[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)] [July 1, 2007] [Pages C-9-xii] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]Public Papers Of The President Of The United States 2007 BOOK II [[Page i]] PUBLIC PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES [[Page iii]] PUBLIC PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES George W. Bush [GRAPHIC(s) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] 2007 (IN TWO BOOKS) BOOK II - JULY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 2007 ________________________________________ UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 2011 [[Page iv]] [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT] Published by the Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Administration For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing OfficeInternet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-1204 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20401 [[Page v]] Foreword This volume collects my speeches and papers from the second half of 2007. As this period began, the surge of American troops to Iraq had reached full strength. This increase in forces--and the new counterinsurgency strategy led by General David Petraeus--helped bring a steady decline in the violence that had gripped Iraq. In September, I spoke to the American people from the Oval Office. I said, ``One year ago, much of Baghdad was under siege. Schools were closed, markets were shuttered, and sectarian violence was spiraling out of control. Today, most of Baghdad's neighborhoods are being patrolled by coalition and Iraqi forces who live among the people they protect. Many schools and markets are reopening. Citizens are coming forward with vital intelligence. Sectarian killings are down. And ordinary life is beginning to return.'' As these signs of hopeful progress emerged, Iraq's leaders worked to follow security gains with political reconciliation. In September, I traveled to Iraq's Al-Anbar Province and met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and other political leaders. While there, I saw the beginnings of political improvements, as many tribal leaders came forward to reject violence and murder in return for moderation and peace. To support this progress, I assured the people of Iraq that America would not abandon them. During this time, I also emphasized our Nation's ongoing commitment to the people of Afghanistan. In August, I hosted Afghan President Hamid Karzai at Camp David, where we discussed the continuing battle against the remnants of the Taliban. After having been forced from political power, these radicals had become desperate, even killing Afghan children on their way to school in cowardly attempts to regain power. I told President Karzai that the United States would continue to stand by Afghanistan's side. While the War on Terror continued to be of the utmost importance to my Administration, we also remained focused on other critical issues throughout the world. In July, I hosted a Conference on the Americas, an event that emphasized the close ties between the United States and our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere. In a speech at the State Department in October, I highlighted our support for one of those neighboring nations by emphasizing America's commitment to the freedom movement in Cuba. I said ``The socialist paradise is a tropical gulag. The quest for justice that once inspired the Cuban people has now become a grab for power. And as with all totalitarian systems, Cuba's regime no doubt has other horrors still unknown to the rest of the world. Once revealed, they will shock the conscience of humanity. And they will shame the regime's defenders and all those democracies that have been silent.'' [[Page vi]] I also engaged in wide-ranging diplomacy throughout the world. In August, I attended the North American Leaders' Summit in Canada, where I met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon to discuss an agenda of peace and prosperity for our continent. In September, I traveled to Australia for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation's annual leadership meeting. And in November, my Administration brought together the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority for a historic conference in Annapolis, Maryland to encourage the expansion of freedom and peace in the Holy Land. This was also a time of accomplishment at home. In August, I signed the Protect America Act, a piece of legislation that modernized the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. This law gave our intelligence professionals the necessary legal authority to gather information about the intentions of our enemies while protecting the civil liberties of Americans. In December, I signed the Energy Independence and Security Act, a good bill that increased the supply of alternative fuel sources and increased fuel economy standards. And during this period, I welcomed two talented Americans to my cabinet--Michael Mukasey as Attorney General and Lieutenant General James Peake as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. As the year came to a close, I signed a bill approving a vital trade agreement between the United States and Peru. This expansion of America's participation in the global marketplace was a fitting close to a year that continued a trend of strong economic results. In December, America celebrated its 52nd consecutive month of job growth--the longest such period on record. The year to come would test the strength of our longstanding prosperity--but our economy would once again prove itself resilient. B [[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, 2007. 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 meetings, when announced, and other items of general interest issued by the Office of [[Page viii]] 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 Michael L. White, 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, Joseph G. Frankovic, Michael J. Forcina, Stephen J. Frattini, 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, Michael J. Sullivan, and Joseph K. Vetter. 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 David S. Ferriero Archivist of the United States [[Page ix]] Contents Foreword . . . v Preface . . . vii Cabinet . . . xi Public Papers of George W. Bush, July 1-December 31, 2007 . . . 903 Appendix A Digest of Other White House Announcements . . . 1600 Appendix B Nominations Submitted to the Senate . . . 1625 Appendix C Checklist of White House Press Releases . . . 1637 Appendix D Presidential Documents Published in the Federal Register . . . 1651 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...........Henry M. Paulson, Jr. Secretary of Defense................Robert M. Gates Attorney General....................Alberto R. Gonzales (resigned 9/17) Michael B. Mukasey (appointed 11/9) Secretary of the Interior...........Dirk Kempthorne Secretary of Agriculture............Michael O. Johanns (resigned 9/19) 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.........Mary E. Peters Secretary of Energy.................Samuel W. Bodman Secretary of Education..............Margaret Spellings Secretary of Veterans Affairs.......R. James Nicholson (resigned 10/1) James B. Peake (apppointed 12/20) [[Page xii]] Secretary of Homeland Security......Michael Chertoff Chief of Staff......................Joshua B. Bolten Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency...................Stephen L. Johnson United States Trade Representative..Susan C. Schwab Director of the Office of Management and Budget...............Robert J. Portman (resigned 9/3) James A. Nussle (appointed 9/4) Director of National Drug Control Policy..............................John P. Walters