Executive Order: Classified National Security Information

Executive Order: Strengthening Processes Relating to Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified National Security Information

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to assist in determining eligibility for access to classified national security information, while taking appropriate account of title III of Public Law 108-458, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. To the extent consistent with safeguarding the security of the United States and protecting classified national security information from unauthorized disclosure, agency functions relating to determining eligibility for access to classified national security information shall be appropriately uniform, centralized, efficient, effective, timely, and reciprocal.

Sec. 2. Functions of the Office of Management and Budget. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Director):

may, to ensure the effective implementation of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, assign, in whole or in part, to the head of any agency (solely or jointly) any process relating to determinations of eligibility for access to classified national security information, with the agency's exercise of such assigned process to be subject to the Director's supervision and to such terms and conditions (including approval by the Office of Management and Budget) as the Director determines appropriate;

shall carry out any process that the Director does not assign to another agency (or agencies) under subsection (a);

may, after consultation with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, issue guidelines and instructions to the heads of agencies to ensure appropriate uniformity, centralization, efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness in processes relating to determinations by agencies of eligibility for access to classified national security information;

may, with regard to determining eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and "special access programs pertaining to intelligence activities; including special activities, but not including military operational, strategic, and tactical programs" (Intelligence SAPs) under section 4.3(a) of Executive Order 12958 of April 17, 1995, as amended, issue guidelines and instructions with the concurrence of the DNI to the heads of agencies to ensure appropriate uniformity, centrali-zation, efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness in making such determinations relating to those programs;

may, with regard to determining eligibility for access to special access programs (SAP) as defined in Executive Order 12958 other than Intelligence SAPs, issue guidelines and instructions with the concurrence of the agency head with responsibility for the SAP to ensure appropriate uniformity, centralization, efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness in making such determinations relating to those programs;

may report periodically to the President on implementation by agencies of the policy set forth in section 1; and

shall submit reports to the Congress relating to the subject matter of this order to the extent required by law.

Sec. 3. Functions of the Heads of Agencies.

Heads of agencies shall:

carry out any process assigned to the agency head by the Director under subsection 2(a) of this order, and shall assist the Director in carrying out any process under subsection 2(b);

implement guidelines and instructions issued by the Director under subsections 2(c), 2(d), and 2(e) of this order;

to the extent permitted by law, make available to the Director such information as the Director may request to implement this order;

ensure that all actions taken under this order take appropriate account of the counterintelligence interests of the United States; and

ensure that all actions taken under this order are consistent with the DNI's responsibility to protect intelligence sources and methods.

The Director and other heads of agencies shall ensure that all actions taken under this order are consistent with the President's constitutional authority to (i) conduct the foreign affairs of the United States, (ii) withhold information the dis-closure of which could impair the foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties, (iii) recommend for congressional con-sideration such measures as the President may judge necessary or expedient, and (iv) supervise the unitary executive branch.

Sec. 4. Definitions. As used in this order:

the term "agencies" means: (i) any "executive department" as defined in section 101 of title 5, United States Code, as well as the Department of Homeland Security; (ii) any "military department" as defined in section 102 of title 5, United States Code; (iii) any "government corporation" as defined in section 103 of title 5, United States Code; and (iv) any "independent establishment" as defined in section 104 of title 5, United States Code, but excluding the Government Accountability Office and including the United States Postal Service and the Postal Rate Commission.

the term "classified national security information" means information that is classified pursuant to Executive Order 12958;

the term "counterintelligence" has the meaning specified for that term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a); and

the term "process" means: (i) oversight of determinations of eligibility for access to classified national security infor-mation, including for SCI and SAPs made by any agency, as well as the acquisition of information through investigation or other means upon which such determinations are made; (ii) developing and implementing uniform and consistent policies and procedures to ensure the effective, efficient, and timely completion of access eligibility determinations, to include for SAPs; (iii) designating an authorized agency for making access eligibility determinations and an authorized agency for collecting information through investigation upon which such determinations are made; (iv) ensuring reciprocal recognition of determinations of eligi-bility for access to classified information among the agencies of the United States Government, including resolution of disputes involving the reciprocity of security clearances and access to SCI and SAPs; (v) ensuring the availability of resources to achieve clearance and investigative program goals regarding the making of access determinations as well as the collection of information through investigation and other means upon which such determinations are made; and (vi) developing tools and techniques for enhancing the making of access eligibility determinations as well as the collection of information through investigation and other means upon which such determinations are made.

Sec. 5. General Provisions.

Nothing in this order shall be construed to supersede, impede, or otherwise affect:

Executive Order 10865 of February 20, 1960, as amended;

Executive Order 12333 of December 4, 1981, as amended;

Executive Order 12958, as amended;

Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1995;

Executive Order 12829 of January 6, 1993, as amended;

subsections 102A(i) and (j) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 403-1(i) and (j)); and

sections 141 through 146 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2161 through 2166).

Executive Order 12171 of November 19, 1979, as amended, is further amended by inserting after section after 1-215 the following new section: "1-216. The Center for Federal Investigative Services, Office of Personnel Management."

Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect any authority of the Director, including with respect to budget, legislative, or administrative proposals. The Director may use any authority of the Office of Management and Budget in carrying out this order.

Existing delegations of authority to any agency relating to granting access to classified information and conducting investi-gations shall remain in effect, subject to the authority of the Office of Management and Budget under section 2 of this order to revise or revoke such delegation.

This order is intended solely to improve the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Sec. 6. Submission of Report and Expiration of Order.

The Director shall submit a report to the President, on or before April 1, 2006, on the imple-mentation of this order and the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.

Unless extended by the President, this order shall expire on July 1, 2006.

GEORGE W. BUSH THE WHITE HOUSE, June 27, 2005. # # #

more at Classified National Security Information or Executive Order and President Bush

President Bush to nominate ten individuals

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate ten individuals to serve in his Administration:

The President intends to nominate Phillip Jackson Bell, of Georgia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Material Readiness. Mr. Bell currently serves as Deputy Under Secretary of the Army at the Department of Defense. He previously served as Chief of Staff for the Afghanistan Reconstruction Group at the Department of State. Mr. Bell received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his master's degree from the University of South Carolina, prior to serving in the United States Marine Corps.

The President intends to nominate Susan P. Bodine, of Maryland, to be Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. Bodine currently serves as Staff Director and Senior Counsel for the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She previously served as Associate Attorney for Covington and Burling in Washington, DC. Ms. Bodine received her bachelor's degree from Princeton University and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

The President intends to nominate John Hillen, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs). Dr. Hillen currently serves as President of CGI-AMS Secure Incorporated. Earlier in his career, he served as a Senior Scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Heritage Foundation. Prior to that, Dr. Hillen served in the United States Army and received a Bronze Star Medal for actions in combat during Operation Desert Storm. He received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his first master's degree from the University of London King's College. He later received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford St. Anthony's College and his second master's degree from Cornell University.

The President intends to nominate Darryl W. Jackson, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Export Enforcement). Mr. Jackson currently serves as a Partner in the law firm of Arnold & Porter, LLP. In addition, he is a Distinguished Lecturer in Law at the Columbus School of Law of The Catholic University of America. Prior to that, Mr. Jackson served as Executive Assistant United States Attorney for Operations in the District of Columbia. He received his bachelor's degree from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Howard University School of Law.

The President intends to nominate David H. McCormick, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration. Mr. McCormick currently serves as President and Director of Ariba, Inc., a software and services solutions company. He previously served as President and CEO of FreeMarkets, Inc. Prior to that, he served in the United States Army and received a Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq during the first Gulf War. Mr. McCormick received his bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He later received his master's degree and his Ph.D. from Princeton University.

The President intends to nominate Gillian A. Milovanovic, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Macedonia. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ms. Milovanovic currently serves as Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria, South Africa. She previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Stockholm, Sweden. Earlier in her career, Ms. Milovanovic was Director of the Office of Nordic and Baltic Affairs at the Department of State. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her master's degree from Temple University.

The President intends to nominate Michael Retzer, of Mississippi, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Republic of Tanzania. Mr. Retzer currently serves as President and CEO of Retzer Resources, Inc. a company that he founded in 1973. He previously served a Supervisor for Texas Instruments. Prior to that, Mr. Retzer served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. Mr. Retzer received his bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon.

The President intends to nominate Ronald M. Sega, of Colorado, to be Under Secretary of the Air Force. Dr. Sega currently serves as Director of Defense Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense. He previously served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Sega received his bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy, his master's degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. Following his graduation from the Academy, he served on active duty for eight years and continues to serve in the United States Air Force Reserves.

The President intends to nominate Josette Sheeran Shiner, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of State (Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs). Ms. Shiner currently serves as Deputy United States Trade Representative. She previously served as Associate United States Trade Representative for Policy and Communications. Prior to joining USTR, she served as Managing Director of Starpoint Solutions, a technology firm. Earlier in her career, she served as President and CEO of Empower America and as managing editor of The Washington Times. Ms. Shiner received her bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The President intends to nominate Eric M. Thorson, of Virginia, to be Inspector General of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Thorson currently serves as Senior Advisor for Investigative Operations and Agency Planning in the Office of Personnel Management. He previously served as Special Assistant to the Republican Leader of the United States Senate. Earlier in his career, Mr. Thorson was the Chief Investigator for the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in the United States Senate. He received his bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy, prior to serving six years on active duty and five years in the United States Air Force Reserves.

# # # For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, June 28, 2005 Personnel Announcement more at President Bush or Department of Defense and Environmental Protection Agency or State Department and Department of Commerce or Macedonia and Tanzania or Small Business Administration

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. ET AL. v. GROKSTER, LTD., ET AL

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Syllabus

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. ET AL. v. GROKSTER, LTD., ET AL.

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

No. 04-480. Argued March 29, 2005 Decided June 27, 2005

Respondent companies distribute free software that allows computer users to share electronic files through peer-to-peer networks, so called because the computers communicate directly with each other, not through central servers. Although such networks can be used to share any type of digital file, recipients of respondents' software have mostly used them to share copyrighted music and video files without authorization. Seeking damages and an injunction, a group of movie studios and other copyright holders (hereinafter MGM) sued respondents for their users' copyright infringements, alleging that respondents knowingly and intentionally distributed their software to enable users to infringe copyrighted works in violation of the Copyright Act.

Discovery revealed that billions of files are shared across peer-topeer networks each month. Respondents are aware that users employ their software primarily to download copyrighted files, although the decentralized networks do not reveal which files are copied, and when. Respondents have sometimes learned about the infringement directly when users have e-mailed questions regarding copyrighted works, and respondents have replied with guidance. Respondents are not merely passive recipients of information about infringement. The record is replete with evidence that when they began to distribute their free software, each of them clearly voiced the objective that recipients use the software to download copyrighted works and took active steps to encourage infringement. After the notorious filesharing service, Napster, was sued by copyright holders for facilitating copyright infringement, both respondents promoted and marketed themselves as Napster alternatives. They receive no revenue from users, but, instead, generate income by selling advertising space, then streaming the advertising to their users. As the number of users increases, advertising opportunities are worth more. There is no evidence that either respondent made an effort to filter copyrighted material from users' downloads or otherwise to impede the sharing of copyrighted files.

While acknowledging that respondents' users had directly infringed MGM's copyrights, the District Court nonetheless granted respondents summary judgment as to liability arising from distribution of their software. The Ninth Circuit affirmed. It read Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U. S. 417, as holding that the distribution of a commercial product capable of substantial noninfringing uses could not give rise to contributory liability for infringement unless the distributor had actual knowledge of specific instances of infringement and failed to act on that knowledge. Because the appeals court found respondents' software to be capable of substantial noninfringing uses and because respondents had no actual knowledge of infringement owing to the software's decentralized architecture, the court held that they were not liable. It also held that they did not materially contribute to their users' infringement because the users themselves searched for, retrieved, and stored the infringing files, with no involvement by respondents beyond providing the software in the first place. Finally, the court held that respondents could not be held liable under a vicarious infringement theory because they did not monitor or control the software's use, had no agreed-upon right or current ability to supervise its use, and had no independent duty to police infringement.

Held: One who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, going beyond mere distribution with knowledge of third-party action, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device's lawful uses. Pp. 10-24.

(a) The tension between the competing values of supporting creativity through copyright protection and promoting technological innovation by limiting infringement liability is the subject of this case. Despite offsetting considerations, the argument for imposing indirect liability here is powerful, given the number of infringing downloads that occur daily using respondents' software. When a widely shared product is used to commit infringement, it may be impossible to enforce rights in the protected work effectively against all direct infringers, so that the only practical alternative is to go against the device's distributor for secondary liability on a theory of contributory or vicarious infringement. One infringes contributorily by intentionally inducing or encouraging direct infringement, and infringes vicariously by profiting from direct infringement while declining to exercise the right to stop or limit it. Although '[t]he Copyright Act does not expressly render anyone liable for [another's] infringement,' Sony, 464 U. S., at 434, these secondary liability doctrines emerged from common law principles and are well established in the law, e.g., id., at 486. Pp. 10-13.

(b) Sony addressed a claim that secondary liability for infringement can arise from the very distribution of a commercial product. There, copyright holders sued Sony, the manufacturer of videocassette recorders, claiming that it was contributorily liable for the infringement that occurred when VCR owners taped copyrighted programs. The evidence showed that the VCR's principal use was timeshifting, i.e., taping a program for later viewing at a more convenient time, which the Court found to be a fair, noninfringing use. 464 U. S., at 423-424. Moreover, there was no evidence that Sony had desired to bring about taping in violation of copyright or taken active steps to increase its profits from unlawful taping. Id., at 438. On those facts, the only conceivable basis for liability was on a theory of contributory infringement through distribution of a product. Id., at 439. Because the VCR was capable of commercially significant noninfringing uses, the Court held that Sony was not liable. Id., at 442. This theory reflected patent law's traditional staple article of commerce doctrine that distribution of a component of a patented device will not violate the patent if it is suitable for use in other ways. 35 U. S. C §271(c). The doctrine absolves the equivocal conduct of selling an item with lawful and unlawful uses and limits liability to instances of more acute fault. In this case, the Ninth Circuit misread Sony to mean that when a product is capable of substantial lawful
use, the producer cannot be held contributorily liable for third parties' infringing use of it, even when an actual purpose to cause infringing use is shown, unless the distributors had specific knowledge of infringement at a time when they contributed to the infringement and failed to act upon that information. Sony did not displace other secondary liability theories. Pp. 13-17.

(c) Nothing in Sony requires courts to ignore evidence of intent to promote infringement if such evidence exists. It was never meant to foreclose rules of fault-based liability derived from the common law. 464 U. S., at 439. Where evidence goes beyond a products characteristics or the knowledge that it may be put to infringing uses, and shows statements or actions directed to promoting infringement, Sony's staple-article rule will not preclude liability. At common law a copyright or patent defendant who 'not only expected but invoked [infringing use] by advertisement' was liable for infringement. Kalem Co. v. Harper Brothers, 222 U. S. 55, 62-63. The rule on inducement of infringement as developed in the early cases is no different today. Evidence of active steps taken to encourage direct infringement, such as advertising an infringing use or instructing how to engage in an infringing use, shows an affirmative intent that the product be used to infringe, and overcomes the laws reluctance to find liability when a defendant merely sells a commercial product suitable for some lawful use. A rule that premises liability on purposeful, culpable expression and conduct does nothing to compromise legitimate commerce or discourage innovation having a lawful promise. Pp. 17-20.

(d) On the record presented, respondents' unlawful objective is unmistakable. The classic instance of inducement is by advertisement or solicitation that broadcasts a message designed to stimulate others to commit violations. MGM argues persuasively that such a message is shown here. Three features of the evidence of intent are particularly notable. First, each of the respondents showed itself to be aiming to satisfy a known source of demand for copyright infringement, the market comprising former Napster users. Respondents' efforts to supply services to former Napster users indicate a principal, if not exclusive, intent to bring about infringement. Second, neither respondent attempted to develop filtering tools or other mechanisms to diminish the infringing activity using their software. While the Ninth Circuit treated that failure as irrelevant because respondents lacked an independent duty to monitor their users' activity, this evidence underscores their intentional facilitation of their users' infringement. Third, respondents make money by selling advertising space, then by directing ads to the screens of computers employing their software. The more their software is used, the more ads are sent out and the greater the advertising revenue. Since the extent of the software's use determines the gain to the distributors, the commercial sense of their enterprise turns on high-volume use, which the record shows is infringing. This evidence alone would not justify an inference of unlawful intent, but its import is clear in the entire record's context. Pp. 20-23.

(e) In addition to intent to bring about infringement and distribution of a device suitable for infringing use, the inducement theory requires evidence of actual infringement by recipients of the device, the software in this case. There is evidence of such infringement on a gigantic scale. Because substantial evidence supports MGM on all elements, summary judgment for respondents was error. On remand, reconsideration of MGM's summary judgment motion will be in order. Pp. 23-24.

380 F. 3d 1154, vacated and remanded.

SOUTER, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. GINSBURG, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which REHNQUIST, C. J., and KENNEDY, J., joined. BREYER, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which STEVENS and O'CONNOR, JJ., joined.


METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. ET AL. v. GROKSTER, LTD., ET AL. Gomplete Opinuon in PDF format

more at GROKSTER or Supreme Court and Filesharing

President Applauds Senate for Passing Energy Legislation

President Applauds Senate for Passing Energy Legislation

The American people expect their leaders to work together to help provide economic and energy security. I applaud the Senate for working in a bipartisan way to pass comprehensive energy legislation consistent with what I proposed in 2001. This bill will help our economic growth by addressing the root causes of high energy prices and reducing our dependence on foreign sources of energy. It will encourage the use of technology to improve energy conservation and efficiency, help increase domestic energy supplies, support alternative and renewable sources, and enhance reliability. I urge the House and Senate to resolve their differences quickly and get a good bill to my desk before the August recess.

### For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, June 28, 2005 more at President Bush or Energy Legislation

NASA'S Cassini reveals lake-like feature on Titan

NASA'S Cassini reveals lake-like feature on Titan

Scientists are fascinated by a dark, lake-like feature recently observed on Saturn's moon Titan.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured a series of images, released today, showing a marking, darker than anything else around it. It is remarkably lake-like, with smooth, shore-like boundaries unlike any seen previously on Titan.

"I'd say this is definitely the best candidate we've seen so far for a liquid hydrocarbon lake on Titan," said Dr. Alfred McEwen, imaging team member and a professor at the University of Arizona, Tucson. The putative lake measures 230 kilometers by 70 kilometers (145 miles long by 45 miles) wide, about the size of Lake Ontario, on the U.S. Canadian border.

The feature lies in Titan's cloudiest region, which is presumably the most likely site of recent methane rainfall. This, coupled with the shore-like smoothness of the feature's perimeter makes it hard for imaging scientists to resist some speculation about what might be filling the lake, if it indeed is one.

Cassini imaging team member Dr. Tony DelGenio of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, said, "It's possible that some of the storms in this region are strong enough to make methane rain that reaches the surface. Given Titan's cold temperatures, it might take a long time for any liquid methane collecting on the surface to evaporate. So it might not be surprising for a methane-filled lake to persist for a long time."

A computer-enhanced image of the feature and a three-frame movie showing the evolution of nearby clouds can be seen at: ciclops.org, or saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and nasa.gov/cassini.

Despite earlier predictions, no definitive evidence for open bodies of liquid has yet been found on Titan. Cassini has not yet been in a favorable position for using the camera to check for glints from possible surface liquids in the south polar region.

"This feature is unique in our xploration of Titan so far," said Dr. Elizabeth Turtle, Cassini imaging team associate at the University of Arizona. "Its perimeter is intriguingly reminiscent of the shorelines of lakes on Earth, which are smoothed by water erosion and deposition."

An alternate explanation is that this feature was once a lake, but has since dried up, leaving behind dark deposits, Turtle said. Yet another possibility is that the lake is simply a broad depression filled by dark, solid hydrocarbons falling from the atmosphere onto Titan's surface. In this case, the smooth outline might be the result of a process unrelated to rainfall, such as a sinkhole or a volcanic caldera.

Dr. Torrence Johnson, an imaging team member at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., said, "It reminds me of the lava lakes seen on Jupiter's moon, Io."

"Eventually, as the seasons change over a few years, the convective clouds may migrate northward to lower latitudes," said DelGenio, "If so, it will be interesting to see whether the Cassini cameras record changes in the appearance of the surface as well."

"It is already clear that whatever this lake-like feature turns out to be, it is only one of many puzzles that Titan will throw at us as we continue our reconnaissance of the surface over the next few years," said Dr. Carolyn Porco, imaging team leader at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.

Thirty-nine more Titan flybys are planned for Cassini's prime mission. In future flybys the science teams will search for opportunities to observe the lake feature again and to look for mirror-like reflections from smooth surfaces elsewhere on Titan. Such reflections would strongly support the presence of liquids.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. 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 in Boulder, Colo.

###

Public release date: 28-Jun-2005

Preston Dyches, 720-974-5859, Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo.,

Carolina Martinez, 818-354-9382, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Erica Hupp or Dolores Beasley, 202-358-1237/1753, NASA Headquarters, Washington

more at Cassini spacecraft or Titan and Huygens

Statement from NASA Administrator Michael Griffin

Statement from NASA Administrator

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on today's final public meeting of the Stafford-Covey Task Group.

"The independent Return to Flight Task Group, led by veteran astronauts Thomas Stafford and Richard Covey, has performed a valuable public service. Given the level of complexity of the issues involved, I would certainly expect to hear, and I welcome different points of view. As an engineer, I know that a vigorous discussion of these complex issues can make us smarter. I anticipate, and expect, a healthy debate in our upcoming Flight Readiness Review for the Space Shuttle Return to Flight mission, STS-114. We appreciate this input."

Managers from the Space Shuttle program will speak to reporters following this week's Flight Readiness Review at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

For more information about the Stafford-Covey Task Group and the flight of STS-114, visit the Internet at: www.returntoflight.org and nasa.gov/returntoflight - end -

Dean Acosta/Bob Jacobs Headquarters, Washington, (Phone: 202/358-1400/1600), June 27, 2005, RELEASE: 05-165 more at NASA and Michael Griffin

President to Welcome Prime Minister Loong of Singapore

President to Welcome Prime Minister Loong of Singapore to the White House

President Bush will welcome Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore to the White House on July 12. This will be Prime Minister Lee's first visit to Washington since becoming Prime Minister last August, though the two leaders met last November on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Santiago. The President looks forward to discussing our close strategic and trade cooperation with the Prime Minister, in addition to other issues of mutual interest.

# # # For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, June 28, 2005 more at President Bush or Lee Hsien Loong and Singapore

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America

President Receives 90-Day Report on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America

Today, the President received the initial report, and work agenda, of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) from Secretaries Rice, Gutierrez and Chertoff.

The SPP was launched on March 23, 2005, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, by President Bush, Mexican President Fox, and Canadian Prime Minister Martin. The goal of the SPP is to develop a common security strategy and promote economic growth, competitiveness, and the quality of life of the citizens of our three great nations.

The three Leaders asked their appropriate ministers to consult with stakeholders, identify priorities, and report back within 90 days. Responding to this request, these ministers submitted a trilateral report setting forth specific and measurable goals, along with action plans for implementation.

President Bush commends Secretaries Rice, Gutierrez and Chertoff, and their Mexican and Canadian counterparts, for their hard work over the past few months. Their report represents an important first step in achieving the goals of the SPP. The President looks forward to the continuing work of the Partnership as our three countries begin to implement the recommendations of the report and continue discussions on other areas of cooperation.

For more information on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America visit, www.spp.gov.

### For Immediate Release June 27, 2005 more at Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America or President Bush and Baylor University

President Welcomes German Chancellor

President Welcomes German Chancellor to the White House, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, The Oval Office 11:45 A.M. EDT, Visits' Photo Gallery

PRESIDENT BUSH: Opening statements and we'll answer two questions a side.

It's my honor to welcome the Chancellor of an ally and a friend back to the Oval Office. We have had and will continue to have a frank and open discussion about very important issues. Germany is a very important country in Europe, and Germany is a friend of the United States. We talked about the EU, we talked about the United Nations, we talked about Iraq, we've talked about how to spread freedom and peace. We talked about Iran. I told the Chancellor how much I appreciated the German government working with France and Great Britain to send a very strong unified message to the Iranians.

Our agenda is wide-ranging because we -- both countries assume responsibility to help the poor and feed the hungry and help spread freedom and peace. And I want to thank the Chancellor for his willingness to come over, and I want to thank him for such a good discussion.

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: (As translated.) It is, indeed, true that we have covered all the -- topics that the President has just mentioned and had intense conversations on all of those. I've gone in to say that it is now important in Europe that we go in and adopt our budget for the period from '06 to 2013. And I've obviously also emphasized how important it is for us to continue with the constitutional process in Europe.

I was also very pleased to hear -- and that was why I said that to the President, as well -- that it was so helpful that he said he very much would hope to see a strong, united Europe.

Well, as you can see, we have covered a range of international topics here together. I have very much pointed out to the President what Germany does do around the world, what Germany does do in Afghanistan, for example, what Germany does contribute towards the stabilization of the situation in Iraq. I have mentioned our training schemes in the Emirates, et cetera, et cetera. I've talked about the work, the stabilizing work that Germany is doing in the Balkans, for example. And I have mentioned that since we're doing all these things internationally, we would very much hope that at some point in time we could also have a right to representation on the Security Council if there were the space. So I said very much we're doing lots of things, so hopefully we'll be involved with deciding things, as well.

PRESIDENT BUSH: We'll answer some questions here. First, starting with the American side. Excuse me for a minute.

Q Hi. Thank you, Mr. President. Do you oppose Germany's bid for a Security Council seat?

PRESIDENT BUSH: We oppose no country's bid for the Security Council. We agree that there needs to be U.N. Security Council reform. The U.N. also needs broader reform than just the Security Council. There needs to be management reform. There needs to be reform of the Human Rights Commission. There needs to be broad reform. And part of that reform is the U.N. Security Council, and I want to thank Gerhard's frank discussion about Security Council reform. But we oppose no country.

Do you want to call on somebody?

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: We are very much in agreement that this reform is duly and urgently needed, and it's always been clear that it is first the reform and then the candidacies to potential seats. And obviously, then, the process will have to continue.

And if you ask me about whether I see differences, then I'd possibly say there are differences in the timing. We were pushing to have things happening very quickly. But I was very pleased, indeed, to hear that there was no opposition vis- -vis Germany, as such, from the President.

Q Mr. President, Chancellor Schroder is seeking for early elections in Germany. And what is your position? Have you wished him luck for this election? (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT BUSH: He's lucky he's got short elections. (Laughter.) I still remember my election -- month after month after month of campaigning.

We haven't talked about the elections yet. The Chancellor is -- you know, he's a seasoned political campaigner, and if there's elections, I'm confident he knows what he's going to do out there. But we have not talked about the elections yet.

As we say in Texas, this won't be his first rodeo. (Laughter.)

Steve.

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: I just have to add at this point, it is important that our national German President hasn't even yet decided whether we are going to have these elections. So by that very rule, we shouldn't be discussing them here as a topic.

But when it comes to elections, I think there's this wonderful saying from back home in Lower Saxony where I come from which says, "Ducks are fat at the bottom end." (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT BUSH: Steve.

Q Iran has a new leader -- do you think this will alter the climate of the nuclear talks? And what's your message to the new leader?

TRANSLATOR: I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Iran has a new leader. My message is -- to the Chancellor is that we continue working with Great Britain, France and Germany to send a focused, concerted, unified message that says the development of a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. And a process which would enable Iran to develop a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. And I want to again appreciate the EU 3's strong unification and message. The message hasn't changed.

Q Was the election free and fair?

PRESIDENT BUSH: It's never free and fair -- free and fair when a group of people, unelected people, get to decide who's on the ballot.

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: Well, firstly, I couldn't agree more with this message. We are going to continue being tough and firm on all of that. The message must stay very crystal clear, and it is.

And, secondly, the new President has emphasized that he wants the talks to continue, so here we are.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Final question.

Q Mr. President, sometimes you praise what Germany is doing in Afghanistan to help that country. How would you qualify what it is doing in Iraq to help the reconstruction? Maybe you even could be so free to label it as a part of a reconstruction coalition of the willing?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I think that Germany's contribution in Iraq -- oh, sorry, do you want to answer?

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: No, it's okay.

PRESIDENT BUSH: You understand? Okay. Very good English, by the way. (Laughter.)

Germany's contribution in Iraq is important. The key to success in Iraq is a -- is for the Iraqis to be able and capable of defending their democracy against terrorists. And the training mission that the Chancellor referred to is an important part of helping the Iraqis defend themselves.

Parallel with the security track is a political track. Obviously, the political track has made progress this year when 8 million people went to the polls and voted. And now they must write a constitution and have the constitution approved, then have elections later on this year for a government elected under the new constitution.

And part of the political process is not only the elections and the constitution, but part of the political process is the reconstruction programs, of which Germany is an important part. And I want to thank the Chancellor and his government.

A free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will help the United States and help Germany, because we have been -- we will have laid a foundation of peace for generations to come, and I appreciate the -- appreciate your focus.

CHANCELLOR SCHRÖDER: There can be no question a stable and democratic Iraq is in the vested interest of not just Germany, but also Europe. And that is why we have committed ourselves to that topic right from the start, actually very much from the beginning. We were the ones that jumped at the idea of having a debt relief initiative right at the start, and we are also the ones who have gone in with practical hands-on help. We've gone in and started training of homegrown Iraqi security forces and admin people right away. By now, we've trained a good 1,200 people, about 50 percent of them security staff, and the other 50 percent admin advisers that help with the reconstruction of institutions from within. And this training happens in the Emirates.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, thank you all for coming.

END 12:00 P.M. EDT For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 27, 2005 more at German Chancellor or President Bush and germany

Sri Lanka – Tsunami Aid Distribution

Sri Lanka – Signing of Joint Mechanism on Tsunami Aid Distribution

The United States welcomes the signing on June 24, by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s of an agreement creating a joint mechanism for managing tsunami reconstruction. This mechanism holds the prospect for efficient and equitable reconstruction assistance to those whose lives were devastated by the South Asia tsunami in the North and East of Sri Lanka. We hope experience implementing this agreement will help to build confidence and lead to progress in the broader peace process.

2005/651 Released on June 27, 2005 Press Statement Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC June 27, 2005 Source: state.gov more at Sri Lanka or Tsunami Aid

Momentum in Iraq Favors Democracy

Momentum in Iraq Favors Democracy, Casey Says, By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2005 – The momentum in Iraq has swung toward democracy and against terror, the top American commander in Iraq said today.
The insurgents are "not nearly as capable" as they want people to think, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said on ABC's "Good Morning America" program today. In fact, he said, insurgents represent "one tenth of one percent of the Iraqi population." Casey said the insurgents have no positive vision for Iraq, and the vast majority of Iraqis reject their attempts to derail democracy.

Even without a vision, the insurgents are media savvy, Casey said. They launch spectacular attacks to capture news headlines and spots on television news. "What the people in the United States are seeing are these car bomb attacks and these suicide attacks, and they are being fed a steady diet of that," he said. "I have no doubt that this affects their perception."

However, Casey said, the reality on the ground is that Iraqis make progress every day. Iraqis have the political will to move toward democracy, he said. "I have to remind folks in the states that the Iraqi (National) Assembly is on pace to produce a constitution by the 15th of August," he said.

Plans call for all Iraqis to vote on the constitution by Oct. 15 and elect a government under that constitution by Dec. 15.

"We're going to have a tough fight against these insurgents up to the elections, but the political process is and will continue to move forward," the general said.

Casey said the level of attacks -- between 450 and 500 a week -- is roughly the same as it was a year ago. There were times when the level was between 800 and 900 attacks per week. The area of the attacks is also pretty confined. In 14 out of the 18 provinces in the country, there are only about three attacks a day.

The insurgents will continue to attack Iraqi security forces and the general population. "They realize that over the long term the Iraqi security forces will be the greatest challenge to the insurgency," Casey said.

Yet even with the attacks on Iraqi army and Iraqi police, the insurgents have been unable to intimidate the Iraqis. "Recruiting (for Iraqi forces) is up; they are staying and standing and fighting; and the morale of the forces is quite good," Casey said.

The general said the United States must stand by Iraq. "We look at and study past insurgencies," he said. "The fact is that the insurgencies of the 20th century lasted about nine years.

"Will (the Iraqi insurgency) last at the level it is today? I don't think so," Casey said. "But we will progressively bring that insurgency to a level that can be contained by increasingly capable Iraqi security forces."

Casey said American servicemembers in Iraq are doing a magnificent job. "Every generation of Americans seem to have thrust on them a difficult challenge," he said. "I am continually impressed with their courage, their commitment and their compassion."

Biography: Gen. George W. Casey Jr., USA more at Iraq or Gen. George W. Casey Jr

National HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2005

Statement by Mike Leavitt Secretary of Health and Human Services Regarding National HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2005

Today marks the 11th annual observance of National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), which reminds all Americans that HIV testing is an important step in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
An estimated 40,000 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year, and at least one-fourth of Americans who are HIV positive, do not know it. New CDC data indicates that in 2003, between 1,039,000 and 1,185,000 people were living with HIV. As a means of stopping the spread of HIV and getting HIV-positive people into prevention and care, HHS is working to make HIV testing and counseling a routine part of medical care.

This year marks the 20th year of offering HIV testing and counseling. A great deal has changed since the first HIV tests were offered. With new rapid-test technology, you can learn your HIV status in 20 minutes. This is an important step toward preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and toward getting HIV-positive individuals into medical care that can improve and prolong their lives. Although recent data shows that voluntary rapid testing efforts are increasing the number of people who learn of their HIV status, too many Americans still do not know their status. This week, I join the President in our national prevention efforts to promote HIV testing as a routine part of health care.

The President continues his commitment to combating HIV/AIDS internationally and domestically. President Bush has called for the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, based on the principles of focusing federal resources on life-extending care; ensuring flexibility to target resources to address areas of greatest need; and ensuring results.

As part of testing day observances, HHS and local health officials will take part in a variety of events across the country. We will also offer free, rapid, and confidential HIV counseling and testing to our Washington area employees at the Humphrey Building on June 27-29, 2005. To schedule a confidential and free HIV test, please call (202) 401-7945.

HHS will continue our campaign to make HIV testing more readily available. Working together, we can increase awareness and stop the spread of this epidemic.

We encourage those who want to learn more about HIV testing to visit HIVTest.org.

For information on NHTD visit omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances/testing/ or HIV/AIDS call the CDC AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-AIDS (English), 1-800-344-SIDA (en Espanol), or 1-800-243-7889 (TTY).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, June 27, 2005 Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 more at National HIV Testing Day or Health and Human Services

White House South Lawn Tee Ball

Fact Sheet: White House South Lawn Tee Ball

President's Remarks Full Streaming Video, White House South Lawn Tee Ball, June 26, 2005 - 4:00 p.m.

Jackie Robinson South Ward Little League Black Yankees Newark, New Jersey
VS.
South Side Little League Memphis Red Sox Chicago, Illinois

Program Participants

Honorary Tee Ball Commissioner of the Game: Barry Larkin, Washington Nationals
Play-by-Play Announcer: Fred Hickman, ESPN
Honorary First Base Coach: Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
Honorary Third Base Coach: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Alphonso Jackson

National Anthem Singer: Aaron Lucas
Color Guard: The Young Marines

Game Ball Presenters: Reynard Prather and Darnika Cooper (from The Young Marines)

Volunteer Recognition: The President recognizes Jeomera Ayala of Arlington, Virginia. Jeomera Fuentes-Ayala arrived at Youth For Tomorrow, a residential group village for at-risk youth (ages 11-17),

in 2003. Youth for Tomorrow combines rehabilitation, faith, academics, and loving care to help youth gain the skills for future success. For the past year-and-a-half, she has been a volunteer at The Barn, an organization that provides support services and programs for homeless/battered women and their dependent children. Once per week, she visits the facility to care for children while their mothers take classes.

Commissioner: The Honorary Tee Ball Commissioner of the Game is Barry Larkin. Mr. Larkin is a 12-time All-Star who spent his entire 19-year Major League Baseball career as shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds . He now serves as Special Assistant to the General Manager of the Washington Nationals. During his playing career, he also hosted underprivileged children at Reds games as part of his "Barry's Bunch" program.

Facts about the President's White House Tee Ball Initiative

President Bush launched his White House Tee Ball Initiative in 2001 to promote interest in baseball and a spirit of teamwork and service for America's youth. This is the fifth year of the President's White House Tee Ball Initiative, and this is the second game of the 2005 season. Teams are selected by Little League Baseball in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and can be nominated online at www.littleleague.org.

What is tee ball? Tee ball is the entry sport to baseball for young players, generally four to eight years old. Tee ball develops the primary baseball skills of hitting, running, fielding, and throwing and gives children solid teamwork experience. Tee ball is played in every state and territory and in dozens of countries around the world. Participation is estimated at 2.2 million players - 65% boys and 35% girls. Members of two teams take turns hitting a ball off a batting tee set on home plate. Batters try to get on base and advance to home; fielders try to prevent that from happening. The absence of pitching allows children to participate without the fear of being hit by a pitched ball. The players gain an understanding of the fundamental rules.

What is Helping America's Youth Initiative? This game will honor the President's "Helping America's Youth" Initiative, bringing two teams from the Little League Urban Initiative to play Tee Ball on the South Lawn. The President and Mrs. Bush encourage every American to help children to avoid trouble and lead more hopeful lives.

Research has shown that children are less likely to engage in risky behaviors when they are connected to parents, family, school, community, and faith. Faith-based, community, and volunteer organizations across the nation are involved in efforts to reach at-risk youth and get them involved in their communities. The Little League Urban Initiative, now in dozens of American cities, is one of the programs working hard to accomplish these goals.

Mrs. Bush has traveled around the country highlighting effective programs that are helping children become successful adults. This fall, Mrs. Bush will convene a Helping America's Youth conference to share ideas about what works, as well as to recognize outstanding programs that are helping our children.

# # # For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 26, 2005 more at White House or Tee Ball and South Lawn Tee Ball

Homeland Security, World Customs Organization

Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the Unanimous Vote by the World Customs Organization to Implement a Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.

I am pleased by the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) decision to adopt a common set of cargo security standards for its 166 member nations. Because of this historic and unanimous vote, virtually all of the world’s trade will eventually be screened by standards originally established by the Department of Homeland Security, through the Container Security Initiative and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. These two programs were developed with guidance and expertise from the private sector and they demonstrate that security, when applied correctly, actually facilitates legitimate trade. By harnessing advanced technology and coordinating risk-based security methods, the United States and the WCO can further streamline the flow of low-risk trade and greatly enhance global screening capabilities. I am confident that the WCO’s decision will ultimately benefit the global business community as much as it will further our common security goals.

Sourxe: ### For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010 June 24, 2005 Press Releases Related Information Making Secure Worldwide Trade a Reality more at Homeland Security or Michael Chertoff

Fallujah convoy attack (update)

Fallujah convoy attack (update)

CAMP FALLUJAH , Iraq – Two Marines assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) who were previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown have been identified.

The Marines, both male, were in a convoy that was attacked by a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and small arms fire June 23 in Fallujah.

A Marine and a Sailor believed to be in the vehicle remain listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown pending positive identification.

News reports that have identified Marines as being part of a civil affairs unit are incorrect. The Marines are from several different headquarters and service support units.

Thirteen Marines were wounded in the incident, 11 of whom were women.

Female Marines play a vital role providing security at the entry control points in the city. They search female Iraqi citizens moving through the checkpoints. Female Marines are employed in this role in order to be respectful of Iraqi cultural sensitivities. Their assignment to this mission is in full accordance with Department of Defense and Marine Corps policy.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

-30- Release A050625c

Source: MNFI For more information, contact Multi-National Force-West public affairs at mnfwcepaowo@cemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil more at Fallujah or vbied.

USDA ANNOUNCES BSE TEST RESULTS

USDA ANNOUNCES BSE TEST RESULTS AND NEW BSE CONFIRMATORY TESTING PROTOCOL

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has received final test results from The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, confirming that a sample from an animal that was blocked from the food supply in November 2004 has tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Johanns also directed USDA scientists to work with international experts to thoughtfully develop a new protocol that includes performing dual confirmatory tests in the event of another "inconclusive" BSE screening test.

"We are currently testing nearly 1,000 animals per day as part of our BSE enhanced surveillance program, more than 388,000 total tests, and this is the first confirmed case resulting from our surveillance," Johanns said. "I am encouraged that our interlocking safeguards are working exactly as intended. This animal was blocked from entering the food supply because of the firewalls we have in place. Americans have every reason to continue to be confident in the safety of our beef."

Effective immediately, if another BSE rapid screening test results in inconclusive findings, USDA will run both an IHC and Western blot confirmatory test. If results from either confirmatory test are positive, the sample will be considered positive for BSE.

"I want to make sure we continue to give consumers every reason to be confident in the health of our cattle herd," Johanns said. "By adding the second confirmatory test, we boost that confidence and bring our testing in line with the evolving worldwide trend to use both IHC and Western blot together as confirmatory tests for BSE."

USDA has initiated an epidemiological investigation to determine the animal's herd of origin. That investigation is not yet complete. The animal was born before the United States instituted a ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban in August 1997, which prevents the use of most mammalian protein in cattle feed. According to internationally accepted research, feed containing meat-and-bone meal is the primary way BSE is transferred to the cattle population.

The animal was selected for testing because, as a non-ambulatory animal, it was considered to be at higher risk for BSE. An initial screening test on the animal in November 2004 was inconclusive, triggering USDA to conduct the internationally accepted confirmatory IHC tests. Those test results were negative. Earlier this month, USDA's Office of the Inspector General recommended further testing of the seven-month-old sample using another internationally recognized confirmatory test, the Western blot. Unlike the IHC, the Western blot was reactive, prompting USDA to send samples from the animal to the Weybridge laboratory for further analysis.

The laboratory in Weybridge, England, is recognized by the World Animal Health Organization, or OIE, as a world reference laboratory for BSE. Weybridge officials this week conducted a combination of rapid, IHC and Western blot testing on tissue samples from the animal in question. At the same time these diagnostic tests were being run by Weybridge, USDA conducted its own additional tests.

As a non-ambulatory, or "downer" animal, the cow was prohibited from entering the human food supply, under an interim final rule in effect since January 2004. Research has shown that BSE is most likely to be found in older non-ambulatory cattle, animals showing signs of central nervous system disorders, injured or emaciated animals, and cattle that have died for unexplained reasons. USDA's testing program targets these groups of animals for testing.
The system of human health protections includes the USDA ban on specified risk materials, or SRM's, from the food supply. SRM's are most likely to contain the BSE agent if it is present in an animal. Additional measures, such as a longstanding ban on importing cattle and beef products from high-risk countries, a ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban, U.S. slaughter practices, and aggressive surveillance provide a series of interlocking safeguards to protect U.S. consumers and animal health.

USDA remains committed to protecting both U.S. consumers and U.S. livestock from BSE, and to that end continues efforts to detect the disease through its enhanced BSE surveillance program. Once sufficient data from the surveillance program has been accumulated, USDA will consult with outside experts to analyze it and determine whether any changes to existing risk management measures are necessary.

This confirmed case of BSE in no way impacts the safety of our nation's food supply. As the epidemiological investigation progresses, USDA will continue to communicate findings in a timely and transparent manner.

Source: Last Modified: 06/24/2005 Release No. 0232.05 Contact: USDA Press Office (202)720-4623

More at bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease and bse

United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

On United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the United States reaffirms its commitment to the worldwide elimination of torture. Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right, and we are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law.

The United States is continuing to work to expand freedom and democracy throughout the world. We will seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, and we will help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way. Throughout the world, there are many who have been seeking to have their voices heard, to stand up for their right to freedom, and to break the chains of tyranny. Too many of those courageous women and men are paying a terrible price for their brave acts of dissent. Many have been detained, arrested, thrown in prison, and subjected to torture by regimes that fail to understand that their habits of control will not serve them well in the long-term. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies. All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.

SOURCE White House Press OfficeWeb Site: whitehouse.gov/ For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 26, 2005 Statement by the President

more at President Bush or United Nations

The Cougar, a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle

High Resolution, Public Domain Images Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (The Cougar).

The Cougar, a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, is the next generation of combat vehicles and is currently being used in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The v-shaped hull assists deflection of a mine or improvised explosive device

blast away from the vehicle’s capsule, keeping the passengers safe and the vehicle intact. The ballistic glass with gun ports allow the passengers to engage insurgents ambush attempts without leaving the cab. Photo by: official USMC photo Date the Photo was taken:06/24/2005 This Image has been cleared for release. PhotoID: 2005624203029 Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific, Operation/Exercise/Event: vehicle.

Mine resistant ambush protected vehicles counter IEDs, ambushes Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific Story Identification #: 2005624185238 Story by Pfc. J. Ethan Hoaldridge,

U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (June 24, 2005) -- “Block off all their main and secondary supply lines for these are their main arteries, and ambush them along those routes for they are exposed and easy prey.”

These words from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were cited by the Winds of Change website, showing the real danger for convoys traveling Marine supply lines in Iraq.

There have been 341 Marines killed in action and 4,099 wounded in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom since February 16, 2004. How many of these fatalities and casualties have been caused by improvised explosive devices and ambushes on convoys? Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles could’ve saved some of those lives and kept those Marines in the fight.

With its flat bottom and soft-skin plastic doors, if a humvee is directly hit by a land mine or IED, most likely the passengers inside will lose their life and the vehicle will be destroyed beyond repair, said Maj. Gert de Wet, Central Command plans officer.

“In 1968, South Africans in conjunction with Rhodesians started developing the technology to create new vehicles that would counter the land mine threat introduced in the Bush War in Southern Africa. They developed the technology that created a new modular design for their military vehicles. For example, the vehicle’s wheels could be blown off in a mine/IED blast, but the passengers and the rest of the vehicle survived,” said de Wet.

“South Africa and Rhodesia did not have a large military and realized that you cannot afford to loose lives on the battlefield,” said de Wet. “These countries also didn’t have a large military budget and soon found that it was too expensive to loose a vehicle every time it hit a mine. It was far cheaper to replace an axel or wheel than an entire vehicle.”

“The military in South Africa and Rhodesia have been using these vehicles for the past 30 years, steadily improving the technology,” said de Wet.

The Marine Corps recognized these vehicles’ successful track record and became interested in incorporating them into the fleet.

The Corps decided to do business with Force Protection, located in South Carolina, which is the company that developed a version of a Mine Resistant Ambush protected vehicle named the Cougar.

“These vehicles are all designed from the ground up specifically built to survive IEDs and ambushes. The v-shaped hull assists deflection of a mine or IED blast away from the vehicle’s capsule keeping the passengers safe and the vehicle intact. The vehicle is also built to rollover and is equipped with multi-point, racing style harnesses, so if the vehicle rolled 360 degrees the passengers inside would avoid injury,” said de Wet.

Ballistic glass, another feature on the Cougar, allows Marines to see and engage an enemy ambush through the gun ports in the glass not exposing themselves to fire.

In a humvee, gunners are usually perched above the vehicle on a 50-caliber machine-gun open to enemy fire, while in some vehicles the passengers inside cannot see what direction enemy fire is coming from.

“When I was deployed forward, a friend of mine was in an ambush in a light-armored vehicle,” said de Wet. “They got out of the vehicle not knowing they were being attacked on the left side and luckily didn’t take casualties. In a Cougar you could just look out the glass and engage.”

Marines started reaping the benefits of the MRAP vehicles in Fall 2004 after procuring around 27 Cougars.

Because of these benefits the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force requested 1,169 MRAP vehicles. There are different variants such as, multi-mission combat vehicles, ambulance variant vehicles, troop transport vehicles and so on.

“The Corps presently uses them in Iraq for explosive ordinance disposal. When receiving calls from convoys that come upon land mines or IEDs, they could send an EOD team out in a Cougar. So even if the mine hits the Cougar, its passengers will stand a far better chance of survival due to the v-shaped hull design and other special features incorporated in the vehicle,” explained de Wet.

The Cougar is scalable as well, meaning that it can be used for humanitarian efforts as well as combat by detaching the arms and gun systems to look less lethal, but still protects the crew against threats from terrorists such as, Al Queda.

"The Cougar has been hit by IEDs and ambushes and done very well. As far as I know to date, no one has gone to the hospital as a result of an attack,” said de Wet. “I have a friend in Iraq right now who has survived four IED blasts in the same MRAP vehicle, and after some repair, the vehicle is still in use,” he continued.

The Cougar may be the rebuttal to al-Zarqawi’s statement that the supply lines are unprotected. This vehicle could cause a role reversal between the predator and its prey.

“The Marine Corps now has an opportunity and a way to alleviate the problem of so many casualties from IEDs and ambushes in Iraq,” said de Wet.

-30- more at Marine Corps or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

International Whaling Commission

International Whaling Commission

The United States is pleased that at its 57th annual meeting that concluded today in Uslan, South Korea, the International Whaling Commission passed a resolution defeating Japan’s proposal to greatly expand its lethal whale research program in the Southern Ocean. Japan’s proposal would have more than doubled the take of minke whales and added two new species, fin and humpback whales, to its program.

The resolution opposing the Japanese proposal was adopted with 30 voting in favor, 27 against, and one abstention. The United States is disappointed that Japan has indicated it will proceed with the program, despite this expression of opposition.

The United States formally offered to host the 59th Annual Meeting of the IWC in Anchorage, Alaska, in June or July of 2007. Anchorage is a logical location for the meeting, considering that the aboriginal subsistence quota for bowhead whales taken by Alaska native hunters will be reviewed at the 2007 meeting.

Members of the Commission failed to reach consensus on the Revised Management Scheme. However, the Commission agreed to hold two meetings to advance work on outstanding issues. The United States hopes that members who abstained will attend the meetings and participate in finding solutions.

2005/650 Released on June 24, 2005 Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC, June 24, 2005 Source: State.gov more at International Whaling Commission

Status of Women’s Freedom in the Middle East

New Survey Assesses the Status of Women’s Freedom in the Middle East

An award from the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative has enabled Freedom House to complete a comprehensive survey of the barriers to women’s full participation in society. The survey, which can be accessed through the MEPI website (mepi.state.gov/), is the first-ever comparative assessment on the status of women in the Middle East and North Africa. Notwithstanding important country differences and some key breakthroughs in gender equality in legal rights and increased access to education, the survey reveals a substantial deficit in women's rights throughout the 16 countries and Palestinian territories where the survey was conducted.

The report, "Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Citizenship and Justice," is the culmination of an intensive 20-month-long research process by a team of 40 leading scholars, analysts, and women's rights experts primarily from the region. The survey features country reports and country numerical ratings and focus group research. The research team discovered that in most countries women are at a profound disadvantage in practically every institution of society: the criminal justice system, the economy, education, health care, and the media. Discriminatory laws and inadequate enforcement of existing laws intended to guarantee equality and fair treatment exacerbate the systematic gender gap.

The study reveals gender inequality in the region is compounded by apathetic governments and patriarchal traditions, all of which undermine women’s empowerment, leaving many of them unaware of their rights and ill-equipped to advocate for them. The survey's major recommendations include equal legal status for women and revised family laws, increased spending for and access to education, and removal of social and legal obstacles to women’s political and economic participation. It is hoped that this survey will serve as a catalyst for both regional and international efforts to empower women in the Middle East and North Africa.

Freedom House is an independent non-governmental organization that supports the expansion of freedom. Freedom House functions as a catalyst for freedom through its analysis, advocacy, and action.

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 online at: mepi.state.gov.

2005/648 Released on June 24, 2005 Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC, June 24, 2005, Source: State.gov

UNFPA China Program

UNFPA China Program

The Government of the United States is disappointed that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has decided to continue to provide financial and technical assistance to the Chinese birth limitation program under the direction of China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission. We have made our views known at the UNFPA Board meeting, which is currently reviewing the proposed new country program for China.

The U.S. opposition to this program is a matter of principle. It is not directed at UNFPA as an institution. Rather, it is based on the strong opposition of the United States to human rights abuses associated with coercive birth limitation regimes. While the United States has acknowledged that China has made some progress in its approach to population issues, Chinese birth limitation policy continues to contain clearly coercive elements in law and practice. The United States remains deeply concerned about these remaining coercive mechanisms, such as the "social maintenance fee" for "out of plan" births and regulations that leave women little choice but to undergo abortions.

The United States understands that UNFPA does not approve of these policies. Nonetheless, UNFPA’s continuing support for the Chinese coercive birth-limitation program unfortunately provides a de facto UN "seal of approval" on these activities. UNFPA should insist that all coercion end in the counties where it operates. Chinese birth limitation laws and policies are inconsistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with the commitments undertaken by the Government of China at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.

2005/649 Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC, June 24, 2005, Source: State.gov