H.R.748 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act

President's Statement on House Passing Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act

I commend the House for its bipartisan vote to protect the health and safety of minors by ensuring that state parental involvement laws are not circumvented. The parents of pregnant minors can provide counsel, guidance, and support to their children, and should be involved in these decisions. I urge the Senate to pass this important legislation and help continue to build a culture of life in America.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 27, 2005

H.R.748 Title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to prevent the transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws relating to abortion, and for other purposes. Bill Summary & Status for the 109th Congress H R 748 RECORDED VOTE, FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 144

Nominations Sent to the Senate 04/28/05

Nominations Sent to the Senate

Shara L. Aranoff, of Maryland, to be a Member of the United States International Trade Commission for a term expiring December 16, 2012, vice Marcia E. Miller, term expired.

Ben S. Bernanke, of New Jersey, to be Member of the Council of Economic Advisers, vice Harvey S. Rosen.

Dennis P. Walsh, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2009. (Reappointment)

David Horton Wilkins, of South Carolina, to be Ambassador to Canada, vice Argeo Paul Cellucci.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 27, 2005

President to nominate eight, designate one.

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

The President intends to nominate Molly Hering Bordonaro, of Oregon, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Malta. Ms. Bordonaro currently serves as a Principal of The Gallatin Group in Portland, Oregon. She previously served as an Associate with Norris, Beggs & Simpson. Earlier in her career, Ms. Bordonaro served as Senior Legislative Director for the American Legislative Exchange Council. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado.

The President intends to nominate Donald E. Booth, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Liberia. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Booth currently serves as Director of the Office of Technical and Specialized Agencies at the Department of State's Bureau of International Organization Affairs. He previously served as Director of the Office of West African Affairs. Prior to this position, Mr. Booth served as Deputy Director of the Office of Southern African Affairs. He earned his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and his master's degrees from Boston University and the National War College .

The President intends to nominate Joseph A. Mussomeli, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Mr. Mussomeli, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serves as Deputy Chief of Mission in Manila, Philippines. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Manama, Bahrain and as Political Counselor in Rabat, Morocco. Earlier in his career, Mr. Mussomeli worked as a Senior Watch Officer in the Operations Center at the Department of State. He received his bachelor's degree from Trenton State College and his J.D. from Rutgers University.

The President intends to nominate David Horton Wilkins, of South Carolina, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Canada. Mr. Wilkins currently serves as Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He began his legislative career in 1980, serving six years as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and two years as Speaker Pro Tem pore. He is also a Senior Partner in the law firm of Wilkins & Madden, in Greenville, South Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree from Clemson University and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

The President intends to nominate Julie Finley, of the District of Columbia, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as the Representative of the United States to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Ms. Finley currently serves as a Trustee and Treasurer for the National Endowment for Democracy. She previously served as a Founder and Board Member of the U.S. Committee on NATO. The President intends to nominate Shara L. Aranoff, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of the United States International Trade Commission, for the remainder of a nine-year term expiring December 16, 2012. Ms. Aranoff currently serves as the Senior International Trade Counsel on the Democratic Staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. She previously served as Attorney-Adviser in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Earlier in her career, Ms. Aranoff clerked for the Honorable Herbert P. Wilkins, Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. She received her bachelor's degree from Princeton University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She was also attended the University of Geneva, Switzerland as a Fulbright Scholar.

The President intends to nominate Richard J. Griffin, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of State (Diplomatic Security). Mr. Griffin currently serves as Inspector General at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He previously served in the U.S. Secret Service for 26 years, retiring in 1997 as Deputy Director. During his career, Mr. Griffin served in the Office of Protective Operations, the Office of Investigations, the Los Angeles Field Office, and the Presidential Protective Division. He received his bachelor's degree from Xavier University and his master's degree from Marymount University.

The President intends to designate Deborah A. Price, of Missouri, to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Education (Legislative and Congressional Affairs). Ms. Price currently serves as Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools at the Department of Education. She previously served as Chief of Staff of the Office of Federal Student Aid. Prior to her work at the Department of Education, Ms. Price was a policy adviser to U.S. Senator Don Nickles. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The President intends to nominate Dennis P. Walsh, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board, for the remainder of a five-year term expiring December 16, 2009. Mr. Walsh currently serves as Special Assistant to the National Labor Relations Board. He previously served as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board. Earlier in his career, Mr. Walsh served as an Associate with Spear, Wilderman, Borish, Endy, Browning & Spear. He earned his bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and his J.D. from Cornell Law School.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 27, 2005 Personnel Announcement

Cassini, Saturn, Epimetheus

Cassini captures swiss-cheese look of Saturn moon, An image of Saturn's small moon, Epimetheus (epp-ee-MEE-thee-uss), was captured by the Cassini spacecraft in the closest view ever taken of the pockmarked body.

Epimetheus is irregularly shaped and dotted with soft-edged craters. The many large, softened craters on Epimetheus indicate a surface that is several billion years old. The moon shares an orbit with another of Saturn's small moons, Janus. The two dance in a planetary tango as they move in almost identical orbits, exchanging orbits every four years, instead of colliding. Both play a role in creating intricate waves in Saturn's rings; both have densities significantly lower than that of solid ice, suggesting they may be "rubble piles" held together by gravity.

At 116 kilometers (72 miles) across, Epimetheus is slightly smaller than Janus at 181 kilometers (113 miles) across. Spectra of Epimetheus from the Cassini visual infrared mapping spectrometer indicate that the moon is mostly water ice.

The new Epimetheus image is available at ciclops.org, saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and nasa.gov/cassini.

The images for this false color composite were obtained with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on March 30, 2005, at a distance of approximately 74,600 kilometers (46,350 miles) from Epimetheus.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo.

### Contact: Preston Dychesmedia@ciclops.org 720-974-5859 Space Science Institute

Jazz Appreciation Month

Jazz Appreciation Month Culminates with Discussion on “The International Impact of Jazz” at National Museum of American History

As a culminating event in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs will host a panel discussion, “The International Impact of Jazz,” featuring members of the diplomatic and musical communities who will share their experiences in presenting American jazz to international audiences. The event, which is open to the public, will take place Thursday, April 28, 2005, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Presidential Reception Suite, at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The panelists include Freddie Bryant, jazz and classical guitarist, composer and recording artist; Leonard Triyono, broadcaster of the Indonesian News Service from the Voice of America; and Robert LaGamma, the Executive Director for the non-profit organization Council for a Community of Democracy.

Every April, Jazz Appreciation Month trumpets the extraordinary history of jazz and its importance to America, providing a platform for U.S. embassies to showcase American musical talent and to broaden foreign audiences’ exposure to the best of American culture. U.S. Department of State cultural and arts programs demonstrate the vitality and excellence of American artistic traditions and highlight the values of democracy, diversity, freedom of expression, volunteerism, and America's free-market, entrepreneurial culture. Managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the American Music Abroad Program (formerly known as Jazz Ambassadors) comprises concert tours by selected professional American jazz and urban music performers in countries where exposure to American culture is limited. Tours include workshops and master classes in addition to concerts in order to promote mutual understanding and cross-cultural awareness. Participating musicians must demonstrate high artistic ability and be conversant with broader aspects of contemporary American society and culture. More information is available at exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/culture.

For more information about this program please contact Stephanie Montgomery, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, 202-633-3129, or Adam Meier, Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, (202) 203-7026. Further information about Jazz Appreciation Month is available at smithsonianjazz.org.

2005/445 Released on April 27, 2005 Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC April 27, 2005

S. 167, Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005,

Statement on S. 167, the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005, On Wednesday, April 27 2005, the President signed into law:

S. 167, the "Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005," which criminalizes the use of recording equipment to make copies of movies in movie theaters and the unauthorized release of certain material being prepared for commercial distribution; authorizes the use of technology that allows viewers to skip portions of a movie viewed at home; and contains miscellaneous provisions related to film preservation.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 27, 2005 STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Bill Summary & Status for the 109th Congress, A bill to provide for the protection of intellectual property rights, and for other purposes. CRS Summary

Exercise Slows Development of Alzheimer

Exercise Slows Development of Alzheimer’s-Like Brain Changes in Mice, New Study Finds
Physical activity appears to inhibit Alzheimer's-like brain changes in mice, slowing the development of a key feature of the disease, according to a new study. The research demonstrated that long-term physical activity enhanced the learning ability of mice and decreased the level of plaque-forming beta-amyloid protein fragments — a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) — in their brains.

A number of population-based studies suggest that lifestyle interventions may help to slow the onset and progression of AD. Because of these studies, scientists are seeking to find out if and how physically or cognitively stimulating activity might delay the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, scientists have now shown in an animal model system that one simple behavioral intervention — exercise — could delay, or even prevent, development of AD-like pathology by decreasing beta-amyloid levels.

Results of this study, conducted by Paul A. Adlard, Ph.D., Carl W. Cotman, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of California, Irvine, are published in the April 27, 2005, issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The research was funded in part by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional funding was provided by the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.

To directly test the possibility that exercise (in the form of voluntary running) may reduce the cognitive decline and brain pathology that characterizes AD, the study utilized a transgenic mouse model of AD rather than normal mice. The transgenic mice begin to develop AD-like amyloid plaques at around 3 months of age. Initially, young mice (6 weeks or 1 month of age) were placed in cages with or without running wheels for periods of either 1 month or 5 months, respectively. Mice with access to running wheels had the opportunity to exercise any time, while those without the wheels were classified as "sedentary."

On 6 consecutive days after the exercise phase, the researchers placed each mouse in a Morris water maze to examine how fast it could learn the location of a hidden platform and how long it retained this information. (This water maze task involves a small pool of water with a submerged platform that the mouse must learn how to find.) The animals that exercised learned the task faster. Thus the mice that used the running wheels for 5 months took less time than the sedentary animals to find the escape platform. The exercised mice acquired maximal performance after only 2 days on the task, while it took more than 4 days for the sedentary mice to reach that same level of performance. This suggests that exercise may help to offset learning/cognitive deficits present in AD patients.

Next, the investigators examined tissues from the brains of mice that had exercised for 5 months. They compared the levels of plaques, beta-amyloid fragments, and amyloid precursor protein, a protein found throughout the body and from which the beta-amyloid peptide is derived. In AD, beta-amyloid fragments clump together to form plaques in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, the brain regions used in memory, thinking, and decision making.

Compared to the sedentary animals, mice that had exercised for 5 months on the running wheels had significantly fewer plaques and fewer beta-amyloid fragments (peptides) in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, approximately by 50 percent. Additional studies, of exercised animals at 10 weeks old, showed that the mechanism underlying this difference began within the first month of exercise.

"These results suggest that exercise — a simple behavioral strategy — in these mice may bring about a change in the way that amyloid precursor protein is metabolized," says D. Stephen Snyder, Ph.D., director of the etiology of Alzheimer's program in the NIA's Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program. "From other research, it is known that in the aging human brain, deposits of beta-amyloid normally increase. This study tells us that development of those deposits can be reduced and possibly eliminated through exercise, at least in this mouse model."

These findings follow another recent report of a link between an enriched environment and Alzheimer's-like brain changes. That study, published Orly Lazarov, Ph.D., and colleagues in the March 11, 2005, issue of the journal Cell, found that beta-amyloid levels decreased in the brains of another kind of transgenic mice when they were housed in groups and in environments that were enriched with running wheels, colored tunnels, and toys.

"Both of these studies are exciting because they offer insight into one of the pathways through which exercise and environment might promote resistance to development of cognitive changes that come with aging and AD," Snyder notes. "It is as though exercise or environmental enrichment forces the metabolism of amyloid precursor protein through a pathway that is less harmful and might even be beneficial. Further research will help us to understand those mechanisms, to learn how much and what kind of exercise is best, and to see if these same effects occur in humans."

SOURCE: National Institutes of Health (NIH) For more information on participation in an AD clinical trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov/ (search for Alzheimer's disease trials), or the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center website at alzheimers.org. ADEAR may also be contacted toll free at 1-800-438-4380. The ADEAR Center is sponsored by the NIA to provide information to the public and health professionals about AD and age-related cognitive change and may be contacted at the website and phone number above for a variety of publications and fact sheets, as well as information on clinical trials.

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE Tuesday, April 26, 2005 5:00 p.m. ET CONTACT: Vicky Cahan 301-496-1752

AoA Provides $3 Million in Additional Hurricane Relief

WASHINGTON, DC – Assistant Secretary Josefina Carbonell announced today that two states will receive an additional $3 million in supplemental hurricane relief funds. The state of Alabama will receive $500,000 and the state of Florida will receive $2.5 million which will be used for ongoing assistance to frail elders affected by hurricanes last year.

“More than six months after the devastating hurricane season of 2004, there are elders in Alabama and Florida who continue receiving hurricane related assistance from local community-based aging organizations,” said Assistant Secretary Carbonell. “This grant of an additional $3 million in hurricane relief funds to Alabama and Florida’s aging network will help in providing our seniors with the supportive assistance they need to continue rebuilding their lives.”

The supplemental funds will continue to provide hurricane victims with case management and counseling assistance; home repair; chore services; and relocation assistance.

AoA has continued to work closely with these two states along with other Federal Agencies, to assist in the recovery in those communities hardest hit by the hurricanes. Given the widespread devastation, extensive long-term recovery efforts are needed to help restore safe and livable environments for older persons.

### The AoA is a Federal agency dedicated to policy development, planning and the delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older persons and their caregivers through the national aging network of state and local agencies on aging, tribal organizations, service providers and volunteers.

SOURCE: The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA)Monday, April 25, 2005 For Immediate Release Contact: AoA Press Office 202-401-4541

Death of Ambassador Morris Draper

Death of Ambassador Morris Draper, It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Ambassador Morris Draper, a career diplomat and member of the State Department's Foreign Service for over 35 years. Ambassador Draper served the Department of State and the American people faithfully in diplomatic postings in the Near East, Europe, and East Asia, including as Consul General in Jerusalem and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. He was a key player in the Camp David Peace Accords and the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979. From 1981-1983, he served as President Reagan's Special Middle East Envoy in negotiations regarding the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon. In many ways our current efforts on behalf of a peaceful, sovereign, independent Lebanon build upon the work Ambassador Draper began over two decades ago.

Ambassador Draper was known to his friends in the Department of State as a warm and passionate colleague dedicated to the pursuit of peace. He will be missed. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

SOURCE: state.gov 2005/444 Press Statement Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman Washington, DC April 26, 2005

Joint Statement by the United States and Brazil

Joint Statement by the United States and Brazil, In June of 2003 President Lula and President Bush met in Washington and signed a joint statement committing the countries to a closer and stronger relationship.

Today, in Secretary of State Rice's meeting with Foreign Minister Amorim and her visit with President Lula, our two governments' representatives discussed our commitment to working together to further enhance our bilateral relationship, and also to reach out to other nations, particularly in our region, guided by their shared vision of freedom and democracy and social justice. In this regard, with our meetings today and in this joint statement:

We reaffirm our commitment to our shared view that representative democracy and the rule of law are indispensable to building modern societies and political systems that promote growth, social development, accountability, transparency, and stability.

We reaffirm that countries should embrace policies that promote growth and social inclusion, which are the key to increasing incomes, improving standards of living and ending poverty and hunger. We also reaffirm our conviction that governments should work to empower their people through good governance, fighting corruption, ensuring personal security, encouraging enterprise, and providing all citizens with access to high-quality education, adequate health, and nutritional care. We jointly support the creation of a UN Democracy Fund and pledge support for this important effort.

We undertake to continue to engage in regular consultations, working together for prosperity, democratic governance and peace in the hemisphere and beyond. In this regard, Secretary Rice and Foreign Minister Amorim reaffirmed their commitment to biannual consultations at the level of Under Secretary to review on a regular basis the broad scope of issues, both regional and global, on which our two governments cooperate and coordinate.

We reiterate our support for the April 22, 2005 Resolution of the Organization of American States which encouraged all political, social, and economic sectors in Ecuador to strengthen governance and ensure full respect for democratic order, the constitutional framework, and the rule of law, through dialogue and constructive participation, and which called for creation of an atmosphere of understanding that will foster peace.

In our bilateral relationship, and in the spirit of the June 2003 Presidential Summit Initiatives, we undertake to enhance and invigorate the efforts of the working groups established by the summit to address issues and coordinate cooperation in science, technology, environment, health, energy, agriculture, poverty alleviation, economic growth and small and medium business development.

We agree that the international community should remain engaged in Haiti, noting that the contribution being made by the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MINUSTAH) is indispensable. We agree that free elections should be held this year, with a view to the formation of a democratically elected government. In order to advance stability, international donors must hasten the delivery of assistance already pledged to Haiti.
2005/T6-04

SOURCE: state.gov Released on April 26, 2005 Joint Statement Office of the Spokesman Brasilia, Brazil April 26, 2005

President, to nominate five, designate three, 04/27/05

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

The President intends to nominate Sandra L. Pack, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Management) and upon appointment designate Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Pack recently served as Chief Financial Officer of the Bush Cheney 2004 campaign. She previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller). Prior to that, Ms. Pack was Director of Treasury for the Bush Cheney 2000 campaign. Earlier in her career, she worked for Ernst & Young as Director of Small Business Consulting and Accounting Services. Ms. Pack received a bachelor's degree Notre Dame College of Maryland and is a Certified Public Accountant for the State of Maryland.

The President intends to nominate Randal Quarles, of Utah, to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury (Domestic Finance). Mr. Quarles currently serves as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (International Affairs). He previously served as the United States Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund. During President George H. W. Bush's Administration, Mr. Quarles served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions Policy. In the private sector, he was Co-Head of Davis Polk & Wardwell's Financial Institutions Group, advising domestic and international banks and bank holding companies. Mr. Quarles received a bachelor's degree from Columbia College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

The President intends to nominate John J. Sullivan, of Maryland, to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce. Mr. Sullivan currently serves as Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Defense. Prior to that, he was a Partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP. During President George H. W. Bush's Administration, Mr. Sullivan worked in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice. Earlier in his career, he was a Law Clerk for Justice David H. Souter, Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Sullivan received a bachelor's degree from Brown University and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

The President intends to nominate James Philip Terry, of Virginia, to be Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, for a term of six years. Mr. Terry currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs. He previously served at the Department of Interior as an Administrative Judge on the Board of Land Appeals. Prior to that, Mr. Terry served in the United States Marine Corps for 27 years, retiring in 1995 at the rank of Colonel. His final four years were served as Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his military career, Mr. Terry also served as a Marine Corps Staff Judge Advocate and as an infantry officer in Vietnam. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia; a J.D. from Mercer University; a master's degree from the University of Virginia; a master's degree from The George Washington University; a SJD from The George Washington University; and a master's degree from the Naval War College.

The President intends to nominate John M. Reich, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision at the Department of the Treasury. Mr. Reich currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Board of Directors. He previously served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Connie Mack. Prior to that, he worked in the banking industry serving as President and CEO of the National Bank of Sarasota, in Sarasota, Florida. Mr. Reich received a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and a master's degree from the University of South Florida. He is also a graduate of the Louisiana State University's School of Banking of the South.

The President intends to designate F. Duane Ackerman, of Georgia, to be Chairman of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, for a one-year term.

The President intends to re-designate Patricia F. Russo, of New Jersey, to be Vice Chairman of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, for a one-year term.

The President intends to re-designate Steven J. Law, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 26, 2005

Pi seems a good random number generator – but not always the best

Pi seems a good random number generator – but not always the best

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – If you wanted a random number, historically you could do worse than to pick a sequence from the string of digits in pi. But Purdue University scientists now say other sources might be better.

Physicists including Purdue's Ephraim Fischbach have completed a study comparing the "randomness" in pi to that produced by 30 software random number generators and one chaos-generating physical machine. After conducting several tests, they have found that while sequences of digits from pi are indeed an acceptable source of randomness – often an important factor in data encryption and in solving certain physics problems – pi's digit string does not always produce randomness as effectively as manufactured generators do.

"We do not believe these results imply anything about a pattern existing in pi's number set," said Fischbach, who is a professor of physics in Purdue's College of Science. "However, it may imply that if your livelihood depends on a reliable source of random numbers, as a cryptographer's might, then some commercially available random number generators might serve you better."

Fischbach conducted the study with Shu-Ju Tu, a former graduate student who has since moved to a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Their research paper appears in the International Journal of Modern Physics C, vol. 16, no. 2.

Pi, the ratio between a circle's diameter and circumference, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries. A bit larger than the number 3, pi cannot be expressed as a ratio of two whole numbers, and its apparently endless string of digits is sometimes expressed as 3.14159… Modern computers have enabled mathematicians to calculate the value of pi to more than 200 billion digits to the right of the decimal point. But no one has ever found evidence that calculating finer and finer values of pi will ever reveal an end to the string or that there is any regular pattern to be found within it.

Tu and Fischbach decided to test pi's randomness against the outputs of 31 commercially available random number generators (RNGs) that are frequently used for encrypting confidential information before it is stored or sent electronically. To produce numbers, many of these RNGs use an algorithm – a short set of instructions that can be repeated quickly – and it is the quality of the algorithm that makes one RNG more valuable than another.

"Strictly speaking, an algorithm does not produce a truly random number," Fischbach said. "Because its instructions are fixed, an RNG's output could, in theory, be predicted, if you knew what the algorithm was. Of course, anyone using a particular RNG will want to keep its algorithm secret, and for the most part RNGs are cleverly designed enough that they produce numbers that are 'sufficiently random' for encryption purposes."

The scientists took approximately the first 100 million digits of pi, broke the string up into 10-digit segments, and gave the segments a form that defines a point somewhere within a cube with sides one unit long. To specify each point, three such segments are necessary – one for each dimension. For example, the sequence 1415926535 was given the form 0.1415926535, which specifies the point's distance along the x-axis. Similarly, the two subsequent sequences give the point's y and z coordinates. All of the sequences thus became coordinates between zero and one, giving millions of points that lay within the imaginary cube.

"Each point within a cube lies at some distance from the cube's center – some are close, some farther away," Fischbach said. "If you graph their distribution from the center, what you get resembles a familiar bell-shaped probability curve. What we wanted to find out, in essence, was whether the points derived from pi's digits generate an identical curve, and also whether the commercially available RNGs do."

In addition to checking these curves against the predicted ideal, the scientists created a computer program that was able to test randomness even further. It also took groups of points, formed angles from the lines between them, and compared the measure of those angles. The program even took groups of coordinates and tested their randomness within imaginary cubes of six dimensions.

"This was our attempt to leave fewer stones unturned," Tu said. "We hoped additional tests might reveal hidden correlations between number sets that a single test might not have shown."

From the tests Tu and Fischbach ran, each RNG was given a letter grade according to how great its standard deviation, or sigma, was from the expected value. Pi's scores were consistently high across all the experiments, but what surprised them was that some of the RNGs performed even better in some situations.

"Our work showed no correlations or patterns in pi's number set – in short, pi is indeed a good source of randomness," Fischbach said. "However, there were times when pi's performance was outdone by the RNGs."

Pi never scored less than a B on the tests, and in one case outperformed all the RNGs, which in addition to mathematical algorithms included a device that uses turbulence in a fluid as its source of randomness. But in most cases, pi lost out to at least one RNG, and in several it finished decidedly in the middle of the pack. Fischbach emphasized that the results do not imply the existence of any patterns in pi's digit string, though he said would like to see more tests done.

"This study probably says more about our commercially available random number generators than the nature of pi," Fischbach said. "Some of them failed our tests outright. But they, and pi as well, might perform differently if the tests were run under different circumstances."

Fischbach mentioned that less than 1 percent of pi's known digits were used in the tests, and that cubes of dimensions other than 3 and 6 could be imagined.

"These tests are simple to reproduce with a desktop computer. All you need is time," he said. "It took us almost a year of work to crunch these numbers. We have included the program we used in the paper if anyone would like to try doing the analysis with a larger number set. I hope someone will because pi shows up in security systems, cryptography and other places that have nothing to do with circles. That's part of what gives it a fascination that will not go away."

This research was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy.April 26, 2005

SOURCE: Purdue News Service
Writer: Chad Boutin, (765) 494-2081, cboutin@purdue.edu
Source: Ephraim Fischbach, (765) 494-5506, ephraim@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


ABSTRACT

A study on the randomness of the digits of ¼


Shu-Ju Tu and Ephraim Fischbach

We apply a newly developed computational method, Geometric Random Inner Products (GRIP), to quantify the randomness of number sequences obtained from the decimal digits of ¼. Several members from the GRIP family of tests are used, and the results from ¼ are compared to those calculated from other random number generators. These include a recent hardware generator based on an actual physical process, turbulent electroconvection. We find that the decimal digits of ¼ are in fact good candidates for random number generators and can be used for practical scientific and engineering computations.

House Floor Report 04/26/05

Floor Report Daily for Tuesday, April 26, 2005
*last updated: Tuesday, April 26 at 10:35 AM

Tuesday, April 26, 2005
On Tuesday, the House will convene at 12:30 PM for morning hour and 2:00 PM for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 PM.

Suspensions (10 bills):

1) H.R. 1158 – To reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 (Rep. Hart – Science).

2) H.R. 28 – High-Performance Computing Revitalization Act of 2005 (Rep. Biggert – Science).

3) H.Con.Res. 96 – Recognizing the significance of African American women in the United States scientific community (Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson – Science).

4) H.Con.Res. 41 – Recognizing the second century of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and supporting the mission and goals of that organization (Rep. Schiff – Government Reform).

5) H.R. 1236 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 750 4th Street in Sparks, Nevada, as the "Mayor Tony Armstrong Memorial Post Office" (Rep. Gibbons – Government Reform).

6) H.R. 1524 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12433 Antioch Road in Overland Park, Kansas, as the "Ed Eilert Post Office Building" (Rep. Moore {KS} – Government Reform).

7) H.Res. 227 – Recognizing and honoring the contributions of Indian Americans to economic innovation and society generally (Rep. Tom Davis – Government Reform).

8) H.R. 902 – Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (Rep. Castle – Financial Services).

9) H.R. 749 – Expanded Access to Financial Services Act of 2005 (Rep. Gerlach – Financial Services).

10) H.Con.Res. 81 – Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the two-year anniversary of the human rights crackdown in Cuba (Rep. Menendez – International Relations).

SOURCE: Majority Leader Tom DeLay

Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environmental Development (Seed)

Under Secretary of State Dobriansky Lauds Winners of Seed Award

Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky lauded the winners of the Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environmental Development (Seed) Initiative Award at a ceremony Wednesday, April 20 held in conjunction with the 13th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in New York City. Under Secretary Dobriansky praised the winners for their efforts to improve the quality of peoplefs lives in the developing world by delivering needed services such as clean water and teaching environmentally friendly farming techniques.

The winners included: Environmentally-Friendly Rice, Berries into Business, Indian Ocean Wonderland, Water for All and Cows to Kilowatts. They were selected from a pool of more than 260 entries from 66 countries for their potential to advance sustainable development in their communities and contribute to the internationally agreed goals contained in the Millennium Declaration.

The Seed Initiative, announced at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, is a voluntary, public-private partnership that encourages local partnerships to devise new development solutions to community challenges. Its three objectives are:

to recognize innovative approaches to development challenges through a biennial award program; to showcase the selected partnerships at seedinit.org and to provide a lessons-learned and best practice resource for other partnerships.

Seed partners include international organizations, civil society groups, six governments (including the United States), other partnerships and the private sector.

For more information on the Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environmental Development Initiative, please visit seedinit.org. For a copy of Under Secretary Dobriansky's remarks, please visit state.gov/g/rls/rm/.

2005/443 Released on April 26, 2005 Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC April 26, 2005

Middle East Partnership Initiative, Algiers

State Department Sponsors Regional Legislative Workshop in Algeria

The Middle East Partnership Initiative is sponsoring a regional workshop for parliamentary staffs in Algiers on April 23-29, 2005 to strengthen the legislative research and policy analysis skills of the participants, thereby strengthening parliamentary capacities in the region.

Staffs from four parliaments in the region will receive training from four U.S. legislative staff members from California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas. Members of the National Conference of State Legislatures will offer their expertise on topics such as the role of research in U.S. legislatures, research tools and techniques, ethics and confidentiality, and how to effectively utilize research resources. The training will feature plenary sessions, small group discussions, and interactive exercises.

The National Conference of State Legislatures will conduct the workshop in cooperation with the Algerian National People’s Assembly as part of the American organization’s "Parliamentary Staff Training and Technical Assistance in North Africa and Lebanon" program. In a previous activity organized by the National Conference of State Legislatures, parliamentary staff from the region traveled to the U.S. to observe staff research and analytical functions at state legislatures and the U.S. Congress.

The Middle East Partnership Initiative is a Presidential initiative that supports economic, political, and educational reform efforts in the Middle East and expanded opportunity for all people of the region, especially women and youth. More information can be found at: www.mepi.state.gov.

SOURCE: state.gov 2005/441 Released on April 25, 2005 Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC April 25, 2005

AIT Taipei Director Paal

Taiwan – Meetings with AIT Taipei Director Paal

Question: Did American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Taipei Director Douglas Paal meet recently with Nationalist Party (KMT) leader Lien Chan and other party representatives, and if so what did they discuss?

Answer: American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Director Paal meets frequently with leaders and senior representatives from Taiwan, including a number of recent meetings, to discuss a broad range of issues and current developments. We are not in a position to provide details.


2005/442 Released on April 25, 2005 Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC April 25, 2005 Question Taken at April 25, 2005 Daily Press Briefing

President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah

Joint Statement by President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, Crawford, Texas

Sixty years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz Al Saud held a historic meeting upon a sturdy ship at the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal. In six hours President Bush's predecessor and the Crown Prince's father established a strong personal bond that set the tone for decades of close relations between our two nations.

Today, we renewed our personal friendship and that between our nations. In our meeting we agreed that momentous changes in the world call on us to forge a new relationship between our two countries -- a strengthened partnership that builds on our past partnership, meets today's challenges, and embraces the opportunities our nations will face in the next sixty years.

Our friendship begins with the recognition that our nations have proud and very distinct histories.

The United States respects Saudi Arabia as the birthplace of Islam, one of the world's great religions, and as the symbolic center of the Islamic faith as custodian of Islam's two holy places in Makkah and Madina. Saudi Arabia reiterates its call on all those who teach and propagate the Islamic faith to adhere strictly to the Islamic message of peace, moderation, and tolerance and reject that which deviates from those principles. Both countries agree that this message of peace, moderation, and tolerance must extend to those of all faiths and practices. The two nations reaffirm the principles agreed to during the international conference on counterterrorism hosted by the Kingdom in February 2005. These principles were enshrined in the "Riyadh Declaration" which calls for, "fostering values of understanding, tolerance, dialogue, co-existence, and the rapprochement between cultures. . . [and] for fighting any form of thinking that promotes hatred, incites violence, and condones terrorist crimes which can by no means be accepted by any religion or law."

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recognizes the principle of freedom upon which the United States was founded, including the freedoms enshrined under the first amendment of the United States Constitution. The Kingdom appreciates the United States' historic role in working to end colonialism and imperialism and promoting the right of self-determination.

While the United States considers that nations will create institutions that reflect the history, culture, and traditions of their societies, it does not seek to impose its own style of government on the government and people of Saudi Arabia. The United States applauds the recently held elections in the Kingdom for representatives to municipal councils and looks for even wider participation in accordance with the Kingdom's reform program.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States are close partners in many important endeavors. We welcome the renewed determination of Saudi Arabia to pursue economic reform and its quest to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). We will work together as partners to complete our negotiations and with other WTO members in Geneva with the aim of welcoming Saudi Arabia into the WTO before the end of 2005.

Both nations pledge to continue their cooperation so that the oil supply from Saudi Arabia will be available and secure. The United States appreciates Saudi Arabia's strong commitment to accelerating investment and expanding its production capacity to help provide stability and adequately supply the market.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States commit to actively help the Iraqi people realize their aspirations to build a secure, sovereign, prosperous, and unified nation at peace with its neighbors and where Iraqis of all religions and ethnic groups are free to participate in its institutions. Both nations call on the international community to support Iraq's political and economic development. Both nations urge neighboring states not to interfere in Iraq's internal political affairs.

Both our nations have witnessed the horror of terrorism on our homelands by violent individuals and groups who indiscriminately kill people of all faiths and nationalities in order to further their extremist agenda. Both our nations assert our determination to continue to improve upon our close cooperation to combat terrorism and to choke off resources intended for them and their support networks. We honor the memory of the victims of terrorism-and those who have lost their lives fighting terrorists-and pledge to work together until terrorism no longer threatens our nations and the entire world.

The United States and Saudi Arabia continue to support efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and of the technology and materiel needed to develop and build nuclear weapons. Efforts to develop and acquire such weapons run contrary to efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.

The United States and Saudi Arabia support UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and, accordingly, take note of Syria's decision to withdraw all its troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon. Both nations welcome a provisional Lebanese government and look forward to free and fair elections unburdened by foreign interference or intimidation.

With regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia desire a just, negotiated settlement wherein two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security. We will continue our efforts to achieve this objective, and reiterate our support for the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to bring democracy, peace, and prosperity to all Palestinians. The United States thanks Crown Prince Abdullah for his bold initiative-adopted unanimously by the Arab Summit in 2002-that seeks to encourage an Israel-Palestinian and Israel-Arab peace. We believe that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank will be a significant step forward toward implementation of the Road Map. It is our firm conviction that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will remove a major source of tension and contribute to stability and progress in the region.

Finally, the United States and Saudi Arabia agree that our future relations must rest on a foundation of broad cooperation. We must work to expand dialogue, understanding, and interactions between our citizens. This will include programs designed to (1) increase the number of young Saudi students to travel and study in the United States; (2) increase our military exchange programs so that more Saudi officers visit the United States for military education and training; and (3) increase the number of Americans traveling to work and study in the Kingdom. The United States recognizes we must exert great efforts to overcome obstacles facing Saudi businessmen and students who wish to enter the United States and we pledge to our Saudi friends that we will take on this effort. A high-level joint committee has been established to be headed by the Saudi Foreign Minister and the U.S. Secretary of State that will deal with strategic issues of vital importance to the two countries.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission

RELATED:

• Medical BRAC Recommendations - 05/13/05
• DoD BRAC Recommendations - 05/13/05
• BRAC Closure and Realignment by State - 05/13/05

Nominations Sent to the Senate

James H. Bilbray, of Nevada, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

Philip Coyle, of California, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr., United States Navy, Retired, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

James V. Hansen, of Utah, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

General James T. Hill, United States Army, Retired, of Florida, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

General Lloyd Warren Newton, United States Air Force, Retired, of Virginia, to be Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

Anthony Joseph Principi, of California, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

Samuel Knox Skinner, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position he was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

Brigadier General Sue Ellen Turner, United States Air Force, Retired, of Texas, to be a Member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (New Position), to which position she was appointed during the last recess of the Senate.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

Robert B. Holland, III, Charles E. Johnson, Brian D. Montgomery, Roger Dwayne Pierce

Nominations Sent to the Senate

Robert B. Holland, III, of Texas, to be United States Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of two years, vice Carole Brookins, resigned.

Charles E. Johnson, of Utah, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, vice Janet Hale, resigned.

Brian D. Montgomery, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, vice John Charles Weicher.

Roger Dwayne Pierce, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cape Verde.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

Funeral Services Ezer Weizman

President George W. Bush today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the funeral services of former President of the State of Israel Ezer Weizman on April 26, 2005.

The Honorable C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005 Personnel Announcement

help Mars rover track extraterrestrial life

Chemical guidebook may help Mars rover track extraterrestrial life

To help a NASA rover eventually hunt for life on Mars, Idaho National Laboratory scientists are writing a chemical guidebook to aid the search for extraterrestrial life. Using new imaging tools and earthly parallels of ancient Mars environments, they're recording the types of subtle chemical changes that Martian microbes may have left on the planet's rocks. The researchers hope someday to arm a Mars rover with a suite of tools – a guidebook, precise chemical imagers, and human-like reasoning ability – and let it search for signs of alien life on its own.

[Reuel Smith, 208/526-3733,mrs@inel.gov

DZero top quark mass

The DZero collider experiment at the Department of Energy's Fermilab has completed two preliminary measurements of the top quark mass using data from Run II of the Tevatron. The result—170.6 +/- 7.3 GeV/c2—is the most precise measurement of the top quark mass from Run II data to date. The Tevatron, where the top quark was discovered in 1995 by the DZero and CDF experiments, is still the only source of top quarks. Measuring the properties of the top quark in detail makes it possible to test theoretical predictions, such as the connections between the top, the W boson and predictions for the mass of a Higgs boson.

[Mike Perricone, 630/840-5678,mikep@fnal.gov]

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Recognized for Environmental Excellence

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Recognized for Environmental Excellence

SPR's Degasification Plant Wins Best Environmental Technology Award

Washington, DC – The National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) presented its annual Environmental Excellence Award for Best Environmental Technology to the Department of Energy’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The award jointly recognizes the efforts of the Department of Energy and DynMcDermott Petroleum Operations, Inc., the management and operating contractor for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The SPR received the award for its construction and successful operation of a portable degasification plant that removes excess methane and ethane from crude oil stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The SPR is the world's largest stockpile of emergency crude oil. Stored in deep underground caverns in salt domes along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, the Reserve can be called on by the President in the event of a disruption in commercial oil supplies.

The degasification plant was developed as a cost-effective treatment of a naturally occurring phenomena associated with long-term storage of crude oil in underground salt formations. That is, over years of storage the oil temperature can rise and excessive levels of methane and ethane can intrude from the salt formation, resulting in unacceptable vapor pressure of crude oil stored in the cavern. As a result, when oil is withdrawn from the caverns the methane and ethane quickly vaporize creating increased emissions that may result in undesirable environmental consequences.

Personnel at the SPR sites monitor the temperature and vapor pressure in the caverns and use the data to establish a schedule for the degasification procedure. Oil stored in the caverns is processed through the degasification plant – removing the methane and ethane and lowering the vapor pressure of the crude oil. The oil is then reinjected into the caverns as “safe oil” for use in an emergency. The degasification plant was built to be transported from one site to another for use where needed.

The award was accepted by John Shages, DOE’s Deputy Assistant Security for Petroleum Reserves, and Bill Bozzo of DynMcDermott.

The SPR previously received the NAEP Environmental Excellence Award for Environmental Management in 2003, which recognized the business value orientation of the SPR Environmental Management System. Many of the unique and innovative elements of this 2005 Best Technology Award reflect the success of the Environmental Management System in organizing projects so as to minimize their impact to the environment.

The NAEP is a multi-disciplinary association dedicated to the advancement of the environmental professions in the United States and abroad. SOURCE: Fossil Energy

For more information, contact:
Jo Ann Rochon, DOE Strategic Petroleum Reserve, 504-734-4731
David Stoltz, DOE Strategic Petroleum Reserve, 504-734-4918

Nanomagnets, Nanocomposite

Nanomagnets Bend the Rules: Nanocomposite materials seem to flout conventions of physics. In the latest example of surprising behavior, reported* April 15 by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Brookhaven National Laboratory, a class of nanostructured materials that are key components of computer memories and other important technologies undergo a previously unrecognized shift in the rate at which magnetization changes at low temperatures.

The team suggests that the apparent anomaly described as an “upturn” in magnetization may be due to the quantum mechanical process known as Bose-Einstein condensation. They maintain that, in nanostructured magnets, energy waves called magnons coalesce into a common ground state and, in effect, become one. This collective identity, the researchers say, results in magnetic behavior seemingly at odds with a long-standing theory.

The new finding could prompt a reassessment of test methods used to predict technologically important properties of "ferromagnetic" materials. The results also could point the way to marked improvements in the performance of microwave devices. Magnets are integral to these devices, used in a variety of communication and defense technologies.

Ferromagnets, including iron, cobalt, nickel and many tailor-made materials, become magnetic when exposed to an external magnetic field. As the strength of the external field increases, the materials become more magnetic, an atomic-level, temperature-influenced process called magnetic saturation. When the external field is removed, ferromagnets undergo an internal restructuring and the acquired magnetization decays, or fades, very slowly at a rate that increases with temperature.

Determined through accelerated testing methods, the temperature dependence of magnetic saturation and the rate of magnetization decay are key concerns in the design of permanent magnets, hard disks and other magnetic data storage systems.

For further information, see nist.gov/nanomagnets_bend_rules. *E. Della Torre, L.H. Bennett, and R.E. Watson, Extension of the Bloch T3/2 Law to Magnetic Nanostructrures: Bose-Einstein Condensation. Physical Review Letters. April 15, 2005.
Media Contact:Mark Bello, mark.bello@nist.gov, (301) 975-3776

International Salinity Forum

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Apr. 25—The International Salinity Forum that begins here today has drawn more than 200 scientists from 20 countries to discuss concerns about accumulating salts that threaten millions of acres of irrigated land around the globe. The three-day conference is sponsored by two USDA agencies—the Agricultural Research Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service—together with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

"ARS efforts to find salt-tolerant crops that can use lower-quality drainage and sewage waters, including turf grasses for lawns and golf courses, will help conserve the region's vital fresh-water supplies and reduce threats to local aquatic and marine environments," said ARS Administrator Edward B. Knipling.

NRCS, the nation's private-lands conservation agency, uses ARS science and longstanding conservation expertise to help landowners control salinity and face other environmental challenges on their land.

"Enhancements to salinity resistance are very important to agricultural production and the protection of our natural resources," NRCS Chief Bruce Knight said. "Salinity is often called the 'silent killer' and with ARS science and NRCS technical expertise, landowners have the best available assessments and solutions."

Soil and water experts, many from the ARS George E. Brown Jr. Salinity Laboratory in Riverside, will present their latest research findings on how to best manage salt-stressed soils. Representatives from agricultural commodities impacted by salinity, such as cotton, wheat, rice and fresh produce, will also attend.

At the conference, Donald Suarez, director of the Riverside laboratory, will discuss how ARS-developed computer models can help water districts and irrigation consultants make informed decisions about salinity management. Other ARS researchers will discuss their technologies to effectively monitor and map soil salinity, as well as efforts to breed salt-tolerant crops that can thrive on recycled agricultural waters.

Irrigated fields, such as those in California's Central Valley, rely heavily on water that is conveyed hundreds of miles from its source. This water contains salts dissolved from the rocks and soils through which it passes before being stored in reservoirs.

When the water is used on cropland, it can leave behind salts and other potentially harmful trace elements, such as selenium and boron. Without adequate drainage, or with excessive irrigation, fields accumulate the damaging salts and can become toxic to many crop plants. In some cases, patches of white crust mark the fields that are most severely impacted.

USDA expects a result of the conference to be wider use of the best available science-based practices for salinity management.

Conference Tackles Global Problem of Salinity By Erin Peabody April 25, 2005

DETAINEE DIES OF WOUNDS 04/25/05

DETAINEE DIES OF WOUNDS

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A 20-year-old male security detainee who was medically evacuated to the 115th Field Hospital died April 24 at approximately 9:30 p.m. from gunshot wounds he received two weeks ago while engaging Coalition Forces.

Efforts to save the detainee’s life ended when he died of complications resulting from his wounds.

The remains will be transferred to the family upon completion of an autopsy. This is standing procedure for all detainees who die while in custody of the Multi-National Force.

The incident is currently under investigation.

SOURCE: United States Central Command -30- NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 April 25, 2005 Release Number: 05-04-20 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

President Speaks to Press Pool Crawford 04/25/05

President Speaks to Press Pool Prairie Chapel Ranch Crawford, Texas 11:05 A.M. CDT

Q What do you expect to get out of this meeting, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Do you like the footpath?

Q Let's talk about the meeting.

THE PRESIDENT: This is an important relationship -- personal relationship with the Crown Prince is important. I look forward to talking with him about a variety of subjects. I'm glad you're here. Thank you for coming. I hope you're enjoying this day.

Q How much progress can you make on oil prices?

THE PRESIDENT: I'll be glad to answer those questions at a later time.

Q Later today?

THE PRESIDENT: No. No, of course I'll talk about energy. And the Crown Prince understands that it's very important for there to be a -- make sure that the price is reasonable. A high oil price will damage markets, and he knows that. I look forward to talking to him about that. But as well as -- you know, we'll talk about his country's capacity. It's an important subject.

One thing is for certain: I need to sign an energy bill. I appreciate the House passing the energy bill. And now it's time for the Senate to pass the energy bill. The bill is a long time in coming. The Vice President and I suggested they pass a bill in 2001, and nothing happened. Now is the time for something to happen. I'm looking forward to getting back to Washington and continuing to talk about energy.

Q Sir, do you think gas prices can be any lower than it is today?

THE PRESIDENT: That depends on the supply and demand. One thing is for certain: The price of crude is driving the price of gasoline. The price of crude is up because not only is our economy growing, but economies such as India and China's economies are growing.

Here comes my guest. Anyway, nice going -- you got me to answer some questions.

END 11:07 A.M. CDT For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis

President to Welcome Greek Prime Minister to the White House

President Bush will welcome Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to the White House on May 20, 2005. Greece is a long-standing NATO Ally and member of the European Union. The Prime Minister's visit reflects the excellent state of our bilateral relations as well as the deepening partnership of the two countries in advancing democracy, prosperity, and security from southeastern Europe through the Broader Middle East.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

60th anniversary Soviet U.S. troops River Elbe

Joint Statement by the Presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States of America

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA April 25, 2005, marks the 60th anniversary of the meeting of Soviet and U.S. troops at the River Elbe. Our nations will always remember the handshake that made history at the Elbe, which became one of the most vivid symbols that our countries were comrades-in-arms in fighting together against Nazi tyranny, oppression, and aggression. We admire the courage and gallant deeds of the soldiers from the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. We will never forget their sacrifice for our common victory. The past 60 years have witnessed reconciliation in Europe, the overcoming of the Cold War legacy, the fall of barriers that divided peoples and nations, the growth of prosperity, and the advancement of freedom and democracy. In the new century, new threats to the security of our countries have arisen, including terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. But there are also increased opportunities for building a lasting peace based on law and the common values of freedom and democracy. While Russia and the United States are building a closer partnership, the meeting at the Elbe reminds us of the enormous advantages that we can provide for both our countries and for the rest of the world when we are united in dealing with global challenges and take advantage of the opportunities before us for progress and cooperation.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 25, 2005

Armenian Remembrance Day

President's Statement on Armenian Remembrance Day

On Armenian Remembrance Day, we remember the forced exile and mass killings of as many as 1.5 million Armenians during the last days of the Ottoman Empire. This terrible event is what many Armenian people have come to call the "Great Calamity." I join my fellow Americans and Armenian people around the world in expressing my deepest condolences for this horrible loss of life.

Today, as we commemorate the 90th anniversary of this human tragedy and reflect on the suffering of the Armenian people, we also look toward a promising future for an independent Armenian state. The United States is grateful for Armenia's contributions to the war on terror and to efforts to build a democratic and peaceful Iraq. We remain committed to supporting the historic reforms Armenia has pursued for over a decade. We call on the Government of Armenia to advance democratic freedoms that will further advance the aspirations of the Armenian people. We remain committed to a lasting and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We also seek a deeper partnership with Armenia that includes security cooperation and is rooted in the shared values of democratic and market economic freedoms.

I applaud individuals in Armenia and Turkey who have sought to examine the historical events of the early 20th century with honesty and sensitivity. The recent analysis by the International Center for Transitional Justice did not provide the final word, yet marked a significant step toward reconciliation and restoration of the spirit of tolerance and cultural richness that has connected the people of the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries. We look to a future of freedom, peace, and prosperity in Armenia and Turkey and hope that Prime Minister Erdogan's recent proposal for a joint Turkish-Armenian commission can help advance these processes.

Millions of Americans proudly trace their ancestry to Armenia. Their faith, traditions, and patriotism enrich the cultural, political, and economic life of the United States. I appreciate all individuals who work to promote peace, tolerance, and reconciliation.

On this solemn day of remembrance, I send my best wishes and expressions of solidarity to Armenian people around the world.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary April 24, 2005

NEWARK HOUSING AUTHORITY TO REPAY $6.4 MILLION

HUD ORDERS NEWARK HOUSING AUTHORITY TO REPAY $6.4 MILLION IN MISSPENT FUNDS , Independent auditor to re-audit fiscal year 2004 financial statements

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Michael Liu today issued a letter outlining numerous shortcomings uncovered during a recently completed review of the Housing Authority of the City of Newark (NHA). The review resulted in NHA's previously issued Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) score declining from 87 to 33. The Section 8 Management Assessment Program score also dropped from 100 to 31.

PHAS is the assessment tool HUD uses to rate public housing authority performance. Housing authorities must score at least 60 points out of 100 to be designated standard. Scores below 60 result in the designation of troubled. Housing authorities are scored on four performance indicators - financial, management, physical condition and resident satisfaction. Scores in these areas are combined to produce an overall score.

"After a comprehensive look at NHA, HUD has determined there is a lot of room for improvement in the financial and management operations of the agency," said Liu. "We are ready to work closely with the agency to give the residents of Newark's public housing the services they deserve."

HUD's review identified $6,445,487 in questionable expenditures from the Section 8 operating reserve account. Of particular concern to HUD is the housing authority's use of $3.9 million to purchase 12 lots located in an area designated in Newark's downtown core area redevelopment plan. Phase 1 of the plan includes construction of an entertainment facility whose principal tenant would be the New Jersey Devil's National Hockey League franchise. NHA must reimburse that amount to the operating reserve account. Because of numerous other financial discrepancies, HUD will select an independent auditor to re-audit NHA's fiscal 2004 financial statements as well as auditing NHA's 2005 financial statements.

HUD also warned NHA about delays in its HOPE VI program. The Archbishop Walsh HOPE VI grant has been fraught with delays and as a result the project has missed six locked checkpoints.

HUD's comprehensive review resulted in the following rating changes:

PHAS overall score Reported 87 HUD Validated 33

Financial Reported 28 HUD Validated 0

Management Reported 29 HUD Validated 3

Physical Condition Reported 29 HUD Validated 22

Customer Satisfaction Reported 8 HUD Validated 8

SEMAP overall Reported 100 HUD Validated 31

The section eight management assessment program (SEMAP) measures the performance of the public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer the housing choice voucher program in 14 key areas including:

Proper selection of applicants from the housing choice voucher waiting list

Sound determination of reasonable rent for each unit leased

Establishment of payment standards within the required range of the HUD fair market rent

Accurate verification of family income

Timely annual reexaminations of family income

Correct calculation of the tenant share of the rent and the housing assistance payment

Maintenance of a current schedule of allowances for tenant utility costs

Ensure units comply with the housing quality standards before families enter into leases and PHAs enter into housing assistance contracts

Timely annual housing quality inspections

Performing of quality control inspections to ensure housing quality

Ensure that landlords and tenants promptly correct housing quality deficiencies

Ensure that all available housing choice vouchers are used

Expand housing choice outside areas of poverty or minority concentration

Enroll families in the family self-sufficiency (FSS) program as required and help FSS families achieve increases in employment income.

NHA has 30 days to appeal the change in score. Of the nation's approximately 3500 housing authority's, 285 are designated as troubled.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at http://www.hud.gov/ and espanol.hud.gov.

### HUD No. 05-055 Donna White (202) 708-0685 hud.gov/news/ For Release Friday April 22, 2005

Gale Norton, Energy Policy Act of 2005

Statement by Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton

Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005:

"I commend the U.S. House of Representatives for again passing an energy bill that will help reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of energy.

"This balanced legislation encourages conservation, promotes development of renewable energy sources and increases supplies of traditional energy for America while protecting the environment.

"Importantly, this legislation would increase America's energy supply by authorizing environmentally responsible energy production in the 1002 Area of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"The 1002 Area was set aside in 1980 by former President Jimmy Carter and a Democrat-controlled Congress for potential oil and gas development and is expected to contain a mean estimate of 10.4 billion barrels of oil, making it America's greatest onshore prospect for future oil. At peak production, the 1002 Area could produce one-million barrels of oil per day, which would make up about 20 percent of our current U.S. daily oil production.

"I am encouraged that support for energy production in the 1002 Area continues to grow in the House.

"The Department of the Interior will ensure that energy production in the 1002 Area is environmentally responsible and does not result in any significant adverse effect on the wildlife or the environment on Alaska's North Slope.

"For the sake of America's energy security, I encourage the Senate to follow the House in passing balanced energy legislation."

SOURCE: U.S. Department of the Interior -DOI- Office of the Secretary Contact: Shane Wolfe For Immediate Release, April 21, 2005 202-208-6416

DRAM CONSPIRACY

KOREAN COMPANY--HYNIX--AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY TO PRICE FIXING AND AGREES TO PAY $185 MILLION FINE FOR ROLE IN DRAM CONSPIRACY

Company Pays Third Largest Antitrust Criminal Fine In History

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hynix Semiconductor Inc., a Korean manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $185 million fine for participating in an international conspiracy to fix prices in the multi-billion dollar DRAM market, the Department of Justice today announced. Hynix’s fine is the third-largest criminal antitrust fine in U.S. history and the largest in five years.

Including today’s charge, two companies and five individuals have been charged and fines totaling more than $346 million have resulted from the Department’s ongoing antitrust investigation into price fixing in the DRAM industry.

DRAM is the most commonly used semiconductor memory product, providing high-speed storage and retrieval of electronic information for a wide variety of computer, telecommunication, and consumer electronic products. DRAM is used in personal computers, laptops, workstations, servers, printers, hard disk drives, personal digital assistants, modems, mobile phones, telecommunication hubs and routers, digital cameras, video recorders, televisions, game consoles, and digital music players. There were approximately $7.7 billion in DRAM sales in the United States in 2004.

“Price fixing imperils free markets, impairs innovation, and harms American consumers,” said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. “Today’s charge and its resulting guilty plea are another significant step forward in the Department’s ongoing fight to break up and prosecute international cartels that harm American consumers. This case shows that high-tech price-fixing cartels will not be tolerated.”

According to the one-count felony charge filed today in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, from April 1, 1999 to June 15, 2002, Hynix conspired to fix the prices of DRAM sold to certain computer and server manufacturers. The customers directly affected by the price-fixing conspiracy were: Dell Inc., Compaq Computer Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, Apple Computer Inc., International Business Machines Corporation, and Gateway Inc.

“This case illustrates the international scope of our criminal investigations and underscores the importance of looking beyond our nation’s borders to prosecute and deter cartels that harm American consumers,” said R. Hewitt Pate, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department’s Antitrust Division.

Hynix is charged with carrying out the conspiracy by:

Participating in meetings, conversations, and communications in the United States and elsewhere to discuss the prices of DRAM to be sold to certain customers;

Agreeing, during those meetings, conversations, and communications, to charge prices of DRAM at certain levels to be sold to certain customers;

Issuing price quotations in accordance with the agreements reached; and

Exchanging information on sales of DRAM to certain customers, for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing adherence to the agreed-upon prices.

Under the plea agreement which must be approved by the court, Hynix has agreed to cooperate with the government in its ongoing investigation of other DRAM producers. Today’s fine is also subject to court approval.

“We expect that Hynix’s cooperation will provide valuable assistance in our continuing investigation,” said Scott D. Hammond, the Antitrust Division’s Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Enforcement.

Hynix is charged with violating Section 1 of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum fine of $10 million for corporations and a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and a $350,000 fine for individuals for violations occurring before June 22, 2004. The maximum statutory fine may be increased to twice the gain the conspirators derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

Hynix is the second major semiconductor company, after the German manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon), to agree to plead guilty to fixing DRAM prices. In October 2004, German manufacturer Infineon pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $160 million criminal fine.

In December 2004, four Infineon executives, T. Rudd Corwin, Peter Schaefer, Gunter Hefner, and Heinrich Florian, pleaded guilty to the DRAM price-fixing conspiracy. The Infineon employees are serving jail terms of between four and six months and each has paid a fine of $250,000. Three of the incarcerated Infineon employees are German citizens.

In December 2003, the Department charged Alfred P. Censullo, a Regional Sales Manager for Micron Technology Inc., with obstruction of justice. Censullo pleaded guilty to the charge and admitted to having withheld and altered documents responsive to a grand jury subpoena served on Micron in June 2002. Censullo was sentenced to serve six months of home detention.

Today’s charge is the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Field Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in San Francisco.

Anyone with information concerning price-fixing in the DRAM industry should contact the San Francisco Field Office of the Antitrust Division at (415) 436-6660 or the San Francisco Division of the FBI at (415) 553-7400.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice ### 05-207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005 WWW.USDOJ.GOV AT (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888