The White House of USA

President Bush on Thursday said, “The greatest privilege of serving as President is to be the Commander-in-Chief of such an extraordinary group of men and women who wear our nation’s uniform. And I’m pleased to help start construction on the new hospital that will continue to provide the excellent care our troops deserve. It is fitting that this new facility be built in a place called Bethesda, which draws its name from the Biblical pool of healing. It is there that a lame man was made to walk, and was dispatched with the words: “Behold, thou art made whole.” I pray that this will be the site of many miracles of healing — where the lame will walk again, where broken bodies will be made whole, and where you’ll always know that you’re in our prayers and in the hearts of the American people.”

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released new jobs figures for June. Nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 62,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.5 percent, in line with expectations. Although these numbers are disappointing, the unemployment rate remains below the averages for the past three decades. Despite slow growth, the economy continues to demonstrate resilience. The first quarter GDP was revised up to one percent at an annual rate, and other data suggest growth in the second quarter may be stronger than the first quarter.

President Bush on Wednesday said, “Next week I’m going to travel to Japan for the eighth and final G8 summit of my presidency. At recent summits, G8 countries have made pledges to help developing nations address challenges, from health care to education, to corruption. Now we need to show the world that the G8 can be accountable for its promises and deliver results. As I said the other day, we need people who not only make promises, but write checks, for the sake of human rights and human dignity, and for the sake of peace.”

President Bush on Tuesday said, “I’m confident in the long run America is going to be just fine. We’re a country that has overcome challenges before — and we’ve got some challenges: high gasoline prices, we’ve got some challenges in the housing industry. We know the way forward in housing — good legislation and helping people stay in their homes. And the truth of the matter is we know the way forward when it comes to energy. We depending too much on energy from overseas; we ought to be finding more energy here at home. If people want their gasoline prices down, let’s find energy here in America. And there’s plenty of energy to be had.”

President Bush on Thursday said, “Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak to President Uribe of Colombia, and he called to give me the good news that hostages had been rescued, including three Americans that had been held since 2003. I congratulated the President. I asked him to congratulate his military and those who had planned it. And I told him what a joyous occasion it must be to know that the plan had worked, that people who were unjustly held were now free to be with their families.”