George W. Bush's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of George W. Bush. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

George W. Bush served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Prior to his presidency, he was the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. As president, he launched the War on Terror in response to the September 11 attacks, leading to military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Domestically, he enacted education reform legislation known as No Child Left Behind, as well as tax cuts and reforms to Medicare. His presidency was marked by significant events including Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis of 2008.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1986: Decision to Give Up Alcohol

In 1986, George W. Bush decided to give up alcohol, attributing the decision to his wife's influence and his faith in God.

1994: Election as Governor of Texas

In 1994, George W. Bush was elected as the governor of Texas.

1998: Re-election as Governor of Texas

In 1998, George W. Bush won re-election as governor of Texas with a record 68 percent of the vote.

1998: Sale of Texas Rangers Shares

In 1998, George W. Bush's sale of his shares in the Texas Rangers brought him over $15 million from his initial investment.

2000: Named Time Magazine's Person of the Year

In 2000, George W. Bush was named Time magazine's Person of the Year.

2000: Victory in the Presidential Election

In 2000, George W. Bush won the presidential election against Al Gore after a contested Electoral College win.

2002: No Child Left Behind Act Signed into Law

In early 2002, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law, a bipartisan education initiative aimed at closing the gap between rich and poor student performance, providing options to parents with students in low-performing schools, and targeting more federal funding to low-income schools.

January 2003: PEPFAR Announced

In January 2003, President Bush announced the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a five-year strategy for global emergency AIDS relief with $15 billion in funding.

April 9, 2003: Fall of Baghdad

On April 9, 2003, Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, fell to U.S. and coalition forces during the invasion of Iraq.

2003: Medicare Act Signed

Following Republican efforts, President Bush signed the Medicare Act of 2003, which included changes to the Medicare program by providing beneficiaries with assistance in paying for prescription drugs, while relying on private insurance for the delivery of benefits.

2004: Re-election as President

In 2004, George W. Bush was re-elected as president, defeating John Kerry.

January 2005: Elections in Iraq

In January 2005, elections recognized by the West as free and fair were held in Iraq for the first time in 50 years, leading to the election of Jalal Talabani as president and Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister.

October 2005: Referendum to approve a constitution in Iraq

In October 2005, a referendum to approve a constitution in Iraq was held, supported by most Shiites and many Kurds.

May 7, 2007: North Korea Nuclear Reactor Shutdown Agreement

On May 7, 2007, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear reactors immediately pending the release of frozen funds held in a foreign bank account.

June 2007: Street in Tirana renamed after Bush

In June 2007, a street in Tirana, Albania, was renamed after Bush a few days before he made the first-ever visit by an American president to Albania.

September 2, 2007: North Korea Nuclear Program Dismantlement Agreement

On September 2, 2007, North Korea agreed to disclose and dismantle all its nuclear programs by the end of 2007.

March 2008: Bush Praises Iraqi Government

In March 2008, President Bush praised the Iraqi government's "bold decision" to launch the Battle of Basra against the Mahdi Army, calling it "a defining moment in the history of a free Iraq".

May 21, 2008: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Signed Into Law

On May 21, 2008, President Bush signed into law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, aimed to protect Americans against health insurance and employment discrimination based on a person's genetic information. This issue had been debated for 13 years before it became law.

July 2008: Withdrawal of American Forces

By July 2008, American troop deaths had reached their lowest number since the war began, and due to increased stability in Iraq, Bush withdrew additional American forces.

2009: Initial C-SPAN Ranking

In 2009, George W. Bush was initially ranked 36th in the C-SPAN survey of historians.

2010: Siena Research Institute Survey Ranking

A 2010 Siena Research Institute survey of the opinions of historians, political scientists, and presidential scholars ranked George W. Bush 39th out of 43 presidents.

2012: Bush awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana

In 2012, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves awarded Bush the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana for his work in expanding NATO.

2013: PEPFAR success in saving lives

By 2013, President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is estimated to have saved five million lives

2021: C-SPAN Historians Survey Ranking

C-SPAN's 2021 survey of historians ranked George W. Bush as the 29th-best president.

2023: PEPFAR Successes

By 2023, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was estimated to have saved over 25 million lives, alleviating the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, and was called "George W. Bush's greatest accomplishment" by Vox.