Presidential News and Speeches

As we enter this New Year, we reflect on the past and look forward to a promising year ahead.

Today, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour announced the appointment of Representative Roger Wicker to serve as United State Senator for the State of Mississippi, succeeding Senator Trent Lott.

On Monday, December 31, 2007, the President signed into law S. 2488, the "Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2007."

On Saturday, December 29, 2007, the President signed into law H.R. 4839 and S. 2499.

In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "As we address earmarks, we also must restrain spending, keep taxes low, and continue on a path towards a balanced budget. And that is what the budget I submit in February will do. You work hard for your money and to live within your means. As you provide for your families, the last thing you need is wasteful spending that will lead to a tax hike. My resolution for the New Year is this: to work with Congress to keep our economy growing, to keep your tax burden low, and to ensure that the money you send to Washington is spent wisely -- or not at all."

I am withholding my approval of H.R. 1585, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008," because it would imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets at a crucial juncture in that nation's reconstruction efforts and because it would undermine the foreign policy and commercial interests of the United States.

Administration Committed To Working Quickly With Congress To Secure Military Pay Raise And Provide Technical Fix Protecting Political And Economic Progress That Is Critical To Bringing Our Troops Home

President Bush intends to veto the National Defense Authorization Act for FY08 (NDAA) because particular provisions included in the bill risk imposing financially devastating hardship on Iraq that will unacceptably interfere with the political and economic progress everyone agrees is critically important to bringing our troops home. Section 1083 of the NDAA amends the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which establishes rules on how foreign countries may be sued under U.S. law. The amendments would dramatically change these rules and potentially invite foreign governments to take reciprocal action allowing suits to proceed against the United States even for legitimate government activities. Among other things, Section 1083 would allow plaintiffs' lawyers pursuing Iraq for Saddam-era acts of terrorism to freeze Iraq's assets in the amount of damages claimed in their lawsuits, and would permit the relitigation of billions of dollars of lawsuits against Iraq that have already been dismissed by our courts. At the same time, by subjecting the democratically elected Government of Iraq to this liability, the provision would imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets at a crucial juncture in that Nation's reconstruction efforts and undermine the foreign policy and commercial interests of the United States.

MR. STANZEL: This is Scott Stanzel, and I'm going to be joined today by Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto, and I will also be joined by senior administration officials from the National Security Council, and they will provide information to you -- they will be referred to as senior administration officials. This is a background call.

President Bush will welcome President Abdullah Gul of Turkey to the White House on January 8, 2008, for his first visit to Washington as President. The President looks forward to establishing a good relationship with President Gul and discussing issues of mutual concern, including our efforts to counter the PKK; promote peace and stability in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and the broader Middle East; and advance Turkey's European Union accession goals, which the United States supports.

The President intends to veto H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 ("NDAA"). One provision in the bill - section 1083 - would significantly amend current law (the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act) in ways that would imperil Iraqi assets held in the United States, including reconstruction and central bank funds. If enacted, Section 1083 would permit plaintiffs' lawyers immediately to freeze Iraqi funds and would expose Iraq to massive liability in lawsuits concerning the misdeeds of the Saddam Hussein regime. The new democratic government of Iraq, during this crucial period of reconstruction, cannot afford to have its funds entangled in such lawsuits in the United States. Once in place, the restrictions on Iraq's funds that could result from the bill could take months to lift, and thus Section 1083 cannot become law even for a short period of time.

On Thursday, President Bush said, "Laura and I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Benazir Bhutto, to her friends, to her supporters. We send our condolences to the families of the others who were killed in today's violence. And we send our condolences to all the people of Pakistan on this tragic occasion."

MR. STANZEL: Good afternoon, everyone. Happy to take your questions.

SUBJECT: Provision of Aviation Insurance Coverage for Commercial Air Carrier Service in Domestic and International Operations

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Missouri and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe winter storms beginning on December 6, 2007, and continuing.

The modifications and technical rectifications to the HTS set forth in Annexes I and II to this proclamation shall be effective with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the later of (i) February 1, 2008, or (ii) the thirtieth day after the date of publication of this proclamation in the Federal Register.