    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [July 1, 2008]
    [Pages i-xii]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Public papers of the President of the United States 2008 BOOKII

    [[Page i]]

              P U B L I C P A P E R S O F T H E P R E S I D E N T S

                                    O F T H E

                             U N I T E D S T A T E S

    [[Page iii]]

              P U B L I C P A P E R S O F T H E P R E S I D E N T S

                                    O F T H E

                             U N I T E D S T A T E S

                               George W. Bush

                                 2008-2009
                               (IN TWO BOOK)

                      BOOK II-JULY 1, 2008 TO JANUARY 20, 2009

                    -------------------------------------------
                     UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
                              WASHINGTON : 2012

    [[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) 512-1204

                  Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20401

    [[Page v]]

                                    Foreword

        This volume collects my speeches and papers from the second half of
    2008, as well as January of 2009--the final seven months of my
    Presidency.

        This period was dominated by dramatic developments in our Nation's
    economy. As autumn began, a crisis in the subprime mortgage market and a
    contraction of global liquidity hit the financial sector hard. Several
    major financial firms failed, entered into mergers, or received
    emergency assistance from the Federal Government. Fannie Mae and Freddie
    Mac--two government-sponsored enterprises heavily involved in the
    housing market--were placed into conservatorship. And Americans watched
    anxiously as the stock market experienced some of the most severe
    volatility in its history.

        My team of economic advisors warned that without bold action these
    events could lead to a catastrophe rivaling the Great Depression in
    severity. So we launched an initiative known as TARP (the Troubled
    Assets Relief Program) to strengthen the financial sector by purchasing
    assets and equity from struggling financial institutions.

        In September, I explained this plan to the American people in a
    speech delivered from the State Floor of the White House. I said, ``With
    the situation becoming more precarious by the day, I faced a choice: To
    step in with dramatic Government action, or to stand back and allow the
    irresponsible actions of some to undermine the financial security of
    all. I'm a strong believer in free enterprise. So my natural instinct is
    to oppose Government intervention. I believe companies that make bad
    decisions should be allowed to go out of business. Under normal
    circumstances, I would have followed this course. But these are not
    normal circumstances. The market is not functioning properly. There's
    been a widespread loss of confidence. And major sectors of America's
    financial system are at risk of shutting down.'' In October, Congress
    passed critical legislation to help us address the financial crisis.

        Throughout the remainder of my term, my Administration took action
    vital to restoring the health of our economy. In November, we hosted an
    international summit on financial markets and the world economy. At this
    meeting, world leaders discussed efforts to strengthen economic growth
    and reforms to help avoid similar financial crises in the future. They
    also recommitted to the importance of free trade and free markets as
    essential ingredients of successful economies. In December, I announced
    a plan to provide loans for American automakers so that they could
    restructure their businesses without entering into disorderly
    bankruptcies that could harm our entire economy.

        As we faced these challenges to our prosperity, our Nation also
    remained vigilant against threats to our safety. In July, I signed the
    FISA Amendments Act of 2008, a law that allows our intelligence
    professionals to monitor communications of terror-

    [[Page vi]]

    ists while respecting the liberties of our citizens. In December, the
    United States and Iraq signed two important agreements for the future
    security of our nations. We signed a Strategic Framework Agreement
    committing our countries to partnerships on issues like regional
    security, trade, and building democratic institutions. And we signed a
    Status of Forces Agreement that turned over increased authority to Iraqi
    forces and laid out a plan for withdrawing the American military
    presence in the country. Because the surge had helped lower violence in
    Iraq to levels not seen in years, we were able to embrace a drawdown
    scheduled to bring all American forces home by the end of 2011--a return
    on success.

        This was also a period of extensive travel. In July, Laura and I
    traveled to Toyako, Japan, where I attended the G8 Summit. In August, we
    took another trip to Asia, visiting South Korea and Thailand and taking
    in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. In November, we
    traveled to Lima, Peru, where I attended the Leaders' Meeting of the
    Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. And in December, I visited Iraq and
    Afghanistan, my final trip overseas on Air Force One.

        In our final months, my Administration also continued the
    compassionate work of fighting disease and poverty throughout the world.
    In July, I signed the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act. This bill set goals of
    providing treatment for at least 3 million people effected by HIV/AIDS
    and preventing 12 million new infections worldwide. In October, we
    hosted the White House Summit on International Development, a conference
    that highlighted our revolutionary new approach to foreign assistance--
    linking financial support for developing nations with tangible results
    and good governance.

        As my Administration drew to a close, America began the process of
    political renewal that accompanies the transition of presidential power.
    In November, the Nation elected Senator Barack Obama of Illinois the
    44th President of the United States. This was the first time that an
    African-American had been elected to the presidency. I marked this
    historic occasion the day after the election, saying, ``Many of our
    citizens thought they would never live to see that day. This moment is
    especially uplifting for a generation of Americans who witnessed the
    struggle for civil rights with their own eyes--and four decades later
    see a dream fulfilled.''

        As my days in office drew to a close, my Administration worked
    closely with the Obama team to ensure one of the smoothest transitions
    in presidential history. As the White House prepared for the arrival of
    a new President, I spoke to the American people from the East Room one
    final time on January 15, 2009. In my farewell address, I said
    ``President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, `I like the dreams of the
    future better than the history of the past.' As I leave the house he
    occupied two centuries ago, I share that optimism. America is a young
    country, full of vitality, constantly growing and renewing itself. And
    even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon
    ahead.''

        The term of my service was eight years. But the honor of serving the
    American people will endure forever. I will spend the rest of my life
    grateful for the opportunity to have served as President of the United
    States of America.

                              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, 2008-January 20, 2009. 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 Lois Davis, Michael J. Forcina, Joseph G. Frankovic, Diane
    Hiltabidle, Alfred Jones, Joshua H. Liberatore, Heather N. McDaniel,
    Amelia E. Otovo, D. Gregory Perrin, Matthew R. Regan, 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
    Davita Vance-Cooks, Acting Public Printer.

    Michael L. White
    Acting 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, 2008-January 20, 2009 . . . 967

                        Appendix A
                        Digest of Other White House Announcements . . . 1583

                        Appendix B
                        Nominations Submitted to the Senate . . . 1615

                        Appendix C
                        Checklist of White House Press Releases . . . 1623

                        Appendix D
                        Presidential Documents Published in the Federal
    Register . . . 1637

                        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

                                              Michael B. Mukasey......

            Secretary of the Interior

                                              Dirk Kempthorne.........

            Secretary of Agriculture

                                              Edward T. Schafer.......

            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

                                              Steven C. Preston.......

            Secretary of Transportation

                                              Mary E. Peters..........

            Secretary of Energy

                                              Samuel W. Bodman........

            Secretary of Education

                                              Margaret Spellings......

            Secretary of Veterans Affairs

                                              James B. Peake..........

            Secretary of Homeland Security

                                              Michael Chertoff........

            Chief of Staff

                                              Joshua B. Bolten........

    [[Page xii]]

            Administrator of the Environmental

            Protection Agency

                                              Stephen L. Johnson......

            United States Trade Representative

                                              Susan C. Schwab.........

            Director of the Office of
            Management

            and Budget

                                              James A. Nussle.........

            Director of National Drug Control

            Policy

                                              John P. Walters.........