Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Monday, September 3, 2007 Volume 43—Number 35 Pages 1117–1162 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:30 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt 211250 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUF4.031 P35AUF4 ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCSF Contents Addresses and Remarks Appointments and Nominations See also Appointments and Nominations; White House Office, Press Secretary, Resignations and Retirements remarks—1158 Homeownership financing—1156 Louisiana Communications to Federal Agencies Elected officials and community leaders, Assignment of Function Concerning dinner in New Orleans—1132 Assistance to Afghanistan, memorandum— Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in New 1132 Orleans—1134 Visit with new homeowners in New Interviews With the News Media Orleans—1137 Mississippi, gulf coast reconstruction in Bay Exchanges with reporters St. Louis—1137 James S. Brady Press Briefing Room—1158 Nevada, American Legion national convention Rose Garden—1156 in Reno—1124 Interview with David Speers of Sky News— New Mexico, remarks congratulating Iraqi 1151 leaders at Kirtland Air Force Base—1118 Interview with Foreign Print Media—1141 Radio address—1117 Interview with Kensuke Okoshi of NHK Washington, reception for congressional Japan—1153 candidate David G. Reichert and the Washington State Republican Party in Letters and Messages Bellevue—1119 Labor Day, message—1160 (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). VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:30 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt 211250 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUF4.031 P35AUF4 ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCSF Contents—Continued Proclamations Statements by the President—Continued Minority Enterprise Development Week— Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, 15th 1133 anniversary—1140 National Employer Support of the Guard and Death of Police Officer Germaine Casey— Reserve Week—1155 1124 National Preparedness Month—1141 Military leaders, meeting—1159 National economy—1131 Resignations and Retirements Justice Department, Attorney General, Supplementary Materials remarks in Waco, TX—1118 Acts approved by the President—1162 White House Office, Press Secretary, Checklist of White House press releases— remarks—1158 1162 Digest of other White House Statements by the President announcements—1160 Burma situation—1141 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1161 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:30 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt 211250 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUF4.031 P35AUF4 ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCSF VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:30 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt 211250 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUF4.031 P35AUF4 ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCSF ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCSF VerDate Aug 312005 13:30 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt211250 PO00000 Frm00005 Fmt7969 Sfmt7969 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUF4.031 P35AUF4 newmail.eps Week Ending Friday, August 31, 2007 The President’s Radio Address for reconciliation, especially at the local level. August 25, 2007 In communities across Iraq, citizens are see- ing their local and Provincial governments Good morning. This week, I traveled to return to operation. Despite continuing vio- Kansas City to address the annual convention lence, leaders in places like Anbar, Najaf, and of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I spoke Ninawa are now working through local Pro- about the ideological struggle that our Nation vincial councils to approve funds to finance faces in the 21st century and the lessons we the rebuilding of homes and neighborhoods, can draw from the advance of freedom in to fight corruption, and to create new jobs. Asia in the 20th century. America’s enduring Here at home, it can be easy to overlook presence and perseverance on that continent the bravery shown by Iraqi troops and Iraqi aided the rise of democracy, helped trans- civilians who are in the fight for freedom. form American enemies into American allies, But our troops on the ground see it every and made our country safer. day. Last week, a team of American soldiers Next week, I will address the members of was meeting with an Iraqi citizens group near the American Legion at their annual conven- Baghdad. Suddenly, a suicide bomber came tion in Reno. In that speech, I will focus on running around a corner and headed straight the Middle East and why the rise of a free for our soldiers and the Iraqi civilians. and democratic Iraq is critical to the future One Iraqi man saw what was happening of this vital region and to our Nation’s secu- and ran to intercept the bomber. As he rity. pushed the terrorist away, the bomb deto- I will also provide an update on the devel- nated, killing both men, but sparing four opments we are seeing from our new strategy American soldiers and eight Iraqi civilians. in Iraq. Every month since January, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Sean Kane is one of forces have killed or captured an average of those who says he owes his life to this brave more than 1,500 Al Qaida terrorists and other Iraqi. Sergeant Kane says, ‘‘He could have extremists. And in June, our troops launched run behind us or away from us, but he made a surge of operations that is helping bring the decision to sacrifice himself to protect former Sunni insurgents into the fight against everyone.’’ Sergeant Kane spoke to the Iraqi Al Qaida, clear the terrorists out of popu- man’s father, who said that even if his son lation centers, and give families in liberated had known the outcome beforehand, he Iraqi cities a safer and more normal life. ‘‘[would not] have acted differently.’’ As security improves, more Iraqis are step- The story does not end there. Later that ping forward to defend their democracy. same night, the citizens group contacted the Young Iraqi men are signing up for the army. local director of the National Police and told Iraqi police are now patrolling the streets. him the location of the Al Qaida cell believed Coalition and Iraqi forces have doubled the to be responsible for the attack. The National number of joint operations. As the Iraqi peo- Police immediately conducted a raid that re- ple feel more secure, they are also forming sulted in four arrests. neighborhood watch groups. They’re volun- We are still in the early stages of our new teering important information about the ter- operations. But the success of the past couple rorists and extremists hiding in their midst. of months have shown that conditions on the And the increase in tips helps account for ground can change—and they are changing. the marked reduction in sectarian murders. We cannot expect the new strategy we are By driving out the terrorists from cities and carrying out to bring success overnight. But neighborhoods, we’re creating the conditions by standing with the Iraqi people as they 1117 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:19 Sep 05, 2007 Jkt 211250 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P35AUT4.031 P35AUT4 ebenthall on PRODPC61 with PRESDOCST 1118 Aug. 25 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2007 build their democracy, we will deliver a dev- service that began as a young man when, astating blow to Al Qaida, we will help pro- after high school, he enlisted in the United vide new hope for millions of people States Air Force. When I became Governor throughout the Middle East, we will gain a of Texas in 1995, I recruited him from one friend and ally in the war on terror, and we of Texas’s most prestigious law firms to be will make the American people safer. my general counsel. He went on to become Thank you for listening. Texas’s 100th secretary of state and to serve on our State’s supreme court. In the long NOTE: The address was recorded at 8:20 a.m. on August 24 at the Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX, course of our work together, this trusted ad- for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 25. The viser became a close friend. transcript was made available by the Office of the These various positions have required sac- Press Secretary on August 24 but was embargoed rifice from Al, his wife, Becky, their sons, for release until the broadcast. The Office of the Jared, Graham, and Gabriel. And I thank Press Secretary also released a Spanish language them for their service to the country. transcript of this address. After months of unfair treatment that has created a harmful distraction at the Justice Remarks on the Resignation of Department, Judge Gonzales decided to re- Attorney General Alberto R.