[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
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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
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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
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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
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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-
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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........
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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.........