[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 43 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Page 1607]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the White House Conference on Helping America's Youth

October 27, 2005

    Thank you all. Thanks for the warm welcome to Laura. Please be 
seated. Thank you. I am the introducer--[laughter]--a rare role for me 
these days but one I've been looking forward to.
    First of all, thank you all for coming. I want to thank Howard 
University for hosting this important summit. I love to be with the 
armies of compassion. At my State of the Union last year, I asked Laura 
to lead an initiative to help young people grow up to be successful 
adults. And since that State of the Union, she has taken me up on my 
request, and she has traveled the country to observe and find best 
practices and programs that are changing people's lives for the better.
    And so she called this summit to serve as a catalyst to continue to 
rally decent, honorable people who are working hard to make sure young 
Americans have a chance to realize the promise of this country. She is a 
great leader of this cause, a wonderful wife, and a wonderful First Lady 
for our country.
    Laura Bush.

Note: The President spoke at 9:35 a.m. at Howard University. The 
transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included 
the remarks of the First Lady.