Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Monday, April 3, 2006 Volume 42—Number 13 Pages 561–626 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:09 Apr 04, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P13MRF4.031 P13MRF4 Contents Addresses and Remarks Joint Statements—Continued See also Appointments and Nominations; The Security and Prosperity Partnership of Meetings With Foreign Leaders; North America: Progress—619 Resignations and Retirements Cabinet meeting—578 Letters and Messages Freedom House and a question-and-answer Freedom efforts in Belarus, message—561 session—586 Jill Carroll—606 Meetings With Foreign Leaders Mexico, tour of the Chichen-Itza Canada, Prime Minister Harper—607, 610, archaeological ruins in Chichen-Itza—607 611, 619, 621 Naturalization ceremony—563 Mexico, President Fox—607, 611, 619, 621 Radio address—562 Nigeria, President Obasanjo—584 Senatorial candidate Conrad Burns, reception—567 Proclamations Appointments and Nominations Cancer Control Month—604 National Child Abuse Prevention Month—605 White House Office, Chief of Staff, remarks— National Donate Life Month—606 578 To Implement Certain Provisions of the Interviews With the News Media Dominican Republic-Central America- Exchange with reporters in Cancun, Mexico— United States Free Trade Agreement With 606 Respect to El Salvador—561 Interviews Resignations and Retirements CNN Espanol—579 CTV—582 White House Office, Chief of Staff, remarks— Foreign print journalists—571 578 News conference with President Fox of Statements by the President Mexico and Prime Minister Harper of Canada in Cancun, Mexico, March 31—611 Death of Caspar Weinberger—582 Earthquakes in Iran—624 Joint Statements Supplementary Materials Joint Statements by President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Acts approved by the President—626 Canada, and President Vicente Fox of Checklist of White House press releases—626 Mexico Digest of other White House The Security and Prosperity Partnership of announcements—624 North America: Next Steps—621 Nominations submitted to the Senate—625 Editor’s Note: The President was at the Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX, on March 31, the closing date of this issue. Releases and announcements issued by the Office of the Press Secretary but not received in time for inclusion in this issue will be printed next week. 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 13:09 Apr 04, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 1249 Sfmt 1249 E:\PRESDOCS\P13MRF4.031 P13MRF4 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:09 Apr 04, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 7969 Sfmt 7969 E:\PRESDOCS\P13MRF4.031 P13MRF4 newmail.eps Week Ending Friday, March 31, 2006 Message on Freedom Efforts in Proclamation 7991—To Implement Belarus Certain Provisions of the Dominican March 24, 2006 Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement With I send greetings to those working to return Respect to El Salvador freedom to Belarus and observing the 88th March 24, 2006 anniversary of the first effort to establish an independent Belarus. By the President of the United States of America Freedom is the birthright of every human soul and the permanent hope of all mankind. A Proclamation The desire for justice, freedom, human 1. On August 5, 2004, the United States rights, and accountable, representative gov- entered into the Dominican Republic-Cen- ernment is universal. Nations grow by allow- tral America-United States Free Trade ing the talents and liberties of their people Agreement (Agreement) with Costa Rica, the to flourish, not by suppressing freedom. By Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guate- upholding the rule of law, limiting the power mala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The Agree- of the state, holding free and fair elections, ment was approved by the Congress in sec- and respecting the rights of all people, gov- tion 101(a) of the Dominican Republic-Cen- ernments can foster more hopeful societies tral America-United States Free Trade and empower their citizens. Agreement Implementation Act (the ‘‘Act’’) (Public Law 109–53, 119 Stat. 462) (19 I appreciate those who labor in the shad- U.S.C. 4001 note). ows to return freedom to Belarus, and our 2. Section 201 of the Act authorizes the Nation’s thoughts are with those who have President to proclaim such modifications or been harassed, detained, imprisoned, or continuation of any duty, such continuation beaten for their efforts. The United States of duty-free or excise treatment, or such ad- condemns the actions by Belarusian security ditional duties, as the President determines services on the morning of March 24, and to be necessary or appropriate to carry out we urge all members of the international or apply Article 3.3 and Annex 3.3 (including community to join us in condemning any and the schedule of United States duty reduc- all abuses and demanding that Belarusian au- tions with respect to originating goods) of the thorities respect the rights of their own citi- Agreement. zens to express themselves peacefully. The 3. Presidential Proclamation 7987 of Feb- United States will continue to stand with the ruary 28, 2006, modified the Harmonized people of Belarus and all those who are work- Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) ing to help Belarus take its rightful place in to provide for the preferential tariff treat- the community of democracies. ment being accorded under the Agreement for certain goods of El Salvador. 4. Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974 (the ‘‘1974 Act’’) (19 U.S.C. 2483), as amend- NOTE: An original was not available for ed, authorizes the President to embody in verification of the content of this message. This the HTS the substance of relevant provisions item was not received in time for publication in of that Act, or other acts affecting import the appropriate issue. treatment, and of actions taken thereunder. 561 VerDate Aug 31 2005 13:10 Apr 04, 2006 Jkt 208250 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P13MRT4.031 P13MRT4 562 Mar. 24 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, portunity, and America is better off for their President of the United States of America, hard work and love of freedom. acting under the authority vested in me by America is a nation of immigrants, and the Constitution and the laws of the United we’re also a nation of laws. And our immigra- States of America, including but not limited tion laws are in need of reform. So at Mon- to section 201 of the Act, section 301 of title day’s ceremony, I will discuss my vision for 3, United States Code, and section 604 of comprehensive immigration reform that will the 1974 Act, do proclaim that: secure our borders, improve enforcement of (1) In order to provide for the preferential our immigration laws, and uphold our values. tariff treatment being accorded under the Comprehensive immigration reform be- Agreement for certain sugar and sugar-con- gins with securing our borders. Since I took taining goods of El Salvador and to provide office, we’ve increased funding for border se- a tariff-rate quota for such goods of El Sal- curity by 66 percent, and the Department vador, the HTS is modified as set forth in of Homeland Security has caught and sent the Annex to this proclamation. home nearly 6 million illegal immigrants. To (2) The amendments to the HTS made by improve security at the border, we’re hiring paragraph (1) of this proclamation shall be thousands more Border Patrol agents. We’re effective with respect to goods entered, or deploying new technology like infrared cam- withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, eras and unmanned aerial vehicles to help on or after the date of this proclamation. our agents do their job. And we’re installing (3) Any provisions of previous proclama- physical barriers to entry, like fences in urban tions and Executive Orders that are incon- areas. sistent with the actions taken in this procla- We’re also working to end the unwise mation are superseded to the extent of such practice of catch-and-release. For decades, inconsistency. many illegal immigrants were released back In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set into society soon after they were caught, be- my hand this twenty-fourth day of March, cause we did not have enough detention in the year of our Lord two thousand six, space. So we’re adding more beds so we can and of the Independence of the United hold the people we catch, and we’re reducing States of America the two hundred and thir- the time it takes to send them back home.