    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [May 26, 2006]
    [Pages 1032-1033]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Confirmation of Dirk Kempthorne as the Secretary of the Interior
    May 26, 2006

        I applaud the Senate for confirming Dirk Kempthorne as Secretary of
    the Interior. Dirk has an abiding love of nature and the outdoors and is
    dedicated to conserving our natural resources. He will continue my
    administration's efforts to effectively manage our national parks,
    support historic and cultural sites through our Preserve America
    Initiative, and pursue environmentally responsible energy development on
    Federal lands and waters. He will also work to

    [[Page 1033]]

    maintain good relations with Native American tribes and will play a
    leadership role in my cooperative conservation approach to environmental
    stewardship. I congratulate Dirk and his family on today's confirmation
    and thank him for his continued service to our Nation.