Presidential News and Speeches

Mimi Alemayehou, Rear Admiral Jonathan W. Bailey, Kiyo A. Matsumoto, Cathy Seibel, and William Clifford Smith.

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate three individuals and appoint two individuals to serve in his Administration: Mimi Alemayehou, Rear Admiral Jonathan W. Bailey, William Clifford Smith, Karen P. Hughes, and Charles M. Younger.

House Democratic leaders know that this proposal is unacceptable to the Intelligence Community, the U.S. Senate, and the Administration. It is time for House Democratic leaders to get serious about our national security, put aside these partisan games, and bring the bipartisan Senate bill to a vote immediately.

Today the House of Representatives failed to override the President's veto of the Intelligence Authorization Bill. The President believes that he has no higher responsibility than protecting the American people. The President also believes in making sure the Intelligence Community has the tools necessary to protect America from attack. By requiring the Intelligence Community to use only the interrogation methods authorized in the publicly available Army Field Manual, the bill would have eliminated the legal alternative procedures in place in the CIA program to question the world's most dangerous and violent terrorists. The CIA program has produced critical intelligence and helped us prevent a number of attacks. An override of the President's veto would have diminished the Intelligence Community's ability to protect our Nation.

On Tuesday, March 11, 2008, the President signed into law S. 2478, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service in East Hampstead, New Hampshire, as the Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh Post Office.

President Bush on Tuesday said, "We got people in Iraq who murder the innocent to achieve their political objectives -- and we've got Americans, who heal the broken hearts of little Iraqi girls. Ours is a compassionate nation, that believes in the universality of freedom -- and ours is a nation full of loving souls that when they find a stranger in need will lend their God-given talents to help that stranger."

President Bush on Monday said, "We take pride in the progress women have made here at home, and we know that millions of women abroad are still working to secure their basic rights. And as they do, the United States of America proudly stands with them. We do so because we know that liberty is the birthright of every person. And we do so because it's in our national interest. Societies where half the population is marginalized, or worse, are less likely to be prosperous and hopeful, and more likely to become incubators for hateful ideologies."

President Bush on Monday said, "I want to thank you for your candor, thank you for your friendship. The people of Poland stand as a great example of freedom and liberty. This is a nation with a proud history, a nation that has resisted tyranny and now lives as an example of a free society. And there are millions of Americans who are proud of their heritage, Mr. Prime Minister; they're proud to be called Polish Americans. And we welcome you."

By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 2 and 4(a)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the "Act"), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601 and 2603), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code:

I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 2082, the "Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008." The bill would impede the United States Government's efforts to protect the American people effectively from terrorist attacks and other threats because it imposes several unnecessary and unacceptable burdens on our Intelligence Community.

In his weekly radio address, President Bush said, "The fact that we have not been attacked over the past six-and-a-half years is not a matter of chance. It is the result of good policies and the determined efforts of individuals carrying them out. We owe these individuals our thanks, and we owe them the authorities they need to do their jobs effectively. We have no higher responsibility than stopping terrorist attacks. And this is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe."

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Illinois and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding beginning on January 7, 2008, and continuing.

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released new jobs figures for February. The unemployment rate decreased to 4.8 percent, below the averages for the past three decades, but nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 63,000 jobs. Our economy has added about 860,000 jobs over the last 12 months an average of 72,000 jobs per month and more than 8.1 million since August 2003.

President Bush on Friday said, "As I told the Cuban people last October, a new day for Cuba will come. And we will know when it's here. We will know it's here when jailers go to the cells where Cuban prisoners of conscience are held and set them free. We will know it is here when Miguel Sigler Amaya is reunited with his brothers, and they can say what they think, and can come and go as they please. And we will know it is here when the Ladies in White no longer make their silent vigils, or live in constant fear of assault or arrest."

President Bush on Friday said, "We believe that the steps we have taken, together with the actions taken by the Federal Reserve, will have a positive effect on our economy. So my message to the American people is this: I know this is a difficult time for our economy, but we recognized the problem early, and provided the economy with a booster shot. We will begin to see the impact over the coming months. And in the long run, we can have confidence that so long as we pursue pro-growth, low-tax policies that put faith in the American people, our economy will prosper."

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack in Jerusalem that targeted innocent students at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. This barbaric and vicious attack on innocent civilians deserves the condemnation of every nation.

President Bush on Thursday said, "When this department was established following the September the 11th terrorist attacks, it was hard to imagine that we would reach this milestone without another attack on our homeland. For those of you who were here five years ago, you think back to that time -- I don't think we would have predicted that five years later there had not been another attack on us. And it's your vigilance and your hard work that have helped keep this country safe. And so I want to thank you."

President Bush on Thursday said, "Sitting next to me is Mr. Frank Buckles, 107-years-young, and he is the last living Doughboy from World War I. ...And so Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times. And one way for me to honor the service of those who wear the uniform in the past and those who wear it today is to herald you, sir, and to thank you very much for your patriotism and your love for America."

On Thursday, March 06, 2008, the President signed into law S. 2571, which makes a technical correction to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, with regard to registration service fees for certain "minor use" pesticide.

President George W. Bush today announced that he has named three individuals to serve in his Administration: Tobi Merritt Edwards, Felipe Eduardo Sixto, and Nancy Theis.