Digest of Other White House Announcements

The following list includes the President’s public schedule and other items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this issue.

January 3

In the morning, at the Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX, the President had an intelligence briefing.

In the afternoon, the President and Mrs. Bush returned to Washington, DC.

January 5

In the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to congratulate the Afghan Government on the adoption of a constitution and to discuss the war on terror and the Kandahar-Kabul highway. Later, he had a telephone conversation with President-elect Oscar Berger of Guatemala to congratulate him on his electoral victory and to discuss Guatemala-U.S. relations.

Later in the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing.

In the afternoon, the President traveled to St. Louis, MO, where, upon arrival, he greeted USA Freedom Corps volunteer Jeff Tank. Later, in the library of Pierre Laclede Elementary School, he visited with fourth graders.

In the evening, the President returned to Washington, DC.

January 6

In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, he had a telephone conversation from the Oval Office with NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe to congratulate NASA on the successful landing of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on Mars.

The President announced his intention to appoint Andrew B. Maner as Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.

January 7

In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing.

In the afternoon, the President attended a Republican National Committee luncheon at the historic Evermay house in northwest Washington, DC.

The President announced his intention to appoint Linda Mysliwy Conlin as a member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

The President announced his intention to appoint Charles Johnson as Chief Financial Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The President announced his intention to appoint Stephen L. Johnson as Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The President announced his intention to appoint Gerard Schwartz as a member of the National Council on the Arts.

January 8

In the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia to congratulate him on Colombia’s recent successes against narcoterrorism and to discuss the Special Summit of the Americas to be held January 12-13 in Monterrey, Mexico. He then had a telephone conversation with President Lucio Gutierrez Borbua of Ecuador to discuss cooperation against terrorism and the upcoming summit.

Later in the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, he traveled to Knoxville, TN, where, upon arrival, he greeted USA Freedom Corps volunteer Nathaniel Foster. Later, at West View Elementary School, he visited with schoolchildren.

In the afternoon, the President traveled to Palm Beach Gardens, FL, where, upon arrival at Palm Beach International Airport, he greeted USA Freedom Corps volunteer Gordon Stanley.

In the evening, the President returned to Washington, DC.

January 9

In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing and later met with the National Security Council. Later, he met with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad to discuss progress in Afghanistan.

In the afternoon, at DAR Constitution Hall, the President made remarks to Federal agency leadership and Senior Executive Service employees.

Later in the afternoon, the President and Mrs. Bush traveled to the Bush Ranch in Crawford, TX.

The White House announced that the President will welcome President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain to the White House for a meeting on January 14, and that President and Mrs. Bush will host a dinner for President and Mrs. Aznar later that evening.

The White House announced that the President will welcome President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland to the White House on January 26.

The White House announced that the President will welcome President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to the White House on January 28.

The President announced his appointment of Matthew Kirk as Deputy Assistant for Legislative Affairs-Senate.

The President announced his intention to appoint Mark Anthony Carter, John Gilbert Cruz, and Grace Flores-Hughes as members of the Federal Service Impasses Panel at the Federal Labor Relations Authority.