[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
[December 2, 2004]
[Pages 3035-3036]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Nomination of Governor Mike Johanns To Be Secretary of Agriculture
December 2, 2004

    The President. Thank you all. Good morning.

    I am pleased to announce my nomination of Governor Mike Johanns to 
be the Secretary of Agriculture.

    Gov. Johanns. Thank you, Mr. President.

    The President. Governor Johanns is an experienced public service--
servant from America's agricultural heartland. As the son of Iowa dairy 
farmers, he grew up close to the land. He will bring to this position a 
lifetime of involvement in agriculture and a long record of a faithful 
friend to America's farmers and ranchers. He will lead an important 
agency with the executive skill he has learned as mayor and as a two-
term Governor of Nebraska.

    I've known Mike for a number of years, going back to my own service 
as a Governor. I know firsthand his deep commitment to a strong farm 
economy. He's been a leader on drought relief in Nebraska and throughout 
the Midwest. He's a strong proponent of alternative energy sources such 
as ethanol and biodiesel. He's traveled the world to promote American 
farm exports.

    Governor Johanns is a man of action and of complete integrity. He 
knows how to bring people together to achieve results. He has been a 
superb leader for the people of Nebraska, and I'm grateful that he's 
agreed to take on this important new responsibility in my Cabinet.

    Gov. Johanns. Thank you, Mr. President.

    The President. I'm grateful as well to Secretary of Agriculture Ann 
Veneman for leading the Department of 
Agriculture these past 4 years. Secretary Veneman has earned the trust 
of farmers and ranchers across America, and the whole Nation has 
benefited from her service. Ann played a central role in passing the 
2002 farm bill, which has been critical to the success of our farmers.

    She's kept our Nation's commitment to 
fighting hunger and is overseeing major improvements in school nutrition 
programs. Ann led our efforts to prevent the spread of mad cow disease 
and worked hard to secure the food supply against the threat of 
bioterrorism. And she has helped set in motion an incredibly important 
effort to maintain the health of our forests and protect the lives and 
property from devastating wildfires.

    I chose Ann Veneman for her great 
expertise, her sound judgment, and her bipartisan spirit, and she has 
displayed those qualities every day of her tenure. Ann has

[[Page 3036]]

also carried out her duties while facing serious illness, and for that 
she's earned my increased admiration and the respect of her fellow 
citizens. I'm proud to know her, and I thank her for serving our 
country.
    The policies we've pursued over the last 4 years have revived 
America's economies and have helped our farmers and ranchers earn 
greater income and to sell record amounts of food and fiber abroad. In a 
new term, we'll continue policies that are pro-growth, pro-jobs, and 
pro-farmer. We'll keep working to open new markets to American grain and 
beef and cotton and corn. We'll enforce trade laws to make sure other 
countries play by the rules. We will expand conservation programs to 
help farmers and to protect our soil and water and wildlife.
    We will stand behind family farmers by keeping taxes low and 
ensuring the Federal death tax is repealed permanently. And when 
confirmed by the Senate, Mike Johanns will lead a Department of 113,000 
dedicated public servants and be a champion of the farmers and ranchers 
who feed America and the world beyond.
    I am grateful to Mike and to Stephanie, his wife, for their willingness to come to 
Washington. I look forward to welcoming Mike to my Cabinet.
    Congratulations. I appreciate you.
    Gov. Johanns. Thank you very much.
    The President. You bet, Mike.

[At this point, Gov. Johanns made brief remarks.]

    The President. Good job.
    Gov. Johanns. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:42 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary also included the remarks of Gov. Johanns.