, there are eighty-five thousand abortions.  And each year, eighty thousand marriages are dissolved.  Sadly, today, almost fifty thousand children are in the custody of the state, and hundreds of thousands more aren't receiving the child support they are due.  The numbers are so staggering, the implications so bleak, that we can become numb to the human toll they exact.

In the past, our response has been to raise more taxes, grow more government, and embrace the thin fiction that if only we can hire one more social worker or complete one more form then we can somehow reverse these corrosive trends and salvage these lives.  But while these intentions may be noble these methods are folly.  Government will never fill the hollowness of the human heart.  It can only be filled by a like kind substance.  It can only be filled by another human heart.

So in the end, while I am the one who takes this oath today, when we leave this place your responsibility is as sacred as mine:  Through our example and our deeds we should strive to shape our society through kindness and caring.  In our businesses, we should give moms and dads time to be parents with their children.  In our hectic daily lives, we should fiercely guard a time for selflessly helping the most vulnerable and needy.  In our most private moments alone, we should reflect on our unearned gifts and rededicate our lives to those around us.  In a thousand ways we can be more accepting, more giving, more compassionate. 

And if we are, we can embed in society a sense of caring that makes government less necessary.  There would be no greater tribute to our maturity as a society than if we can make these buildings around us empty of workers; silent monuments to the time when government played a larger role than it deserved or could adequately fill.

But this is a distant destination, and there are many steps in the journey.  I am reminded of the wisdom of Governor Leroy Collins, the man I consider to be Florida's greatest Governor.  When describing his leadership, Governor Collins said that the proper role of the chief executive is to make sure we navigate the ship out of the harbor but not beyond the horizon where it can no longer be seen by those on shore. 

So we should pause and reflect on the visible.  In my first term, with your help we set and achieved some remarkable goals.  We dramatically reduced the rate of violent crime by imposing swift and certain justice on those who illegally use guns and punished to a greater extent repeat violent offenders.  We signed an historic accord to save the Everglades.  We significantly increased resources for the developmentally disabled and made them a focus of this administration. 

But at the pinnacle of our achievements sits education, and appropriately so.  Better education is the fundamental mechanism by which a society is elevated and transformed.  Every small accumulation of knowledge and skill in each person is amplified to huge effect over a lifetime.

We have done nothing less than revolutionize education in Florida.  We have built a school system that is accountable to our students and parents.  It has not been painless, and the protectors of the status quo have resisted every step of the way.  In the end, we have prevailed...but it is our students who are achieving victory.

The changes we have made will not be undone because the people of Florida understand their power.  Can it be that just four years ago parents were left to guess whether their children's school was giving them a good education?  How is it possible that we tolerated a bureaucracy that was indifferent to the success or failure of a child?  We will never, never, never go back!

We will only go forward.  If education is the most important function of government, then reading is the most important skill to be derived from education.  That is why it is my goal over the next four years to make reading an enduring core value of our state.  This means showing the way for all to be involved.  It means making sure that our early childhood programs have reading as their highest priority and that our teachers are fully skilled to teach reading.  It means that parents and mentors have our full support in their selfless campaign to instill in our children a love of the written word. 

And that is why we have developed a battle plan that is aggressive and bold, committing massive resources to nurture the skill that is the basis of productivity and understanding.

Just as we will be equipping citizens with the tools to thrive in an increasingly complex world, it is my goal in the next four years to help grow an economy that will give our people the opportunities they deserve.  Already we have seen the wisdom of cutting taxes and red tape.  While other states have languished in our national economic downturn, 

Florida has been a national leader in the creation of new jobs. 

As the great inventor Thomas Edison said, "Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress." 

We must never be merely content with the progress we have made in Florida we must always be restless. We must always strive to do better. 

We need to build an economy that creates not just new jobs, but better jobs; careers that enhance the quality of our lives, and protect the integrity of our natural environment.  I will make it my calling to bring these jobs to this state.

And finally, it is my most ambitious goal to provide the catalyst, in small ways and large, that will bring our families closer together.  I, for one, intend to begin with my own family.  Although it is an intensely private -and at times painful-matter, you should know I have rededicated myself to being a better father and husband.  Looking today at the faces of my wife and children, all three of them, I realize that any sense of fulfillment I have from this event is meaningless unless they, too, can find fulfillment in their lives.  They have sacrificed greatly for me, and I love them dearly.

And so that their sacrifices and yours have not been wasted, and that our hopes and dreams for our beloved Florida are fully realized, I leave you with this thought: In my first inaugural address at the dawn of this new century, I talked about how the forces of the previous hundred years would shape my first four years in office.  Today, I want you to consider how we may, in the next four years, shape the hundred years that come after.

In a mere 48 months, another person will be standing on this spot, placing his or her hand on the Bible, taking the oath of office and becoming our next governor.  Our principles must endure beyond that person and those who come after.  They must be intractably rooted in a culture that demands excellence, not adequacy; that exalts in the individual, not government; and that through compassion, rather than compulsion, provides solace and support for the most vulnerable among us.

This can be our legacy.  This can be Florida.  And it begins today.  It begins now.  It begins with you.  God bless you all, and God bless Florida.

Sincerely, 
Jeb Bush

The arrival of a new year is a time of transition for many Floridians.  In that spirit, I was pleased to announce two very important appointments this week.

On Monday, I was pleased to announce the appointment of Judge Kenneth Bell to the Florida Supreme Court.  Judge Bell will succeed Justice Leander Shaw, who next week will be retiring after twenty years on the Court.  First, on behalf of all Floridians, I would also like to thank Justice Shaw for his distinguished service to the people of our state.  Looking ahead, Judge Bell will be the first justice since Thomas West in 1917 to join the Court from a residence west of Tallahassee, and his professional experience will be a real asset to the Court.  Judge Bell has served on the trial bench for twelve years, and has presided over more than 27,000 cases spanning the entire array of subjects handled by our state's circuit courts.  Such a perspective is needed on our state's highest court.  I am excited to appoint Judge Bell to our Supreme Court, because he will bring to the Court a model temperament and judicial philosophy. 

On Thursday, I announced senior advisor Colleen Castille as the new Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, effective January 7, 2003.  Colleen has served as part of my leadership team since I first took office four years ago.  Her dedication and expertise have been invaluable as my director of cabinet affairs, and I am pleased that she has agreed to serve in this challenging new role.

And finally, I led another round of productive transition team meetings this week in Tallahassee.   I am very grateful for all of the volunteers and private citizens who have contributed their energies and ideas to building on Florida's vast potential.  This transition process will directly lead to more efficient state government and to policies that will effectively promote my three priorities: reading, building stronger families and further diversifying the economy of our great state.

Happy New Year, and thank you again for your continued support. 

Sincerely, 

Jeb Bush

Thanksgiving is our traditional national celebration of all the blessings we enjoy as Americans.  Freedom, families and faith are the very foundations of our liberty and our way of life, and I encourage every Floridian to enjoy this holiday weekend in the true spirit of giving thanks.

This holiday began as a celebration of new friends in a New World, and an expression of gratitude for a long journey just completed.  Today we can give thanks for having accomplished so much on our national journey since last year's terrorist attacks of September 11.  We now cherish our liberty even more dearly than before, and we honor even more highly the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform who are even now protecting our liberty both here and abroad.  Above all, we give thanks for the precious gift of life itself, and I encourage all Floridians to recommit themselves to living lives filled with purpose.

As the Jewish community of Florida prepares to celebrate Hanukkah, it gives me great pleasure and honor to salute all Floridians of Jewish descent for their countless contributions to our state.  I am proud to be Governor of a state that covets freedom of religion and celebrates the rich diversity of our over 16 million residents.  Hanukkah means "dedication," and it commemorates the rededication of the ancient temple in Jerusalem after it was desecrated by foreign forces.  Hanukkah is one of those cherished celebrations that both unites our Jewish community and renews our hope for lasting peace in Israel and the Middle East. 

The First Lady and Lt. Governor Frank Brogan join me in wishing a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday to all Floridians and a peaceful Hanukkah to all those celebrating the Festival of Lights.

Sincerely, Jeb Bush