[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 38 (Monday, September 24, 2007)]
[Page 1224]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Resignation of Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture

September 20, 2007

    President Bush. Good morning. Mike Johanns has informed me that he 
plans to return home to Nebraska, which means that his service as 
Secretary of Agriculture must come to an end. Mike has been an 
outstanding member of my Cabinet. I knew he would be when I asked him to 
become the Secretary of Agriculture. I've known him for a long time. 
I've admired the fact that he is not only a decent person and an honest 
person, but he's a person who can get some things done.
    So I accepted his resignation, and Laura and I bid Mike and 
Stephanie a warm farewell. And I thank him from the bottom of my heart 
for leaving a State he loves to come here to Washington, DC, to work in 
an--to work as the Secretary of Agriculture. You know, Mike brought with 
him a lot of practical farm experience. After all, he was the proud son 
of a dairy farmer. He understands the importance of the land. He worked 
tirelessly on behalf of farmers and ranchers.
    And Mike Johanns did an outstanding job as the Secretary of 
Agriculture. He brought focus and energy to the Department. He was a 
champion of renewable fuels. He expanded the Department's commitment to 
conservation. He worked endlessly to open up foreign markets for 
American beef. He provided timely assistance to farmers and ranchers 
devastated by natural disasters. I couldn't have asked for a better 
Secretary of Agriculture.
    He worked hard to put in motion a good farm bill. I remember when 
Mike came here to the Oval, he said to me, he said, ``What I'm going to 
do is, I'm going to travel the country and reach out to the stakeholders 
to lay the foundation for farm legislation.'' And that's exactly what he 
did. And I got feedback from all around America that Mike Johanns 
listened. He wisely shepherded the process in such a way that we've got 
a good farm bill in front of the Congress. He set the framework for 
success, and I'm confident we can get a good bill passed.
    So I want to thank you for your good work getting this teed up.
    Secretary Johanns. Thank you, Mr. President.
    The President. He's got a good team over at the Secretary of--at the 
Department of Agriculture. In other words, Mike understands that you've 
got to surround yourself with good folks. And so I feel very comfortable 
asking Chuck Connor, the Deputy Secretary, to serve as the Acting 
Secretary. And I want to thank Chuck for his good work.
    Mike came by the White House here a couple of days ago, and he asked 
for my advice--and I appreciate it. Everybody likes to have their 
counsel sought. And during the discussion, he told me he was interested 
in continuing to serve America, but in a different role. And I asked him 
if this was something he was seriously considering. In other words, 
sometimes you get these rumors out there in the political process where 
somebody feels like they've got to say, yes, I'm interested. But no 
question in my mind that Mike loves Nebraska, and he's serious about 
going home and possibly serving the Nation in a different capacity.
    And my answer was--to Mike was, I support you, and I encourage you 
to follow your heart. If it's Mike's decision and Nebraska's choice, he 
would make an outstanding Member of the United States Senate. There is 
no doubt in my mind.
    And so I want to thank you for your service; thank you for your 
friendship; thank you for your commitment to America's farmers and 
ranchers and our country. And Laura and I wish you all the very best.

Note: The President spoke at 9:27 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also 
included the remarks of Secretary Johanns.