NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is beginning to start a program. He's unveiling his New Freedom Initiative to Congress. It's a fulfillment of another campaign promise to introduce legislation to help the disabled.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pledge of allegiance.</s>AUDIENCE: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We sit down now. Thank you.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Can I have a hug now?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.</s>BUSH: But here we are. And thank you so much for being here. I'm so honored that you all are here. I appreciate the folks who served on my coalition for people with disabilities. There's one hero here that I got to know during the campaign, his name is Jim Mullen. Jim is from Chicago. He's a police officer wounded in the course of duty, who's a courageous, fine American. And, Jim, thank you so very much for coming today.</s>ALLEN: President Bush from the East Room announcing his New freedom Initiative that he's sending to Congress. And if noticed, he was sitting down behind a lectern there. This lectern is wheelchair equipped -- it is specially designed for the disabled. His program will cost about $1 billion over five years, and it's expected to help millions of disabled Americans. Here are the fine points for you. He wants to increase access to assistive technologies that would help the disabled lead more productive lives. He would like to provide funding to telecommuting opportunities so that more disabled could work from home. And it would provide funding for alternative transportation to help those who do go to an office get there.
Bush Announces New Freedom Initiative