Presidential News and Speeches

President Bush on Tuesday said, "Thirty-five years ago today the United States Supreme Court declared and decided that under the law an unborn child is not considered a person. But we know many things about the unborn. Biology confirms that from the start each unborn child is a separate individual with his or her own genetic code. Babies can now survive outside the mother's womb at younger and younger ages. And the fingers and toes and beating hearts that we can see on an unborn child's ultrasound come with something that we cannot see: a soul."

The President signed today a package of directives that will ensure the United States' export control policies and practices support the National Security Strategy of 2006, while facilitating the United States' continued international economic and technological leadership. These new directives will advance a more efficient and transparent export licensing process and enhance dispute resolution mechanisms. They will also help ensure proper levels of control for continued U.S. economic competitiveness and innovation while protecting national security. The Directives are intended to clarify and strengthen the ability of the U.S. Government to monitor and deny U.S. controlled goods, services or technologies to a potential enemy.

Section 1. Policy. To help keep America competitive and assist the American people in understanding and addressing financial matters, it is the policy of the Federal Government to encourage financial literacy among the American people. Sec. 2. Establishment of the Council. There is established within the Department of the Treasury the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy (Council). Sec. 3. Membership and Operation of the Council. (a) The Council shall consist of 19 members appointed by the President from among individuals not employed by the Federal Government, consistent with subsection (b) of this section.

"The Protect America Act expires in just 10 days, yet after nearly six months of delay, Congress has still not taken the necessary action to keep our Nation safe. The terrorist threat we face does not expire on February 1. For the sake of our national security, Congress must act now to send the President a bill that keeps a critical intelligence gap permanently closed and provides meaningful liability protection for companies that may have assisted in efforts to defend America following the 9/11 attacks." „Ÿ White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, 1/22/08

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate two individuals and appoint three individuals to serve in his Administration. He also announced the appointment of sixteen individuals.

Nominations sent to the Senate: Jonathan Baron, Julia W. Bland, William J. Brennan, Jan Cellucci, J. Gregory Copeland, Nelson M. Ford, Joxel Garcia, Jeffrey J. Grieco, William J. Hagenah, Frank Philip Handy, Mark Y. Herring, Dorla M. Salling, Sally Epstein Shaywitz, Kurt Douglas Volker, and Joanne Weiss.

President Bush on Monday said, "First of all, Martin Luther King Day means two things to me. One is the opportunity to renew our deep desire for America to be a land of promise for everybody, a land of justice, and a land of opportunity. It's also an opportunity to serve our fellow citizens. They say Martin Luther King Day is not a day off, it should be a day on. And so today Laura and I witnessed acts of compassion as citizens were here in the library volunteering their time, and that's what's happening all across America today."

In his weekly radio address, President Bush said, "Passing a new growth package is our most pressing economic priority. And when that is done, Congress must turn to the most important economic priority for our country -- making sure the tax relief now in place is not taken away from you. ...I am optimistic about our economy, because people like you have shown time and again that Americans are the most industrious, creative, and enterprising people in the world. That is what has made our economy strong. And that is what will make it stronger in the challenging times ahead."

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the emergency declared with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process is to continue in effect beyond January 23, 2008.

Because these terrorist activities continue to threaten the Middle East peace process and to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the national emergency declared on January 23, 1995, as expanded on August 20, 1998, and the measures adopted on those dates to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond January 23, 2008. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process.

On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we recognize that each life has inherent dignity and matchless value, and we reaffirm our steadfast determination to defend the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society.

President Bush on Friday said, "Passing a new growth package is our most pressing economic priority. When that is done, Congress must turn to the most important economic priority for our country, and that's making sure the tax relief that is now in place is not taken away. A source of uncertainty in our economy is that this tax relief is set to expire at the end of 2010. Unless Congress acts, the American people will face massive tax increases in less than three years. The marriage penalty will make a comeback; the child tax credit will be cut in half; the death tax will come back to life; and tax rates will go up on regular income, capital gains, and dividends. This tax increase would put jobs and economic growth at risk, and Congress has a responsibility to keep that from happening. So it's critical that Congress make this tax relief permanent."

President Bush on Friday said, "Any package has got to remember that jobs are created by small businesses. A good package will have incentives for investment. The package we passed early in my administration helped him. He bought some equipment and made his firm more productive, kept him in business. And that's the same spirit that needs to be in this next growth package."

Today, President Bush asked Congress to work with him to enact an economic growth package as soon as possible to keep our economy growing and creating jobs. By passing an effective growth package quickly, we can provide a shot in the arm to keep our fundamentally strong economy healthy and help keep instability in the housing and financial markets from more adversely affecting the overall economy. The President has asked Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to lead the Administration's efforts to forge an agreement with Congress so that we can deliver this needed boost to our economy as quickly as possible.

President George W. Bush today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Tbilisi, Georgia to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia on January 20, 2008.

President George W. Bush today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Auckland, New Zealand to attend the State Funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary on January 22, 2008.

Today, Ambassador Nicholas Burns announced that he will resign in March as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate seven individuals and appoint five individuals to serve in his Administration. The President intends to nominate Nelson M. Ford, Joxel García, Jeffrey J. Grieco, Jonathan Baron, Frank Philip Handy, Sally Epstein Shaywitz, and Joanne Weiss. The President intends to appoint H. H. Barlow, William DeLauder, Keith W. Eckel, Robert A. Easter, and John M. Townsend.

In the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 110-161, $3,691,391,000 was designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement contingent upon a formal budget request by me that includes designation of the entire amount as an emergency requirement. While I believe that these funds should have been considered as regular appropriations, the men and women who have sacrificed for our country should not be held hostage to budgetary wrangling in Washington. Therefore, to provide these funds in a timely manner I hereby request and designate as an emergency requirement the $3,691,391,000, consistent with Public Law 110-161.

President Bush on Thursday said, "And one of the reasons we care about the suffering in Sudan is because we care about the human condition all across the face of the earth. And we fully understand that when people suffer, it is in our interest to help. And we also understand that when people suffer it makes it more likely that some may turn to the ideology of those who use murder as a weapon. So it's in our national security interest and it's in our -- in the interest of our conscience to confront this, what we have called a genocide. And I want to thank you for taking this on."