U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday urged the Congress to act responsibly and make the tax cuts permanent.

Bush said in his annual State of the Union address that the tax-cut packages that the Congress passed a few year ago has left 880 billion dollars in the hands of American workers, investors, small businesses and families in the past five years and they have used it to help produce more than four years of uninterrupted economic growth.

"The tax relief is set to expire in the next few years. If we do nothing, American families will face a massive tax increase they do not expect and will not welcome," he said.

Bush said that "because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we need more than temporary tax relief." He thus urged the Congress to act responsibly and make the tax cuts permanent.

The resident also said that keeping America competitive requires the government to be good stewards of tax dollars and he would cut the government non-security discretionary spending in the new budget proposal to be made public early in February.

"This year my budget will cut it again, and reduce or eliminate more than 140 programs that are performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities," he said.

"By passing these reforms, we will save the American taxpayer another 14 billion dollars next year and stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009."

Source: Xinhua