Tonight, I say, we will work with the International Labor Organization on a new initiative to raise labor standards around the world.  And this year, we will lead the international community to conclude a treaty to ban abusive child labor everywhere in the world.

If we do these things—­invest in our people, our communities, our technology—­and lead in the global economy, then we will begin to meet our historic responsibility to build a 21st century prosperity for America.

You know, no nation in history has had the opportunity and the responsibility we now have to shape a world that is more peaceful, more secure, more free.

All Americans can be proud that our leadership helped to bring peace in Northern Ireland.

All Americans can be proud that our leadership has put Bosnia on the path to peace.  And with our NATO allies we are pressing the Serbian government to stop its brutal repression in Kosovo—­to bring those responsible to justice and to give the people of Kosovo the self-government they deserve.

All Americans can be proud that our leadership renewed hope for lasting peace in the Middle East.  Some of you were with me last December as we watched the Palestinian National Council completely renounce its call for the destruction of Israel.

Now, I ask Congress to provide resources so that all parties can implement the Wye Agreement, to protect Israel’s security, to stimulate the Palestinian economy, to support our friends in Jordan.  We must not, we dare not, let them down.  I hope you will help me.

As we work for peace, we must also meet threats to our nation’s security, including increased danger from outlaw nations and terrorism.

We will defend our security wherever we are threatened, as we did this summer when we struck at Osama bin Laden’s network of terror.  The bombing of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania reminds us again of the risks faced every day by those who represent America to the world.  So let’s give them the support they need, the safest possible workplaces, and the resources they must have so America can continue to lead.

We must work to keep terrorists from disrupting computer networks.  We must work to prepare local communities for biological and chemical emergencies, to support research into vaccines and treatments.  We must increase our efforts to restrain the spread of nuclear weapons and missiles, from Korea to India and Pakistan.  We must expand our work with Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet nations to safeguard nuclear materials and technology so they never fall into the wrong hands.  Our balanced budget will increase funding for these critical efforts by almost two-thirds over the next five years.

With Russia we must continue to reduce our nuclear arsenals.  The start II Treaty and the framework we have already agreed to for start III could cut them by 80 percent from their Cold War height.