Domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration

This article discusses the domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration, from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009, when the administration ended. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration proposed and Congress approved, a series of laws stated to be necessary in prosecuting the "War on Terror." These included a wide variety of surveillance programs, some of which came under heavy fire from civil liberties inte... more

This article discusses the domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration, from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009, when the administration ended. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration proposed and Congress approved, a series of laws stated to be necessary in prosecuting the "War on Terror." These included a wide variety of surveillance programs, some of which came under heavy fire from civil liberties interest groups that criticized the new regulations for infringing upon certain civil liberties. The administration has also been criticized for refusing to back various security measures relating to port security in 2003 and 2004 and vetoing all US$39 million for the 2002 Container Security Initiative. In 2003, the United States Congress debated expanding the USA PATRIOT Act into a new Act known as USA PATRIOT Act II and whether to repeal some or all of the PATRIOT Act itself. It passed with bipartisan support. In early 2001, President Bush... less