[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[June 2, 2006]
[Pages 1068-1070]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Robert J. Portman as Director of the Office of Management and Budget
June 2, 2006

    Please be seated. Good morning. Welcome to the White House. Today 
I'm pleased to witness the swearing-in of Rob Portman as the new 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget. We welcome Rob's wife, 
Jane, as well as his brother, Wym, and other family members here with us today. I want 
to thank you all for supporting Rob.
    As the OMB Director, Rob will not be racking up the frequent flyer 
miles that he did as America's Trade Representative. I think that's 
going to be a relief for Jane and his children. [Laughter]
    I appreciate the Vice President being here. 
I want to thank Carlos Gutierrez for 
joining us as well, the Secretary of the Department of Commerce; John 
Walters, Office of National Drug Control 
Policy. Congressman Mike Turner, it's 
awfully kind for you to come back to witness the swearing-in of your 
friend. I appreciate the former Secretary, Don Evans, for being here as well.
    The job of the OMB Director is one of the most important in our 
Federal Government. The OMB Director is a critical member of my Cabinet. 
He plays a vital role in every aspect of my administration's agenda, 
from securing the homeland to winning the war on terror to growing our 
economy and creating jobs.
    For the past 3 years, these responsibilities have been carried out 
by a talented public servant, Josh Bolten. 
At my direction, Josh has pursued clear goals at OMB. He's worked to 
implement progrowth economic policies and ensure that taxpayers' money 
is spent wisely or not at all. He's improved the management of Federal 
programs so that when we do spend taxpayer money, they deliver real 
results for the American people. He's put us on track to cut the deficit 
in half by 2009.
    Now that Josh is serving as my Chief of 
Staff, I've turned to another outstanding public servant to take up 
these important responsibilities, and that's Rob Portman. Rob has served 
for more than a decade in the United States Congress, where he was vice 
chairman of the House Budget Committee, a member of the Ways and Means 
Committee, and a member of the House leadership. In Congress, Rob earned 
a reputation as an effective legislator who worked with members of both 
political parties.
    For the past year, Rob has served his country as United States Trade 
Representative. He worked tirelessly to open new markets for American 
exports and to ensure that American workers, farmers, and small 
businesses are treated fairly overseas. He's reenergized the Doha round 
trade talks at the World Trade Organization. He completed trade 
agreements with Bahrain, Oman, Peru, and Colombia and launched new trade 
agreement negotiations with the Republic of Korea and Malaysia. His 
leadership was critical to the passage of the landmark Central American-
Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement last summer.
    Rob assumes his responsibilities as OMB Director at a really 
important time for our economy. This morning's economic report shows 
that America's national unemployment rate is down to 4.6 percent because 
we added 75,000 jobs in the month of May.

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The American economy has now added jobs for 33 months in a row and has 
created more than 5.3 million new jobs. In the first quarter of 2006, 
the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 5.3 percent--that's the 
fastest growth in 2\1/2\ years. Productivity is high, and that is 
leading to higher wages and a higher standard of living for the American 
people. The American economy is powerful. It is productive, and it is 
prosperous, and we intend to keep it that way.
    I've given Rob a clear agenda. We'll continue to pursue progrowth 
economic policies. The tax relief we delivered has helped set off the 
economic expansion that we're seeing today. And Rob will build on this 
success by working with Congress to maintain a progrowth, low-tax 
environment.
    Tax relief is important to families, workers, and entrepreneurs, and 
it is also vital to our efforts to reduce the budget deficit. When I 
came to office, taxes were too high, our economy was headed into a 
recession, and tax revenues were on the decline. By cutting taxes, we've 
helped produce a strong economic recovery, and that economic growth is 
producing more tax revenues. In 2005, tax revenues grew by a record $274 
billion, an increase of nearly 15 percent over the previous year. This 
year, the economy has continued to grow, and tax revenues are growing 
with it. These increased revenues are helping us to meet our goal of 
cutting the deficit in half by 2009.
    To meet this goal, we must also control the Federal appetite for 
spending. Every year since I took office, we've slowed the growth of 
discretionary spending that's not related to the military or homeland 
security. My last two budgets have actually cut this kind of spending. 
And with Rob's leadership, we will continue to cut unnecessary spending 
and show respect for the taxpayers' money.
    To cut unnecessary spending, I need the line-item veto. I've sent 
Congress a line-item veto proposal that has strong bipartisan support. 
And Rob will work with his former colleagues on Capitol Hill to get a 
bill to my desk so I can sign it into law.
    Rob will also work with Congress to pass reforms that will help us 
reduce earmarks and wasteful spending in the Federal budget. Congress is 
now considering an emergency supplemental bill that can show the 
American people we're determined to be responsible with their money. 
I've set a clear limit on spending that I will accept in this 
legislation, and if this bill goes over that limit, I'll veto it.
    In the long run, the biggest challenge to our Nation's budgetary 
health is entitlement spending on programs such as Social Security and 
Medicare. Entitlement programs are growing much faster than our ability 
to pay for them. To keep these programs solvent, we need to slow their 
growth to a level we can afford. It's not a cut. It's the difference 
between slowing your car down to the speed limit and putting your car in 
reverse. Every American family and business has to set priorities and 
live within a budget, and so should the United States Congress.
    My administration is committed to fiscal discipline and economic 
growth, and these policies will have a strong champion in Rob Portman. 
As OMB Director, Rob now assumes one of the most important posts in 
Washington. I'm pleased that he's agreed to serve our country once 
again. I look forward to working with him to keep America's economy the 
envy of the world, to create jobs and opportunity for all our citizens, 
and deliver results for the American taxpayer.
    Congratulations.

Note: The President spoke at 11:05 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to former Secretary of Commerce 
Donald L. Evans. The transcript released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary also included the remarks of Director Portman.

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