    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [July 1, 2005]
    [Pages iii-xii]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Public Papers Of The President Of The United States 2005, BOOK II

    [[Page iii]]

              PUBLIC PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS

                            OF THE

                        UNITED STATES

                        George W. Bush

              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                            2005

                        (IN TWO BOOKS)

              BOOK II - JULY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2005

              _______________________________________
              UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                    WASHINGTON : 2009

    [[Page iv]]

                        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

    [[Page v]]

                        Foreword

    This volume collects my speeches and papers from the second half of
    2005.

     As this period began, the world was given a painful reminder of the
     ruthlessness of freedom's enemies. On the morning of July 7, members
    of a terrorist cell in England detonated bombs throughout London's
    public transportation system, killing 52 people and injuring more
    than 700. This attack took place as members of the G-8 were meeting
    in Gleneagles, Scotland. The terrorists' act illustrated the stark
    contrast between their hateful ideology and the hopeful vision of
    free nations-which were at the very same time working on a plan for
    combating poverty and disease in Africa.

     During these months, America continued to take on the forces of
    radicalism throughout the world. Our men and women in uniform
    continued their urgent missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, where their
    efforts brought the hope of democracy to nations that had spent
    decades oppressed by tyranny. In Afghanistan, citizens braved deadly
    attacks and threats of violence to participate in their country's
    first parliamentary election in more than 30 years. In Iraq,
    citizens overcame similar threats to ratify a constitution, hold
    parliamentary elections, and put Saddam Hussein on trial for decades
    of crimes against his people. At year's end, I spoke to the American
    people from the Oval Office and said, "I know this war is
    controversial-yet being your President requires doing what I believe
    is right and accepting the consequences. And I have never been
    more certain that America's actions in Iraq are essential to the
    security of our citizens and will lay the foundation of peace for our
    children and grandchildren."

     While we worked tirelessly to defeat our enemies, my Administration
    also engaged in extensive diplomacy with America�s allies. In August,
    I met with President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and discussed our mutual
    efforts to fight drug trafficking and terrorism. In October, I continued
    America's role in promoting Middle East peace by hosting Palestinian
    President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House. In November, the First Lady
    and I traveled to Latin America, visiting Argentina, Brazil, and Panama.
    While there, I spoke about the importance of democracy, freedom, and
    social justice in our hemisphere. And in my final international trip
    of the year, Laura and I traveled to Asia, where I attended the leaders'
    meeting of the Asia-Pacific Eco�nomic Cooperation and visited China,
    Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea.

     As America focused on these priorities abroad, we also made progress
    at home. In July, I signed the `Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
    Act of 2005,' a bill aimed at reducing medical errors and injuries
    through greater information-sharing in the health care industry. The
    Congress approved-and I was proud to sign-the

    [[Page vi]]

     `Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement,' an
    economic pact that promoted prosperity and sent a strong signal of
    support to young democracies in the region.

     In late August, America was shocked and saddened by the destruction
    caused by Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive natural disaster in
    our Nation's history. The storm did widespread damage throughout the
    Gulf Coast, striking Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida-an
    area roughly the size of Great Britain. In New Orleans, the breaching
    of the levees left much of the city underwater and devastated the
    population. By the time the storm had passed, it had taken more than
    1,300 lives. The Federal response to this catastrophe was unacceptable-
    and I pledged to reform the Government's emergency management
    procedures to ensure we were better prepared for future natural
    disasters.

     In September, I spoke to the American people from Jackson Square in
    New Orleans and said that we would help rebuild communities that had
    been damaged or destroyed by the hurricane. I told the people of the
    Gulf Coast, `I know that when you sit on the steps of a porch where a
    home once stood, or sleep on a cot in a crowded shelter, it is hard to
    imagine a bright future. But that future will come. The streets of
    Biloxi and Gulfport will again be filled with lovely homes and the
    sound of children playing. The churches of Alabama will have their
    broken steeples mended and their congregations whole. And here in New
    Orleans, the street cars will once again rumble down St. Charles, and
    the passionate soul of a great city will return.'

     Finally, the year saw dramatic change at the Supreme Court, with the
    retirement announcement of Associated Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in
    July and the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist in September.
    I committed to nominate replacements who would be prudent in exercising
    judicial power, firm in defending judicial independence, and, above
    all, faithful guardians of the Constitution. America saw these ambitious
    goals met with the confirmation of John Roberts as the 17th Chief
    Justice of the United States in September. And as the year closed,
    another talented jurist, Samuel Alito, awaited confirmation to our
    country's highest court.

    W

    [[Page vii]]

                        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-December 31, 2005. 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
    meet-

    [[Page viii]]

    ings, when announced, and other items of general interest issued by
    the Office of 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. The Chief Editor of this book was
    Stacey A. Mulligan, assisted by William K. Banks, Loretta F. Cochran,
    Lois Davis, Kathleen M. Fargey, Stephen J. Frattini, Michael J. Forcina,
    Allison M. Gavin, Gwendolyn J. Henderson, Diane Hiltabidle, Alfred
    Jones, Joshua H. Liberatore, Heather N. McDaniel, Ashley Merusi,
    Amelia E. Otovo, Jennifer M. Partridge, D. Gregory Perrin, 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
    Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer.

    Raymond A. Mosley
    Director of the Federal Register

    Adrienne C. Thomas
    Acting Archivist of the United States

    [[Page ix]]

                        Contents

    Foreword........................v

    Preface.........................vii

    Cabinet.........................xi

    Public Papers of George W. Bush,
    July 1-December 31, 2005........1169

    Appendix A
    Digest of Other White House Announcements....1907

    Appendix B
    Nominations Submitted to the Senate..........1943

    Appendix C
    Checklist of White House Press Releases......1957

    Appendix D
    Presidential Documents Published in the Federal Register . . . 1971

    Subject Index...................A-1

    Name Index......................B-1

    Document Categories List........C-1

    [[Page xi]]

                        Cabinet

    Secretary of State .....................
    Condoleezza Rice

    Secretary of the Treasury ..............John W. Snow

    Secretary of Defense ...................Donald H. Rumsfeld

    Attorney General .......................Alberta R. Gonzales

    Secretary of the Interior ..............Gale A. Norton

    Secretary of Agriculture ...............Mike Johanns

    Secretary of Commerce ..................Carlos M. Gutierrez

    Secretary of Labor .....................Elaine L. Chao

    Secretary of Health and Human
    Services..Michael O. Leavitt

    Secretary of Housing and Urban
    Development..Alphonso R. Jackson

    Secretary of Transportation ............Norman Y. Mineta

    Secretary of Energy ....................Samuel W. Bodman

    Secretary of Education .................Margaret Spellings

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs ..........R. James Nicholson

    Secretary of Homeland Security .........Michael Chertoff

    Chief of Staff .........................Andrew H. Card, Jr.

    Administrator of the Environmental
    Protection Agency..Stephen L. Johnson

    United States Trade Representative .....Robert J. Portman

    [[Page xii]]

    Director of the Office of Management and Budget..Joshua B. Bolten

    Director of National Drug Control Policy..John P. Walters

    Administration of George W. Bush
    2005