[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 11 (Monday, March 20, 2006)]
[Pages 484-485]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Nomination of Dirk Kempthorne To Be Secretary of the 
Interior

March 16, 2006

    The President. Good afternoon. I'm pleased to announce my nomination 
of Governor Dirk Kempthorne to be the Secretary of the Interior. The 
Department of Interior is responsible for managing our national parks 
and public lands, conserving our natural resources, and pursuing 
environmentally responsible energy development on Federal lands and 
waters.
    I've nominated Dirk to succeed an outstanding public servant, Gale 
Norton. As the Secretary of the Interior for the past 5 years, she was 
instrumental in establishing the Healthy Forests Initiative to protect 
communities from catastrophic wildfire and to improve the habitat. When 
Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast region, she helped lead the 
efforts to restore offshore energy production so that Americans would 
not suffer further supply disruptions and price increases.
    Future generations of Americans will be able to enjoy our great 
national parks and wildlife refugees because of Gale's untiring work. 
Gale was one of the original members of my Cabinet and the first woman 
in American history to hold the post of Secretary of the Interior. I 
appreciate her dedicated service, and Laura and I wish Gale and John all 
the best.
    Dirk Kempthorne is the right man to build on this progress. As 
Governor of Idaho, he worked closely with Gale on a variety of important 
initiatives. They worked together to resolve a longstanding water rights 
issue, to return responsibility to Idaho for managing the local wolf 
population, and to make the Healthy Forests Initiative a reality in 
Idaho.
    As Governor, Dirk has been a responsible steward of Idaho's 30 State 
parks and recreational trailways that serve millions of visitors each 
year. He has launched the statewide Experience Idaho Initiative, which 
will fund needed improvements within Idaho's State parks to preserve 
public spaces and expand recreational opportunities for visitors. Last 
August, I had a chance to enjoy those recreational opportunities 
firsthand when Dirk and I biked some of Idaho's trails together.
    As Secretary of the Interior, Dirk will continue my administration's 
efforts to conserve our land, water, and air resources; reduce the 
maintenance backlog of our national parks; support historic and cultural 
sites through our Preserve America Initiative; and develop the energy 
potential of Federal lands and waters in environmentally sensitive ways.
    Dirk brings wide experience to these important tasks. He has served 
at every level of government: as mayor of Boise, as Governor of Idaho, 
and as a United States Senator. While in the Senate, he chaired the 
Subcommittee on Drinking Water, Fisheries, and Wildlife, and he chaired 
the Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee.
    He built bipartisan support to enact comprehensive reforms to the 
Safe Drinking Water Act. Dirk understands that those who live closest to 
the land know how to manage it best, and he will work closely with State 
and local leaders to ensure wise stewardship of our resources.
    Dirk has had a long and abiding love for nature. When he and his 
wife, Patricia, were married, they chose to hold the ceremony atop 
Idaho's Moscow Mountain at sunrise. Dirk said, ``I don't think there's a 
more beautiful cathedral than the outdoors.''
    I appreciate his willingness to take on this important post, and I 
ask the Senate to confirm him promptly as the 49th Secretary of the 
Interior.
    Thanks for agreeing to serve.

[[Page 485]]

[Secretary-designate Kempthorne made brief remarks.]

    The President. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 5:29 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to John Hughes, husband of Secretary 
of the Interior Gale A. Norton. The transcript released by the Office of 
the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Secretary-designate 
Kempthorne.