[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
[July 1, 2004]
[Pages iii-xii]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Public Papers of the President, 2004, Book II
[[Page iii]]
P U B L I C P A P E R S O F T H E P R E S I D E N T S
O F T H E
U N I T E D S T A T E S
George W. Bush
2004
(IN THREE BOOKS)
BOOK II -- JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2004
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United States Government Printing Office
Washington : 2007
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Published by the
Office of the Federal Register
National Archives and Records Administration
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office
Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: (202) 512-1800
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20401
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Foreword
This volume collects my speeches and papers from the second half of
2004.
During these 6 months from July to December, I outlined my vision
for the future of our Nation, and I advocated Government policies that
put trust and power into the hands of the people. In September, at my
nominating convention, I presented a clear plan to build a safer world,
and a more hopeful America. I spoke of our Nation's need to build an
ownership society where every citizen has a stake in America and all
have an opportunity to succeed. I described the need to simplify the tax
code; improve education and worker training; build opportunity zones in
areas without hope; make health care more affordable; and reform Social
Security to provide voluntary personal-retirement accounts for all
Americans.
During this period, the American economy continued to expand and
grow. Thanks to the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the American
people and the tax cuts of 2001, 2002, and 2003, our Nation added new
jobs, built new businesses, and led the world in innovation and
achievement. In the second half of 2004, the American economy gained
strength--creating almost 1 million new jobs. To sustain this impressive
economic growth, in October I signed a tax relief bill that helped
millions of families by extending the child tax credit and marriage-
penalty relief, and helped prevent middle-class families across America
from being hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax. In addition, in
December, my Administration hosted an important conference at the White
House on America's economic future. We heard from business owners,
workers, economists, and many other Americans who saw hopeful signs of
growth throughout our country. We also discussed some of the fundamental
challenges facing our economy--from frivolous lawsuits and burdensome
regulations to the need for vital reforms in education, health care,
entitlements, and the tax code.
To address these and many other issues in my second term, I built
another outstanding Cabinet. In November, I named Alberto Gonzales to
serve as Attorney General; Condoleezza Rice to serve as Secretary of
State; Margaret Spellings to serve as Secretary of Education; and Carlos
Guttierez to serve as Secretary of Commerce. In December, I named Mike
Leavitt as Secretary of Health and Human Services; Samuel Bodman as
Secretary of Energy; Jim Nicholson as Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture.
The second half of 2004 was also a time when we showed the
compassionate heart and giving spirit that have made America a great
Nation. In July, America commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Civil
Rights Act--a day when justice and equality triumphed over
discrimination and indignity. Later that same month, I announced my
initiatives to combat human trafficking. By working to provide
prosecutors with new law enforcement tools and give outreach programs
more help to sup
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port victims of trafficking, we took a stand for the value and dignity
of every human life. In December, our Nation answered the call from our
brothers and sisters in need half a world a way. America provided more
than $850 million in humanitarian relief and reconstruction aid to help
the people of South Asia whose lives and homes were devastated by the
massive Bay of Bengal earthquake and tsunami.
As we worked to fulfill America's highest ideals of compassion and
justice, we also continued to strengthen our Nation's ability to defend
those ideals at home and abroad. In July, I signed the Project Bioshield
Act. The Act was designed to help purchase, develop, and deploy cutting-
edge defenses against catastrophic attack. Later that same month, I
addressed the 9-11 Commission's recommendations. I discussed how my
Administration's actions were consistent with the Commission's
recommendations in detecting and disrupting terrorist cells; building a
democratic Afghanistan; and improving our intelligence operations. In
December, I signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention
Act--the most significant reform of our Nation's intelligence
capabilities since President Harry S. Truman signed the National
Security Act of 1947. The intelligence reforms of 2004 created the
position of Director of National Intelligence; made it easier for law
enforcement to share information about terrorists; and were designed to
make all our intelligence efforts better coordinated, more efficient,
and more effective.
Throughout the second half of 2004, thanks to our men and women in
uniform and our international allies, we advanced the cause of freedom
around the world, and the people of Afghanistan and Iraq continued to
advance down the path of democracy and self-determination. On October 9,
the people of Afghanistan held their first presidential election under
their new constitution with more than 8 million Afghans going to the
polls. On December 7, Hamid Karzai was inaugurated as Afghanistan's
democratically elected president. In August, after the Coalition
transfer of power, Iraqis selected a national assembly to act as a
parliament until the elections of January 2005. In the months that
followed, election rules were published, voters were registered, and
candidates came forward to be elected to a transition government that
would represent all the Iraqi people.
In the midst of all these historic steps on the road to freedom and
peace, the world was reminded of the ruthless nature of our terrorist
enemies. In Iraq, terrorists and insurgents continued to unleash savage
attacks on those working to build a free and democratic Iraq. In late
October of 2004, Al-Qaida released a tape from Osama Bin Laden that made
further threats against America. I was very clear in my response:
``Americans will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our
country.'' On October 31st, I told my fellow Americans: ``Since that
terrible morning of September the 11th, 2001, we fought the terrorists
across the Earth--not for pride, not for power, but because the lives of
our citizens are at stake. Our strategy is clear. We've strengthened
protections for the homeland. We're reforming and strengthening our
intelligence services. We're transforming our military . . . We are
fighting the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at
home. We are determined, we are relentless, and we are succeeding.''
B
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Preface
This book contains the papers and speeches of the 43d President of
the United States that were issued by the Office of the Press Secretary
during the period July 1-September 30, 2004. The material has been
compiled and published by the Office of the Federal Register, National
Archives and Records Administration.
The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates
shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In
instances when the release date differs from the date of the document
itself, that fact is shown in the textnote. Every effort has been made
to ensure accuracy: Remarks are checked against a tape recording, and
signed documents are checked against the original. Textnotes and cross
references have been provided by the editors for purposes of
identification or clarity. At the request of the Office of the Press
Secretary, the Bush property known as Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford,
Texas, is referred to simply as the Bush Ranch. Speeches were delivered
in Washington, DC, unless indicated. The times noted are local times.
All materials that are printed full-text in the book have been indexed
in the subject and name indexes, and listed in the document categories
list.
The Public Papers of the Presidents series was begun in 1957 in
response to a recommendation of the National Historical Publications
Commission. An extensive compilation of messages and papers of the
Presidents covering the period 1789 to 1897 was assembled by James D.
Richardson and published under congressional authority between 1896 and
1899. Since then, various private compilations have been issued, but
there was no uniform publication comparable to the Congressional Record
or the United States Supreme Court Reports. Many Presidential papers
could be found only in the form of mimeographed White House releases or
as reported in the press. The Commission therefore recommended the
establishment of an official series in which Presidential writings,
addresses, and remarks of a public nature could be made available.
The Commission's recommendation was incorporated in regulations of
the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, issued under
section 6 of the Federal Register Act (44 U.S.C. 1506), which may be
found in title 1, part 10, of the Code of Federal Regulations.
A companion publication to the Public Papers series, the Weekly
Compilation of Presidential Documents, was begun in 1965 to provide a
broader range of Presidential materials on a more timely basis to meet
the needs of the contemporary reader. Beginning with the administration
of Jimmy Carter, the Public Papers series expanded its coverage to
include additional material as printed in the Weekly Compilation. That
coverage provides a listing of the President's daily schedule and
meetings, when announced, and other items of general interest issued by
the Office of
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the Press Secretary. Also included are lists of the President's
nominations submitted to the Senate, materials released by the Office of
the Press Secretary that are not printed full-text in the book, and
proclamations, Executive orders, and other Presidential documents
released by the Office of the Press Secretary and published in the
Federal Register. This information appears in the appendixes at the end
of the book.
Volumes covering the administrations of Presidents Herbert Hoover,
Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B.
Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan,
George Bush, and William J. Clinton are also included in the Public
Papers series.
The Public Papers of the Presidents publication program is under the
direction of Frances D. McDonald, Managing Editor, Office of the Federal
Register. The series is produced by the Presidential and Legislative
Publications Unit, Gwendolyn J. Henderson, Chief. The Chief Editor of
this book was Stacey A. Mulligan, assisted by William K. Banks, Loretta
F. Cochran, Kathleen M. Fargey, Michael J. Forcina, Stephen J. Frattini,
Alison M. Gavin, Diane Hiltabidle, Alfred Jones, Ashley Merusi, Matthew
R. Regan, and Michael J. Sullivan.
The frontispiece and photographs used in the portfolio were supplied
by the White House Photo Office. The typography and design of the book
were developed by the Government Printing Office under the direction of
Bruce R. James, Public Printer.
Raymond A. Mosley
Director of the Federal Register
Allen Weinstein
Archivist of the United States
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Contents
Foreword ......................................... v
Preface .........................................vii
Cabinet ..........................................xi
Public Papers of George W. Bush,
July 1-September 30, 2004 ..................... 1221
Appendix A
Digest of Other White House Announcements . . . 2273
Appendix B
Nominations Submitted to the Senate ........... 2291
Appendix C
Checklist of White House Press Releases ....... 2297
Appendix D
Presidential Documents Published in the Federal
Register ...................................... 2303
Subject Index .................................. A-1
Name Index ..................................... B-1
Document Categories List ....................... C-1
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Cabinet
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
Secretary of the Treasury John Snow
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Attorney General John Ashcroft
Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton
Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman
Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Secretary of Health and Human
Services Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development Alphonso R. Jackson
Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
Secretary of Education Roderick R. Paige
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi
Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge
Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card, Jr
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Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency Michael O. Leavitt
United States Trade
Representative Robert B. Zoellick
Director of the Office of
Management and Budget Joshua B. Bolten
Director of National Drug Control
Policy John P. Walters