National Issues

Today, the White House released the Economic Report of the President, an annual report to Congress on the Nation's economic progress. The report released today reviews the state of the U.S. economy, the outlook for the next several years, and a wide variety of economic issues that underlie many of the Administration's economic policies. The full report, written by the President's Council of Economic Advisers, is available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/pubs.html

President Bush on Sunday said, "He was a fabulous man, and a great President. His life was one of humble beginnings, and steadfast convictions. And so we celebrate his deeds, we lift up his ideals, and we honor this good man."

In his weekly radio address, President Bush said, "When men and women agree to serve in public office, we should treat them with respect and dignity, and that means giving them a prompt confirmation vote. When the Senate fails to give nominees a timely vote, it leaves important positions in our government vacant, and it makes it harder for Presidents of both parties to attract good men and women to serve in these vital posts. By working together, Republicans and Democrats can chart a better course. We can bring every nomination to the floor for a vote, and give the American people the kind of public servants they deserve."

President Bush on Friday said, "And we're sorry you're going through what you're going through. You know, life sometimes is unfair and you don't get to play the hand that you wanted to play. But the question is when you get dealt the hand, how do you play it? And I've come away with this impression of the folks in Macon County: one, you're down to earth, good, hard-working people; they have a respect for the Almighty; and this community is going to be as strong as ever. That's what I think."

President Bush on Friday said, "Our views are grounded in timeless truths. During these debates we stuck to timeless truths. We believe that the most reliable guide for our country is the collective wisdom of ordinary citizens. We believe our culture benefits from a diversity of faith, a respect for values, and the guidance of a higher power. We believe in personal responsibility. We believe in the universality of freedom. We believe our nation has the right to defend itself -- even if sometimes others disagree. And we believe America remains a force of good in our world."

President Bush and Mrs. Bush will host Danish Prime Minister and Mrs. Rasmussen at their ranch in Crawford, Texas on February 29 and March 1, 2008. The President looks forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to continue their close dialogue and cooperation on a range of global issues, including the war on terror, Afghanistan, Iraq, Middle East issues, Kosovo, energy security, and climate change. The President also welcomes the opportunity to consult with the Prime Minister on continuing their efforts to transform the NATO Alliance in advance of the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania in April.

President Bush will welcome President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia to Washington on March 19, 2008. Georgia is a key ally in the war on terror, particularly in Iraq, and a valuable partner in an important region. The President looks forward to discussing a range of issues with President Saakashvili, including our common efforts to advance freedom and security around the world; Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations; efforts to promote a peaceful resolution to the separatist conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia within a unified Georgia; the Georgian government's ongoing democratic reform efforts, particularly in advance of parliamentary elections; and cooperation on energy security.

President Bush on Friday said, "Listen, I want to thank you for the briefing. People have got to understand here in the region that a lot of folks around America care for them. And I'm here to listen, to determine -- to make sure that the federal response is compassionate and effective. I don't want people to think something is going to happen that's not going to happen. And therefore when we say something is going to happen to help them get their feet back on the ground, it will happen."

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in recognition of the successful interagency collaboration resulting from the Helping America's Youth initiative, it is hereby ordered as follows:

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Arkansas and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on February 5, 2008, and continuing.

Two weeks ago my Administration reached an agreement with Speaker Pelosi and Leader Boehner on a short-term economic growth package that would quickly put money into the hands of the American people and provide our economy the boost it needs. Today the Senate amended that bill in ways I can support.

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of February 5-6, 2008.

President Bush on Thursday said, "In my State of the Union a couple years ago, I talked about the initiative that we're honoring today, and it's an initiative that says there is a better future for America's young folks. And we've set some important goals, and one of the goals inside this administration is to make sure that those people who are responsible for spending taxpayers' money on these programs actually coordinate their efforts, and set high standards. A lot of times in government we don't do a very good job of measuring, and so the idea is to set standards and to coordinate, but the idea is also to empower those who are on the front lines of saving lives."

President Bush will welcome Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland to the White House on March 10, 2008. Poland is a close partner of the United States in pursuing our common strategic objectives of advancing global freedom and security. A leader within Europe for promoting the development of strong democracies in Europe's East, Poland is helping to consolidate democratic gains in Ukraine and Georgia and to strengthen the democratic opposition to the regime in Belarus, Europe's last dictatorship. Poland is also a strong voice within Europe for promoting European energy security.

Today, President Bush signed an Executive Order establishing the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, a coalition of Federal agencies that will help support communities and organizations working to help our Nation's youth. This Order builds on the success of the Helping America's Youth Initiative, a three-year interagency initiative announced by President Bush in his 2005 State of the Union address. The President asked Mrs. Bush to lead this nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community. As the leader of this Initiative, Mrs. Bush has hosted one national conference and five regional conferences, and participated in 125 other Helping America's Youth activities in 24 states, plus Washington D.C., to promote the efforts of youth-serving organizations. The Executive Order President Bush signed today will further support communities and youth-serving organizations by:

President Bush on Thursday said, "Every President since Dwight Eisenhower has attended the National Prayer Breakfast -- and I am really proud to carry on that tradition. It's an important tradition, and I'm confident Presidents who follow me will do the same. The people in this room come from many different walks of faith. Yet we share one clear conviction: We believe that the Almighty hears our prayers -- and answers those who seek Him. That's what we believe; otherwise, why come? Through the miracle of prayer, we believe he listens -- if we listen to his voice and seek our presence -- his presence in our lives, our hearts will change. And in so doing, in seeking God, we grow in ways that we could never imagine."

Due to the President's travel to Tennessee on Friday, President Bush will now welcome Amadou Toumani Tour of the Republic of Mali to the White House on February 12, 2008. This visit will provide an opportunity for the President to get a progress update from President Tour on key U.S. initiatives including the President's Malaria Initiative, the President's International Education Initiative, and the Millennium Challenge Account. The two leaders will use the opportunity to discuss the shared goal of advancing democracy and human rights worldwide, including through the Community of Democracies. They will also discuss insecurity in northern Mali and the fight against terrorism.

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the International Convention Against Doping in Sport, adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization on October 19, 2005.

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the enclosed notice to the Federal Register for publication, which states that the national emergency declared with respect to the Government of Cuba's destruction of two unarmed U.S.-registered civilian aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba on February 24, 1996, as amended and expanded on February 26, 2004, is to continue in effect beyond March 1, 2008.

On February 6, 2008, as a demonstration of his ongoing commitment to fighting the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in sports, the President transmitted the International Convention Against Doping in Sport to the United States Senate and urged its speedy ratification.