    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [February 14, 2005]
    [Pages 228-229]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Alberto R. Gonzales as Attorney General at the Department of Justice
    February 14, 2005

        Good morning. Laura and I are pleased to be
    here with Al Gonzales, his wife, Becky, and his wonderful family. Thank you all for coming. I
    turned to Al and said, ``It seems like they're cheering pretty loud.''
    He said, ``Most of them work for me now.'' [Laughter]
        For the past decade, Al has been a close adviser, an honorable
    public servant, and a dear friend. Now he assumes a new title. Today it
    is my honor to call this son of Humble, Texas, the 80th Attorney General
    of the United States.
        I appreciate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor for administering the oath and admitting publicly that
    she was born in Texas. [Laughter] I want to thank the current and former
    members of my Cabinet who are here. I appreciate Senator Pat
    Leahy, Senator Judd Gregg and Kathy, Senator
    John Cornyn and Sandy,
    Senator Mel Martinez for joining us today. I
    thank Congresswoman Grace Napolitano for
    joining us. I thank the other distinguished guests who are here, and I
    thank the Texans who have come up.
        As Attorney General Gonzales begins his service, he will build on
    the outstanding work of Attorney General John Ashcroft. Over the past 4 years, Attorney General Ashcroft has
    started the Department of Justice on the right course in the war on
    terror. He's helped reduce violent crime to a 30-year low. He's taken
    vital new steps to protect children from exploitation. John Ashcroft has
    worked tirelessly to make our Nation safer and more just, and America is
    thankful for your lifetime of service.
        Attorney General Gonzales now joins every employee at the Department
    of Justice in an urgent mission to protect the United States from
    another terrorist attack. Few periods in our history have demanded so
    much of this Department. With Al's principled leadership, the Department
    of Justice will continue this important mission and will defend the
    security of all Americans and the liberty of all Americans.
        The men and women of this Department are meeting your duty every
    day, from your headquarters in Washington to U.S. attorneys offices
    across the country, to dangerous posts overseas. You've reorganized your
    resources to confront the threats of this new war. You've devised
    effective methods to investigate and prosecute terrorists. Some of you
    have volunteered for demanding new duties in complex areas such as
    intelligence and counterterrorism.
        Our Nation is grateful for your dedication and sacrifice, and in
    return, we must provide you all the tools you need to do your job. And
    one of those tools is the PATRIOT Act, which has been vital to our
    success in tracking terrorists and disrupting their plans. Many key
    elements of the PATRIOT Act are now set to expire at the end of this
    year. We must not allow the passage of time or the illusion of safety to
    weaken our resolve in this new war. To protect the American people,
    Congress must promptly renew all provisions of the PATRIOT Act this
    year.
        Your mission to ensure equal justice for every American extends far
    beyond the war on terror. By aggressively prosecuting gun criminals and
    drug dealers, you make neighborhoods safer for all families. By holding
    corporate wrongdoers to account, you build confidence in our economy. By
    protecting victims of child abuse and domestic violence, you help
    guarantee a compassionate society. And by defending the civil rights of
    every American, you affirm the dignity of every life and you set an
    example of liberty for the entire world.
        As we strive to provide equal justice, we must ensure that Americans
    of all races

    [[Page 229]]

    and backgrounds trust the legal system. By spreading the use of DNA
    analysis, we can solve more crimes, lock up more criminals, and prevent
    wrongful conviction. So I've asked Congress for more than a billion
    dollars over 5 years to expand this vital technology. And to help ensure
    that the death penalty is applied justly, I've also requested new
    funding to train prosecutors, judges, and defense counsels in capital
    cases.
        To maintain confidence in the legal system, we must ensure that
    judges faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. I've
    a constitutional responsibility to nominate well-qualified men and women
    for the Federal courts. I have done so. And I've benefited greatly from
    the sound judgment of Attorney General Gonzales on picking qualified
    people to serve on our benches. I will continue to rely on his advice.
    And the United States Senate must also live up to its constitutional
    responsibility. Every judicial nominee deserves a prompt hearing and an
    up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate.
        As he embarks on all these duties, Attorney General Gonzales has my
    complete confidence. From his early days of selling soda at Rice
    University football games to his time in the Air Force to his
    distinguished legal career and service on the White House staff, Al has
    been a model of courage and character to his fellow citizens. I've
    witnessed his integrity, his decency, his deep dedication to the cause
    of justice. Now he will advance that cause as the Attorney General and
    ensure that more Americans have the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
        Attorney General--or General--congratulations.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. in the Great Hall at the U.S.
    Department of Justice. In his remarks, he referred to Kathleen MacLellan
    Gregg, wife of Senator Judd Gregg; and Sandy Cornyn, wife of Senator
    John Cornyn. The transcript released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary also included the remarks of Attorney General Gonzales. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.