Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Monday, October 9, 2006 Volume 42—Number 40 Pages 1703–1763

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Addresses and Remarks Bill Signings—Continued See also Bill Signings; Meetings With Foreign Department of Homeland Security Leaders Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 Arizona, breakfast for congressional candidate Remarks in Scottsdale, Arizona—1740 Rick Renzi in Scottsdale—1734 Statement—1742 California Communications to Congress Arrival in Los Angeles—1731 Breakfast for congressional candidate Denmark-U.S. Taxation Convention, message Richard W. Pombo in Stockton—1719 transmitting protocol amending—1709 George W. Bush Elementary School in District of Columbia’s fiscal year 2007 budget Stockton—1725 request, message transmitting—1706 Reception for congressional candidate John Estonia-U.S. extradition treaty, message T. Doolittle in El Dorado Hills—1725 transmitting—1710 Wildfires—1731 Finland-U.S. Taxation Convention, message Colorado, reception for gubernatorial transmitting protocol amending—1709 candidate Bob Beauprez and the Colorado Germany-U.S. Taxation Convention, message Republican Party in Englewood—1743 transmitting protocol amending—1710 Education Department—1749 Latvia-U.S. extradition treaty, message Hispanic Heritage Month, reception—1758 transmitting—1711 National economy—1757 Malta-U.S. extradition treaty, message Nevada, reception for congressional candidate transmitting—1711 Dean Heller in Reno—1713 Communications to Federal Agencies Radio address—1706 Sudan, meeting with Special Envoy Natsios— Extension of the Safety, Health, and Return- 1712 to-Employment (SHARE) Initiative, Woodridge Elementary and Middle memorandum—1705 Campus—1750 Presidential Determination on Drawdown of Commodities and Services From the Bill Signings Department of Defense To Support Department of Defense Appropriations Act, Transport of Indonesian Peacekeeping 2007, statement—1703 Forces to Lebanon—1708

(Continued on the inside of the back cover.)

WEEKLY COMPILATION OF Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Docu- ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished by mail to domestic subscribers for $80.00 per year Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Reg- ($137.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for ister, National Archives and Records Administration, Washing- $93.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of Documents, ton, DC 20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The ments contains statements, messages, and other Presidential charge for a single copy is $3.00 ($3.75 for foreign mailing). materials released by the White House during the preceding The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is also week. available on the Internet on the GPO Access service at http:// The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub- www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html. lished pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Reg- There are no restrictions on the republication of material ister Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- regulations prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the ments. Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10).

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Communications to Federal Agencies— Proclamations—Continued Continued National Disability Employment Awareness Promoting Sustainable Fisheries and Ending Month—1733 Destructive Fishing Practices, National Domestic Violence Awareness memorandum—1718 Month—1704 Waiving Prohibition on U.S. Military National School Lunch Week—1755 Assistance With Respect to Various Parties to the Rome Statute Establishing the Statements by the President International Criminal Court, See also Bill Signings memorandum—1708 ‘‘Iran Freedom Support Act,’’ congressional action—1707 Meetings With Foreign Leaders Transportation Secretary, Senate confirmation Turkey, Prime Minister Erdogan—1712 of Mary E. Peters—1707 Proclamations Supplementary Materials Columbus Day—1756 Acts approved by the President—1762 Fire Prevention Week—1756 Checklist of White House press releases— German-American Day—1733 1761 Leif Erikson Day—1749 Digest of other White House National Breast Cancer Awareness Month— announcements—1760 1732 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1761

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Statement on Signing the 15 days after the executive branch notifies Department of Defense six committees of the Congress of the Appropriations Act, 2007 planned transfer. To the extent that protec- September 29, 2006 tion of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed for international peacekeeping, peace enforce- Today, I have signed into law H.R. 5631, ment, or humanitarian assistance operations the ‘‘Department of Defense Appropriations might require action of a kind covered by Act, 2007.’’ The Act appropriates the funds section 8050 sooner than 15 days after notifi- needed to fight the war on terror, advance cation, the executive branch shall construe other United States interests around the the section in a manner consistent with the world, and support our Armed Forces. The President’s constitutional authority as Com- Act also continues funding for Government mander in Chief. programs for which the Congress has not yet A proviso in the Act’s appropriation for enacted regular appropriations acts. ‘‘Operation and Maintenance, Defense- Sections 8007, 8084, and 9005 of the Act prohibit the use of funds to initiate a special Wide’’ purports to prohibit planning for con- access program or a new start program, un- solidation of certain offices within the De- less the congressional defense committees partment of Defense. Also, sections 8010(b), receive advance notice. The Supreme Court 8032(b), and 8089 purport to specify the con- of the United States has stated that the Presi- tent of portions of future budget requests to dent’s authority to classify and control access the Congress. The executive branch shall to information bearing on the national secu- construe these provisions relating to planning rity flows from the Constitution and does not and making of budget recommendations in depend upon a legislative grant of authority. a manner consistent with the President’s con- Although the advance notice contemplated stitutional authority to require the opinions by sections 8007, 8084, and 9005 can be pro- of the heads of departments, to supervise the vided in most situations as a matter of comity, unitary executive branch, and to recommend situations may arise, especially in wartime, for congressional consideration such meas- in which the President must act promptly ures as the President shall judge necessary under his constitutional grants of executive and expedient. power and authority as Commander in Chief Section 8005 of the Act, relating to re- of the Armed Forces while protecting certain quests to congressional committees for re- extraordinarily sensitive national security in- programming of funds, shall be construed as formation. The executive branch shall con- calling solely for notification, as any other strue these sections in a manner consistent construction would be inconsistent with the with the constitutional authority of the Presi- constitutional principles enunciated by the dent. Supreme Court of the United States in INS Section 8050 of the Act provides that, not- v. Chadha. withstanding any other provision of law, no funds available to the Department of De- The executive branch shall construe sec- fense for fiscal year 2007 may be used to tion 8093, relating to integration of foreign transfer defense articles or services, other intelligence information, in a manner con- than intelligence services, to another nation sistent with the President’s constitutional au- or an international organization for inter- thority as Commander in Chief, including for national peacekeeping, peace enforcement, the conduct of intelligence operations, and or humanitarian assistance operations, until to supervise the unitary executive branch. 1703

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Also, the executive branch shall construe sec- portunity to underscore our commitment to tions 8095 and 8101 of the Act, which pur- bringing an end to violence in the home. port to prohibit the President from altering A home should be a place of stability, com- command and control relationships within fort, and love. Domestic violence shatters the Armed Forces, as advisory, as any other this important foundation. My Administra- construction would be inconsistent with the tion is strongly committed to addressing do- constitutional grant to the President of the mestic violence and helping those who have authority of Commander in Chief. been victimized. In January, I was proud to The executive branch shall construe provi- sign legislation reauthorizing the Violence sions of the Act relating to race, ethnicity, Against Women Act. Since I announced the gender, and State residency, such as sections Family Justice Center Initiative in 2003, we 8013, 8018 and 8048, in a manner consistent have opened 11 Family Justice Centers with the requirement to afford equal protec- across the country. These centers offer serv- tion of the laws under the Due Process ices to victims and their families, including Clause of the Constitution’s Fifth Amend- legal advice, counseling, and support. In ad- ment. dition, we are continuing to work with faith- Sections 8039 and 8064 of the Act purport based and community organizations to pro- to allocate funds for specified purposes as vide training, expertise, and funding to help set forth in the joint explanatory statement deliver hope and healing to those who need of managers that accompanied the Act and it most. to direct compliance with a classified annex During National Domestic Violence which was not incorporated into the Act and Awareness Month and throughout the year, for which presentment was not made. The we are grateful for the advocates, counselors, executive branch shall construe all these pro- and others who provide care to those affected visions in a manner consistent with the bi- by these acts of cruelty and for the law en- cameral passage and presentment require- forcement personnel and others who work ments of the Constitution for the making of to bring offenders to justice. We extend our a law. compassion to the victims of domestic vio- George W. Bush lence and urge them to seek assistance through local Family Justice Centers, faith- The White House, based and community organizations, and the September 29, 2006. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1–800–799–SAFE. By working together, we NOTE: H.R. 5631, approved September 29, was assigned Public Law No. 109–289. This item was can build an America where every home hon- not received in time for publication in the appro- ors the value and dignity of its loved ones. priate issue. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Proclamation 8058—National the Constitution and laws of the United Domestic Violence Awareness States, do hereby proclaim October 2006 as Month, 2006 National Domestic Violence Awareness September 29, 2006 Month. I urge all Americans to reach out to victims and help end domestic violence. By the President of the United States In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set of America my hand this twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, A Proclamation and of the Independence of the United Domestic violence has no place in our soci- States of America the two hundred and thir- ety, and we have a moral obligation to help ty-first. prevent it. The terrible tragedies that result George W. Bush from it destroy lives and insult the dignity of women, men, and children. National Do- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, mestic Violence Awareness Month is an op- 8:45 a.m., October 3, 2006]

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NOTE: This proclamation was published in the The four goals of the SHARE Initiative Federal Register on October 4. This item was not will continue to use FY 2003 as the baseline. received in time for publication in the appropriate The goals for the timely filing of workers’ issue. compensation claims (Goal 3) and reduction of lost production days (Goal 4) have been Memorandum on Extension of the modified to recognize consistent and supe- Safety, Health, and Return-to- rior agency performance and, at the same Employment (SHARE) Initiative time, to hold low-end performers to more significant and challenging performance lev- September 29, 2006 els. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Each executive department and agency Departments and Agencies will collaborate with the Department of Labor to establish ambitious annual goals Subject: Extension of the Safety, Health, and based on its current performance in each of Return-to-Employment (SHARE) Initiative the four areas. Agencies are encouraged to On January 9, 2004, I established the 3- work with the Department of Labor’s Occu- year Safety, Health, and Return-to-Employ- pational Safety and Health Administration ment (SHARE) Initiative, and directed all ex- and Employment Standards Administration’s ecutive branch agencies to participate in this Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs Government-wide effort to improve safety to develop and refine strategies for improv- and health in Federal workplaces. SHARE’s ing workplace safety and health. The Depart- four goals focus attention in the most critical ment of Labor will continue to lead the areas of a safety, health, and injury case man- SHARE effort by measuring and tracking agement program: lower total injury and ill- performance and reporting to me annually ness case rates, lower lost-time injury and ill- on performance, both Government-wide and ness case rates, improved timely reporting of by agency. injuries and illnesses, and reduced rates of Safety and health and return-to-work are lost production days due to work-related in- important employment values. To ensure juries and illnesses. that workers are protected from harm, Fed- During the first 2 years of SHARE, most eral supervisory personnel must concentrate departments and agencies reduced their in- their attention and use all the management jury and illness and lost production day rates, tools and resources at their disposal to pre- and significantly improved the timely report- vent workplace injuries and illnesses. Man- ing of incidents. From 2003 to 2005 the Gov- agers and supervisors should encourage Fed- ernment as a whole achieved a 5.5 percent reduction in an injury and illness case rate, eral employees to perform their jobs safely, a 2.6 percent reduction in its lost-time injury effectively, and alertly to remain injury-free. and illness case rate, and a 43 percent in- A safe and healthy Federal workforce not crease in timely reporting. According to the only preserves the Government’s valuable Department of Labor, which leads the human resources, but also contributes to the SHARE Initiative and tracks and reports its effective and efficient delivery of Govern- performance results, Fiscal Year 2006 results ment services to the American people. will be even more favorable. Therefore, I am extending the SHARE George W. Bush Initiative through Fiscal Year 2009 to reaf- firm my commitment to improving the safety NOTE: This item was not received in time for pub- of Federal workplaces and reducing the sig- lication in the appropriate issue. An original was nificant personal and financial costs of occu- not available for verification of the content of this pational injuries and illnesses. memorandum.

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Message to the Congress icanism. It concludes that terrorists are ex- Transmitting the District of ploiting all these factors to further their Columbia’s Fiscal Year 2007 Budget movement. Request Some in Washington have selectively quoted from this document to make the case September 29, 2006 that by fighting the terrorists in Iraq, we are To the Congress of the United States: making our people less secure here at home. Pursuant to my constitutional authority This argument buys into the enemy’s propa- and consistent with section 446 of The Dis- ganda that the terrorists attack us because trict of Columbia Self-Governmental Reor- we are provoking them. Here is what Prime ganization Act as amended in 1989, I am Minister Tony Blair said this week about that transmitting the District of Columbia’s 2007 argument: ‘‘This terrorism isn’t our fault. We Budget Request Act. didn’t cause it. It’s not the consequence of The proposed 2007 Budget Request Act foreign policy.’’ Prime Minister Blair is right. reflects the major programmatic objectives We do not create terrorism by fighting ter- of the Mayor and the Council of the District rorism. The terrorists are at war against us of Columbia. For 2007, the District estimates because they hate everything America stands total revenues and expenditures of $7.61 bil- for and because they know we stand in the lion. way of their ambitions to take over the Mid- dle East. We are fighting to stop them from George W. Bush taking over Iraq and turning that country into The White House, a safe haven that would be even more valu- September 29, 2006. able than the one they lost in Afghanistan. Iraq is not the reason the terrorists are at NOTE: This item was not received in time for pub- lication in the appropriate issue. war against us. Our troops were not in Iraq when terrorists first attacked the World Trade Center in 1993 or when terrorists blew The President’s Radio Address up our Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania or September 30, 2006 when they bombed the USS Cole or when they killed nearly 3,000 people on September Good morning. Today I want to talk to you the 11th, 2001. Five years after the 9/11 at- about a matter of national security that has tacks, some people in Washington still do not been in the news—the National Intelligence understand the nature of the enemy. The Estimate on terrorism. The NIE is a classi- only way to protect our citizens at home is fied document that analyzes the threat we to go on the offense against the enemy across face from terrorists and extremists. Parts of the world. When terrorists spend their days this classified document were recently leaked working to avoid capture, they are less able to the press. That has created a heated de- to plot, plan, and execute new attacks on our bate in our Nation’s Capital and a lot of people. So we will remain on the offense misimpressions about the document’s con- until the terrorists are defeated and this fight clusions. I believe the American people is won. should read the document themselves and In my recent speeches, I’ve said we are come to their own conclusions, so I declas- in the early hours of a long struggle for civili- sified its key judgments. zation and that our safety depends on the The National Intelligence Estimate con- outcome of the battle in Iraq. The National firms that we are up against a determined Intelligence Estimate declares, quote, ‘‘Per- and capable enemy. The NIE lists four un- ceived jihadist success there would inspire derlying factors that are fueling the extremist more fighters to continue the struggle else- movement: first, longstanding grievances where.’’ It also says that, quote, ‘‘Should such as corruption, injustice, and a fear of jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, Western domination; second, the jihad in and be perceived, to have failed, we judge Iraq; third, the slow pace of reform in Mus- fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on lim nations; and fourth, pervasive anti-Amer- the fight.’’

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Withdrawing from Iraq before the enemy a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation is defeated would embolden the terrorists. system. It would help them find new recruits to carry I congratulate Mary and her family on her out even more destructive attacks on our Na- confirmation and thank her for her service tion, and it would give the terrorists a new to our Nation. sanctuary in the heart of the Middle East, with huge oil riches to fund their ambitions. America must not allow this to happen. We Statement on Congressional Action are a nation that keeps its commitments to on the ‘‘Iran Freedom Support Act’’ those who long for liberty and want to live September 30, 2006 in peace. We will stand with the nearly 12 million Iraqis who voted for their freedom, My administration is working on many and we will help them fight and defeat the fronts to address the challenges posed by the terrorists there so we do not have to face Iranian regime’s pursuit of weapons of mass them here at home. destruction, support for terrorism, efforts to Thank you for listening. destabilize the Middle East, and repression of the fundamental human rights of the citi- NOTE: The address was recorded at 7:55 a.m. on zens of Iran. We are engaged in intense di- September 29 in the Cabinet Room at the White plomacy alongside our allies and have also House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on September undertaken financial measures to counter the 30. The transcript was made available by the Of- actions of the Iranian regime. fice of the Press Secretary on September 29 but I applaud Congress for demonstrating its was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his address, the President referred to Prime Min- bipartisan commitment to confronting the ister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. The Of- Iranian regime’s repressive and destabilizing fice of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish activities by passing the Iran Freedom Sup- language transcript of this address. port Act. This legislation will codify U.S. sanctions on Iran while providing my admin- istration with flexibility to tailor those sanc- Statement on Senate Confirmation of tions in appropriate circumstances and im- Mary Peters To Be Secretary of pose sanctions upon entities that aid the Ira- Transportation nian regime’s development of nuclear weap- September 30, 2006 ons. I applaud the efforts of Chairman Richard I am pleased that the Senate swiftly con- Shelby, Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes, firmed Mary Peters as Secretary of Transpor- Rick Santorum, and Bill Nelson in the Senate tation. and Chairman Henry Hyde, Ranking Mem- Mary is an innovative thinker who will ber Tom Lantos, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and work with State and local leaders to confront Gary Ackerman in the House. I look forward challenges and solve problems. I look for- to signing this bill into law, which will facili- ward to working with her to reduce highway tate America’s support for the Iranian people and aviation congestion, modernize our Na- in their efforts to build a just, free, and tion’s infrastructure, and increase the effi- peaceful society. ciency of travel in our country. Her leader- ship will enable the Department to maintain NOTE: The statement referred to H.R. 6198.

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Presidential Determination on Memorandum on Waiving Drawdown of Commodities and Prohibition on United States Military Services From the Department of Assistance With Respect to Various Defense To Support Transport of Parties to the Rome Statute Indonesian Peacekeeping Forces to Establishing the International Lebanon Criminal Court September 29, 2006 September 29, 2006

Presidential Determination No. 2006–26 Presidential Determination No. 2006–27

Memorandum for the Secretary of State and Memorandum for the Secretary of State the Secretary of Defense Subject: Waiving Prohibition on United Subject: Presidential Determination on States Military Assistance with Respect to Drawdown of Commodities and Services Various Parties to the Rome Statute from the Department of Defense to Support Establishing the International Criminal Transport of Indonesian Peacekeeping Court Forces to Lebanon Consistent with the authority vested in me Pursuant to the authority vested in me by by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2007 of the the Constitution and laws of the United American Servicemembers’ Protection Act of States, including section 552(c)(2) of the For- 2002 (the ‘‘2002 Act’’), title II of Public Law eign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, I 107–206 (22 U.S.C. 7421 et seq.), I hereby: hereby determine that: • Determine that it is important to the (1) as a result of an unforeseen emer- national interest of the United States to gency, the provision of assistance waive the prohibition of section 2007(a) under Chapter 6 of Part II of the Act of the 2002 Act with respect to Bar- in amounts in excess of funds other- bados, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cro- wise available for such assistance is atia, Ecuador, Kenya, Mali, Malta, Mex- important to the national interests of ico, Namibia, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, the United States; and Samoa, Serbia, South Africa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad (2) such unforeseen emergency requires and Tobago, and Uruguay with respect the immediate provision of assistance to military assistance provided under under Chapter 6 of Part II of the Act. the International Military Education I, therefore, direct the drawdown of up and Training program, chapter 5 of part to $2,999,000 in commodities and services II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.); and from the Department of Defense to support • the transportation of Indonesian forces in Waive the prohibition of section 2007(a) support of the United Nations Interim Force with respect to the military assistance in Lebanon. described above with respect to these countries. The Secretary of State is authorized and You are authorized and directed to report directed to report this determination to the this determination to the Congress and to ar- Congress and to publish it in the Federal range for its publication in the Federal Reg- Register. ister.

George W. Bush George W. Bush

NOTE: This memorandum was released by the Of- NOTE: This memorandum was released by the Of- fice of the Press Secretary on October 2. fice of the Press Secretary on October 2.

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Message to the Senate Transmitting Message to the Senate Transmitting the Protocol Amending the the Protocol Amending the Finland- Denmark-United States Taxation United States Taxation Convention Convention September 29, 2006 September 29, 2006 To the Senate of the United States: To the Senate of the United States: I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and consent to ratification, a Protocol Amending consent to ratification, a Protocol Amending the Convention Between the Government of the Convention Between the Government of the United States of America and the Gov- the United States of America and the Gov- ernment of the Republic of Finland for the ernment of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Pre- Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Pre- vention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to vention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed at Taxes on Income signed at Copenhagen May Helsinki May 31, 2006 (the ‘‘Protocol’’). Also 2, 2006 (the ‘‘Protocol’’). A related exchange transmitted for the information of the Senate of notes is enclosed for the information of is the report of the Department of State with the Senate. Also transmitted for the informa- respect to the Protocol. tion of the Senate is the report of the Depart- The Protocol eliminates the withholding ment of State with respect to the Protocol. tax on certain cross-border dividend pay- The Protocol eliminates the withholding ments. Like a number of recent U.S. tax tax on certain cross-border dividend pay- agreements, the proposed Protocol provides ments. Like a number of recent U.S. tax for the elimination of the withholding tax on agreements, the proposed Protocol provides dividends arising from certain direct invest- for the elimination of the withholding tax on ments and cross-border dividend payments dividends arising from certain direct invest- to pension funds. The Protocol also elimi- ments and cross-border dividend payments nates the withholding tax on cross-border to pension funds. In addition, the Protocol royalty payments. In addition, the Protocol modernizes the Convention to bring it into modernizes the Convention to bring it into closer conformity with current U.S. tax-treaty closer conformity with current U.S. tax-treaty policy, including strengthening the treaty’s policy, including strengthening the treaty’s provisions preventing so-called treaty shop- provisions preventing so-called treaty shop- ping. ping. I recommend that the Senate give early I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Protocol and favorable consideration to the Protocol and give its advice and consent to ratification. and give its advice and consent to ratification. George W. Bush George W. Bush The White House, The White House, September 29, 2006. September 29, 2006.

NOTE: This message was released by the Office NOTE: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 2. An original of the Press Secretary on October 2. An original was not available for verification of the content was not available for verification of the content of this message. of this message.

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Message to the Senate Transmitting Message to the Senate Transmitting the Protocol Amending the the Estonia-United States Germany-United States Taxation Extradition Treaty Convention September 29, 2006 September 29, 2006 To the Senate of the United States: To the Senate of the United States: With a view to receiving the advice and I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I trans- consent to ratification, a Protocol Amending mit herewith the Extradition Treaty between the Convention Between the United States the United States of America and the Gov- of America and the Federal Republic of Ger- ernment of the Republic of Estonia, signed many for the Avoidance of Double Taxation on February 8, 2006, at Tallinn. I also trans- and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with mit, for the information of the Senate, the Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital and report of the Department of State with re- to Certain Other Taxes, Signed on August spect to the treaty. 29, 1989, signed at Berlin June 1, 2006 (the The new extradition treaty with Estonia ‘‘Protocol’’), along with a related Joint Dec- would replace the outdated extradition treaty laration. Also transmitted for the information between the United States and Estonia, of the Senate is the report of the Department signed on November 8, 1923, at Tallinn, and of State with respect to the Protocol. the Supplementary Extradition Treaty, The Protocol eliminates the withholding signed on October 10, 1934, at Washington. tax on certain cross-border dividend pay- The treaty also fulfills the requirement for ments. Like a number of recent U.S. tax a bilateral instrument between the United agreements, the proposed Protocol provides States and each European Union (EU) Mem- for the elimination of the withholding tax on ber State in order to implement the Extra- dividends arising from certain direct invest- dition Agreement between the United States ments and cross-border dividend payments and the EU. Two other comprehensive new to pension funds. The Protocol also provides extradition treaties with EU Member for mandatory arbitration of certain cases be- States—Latvia and Malta—likewise also fore the competent authorities. This provi- serve as the requisite bilateral instruments sion is the first of its kind in a U.S. tax treaty. pursuant to the U.S.-EU Agreement, and In addition, the Protocol also modernizes the therefore also are being submitted separately Convention to bring it into closer conformity and individually. with current U.S. tax-treaty policy, including The treaty follows generally the form and strengthening the treaty’s provisions pre- content of other extradition treaties recently venting so-called treaty shopping. concluded by the United States. It would re- I recommend that the Senate give early place an outmoded list of extraditable of- and favorable consideration to the Protocol, fenses with a modern ‘‘dual criminality’’ ap- along with the Joint Declaration and give its proach, which would enable extradition for advice and consent to ratification. such offenses as money laundering and other newer offenses not appearing on the list. The George W. Bush treaty also contains a modernized ‘‘political offense’’ clause. It further provides that ex- The White House, tradition shall not be refused based on the September 29, 2006. nationality of the person sought; in the past, Estonia has declined to extradite its nationals NOTE: This message was released by the Office to the United States. Finally, the new treaty of the Press Secretary on October 2. An original incorporates a series of procedural improve- was not available for verification of the content ments to streamline and speed the extra- of this message. dition process.

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I recommend that the Senate give early nationality of the person sought; in the past, and favorable consideration to the treaty. Latvia has declined to extradite its nationals George W. Bush to the United States. A national who has been convicted in the courts of the other Party may The White House, request to be allowed to serve the resulting September 29, 2006. sentence in his state of nationality. Finally, NOTE: This message was released by the Office the new treaty incorporates a series of proce- of the Press Secretary on October 2. dural improvements to streamline and speed the extradition process. I recommend that the Senate give early Message to the Senate Transmitting and favorable consideration to the treaty. the Latvia-United States Extradition Treaty George W. Bush September 29, 2006 The White House, September 29, 2006. To the Senate of the United States: With a view to receiving the advice and NOTE: This message was released by the Office consent of the Senate to ratification, I trans- of the Press Secretary on October 2. mit herewith the Extradition Treaty between the United States of America and the Gov- ernment of the Republic of Latvia, signed Message to the Senate Transmitting on December 7, 2005, at Riga. I also trans- the Malta-United States Extradition mit, for the information of the Senate, the Treaty report of the Department of State with re- September 29, 2006 spect to the treaty. The new extradition treaty with Latvia To the Senate of the United States: would replace the outdated extradition treaty With a view to receiving the advice and between the United States and Latvia, signed consent of the Senate to ratification, I trans- on October 16, 1923, at Riga, and the Sup- mit herewith the Extradition Treaty between plementary Extradition Treaty, signed on Oc- the United States of America and the Gov- tober 10, 1934, at Washington. The treaty ernment of Malta, signed on May 18, 2006, also fulfills the requirement for a bilateral at Valletta, that includes an exchange of let- instrument between the United States and ters that is an integral part of the treaty. I each European Union (EU) Member State also transmit, for the information of the Sen- in order to implement the Extradition Agree- ate, the report of the Department of State ment between the United States and the EU. with respect to the treaty. Two other comprehensive new extradition The new extradition treaty with Malta treaties with EU Member States—Estonia would replace the outdated extradition treaty and Malta—likewise also serve as the req- between the United States and Great Britain, uisite bilateral instruments pursuant to the signed on December 22, 1931, at London, U.S.-EU Agreement, and therefore also are and made applicable to Malta on June 24, being submitted separately and individually. 1935. The treaty also fulfills the requirement The treaty follows generally the form and for a bilateral instrument between the United content of other extradition treaties recently States and each European Union (EU) Mem- concluded by the United States. It would re- ber State in order to implement the Extra- place an outmoded list of extraditable of- dition Agreement between the United States fenses with a modern ‘‘dual criminality’’ ap- and the EU. Two other comprehensive new proach, which would enable extradition for extradition treaties with EU Member such offenses as money laundering and other States—Estonia and Latvia—likewise also newer offenses not appearing on the list. The serve as the requisite bilateral instruments treaty also contains a modernized ‘‘political pursuant to the U.S.-EU Agreement, and offense’’ clause. It further provides that ex- therefore also are being submitted separately tradition shall not be refused based on the and individually.

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The treaty follows generally the form and And Andrew knows my opinion and knows content of other extradition treaties recently my beliefs. And I appreciate him very much concluded by the United States. It would re- implementing the strategy that our Govern- place an outmoded list of extraditable of- ment will develop to save lives. And I thank fenses with a modern ‘‘dual criminality’’ ap- you for your efforts again, and thank you for proach, which would enable extradition for your commitment. such offenses as money laundering and other Mr. Natsios. Thank you. I’ve been going newer offenses not appearing on the list. The to Sudan now for 17 years; I know leaders treaty also contains a modernized ‘‘political in all regions of the country; and I’m going offense’’ clause. It further provides that ex- to use those contacts and that history to move tradition shall not be refused based on the this process along. I have a great affection, nationality of a person sought for any of a personally, for the Sudanese people, north comprehensive list of serious offenses; in the and south. My first trip to Darfur was 17 past, Malta has declined to extradite its na- years ago, during the first Darfur war—this tionals to the United States. Finally, the new is the third war in Darfur in 17 years. treaty incorporates a series of procedural im- provements to streamline and speed the ex- And I think what our objective is, is not tradition process. just to have a temporary fix for 2 months I recommend that the Senate give early but to try to deal with the root causes of this and favorable consideration to the treaty. so we don’t have another fourth war in 5 years—should we end this one successfully. George W. Bush So I’m going to work on that. I think with The White House, the President’s strong support, both of us are September 29, 2006. committed to this, and we’re going to see what we can do. NOTE: This message was released by the Office The President. Thank you, Andrew. Ap- of the Press Secretary on October 2. preciate it. Mr. Natsios. Thank you. Remarks Following a Meeting With NOTE: The President spoke at 9:50 a.m. in the Special Envoy for Sudan Andrew S. Oval Office at the White House. Natsios October 2, 2006 Remarks Following Discussions With The President. Recently I named my Prime Minister Recep Tayyip friend Andrew Natsios to be the Presidential Erdogan of Turkey Special Envoy to Sudan to help us deal with the issue in Darfur. The reason I named An- October 2, 2006 drew is, one, he knows the area well—he’s been involved in this area for a long period President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, wel- of time. Secondly, he, like me, shares a deep come back to Washington. We just had a ex- concern about the suffering in Darfur. tensive and important dialog about how Tur- We believe the world has a responsibility key and the United States can and must work to respond to what this Government has together to achieve peace. We talked about called genocide. And Andrew Natsios is our determined efforts to fight terror and ex- going to help rally the world to solve the tremism. We talked about our common ef- problem. The United Nations can play an im- forts to bring stability to the Middle East. portant role in helping us achieve our objec- We had an important discussion about both tive, which is to end human suffering and Iraq and Iran. Our desire is for—to help peo- deprivation. In my view, the United Nations ple who care about a peaceful future to reject should not wait any longer to approve a blue- radicalism and extremism. helmeted force, a U.N. force of peacekeepers I made it very clear to the Prime Minister, to protect the innocent people. I think it’s in the United States’ interests that

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Turkey join the European Union. And I con- All in all, I think we had a very positive gratulate the Prime Minister and his Govern- meeting, and I would like to thank the Presi- ment for the economic reforms that have en- dent for that. abled the Turkish economy to be strong, for President Bush. Thank you, sir. the good of the Turkish people. And finally, we shared our deep desire to NOTE: The President spoke at 11:40 a.m. in the improve the lives of those who are suffering Oval Office at the White House. Prime Minister Erdogan spoke in Turkish, and his remarks were in Darfur. The Prime Minister shared with translated by an interpreter. me a personal account of what he saw, the suffering he saw, the human—the pitiful human condition he personally saw in Remarks at a Reception for Darfur. He shared with me his Government’s Congressional Candidate Dean anxiousness to help the people there, and I Heller in Reno, Nevada assured him I shared the same concern. And October 2, 2006 it’s important for the United Nations and the Government of Sudan to take forward steps Thank you all for coming. It’s good to be to help the—end the suffering. back in Reno. I appreciate the invitation. I’m I consider the Prime Minister a friend and here to say as clearly as I can, Dean Heller a man of peace, and I welcome him. is the right person for the United States Con- Prime Minister Erdogan. Thank you. gress. And I want to thank you for helping Distinguished members of the press, it is a him. great honor and pleasure to be here upon I appreciate the fantastic fundraiser. It’s the invitation of President Bush, an ally. The a good sign, Dean, when your friends and United States is a strategic partner, a very neighbors are willing to put a little hard- important strategic partner for Turkey and earned cash into the hat in order to help you. an ally for many years. [Laughter] But he’s going to need more than In our meeting we had the opportunity to your money; he’s going to need your time. discuss many points, especially terrorism. And so coming down the stretch, I call on And the joint steps that we have taken in the grassroots activists and those who have order to pursue with determination our fight been participating in campaigns to put up against terrorism continues to be very impor- the signs and go to your houses of worship tant in our relations. In fact, we do share or your community centers and say, ‘‘We’ve the same opinion about forming a joint plat- got a good man in Dean Heller; he loves his form in order to combat terrorism on a global family; he loves his country; he loves the peo- scale. ple of the Second Congressional District— We also had opportunity to discuss Leb- let’s send him to Washington, DC.’’ anon as well as Israel and Palestine. All he’s got to do is get his family to go It was important to hear the President say to work for him. [Laughter] I met a bunch that their support for Turkey’s membership of them today. I’m really proud to be with— to the European Union will continue. We [laughter]—with Lynne and the four chil- have also had the opportunity to discuss Cy- dren. I like a man who knows his priorities. prus, and I have expressed our sensitivities We need people in Washington who have got with regard to the issues related to Cyprus. the right priorities. And the priorities—he And we had an opportunity to extensively dis- and I share a priority: our faith, our family, cuss what we can do in the Middle East— and our country. what Turkey specifically can do in the Middle Now, I wasn’t Dean’s first choice. [Laugh- East. ter] He wisely had put in a request for We have also discussed Turkey’s progress Laura—[laughter]—who sends her love and and reforms with regards to the European her best to all our friends out here in Reno, Union—the Copenhagen political criteria as in Nevada. We’re blessed with friends. I well as Maastricht criteria—and the recent wouldn’t be standing here without the people work that is ongoing with the screening proc- of this good State voting for me, not once ess at the EU for Turkey’s accession. but twice. And in selecting me, you selected

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a really fine person to be the First Lady. I Brigade, 101st Airborne, recently returned can’t tell you how proud I am of Laura. I from Iraq. It is an honor to be the Com- am a lucky man that she said yes when I mander in Chief of the finest military in the asked her to marry me, and some of her world. And the reason we’re the finest mili- friends in Texas wondered whether it was a tary in the world is because of the men and wise decision or not, but we’re doing great. women who have volunteered to wear the And we’re really proud—I’m proud to be uniform of the United States of America. here. She, like me, understands Dean Heller And being—one of your jobs and one of my will make a great United States Congress- jobs is to make sure our troops have all that man. I want to thank his predecessor, Jim is necessary to do their job and protect the Gibbons. I’ve been honored to work with Jim United States of America. on behalf of the people. Another predecessor I’ve been looking forward to this campaign is here. Barbara Vucanovich is with us. Bar- because it gives me a chance to travel around bara, it’s good to see you. I’m proud you’re the country making it clear there are signifi- here. Mother and Dad send their best. cant differences in what we believe and what [Laughter] This Barbara knows the other the other bunch believes. You take taxes, for Barbara. [Laughter] example. You know, Dean talked about the I want to thank Kenny Guinn and Dema fact that when we came in, we had a reces- for joining us today. Kenny Guinn has been sion and then there was a terrorist attack and a great Governor for the State of Nevada. then we went to war and there was corporate We’re proud to call him friend, and I’m scandals; there was hurricanes and high gaso- proud to call Dema friend. You know, one line prices—and, yet, this economy is grow- of the interesting things that we get to do ing. And the reason it’s growing, and the pri- is to share the White House with our friends mary reason in my mind it’s growing is be- from around the country. We’ve had the cause we cut the taxes on the working people; Governor and his wife spend the night with we cut the taxes on the small-business own- us when the National Governors were in ers; we cut taxes on families with children. town. And I remember Kenny walking We put an end to the marriage penalty— around the White House saying, ‘‘My good- or started to put an end to the marriage pen- ness, I can’t believe I’m here.’’ [Laughter] alty. I really don’t understand a tax code that And then he looked at me. [Laughter] penalizes marriage. [Laughter] We ought to I hope you all support Jim Gibbons to re- be encouraging marriage in the United place Governor Kenny Guinn. And now that States. The tax cuts we passed have worked. I’m going down the election roster and— And this election campaign is one in which make sure you put Ensign back in too; he’s the people have got a stark choice. You listen a great United States Senator. to those Democrats in Washington talk. I I want to thank Brian Krolicki; he’s going don’t know how they’re talking in Nevada, to be the Lieutenant Governor of the State but I can tell how they’re talking in Wash- of Nevada. Thanks for coming, Brian. We’ve ington. And they’re saying, ‘‘Well, we’re not got the mayor here, Bob Cashell. Bob, good going to—we’re going to let these tax cuts to see you again. Mr. Mayor, proud you’re expire,’’ see, hoping the American people here. And all the local officials—it’s a good don’t pay attention to those words. sign when the local officials are coming. It’s See, if you let the tax cuts expire—in other when they stay away from the rallies, is when words, if you don’t make the tax cuts perma- you get nervous. [Laughter] nent—it means your taxes are going to go I want to thank you all. It really is impor- up. It’s a tax increase. The way I like to put tant you’re here. Obviously, this is a race that it is, if the Democrats take control of the my administration considers to be an impor- United States Congress, they’re going to have tant race. That’s why I got on the airplane their hand in your pocket; they’re going to after meeting with the Prime Minister of be running up your taxes. Raising the taxes Turkey to come out here and help Dean. on the people who work for a living, raising I want to thank Troy Marston, he led the the taxes on the farmers and ranchers, raising Pledge of Allegiance—Private 1st Class, 3d the taxes on the small-business owners is bad

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economic policy. And that’s why we need fact, anybody who says, ‘‘Vote for me; I want Dean Heller in the United States Congress. to be a war President’’—don’t vote for him. Oh, you’ll hear them tell you up there, or [Laughter] No one should ever wish that. But over there, they’ll say, ‘‘Well, we need to raise an enemy declared war on us, a war we didn’t taxes just on some of you in order to balance want, but it’s a war we must engage. Sep- the budget.’’ That’s not the way Washington, tember the 11th made it abundantly clear DC, works. They’ll raise your taxes, and that the most solemn responsibility of the they’ll figure out new ways to spend your Federal Government is to protect the Amer- money. The best way to balance the budget ican people. is to keep progrowth economic policies in We’re fighting an enemy that knows no place so this economy grows and to prioritize rules. They’re inhumane. They are evil peo- how we spend your money. And the priorities ple who have taken the religion and kill in I’ve set for the United States Congress is win- the name of that religion to achieve geo- ning this war on terror and making sure we’ve political objectives. They’re bound by a com- got what it takes to defend the American peo- mon ideology. They want to establish a ca- ple. liphate that ranges from Indonesia to Spain. You know, it’s amazing what happens I’m not making this up. I’m simply repeating when you grow the economy. See, cutting that which we have learned about the enemy taxes is counterintuitive for some in Wash- from their own words. ington, but when you reduce taxes, it causes You can’t negotiate with these people. the economy to grow. And when the econ- Therapy is not going to work. [Laughter] The omy grows, there’s more tax revenues coming best way to deal with this enemy is to bring in. And that’s what’s happened recently. And them to justice before they hurt the Amer- that’s why we’re cutting the deficit in half ican people again. prior to the goal I set in 2009. We need fis- cally responsible people in Washington, DC. You know, it’s a difficult task to protect And Dean Heller will be a fine Congressman the homeland, because we’ve got to be right when it comes to watching your money. 100 percent of the time, and these killers We need people in Washington, DC, who have got to be right once. And, therefore, understand that we need to make sure health I thought it was important to make sure that care is available and affordable. Now, there’s those on the frontline of fighting terror and an interesting debate up there in the Nation’s the extremists had all the tools necessary to capital, and it’s this: who best to decide how protect the American people. to make decisions for health care, who best And that’s why I called upon Congress to to make that decision—the Federal Govern- eliminate the walls and barriers that had aris- ment, or the doctors and patients? We be- en over time between the intelligence serv- lieve that the doctors and patients should be ices and the criminal justice people, so they making the health care decisions in the can share intelligence that is necessary to United States of America. And one way to protect you. And that’s why I thought it was make sure health care is available and afford- important to set up a program that said, if able is to do something about these junk law- Al Qaida or an Al Qaida affiliate is making suits that are running good doctors out of a phone call into the United States of Amer- practice. ica, we need to know why in order to protect Now, I’m looking forward to working with the American people. Dean on good domestic policy that keeps this And I want our fellow citizens to look at economy growing and keeps the power—de- who voted for those proposals and what polit- cision-making power in the hands of the peo- ical party voted against them. There’s a clear ple. And I’m looking forward to working with difference of opinion about how to protect him to do our most solemn duty, and that’s this homeland. to protect you. You know, recently, we just had an impor- You know, when I ran in 2000—I remem- tant debate in Washington, DC. It’s a debate ber campaigning here—you know, I didn’t over whether or not the Central Intelligence want to be a war President. As a matter of Agency should have a program that enabled

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our professionals to question high-value de- bombers. He was a threat, and the United tainees to determine if they had information Nations said that loud and clear. It was his that could help protect the homeland. Obvi- choice to make, of whether or not he wanted ously, I thought that was an important pro- war. He chose war, and the world is better gram. I submitted the bill after a speech in off without Saddam Hussein in power. the East Room of the White House. I sub- And I think it’s a legitimate question to mitted that bill to the Congress. See, I under- ask candidates running for Congress or stand the nature of the information we re- United States Senators who have been crit- ceived from people such as Khalid Sheikh ical of policy, whether or not they think the Mohammed—he is the mastermind of the world would be better off with Saddam Hus- September the 11th attacks. sein in power. You know, when this question I’ll be signing that bill pretty soon. The was asked to a senior member of the Intel- Congress passed the bill, but I want you all ligence Committee, the Democrat member, to remember, when you go to the polls here he said, ‘‘Yes, the world would be better off, in Nevada, what political party supported the given the world today, with Saddam Hussein President to make sure we had the tools nec- in power.’’ essary to protect the American people, and Well, I just see it differently. I think it’s which political party didn’t. important we take threats before they come I have made the decision that the best way home to hurt us. America cannot wait to be to protect the American people is to get on attacked again. In order to protect the United the offense against this enemy and stay on States of America, we must stay on the of- the offense. There is a difference of opinion fense, and we will do so. in Washington. If you listen closely to some The other thing you hear coming out of of the leaders of the Democrat Party, it the Nation’s capital is whether Iraq is a dis- sounds like they think the best way to protect traction on the war on terror—you know, it’s the American people is, wait until we’re at- not part of the war on terror. I happen to tacked again. That’s not the way it’s going think it’s a central front in the war on terror. to be under my administration. We will stay Success in Iraq will help make this country on the offense, we will defeat the enemy more secure. Failure in Iraq will mean that overseas so we do not have to face them here we will have left behind a treacherous world at home. for children and our grandchildren. And it’s hard work, but it’s necessary work. But if you don’t take my word, take the It’s the calling of the 21st century. It’s the word of Usama bin Laden or Mr. Zawahiri call of a generation to determine whether we about the importance of Iraq. The number have the will and the vision to protect the one and two of Al Qaida have made it clear American people. that Iraq is the central front in the war on Now, the lesson I have learned from Sep- terror, and their ambitions are to drive the tember the 11th was two—one—many, but United States out of Iraq and to abandon the two of the most notable ones were, if you 12 million people who went to the polls and find somebody harboring a terrorist, they’re to say it’s not worth it. They believe it’s worth equally as guilty as the terrorists and must it. Al Qaida thinks it’s necessary in order to be held to account. And that’s why we re- defeat America. They want us to leave so they moved the Taliban from Afghanistan and can have a safe haven from which to plot freed 25 million people from the clutches of and plan new attacks against the United a barbaric regime. States of America. And I saw a threat in Iraq, and so did Imagine a world where moderate govern- Members of the United States Congress and ments have been toppled by extremists and people on the United Nations Security Coun- extremists get ahold of oil. If you think it cil. Saddam Hussein was a state sponsor of was tough at $70 a barrel, imagine what it terror. He had killed thousands of his own will be like when these extremists get ahold people. He had used weapons of mass de- of a valuable resource and say to the free struction. He was a sworn enemy of the world, ‘‘Do it our way, or we’re going to have United States. He paid families of suicide an unbelievable economic peril.’’ And couple

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with that an Iran with a nuclear weapon, and measure progress based upon the number of 20 or 30 years from now, the world will look airplanes in the air or number of ships on back and say, ‘‘What happened to America? the sea. It’s hard to measure progress in this How come they couldn’t see the threat?’’ kind of war. But I’m just telling you, we’re The threat is real. We will help those 12 dismantling Al Qaida one person at a time. million people who demanded freedom in We’re on the hunt. And it’s just a matter of Iraq achieve a stable democracy that can gov- time before Usama bin Laden gets the justice ern itself, defend itself, and sustain itself, and he deserves. America and generations of Americans will You know, let me conclude by sharing this be more secure. story with you. You might remember, I had You know, people ask me all the time, do an interesting experience recently when I you really think people in the Middle East went down with the former Prime Minister want to be free? It’s a legitimate question, of Japan, my buddy, Koizumi, who just left I guess. But it belies the fact that we believe office recently. And we went down to Elvis’ in the universality of freedom. Freedom is place—[laughter]—in Memphis. It was an not just an American possession. It’s not our interesting experience. [Laughter] I went gift to the world. I happen to believe there there for a couple of reasons. One, I wanted is an Almighty, and I believe one of the great to see Elvis’ place; I’d never been—[Laugh- gifts of that Almighty is the desire to be ter]—60 years old and had never been to free—to every man, woman, and child on the Graceland. Plus, Laura wanted to go. Sec- face of the Earth. ondly, Prime Minister Koizumi really wanted So in the short term, our strategy is clear: to go. [Laughter] He likes Elvis; he likes his We will stay on the offense; we will bring songs; he likes everything about Elvis. people to justice before they can hurt us Thirdly, I wanted to tell a story about again. In the long term, we will defeat the what’s possible and what will happen if we ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope. I have made it clear to the American peo- keep faith in the values that led to our forma- ple, I view the struggle we’re in as the great tion and has led to us doing hard work in ideological struggle of the 21st century. It’s order to keep the peace. You see, the story akin to the cold war in some ways. It is the I tell is the one that started with 18-year- difference between tyranny and freedom, be- old George H.W. Bush, my dad, when he tween moderation and extremism. Make no joined the United States Navy to fight the mistake about it: Most moms in the Middle sworn enemy, the Japanese. A lot of other East yearn for the same things our mom’s people did too. It was a brutal war. A lot want, which is a peaceful world in which to of folks died. raise their children. Most people in the Mid- And I find it interesting—not only inter- dle East long for peace. What we’re dealing esting, I find it ironic in many ways that some with are radicals and extremists who have a 60 years later, the son of the 18-year-old dark vision for the future. And the funda- fighter pilot was on Air Force One, flying mental question facing this country is, will to Memphis, Tennessee, with the Prime we have the nerve, will we have the will- Minister of the former enemy, talking about power, will we have the perseverance to do how to keep the peace. We talked about the hard work today so a generation of North Korea. We talked about the fact that younger Americans can grow up in a more the way you defeat extremists and radicals peaceful world? is by helping people realize the blessings of And I take great hope, and I’m optimistic liberty. Isn’t that interesting? The Prime about achieving our objectives. First, I know Minister of the former enemy talking about how good our military is. Point them in the the blessings of liberty and freedom. right direction; give them a clear goal; and Something happened between World War they’ll achieve the objective. Second, I know II and 2006, and that was, Japan adopted a how hard people are working to protect you. Japanese-style democracy. Liberty has the Our intelligence is getting better. See, it’s a capacity to transform enemies into allies. different kind of war. You used to—could Liberty has the capacity to transform regions

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of hate into regions of hope. What you’re see- people, to support the maintenance and use ing is the beginning of a victory against an of sustainable fisheries (1) as a source of nu- ideology of extremists, by an ideology that tritious food for the United States and the yields the blessings of peace, an ideology that rest of the world, and (2) to meet the needs enables the sons of former enemies to sit of commercial and recreational fishing. To down, crafting strategy to make the world a implement the policy set forth above, the better place for generations to come. Secretary of State, after consultation with the And that’s what’s going to happen some Secretary of Commerce, shall: day. Elected leaders in the Middle East will (1) work with other countries and inter- be sitting down with an American President, national organizations to eliminate talking about how to keep the peace. And fishing practices that (a) jeopardize our children and our grandchildren will be fish stocks or the habitats that support better off for it. them, or (b) provide a commercial ad- And those are the stakes in this election. vantage to those who engage in such It’s an important election. And we need peo- practices that is unfair in comparison ple in the United States Congress who see with their competitors; the world the way it is, not the way we would (2) work within Regional Fishery Man- hope it would be now. We have to have clear- agement Organizations (RFMOs), eyed realists on the one hand but people who and through other cooperative ar- have got faith in the great values, the uni- rangements, to establish rules based versal values that can enable us to look back on sound science to enhance sustain- when history passes by and say, we did our able fishing practices and to phase out jobs. We were called to serve, and we served destructive fishing practices; by leaving behind a better world—and Dean (3) work with other countries to establish Heller is such a man. new RFMOs, or other cooperative in- Thanks for coming. God bless. stitutional arrangements, to protect ecosystems in high seas areas where NOTE: The President spoke at 5:29 p.m. at the no competent RFMO or other ar- Mercury Air Center. In his remarks, he referred rangement exists, including calling on to Lynne Heller, wife of congressional candidate Dean Heller; Gov. Kenny C. Guinn of Nevada all nations to protect vulnerable ma- and his wife, Dema; Mayor Bob Cashell of Reno, rine ecosystems by prohibiting their NV; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of vessels from engaging in destructive Turkey; Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, senior Al fishing practices in areas of the high Qaida leader responsible for planning the Sep- seas where there are no applicable tember 11, 2001, terrorist attack, who was cap- conservation or management meas- tured in Pakistan on March 1, 2003; former Presi- ures or in areas with no applicable dent Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and former Prime international fishery management or- Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. He also re- ganization or agreement, until such ferred to S. 3930, the ‘‘Military Commissions Act time as conservation and manage- of 2006.’’ ment measures consistent with the goals of the Magnuson-Stevens Fish- Memorandum on Promoting ery Conservation and Management Sustainable Fisheries and Ending Act (Public Law 94–265, as amend- Destructive Fishing Practices ed), the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, and other relevant instru- October 2, 2006 ments are adopted and implemented Memorandum for the Secretary of State and to regulate such vessels and fisheries; the Secretary of Commerce (4) work with other countries to develop and promulgate criteria to guide the Subject: Promoting Sustainable Fisheries and determination of which marine eco- Ending Destructive Fishing Practices systems are or are not at risk of dam- It shall be the policy of the United States, age or loss because of destructive fish- in advancing the interests of the American ing practices; and

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(5) work with other countries to combat I know firsthand; I watch him up close; through enhanced monitoring and I’ve seen him in action. I think it makes sense surveillance, including through the for people from the State of California to use of Vessel Monitoring Systems and send somebody to Washington, DC, who other technologies, fishing that is un- trusts the people of California. And that’s lawful, unregulated, and unreported. Richard Pombo. I think it makes sense to Further, to implement the policy set forth send somebody from the State of California above, the Secretary of State, after consulta- to Washington, DC, who knows what it tion with the Secretary of Commerce, shall means to make a living off the land. And carry out diplomatic activities for the pur- that’s Richard Pombo. poses of (a) ending destructive fishing prac- In all due respect to those of you who are tices, and (b) promoting rules based on sound here who are attorneys of law—[laughter]— science to support sustainable fisheries and we’ve got enough of those kind of people in to end destructive fishing practices. Washington. [Laughter] It makes sense to As used in this memorandum, the term have a rancher and a farmer—speak com- ‘‘destructive fishing practices’’ are practices monsense language. See, what we need is that destroy the long-term natural produc- some common sense in Washington, DC. tivity of fish stocks or habitats such as Chairman Richard Pombo brings common seamounts, corals, and sponge fields for sense to the big debates of our time. He short-term gain. brings practical experience when it comes to This memorandum shall be implemented promoting cooperative conservation. consistent with applicable law and subject to He understands, like I understand, that the availability of appropriations. It is in- being dependent on foreign oil endangers tended only to improve the internal manage- the United States of America. It’s a national ment of the executive branch and is not in- security risk and an economic security risk. tended to, and does not, create any right or Richard Pombo thinks strategically on behalf benefit, substantive or procedural, enforce- of the people of this district and the United able at law or in equity by a party against States. I’m proud to support his efforts to the United States, its departments, agencies, pass comprehensive energy. See, he and I entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any know that technology is going to help us be- other person. come less dependent on foreign sources of energy in the longer term. We’ll be using George W. Bush ethanol from a product grown right here in California to power our cars. We’ll have plug- NOTE: This memorandum was released by the Of- in hybrid batteries. We’ll be using hydrogen fice of the Press Secretary on October 3. An origi- to power our automobiles. But in the mean- nal was not available for verification of the content time, we need to be exploring in environ- of this memorandum. mentally friendly ways for energy from the United States of America, to make us less dependent on foreign sources of energy. Remarks at a Breakfast for I’m proud to support Richard Pombo, a Congressional Candidate Richard W. commonsense leader in the House of Rep- Pombo in Stockton, California resentatives, and urge you to send him back October 3, 2006 to the United States Congress. I want to thank you all for coming. I told Thank you all very much. Thanks a lot. Richard when I walked up here, it’s a good Please be seated. I don’t want your eggs to sign when the home folks show up in the get cold. [Laughter] Mr. Chairman, thank numbers like you have. [Laughter] It’s always you for welcoming me to your district. I’m a good indication that when the people who proud to be here on behalf of Richard know you best support you the strongest. So Pombo, and I’m proud to be able to tell the I want to thank you for contributing of your people of the State of California, he’s doing hard-earned dollars and urge you to help this a fine job for the people of this district. good man as we’re coming down the stretch.

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And that means turning out the vote, finding Pombo. You don’t have to worry, and I don’t those solid Republicans, discerning Demo- worry about him making sure our troops have crats, and wise independents to go to the all that’s needed to do their job to support polls and send Richard Pombo back to the the United States of America and its people. United States Congress. There’s a lot of issues I could talk about, Laura sends her best. She sends her best because there’s big differences of opinion in to Richard; she sends her best to Annette Washington, DC. I don’t know how it gets and the Pombo family; and she sends her translated back here at home. Sometimes best to our many friends here in California. they go up to Washington and say one thing, I’m a lucky man, when Laura said yes when and then come back and talk differently I asked her to marry me. She has got to be when they—in front of the home people. You the most patient woman in America. I realize don’t have to worry about Richard Pombo. I’m not very objective, but I’ll report from He tells you exactly what he thinks. You don’t the homefront, America’s got a fabulous First have to try to read between the lines. You Lady in Laura Bush. don’t have to worry about him taking a poll And old Richard, the chairman, married to determine what he believes. He stands on well himself—Annette, thank you for being principle, and that’s what you need in Wash- here. Thank you for supporting Richard. And ington, D.C. I’m proud to be here with Rena and Rachel. And he and I share a principle, and that It’s good to see you young women. Thanks is what to do with your money—how to we for coming today. I know you’ll be putting deal with the hard-working people’s money. up the signs and making those phone calls And make no mistake about it, there is a phil- for old dad coming down the stretch. osophical divide in Washington, DC. You I’m proud to be with Ralph and Onita might remember what this Nation went Pombo, Richard’s mom and dad. I suspect through, what our economy went through that Mrs. Pombo has something in common over the last 51⁄2 years. We had a recession. with my mother—that they’re both not afraid We had corporate scandals. There was, obvi- to tell us what to do. [Laughter] And my only ously, the devastating attack on September advice, Richard, is you make sure you listen the 11th, 2001. We responded and protected to her, because I’m listening to mine, you’ll this people by taking a war to the enemy. be happy to know. We’ve had hurricanes. We’ve had high en- I’m proud to be here with Mayor Ed Cha- ergy prices. Yet our economy is the envy of vez, the mayor of Stockton, California. Mr. the industrialized world. Mayor, thank you for coming. It gives me The national unemployment rate is low. great joy to be able to look out in the audi- The entrepreneurial spirit is high. Small busi- ence and see one of the city’s finest citizens nesses are making a living. Our farmers and and a family we call friend in my household, ranchers—they probably don’t want to admit somebody who’s been a friend with you dur- it, but our farmers and ranchers are doing ing good times and somebody who’s a friend fine. See, I’m used to farmers and ranchers; with you during not-so-good times but some- after all, I’m from Texas, you might remem- body who’s always a friend, and that’s the ber. I also want to take a step back and tell Spanos family. Alex and Faye, thank you for you, though, that a strong farm economy and coming. a strong ranching economy is really impor- I want to thank all the local and State offi- tant to the national economy. cials who have joined us. I especially want And so, in spite of these obstacles, the to thank Specialist Gerry Lee, United States economy has grown. And something hap- Army National Guard, who not only served pened, and what happened was, we cut the in Iraq but went down and helped those souls taxes on the working people. We understand recovering from Hurricane Katrina. It’s an the role of government is not to try to create honor to be the Commander in Chief of such wealth but to create an environment in which fine, fine men and women, people who put the entrepreneurial spirit flourishes. The tax on the uniform to the protect this country. relief we passed is working, and the Amer- And I’ll tell you one thing about Richard ican economy is strong. And the fundamental

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question is, how do we keep it strong? And make a lot of decisions on your behalf, and Richard Pombo and I believe the best way many of those decisions were affected by the to keep this economy growing is to make the fact that we lost nearly 3,000 of our citizens, tax relief we passed permanent. 3,000 innocent lives on our soil on that fateful And the Democrats don’t agree. If the day. I vowed then, and I’ve vowed ever since, Democrats were to gain power, they will to use every national asset at my disposal to raise your taxes, because they believe they protect the American people. And the best can spend your money better than you can. way to do so is to defeat those people over- Oh, you’ll hear all kinds of excuses: ‘‘Let us seas so we do not have to face them here raise your taxes to balance the budget.’’ at home. That’s not how Washington works. They will I thank Richard’s support. I appreciate the raise your taxes and figure out new ways to fact we’ve got Members of Congress who spend your money. The best way to balance clearly see the enemy for what they are. You the budget is to keep the taxes low so we can’t negotiate with these people. You cannot can grow our economy, which increases more hope that they will go away. I like to remind tax revenues, and be wise about how we people, therapy isn’t going to work. The best spend your money. We’re on our way to cut- way to deal with these folks is to bring them ting this deficit in half before the year 2009 to justice before they hurt America again. because of the progrowth economic policies You know, there’s a debate in Washington, we put in place and because of fiscal conserv- DC, about how to wage this war, and that’s atives like Richard Pombo. positive. Ours is a democracy; I welcome the The issue on the economy is a big issue debate. But I also have a responsibility to in any campaign. And I want the people of make it clear—the consequences of some of this district to know, plain and simple, that the positions our opponents take. They say if Richard’s opponent wins, your taxes will that Iraq is a distraction in the war on terror. go up. Make no mistake about it. The Demo- I strongly disagree. I think Iraq is a central crat Party is anxious to get their hands on front in the war on terror, and we must de- your money. If you want to keep taxes low, feat the enemy in Iraq if we want America if you want to make sure this environment to be secure. for small-business growth and farmers and But don’t take my word for it about Iraq. ranchers remains strong, put Richard Pombo Our fellow citizens ought to listen to the back in the United States Congress, and we’ll words of Usama bin Laden and Mr. Zawahiri, work to make the tax cuts we passed perma- who is his number two in Al Qaida. They nent. have clearly stated that Iraq is a central front I also appreciate his strong support in this in their war against us. They have made their war on terror. I wish I could tell you that ambitions clear, and that is, to inflict harm there wasn’t a war, but that’s not the truth. and damage on innocent life to the point That is not the reality of the world in which where America says it’s not worth it and re- we live. There’s an enemy that still plots and treats and leaves before the job is done. They plans, that wants to attack us again. They’re have made their ambitions clear—to topple a group of ideologues bound together by this moderate governments. Al Qaida’s leader- evil vision of the world, that want to inflict ship has told us loud and clear in their own harm on the United States because we stand words, their ambitions are to develop new in the way of their ambitions and because safe haven from which to launch attacks. we strongly believe in liberty. Imagine a world in which there are com- The most important job of the Federal peting forms of religious extremists trying to Government in the beginning of the 21st achieve dominance, a world in which mod- century is to do everything in our power to erate governments feel no longer capable of protect you from further attack. The key defending themselves against these radicals issue in this campaign is the security of the and extremists, a world in which they control United States of America. You got to under- oil, and a world in which a theocracy may stand, a lot of my thinking about the world have a nuclear weapon. Those are the stakes changed on September the 11th, 2001. I as we begin the 21st century. We’re in the

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midst of an ideological struggle. And the fun- But we got to do a job here at home too. damental question is, will we have people in See, our job is one in which we got to be the United States Congress who see the right 100 percent of the time to protect you, world the way it is, who clearly see the and the enemy has got to be right one time. threats? And that’s why, in the days after 9/11, I I’m going to tell you this: 20 or 30 years would—I vowed that we would give those from now it’s not going to be said, during responsible for defending you the tools they my administration or during Richard need to do so. We worked with Congress— Pombo’s time in Congress, that the United my administration worked with Congress to States of America didn’t confront these pass what’s called the PATRIOT Act. It’s the threats now, in order to make our children first measure we took that would break down live in a more peaceful world. barriers that prevented intelligence and law It’s hard work, but it’s necessary work. Iraq enforcement personnel from sharing infor- is a central part on the war on terror, and mation with each other. we have a plan for victory there. We have It’s probably hard for you to understand, a security plan that will chase down those but law enforcement and intelligence officers extremists and radicals who would like to do couldn’t talk, and so the PATRIOT Act ad- us harm, and enable the Iraqis to defend dressed that issue. How can you protect the themselves. We have a political strategy, and American people if you don’t have all branches of government sharing information, that is to stand squarely with the 12 million is what we thought. people who said loud and clear, ‘‘We want We also established the terrorist surveil- to be free.’’ lance program to monitor terrorist commu- You know, it must seem like an eternity nications in and out of our country. We cre- to you, when you think about those elections ated a program with the Central Intelligence last December. It certainly does to me, in Agency to detain and question key terrorist some ways. Ultimately, when this chapter of operatives that were captured on the battle- history will be written, however, it’s going field. I told the American people we would to be a comma—the Iraqis voted, comma, give our folks on the frontline of fighting ter- and the United States of America understood ror to protect you the tools necessary. that Iraq was a central front in the war on On each of these programs, the Democrats terror and helped this young democracy have said they share our goals. But when it flourish so that a generation of Americans comes time to vote, they consistently oppose wouldn’t have to worry about the extremists giving our personnel the tools they need to emanating from that country to hurt the protect us. Time and time again, the Demo- American people. crats want to have it both ways. They talk The stakes are high. The Democrats are tough on terror, but when the votes are the party of cut-and-run. Ours is a party that counted, their softer side comes out. has got a clear vision and says we will give Let’s take the PATRIOT Act. In the weeks our commanders and troops the support nec- after 9/11, we passed this vital law—and I essary to achieve that victory in Iraq. We will want to thank Richard Pombo for his sup- stay in Iraq; we will fight in Iraq; and we port. You don’t have to worry about him. He will win in Iraq. understands that those on the frontline of Our strategy is to stay on the offense, and fighting terror need to have the tools nec- we will do that. You just got to know there’s essary to protect you. And in the 5 years since some fine, fine, brave men and women in that law was passed, it has proved invaluable uniform, and some not in uniform—in the to stopping new attacks on our country. Our intelligence services, doing everything they law enforcement community has used the can to find the enemy every single day. It’s law to break up terror cells or prosecute ter- hard to plot and plan when you’re hiding in rorist operatives and supporters in California, a cave and are on the run. And that’s our in Texas and New Jersey and Illinois and strategy, and that’s the way we’re going to North Carolina and Virginia, Ohio, New keep it. York, and Florida.

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In 2001, the vote in the United States Sen- Qaida planners are making phone calls into ate to pass this law was 98 to 1. But when the United States, then you vote Republican. the bill came up for renewal in 2005, Senate We got to make sure people have got the Democrats filibustered it—that means, tried tools necessary to defeat this enemy in a new to talk it to death. That’s what filibuster kind of war. After the 9/11 attacks, I estab- means up in Washington-speak. They didn’t lished a CIA program to detain and question want it to pass. In fact, the Senate Democrat key terrorist operatives and leaders who were Leader bragged, ‘‘We killed the PATRIOT captured on the battlefield in this war on ter- Act.’’ That’s what he said. When he was asked ror. Captured terrorists have unique knowl- later by a reporter whether killing the PA- edge about where their operatives are de- TRIOT Act was really something to cele- ployed and what plots may be underway. In brate, he answered, ‘‘Of course it is.’’ The other words, they know. And it seems like Democrat attempt to filibuster the PA- it makes sense for us to know what they TRIOT Act follows an approach that might know, in order to protect you. sound familiar: They voted for it before they See, I know the security of the United voted against it. States depends on getting this kind of infor- Eventually, common sense prevailed. The mation. For the past 5 years, the good and bill was passed, and I signed it into law, and decent professionals of the CIA have worked I firmly believe the American people are tirelessly to get information from captured safer because that bill was renewed. terrorists that enabled us to stop new attacks After 9/11, we recognized the need for on our homeland and to save American lives. new tools to learn what the terrorists are Every American must understand what planning and then to be able to move quickly to stop them. See, this is a different kind this program has meant to the security of our of war—that is, different kind of threats— country. Information from the terrorists and we’ve got to make sure the tools are questioned by the CIA helped break up a given to those on the frontline of protecting cell of Southeast Asian terrorist operatives you. If the biggest issue and the biggest job that had been groomed for attacks inside the of the Federal Government is to protect you, United States. The program helped us stop we must have the tools necessary to do so. an Al Qaida cell from developing anthrax for So I directed the National Security Agency attacks against the United States. This pro- to establish the terrorist surveillance program gram helped us stop a planned strike on a to track terrorist communications between U.S. Marine camp in Djibouti. It helped pre- someone overseas and someone in the vent a planned attack on the U.S. consulate United States. The philosophy behind this in Karachi. It helped foil a plot to hijack program is pretty clear: If Al Qaida planes and fly them into Heathrow Airport operatives are making calls in the United and London’s Canary Wharf. States, we need to know who they’re calling, Were it not for the information gained why they’re calling, and what they’re plan- from the terrorists questioned by the Central ning. Intelligence Agency, our intelligence com- Apparently, this simple logic is not very munity believes that Al Qaida and its allies clear to the Democrats in the United States would have succeeded in launching another Congress. Last week, when legislation pro- attack against the American homeland. The viding additional authority for the terrorist CIA program has saved lives, and it remains surveillance program came before the House one of the most vital tools our Nation has of Representatives, 177 Democrats voted in the war against these extremists and ter- against listening in on terrorists communica- rorists. tions. Last week, Congress held a vote on the The stakes in this election couldn’t be future of this CIA program. The choice be- more clear. If you don’t think we should be fore every Member was clear: Should the listening in on the terrorists, then you ought CIA program continue or not? Congress to vote for the Democrats. If you want your voted to continue the program. I look for- government to continue listening in when Al ward to signing it into law.

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The vote tells us a great deal about where proach to the midterm elections. She said the two parties stand when it comes to de- this—and I quote—she said this election, fending America in this war on terror. In the quote, ‘‘should not be about national secu- House of Representatives, 160 Democrats— rity.’’ I strongly disagree. The security of this including the entire Democrat leadership— country comes first, as far as I’m concerned. voted against continuing this program. Think And this Government, with supporters like about that. Almost 80 percent of the House Richard Pombo, will do everything we can Democrats want to stop a program that has to protect you. Of course, to give the Leader provided invaluable intelligence that’s saved some credit, given her party’s record on na- American lives. In the Senate, 32 Democrats, tional security, I can see why she feels that including every member of the Senate lead- way. [Laughter] I wouldn’t want to be talking ership save one, voted to kill this vital pro- about the record, either. gram. That means almost three-quarters of The difference between our parties comes the Democrats in the Senate, including both down to this: Democrats take a law enforce- of your Senators here in California, voted to ment approach to terrorism—that means stop the men and women of the CIA from America will wait until we’re attacked again continuing a program to get information before we respond. We believe we’re at war, from terrorists like Khalid Sheikh Moham- and we will prevent those attacks from hap- med about planned attacks on the United pening in the first place. States. Their record is clear. When people go to During the debate on the Senate floor, one the polls here in this district and districts senior Democrat, their ranking member on around the country, I want them to look at the Judiciary Committee, compared the the record, to look at the facts. Democrats brave Americans who question these terror- have voted time and again to deny our per- ists to the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. This sonnel the tools they need to protect you. exposes a dangerous mindset on the part of Republicans are giving you the tools they Democrats in Congress. You can’t defend need—giving our folks the tools they need America if you cannot tell the difference be- to keep this country safe. If you want leaders tween the CIA officers who protect their fel- in Washington that understand the enemy we low citizens and brutal dictators who kill their face and who are not going to sit back and fellow citizens. wait for them to attack us again, I urge you Another Senate Democrat said that allow- to send Richard Pombo back to the United ing the CIA to go forward with this program States Congress. to question the most dangerous terrorists we Again, I want to thank you for coming. I have captured would diminish the security believe the decisions that I have made have and safety of Americans everywhere. If they made this country safer. And I believe the feel we are safer without this program, the decisions I have made to take the enemy on Democrats in the United States Senate need overseas and to promote liberty and freedom to explain to the American people which of to people who are desperate to be free—I the attacks that the CIA program stopped believe those decisions are laying the founda- would they have been willing to let go for- tion of peace for a generation to come. ward. I’m proud to be on the stage with a fellow We got a clear record on this issue. We citizen who understands the power of liberty know this program is making Americans to bring the peace we want. I’m proud to safer, and we’re not going to allow the Demo- be with you all as you help this good man crats in Congress to take it away. get reelected. I thank you for your prayers. People of this district have got to under- I thank you for being here, and may God stand, there’s a different mindset. Look, peo- bless you all. ple in Washington are patriotic people. The NOTE: The President spoke at 9:22 a.m. at the Democrats are good people; they’ve just got Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium. In his re- a different view of the world than I have. marks, he referred to Annette Pombo, wife of They don’t see it the way I see it. The House Representative Richard W. Pombo; Alex G. Democrat Leader summed up her party’s ap- Spanos, owner, San Diego Chargers professional

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football team, and his wife, Faye; Usama bin course, the superintendent and principal Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organiza- know that. tion; Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, senior Al Qaida We also had a reminder of the need for leader responsible for planning the September 11, people in positions of responsibility to uphold 2001, terrorist attack, who was arrested in Pakistan that responsibility when it comes to children, on March 1, 2003; and former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. in the case of Congressman Mark Foley. I was dismayed and shocked to learn about Congressman Foley’s unacceptable behavior. Remarks at George W. Bush I was disgusted by the revelations and dis- Elementary School in Stockton appointed that he would violate the trust of the citizens who placed him in office. October 3, 2006 Families have every right to expect that when they send their children to be a con- The President. I want to thank Sylvia gressional page in Washington, that those Ulmer, the principal of George W. Bush Ele- children will be safe. We have every right mentary School, for welcoming me. It’s such as citizens to expect people who hold higher an honor, Sylvia—and Jack, thank you, sir— office behave responsibly in that office. I it’s such an honor to have a school named fully support Speaker Hastert’s call for an in- after me. When I pulled in the parking lot vestigation by law enforcement into this mat- and I saw George W. Bush Elementary, I ter. This investigation should be thorough couldn’t think of a higher tribute to a person, and any violations of the law should be pros- and I thank you all and the citizens of this ecuted. community for this honor and tribute. Frank- Now, I know Denny Hastert; I meet with ly, I was a little emotional when I pulled him a lot. He is a father, teacher, coach, who in—— cares about the children of this country. I Sylvia Ulmer. So am I. So am I. know that he wants all the facts to come out, The President. I want to thank the teach- and he wants to ensure that these children ers and the faculty here. I can’t wait to tell up there on Capitol Hill are protected. I’m Laura that I went into the Laura Bush Li- confident he will provide whatever leader- brary and saw teachers working hard to teach ship he can to law enforcement in this inves- kids how to read. It’s just a blessing to be tigation. there. Again, I want to thank you for your hospi- You know, being at this school reminds us, tality. It’s an honor to be here. Appreciate we have a special responsibility to protect our your time. God bless. Thank you. children. One of the most important jobs of those involved with schools and government NOTE: The President spoke at 10:28 a.m. In his is to make sure that children are safe. And remarks, he referred to Jack McLaughlin, super- Laura and I were saddened and deeply con- intendent, Stockton Unified School District. cerned, like a lot of other citizens around the country, about the school shootings that took place in Pennsylvania and Colorado and Wis- Remarks at a Reception for consin. We grieve with the parents, and we Congressional Candidate John T. share the concerns of those who worry about Doolittle in El Dorado Hills, safety in schools. California Yesterday I instructed Attorney General October 3, 2006 Gonzales and Secretary of Education Mar- garet Spellings to convene a meeting next Thank you for coming. Thanks for the Tuesday, a meeting of leading experts and warm welcome. It’s good to be in El Dorado stakeholders to determine how best the Fed- County. [Laughter] I can see why you live eral Government can help States and local here. It’s a beautiful part of the world. And governments improve school safety. Our I’m honored to be standing here with a man schoolchildren should never fear their safety who has done a fine job as a Member of the when then enter to a classroom. And, of United States Congress, John Doolittle.

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He was telling me on the way in, you did Something happened, and what happened a pretty good job filling the hat—[laugh- was, we cut the taxes on the working people ter]—and I want to thank you for doing that. and the small-business owners. Our philos- He deserves your support. He’s a straight- ophy is that the more money you have in forward, honest, decent man with a lot of your pocket, the better off the economy is. common sense. That’s what we need in We like it when you’ve got more money to Washington, DC—a lot of common sense. save, spend, and invest. We know that when And I’m proud to be standing with John Doo- you save, spend, or invest, the economy little, and I appreciate Julie, and I appreciate grows. his family. That stands in stark contrast to our oppo- I’m also proud to be here with the Con- nents, the Democrats. They believe they can gressman from the next district, and that spend your money better than you can. And would be Dan Lungren. Dan, thank you for make no mistake about it, one of the funda- coming, and I’m glad you brought Bobbi with mental differences of this campaign is what you. I also appreciate Doug Ose, a former will the tax rates look like. If you vote Repub- Congressman. Doug is with us, a good friend lican, we’re going to keep the taxes low. If of mine—I’m proud to be with him. the people vote Democrat, the Government The truth of the matter is, old John, when is getting into your pocket and spend your he’s thinking about who could come and money on your behalf. speak, really didn’t want me first. [Laughter] Now, you might not—listen carefully to He had somebody else in mind for this the rhetoric in this campaign. You see, we’ve event—not Barbara—[laughter]—Laura. got these tax cuts in place, and a lot of them That shows good judgment. [Laughter] are going to expire. So when you hear people Laura sends her best to the Doolittles. She, say, ‘‘Well, we’re not going to extend the tax like me, strongly believes John deserves to cuts,’’ that really means they’re going to raise be reelected to the United States Congress. your taxes. It’s like saying to somebody—just And we want to thank you for doing that. giving them a raise and say, ‘‘Well, I’m going By the way, I know I’m not very objective, to take the raise away from you.’’ That’s not but I think Laura is a fabulous First Lady. a raise. I know she’s a great wife and a fabulous In order to make sure this economy con- mother, and she’s got to be the most patient tinues to grow, in order to make sure the woman in America. [Laughter] entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, in I believe strongly that our philosophy rep- order to make sure our small-business sector resents the philosophy that is the most hope- continues to lead economic growth, we need ful for all Americans. I believe our philos- to make the tax cuts permanent. And John ophy is one that works, because we’ve seen Doolittle understands that. He knows it loud it work. Take, for example, the economy. I and clear. He stands on principle in Wash- want you all to remember that the past 5 ington, DC. He trusts you with your own years, this economy has been through a lot. money. It’s been through a recession, corporate scan- You’ll hear these—all kinds of excuses dals; it’s been through a terrorist attack on about why they want to raise your taxes. Per- the United States. The economy had to en- haps the one you hear the most of is, well, dure the fact that I decided to protect this we just need to raise your taxes to balance country by going on the offense against the the budget. The problem is, that’s not the terrorists, and so we had a war in Afghanistan way Washington, DC, works. I’ve been up and a war in Iraq—and natural disasters we there long enough to know how it works. had to deal with, high energy prices. And yet, They’ll figure out new ways to spend your the economy of the United States is the envy money when they raise your taxes. They’ll of the industrialized world. People are work- have more money to spend on pet projects. ing. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong. Our The best way to balance the budget is to keep farmers and ranchers are doing well. Small taxes low, grow the economy—which yields businesses are growing. Productivity is up. more tax revenues, set priorities with your

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money, and be fiscally sound. And that’s what your money on research to enable this coun- we’re going to continue to do. try to become less dependent on foreign And the single biggest priority to spend sources of oil, and in the meantime, we need with your money is to make sure our troops to be exploring for oil and gas in environ- have all the equipment, training, and support mentally friendly ways right here in the they need to do their job. And Congressman United States of America. John Doolittle understands that. And I’m There’s a lot of issues I look forward to proud to say that by working with people in working with Congressman Doolittle on: the Congress like Congressman Doolittle, making sure our education system continues our military is well-funded and the esprit de to hold people to account; making sure the corps is high. I can’t tell you how great it health care system empowers patients and is to be the Commander in Chief of such providers—and not the Federal Government wonderful people, men and women who, in when it comes to making decisions for you; the face of danger, said, ‘‘I volunteer to serve making sure we get legal liability for our doc- the United States of America to protect our tors. We got too many junk lawsuits that are freedoms.’’ Our military is great, and we in- running good doctors out of practice, which tend to keep it that way, for your sake. is running up the cost of your medicine. I couldn’t help but notice there’s a lot of And I look forward to working with John farmers and ranchers in this part of the to make sure our faith-based and commu- world. I strongly suggest making sure you’ve nity-based initiative still has support in the got a Congressman in Washington, DC, who United States Congress. Let me tell you understands how important it is to have a something about this country. The great strong agricultural sector. I personally be- strength of America is not in our military or lieve that when the ag sector is strong, our not in the size of our wallets but exists in economy is strong. And I know full well the hearts and souls of our fellow citizens. we’ve got to have a strong agricultural sector I am proud of and complimentary of the fact for national security reasons. John Doolittle that thousands of our citizens volunteer on understands farming, and he understands a daily basis to feed the hungry, find shelter ranching, and he’s representing you well in for the homeless—without one single law. the United States Congress. People hear that call to love a neighbor just Speaking about national security, we got like you’d like to be loved yourself. And it’s to make sure we become less dependent on changing our country, and it’s saving souls. foreign sources of oil. There’s a complacency, And the Federal Government ought not to I’m sure, that’s going to start setting in here fear the influence of faith in our society, but because gasoline prices are low. And I’m glad we ought to welcome faith-based and com- they’re going down. I’m glad for the sake of munity projects to help solve America’s most the working people in the United States. I’m intractable problems. glad for the sake of the farmers and ranchers. There’s going to be a lot of domestic issues I’m glad, for the sake of those who make a we will be working on. But by far the biggest living on the highways, that the price of gaso- issue of this campaign and the biggest issue line is going down. But that doesn’t lessen confronting the Federal Government is this: the national security consequences of being the security of you, the security of the United dependent on foreign sources of oil. States. Make no mistake about it, there’s an And so I look forward to working with John enemy that still lurks, an enemy that still Doolittle to fund research and development plans, an enemy that still plots, an enemy on technologies that will enable us to drive that still wants to hurt the United States of automobiles with ethanol or to be able to America. These are ideologues bound by a have new batteries that will enable you to hateful ideology. They can’t stand what drive the first 40 miles on electricity—and America stands for. your car is not going to have to look like a We believe strongly in the right of people golf cart—[laughter]—or eventually to worship any way they see fit. As a matter powering your automobiles by hydrogen. of fact, one of the great strengths of the And this is coming. We’re spending a lot of United States of America is you’re equally

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American if you’re a Muslim or a Jew or a that this state sponsor of terror, a person who Christian or a Hindu or an agnostic or atheist. had used weapons of mass destruction, a per- You have a right to choose in the United son who invaded his neighbors, the sworn States of America, and that right is a sacred enemy of the United States, someone who right. But that’s not the case with these was shooting at U.S. pilots, someone who de- ideologues. If you don’t worship the way they fied the United Nations resolution—remov- want you to worship, there’s penalty, and ing him from power has made America safer harsh penalties at that. They don’t believe and the world a better place. in the public square. They don’t believe in The debate is active and alive, and that’s people being able to dissent. They’re bound good. You hear people in Washington, DC, by this ideology, and they’ve got objectives. say that Iraq is a distraction from the war And their objective is to drive the United on terror. I believe it is a central front in States from parts of the world so they can the war on terror, and I believe we must de- spread their ideology throughout the Middle feat the enemy and help that young democ- East in the form of a caliphate. racy succeed in order to make sure this I like to remind people that we’re in the homeland is more secure. But don’t believe ideological struggle of the 21st century. It’s me. Just listen to the words of Usama bin a struggle between good and evil. It’s a strug- Laden or Zawahiri, the number two in Al gle between moderate people and extremists. Qaida. They have loudly proclaimed that Iraq It’s a struggle between those who believe in is central to their ambitions. They have made democracy and those who support tyranny. it abundantly clear that they will continue And the decisions that we make today will their murderous ways to drive us out of Iraq affect the security of the United States and so they can establish safe haven from which affect the type of world your children and to launch further attacks. grandchildren live in. They want a capacity to be able to topple These are historic times, and they’re tough moderate governments who do not subscribe times, and they require steady leadership to their view of the world. Imagine a world from the United States of America. And I 20 or 30 years from now where moderate need steady support in the United States governments have been toppled, where ex- Congress to protect this country. After 9/11, tremists are battling for power in the Middle I came to these conclusions: One, that in East, where these killers have got control of order to protect you, in order to defeat this oil resources, which they would use to punish enemy of hatred, that we must stay on the the free world economically if the free world offense. We must defeat the enemy overseas didn’t concede to their demands. Imagine so we do not have to face them here at home. that kind of world in the midst of which was I concluded that where we find people har- a country with a nuclear weapon aiming to— boring these terrorists, they should be judged and vowing to destroy our close friend Israel. equally as guilty as the terrorists. And the If that world were ever to exist because the Taliban found out what the United States United States of America lost its nerve during meant when they refused to turn over Al this battle in Iraq, history would look back Qaida. And today, because of the actions of and say, what happened to them? How come our coalition in Afghanistan, terrorist training they couldn’t see the problem? How come camps and safe havens have been eliminated; they lost their nerve and left a generation 25 million people now live in freedom; and of Americans to deal with a troubled world? the world is better off for it. Now is the time to confront this group of And of course, the great debate is Iraq. killers and these extremists. Now is the time The debate you’ll hear a lot of talk about to defend the United States of America by is, what should the United States of America defeating the enemy overseas. Now is the do in Iraq? The first thing I would ask the time to stand with the 12 million people who Democrats is, do they truly believe the world demanded their liberty. Now is the time to would be better off with Saddam Hussein help young democracies and moderates still in power? And if so, they need to say around the world, so when history looks back, it loud and clear—because I know full well they can say they did their duty and they

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laid the foundation of peace for a generation ment, and that is to protect you from further to come. attack. Time and time again, the Democrats The challenge of defending you here at want to have it both ways. They talk tough home is immense, because we’ve got to be on terror, but when it comes time—when right 100 percent of the time, and the enemy their votes are counted, their softer side has only got to be right one time. And that’s comes out. [Laughter] why, after 9/11, I called upon the Congress You don’t have to worry about Doolittle. to make sure that those responsible for de- [Laughter] He understands the stakes. He fending you have got all the tools necessary understands the cause. to do so. I worked with Congress to pass the If you’ve got a second, I’d like to review PATRIOT Act to break down walls that pre- these three acts and the legislative history vented the intelligence services from talking in the hopes of clarifying the differences be- to the criminal justice, the law enforcement tween how we think and how the other peo- personnel. I can’t explain very well why that ple think. First, on the PATRIOT Act: In was the case. I’m sure you’re wondering how the weeks after 9/11, we passed this vital law, come somebody who gathered intelligence in and in the 5 years since, it has proved invalu- the United States couldn’t share that same able to stopping further attacks. In other information with law enforcement, but nev- words, it’s worked. The law enforcement ertheless, that’s the way it was. community has used the law to break up ter- You cannot defend this country unless all ror cells or prosecute terrorist operatives and branches of government have the capacity to supporters in California and Texas, New Jer- talk to each other, to share information. This sey, Illinois, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, is a different kind of war. This isn’t a war New York, Oregon, and Florida. measured by the number of platoons or size In 2001, the vote in the United States Sen- of a navy. This is a war in which we must ate was 98 to 1. And then, 5 years later, when find about the intentions of the enemy and the bill came up for renewal, the Senate take care of them before they come and hurt Democrats filibustered it. That’s Wash- us. ington-talk for trying to kill it. They didn’t And so therefore, our people need the want it to go forward. As a matter of fact, tools necessary to protect you. And that’s why the Senate Democrat leaders, when they I established the terrorist surveillance pro- were filibustering, said, ‘‘We killed the PA- gram to monitor terrorist communications TRIOT Act.’’ And a reporter said whether coming into this country and out of this coun- that was something to celebrate—does that try. Listen, after 9/11, we created the pro- really make sense to celebrate that maneu- gram with the Central Intelligence Agency ver? And his answer was, ‘‘Of course it is.’’ to detain and question key leaders that we See, there’s a difference of opinion in picked up off the battlefield. When I said Washington, DC. It’s a difference of opinion we’re going to give these people tools, those in this campaign and campaigns around the are the kind of tools I was talking about. country. As a matter of fact, saying they were On each of these programs—the PA- for the PATRIOT Act and then working to TRIOT Act and the terrorist surveillance kill the PATRIOT Act kind of reminds me program and the legislation to authorize ag- of another campaign. [Laughter] We may be gressive interrogation of terrorists—the heading back to the old days. Finally, the fili- Democrats say they share our goals, but buster died, and I signed the law, and the when it comes time to vote, they have con- United States of America is safer because of sistently opposed giving our personnel the it. tools they need to protect us. And this is an I know you’re familiar with the program issue in this campaign. of the National Security Agency called the The issue in this campaign is which party, terrorism surveillance program that I in- which group of individuals have got the will stalled. I did so to protect you. The philos- and the foresight necessary to give our pro- ophy behind the program is pretty clear, fessionals the tools necessary so they can do pretty simple to understand: If Al Qaida or the most important job facing our Govern- an Al Qaida associate is calling into the

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United States, we want to know why. We had been groomed for an attack on the want to know their intentions. We want to United States. The program helped us stop be able to prevent an attack. an Al Qaida cell from developing anthrax for People say, ‘‘Well, how do you know attacks against the United States. It helped they’re Al Qaida?’’ Well, a lot of times, we’re stop a planned strike on a U.S. Marine camp picking up information on the battlefield— in Djibouti, prevent a planned attack on the say, one of these people we pick up has got U.S. Consulate in Karachi. It helped foil a a phone number on their possession, and it plot to hijack airplanes and fly them into happens to be a U.S. phone number. I think Heathrow or London’s Canary Wharf. it makes sense—I don’t care whether you’re In other words, from this program, we got Republican or Democrat or independent— vital information that enabled us to act to for the United States—[laughter]—won- protect you. Were it not for this information dering why somebody would be calling that from the terrorists questioned by the CIA, phone number. [Laughter] our intelligence community believes that Al Last week, when the legislation providing Qaida and its allies would have succeeded additional authority for the terrorist surveil- in launching another attack against the lance program came before the House of United States. Representatives, 177 Democrats voted Last week, the Congress held a vote on against listening in on terrorist communica- the future of this program. The choice before tions. See, it’s a clear position. It’s a clear every Member was clear: Should the CIA signal of how they view the world in which program continue or not? Congress voted to we live. I’m not saying these people are not continue the program, thankfully, for the se- patriotic; they are. I’m not saying they don’t curity of the country. I’m looking forward to love America; they do. They just see the signing this bill into law. And I thank John world differently, and it’s an important issue Doolittle for his strong support in helping in this campaign, as to how we see the world. getting that bill out of the United States I see the world as a dangerous place. I House of Representatives. see the world with enemies coming to try In this campaign season, this vote tells us to hurt us. I see our most important job is a great deal—the vote on this bill tells a great to protect you. And therefore, we will give deal where the two parties stand. In other our folks on the frontline of terror the tools words, you can get rid of all the rhetoric and necessary to do so. you can look where the parties stand. In the I want to spend a little time on this CIA House of Representatives, 160 Democrats, program. I set up the program to detain and including the entire Democrat leadership, question key terrorist operatives and leaders voted against continuing this program. who were captured on the battlefield. You Eighty percent of House Democrats want to see, a captured leader may have some infor- stop a program that has provided invaluable mation that will help protect you. You know, intelligence that has saved American lives. they may know plans; they may understand In the Senate, 32 Democrats, including what plots are underway. And I know that every member of their Senate leadership our security depends on getting this kind of save one, voted to kill the program, which information. means that about three-quarters of the In the past 5 years, the good and decent Democrats in the Senate, including both of professionals of the CIA have worked tire- the Senators from the State of California, lessly to get information from captured ter- voted to stop the men and women of the rorists that enabled us to stop new attacks CIA from continuing a program to get infor- on the homeland. In other words, we were mation from terrorists like Khalid Sheikh able to get vital information that we can act Mohammed about planned attacks on the on to protect you. Every American has got United States of America. to understand the importance of this pro- We just have a fundamental difference, gram. Information from the terrorists ques- and it’s a key difference for all Americans tioned by the CIA helped break up a cell to look at and listen to. During the debate of Southeast Asian terrorist operatives that on the Senate floor, one senior Democrat,

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their ranking member on the Judiciary Com- going to sit back and wait to be attacked mittee, compared the brave Americans who again, you make sure you send people like question the terrorists to the Taliban and John Doolittle back to the United States Saddam Hussein. I believe this exposes a Congress. dangerous mindset on the part of Democrats I’m an optimistic fellow. I believe strongly in the United States Congress. You can’t de- in my heart of hearts that not only will we fend America if you can’t tell the difference secure this country, but we will do the hard between brave CIA officers who protect their work necessary to help moderates and rea- fellow citizens and brutal dictators who kill sonable people and people who long for their citizens. peace in the Middle East achieve their I’m not making any of this up. [Laughter] dreams. When we find young democracies Another Senate Democrat said that allowing attacked by extremists, we’ll help them sur- the CIA to go forward with its program to vive. When we find liberty challenged in dark question the most dangerous terrorists we corners of the world, we’ll stand with those have captured would, in this person’s words, reformers and those reasonable people who ‘‘diminish the security and safety of Ameri- are anxious to see the extremists defeated cans everywhere.’’ We just have a different and marginalized. This is the call of the 21st mindset, a different view of the world. If they century. This is the challenge for our genera- feel safer without this program, the Demo- tion. And I’m confident, I’m confident, that crats in the Senate need to explain to the our generation will rise to that challenge. American people which of the attacks that And when history looks back, they will say, the CIA program stopped would they have job well done. been willing to let go forward. Thanks for coming. God bless. Protecting your country is the number-one priority as far as I’m concerned, and it’s the number-one priority as far as Congressman NOTE: The President spoke at 2:12 p.m. at the Doolittle is concerned. We must see the Serrano Country Club. In his remarks, he referred world the way it is and stay on the offense to Julia Harlow, wife of Representative John T. Doolittle; Bobbi Lungren, wife of Representative and bring these people to justice before they Daniel E. Lungren; former President Saddam hurt any American citizen. Hussein of Iraq; Usama bin Laden, leader of the But there is a different point of view in Al Qaida terrorist organization; and Khalid Sheikh Washington. The House Democratic Leader, Mohammed, senior Al Qaida leader responsible right here from the State of California, for planning the September 11, 2001, terrorist at- summed up her party’s approach to the mid- tack, who was captured in Pakistan on March 1, term elections this way: She said, ‘‘This elec- 2003. tion shouldn’t be about national security.’’ Well, I think it’s about national security, and I think when the people take a good look Remarks on Arrival in Los Angeles, about the dangers confronting the United California States of America, they’ll think it’s about na- October 3, 2006 tional security. Democrats take a law en- forcement approach to terrorism that means America will wait until we’re attacked again California Wildfires to respond. That’s kind of a pre-9/11 men- Thank you all very much for talking on Air tality, and it’s not going to make this country Force One. We had a briefing on the fires any safer. that have been ravaging country here in Cali- We believe that we’re in a war and that fornia. I was proud to be here with the U.S. we must prevent attacks from happening in Forest Service—as you can see, one of the the first place by staying on the offense. If yellow shirts. These are the people on the you want leaders in Washington who under- frontline of fighting these fires. stand the enemy we face and will give our And they brought me up to date, particu- folks the tools necessary to protect you, if larly on the Day Fire. And that fire has been you want people in Washington who are not contained, which is good news for the people

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of California. I congratulate the Forest Serv- grams are vital since treatments are most ef- ice for their planning and operational plan- fective when breast cancer is detected early. ning on fighting this fire. Our Nation is making advances in the de- I really want to thank the brave firefighters tection and treatment of breast cancer, and who risk their lives on a daily basis to contain my Administration is committed to con- the fires. I was briefed on the Healthy Forest tinuing this progress. In fiscal year 2007, the Initiative, particularly in the urban interface Department of Health and Human Services and was pleased to hear we’re making will spend nearly $844 million on breast can- progress on helping to contain fires once they cer research and prevention activities. In ad- start. We’ve got a lot more work to do. I be- dition, the Federal Government is promoting lieve Congress needs to pass further law that breast cancer screening services for low-in- will enable us to restore forests once they’ve come and uninsured women through out- been burned. reach activities and educational materials. But all in all, it’s been a good lesson for Throughout our Nation, compassionate us to watch these Forest Service people do citizens provide love and encouragement to their job, and I’m really proud of them. I individuals living with breast cancer and their want to thank you for joining me, and I con- loved ones. Survivors of this disease show the gratulate you for your good work. world that life after breast cancer can be a Thank you. reality, and we must continue to support these individuals and their families. Through NOTE: The President spoke at 4:52 p.m. at the medical advances, preventative programs, Los Angeles International Airport. A tape was not and quality health care, we can continue to available for verification of the content of these make significant strides in the fight against remarks. this devastating disease and provide a bright- er future for many Americans. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, Proclamation 8059—National Breast President of the United States, by virtue of Cancer Awareness Month, 2006 the authority vested in me by the Constitu- October 3, 2006 tion and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2006 as National Breast By the President of the United States Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon Gov- of America ernment officials, businesses, communities, health care professionals, educators, volun- A Proclamation teers, and all the people of the United States During National Breast Cancer Awareness to continue our Nation’s strong commitment Month, we underscore our commitment to to preventing and treating breast cancer and advancing the fight against breast cancer and to finding a cure for this disease. bringing hope to those affected by this deadly In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set disease. my hand this third day of October, in the Breast cancer remains the second leading year of our Lord two thousand six, and of cause of cancer deaths among American the Independence of the United States of women, and both men and women should America the two hundred and thirty-first. be aware that age, obesity, genetics, and fam- George W. Bush ily history are factors that can contribute to the risk of developing this disease. Individ- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, uals may help reduce their personal risk of 11:47 a.m., October 4, 2006] breast cancer through regular exercise and healthy lifestyle choices. Also, regular self- NOTE: This proclamation was published in the exams, clinical breast exams, and mammo- Federal Register on October 5.

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Proclamation 8060—National designated October of each year as ‘‘National Disability Employment Awareness Disability Employment Awareness Month.’’ Month, 2006 Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, October 3, 2006 by virtue of the authority vested in me by By the President of the United States the Constitution and laws of the United of America States, do hereby proclaim October 2006 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I call upon Government officials, A Proclamation labor leaders, employers, and the people of During National Disability Employment the United States to observe this month with Awareness Month, we pay tribute to the ac- appropriate programs, ceremonies, and ac- complishments of the men and women with tivities. disabilities whose work helps keep America’s In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set economy strong, and we underscore our my hand this third day of October, in the commitment to ensuring equal employment year of our Lord two thousand six, and of opportunity for all of our citizens. the Independence of the United States of Our country has made great progress to America the two hundred and thirty-first. ensure that opportunities are accessible to George W. Bush everyone who is willing and able to work. Access to jobs was significantly expanded in [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 1990 when President George H. W. Bush 11:47 a.m., October 4, 2006] signed the Americans with Disabilities Act NOTE: This proclamation was published in the (ADA) into law. This important legislation Federal Register on October 5. has served as a foundation for strengthening our Nation’s workforce and advancing inno- vation and American leadership in a global Proclamation 8061—German- marketplace. American Day, 2006 In 2001, my Administration announced the October 3, 2006 New Freedom Initiative to build on the progress of the ADA and more fully integrate By the President of the United States men and women with disabilities into all as- of America pects of life. The New Freedom Initiative has helped expand access to technology, A Proclamation training, and education for citizens with dis- Throughout our history, the spirit and hard abilities. As a result, those who have a dis- work of German Americans have been an im- ability and seek employment are better able portant part of the cultural fabric of our Na- to compete for jobs. To assist in providing tion. On German-American Day, we cele- additional access to employment opportuni- brate German Americans and their many ties, we have also implemented the ‘‘Ticket contributions to the character of our country. to Work’’ program and strengthened training Germans were among the first to settle in and employment services at One-Stop Ca- this great land of promise, and their talent, reer Centers. By visiting DisabilityInfo.gov, faith, and strong values helped establish this individuals and employers can learn more country as a place of freedom and oppor- about the Federal Government’s disability- tunity. Today, millions of German Americans related programs and receive information are adding to the success and prosperity of and resources they need to help achieve their our Nation as leaders in government, sports, personal and professional ambitions. business, science, the arts, and many other To recognize the contributions of Ameri- fields. cans with disabilities and to encourage all In every generation, German Americans citizens to ensure equal opportunity in the have courageously stepped forward to serve workforce, the Congress, by joint resolution in our country’s hour of need. During the approved as amended (36 U.S.C. 121), has Revolutionary War, General Friedrich von

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Steuben helped train the Continental Army ing. It brightens my spirits, as well, to know for battle, and in World War II, great men that there are a lot of good folks from north- like General Dwight Eisenhower and Admi- ern Arizona and other parts of this State who ral Chester Nimitz helped lead the Allied are willing to stand up and support a good Forces to victory. Our Nation will always be man, Rick Renzi, in his quest to be reelected grateful to the many German Americans who to the United States Congress. So thank you have selflessly answered the call to defend for coming. Both of us are really glad you’re liberty and advance the cause of freedom as here. I remember campaigning for Rick in members of our Armed Forces. The sac- Flagstaff in a rain storm. That didn’t dampen rifices of these heroes help preserve the our spirits, nor did it dampen my enthusiasm ideals of our country’s founding and make in saying as clearly as I could, I’m confident the world a safer place. he will make a great Congressman. And he German-American Day is also an oppor- has proven me right. He deserves to be re- tunity to recognize the friendship between elected to the United States Congress, and Germany and the United States. By working I thank you for helping him. together as partners in peace with a mutual I say he deserves it because he’s got a commitment to liberty, the United States and record. And I’m going to talk a little bit about Germany can lay the foundation for a more what we have done together to make Arizona hopeful tomorrow. and the country a better place. But one thing Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, about Renzi, he stands strong on principle. President of the United States of America, He’s got his priorities straight. He prioritizes by virtue of the authority vested in me by his faith. He loves his family—all of them. the Constitution and laws of the United [Laughter] Three of his boys are here, Rob, States, do hereby proclaim October 6, 2006, Ron, and Rick. Listen, when you got 12 kids, as German-American Day. I encourage all it’s good to have their names start with the Americans to celebrate our Nation’s German same letter—that way you don’t forget them. heritage and the many ways German Ameri- [Laughter] But I want to thank the Renzi cans have enriched and strengthened our boys for being here. Thanks for supporting country. your dad. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set I’m sorry mama is not here—Roberta is my hand this third day of October, in the taking care of the kids. I understand that. year of our Lord two thousand six, and of But one of the good things about Rick is, the Independence of the United States of his family stands squarely with him, and it’s America the two hundred and thirty-first. important when you’re in public service, George W. Bush when you’re serving the people, that your family is with you. And that ought to give [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, people in northern Arizona comfort, to know 11:47 a.m., October 4, 2006] that they got a Congressman who not only NOTE: This proclamation was published in the works hard on their behalf in Washington Federal Register on October 5. and when he’s back in the district, but he’s got good priorities. I’m proud to support Rick Renzi in his reelection effort, and I thank Remarks at a Breakfast for you for coming. Congressional Candidate Rick Renzi I’ve got somebody else here who is run- in Scottsdale, Arizona ning for reelection, and he’s a man who has October 4, 2006 brought a lot of dignity to the office of United States Senator. He’s solid; he is strong; he Thank you all. Thanks for coming. Please is influential, and that is Senator Jon Kyl. And be seated. I’m honored to be here. Thanks I appreciate you coming, Senator—he for a warm Arizona welcome. You know, brought Caryll along. there’s nothing like waking up in Arizona I appreciate Congressman J.D. Hayworth, with a fantastic sunrise. What a great way who’s up for reelection, and I urge you to to brighten the spirit. And thank you for com- vote for J.D. Thanks for coming, J.D. J.D.

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has got him a race, and I hope the people says, look what we have been through. In of his district are wise enough to send him other words, we’re not just talkers; we’re back to Washington, DC. doers. We’ve been through a recession. We I’m proud to be here with another Con- had corporate scandals. We had a significant gressman, and that would be U.S. Congress- stock market correction. We had to suffer a man Trent Franks, who brought his wife, terrorist attack on the United States of Amer- Josie, with him. Trent, thanks for coming— ica, which hurt our economy. I made the de- and sweet Josie. cision to defend this country, and we have Last night when I got here at the airport, been in two theaters in this war on terror I was greeted by a young person running for with troops. We had hurricanes, high energy Governor, an attractive man—[laughter]—a prices—and yet the American economy is the family man, an honest man, and that’s Len envy of the industrialized world. Munsil. I appreciate you coming, Governor. It’s one thing to go out and advocate a I’m glad you’re here, and I wish you all the philosophy; it’s another thing to put it into very best. effect. Progrowth economic policies work. I know Renzi well enough to know that We cut the taxes on people who were paying he can be a plain-spoken fellow, and he said taxes. Small businesses are growing. The en- to me, ‘‘I want you to know, you weren’t my trepreneurial spirit is strong. Productivity is first choice for this breakfast.’’ [Laughter] I up. Our farmers and ranchers are doing well. said, ‘‘Well, thanks for having me fly all the The progrowth economic policies of the Re- way out here,’’ you know. [Laughter] I said, publican Party have made a significant dif- ‘‘Who might that have been?’’ He said, ference to the working people in the United ‘‘Well, I really wanted Laura to come.’’ States. [Laughter] Another reason to put him back And if the other bunch gets elected, in Congress is because he’s got good judg- they’re going to raise your taxes. Make no ment. [Laughter] mistake about it, we have a different philos- Laura sends her best. She’s proud of your ophy. See, they think they can spend your service. She says hello to all our friends here money better than you can. They want more in the great State of Arizona. I’m a lucky man of your money to enhance their vision of big- that Laura Bush said yes when I asked her ger government. Oh, I know that words get to marry me. couched in different ways or—the reason we We’re getting ready for—we’re coming campaign is, we help clarify Washington- down the stretch in these campaigns. I’m speak. You’ll hear people say, ‘‘Well, all we’re looking forward to traveling the country, going to do is just let the tax cuts expire’’— making it clear, there are substantial dif- those would be tax cuts on people who have ferences in the philosophy we adhere to and got children, small businesses, those who are the philosophy advocated by the Democrats. married—‘‘Oh, we’ll just let them expire.’’ I like campaigns. It’s a good opportunity to What that means is, they’re going to raise explain to the American people why we make your taxes. See, if those tax cuts expire, your the decisions we make. It’s a good chance taxes are going up. It’s like an employer say- to explain the philosophy of the two different ing to somebody, I’m going to give you a parties. raise, and a couple of weeks later, I’m going I’d like to start with talking about our eco- to take it away, but I hope you still think nomic philosophy. Rick and I believe that the you got the raise. [Laughter] way to grow an economy is to let you keep Rick and I strongly believe that the best more of your own money so you can save, way to keep this economy growing, the best spend, or invest. We strongly believe that the way to keep America to be entrepreneurial more money you have in your pocket, the heaven is to make the tax cuts we passed more likely it is somebody is going to be able permanent. Oh, you’ll hear them say in to find work. That is not only our philosophy; Washington, ‘‘Oh, we just need to raise some that is a practice that we adhere to. of the people’s taxes in order to balance the See, you might remember—and when budget.’’ You know, I’ve been there long you’re out there campaigning, I know Rick enough to tell you, that’s not how it works.

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Yeah, they’ll raise your taxes, all right, but People in northern Arizona must feel con- they will figure out new ways to spend your fident that their Representative, Rick Renzi, money. The best way to balance the budget trusts their judgment and is willing to work is to keep taxes low so we grow the economy on behalf of them in Washington, DC, in a and to prioritize how we spend your money. cooperative way. You know, I said we can cut the deficit in Rick and I firmly believe that it’s really half by 2009; because of progrowth economic important that we diversify away from for- policies and strong fiscal policy out of the eign sources of oil. Look, we’re all applaud- House of Representatives, because of votes ing the fact that gasoline prices are going like Rick Renzi, this deficit is going to be down. I’m sure it pleases you if you drive cut in half by 2008. The worst way to treat a car. I know it helps our small-business own- the budget is to run up your taxes, slow down ers and our families who are concerned about economic growth, and expand Federal Gov- whether or not they’ll have enough money ernment. And we’re not going to let them to save for their child’s education, for exam- do it. We’re going to win the election because ple. Declining gasoline prices are good for we’re progrowth and wise about the money. It’s really important that Congress the economy, but they should not cause us prioritize, set priorities. If you try to be all to forget that dependence upon foreign oil things to all people, we’re going to spend is a national security problem. It’s a national foolishly. And I’ve set some priorities. And security concern. And therefore, I look for- I want the people of Arizona to understand ward to continuing to work with the Arizona that the number-one priority for this Govern- delegation and Congressman Renzi to pro- ment is to defend this country and to make vide research and development money to en- sure our troops have all that is necessary to able us to fuel our automobiles in different do their job for the sake of security. And I ways. thank Congressman Renzi and the other I can’t wait for the day when we can con- Congressmen here in this audience and Sen- tinue to say, ‘‘Corn is up and, therefore, de- ator Kyl for standing strong for those brave pendence upon oil is down.’’ I can’t wait that men and women who put on the uniform we develop new ways to develop ethanol, like of the United States of America. What an from wood chips, so that people in northern honor it is to be the Commander in Chief Arizona become significant producers of en- of such a fine group of people. ergy that will enable this country to diversify I appreciate the fact that Rick joins me away from reliance on foreign crude oil. One in what I call cooperative conservation. That day, we’ll have hybrid vehicles with new bat- means we’re going to work with local folks, teries, plug-in hybrids, and you’ll be able to local stakeholders, and States to conserve our drive the first 40 miles on electricity—and environment. You know, there is a mindset your car won’t have to look like a golf cart. in Washington that says, we’ll tell the folks [Laughter] When these kids are learning to in Arizona how to do it. That’s not my view. drive, they’ll be having hydrogen-powered See, I’m from Texas; I believe that Texans automobiles at their disposal. In other words, can manage the environment in Texas plenty we’re on a massive effort to diversify away fine. And I believe the same thing in Arizona. from foreign sources of oil. I worked with Rick to pass what’s called the Healthy Forest Initiative. See, his district And in the meantime, we need to be ex- has got a lot of important forests. It means ploring for natural gas and oil in our own that we can work together with local folks hemisphere in environmentally friendly to thin out those forests so they’re not full ways. We’ve got a comprehensive plan to of combustionable fuel, to be able to help help this Nation’s national security and eco- deal with the catastrophic fires that have nomic security by having a comprehensive plagued this State and other States. It is a energy bill, and I want to thank Congressman wise use of government resources to plan and Renzi for working on that. affect good environmental policy by working Oh, there’s going to be a lot of domestic with the local folks. Rick understands that. issues we’ll work on, but there’s no issue

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more important than protecting the Amer- running or when you’re hiding in a cave. ican people. It’s the calling of the 21st cen- We’ve got fantastic people working on your tury. The most important job for the Federal behalf, unbelievably brave men and women Government is to protect you. After 9/11, I in our intelligence services or in the United vowed that we would do everything in our States military who are pressing this enemy power to prevent a further attack. We’re at every single day. war with an enemy that would like to hurt And now we’re involved in a great conflict us again. I know some would hope that the in the war on terror in Iraq. And there’s a President wouldn’t say that, but that’s the re- debate in Washington, DC, and the debate ality of the world in which live. I live it every is whether or not Iraq is a part of the war day. I think about the importance of defend- on terror. You’ll hear the Democrats say, ing this country every single day of my Presi- ‘‘Well, it’s a distraction on the war on terror.’’ dency. I strongly disagree. I fully understand the na- It’s important to have Members of Con- ture of this enemy. I fully understand their gress who see the world the way it is and intent is to drive us out of the Middle East who understand the nature of the enemy. so they can topple moderate governments These are evil people who have taken the and get a hold of oil resources, develop weap- tenets of a great religion and used it to their ons of mass destruction and safe havens from ends to achieve objectives. These are which to attack the United States again. ideologues. These are people bound by an If you don’t believe me, listen to the words ideology of hate. Their ideology is opposite of Usama bin Laden and the number two of what we believe. We believe that anybody of Al Qaida, Zawahiri. They have made their can worship any way they want and be an intentions clear. They have made it clear that equal citizen of the United States of America. Iraq is a central front in this war on terror. We believe Jew, Muslim, Christian, atheist, They have made their intentions known, out agnostic are all equally American. We believe loud—well, they probably didn’t want us to in the great right of an individual to choose hear it, but, nevertheless, we did—that they how to worship as they see fit. The enemy want to drive us out of Iraq. It’s just a matter says, ‘‘If you don’t worship the way we wor- of time, in their mind. They believe that the ship, you’re guilty.’’ lessons of Somalia will apply to Iraq. They We believe in dissent in the public square. think that with enough carnage and blood- Oh, sometimes it gets a little loud, but never- shed and death and the murder of the inno- theless, we welcome dissent. We welcome cent, the United States will let them have the fact that in our country, people can ex- their way. press themselves any way they want. If you They’re wrong. The United States under- express dissent with these ideologues, they stands that the security of the United States will hold you to account. They have a dark of America, for our children, depends upon vision of the world. It stands in stark contrast victory in Iraq. We will stand with the 12 with those of us who believe in liberty, who million brave citizens who demanded their love freedom. And they’ll do anything they freedom. We will help the new unity Govern- can to drive us out of parts of the world so ment succeed. We will train Iraqis so they they can achieve their ambitions. They will can take the fight to the enemy. In the mean- murder innocent lives in the hopes that the time, we will stay in the battlefield and United States of America will lose its will to achieve the victory for a generation of Ameri- confront them. cans to come. After 9/11, I vowed that in order to protect Right after 9/11, I said to the American the United States of America, we must stay people, we’ll make sure that those on the on the offense. We must defeat the enemy frontline of defending this country have the overseas so we don’t have to face them here. tools necessary to do so. The reason I said We must bring them to justice before they that is because I understand the nature of hurt Americans again. And that’s what we’re this war. See, it’s a different kind of battle. doing. We’re on the offense every single day. The old World War II vets here—and I thank It’s hard to plot, plan, and kill when you’re you for your service—will remember—or the

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Korean war vets—will remember the days See, we just have a different attitude about that you could measure success against an the war on terror. My attitude is, we’ve got enemy based upon the number of ships sunk to give people the tools necessary to protect or aircraft shot out of the air. This is a dif- you and not wait for another attack. You ferent kind of war. It’s a war that depends know, they filibustered the PATRIOT Act upon our capacity to find individuals and and then—after they had voted for it—kind bring them to justice before they strike again. of sounds familiar. [Laughter] That old re- And therefore, it requires intelligence and frain from 2004—[laughter]—appears to be tools that we didn’t need in other wars. coming back to—coming back into the polit- And so I vowed—and the reason I know ical dialog. this is because, you see, we’ve got to be right The reason I bring this up is, in an election 100 percent of the time to protect you. And year, I want the American people and the the enemy has got to be right one time. And people of Arizona to understand, there is a therefore, I worked with people like Rick clear difference of opinion about how to pro- Renzi and other Members of Congress to tect this country. Oh, they can talk good talk. make sure those on the frontline of terror But when it came time to vote, the American had what it needed—had what they needed people can see exactly where the Democrat to defend you. Party stands in protecting this country. That’s why I proposed and worked hard You might remember that I instituted a program through the National Security to pass the PATRIOT Act. See, the PA- Agency to establish what’s called the terrorist TRIOT Act—prior to the PATRIOT Act, in- surveillance program. I felt it was very impor- telligence and law enforcement could not tant for those of us whose job it is to protect communicate. I know that’s hard for you to you to understand the nature of the enemy. believe, but matter—somebody whose job it And if somebody from Al Qaida is calling into is to collect intelligence on what might be the United States, in order to protect you, happening in the United States, and because we need to know why and what they’re plan- of walls that had grown up over the years, ning and what they’re thinking. See, this is it was impossible for them to share that intel- a different kind of war, and we need to know ligence with law enforcement. You cannot the intention of the enemy now in order to protect the United States if our—those re- protect you from attack. sponsible for protecting you cannot commu- This bill came up—the idea of providing nicate. additional authority for the terrorist surveil- And so I said to Congress, ‘‘This is ridicu- lance program came to the House floor re- lous. Let’s tear down the walls that prevented cently. And there was a vote, and people got good people from talking.’’ And they agreed. to stand up and declare whether or not this The House passed a bill; right after 2001, program was important: 177 Democrats the Senate did, 98 to 1. But I want you all voted against listening in on terrorist commu- to remember, when the bill came up again nications; 177 of the opposition party said, for renewal in 2005, Democrat Senators fili- ‘‘You know, we don’t think we ought to be bustered the bill. Evidently, their attitude listening to the conversations of terrorists.’’ changed. Filibuster is Washington-speak for, If the people of Arizona, if the people of like, try to talk it to death. I promise I’m the United States don’t think we ought to not going to filibuster you here today. be listening in on the conversations of people [Laughter] As a matter of fact, during that who could do harm to the United States, then period—I think it is illustrative for people go ahead and vote for the Democrats. If you to hear the words of the Senator minority want to make sure those on the frontline of leader. He bragged, ‘‘We killed the PA- protecting you have the tools necessary to TRIOT Act.’’ That’s what he said. And then do so, you vote Republican, for the safety when pressed by the press, he said—they of the United States of America. said, ‘‘Are you sure this is the right thing to After the 9/11 attacks, I established a CIA do, to celebrate killing the PATRIOT’’—he program to detain and question key terrorist said, ‘‘Of course it is.’’ operatives and leaders who we captured on

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the battlefield. I did so because I believed stand that I would never question a person’s that those who were responsible—we think patriotism; I don’t. They just have a different were responsible for planning attacks, such point of view about the war on terror, and as the 9/11 attack, might be able to tell us it’s a point of view that the American people some information about how the enemy op- must understand. erates, where they operate, and what they Think about that vote. Think about what intend. I understand this is a different kind it says between different philosophies. Think of war and our most solemn duty is to protect about the difference of how we view the you. And I felt—I know it’s vital to get this world. Eighty percent of the House Demo- kind of information. For 5 years, really fine crats—nearly 80 percent want to stop the professional people at the CIA have worked program that has provided invaluable intel- tirelessly to get information from these cap- ligence that saved lives, that saved lives of tured terrorists. the United States of America. In the Senate, It’s important for people of Arizona and 32 Democrats, including every member of the Nation to understand what this program their Senate leadership save one, voted to kill has meant to our security. Information from the vital program. This means that nearly the terrorists questioned by the CIA helped three-quarters of the Democrats in the break up a cell of Southeast Asian extremists United States Senate voted to stop the men and terrorist operatives who had been and women of the CIA from continuing a groomed for attacks inside the United States program to get information from extremists of America. The program helped stop an Al and terrorists like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Qaida cell from developing anthrax for at- about planned attacks on the United States tacks against the United States. Information of America. that we gained helped to stop a planned We just think differently. And it’s impor- strike on a Marine base in Djibouti and tant, during a campaign, for the American helped prevent an attack on the U.S. con- people to understand the facts. There is a sulate in Karachi and helped foil a plot to difference between rhetoric and action in hijack passenger planes and fly them into Washington, DC. And the votes of the Heathrow and London’s Canary Wharf. Democrats to deny the tools necessary to The reason I bring—I declassified this in- protect you speak loud and clear about their formation because I wanted the American vision of the world in which we live. people to understand the stakes of the debate We’ve got a clear record. We believe on the detainee program, and I wanted them strongly that we must take action to prevent to understand with clarity that this program attacks from happening in the first place. is essential to help get information to protect They view this election—they view the you. Were it not for information gained from threats we face like law enforcement, and the terrorists questioned by the CIA, our in- that is, we respond after we’re attacked. And telligence community believes that Al Qaida it’s a fundamental difference, and I will travel and its allies would have succeeded in this country for the next 5 weeks making it launching another attack against the United clear the difference of opinion. States of America. And these are the facts. You know, the House Democrat Leader And the Congress held a vote on the future summed up her party’s approach to the mid- of this CIA program, and the choice between term elections this way. She said, ‘‘This elec- every Member of Congress was clear: Should tion should not be about national security.’’ this program continue or not? Congress, for- I strongly disagree. There’s an enemy that tunately, continued the program. I’m going wants to hurt the American people. The most to sign it into law, and I thank them for their solemn responsibility of the President and leadership. those of us who have been honored to serve But I want you to understand what hap- you is to do what is necessary to protect the pened during this vote. In the House of Rep- American people, and we will continue to do resentatives, 160 Democrats, including the so. entire Democrat leadership, voted against I’m optimistic we will prevail in the great continuing the program. I want you to under- ideological struggle of the 21st century. You

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are witnessing historic times, and this is an curity of our borders, airports, seaports, and historic election. You’re witnessing a struggle other key infrastructure. It’s helped give our between moderation and extremists, tyranny partners in local and State law enforcement and freedom. You’re witnessing a struggle the tools they need to do their jobs. between those who would impose their dark The legislation I sign today provides about vision on others and people who just want $33.8 billion in funding to help secure the to live in peace. These are historic times, and homeland. This is a good bill. It will help it’s going to require strong U.S. leadership us deploy nuclear detection equipment at our to help win this ideological struggle. ports of entry, raise security standards at the But I have got great faith. I believe in the Nation’s chemical plants, safeguard Amer- universality of freedom. I believe all souls ican cities against weapons of mass destruc- want to be free, and if given a chance, they tion, and stop terrorists seeking to enter our will help us yield the peace we want. I believe country. the hard work that we’re doing to protect The bill will also help our Government you is also laying the foundation of peace for better respond to emergencies and natural generations to come. I want it to be said disasters by strengthening the capabilities of when people look back at this moment of the Federal Emergency Management Agen- history that the United States of America had cy. This legislation will give us better tools confidence in the values that caused our to enforce our immigration laws and to se- founding to begin in the first place; that we cure our southern border. believed strongly in an obligation to help oth- This bill is going to make this country safer ers realize the blessings and benefits of lib- for all our citizens. And I appreciate the erty. We did our duty; we did what we were called to do. And that’s going to happen. Members of the Congress who have joined I want to thank you for your interest. I me to witness this signing, Senator Jon Kyl, thank you for supporting good, solid people J.D. Hayworth, Trent Franks, and Rick who share my vision of peace. May God bless Renzi. These Members supported this good you all, and may God continue to bless the bill, and I thank them for their support. I’m United States. also pleased that Governor Janet Napolitano has joined us. Governor, thank you for being NOTE: The President spoke at 8:32 a.m. at the here. We’re honored to have you up here Camelback Inn. In his remarks, he referred to with us. Caryll Kyl, wife of Senator Jon Kyl; Usama bin The bill I sign helps us address one of the Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organiza- central issues facing all States but particularly tion; and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, senior Al a State like Arizona, and that’s illegal immi- Qaida leader responsible for planning the Sep- tember 11, 2001, terrorist attack, who was cap- gration. I understand full well that illegal im- tured in Pakistan on March 1, 2003. migration puts pressure on the public schools and hospitals. It strains State and local budg- ets. In some communities, it increases crime. Remarks on Signing the Department The administration and Congress have been of Homeland Security taking decisive steps to address this issue. Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year Since I took office, we’ve increased fund- 2007 in Scottsdale ing for our border security from $4.6 billion October 4, 2006 in 2001 to $9.5 billion in 2006. We have in- creased the number of Border Patrol agents Thank you all for coming. Pretty soon, I’m from about 9,000 to 12,000. We significantly going to sign an important piece of legislation decreased the time it takes to return illegal that will highlight our Government’s highest immigrants to their home countries. We’ve responsibility, and that’s to protect the Amer- apprehended and sent home more than 6 ican people. The Department of Homeland million people entering this country illegally. Security plays a critical role in fulfilling this We’ve stepped up worksite enforcement responsibility every day. Since its creation in against companies who knowingly hire illegal 2003, the Department has strengthened se- workers. We’re sending a clear signal that

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we’re a nation of law, and laws will be en- The bill I sign today also includes a 25- forced. percent increase for funding for immigration We’ve made progress in addressing illegal and customs enforcement. This funding will immigration, but there is a lot more work help Federal agents better enforce our immi- to be done. This May, I asked Congress to gration laws inside our country. It will allow fund improvements in infrastructure, tech- us to add at least 6,700 new beds in detention nology, and manpower at the border, and I centers. Part of the problem we face is that appreciate Congress delivering upon my re- illegal immigrant was caught sneaking into quests. the country, and because there was no deten- The bill I sign today includes nearly $1.2 tion beds, the Border Patrol would say, ‘‘Why billion in additional funding for strength- don’t you check back in with us after awhile. ening the border, for new infrastructure and There’s no place to hold you, so check back technology that will help us do our job. It in with the judges.’’ And of course, they provides funding for more border fencing, didn’t check back in. It created a lot of frus- vehicle barriers, and lighting, for cutting- tration with the Border Patrol. edge technology, including ground-base radar, infrared cameras, and advance sensors So we’re in the process of ending catch- that will help prevent illegal crossings along and-release. This bill will help us end catch- our southern border. That’s what the people and-release. You see, when people know that of this country want. They want to know that they’ll be caught and sent home if they enter we’re modernizing the border so we can bet- the country illegally, they’re going to be less ter secure the border. likely to try to enter illegally in the first place. The bill also supports our efforts to in- The funds that Congress has appropriated crease the number of Border Patrol agents are critical for our efforts to secure this bor- to about 18,000 by the end of 2008. I recog- der and enforce our laws. Yet, we must also nized, Congress recognized that we needed recognize that enforcement alone is not more Border Patrol agents to do the job. So going to work. We need comprehensive re- we were in Artesia, New Mexico, earlier, and form that provides a legal way for people to went to the Border Patrol Training Center; work here on a temporary basis. It’s going they were thanked first hand, the men and to relieve pressure on the border. It will en- women who are willing to go out and do hard able our Border Patrol agents to do a better work and help secure a really long border. job when we reduce the number of people And I appreciate the service of the Border trying to sneak into the country. It will free Patrol. up our law enforcement officers to focus on It provides funding for about 1,500 addi- criminals and drug dealers and terrorists and tional Border Patrol agents. In other words, others who mean us harm. this is part of a doubling of the Border Patrol We’ll continue to work with Congress to that I called for earlier in my administration. pass comprehensive immigration reform that I fully understand it’s going to take time to secures this border, upholds our laws, and recruit and train these Border Patrol, and honors our Nation’s proud heritage as a land that’s why, in coordination with the Gov- of immigrants. ernors, we deployed 6,000 National Guard members to the southern border, and they’re I want to thank the Members of Congress doing a fine job. who have joined me for this important bill I remember the outcry when I thought it signing. And now it’s my honor to sign the was a good—told the American people I Department of Homeland Security Appro- thought it was a good idea to send them down priations Act for 2007. there. But, thankfully, we did. And they’re helping the Border Patrol. And when the NOTE: The President spoke at 9:37 a.m. at the Border Patrol agencies—number of agents Camelback Inn. H.R. 5441, approved October 4, double, then we’re not going to need the Na- was assigned Public Law No. 109–295. The Office tional Guard. But in the meantime, America of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish lan- owes them a debt of gratitude and thanks. guage transcript of these remarks.

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Statement on Signing the branch and as Commander in Chief, to clas- Department of Homeland Security sify and control access to national security Appropriations Act, 2007 information and to determine whether an in- October 4, 2006 dividual is suitable to occupy a position in the executive branch with access to such in- Today, I have signed into law H.R. 5441, formation. the ‘‘Department of Homeland Security Ap- To the extent that section 514 of the Act propriations Act, 2007’’ (the ‘‘Act’’). The Act purports to allow an agent of the legislative appropriates the funds needed to protect the branch to prevent implementation of the law United States against terrorism, secure the unless the legislative agent reports to the Nation’s borders, assist States and localities Congress that the executive branch has met in dealing with natural disasters, and perform certain conditions, the executive branch shall the other important functions of the Depart- construe such section as advisory, in accord- ment of Homeland Security. The Act also ance with the constitutional principles enu- strengthens the capabilities of the Federal merated in the Chadha decision. Emergency Management Agency to prepare The executive branch shall construe sec- for and respond to emergencies requiring ac- tion 522 of the Act, relating to privacy officer tion by the Federal Government. reports, in a manner consistent with the The executive branch shall construe as President’s constitutional authority to super- calling solely for notification the provisions vise the unitary executive branch. of the Act that purport to require congres- To the extent that provisions of the Act, sional committee approval for the execution such as section 558, purport to direct or bur- of a law. Any other construction would be den the conduct of negotiations by the execu- inconsistent with the principles enunciated tive branch with foreign governments or by the Supreme Court of the United States other entities abroad, the executive branch in INS v. Chadha. These provisions include shall construe them as advisory. Such provi- those under the headings ‘‘United States Vis- sions, if construed as mandatory rather than itor and Immigrant Status Indicator Tech- advisory, would impermissibly interfere with nology;’’ ‘‘Automation Modernization, Cus- the President’s constitutional authorities to toms and Border Protection;’’ ‘‘Border Secu- conduct the Nation’s foreign affairs, partici- rity Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology, pate in international negotiations, and super- Customs and Border Protection;’’ ‘‘Air and vise the unitary executive branch. Marine Interdiction, Operations, Mainte- Provisions of the Act, including under the nance, and Procurement, Customs and Bor- heading ‘‘Office of the Secretary and Execu- der Protection;’’ ‘‘Automation Moderniza- tive Management’’ and sections 521, 539, tion, Immigration and Customs Enforce- 540, and 559, refer to joint explanatory state- ment;’’ ‘‘Protection, Administration, and ments of managers accompanying con- Training, United States Secret Service;’’ ference reports on specified acts. Such state- ‘‘Preparedness, Management and Adminis- ments do not satisfy the constitutional re- tration;’’ ‘‘United States Citizenship and Im- quirements of bicameral approval and pre- migration Services;’’ ‘‘Management Adminis- sentment to the President needed to give tration, Science and Technology;’’ ‘‘Research, them the force of law. Development, Acquisition, and Operations, Section 503(c) of the Homeland Security Science and Technology;’’ and sections 504, Act of 2002, as amended by section 611 of 505, 509, 511, and 552. the Act, provides for the appointment and Section 513 of the Act purports to direct certain duties of the Administrator of the the conduct of security and suitability inves- Federal Emergency Management Agency. tigations. To the extent that section 513 re- Section 503(c)(2) vests in the President au- lates to access to classified national security thority to appoint the Administrator, by and information, the executive branch shall con- with the advice and consent of the Senate, strue this provision in a manner consistent but purports to limit the qualifications of the with the President’s exclusive constitutional pool of persons from whom the President authority, as head of the unitary executive may select the appointee in a manner that

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rules out a large portion of those persons best the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution to qualified by experience and knowledge to fill afford equal protection of the laws. the office. The executive branch shall con- Section 1802(a) of the Homeland Security strue section 503(c)(2) in a manner con- Act of 2002, as amended by section 671 of sistent with the Appointments Clause of the the Act, calls for the Secretary of Homeland Constitution. Also, section 503(c)(4) purports Security ‘‘in cooperation with the Depart- to regulate the provision of advice within the ment of National Communications System executive branch and to limit supervision of (as appropriate)’’ and others to develop and an executive branch official in the provision update a National Emergency Communica- of advice to the Congress. The executive tions Plan. An examination of the text and branch shall construe section 503(c)(4) in a structure of the Act reveals that the term manner consistent with the constitutional au- ‘‘Department of National Communications thority of the President to require the opin- System’’ in section 1802(a) is most reasonably ions of heads of departments and to supervise construed as a reference to the National the unitary executive branch. Accordingly, Communications System in the Preparedness the affected department and agency shall en- Directorate of the Department of Homeland sure that any reports or recommendations Security, to which section 611 of the Act re- submitted to the Congress are subjected to fers in amending section 505 of the Home- appropriate executive branch review and ap- land Security Act of 2002, and the executive proval before submission. branch shall so construe it. Section 507(f)(6) of the Homeland Secu- George W. Bush rity Act of 2002, as amended by section 611 The White House, of the Act, and sections 689i(a)(4)(B)(iv) and October 4, 2006. 689j(b)(2)(E) of the Act, purport to require in certain circumstances that an executive NOTE: H.R. 5441, approved October 4, was as- branch official submit legislation for the con- signed Public Law No. 109–295. sideration of the Congress. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the President’s con- Remarks at a Reception for stitutional authority to supervise the unitary Gubernatorial Candidate Bob executive branch and to recommend for con- Beauprez and the Colorado gressional consideration such measures as Republican Party in Englewood, the President shall judge necessary and expe- Colorado dient. October 4, 2006 Several provisions of the Act purport to direct the President to perform the Presi- Thanks for coming. I appreciate those kind dent’s duties ‘‘acting through’’ a particular of- words—Governor. I’m proud to be here with ficer. These provisions include section 303(b) Bob Beauprez. I’ve gotten to know him quite of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and well. See, we both served in Washington, Emergency Assistance Act, as amended by DC, together. [Laughter] He is a straight section 633 of the Act, section 1802 of the thinker. He is a clear thinker. He’s a person Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended who understands that as the chief executive by section 671 of the Act, and sections 643, officer of a State, that you have to have a 644, 689i, and 689j of the Act. The executive vision and the capacity to make decisions branch shall construe such provisions in a necessary to achieve that vision. There’s no manner consistent with the constitutional au- doubt in my mind he’ll make a great Gov- thority of the President to supervise the uni- ernor for the State of Colorado, and I thank tary executive branch. you for supporting him. The executive branch shall construe provi- And there’s no doubt in my mind Claudia sions of the Act relating to race, ethnicity, will make a fine first lady for the State of and gender, such as sections 623 and 697 Colorado. I know something about first la- of the Act, in a manner consistent with the dies. [Laughter] I’m a fortunate man that requirement of the Due Process Clause of Laura said yes when I asked her to marry

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me. We’re both west Texans. At the time, Benson is with us. I’m proud everybody is I can promise you, neither of us dreamt that here. Thanks for contributing. I’d be President and she’d be First Lady. As I do want to remind you, however, that a matter of fact, if she thought at that time— campaigns are more than just raising money. [laughter]. Thankfully, she is our First Lady, It helps; don’t get me wrong. [Laughter] But and I know I’m not objective, but I feel like the next Governor is going to need your help she’s doing a fabulous job on behalf of the turning out the vote. I know what it means American people. to have a grassroots organization in Colorado It’s important to have—to be able to follow working on one’s behalf. Many in this room somebody in office who’s done a good job. worked on my behalf to help me become the See, Beauprez is going to be a fine Governor, President. I want to thank you for what and one of the reasons he’s going to be a you’ve done and encourage you to support fine Governor is, he’s following another fine Bob Beauprez and turn out that vote come Governor, and that’s Bill Owens. I appreciate November. And while you’re doing it, make Bill’s leadership; I appreciate his steadfast sure we get these congressional candidates adherence to principles. I’m proud to be with back in office too. Bill and my friend Frances today, and I want Before I talk about some of the issues, I to thank you both for serving your State. do want to talk about an event that just re- I appreciate Lieutenant Governor Jane cently occurred here in Colorado, in Bailey, Norton and Mike Norton for joining us. Colorado. A lot of Americans, and I know Thank you all for coming. I am proud to be a lot of folks in Colorado, express our deepest here with a fine United States Senator in sympathy to the folks in that good commu- Wayne Allard, and his wife, Joan. Thank you nity about the tragic loss of Emily Keyes. She all for serving, and thanks for joining us. died one week ago of an unspeakable act of Colorado is going to lose a really fine Con- violence. It wasn’t necessary. We join her gressman in Joel Hefley. I’m proud to call family in prayer. We extend our deepest sym- Joel friend. He brought honor and dignity pathies to those good people. to the office of United States Congressman. This next week, I have asked Attorney He represents the folks of Colorado Springs General Al Gonzales and Secretary of Edu- and the area with a lot of class. I appreciate cation Margaret Spellings to convene a meet- him coming today, and I’m honored also to ing of leading experts and officials to deter- be here with Lynn. Thank you both for com- mine how the Federal Government can help ing. State and local folks deal with these shootings I want to thank the State attorney general, and the tragedies. Look, we wanted to make John Suthers, and Janet for joining us today. us certain around the country that the school- Thank you for serving. I thank State treasurer house is a safe place for children to learn. Mike Coffman and Cynthia for joining us And so I’m looking forward to the results of today; proud you both are here. By the way, that meeting, how we can facilitate help, and just in case you might forget, Mike is running how we can help these communities heal and for Colorado secretary of state. And in case recover from the tragic events like those that the people of Colorado forget, he is a United have taken place in three States over the past States marine who, when this Nation called, couple of weeks. May God bless Emily’s fam- served with distinction in this battle against ily. these terrorists. Mike, I want to thank you Speaking about education, when I was the very much. Proud to have been able to call Governor of Texas, I used to say this: I said, you commander in chief—[laughter]—for education is to a State what national defense me to call—as Commander in Chief, call you is to the Federal Government. Education is proud marine. [Laughter] by far the most important priority for State I want to thank Commissioner Janet Row- government, as far as I’m concerned. And land—Mesa County—and Lance—candidate I know the next Governor feels the same way. for Lieutenant Governor. Thanks for coming, I appreciate Bill Owens’ approach to edu- Janet. Bill Armstrong is with us. Bob Mar- cation, and I’m looking forward to continuing tinez is with us. John Elway is with us. Bruce to work with Bob Beauprez. And here’s the

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approach: We’re setting high standards. We about it. The best way to keep this economy believe every child can learn to read and growing is to make the tax cuts we passed write and add and subtract. And we’re willing permanent and to make sure Republicans to measure to determine whether or not each control the House and the Senate. school is educating each child. And we meas- The most important job of government in ure early so we can correct problems early, this day and age is to protect you. It is a so that the people of Colorado will be able vital call for those of us who serve in Wash- to say no child is being left behind in the ington or in State government. The reason State of Colorado when it comes to public I say that is because we’re at war with an education. enemy that still wants to inflict harm. I wish I know that a Governor can set the tone I could report differently to you, but that’s for a State. Your Governor has set the tone not my job. See, my job isn’t to paint a pic- for the State, and your next Governor must ture of the way we’d like it to be; my job, set the tone. And the tone for a State is: One, in order to protect you, is to travel this coun- it’s a safe place to live; two, the schools are try and explain to people exactly what’s at worthy of the dollars being spent; and three, this is a good place for people to invest so stake. And what is at stake is your security people can find work. A Governor has the and our freedoms, because there’s a group capacity to say loud and clear to risk-takers of coldblooded killers bound together by a and people looking at your State, ‘‘Please common ideology that wants to strike us come and invest in the State of Colorado. again. Please come to this State of entrepreneurial I think about this every day, as your Presi- dreams.’’ I know that Bob Beauprez will be dent. I resolved after 9/11 that we would use able to do this because I worked with him all assets at our disposal to do the most im- to help overcome a recession and a corporate portant job for a Federal Government, and scandal and a terrorist attack on the United that’s to protect the American people. And States, war, two hurricanes, and high energy the best way to do that is to stay on the of- prices. And yet, our economy is the envy of fense against these people and defeat them the industrialized world. overseas so we do not have to face them here. Our people are working. The unemploy- And that’s exactly what we’re doing. ment rate is low in the State of Colorado. There’s some incredibly brave people work- Productivity is up; small businesses are on ing on your behalf—great intelligence offi- the rise. I’ve always felt it’s important for the cers, people in diplomatic corps, and people State and the Nation to be able to say, entre- who have volunteered to wear the uniform preneurs welcome here. The role of govern- of the United States of America. And the job ment is not to create wealth but to create of us in Washington, DC—of those of us in an environment in which the entrepreneurial Washington is to make sure that these brave spirit can flourish. And so when it came time men and women have all that is necessary to overcome the economic obstacles we to do the job we have asked them to do. And faced, I went to the United States Congress, we will continue to do just that. spoke directly to people like Bob Beauprez and said, ‘‘Why don’t we cut the taxes on This offense against these terrorists is everybody who is paying taxes. Why don’t we waged in different fronts and in different let the people have more of their own money ways. And the current front, the most visible in their pocket so they can save, invest, and front against the killers who would do harm spend.’’ in the United States, is in Iraq. And there’s Progrowth economic policies work. This a difference of opinion. I believe that we economy is on the run—on the rise. And this must achieve victory in Iraq to make sure is an issue in this national campaign. It really America is secure. Democrats in Washington is. The issue is, the Democrats get control believe Iraq is a distraction from the war on of the Congress, they’re going to have their terror. These are decent people, and they’re hands on your wallet. [Laughter] They’ll be patriotic people—they just happen to be running up your taxes; make no mistake wrong people. [Laughter]

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If you don’t believe me, if people in Colo- that’s why a chief part of our strategy is to rado are doubtful about whether Iraq is im- keep the pressure on them. But I also recog- portant to the security of the United States, nized that I needed to call upon Congress I would hope they would listen to the words to help us develop tools so that those on the of Usama bin Laden or the number-two man frontline of protecting you could do so. in Al Qaida, Zawahiri, both of whom have One of the tools was given to folks through proclaimed loud and clear that Iraq is essen- the PATRIOT Act. There was an extensive tial to their plans. See, they believe America debate on the PATRIOT Act, and it’s an im- is weak, and if they can kill enough innocent portant debate. But it’s important for you to people, we’ll retreat. That’s precisely what know that prior to the PATRIOT Act, intel- they want. They want us to leave the Middle ligence officials and law enforcement officials East so they can establish safe haven from could not exchange information. Now, this which to plot, plan, and attack again. They is a different kind of war. In the old days, want to get their hands on oil reserves so you could measure success based upon the that when they demand the free world to ca- number of aircraft that were flying or the pitulate and there is resistance, they can number of ships that were sailing—but no wreak economic havoc. And into this mix of longer. See, in this war, we have to find peo- hatred comes a country that wants to have ple—find their intentions and bring them to a nuclear weapon that has made their ambi- justice before they come and hurt us again. tions clear. In other words, we’re not isolated or immune This is the world we face today. If America from the attacks. That’s the lesson we learned were to retreat, if we were to cut and run, on September 11th. if we were to abandon our friends and allies, And so I decided to work with Congress 30 years from now, historians will look to tear down these barriers. And right after back—the country will look back, and say, 9/11, everything went fine. As a matter of ‘‘What happened to them? What happened to the people in charge of providing security fact, in the United States Senate, the vote for the United States of America? How come was 98 to 1. And then something happened, they couldn’t see the threat to future genera- because when it came time to renew the act, tions of Americans?’’ I want you to know I Senate Democrats filibustered—that’s Wash- clearly see the threat we face today, and I ington, DC-speak for talking until the bill clearly see the threat we face in years to dies. As a matter of fact, the Senate minority come. The United States of America will leader openly bragged in the press that ‘‘We stand with those who long to live in freedom. killed the PATRIOT Act,’’ as if that’s some We will support those moderates who stand kind of noble gesture in the middle of a war in opposition to the extremists. We will keep against killers and terrorists. He was asked the pressure on the enemies of freedom. We by a reporter whether killing the PATRIOT will help Iraq become a democracy that can Act was really something to celebrate, and sustain itself, defend itself, and govern itself, he answered loud and clear, ‘‘Of course it which will be yet another blow to Al Qaida is.’’ and the haters. The United States of America Eventually we overcame the filibuster, and will not retreat. We will achieve victory in I signed the renewal of the PATRIOT Act. Iraq. We will have done our duty for a gen- But the reason I bring this story up, as people eration of Americans to come. are getting ready to go to the polls, people After 9/11, I recognized this fact—that we from both political parties and people not af- must be right 100 percent of the time to pro- filiated with a political party, they must un- tect you, and the enemy only has to be right derstand there is a different attitude in one time. And that’s the challenge we face. Washington, a different mindset between the It really is. It’s a daunting challenge. The two political parties about the threats we challenge is made easier, by the way, by face. I strongly believe that we’ve got to give keeping these folks on the run. It’s a lot hard- our folks the tools necessary to protect you. er to plot and plan if you’re hiding in a cave In this case, Senate Democrats, key members or you’re moving around the world. And of the Democrat Party, tried to kill a bill that

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would have given people the tools necessary attacks—a man named Khalid Sheikh Mo- to protect you. hammed, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Abu I think it’s important for us to understand Zubaydah—these are people that we believe, the intentions of the enemy, understand what we suspect were involved with planning the they’re thinking and what they’re saying. And 9/11 attacks, and we captured them. And I that’s why I instructed the National Security thought it made sense to have a program that Agency to establish what is called the ter- enabled our professionals in the CIA to see rorist surveillance program to track commu- whether or not we could learn information nications between someone overseas making about what they knew. If you’re at war and a phone call into the United States, someone you capture somebody—one of the key com- we know is Al Qaida and/or Al Qaida affiliate. manders—it’s in the interests of the country People say, ‘‘Well, how do you know?’’ Well, that we find out what they’re thinking. sometimes in the—pick people up on the And I’m going to tell you point-blank, this battlefield that we know is Al Qaida or an program worked. Let me give you some of Al Qaida affiliate, they might have some in- the data that we learned, some of the infor- formation in their possession. Take, for ex- mation. As a result of the information from ample, if they had a phone number in the the interrogations, the CIA helped break United States, I think it makes sense for us up—we helped break up a cell of Southeast to understand why somebody might be call- Asian terrorist operatives that had been ing that phone number—if the most impor- groomed for attacks inside the United States. tant job is to protect you, which it is. See, Information gained meant we were able to let me put it in plain talk: If Al Qaida is mak- act to protect you. The program helped stop ing a phone call into the United States, we an Al Qaida cell from developing anthrax for want to know why they’re making the call, attacks against the United States. The pro- where they’re making the call, and what they gram helped stop a planned strike on a U.S. intend to do. Marine camp in Djibouti. It helped prevent People talk good in Washington, see. They a planned attack on the U.S. consulate in Ka- say, we’re going to do everything we can to rachi. It helped foil a plot to hijack passenger protect you. Then, all of a sudden, the vote planes and fly them into Heathrow and Lon- comes along which helps clarify the dif- don’s Canary Wharf. In other words, we ference of opinion. And so when it came time gained information that enabled us to do the for legislation to provide additional authority job you expect us to do. for the terrorist surveillance program, 177 Were it not for the information gained Members of the—Democrat Members of the from the terrorists questioned by the CIA, House of Representatives voted against lis- our intelligence community believes that Al tening in on terrorist communications. We Qaida and its allies would have succeeded just have a different point of view. And this in launching another attack against the is an issue in this campaign. It’s an issue on United States. That’s the measured judgment how best to protect the United States. Our of those professionals that we call upon to most important job is to get information so protect you. we can protect you before an attack comes. The program is a vital program to protect It is no longer acceptable to respond to an the United States. And last week Congress attack after it happens. The lesson of 9/11 held a vote on the future of this program. is we must take threats seriously now and Again, it was another clarifying moment. It deal with them, in order to protect the men was a chance for the American people to see and women of the United States. which party would take the means necessary I felt it was very important that we have to protect the American people. In the the capacity to interrogate people once we House of Representatives, 160 Democrats, have captured them on this battlefield in the including the entire Democrat leadership, war on terror. And we’ve captured a lot of voted against continuing this program. key operatives, people that we think were in- I want our fellow citizens in Colorado— timately involved in the planning, people we of both political parties and those not affili- suspect was involved in the planning of these ated with a political party—to think about

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that vote. Nearly 80 percent of the House They were the sworn enemy, and it was a Democrats want to stop a program that has bloody war. A lot of people lost their lives. provided invaluable intelligence that has It was a war ended by a horrific bombing— saved American lives. There is a fundamental one tough decision for a President to have difference of opinion on how to best defeat to make. And yet, here we were 60 years the terrorists and to protect the American later, old George W. and Prime Minister people. The good news is, for Colorado, you Koizumi, flying down to Elvis’s place. don’t have to doubt where Bob Beauprez [Laughter] stands. But let me tell you what made the story By the way, it just wasn’t the House even more amazing—was that on the way Democrats that voted against the bill, so did down, we were talking about keeping the the Senate Democrats—32 Democrats, in- peace. We were talking about North Korea. cluding every member of their Senate leader- We were talking about the fact that Prime ship save one, voted to kill this vital program. Minister Koizumi had committed 1,000 of his I’m going to continue to campaign as hard troops to help a young democracy in the as I possibly can and remind people about heart of the Middle East succeed. He knows the facts, because I understand the threats what I know: We’re in the middle of an ideo- we face. This isn’t a political issue; this is logical struggle between good and evil, be- an issue of national security, to make sure tween moderation and extremism, between that we give those on the frontline of fighting those who just want to live in peace and those the war on terror all the tools, all the support, who want to kill in the name of an ideology all that is necessary to protect the American of hatred. He understands that. people. We talked about how nations must re- You know, those votes and the comments spond to pandemic like HIV/AIDS, and I as- that you hear out of Washington really reflect sured him the United States of America will a different attitude and mindset about how continue to take the lead to help alleviate to protect you. Democrats take a law en- suffering. We talked about helping the young forcement approach to terrorism. That democracy in Afghanistan. I thought it was means America will wait until we’re attacked amazing, when I thought back about the before we respond. That is a pre-September same experience my dad, as a young man, the 11th, 2001, mindset. That won’t work. had with the Japanese. Something happened It’s just not going to work. The best way to between 41’s time in the Navy and 43’s time do our duty is to stay on the offense, is to in the Presidency. And what happened was, respond to intelligence and information, is Japan adopted a Japanese-style democracy, to bring people to justice so they can’t attack and the lesson is, liberty can convert enemies in the first place. And the best way to protect into allies. Someday, an American President a generation of Americans that are counting will be sitting down with duly elected leaders on us, that are counting on this generation in the Middle East, talking about how to keep to do the hard work—like many generations the peace. And a young generation of Ameri- before us were called to do—is to stay on cans will be better off. the offense and, at the same time, spread Those are the stakes. Thanks for helping. liberty. God bless. You know, recently I had an amazing expe- rience. I went to Elvis’s place with Prime NOTE: The President spoke at 1:27 p.m. at the Minister Koizumi. You should have been Inverness Hotel and Conference Center. In his there. [Laughter] I went because I’d never remarks, he referred to Frances W. Owens, wife been there. I went because Prime Minister of Gov. Bill Owens of Colorado; Lynn Hefley, wife Koizumi wanted to go there. [Laughter] And of Representative Joel Hefley; Janet Suthers, wife of Colorado State Attorney General John W. I went because I wanted to tell you a story. Suthers; Cynthia Coffman, wife of Colorado State I find it ironic that I was traveling to Elvis’s Treasurer Mike Coffman; Lance Rowland, hus- place, particularly since my dad and many band of Mesa County Commissioner and can- of your relatives—my dad, as an 18-year-old didate for Colorado Lieutenant Governor Janet Navy fighter pilot—fought the enemy, Japan. Rowland; former Senator William L. Armstrong;

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Bob Martinez, State chair, Colorado Republican the Independence of the United States of Party; pro football Hall of Famer John Elway; America the two hundred and thirty-first. Bruce Benson, chair and president, Benson Min- eral Group, Inc.; and former Prime Minister George W. Bush Junichiro Koizumi of Japan. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., October 6, 2006]

Proclamation 8063—Leif Erikson NOTE: This proclamation will be published in the Day, 2006 Federal Register on October 10. October 4, 2006 By the President of the United States Remarks at the Department of of America Education October 5, 2006 A Proclamation I want to thank Secretary Spellings and her Leif Erikson Day honors a great son of fine team for welcoming me here to the De- Iceland and grandson of Norway who be- partment of Education. I have just reassured came one of the first Europeans known to the Secretary and the folks who work here reach North America. This day is also an op- that the reauthorization of the No Child Left portunity to celebrate the generations of Behind Act is a priority of this administration. Nordic Americans who have contributed to And the reason I say it’s a priority is because our country and strengthened the ties that this act is working. We strongly believe in forever bind the United States with Den- setting high standards for all students, and mark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Swe- we strongly believe that in order to make sure den. those standards are met, we must measure Like the crew of risk takers that Leif to determine whether or not the schools are Erikson boldly led on a quest to find new functioning the way we expect them to func- lands, Americans have always valued the tion and the way the parents expect them ideals of exploration and discovery. A desire to function and the way the taxpayers expect to seek and understand inspired their voyage them to function. more than a millennium ago, and it remains No Child Left Behind is working, and a central part of our national character as a we’ve been strategizing here as to how to new generation pursues great new goals make sure we not only defend it during the today. Nordic Americans continue to make reauthorization process but how we strength- valuable contributions to our society that en the law. have expanded human knowledge and And so I want to thank you all for your helped make our world a better place. work. I particularly want to thank the teach- To honor Leif Erikson and to celebrate ers and principals who have taken the No our citizens of Nordic-American heritage, the Child Left Behind Act and have imple- Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88– mented it and have seen the dramatic results 566) approved on September 2, 1964, has au- that can be achieved by rigorous academics thorized the President to proclaim October and strong curriculum and hard work in the 9 of each year as ‘‘Leif Erikson Day.’’ classroom. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, The most important function of Govern- President of the United States of America, ment at home is to make sure that a child do hereby proclaim October 9, 2006, as Leif receives an excellent education, and that’s Erikson Day. I call upon all Americans to particularly important in a world that is be- observe this day with appropriate cere- coming more globalized. I’m optimistic we monies, activities, and programs to honor our can achieve our objectives. I know this law rich Nordic-American heritage. is working, and I look forward to working In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set with Congress in the next legislative session my hand this fourth day of October, in the to reauthorize and strengthen the No Child year of our Lord two thousand six, and of Left Behind Act.

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Thank you. failure and mediocrity are unacceptable in any classroom anywhere in the United States. NOTE: The President spoke at 10:03 a.m. The Of- I thank Donald Hense for joining us, fice of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish founder and chairman of the board of trust- language transcript of these remarks. ees of the Friendship Public Charter School. Mr. Hense told me he had the opportunity of meeting my mother one time, and I said Remarks at Woodridge Elementary to him, ‘‘Well, you met the A-team then’’— and Middle Campus [laughter]—‘‘Now you met the B-team.’’ October 5, 2006 [Laughter] But thank you for your leader- ship. I welcome the members of the Friend- Thank you all. Thank you for the warm ship Public Charter School Board. Thank you welcome. Thank you for inviting Madam Sec- for coming. retary and me to your school. It’s nice to be Being on a school board is difficult work, introduced by somebody with a Texas accent. I know. Being on a school board that chal- [Laughter] She’s a good buddy, and she is lenges the status quo is important work, and doing a fine job as the Secretary of Edu- I thank you for that. It means a difference— cation. And so, Margaret, thank you very I was in Lyle Brown’s class. Lyle is not here. much for your service. He’s still teaching. But one of the things I I’m glad to be at Woodridge as well. I’m saw was a teacher who loves being a teacher. here because this is one of America’s fine And I applaud the teachers in this school and public charter schools. I’m here to remind teachers all around the country who are add- people that charter schools work, and they ing to the great future of our country. can make a difference in the lives of our chil- dren. So I want to thank you for letting me I was in Max Brooks’ class. He’s not here come. I want to thank the teachers and the either, but he is the facilitator in what’s called administrators and the principals—and the a SmartLab. They didn’t have SmartLabs principal for setting high expectations. I when I was going to elementary or junior know that sounds simple, but you know what high school. They’ve got one here. And it’s happens when you set low expectations? You an innovative program that teaches people get low results. And so a center of excellence practical skills. is always a place of learning where people You know, one of the interesting questions believe the best. And I want to thank the I like to ask to students when I go into the folks here for setting high expectations. I classroom is, how many of you are going to want to thank you for achieving results. go to college? You’ll be pleased—there you I applaud the parents of the students who go—you’ll be pleased to hear the hands went are here for being—and I applaud you for up. See, that’s a good sign, when the prin- being involved in the life of your children, cipal and students and parents have encour- particularly when it comes to one of the most aged our children to set a goal. Going to col- important aspects of their development, and lege is an important goal for the future of that is school. And I want to thank the stu- the United States of America, and I’m please dents for letting me come too. to report that when I asked that question in I want to thank Mary, the principal. You both classrooms I was invited to go to, there know, one of the things I have found, and was unanimity. I’ve spent a lot of time in schoolhouses as The students have set a goal to go to col- a result of being the Governor and the Presi- lege, and I reminded them that now is the dent, is that a good school always has a good time to work hard so you get to go; like, take principal. And Mary Dunnock must be a advantage of the SmartLab; read more than good principal, because this is a good school. you watch TV; practice your math and And I applaud you for being an educational science. I want to applaud you, Madam Prin- entrepreneur. An educational entrepreneur cipal, for encouraging our students to aim is somebody who is willing to challenge fail- high, and I thank the teachers for helping ure and mediocrity if she finds it, because them achieve those dreams.

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In recent days, we have seen some sad and measured.’’ My attitude is, what are you try- shocking violence in our schools across ing to hide? How can you solve a problem America. Yesterday I was in Colorado, which until you measure the problem? How can is one of the States that had received this you make sure a child is achieving what we sad and shocking news firsthand. all want if you don’t measure early to deter- Next week, Secretary Spellings and Attor- mine whether or not the skills are being im- ney General Al Gonzales are going to host parted? a conference here in Washington, DC, and And so the No Child Left Behind says, it’s an important conference. We’re going to look, we trust the local folks. I don’t want bring together teachers and parents and ad- Washington, DC, running the schools. That’s ministrators and law enforcement officials up to the people in the States and the local and other experts to discuss ways to help our community. I’ve been a strong believer in schools protect the children. See, it is para- local control of schools. But I also believe mount that the Federal Government work it makes sense to ask the question whether with the State government and local govern- or not a child can read, write, and add and ments to make it clear that our schools are subtract. I don’t think it’s too much to ask. places of learning, not places where there will I know it’s an important question if we expect be violence. And so, Margaret, I want to our children to have the schools—necessary thank you for that initiative, and I’m looking to compete in the 21st century. I know the forward to hearing the results of the impor- kids don’t like tests, and I didn’t like it either, tant discussions. to be honest with you. You hear people say, I’m here today to talk about the No Child ‘‘Well, we’re testing too much.’’ No, we’re Left Behind Act. It’s a—this act is an impor- just trying to figure out whether or not peo- tant way to make sure America remains com- ple have got the skills necessary to succeed. petitive in the 21st century. We’re living in You know, I remember the debates when a global world. You see, the education system in America must compete with education sys- I was the Governor of Texas and Margaret tems in China and India. If we fail to give and I were working on accountability sys- our students the skills necessary to compete tems. I remember somebody standing up and in the world of the 21st century, the jobs saying, ‘‘It is racist to test.’’ I said, uh-uh, will go elsewhere. That’s just a fact of life. it is racist not to test, because there are too It’s the reality of the world in which we live. many children being shuffled through our And therefore, now is the time for the United schools without understanding whether or States of America to give our children the not they can read and write and add and sub- skills so that the jobs will stay here. tract. I think it’s important to hold people Oh, there will be jobs—don’t get me to account now to make sure the education wrong. But I’m talking about the high-paying system functions for all. And that’s the spirit jobs, the quality jobs, the jobs that will be of No Child Left Behind. helping to lead the world in the 21st century. By measuring, it helps us determine And there’s no doubt in my mind we can whether or not a curricula works. Is the read- achieve that objective. And the No Child Left ing curriculum you’re using working? That’s Behind Act was all part of making sure that a fundamental question a parent ought to ask we get it right in the schools. So when I came or a principal ought to ask or a teacher ought here to Washington, I made a focused effort to ask. The best way to find out is to measure to work with Democrats and Republicans to to determine whether or not a child can read pass this important law. And the theory be- at grade level. And that helps you determine hind the law is straightforward: We’ll spend whether or not your curriculum are working. more money on education, but in return, we One of the things that I think is most im- want to see results. portant about the No Child Left Behind Act Oh, I know that may be too much to ask is that when you measure, particularly in the for some. It’s not too much for this school. early grades, it enables you to address an in- As a matter of fact, I get a little nervous when dividual’s problem today, rather than try to I hear people say, ‘‘Well, I don’t want to be wait until tomorrow. My attitude is, is that

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measuring early enables a school to correct abled them to get the help they need early. problems early. I appreciate the fact that you have interven- See, let’s be frank about it. We had a sys- tion sessions with teacher assistance. In other tem that just shuffled kids through grade words, we identify a particular child’s prob- after grade. I know some say that wasn’t the lems, and then this school intervenes. You case, but it was—let me just say, my State, have specialized learning projects, extra tu- the place I was familiar with. It’s so much toring. easier, when you think about it, just to say, Each child matters. Every child has poten- ‘‘Okay, if you’re such and such a grade, you’re tial. All hands went up and said, ‘‘I want to supposed—age, you’re supposed to be in this go to college.’’ And this school recognizes grade,’’ and just shuffle them through. And that some students need a little extra help guess who got shuffled through—inner-city early to make sure they can realize those kids, the hard to educate. It made it easy dreams. That’s what measuring helps you to just to say, ‘‘Oh, gosh, let’s just—you know, do. let’s don’t worry about whether or not you’ve Woodridge has met standards for 3 years got the skills. Let’s just put you here because in a row. You’ve put in a lot of hard work, that’s where you belong.’’ That’s unfair to and you have the results to show for it, and parents. That’s unfair to the children. And I thank you for your contribution to the fu- the No Child Left Behind Act demands re- ture of this country. sult for every child, for the good of the If you don’t make progress, you get extra United States of America. help. One of the most important initiatives There’s an achievement gap in America is the Supplemental Service Initiative. This that’s not good for the future of this country. initiative says that when we find a child that Some kids can read at grade level and some needs help, that child gets extra help—in can’t, and that’s unsatisfactory. I know it’s un- other words, if a child is falling behind. Re- satisfactory for the educators who are here. member, I keep talking about individual chil- It’s unsatisfactory if you’re a parent, and it’s dren. It used to be when they measured, they unsatisfactory for the President. just measured everybody, you know. And You can’t have a hopeful America if certain now we’re forcing them to disaggregate re- kids can read at grade level and others can’t, sults. That’s a fancy word for saying, just split and we don’t address the problem. I’m proud individuals out so we know. to report the achievement gap between white And when we find a child that needs extra kids and minority students is closing, for the help, there’s money to do so. And there are good of the United States. options for parents, which is an important How do I know? Because we measure. In part of making sure there’s parental involve- reading, 9-year-olds have made larger gains ment and making sure—an important part in the past 5 years than at any point in the of making sure the strategy works. previous 28 years. That’s positive news. In A parent can enroll their child in a free math, 9-year-olds and 13-year-olds earned intensive tutoring program. There’s money the highest scores in the history of the test. for that. If your child is not up to grade level In reading and math, African American and early on, there’s extra help available for each Hispanic students are scoring higher, and the family to do so. Parents can transfer their achievement gap is closing. child to a better public school if that school Oh, I know people say we test too much, refuses to change. In other words, at some but how can you solve a problem until you point in time, there’s got to be some account- measure? And how can you hold people to ability. It’s one thing to be talking the talk account when there’s an achievement gap about educational excellence, but pretty that is not right for America, unless you soon, if nothing happens, a parent ought to measure? Measuring is the gateway to suc- be allowed to walk—and that means to an- cess. other public school, just like Woodridge, see. Woodridge Elementary School gets meas- If you’re in a neighborhood and one school ured. The accountability system helped your won’t teach and change and another school school identify struggling students and en- will, I think it makes sense for a parent to

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have the option, with space available, to be This program is aimed particularly at low- able to say, ‘‘I’ve had it; I’m tired of my child income students. being trapped in a failed school; I’m owed Let’s be frank about it; upper income fami- better as a parent and a property taxpayer lies have got school choice. They can afford than failure; therefore, I’d like to move my it. Low-income families don’t. This program child to another school.’’ enables low-income families to say, ‘‘I’m sick And that’s what’s happened to some of the and tired of my child not receiving a quality students right here. Asia Goode—where’s education.’’ Eighteen hundred low-income Asia? Oh, thank you for coming, Asia. Can students have used these scholarships. One I quote you? Thank you. I was going to quote of them is Carlos Battle. Carlos isn’t here, you anyway. [Laughter] Asia first came to but I thought his quote might interest—he Woodridge; she was reading well below was in a school, and he transferred to As- grade level. How do we know? Because she sumption Catholic School 2 years ago. In measured. Her teachers stayed after school other words, his parents—family qualified, to tutor her, and she caught up. Somebody received a scholarship, and off he went. said, ‘‘It is my job to make sure this individual After transferring, he made the honor roll. is not left behind and not just shuffled He became the class president. He led the through.’’ And I thank that teacher for doing basketball team to its first championship. He that. said this, ‘‘There is no limit to what I can Even after Asia reached grade level—in do. And that not only makes me happier, but other words, we measure to determine my mom can’t seem to stop smiling.’’ It is whether a child can read at grade level—the really important that as we think about how teacher said, ‘‘Wait a minute; grade level is to make sure every child gets a good edu- not good enough for you, Asia.’’ I started off cation, that we not only measure but we say my speech by saying we’re setting high stand- that if things don’t change, parents ought to ards. That’s how you help somebody achieve have different options. educational excellence. Asia is now an honors The No Child Left Behind Act is good student. She loves reading, and she sings in progress, but we’ve got a lot of work to do, the school choir. And I congratulate her par- and it starts with making sure that here in ent and the teachers and Asia for setting high Washington, we don’t soften our desire to standards and working hard to achieve those hold schools accountable. As I’ll tell you, standards. look, there’s a lot of pressure, and I’m sure Washington, DC, has a really innovative the Congressmen and Senators feel that and interesting program that I strongly sup- pressure. They feel the pressure because port, as did your mayor, Mayor Williams. Oh, people say, ‘‘Look, we’re tired of measuring.’’ I know it’s controversial for some, but it rests They feel the pressure because, you know, on the premise that a parent ought to have ‘‘We’re just teaching the test.’’ I mean, different options if a child is trapped in a there’s every excuse in the book. school that won’t teach and won’t change. But as we come time to reauthorize the I happen to think that is a good, solid prin- No Child Left Behind Act, my attitude is, ciple on which to operate—that the parent instead of softening No Child Left Behind, is the primary teacher of a child and the par- we need to strengthen it. The law is working. ent ought to have different options for his It makes sense. We must hold schools ac- or her child. count—to account if we expect our children And so the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship to be able to realize dreams. And if we want Program was enacted. And it wasn’t easy to America to remain competitive, we must enact it. There are some who are willing to have high standards. defend the status quo at all costs. That’s okay. You know, there’s a—kind of a mindset That’s generally what happens sometimes in at times, a culture that says, ‘‘Well, you know, the political arena. But this is a program that maybe certain kids can’t learn, and therefore, enables a parent to transfer his or her child let’s don’t have high standards.’’ I reject that to a private or religious school if the parent notion. I strongly believe every child has got feels like the current school isn’t working. the capacity. And all of us must demand that

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the high standards be set and met. And so sense, and Congress ought to fund that pro- one of the top priorities next year for me gram. will be the reauthorization and the strength- We’ve got to improve options. One of the ening of the No Child Left Behind Act. problems we have in the Public School Here are some ways to improve the law. Choice program is, parents aren’t getting in- In order for every child to get up to grade formation on a timely basis. So in other level, there must be a quality teacher in every words, you got your kid going to a school. classroom. And one way to help the law is The school’s accountability system says, to help our teachers in an innovative way. ‘‘Wait a minute; you’re not doing as well as We created what’s called the Teacher Incen- you should.’’ And the parent gets notified tive Fund. It allows States and local districts after the next school year begins. That to reward teachers who demonstrate strong doesn’t help. results for their students. It’s an interesting It kind of looks like people are afraid to concept, isn’t it? In other words, if your put out results for some reason. And so we’ll measurement system shows that you’re pro- work with Congress to clarify the law and viding excellence for your children, it seems to strengthen the law to make sure our par- to make sense that there ought to be a little ents get timely information and useful infor- extra incentive to do so through the bonus mation so that they can take advantage of program, not run by the Federal Govern- the No Child Left Behind Act’s—law that ment—funded by the Federal Government, provides flexibility and transferability. administered by States and local govern- We’re going to work with school districts ments. to help more students take advantage of free, I think it’s very important to encourage our intensive tutoring. You’d be amazed at the good teachers to teach in some of the tough- number of districts that don’t use this extra est school districts. You know, when you find tutoring. They don’t take advantage of the a good teacher, a good, high-quality teacher extra money to help an individual child. Oh, in a—for example, an inner-city district they’ll figure out ways to spend it—don’t get needs help, or a rural district needs help, me wrong. But the money is aimed for help- there ought to be a bonus system available, ing an individual succeed, and it’s the cumu- an incentive program to say to a teacher, lative effect of bringing these students up to ‘‘Thanks; thanks for heading into some of grade level that will enable us all to say, we’re the—you know, an area that is—that needs more competitive for the future. help, and here’s a little incentive to do so.’’ I believe in opportunity scholarships. I be- So there’s some ideas that Congress can work lieve that the program here in Washington, on in order to provide incentives for our DC, ought to be replicated around the coun- teachers. try. I call on Congress to create such a pro- I believe we ought to encourage math and gram for 28,000 low-income children as a be- science professionals to bring their expertise ginning step to help parents challenge fail- into the classrooms. I remember going to a ure. school here in Maryland recently. Margaret We’ve got to do something about our high and I went over there, and I met a guy who schools, by the way. I think there needs to worked at NASA. And do you know what he be strong accountability in America’s high was doing? He was in the classrooms basi- schools. You’ve got strong accountability cally saying to seventh and eighth graders, right here at Woodridge. It seems like it ‘‘Science is cool; take it seriously.’’ makes sense, if it’s working, to extend that You know, it’s important that you learn the concept to our high schools. skills necessary to be good scientists because One out of every four ninth graders in it’s important for the United States of Amer- America does not graduate from high school ica that we’ve got young scientists. And by on time. That’s unacceptable. If we want to the way, every neighborhood in America can be competitive, we better make sure that the produce young scientists. And therefore, en- skills that are now being imparted at elemen- couraging these professionals in the class- tary school and junior high carry on through rooms as adjunct teachers makes a lot of high school. We don’t want the good work

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here at Woodridge to be lost because NOTE: The President spoke at 11:02 a.m. In his there’s—because some say, ‘‘Well, I don’t remarks, he referred to Mayor Anthony A. Wil- need to get out of high school,’’ or the ac- liams of Washington, DC. The Office of the Press countability systems in high school don’t Secretary also released a Spanish language tran- script of these remarks. measure up. And so what I want to do is, I want to have the same sense of account- ability in our high schools that we have in Proclamation 8064—National School our junior high and elementary schools—not Lunch Week, 2006 to increase the testing burden but to help October 5, 2006 us understand whether or not we are achiev- ing our national objective, which is giving our By the President of the United States kids the skills necessary to be competitive. of America And so I think we need to fund testing A Proclamation early in the high school systems and to help students fix problems like we’re doing in ele- For 60 years, the National School Lunch mentary school and high schools. I proposed Program has contributed to the health and a billion-and-a-half dollar initiative; Congress well-being of America’s youth. National needs to fund it. I’ve also proposed a pro- School Lunch Week highlights the many gram to train 70,000 teachers over 5 years achievements of the National School Lunch to lead Advanced Placement classes in our Program and the importance of helping chil- high schools. Advanced Placement works. It dren develop good nutrition habits. is a—it is an excellent program that helps Eating healthy foods and maintaining an our high schools set high standards. And it active lifestyle are vital for children’s health and reduce their risk of serious long-term calls—it challenges our students to achieve health problems, such as obesity, asthma, and great things by raising the standards. diabetes. The National School Lunch Pro- Many of you know about AP. It needs to gram, part of the United States Department be spread all throughout America. And step of Agriculture (USDA), provides more than one is to make sure our teachers have the 29 million children with healthy meals each skills necessary to teach it. And step two is day. The program raises awareness about the to help States develop programs that will importance of good food choices and trains help parents pay for the AP test. What we food service professionals to prepare nutri- don’t want is a child taking an AP class and tious breakfasts, lunches, and snacks that in- having mom or dad say, ‘‘It’s too expensive clude foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and to take the test.’’ You pass an AP test; you’re fiber. In addition, the USDA offers edu- on your way. If you’ve got the skills necessary cational resources for school nutrition direc- to pass an AP test, it means the education tors, managers, and staff based on the re- system has done its job, and our country is quirements for healthy school meals estab- better off. lished in the Dietary Guidelines for Ameri- And so here are some ideas for the Con- cans. By promoting good nutrition and exer- gress and the administration to work on as cise, schools can help children develop well- we think about how to reauthorize the No balanced diets and lead healthier lives. Child Left Behind Act. I strongly believe this During National School Lunch Week, we piece of legislation is working. I know it is recognize dedicated parents, school officials, necessary to have this kind of rigor in our community leaders, and food service profes- school systems to say we have done our job sionals for their efforts to ensure that our and given our kids the skills necessary to suc- children are provided with nutritious meals ceed. And I want to thank you all for serving each day. as a great example. Thank you for inviting In recognition of the contributions of the me. Again, I thank the teachers for teaching National School Lunch Program to the and the parents for loving and the students health, education, and well-being of Amer- for reading. ica’s children, the Congress, by joint resolu- God bless. tion of October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87–780),

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as amended, has designated the week begin- new energy sources, and solve our most dif- ning on the second Sunday in October of ficult medical challenges. each year as ‘‘National School Lunch Week,’’ Columbus Day is also an opportunity to and has requested the President to issue a celebrate the heritage we share with the leg- proclamation in observance of this week. endary explorer, the important relationship Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, between the United States and Italy, and the President of the United States of America, proud Italian Americans who call our Nation do hereby proclaim the week of October 8 home. Italian Americans have strengthened through October 14, 2006, as National our country and enriched our culture, and School Lunch Week. I call upon all Ameri- through service in our Armed Forces, many cans to join the dedicated individuals who have defended our Nation with courage and administer the National School Lunch Pro- helped lay the foundation of peace for gen- gram in appropriate activities that support erations to come. the health and well-being of our Nation’s In commemoration of Columbus’ journey, children. the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set 1934, and modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), my hand this fifth day of October, in the year as amended, has requested that the President of our Lord two thousand six, and of the proclaim the second Monday of October of Independence of the United States of Amer- each year as ‘‘Columbus Day.’’ ica the two hundred and thirty-first. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, George W. Bush President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2006, as Co- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, lumbus Day. I call upon the people of the 8:45 a.m., October 10, 2006] United States to observe this day with appro- priate ceremonies and activities. I also direct NOTE: This proclamation will be published in the Federal Register on October 11. that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of Christopher Columbus. Proclamation 8065—Columbus Day, In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set 2006 my hand this fifth day of October, in the year October 5, 2006 of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of Amer- By the President of the United States ica the two hundred and thirty-first. of America George W. Bush A Proclamation [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, More than five centuries ago, Christopher 8:45 a.m., October 10, 2006] Columbus boldly set out on a long and chal- lenging journey across the Atlantic that led NOTE: This proclamation will be published in the the way for exploration of the Americas. On Federal Register on October 11. Columbus Day, we celebrate the historic voyages of the Italian explorer and honor his life, heritage, and lasting legacy. Proclamation 8062—Fire Prevention Columbus’ brave expeditions expanded Week, 2006 the horizons of human knowledge and in- October 4, 2006 spired generations of risk-takers and pioneers in America and around the world. Our Na- By the President of the United States tion is built on the efforts of men and women of America who possess both the vision to see beyond what is and the desire to pursue what might A Proclamation be. Today, the same passion for discovery During Fire Prevention Week, we under- that drove Columbus is leading bold vision- score our commitment to advancing fire safe- aries to explore the frontiers of space, find ty and awareness, and we honor the brave

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firefighters and volunteers who work to pro- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, tect our lives, homes, and communities. 11:07 a.m., October 5, 2006] Thousands of injuries and deaths occur each year as a result of fires, and Americans NOTE: This proclamation was released by the Of- fice of the Press Secretary on October 6, and it have a shared responsibility to help minimize was published in the Federal Register on October the risk of fires that can cause harm to people 6. and property. By installing and maintaining smoke alarms and having a plan of action in the event of an emergency, citizens can prac- Remarks on the National Economy tice simple but effective fire safety measures. October 6, 2006 Unattended cooking is a leading cause of household fires, and this year’s theme, ‘‘Pre- Secretary Paulson and I want to thank vent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat,’’ FedEx for inviting us here today to have a highlights the importance of practicing kitch- discussion about our economy and about en- en safety at all times. By keeping cooking trepreneurship. We just met with a handful areas clear of flammable items and closely of small-business owners, business creators, monitoring children and appliances while in people who had an innovative idea, followed the kitchen, individuals can greatly reduce up on their idea, and have now built healthy the number of fire-related accidents in the little businesses that are growing and em- home. ploying people. Our Nation’s firefighters selflessly risk I don’t necessarily want to speak for the their lives to protect their fellow citizens. Secretary, but I will tell you that it does my These brave men and women play a critical spirits good to be able to talk to risk-takers role in safeguarding our families, our house- and dreamers and doers. And one of the jobs holds, and our communities, and their cour- of Government is to make sure the entrepre- age and dedication are an inspiration to all neurial spirit is strong by creating an environ- Americans. Fire Prevention Week is an op- ment that encourages entrepreneurship— portunity to reaffirm the importance of fire which means low taxes, less regulation, ra- safety, celebrate those who devote their lives tional spending at the Government level, to protecting others, and honor the memory opening markets overseas so that the entre- of our Nation’s fallen heroes. preneur can trade but is treated fairly, and Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, making sure that foreign countries don’t steal President of the United States of America, products—that’s called intellectual property by virtue of the authority vested in me by rights. It’s to really say to the good folks in the Constitution and laws of the United America that Government will help you as States, do hereby proclaim October 8 opposed to impede your ability to expand through October 14, 2006, as Fire Prevention your company. And the entrepreneurial spirit Week. On Sunday, October 8, 2006, in ac- is strong in America. Our economy is strong. cordance with Public Law 107–51, the flag I say that because today we got more good of the United States will be flown at half- news. The national unemployment rate is staff on all Federal office buildings in honor down to 4.6 percent. We have added 6.6 mil- of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial lion new jobs since August of 2003. The Service. I call on all Americans to participate wages are going up; energy prices are falling, in this observance through appropriate pro- which means people are going to have more grams and activities and by renewing their money in their pocket to save, invest, or efforts to prevent fires and their tragic con- spend. And the fundamental question is, how sequences. do we make sure we sustain the economic In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set growth? And one way to do so is to make my hand this fourth day of October, in the the tax cuts we passed permanent. One sure year of our Lord two thousand six, and of way to hurt this economy is to take money the Independence of the United States of out of the pockets of consumers or small- America the two hundred and thirty-first. business owners and send it to Washington, George W. Bush DC.

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And so I’m pleased with the economic to His Majesty and your mom. And I will progress we’re making. The Secretary of the do the same on behalf of you to my father Treasury and I will continue to work as hard and her majesty, my mother. [Laughter] as we can to encourage entrepreneurial—en- I am proud to be here with the Attorney trepreneurship and small-business growth. General of the United States, Alberto And so, again, I want to thank the people Gonzales. The U.S. Treasurer, Anna Cabral. of FedEx. This is a great example of what Anna, thank you for coming; y su esposo, Vic- is possible in America. A fellow I knew long tor. Welcome, Victor. Good to see you. years ago, named Fred Smith, had a dream about how to better distribute mail and prod- Today we’ve got a special guest, Ana uct. And he and a lot of other good folks Cristina, who will perform two songs after built this into a great American company. I finish speaking, which probably means you So I want to thank the folks here for letting want me to finish speaking soon, so that Ana us come by to say hello. can come up here. We’re proud you’re here, Ana. I want to thank my friend Emilio NOTE: The President spoke at 11:27 a.m. at the Estefan for arranging for the entertainment FedEx Express DCA Facility. In his remarks, he today. He’s a great buddy of ours from referred to Frederick W. Smith, chairman, presi- dent, and chief executive officer, FedEx Corp. Miami. It’s good to see you, sir. I am proud to be here with Lieutenant Colonel Consuelo Kickbusch. She’s the win- Remarks at a Reception Celebrating ner of the Hispanic Heritage Award 2006. Hispanic Heritage Month Interesting name, Kickbusch. [Laughter] It October 6, 2006 sounds like the political campaign. [Laugh- ter] Congratulations. The President. Thank you. Hola. Please I appreciate all the Ambassadors who are be seated. Audience member. Viva Bush! here. Thanks for coming. We’ve got Ambas- The President. Shhh. [Laughter] sadors from neighboring countries. I like to Bienvenidos. We are glad you’re here. remind people that the best foreign policy Thanks for coming. Laura sends her best. is to make sure that we’ve got good foreign She, like me, greets you to come—to wel- policy in our own neighborhood. And so come you to the Casa Blanca—[laughter]— we’re glad you’re here. Thanks for coming. la casa de todos. We are glad you’re here. We’ve got distinguished members from I am glad that so many of you joined us for the IDB, USO, all kinds of organizations. Hispanic Heritage Month. Today we honor And I’m proud you’re here. Thanks for com- the contributions of Hispanic Americans to ing. our country, to our culture, and to our na- We are a blessed nation to have thousands tional character. of people who claim Hispanic heritage. I We celebrate the values de la familia y firmly believe that. I know that to be true. fe. After all, those values are at the heart of I think our citizens must recognize the great the Hispanic American community. We wel- contribution of Hispanic Americans to our come the diversity that enriches our lives, a country. Hispanic Americans are hard-work- diversity that makes America a stronger and ing people. They’re entrepreneurial people better country. Thanks for coming. I am proud to welcome a friend of my fam- who dream big dreams. They’re people who ily’s, His Royal Highness Prince Felipe de love their God and especially love their fami- Borbon, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom lies. But most of all, they love their country, of Spain. Thank you for coming. His Royal America. Highness is here to help celebrate Hispanic As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Heritage Month, which I think is a kind ges- we’ve got to recognize we have responsibil- ture and a noble gesture from a very impor- ities in Government to make sure that all in tant country. We’re proud you’re here, sir. this country can realize the American Dream. Thank you for coming. Please give your best In the 21st century, the best way to do that

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is to make sure every child gets a good edu- citizens for serving the country. I thank our cation—not just a few children—but every Attorney General for serving the country. I single child must receive a quality education. thank the Secretary of Commerce, Carlos I believe strongly that every child can learn Gutierrez, for serving the country. They’re regardless of the color of their skin or wheth- in my Cabinet. These are men who serve at er their parents speak English as a first lan- the highest councils of Government and can guage. And I know that in order to make walk in the Oval Office any time they feel sure every child gets educated, we’ve got to like it and say, ‘‘Mr. President, here is what’s set high standards. And we’ve got to measure on my mind.’’ I appreciate their counsel in to determine whether or not schools are helping me make good decisions on behalf achieving that which we expect. And when of our country. we find a child cannot read at grade level, We’ve got Hispanic Americans all across then that child deserves extra help to make the country who serve our country by loving sure that we make—to make sure that we a neighbor like they’d like to be loved them- meet a national objective, and that is no child selves. Thousands of our fellow citizens feed should be left behind. the hungry or find shelter for the homeless I’m pleased to report that Hispanic stu- or put their arm around a child who needs dents, in reading and math, are scoring high- love in order to help create a society that er, and an achievement gap in our country is welcoming to all. And for those of you who is beginning to close. We’re making progress, are involved in our faith-based communities but I assure you we will not rest until every and charitable communities, I thank you on child receives a quality education in our behalf of a grateful nation. country. The Hispanic community is also known for I believe that America should remain the its willingness to serve in the United States land of the entrepreneur, and that ours is military and protect our freedoms. Today, we a country that benefits when people have a have over 200,000 Hispanic Americans wear- dream and work hard to achieve that dream. ing the uniform of the finest military on the The small-business community is strong here face of the Earth. Today, we’ve got members in America. It’s strong because we have en- of the Hispanic community who wear our trepreneurs in our midst. And the role of uniform with us, representing those 200,000, Government is to encourage the entrepre- and I want to thank you for your service. neurial spirit. Government doesn’t create These fine Americans, like the other wealth, but Government can create an envi- Americans in our military, are working hard ronment in which people who dream dreams to secure this country. They’re answering the have a chance to realize those dreams. call to history. They have volunteered to I’m proud to report that the number of serve in an historic time, a time when this Hispanic-owned businesses is growing at United States will do what it takes to defend three times the national rate. And that’s posi- ourselves from people who spread evil by tive, particularly if you’re a fellow like me killing the innocent; at a time when the who worries about whether or not people can United States understands that in order to find work, because the truth of the matter spread the peace, we will stand with those is 70 percent of new jobs in our country are who long for liberty. I’m proud to be the created by small businesses. And so when the Commander in Chief of such a fantastic small-business sector is growing, the job base group of men and women. is growing. And equally importantly, when And as we renew our commitment to our the small business is growing, it means own- Hispanic Americans, we also must renew our ership is growing, and the more owners we commitment to make sure we’re a welcoming have in the United States of America, the society. We are a land of immigrants, and more hopeful country we will have for all as we debate immigration policy, we must of us. always keep that important fact in mind. One We take pride in the service of Hispanic of the important things about our country is Americans. When we celebrate Hispanic that we provide hope, and that we recognize Heritage Month, it’s time to thank our fellow that we’re a stronger nation when we’re

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bound together under one God—when we Digest of Other bind together under one God, different cul- White House Announcements tures and different heritages.

We will conduct this debate on immigra- The following list includes the President’s public tion in a way that is respectful to our heritage. schedule and other items of general interest an- nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and We are a nation of law, and we will enforce not included elsewhere in this issue. our law. But at the same time, we must re- member that in order to secure our borders, in order to make sure we fulfill our heritage, September 30 immigration reform must be comprehensive In the morning, at Camp David, MD, the in nature. We must understand that you can’t President had an intelligence briefing. kick 12 million people out of your country; that we must figure out a way to say to those October 1 that if you’re lawful and if you’ve contributed In the afternoon, the President returned to the United States of America, there is a to Washington, DC. way for you to eventually earn a citizenship. October 2 Nobody in our land wants to grant auto- In the morning, the President had a tele- matic amnesty. But everybody in our land phone conversation with President Vladimir understands these people must be treated Putin of Russia. Later, he had an intelligence with respect and dignity. There are citizen- briefing followed by a briefing on wildfires ship lines for people from our neighborhood. in California. He and Mrs. Bush then partici- People ought to be given a chance to get pated in planting an elm tree on the north at the back of the citizenship line and have grounds of the White House. a chance. And so I assure my friends here In the afternoon, the President traveled to that I will—we will enforce the border as Reno, NV, where, upon arrival, he met with people expect us to do. But as we do so, we’ll USA Freedom Corps volunteer Elaine do so in a humane way, in a way that honors Nickovich. that great tradition of the United States of In the evening, the President traveled to America, one Nation under God. Stockton, CA, where, upon arrival, he met with USA Freedom Corps volunteer Masanobu Kamigaki. And so on this day that we recognize the The President announced his intention to contributions of our Hispanic Americans, we appoint Mary E. Peters as a member of the renew the great—our faith in the greatness Amtrak Reform Board. of our country. I welcome you to the White House. I’m honored, Royal Highness, that October 3 you have joined us today. I thank you for In the morning, the President had an intel- serving the United States of America. And ligence briefing. Later, at the Radisson I now welcome to the stage Ana Cristina. Hotel, he participated in a signing ceremony for Public Law 109–294, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act. NOTE: The President spoke at 2:29 p.m. in the Later in the morning, the President toured East Room at the White House. In his remarks, the George W. Bush Elementary School. he referred to King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia In the afternoon, the President traveled to of Spain; Victor G. Cabral, husband of U.S. Treas- El Dorado Hills, CA. Later, he traveled to urer Anna Escobedo Cabral; Ana Cristina Alvarez, Cuban American singer; Emilio Estefan, Jr., presi- Los Angeles, CA. While en route aboard Air dent, Estefan Enterprises; and Lt. Col. Consuelo Force One, he had a briefing on wildfires Castillo Kickbusch, USA, (Ret.). The Office of the in California. Upon arrival in Los Angeles, Press Secretary also released a Spanish language he met with USA Freedom Corps volunteer transcript of these remarks. Matthew Cook.

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In the evening, at a private residence, the ister Stephen Harper of Canada to discuss President attended a Republican National international issues. Committee reception. Later, he traveled to Later in the morning, the President toured Phoenix, AZ, where, upon arrival, he met the FedEx Express DCA Facility. Later, at with USA Freedom Corps volunteer Barbara the facility, he participated in a roundtable MacLean. He then traveled to Scottsdale, discussion on the national economy. AZ. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President participated in a photo opportunity October 4 with members of the Supreme Headquarters In the morning, the President had an intel- Allied Expeditionary Force/Headquarters ligence briefing. Later, he traveled to Den- European Theater of Operations U.S. Army ver, CO, where, upon arrival, he met with Veterans Association. USA Freedom Corps volunteer Mary Lester. The President declared a major disaster in He then traveled to Englewood, CO. Indiana and ordered Federal aid to supple- In the afternoon, the President returned ment State and local recovery efforts in the to Washington, DC. area struck by severe storms and flooding from September 12–14. October 5 In the morning, the President had an intel- ligence briefing. Later, he toured Woodridge Elementary and Middle Campus. Nominations In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the Submitted to the Senate President met with Paul A. Morin, national commander, American Legion. The President announced his intention to NOTE: No nominations were submitted to the nominate Charles E. Dorkey III to be a Senate during the period covered by this issue. member of the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corpora- tion. The President announced his intention to Checklist designate Stanley E. Taylor as Chairman of of White House Press Releases the Commission on Presidential Scholars. The President announced his intention to appoint Mark B. Murphy as a member of The following list contains releases of the Office the Advisory Board of the National Air and of the Press Secretary that are neither printed as items nor covered by entries in the Digest of Space Museum. Other White House Announcements. The President announced his intention to appoint Debra Lynn Crisp as a member of the Klamath River Compact Commission Released September 30 (Federal Representative) and, upon appoint- Statement by the Press Secretary announcing ment, to designate her as Chairman. that the President signed H.R. 6138 and The President announced his intention to H.R. 6198 appoint Steven M. Colloton as a member of Released October 2 the Board of Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation (Federal Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- Judiciary). retary Tony Snow Released October 3 October 6 In the morning, the President had an intel- Transcript of a press gaggle by Deputy Press ligence briefing. Later, he had separate tele- Secretary Dana Perino phone conversations with President Statement by the Press Secretary on pro- Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal to discuss the moting sustainable fisheries and ending de- situation in Darfur, Sudan, and Prime Min- structive fishing practices

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Statement by the Deputy Press Secretary on Acts Approved North Korea’s announcement of its intention by the President to undertake a nuclear test

Statement by the Deputy Press Secretary: Approved September 30 Thai Coup Developments H.R. 6138 / Public Law 109–292 Statement by the Deputy Press Secretary an- Third Higher Education Extension Act of nouncing that the President signed S. 260 2006

Released October 4 H.R. 6198 / Public Law 109–293 Iran Freedom Support Act Transcript of a press gaggle by Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino Approved October 3

Statement by the Deputy Press Secretary on S. 260 / Public Law 109–294 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan’s up- Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act coming visit to China on October 8 and South Korea on October 9 Approved October 4

Released October 5 H.R. 5441 / Public Law 109–295 Department of Homeland Security Appro- Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- priations Act, 2007 retary Tony Snow Approved October 5 Statement by the Press Secretary announcing that the President signed H.R. 3408, S. 176, H.R. 3408 / Public Law 109–296 S. 244, S. 1025, S. 1275, S. 1323, and S. 2690 To reauthorize the Livestock Mandatory Re- porting Act of 1999 and to amend the swine Fact sheet: The No Child Left Behind Act: reporting provisions of that Act Challenging Students Through High Expec- tations S. 176 / Public Law 109–297 To extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project in Released October 6 the State of Alaska Transcript of a press briefing by Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino S. 244 / Public Law 109–298 To extend the deadline for commencement Statements by the Press Secretary announc- of construction of a hydroelectric project in ing that the President signed H.R. 1036, the State of Wyoming H.R. 1442, H.R. 5074, H.R. 5187, H.R. 5574, H.R. 683, H.R. 2066, H.R. 4841, S. 3187, S. 1025 / Public Law 109–299 S. 3613, and H.R. 3858 Wichita Project Equus Beds Division Au- thorization Act of 2005 Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster assistance to Indiana S. 1275 / Public Law 109–300 To designate the facility of the United States Fact sheet: Job Creation Continues—More Postal Service located at 7172 North Tongass Than 6.6 Million Jobs Created Since August Highway, Ward Cove, Alaska, as the ‘‘Alice 2003 R. Brusich Post Office Building’’

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S. 1323 / Public Law 109–301 H.R. 1442 / Public Law 109–304 To designate the facility of the United States To complete the codification of title 46, Postal Service located on Lindbald Avenue, United States Code, ‘‘Shipping’’, as positive Girdwood, Alaska, as the ‘‘Dorothy and law Connie Hibbs Post Office Building’’ H.R. 5074 / Public Law 109–305 S. 2690 / Public Law 109–302 Railroad Retirement Technical Improve- To designate the facility of the United States ment Act of 2006 Postal Service located at 8801 Sudley Road H.R. 5187 / Public Law 109–306 in Manassas, Virginia, as the ‘‘Harry J. Parrish To amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act Post Office’’ to authorize additional appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Approved October 6 Arts for fiscal year 2007

H.R. 1036 / Public Law 109–303 H.R. 5574 / Public Law 109–307 Copyright Royalty Judges Program Technical Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthor- Corrections Act ization Act of 2006

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