Here in the Congress you can demonstrate effective legislative leadership by discharging the public business with clarity and dispatch, voting each important proposal up, or voting it down, but at least bringing it to a fair and a final vote.

Let us carry forward the plans and programs of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—­not because of our sorrow or sympathy, but because they are right.

In his memory today, I especially ask all members of my own political faith, in this election year, to put your country ahead of your party, and to always debate principles; never debate personalities.

For my part, I pledge a progressive administration which is efficient, and honest and frugal.  The budget to be submitted to the Congress shortly is in full accord with this pledge.

It will cut our deficit in half—­from $10 billion to $4,900 million.  It will be, in proportion to our national output, the smallest budget since 1951.

It will call for a substantial reduction in Federal employment, a feat accomplished only once before in the last 10 years.  While maintaining the full strength of our combat defenses, it will call for the lowest number of civilian personnel in the Department of Defense since 1950.

It will call for total expenditures of $97,900 million—­compared to $98,400 million for the current year, a reduction of more than $500 million.  It will call for new obligational authority of $103,800 million—­a reduction of more than $4 billion below last year’s request of $107,900 million.

But it is not a standstill budget, for America cannot afford to stand still.  Our population is growing.  Our economy is more complex.  Our people’s needs are expanding.

But by closing down obsolete installations, by curtailing less urgent programs, by cutting back where cutting back seems to be wise, by insisting on a dollar’s worth for a dollar spent, I am able to recommend in this reduced budget the most Federal support in history for education, for health, for retraining the unemployed, and for helping the economically and the physically handicapped.

This budget, and this year’s legislative program, are designed to help each and every American citizen fulfill his basic hopes—­his hopes for a fair chance to make good; his hopes for fair play from the law; his hopes for a full-time job on full-time pay; his hopes for a decent home for his family in a decent community; his hopes for a good school for his children with good teachers; and his hopes for security when faced with sickness or unemployment or old age.  III.

Unfortunately, many Americans live on the outskirts of hope—­some because of their poverty, and some because of theft color, and all too many because of both.  Our task is to help replace their despair with opportunity.

This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.  I urge this Congress and all Americans to join with me in that effort.