More of What Bush Did on his Summer Vacation

The past couple of days, I've been remiss on keeping up with the President's vacation itinerary.

I've been vacationing a bit here and there as well and haven't taken the time to comment on what Bush has been up to on his summer break from Washington.

August 11:

President Signs Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005

On Thursday, August 11, 2005, the President has signed into law;

H.R. 1132, the "National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005," which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to States to establish or improve programs to electronically monitor dispensing of controlled substances.

August 12:

Presidential Delegation to Kyrgyz Republic Inauguration

President Bush today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of President Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev of the Kyrgyz Republic on August 14.

The Honorable Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce, will lead the delegation. He will be accompanied by the Honorable Steven M. Young, Ambassador of the U.S. to the Kyrgyz Republic.
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Interview of the President by Israeli Television Channel 1

By Yaron Deckel, Israeli Television Channel 1
Bush Ranch, Crawford, Texas

Transcript

August 13:

President's Radio Address
Crawford, Texas

Transcript
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President Attends Little League Baseball Southwest Regional Championship
Marvin Norcross Stadium
Waco, Texas

Transcript of the President's remarks

"Play hard, play fair, play to win."

August 14:

President's Statement on 70th Anniversary of Social Security

For 70 years, Social Security has been a vital program and helped millions of America's seniors in retirement. The Social Security system is sound for today's seniors, but there is a hole in the safety net for younger workers. On this 70th anniversary, we renew our commitment to save and strengthen Social Security for our children and grandchildren, and keep the promise of Social Security for future generations.

August 15:

President's Statement on Iraqi Draft Constitution

Iraqi leaders have announced that they have made substantial progress toward a draft constitution. They have indicated that their deliberations will continue beyond today to refine the text and build an enduring consensus. I applaud the heroic efforts of Iraqi negotiators and appreciate their work to resolve remaining issues through continued negotiation and dialogue. Their efforts are a tribute to democracy and an example that difficult problems can be solved peacefully through debate, negotiation, and compromise. We wish the Iraqi leaders and the Iraqi people well as the negotiators complete the constitutional drafting process.

August 16:

Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate four individuals and designate two individuals to serve in his Administration:

The President intends to nominate Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of State (Western Hemisphere Affairs). A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Shannon currently serves as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council. He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State. Prior to that, he was Director of Andean Affairs and as U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS). Mr. Shannon received his bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary. He later received his M. Phil and D. Phil from Oxford University.

The President intends to nominate Donald C. Winter, of Virginia, to be Secretary of the Navy. Mr. Winter currently serves as Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of TRW Systems. Earlier in his career, Mr. Winter was awarded the Secretary of Defense medal for meritorious civilian service while working for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester. He later received his master's degree and PhD from the University of Michigan.

The President intends to nominate Michael W. Wynne, of Florida, to be Secretary of the Air Force. Mr. Wynne currently serves as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics at the Department of Defense. He previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Before that, Mr. Wynne served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ixata, and as Chairman of Extended Reach Logistics. Mr. Wynne received his bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. He received his first master's degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and his second master's degree from the University of Colorado.

The President intends to nominate Brenda La Grange Johnson, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Jamaica. Ms. Johnson has served as a Partner of BrenMer Industries for nearly 30 years. Prior to that, she was a supervisor and teacher for Operation Head Start in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Johnson received her bachelor's degree from Duke University and her master's degree from Columbia University.

The President intends to designate Robert D. McCallum, Jr., of Georgia, to be Acting Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice.

The President intends to designate Jerry Paul, of Florida, to be Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the Department of Energy.
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Also today, Dana Perino held a press briefing at Crawford Middle School, in Crawford, Texas.

Transcript

Perino's opening statement informed the press of the President's schedule for the coming days.

MS. PERINO: Good morning. I'll give you a little bit about the President's day, and then I'm going to give you a little bit of an update on next week.

The President had his intelligence briefing this morning. He continues to get regular updates on the foreign policy developments. He's been spending some time outdoors at his ranch, improving the land, of which, as you know, he takes great pride in, and spending time with Mrs. Bush and family friends throughout the week.

For next week, a couple of you have asked for some specifics. On Monday, August 22nd, the President will make remarks to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention that's being held in Salt Lake City, Utah; open press. He will remain overnight in Donnelly, Idaho.

Tuesday, there are no public events, still he will be in Donnelly, Idaho. And Wednesday, August 24th, the President will make remarks on the war on terror, and that's in Nampa, Idaho. And then he'll return to the ranch that night.