National Issues

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate one individual and designate one individual to serve in his Administration.

On Friday, January 4, 2008, the President signed into law: S. 2436, which establishes a designated date for the commencement of the five-year term of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released new jobs figures - 18,000 jobs created in December. Since August 2003, more than 8.3 million jobs have been created, with more than 1.3 million jobs created throughout 2007. Our economy has now added jobs for 52 straight months - the longest period of uninterrupted job growth on record. The unemployment rate remains low at 5 percent. The U.S. economy benefits from a solid foundation, but we cannot take economic growth for granted and economic indicators have become increasingly mixed. President Bush will continue working with Congress to address the challenges our economy faces and help facilitate long-term economic growth, job growth, and better standards of living for all Americans.

MR. HADLEY: Good afternoon. On Tuesday, January 8th, President Bush will travel to Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to designate Jeffrey Leigh Sedgwick, of Massachusetts, to be Acting Assistant Attorney General (Office of Justice Programs).

Stephen Hadley, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, announced today the appointment of John I. Pray, Jr. as Executive Secretary of the National Security Council.

On December 30, 2007, the President received the report and recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board appointed to investigate a dispute between the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; the Joint Council of Carmen, comprised of the Transportation Communications International Union/Brotherhood Railway Carmen Division and the Transport Workers Union of America; the American Train Dispatchers Association; the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers/Service Employees International Union; and the Transportation Communications International Union - American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association. The President appreciates the Board's diligent work in this matter.

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate three individuals and that he has nominated six individuals to serve in his Administration.

On Tuesday, President Bush said, "Laura and I wish our fellow Americans a happy and healthy 2008. I particularly want to say something to our troops and their families: This country respects you, we admire you and we wish you a great 2008, as well."

Today, I have signed into law S. 2271, the "Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007." I share the deep concern of the Congress over the continued violence in Darfur perpetrated by the Government of Sudan and rebel groups. My Administration will continue its efforts to bring about significant improvements in the conditions in Sudan through sanctions against the Government of Sudan and high‑level diplomatic engagement and by supporting the deployment of peacekeepers in Darfur.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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