    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [September 26, 2008]
    [Pages 1251-1252]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting a Report and Agreement on the
    Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels
    September 26, 2008

    To the Senate of the United States:
        With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to
    accession, I transmit herewith the Agreement on the Conservation of
    Albatrosses and Petrels, with Annexes. In addition, I transmit for the
    information of the Senate the report of the Department of State, which
    includes a detailed analysis of the Agreement.
        The Agreement, done at Canberra on June 19, 2001, and that entered
    into force on February 1, 2004, was adopted pursuant to the Convention
    on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the
    ``Convention''), done at Bonn on June 23, 1979. Although the United
    States is not a Party to the Convention, the United States may
    nonetheless become a Party to the Agreement. The Agreement's objective
    is to achieve and maintain a favorable conservation status for
    albatrosses and petrels.
        I believe the Agreement to be fully in the U.S. interest. Its
    provisions advance the U.S. goals of protecting albatrosses and petrels.
    As the Department of State's analysis explains, the Agreement is not
    self-executing and thus does not by itself give rise to domestically
    enforceable Federal law. Implementing legislation would be required,
    which will be submitted separately to the Congress for its
    consideration.
        I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration
    to the Agreement and give its advice and consent to accession.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     September 26, 2008.

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