[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[June 6, 2008]
[Pages 761-763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Steven C. Preston as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
June 6, 2008
Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. It's
a--so glad to be here at the Department of Housing and Urban
Development. And I've come to introduce you to your new boss, Secretary
Steve Preston. I want to thank
[[Page 762]]
Steve's wife Molly,
five children,
and his
mom and dad, Lee and
Ursula.
Mr. Secretary, thanks for coming--
Secretary Kempthorne; and Director John Walters. It's good to see two of your predecessors here, Steve--
Alphonso Jackson and Jack Kemp. Thank you all for coming.
This is a time of turbulence in the housing market and slow growth
for our overall economy. This morning the Labor Department reported that
our economy lost 49,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate rose to
5.5 percent. This rise was caused, in part, by a surge of new, young
entrants into the job market, but it's clearly a sign that is consistent
with slow economic growth.
To help keep this economy growing, we did pass an economic stimulus
package that provides tax rebates for American families and incentives
for businesses to invest in new equipment. We're beginning to see the
signs that the stimulus may be working. And now the Congress needs to
take the next steps. At a time when Americans are concerned about higher
gas prices, Congress needs to pass legislation that expands--it will
allow for the expansion of American energy production.
In this period of economic uncertainty, the last thing the Americans
need is a massive tax increase. So Congress needs to send a clear
message that the tax relief that we passed will be made permanent.
Unfortunately, these policies are being blocked by the Democratic
Congress. So I call on congressional leaders to put partisanship aside
and work with me to enact these important initiatives for the American
people.
This Department is also critical to meeting the challenges we face
in our economy. We need strong leadership in the Secretary's office.
Steve Preston is the right man for the job. He's a financial expert who
understands how the housing market impacts our broader economy. He's a
skilled manager. He's a person of character and integrity.
Secretary Preston will work to strengthen homeownership with the
same dedication he brought to his previous job of strengthening the
American small-business community. As the head of the SBA, Steve
presided over loan guarantee programs that are similar in structure to
those run by the Federal Housing Administration. And just as
entrepreneur across our Nation found a trusted friend in Steve Preston,
so will America's homeowners.
Before coming to the SBA, Steve gained valuable financial and
leadership experience in the private sector. His impressive career has
taken him from investment banking to senior financial posts at major
corporations. Wherever he's gone, Steve has earned the admiration of his
colleagues. He takes on this new challenge with my full confidence and
my trust.
Steve takes over for a good man, my
longtime buddy, Secretary Alphonso Jackson. I thank you for your
compassion and your hard work. You helped change a lot of lives. And I
wish you and Marcia all the very best. See
you back in Texas. [Laughter]
I also want to thank Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi for his service. He filled in as the Acting Secretary
during this transition. He spent nearly 7 years of his life here at this
Department. And I appreciate your hard work on behalf of all Americans.
As Steve takes office, his first priority will [be] * to help lead
my administration's response to the challenges in the housing market.
We've taken aggressive action to help responsible homeowners to keep
their homes by giving the FHA greater flexibility to offer refinancing
options. We're also helping to bring together what's now called the HOPE
NOW Alliance. By working together, participants in the mortgage industry
have helped more than 1 million--1\1/2\ million families stay in their
homes. HOPE
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NOW is working, but we've got more to do.
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* White House correction.
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Yesterday we learned that the foreclosure rates continued to rise in
the first quarter. So Steve will work with Democrats and Republicans in
Congress to address this challenge. We need to pass legislation to
reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We need to pass legislation to
modernize the Federal Housing Administration and allow State housing
agencies to issue tax-free bonds to help homeowners refinance their
mortgages. By taking these steps, we'll help more responsible homeowners
weather this rough patch and, at the same time, strengthen the dream of
homeownership for generations to come.
I've got confidence that we're going to meet these challenges, and I
got confidence in the people who work in this Department. I appreciate
what you do every day to expand the dream of homeownership. I thank you
for your efforts to provide low-income Americans with access to
affordable housing. You work hard to make sure our communities are more
vibrant and hopeful. The United States is fortunate to have such devoted
public servants in this Department, and I'm grateful for your service.
You're going to have a worthy leader in Steve Preston. I thank the
Senate for confirming Steve as your new Secretary. I now ask the Senate
to confirm the three remaining HUD nominees to help him lead this
Department.
Steve, I appreciate your stepping forward to serve your country once
again. I congratulate you. And now I ask my Chief of Staff, Josh Bolten, to administer the oath of office.
Note: The President spoke at 1:55 p.m. at the Department of Housing and
Urban Development. In his remarks, he referred to Marcia Jackson, wife
of former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso R.
Jackson. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary
also included the remarks of Secretary Preston.