The focus of George W. Bush's final State of the Union address centered around five main issues: the economy, the war in the Middle East, health care, immigration and education.

Bush on the Economy

"To build a prosperous future, we must trust people with their own money and empower them to grow our economy. As we meet tonight, our economy is undergoing a period of uncertainty. America has added jobs for a record 52 straight months, but jobs are now growing at a slower pace. Wages are up, but so are prices for food and gas."

"In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth. But in the short run, we can all see that that growth is slowing."

Bush on the War in the Middle East

"Since 9/11, we have taken the fight to these terrorists and extremists. We will stay on the offense, we will keep up the pressure, and we will deliver justice to our enemies."

"We are engaged in the defining ideological struggle of the 21st century. The terrorists oppose every principle of humanity and decency that we hold dear. Yet in this war on terror, there is one thing we and our enemies agree on: In the long run, men and women who are free to determine their own destinies will reject terror and refuse to live in tyranny. And that is why the terrorists are fighting to deny this choice to the people in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Palestinian territories. And that is why, for the security of America and the peace of the world, we are spreading the hope of freedom."

Bush on Health care

"To build a future of quality health care, we must trust patients and doctors to make medical decisions and empower them with better information and better options. We share a common goal: making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. The best way to achieve that goal is by expanding consumer choice, not government control. So I have proposed ending the bias in the tax code against those who do not get their health insurance through their employer. This one reform would put private coverage within reach for millions, and I call on the Congress to pass it this year."

"The Congress must also expand health savings accounts, create Association Health Plans for small businesses, promote health information technology, and confront the epidemic of junk medical lawsuits. With all these steps, we will help ensure that decisions about your medical care are made in the privacy of your doctor's office—not in the halls of Congress."

Bush on Immigration

"America needs to secure our borders—and with your help, my administration is taking steps to do so. We're increasing worksite enforcement, deploying fences and advanced technologies to stop illegal crossings. We've effectively ended the policy of "catch and release" at the border, and by the end of this year, we will have doubled the number of border patrol agents. Yet we also need to acknowledge that we will never fully secure our border until we create a lawful way for foreign workers to come here and support our economy. This will take pressure off the border and allow law enforcement to concentrate on those who mean us harm. We must also find a sensible and humane way to deal with people here illegally. Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws and our highest ideals."

Bush on Education

"On education, we must trust students to learn if given the chance, and empower parents to demand results from our schools. In neighborhoods across our country, there are boys and girls with dreams—and a decent education is their only hope of achieving them."

"Six years ago, we came together to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and today no one can deny its results. Last year, fourth and eighth graders achieved the highest math scores on record. Reading scores are on the rise. African American and Hispanic students posted all-time highs.  Now we must work together to increase accountability, add flexibility for states and districts, reduce the number of high school dropouts, provide extra help for struggling schools."

"Members of Congress: The No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan achievement. It is succeeding. And we owe it to America's children, their parents, and their teachers to strengthen this good law."

"We must also do more to help children when their schools do not measure up. Thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships you approved, more than 2,600 of the poorest children in our Nation's Capital have found new hope at a faith-based or other non-public school."

Responses to the State of the Union 

"President Bush today said that earmarks have tripled in number over the last decade, but he forgot to tell the public that he signed those earmarks into law. President Bush also neglected to mention that the tripling in earmarks occurred under a Republican Congress." – Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.

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"The president was right to commit to improving the economy and creating jobs, preventing terrorist attacks, and controlling wasteful Washington spending." – Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.

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"I think the president still has the potential to do a lot. He is still the president of the United States, and with the Democrats in Congress coming forward and being cooperative on this stimulus package, I'm hopeful that that will signal a little different attitude on the part of Congress." – Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

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"I, along with most Americans, see the state of the union every morning when I leave my house. I see it in the form of men and women lined up around the corner of the unemployment office. The state of our union is evident in the number of for-sale signs that we pass before we even hit the first stop sign on our way to our jobs. It is evident in the houses long-ago foreclosed, still sitting vacant with boarded-up windows. The state of our union is dire." – Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.

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"I hope that this year both the White House and the Congress put partisan considerations aside and produce real results for the American people…Particularly at a time of war, the national interest must come before partisan interests." – Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

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"The president's state of the union was more of the same. But we need change. We need a change in our economic policy. We need a change in our trade policy. We need a change that puts middle-class families first." – Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

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"After seven years of failed policies and promises, our country now faces a slowing economy, a misguided war and diminished status in the world. The time for a change is now." – Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.