[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 30 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[Page 1010]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Briefing by the President's Commission on Care for 
America's Returning Wounded Warriors

July 25, 2007

    I want to thank Secretary Shalala and Senator Dole for briefing 
myself and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Defense on 
the general recommendations they'll be making to the country about how 
to make sure that our wounded heroes get the best possible care from the 
Defense Department and the Veterans Affairs Department.
    I asked these two distinguished citizens to lead an extensive search 
about how best for this Government to respond. We owe a wounded soldier 
the very best care and the very best benefits and the very easiest to 
understand system. And so they took a very interesting approach. And 
that they took the perspective from the patient, as the patient had to 
work his way through the hospitals and bureaucracies. And they've come 
up with some very interesting and important suggestions that they'll be 
voting on later and then will be holding a press conference about 
afterwards.
    The reason I've asked you to come in is, I do want to thank you on 
behalf of the Nation for doing what's right.
    I also want to recognize Bob Woodruff here. He is a--he himself was 
wounded, severely wounded and went through the system, to a certain 
extent. And we welcome you back, and we're glad you're with us. And we 
would hope that any wounded soldier, any person in uniform would receive 
the kind of care and the ability to return to work, just like you have 
done. And so we're glad you're with us, Bob. Congratulations on the will 
to recover.
    That will exists with our troops as well. It's amazing how 
courageous our men and women in uniform are, and they deserve the best. 
And that's the spirit in which you analyzed the system. And we welcome 
your recommendations, and we thank you for your service.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:34 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to former Secretary of Health and 
Human Services Donna E. Shalala and former Senator Bob Dole, Cochairs, 
President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors; 
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; and ABC News reporter Bob 
Woodruff, who was injured in Iraq on January 29, 2006. The Office of the 
Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these 
remarks.