[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 7 (Monday, February 21, 2005)]
[Pages 235-236]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Alberto R. Gonzales as Attorney 
General at the Department of Justice

February 14, 2005

    Good morning. Laura and I are pleased to be here with Al Gonzales, 
his wife, Becky, and his wonderful family. Thank you all for coming. I 
turned to Al and said, ``It seems like they're cheering pretty loud.'' 
He said, ``Most of them work for me now.'' [Laughter]
    For the past decade, Al has been a close adviser, an honorable 
public servant, and a dear friend. Now he assumes a new title. Today it 
is my honor to call this son of Humble, Texas, the 80th Attorney General 
of the United States.
    I appreciate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor for administering the oath 
and admitting publicly that she was born in Texas. [Laughter] I want to 
thank the current and former members of my Cabinet who are here. I 
appreciate Senator Pat Leahy, Senator Judd Gregg and Kathy, Senator John 
Cornyn and Sandy, Senator Mel Martinez for joining us today. I thank 
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano for joining us. I thank the other 
distinguished guests who are here, and I thank the Texans who have come 
up.
    As Attorney General Gonzales begins his service, he will build on 
the outstanding work of Attorney General John Ashcroft. Over the past 4 
years, Attorney General Ashcroft has started the Department of Justice 
on the right course in the war on terror. He's helped reduce violent 
crime to a 30-year low. He's taken vital new steps to protect children 
from exploitation. John Ashcroft has worked tirelessly to make our 
Nation safer and more just, and America is thankful for your lifetime of 
service.
    Attorney General Gonzales now joins every employee at the Department 
of Justice in an urgent mission to protect the United States from 
another terrorist attack. Few periods in our history have demanded so 
much of this Department. With Al's principled leadership, the Department 
of Justice will continue this important mission and will defend the 
security of all Americans and the liberty of all Americans.
    The men and women of this Department are meeting your duty every 
day, from your

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headquarters in Washington to U.S. Attorneys offices across the country, 
to dangerous posts overseas. You've reorganized your resources to 
confront the threats of this new war. You've devised effective methods 
to investigate and prosecute terrorists. Some of you have volunteered 
for demanding new duties in complex areas such as intelligence and 
counterterrorism.
    Our Nation is grateful for your dedication and sacrifice, and in 
return, we must provide you all the tools you need to do your job. And 
one of those tools is the PATRIOT Act, which has been vital to our 
success in tracking terrorists and disrupting their plans. Many key 
elements of the PATRIOT Act are now set to expire at the end of this 
year. We must not allow the passage of time or the illusion of safety to 
weaken our resolve in this new war. To protect the American people, 
Congress must promptly renew all provisions of the PATRIOT Act this 
year.
    Your mission to ensure equal justice for every American extends far 
beyond the war on terror. By aggressively prosecuting gun criminals and 
drug dealers, you make neighborhoods safer for all families. By holding 
corporate wrongdoers to account, you build confidence in our economy. By 
protecting victims of child abuse and domestic violence, you help 
guarantee a compassionate society. And by defending the civil rights of 
every American, you affirm the dignity of every life and you set an 
example of liberty for the entire world.
    As we strive to provide equal justice, we must ensure that Americans 
of all races and backgrounds trust the legal system. By spreading the 
use of DNA analysis, we can solve more crimes, lock up more criminals, 
and prevent wrongful conviction. So I've asked Congress for more than a 
billion dollars over 5 years to expand this vital technology. And to 
help ensure that the death penalty is applied justly, I've also 
requested new funding to train prosecutors, judges, and defense counsels 
in capital cases.
    To maintain confidence in the legal system, we must ensure that 
judges faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. I've 
a constitutional responsibility to nominate well-qualified men and women 
for the Federal courts. I have done so. And I've benefited greatly from 
the sound judgment of Attorney General Gonzales on picking qualified 
people to serve on our benches. I will continue to rely on his advice. 
And the United States Senate must also live up to its constitutional 
responsibility. Every judicial nominee deserves a prompt hearing and an 
up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate.
    As he embarks on all these duties, Attorney General Gonzales has my 
complete confidence. From his early days of selling soda at Rice 
University football games to his time in the Air Force to his 
distinguished legal career and service on the White House staff, Al has 
been a model of courage and character to his fellow citizens. I've 
witnessed his integrity, his decency, his deep dedication to the cause 
of justice. Now he will advance that cause as the Attorney General and 
ensure that more Americans have the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
    Attorney General--or General--congratulations.

Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. in the Great Hall at the U.S. 
Department of Justice. In his remarks, he referred to Kathleen MacLellan 
Gregg, wife of Senator Judd Gregg; and Sandy Cornyn, wife of Senator 
John Cornyn. The transcript released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary also included the remarks of Attorney General Gonzales. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks.