Timeline of the George W. Bush presidency (2001)

The year 2001 marked the beginning of the presidency of George W. Bush. This timeline highlights significant events and policy changes during that initial year.

January:

• January 20: George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States. He delivers his inaugural address, focusing on themes of compassionate conservatism and limited government.
• January 20: Bush signs his first presidential actions, including directives to review regulations implemented during the Clinton administration.

February:

• February 5: President Bush sends his budget blueprint to Congress, outlining his proposed tax cuts and spending priorities.
• February 28: The United States bombs Iraqi air defense sites in response to Iraqi radar targeting American and British aircraft patrolling the no-fly zones.

March:

• March 9: President Bush addresses the nation, making the case for his proposed tax cuts.
• March 20: The United States expels 50 Russian diplomats accused of espionage.

April:

• April 1: A U.S. Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals intelligence aircraft and a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) J-8II interceptor fighter jet collide in mid-air over the South China Sea. The Chinese pilot is lost; the U.S. crew makes an emergency landing on Hainan Island. This initiates a tense diplomatic standoff between the U.S. and China.
• April 11: The crew of the EP-3 is allowed to return to the United States.

May:

• May 1: President Bush announces that the United States will not participate in the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, citing concerns about its potential impact on the U.S. economy.
• May 17: President Bush signs into law the Energy Policy Task Force, chaired by Vice President Dick Cheney.

June:

• June 7: President Bush signs the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, a major tax cut package.
• June 11: Timothy McVeigh is executed for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

July:

• July 4: President Bush dedicates the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

August:

• August 9: President Bush announces his support for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, but limits the funding to existing stem cell lines.

September:

• September 11: Terrorist attacks occur at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The attacks result in nearly 3,000 fatalities and trigger a national crisis.
• September 11: President Bush addresses the nation from the Oval Office, vowing to hunt down the perpetrators of the attacks.
• September 14: President Bush declares a "war on terror" in an address to the nation.
• September 18: President Bush signs the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF), granting him broad authority to use military force against those responsible for the September 11 attacks.
• September 20: President Bush addresses a joint session of Congress, outlining his administration's strategy to combat terrorism.

October:

• October 7: The United States and its allies launch Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, targeting al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime.
• October 26: President Bush signs the USA PATRIOT Act into law, expanding the surveillance powers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

November:

• November 25: The Taliban regime in Afghanistan begins to collapse under the pressure of U.S.-led military action.

December:

• December 13: President Bush announces that the United States will withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty with Russia.
• December 22: Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," attempts to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes on a flight from Paris to Miami.

This timeline represents key events during the first year of the George W. Bush presidency, particularly focusing on the shift in national priorities following the September 11th attacks.