President to nominate Daniel L. Cooper

President George W. Bush today nominated Daniel L. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary for Benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs, for a four-year term. Admiral Cooper currently serves as Under Secretary for Benefits. Prior to this, he served as Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Claims Processing Task Force. Earlier in his career, he was Vice President and General Manager of the Nuclear Services Division at Gilbert Commonwealth Incorporated. Admiral Cooper served the United States Navy for 33 years. He received his bachelor's degree from the United States Naval Academy and his master's degree from Harvard University.

# # # For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, March 30, 2006, Personnel Announcement

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Scott McClellan Announces Resignation (VIDEO)

Press Secretary Scott McClellan Announces His Resignation, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, South Lawn, 9:39 A.M. EDT.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan and President Bush announce that Mr. McClellan is resigning his position on the South Lawn Wednesday, April 19, 2006.

"One of these days he and I are going to be rocking on chairs in Texas, talking about the good old days and his time as the Press Secretary," said the President. "And I can assure you I will feel the same way then that I feel now, that I can say to Scott, job well done." White House photo by Eric Draper.

MR. McCLELLAN: Good morning, everybody. I am here to announce that I will be resigning as White House Press Secretary.

Mr. President, it has been an extraordinary honor and privilege to have served you for more than seven years now, the last two years and nine months as your Press Secretary.

The White House is going through a period of transition; change can be helpful, and this is a good time and good position to help bring about change. I am ready to move on. I've been in this position a long time, and my wife and I are excited about beginning the next chapter in our life together.

You have accomplished a lot over the last several years with this team, and I have been honored and grateful to be a small part of a terrific and talented team of really good people.

Our relationship began back in Texas, and I look forward to continuing it, particularly when we are both back in Texas.

THE PRESIDENT: That's right. (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN: Although, I hope to get there before you. (Laughter.)

I have given it my all, sir, and I've given you my all. And I will continue to do so as we transition to a new Press Secretary over the next two to three weeks. Thank you for the opportunity.

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I thank Scott for his service to our country. I don't know whether or not the press corps realizes this, but his is a challenging assignment dealing with you all on a regular basis. And I thought he handled his assignment with class, integrity. He really represents the best of his family, our state and our country. It's going to be hard to replace Scott. But, nevertheless, he's made the decision and I accept it.

One of these days he and I are going to be rocking on chairs in Texas, talking about the good old days and his time as the Press Secretary. And I can assure you I will feel the same way then that I feel now, that I can say to Scott, job well done.

MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you, sir.

END 9:41 A.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 19, 2006

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President Bush Welcomes Prime Minister Siniora of Lebanon

President Bush Welcomes Prime Minister Siniora of Lebanon to the White House, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, The South Lawn, 11:51 A.M. EDT, PRESIDENT BUSH: It's been my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of Lebanon to the Oval Office. Prime Minister, thanks for coming. PRIME MINISTER SINIORA: Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, we just had a really interesting discussion. I told the Prime Minister that the United States strongly supports a free and independent and sovereign Lebanon. We took great joy in seeing the Cedar Revolution. We understand that the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the street to express their desire to be free required courage, and we support the desire of the people to have a government responsive to their needs and a government that is free, truly free.

We talked about the need to make sure that there is a full investigation on the death of former Prime Minister Hariri, and we'll work with the international community to see that justice is done. We talked about the great tradition of Lebanon to serve as a model of entrepreneurship and prosperity. Beirut is one of the great international cities, and I'm convinced that if Lebanon is truly free and independent and democratic, that Beirut will once again regain her place as a center of financial and culture and the arts.

There's no question in my mind that Lebanon can serve as a great example for what is possible in the broader Middle East; that out of the tough times the country has been through will rise a state that shows that it's possible for people of religious difference to live side-by-side in peace; to show that it's possible for people to put aside past histories to live together in a way that the people want, which is, therefore, to be peace and hope and opportunity.

And so, Mr. Prime Minister, we're really glad you're here. I want to thank you for the wonderful visit we've had, and welcome you here to the White House.

PRIME MINISTER SINIORA: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I would like to really thank President Bush for giving us the opportunity to be here at the White House and to discuss matters of mutual interest to the United States and Lebanon, and matters that has to do with the developments that have been taking place in Lebanon.

For the past over 16 or 18 months, Lebanon has been undergoing major changes. And Lebanon has really been committing itself that we want the change to happen to -- in a democratic and a peaceful manner, but at the same time, to really stay course -- on course; that we are there to meet the expectations of the people to have a united, liberal, free country, and, at the same time, prosperous economy.

So that are the matters that we have discussed with President Bush, and I really would like to seize this opportunity to thank President Bush and the United States for the support that they have been extending to Lebanon throughout the past periods, and with all the resolutions that were taken since the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri. The United States has been of great support to Lebanon.

I am really convinced that President Bush and the United States will stand beside Lebanon to have Lebanon stay as a free, democratic, united, and sovereign state. And the United States is really of great importance in this regard, whether this can be done directly or indirectly. So I would like once more to express our great thanks for President Bush and the United States for this.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. (Applause.)

END 11:55 A.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 18, 2006

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President Nominates Rob Portman as OMB Director Susan Schwab for USTR (VIDEO)

President Bush Nominates Rob Portman as OMB Director and Susan Schwab for USTR, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, Rose Garden, 9:27 A.M. EDT

President George W. Bush announces the nomination of Rob Portman as Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Susan Schwab as the U.S. Trade Representative in the Rose Garden Tuesday, April 18, 2006. White House photo by Paul Morse.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Today I'm announcing my nomination of two outstanding individuals to serve in my Cabinet and on my economic team.

First, I will nominate Rob Portman to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Rob will replace Josh Bolten, who this week started in his new role as my Chief of Staff. The Office of Management and Budget is one of the most essential agencies of our government. The OMB has a central responsibility of implementing the full range of my administration's agenda, from defense programs that will keep our people secure, to energy initiatives that will break our dependence on oil, to tax policies that keep our economy growing and creating jobs.

In these and other areas, the job of the OMB Director is to ensure that the government spends the taxpayers' money wisely, or not at all. He is the person in charge of meeting our goal of cutting the budget deficit in half by 2009. And he is responsible for managing federal programs efficiently. The American people deserve results for every hard-earned dollar they send to Washington.

The job of OMB Director is really an important post, and Rob Portman is the right man to take it on. Rob's talent, expertise and record of success are well-known within my administration and on Capitol Hill. For the past 11 months, Rob has served as United States Trade Representative. When he took the job I told him to focus on opening new markets for American exports, to ensure that our producers and farmers are treated fairly, and to get Congress to pass essential American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. He's accomplished those goals.

I signed CAFTA into law last summer, and Rob Portman and his staff completed trade agreements with Bahrain, Oman, Peru and Colombia. He also re-energized the Doha trade talks at the World Trade Organization. Before joining my Cabinet, Rob represented the 2nd district of Ohio in the United States Congress for more than a decade. He was a key part of the House leadership. He was an influential member of the Ways and Means Committee. And he served as Vice Chairman of the Budget Committee.

His legislative achievements range from reforming the Internal Revenue Service, providing tax relief for working families, to encouraging retirement savings. Rob's leadership in Congress was also marked by an ability to work across the aisle and bring people together to get things done. He's going to bring that same skill to his new post.

As Director of OMB, Rob will have a leading role on my economic team. He will be part of daily senior staff meetings led by Josh Bolten. He will consult often and work closely with legislators on Capitol Hill. He will be a powerful voice for pro-growth policies and spending restraint.

Rob is a man of deep integrity. He knows the priorities of my administration, he can get things done -- and the Senate should confirm him promptly as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

I'm also pleased to announce that I'm going to nominate Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to succeed Rob Portman as the new U.S. Trade Representative.

Trade is one of the most powerful engines of growth and job creation. America accounts for about 5 percent of the world's population, and that means that 95 percent of our potential customers live overseas. So my administration has taken an aggressive agenda to break down barriers to American exports across the world.

When I took office, we had three free trade agreements. Now, we have free trade agreements with 11 countries, and 18 more are pending. Susan will work hard to conclude these agreements and ensure that American goods, services and crops are treated fairly in overseas markets.

Last year, the countries with which we have free trade agreements represented about 7 percent of the economy abroad, but about 42 percent of our exports. Lowering trade barriers to the sale of our goods and services helps provide a level playing field for American workers and farmers and ranchers. And that means more jobs and opportunities, because our workers and ranchers and farmers can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere, so long as the rules are fair, and Susan Schwab understands that.

The Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for the past five months, Ambassador Schwab worked tirelessly to open up new markets, and at the same time, making sure our people were treated fairly. Her trade portfolio covered several continents, and she led USTR efforts in a number of vital policy areas, including intellectual property enforcement.

Susan also worked closely with Ambassador Portman to advance the Doha negotiations. Now she will use her experience to help complete the Doha round and create other new opportunities for American exporters.

Ambassador Schwab started her career as an agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and she served our nation overseas as a trade policy officer in our embassy in Tokyo. In the 1980s, she worked as a trade specialist, and then legislative director for Senator Jack Danforth, who chaired a key Senate subcommittee on trade. In the administration of former President Bush, she led a staff of more than a thousand as Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. Susan has also served as an executive in the private sector at Motorola, and as a professional administrator at the University of Maryland.

Throughout her distinguished career, Susan has earned the respect of her colleagues, and she has my confidence, as well. The Senate should promptly confirm her nomination to be United States Trade Representative.

I appreciate the service that Rob and Susan have given the American people, and I'm really grateful they've agreed to take on new responsibilities. I also thank Rob and Susan's families today. I'm really glad that Rob's wife, Jane, is with us; and it's my pleasure to welcome Susan's parents, Gerald and Joan, to the Oval Office and to the Rose Garden. Glad you all are here.

I look forward to the Senate confirming Rob and Susan, and welcoming them to be new members of my Cabinet.

Congratulations, and thank you for your willingness to serve.

AMBASSADOR PORTMAN: Mr. President, thank you very much for those kind words and for the confidence. I have been honored to serve you and our country as U.S. Trade Representative, and I now look forward to working even more closely with you. And I'm excited about this new opportunity to help shape the future of our government and our economy.

As the President just said, it's a big job. The Office of Management and Budget touches every spending and policy decision in the federal government. I have the great advantage of having watched Josh Bolten in action -- no one has done the job better. His extraordinary grasp of policy, his honesty and his sense of humor under fire will now serve him well as Chief of Staff.

I'm particularly happy that in this new position I'll continue to work closely with my former colleagues in Congress, whose feedback, collaboration and friendship I highly value. Among the main reasons I ran for Congress, back in 1993, was to cut the federal deficit and make government work better and be more responsive to the taxpayers. The common sense, fiscally conservative values of Southwest Ohio guided me then, and they guide me now. If confirmed, I'll be able to advance these same issues, now from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Over the past five years, our nation's budget has endured tough challenges -- with the steep stock market decline and economic recession and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. President Bush acted responsibly to immediately safeguard our homeland while promoting pro-growth policies to ensure our economy got back on its feet. We chose the smart path of reducing the tax burden on families, on workers and small businesses.

And it worked. Our economy is now experiencing solid economic growth, 3.5 percent. Almost 5 million new jobs have been created since full implementation of the tax cuts in 2003. And unemployment is historically low, 4.7 percent. More Americans are working, and they're taking home more in their paychecks. And because the economy is growing, tax revenues are up, which helps our budget. Now is not the time to risk losing ground by raising taxes. Instead, we must continue pro-growth policies and tighten our fiscal belts in order to cut the deficit in half by 2009. I will work closely with the Congress on a bipartisan basis to prioritize essential spending that meets our national priorities while reducing spending elsewhere.

To accomplish our shared goal of deficit reduction, Congress and the administration must also work together on earmark reform, on greater transparency in budgeting, a workable line-item veto, and addressing the unsustainable growth in entitlement spending.

If confirmed, I will also continue the good work already underway at OMB to make government work better for taxpayers. I want to recognize the leadership of Deputy Director for Management, Clay Johnson, in improving government performance.

While I'm excited about this new opportunity, it's also very hard for me to leave my current job. I've been very proud to represent the United States, and I value the special relationships I've developed with fellow trade ministers from every continent. And I'm really going to miss working with the talented and hard-working people at USTR.

We've achieved a lot in the past year. The President talked about it, and I'm more convinced than ever that the economic future of America is tied to our active engagement in world trade and investment. In the rapidly changing and increasingly integrated global economy, the United States must have a proactive and ambitious trade agenda for 2006 and beyond. That's why I'm delighted the President has chosen to nominate Deputy USTR Ambassador Susan Schwab to the next United States Trade Representative. Having worked side-by-side with Susan these past months, I have every confidence in her leadership. With her at the helm, USTR won't miss a beat.

Mr. President, I couldn't do this job without the blessing and support of my family. I can happily report to you that Sally, Will, Jed, and Jane, who is with us this morning, have all given their blessing and approval -- partly because, I think, they're happy my travels will now take me home to Cincinnati more, instead of around the world. (Laughter.)

Thank you, Mr. President, again for this great honor and this opportunity.

AMBASSADOR SCHWAB: Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. President. I am both humbled and honored to be here today. You have set a high bar for your Trade Representative, and you have my commitment to meet and desire to exceed those expectations on behalf of American workers, farmers, manufacturers and service providers.

I also want to thank Ambassador Portman for his confidence and support. I value his friendship, and congratulate him on his new role as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I am certain he will bring the same energy and determination to OMB that he brought to USTR.

Nearly 29 years ago, I walked into the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, looking for my first job. I joined the USTR team as an agricultural trade negotiator, seeking to build market access for American farmers and ranchers in the Tokyo round multilateral trade negotiation. Today I've come full circle.

Happily, USTR continues to be staffed by the most remarkable and hardworking team of career professionals and political appointees to be found anywhere in the public, private or non-profit sectors, and I look forward to my continuing association with them.

Since that first job at USTR, international economic policy has remained front and center in my career -- whether I was working for Senator Danforth and the Senate Finance Committee, representing Motorola in Asia, or serving as Dean of the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush spoke of the risks of economic isolation, and the critical importance of American competitiveness. I am utterly convinced that to maintain American global prosperity, we must pursue a sensible, market-oriented trade policy that provides greater market access and enforces our laws and agreements. And for these policies to be credible and sustainable, we must actively work to generate bipartisan support in Congress. This has been a priority for President Bush, for Ambassador Portman, and it is a priority for me. If confirmed, I will continue our aggressive congressional outreach to help restore the bipartisan consensus for trade.

Last September, the President set clear trade priorities for the United States in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly. His vision guides USTR's ongoing efforts to secure an ambitious outcome to the Doha development round negotiations in the WTO. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to generate global economic growth and to lift millions out of poverty, and it will continue to be a top priority for this administration.

USTR has an equally ambitious bilateral and regional agenda, including ongoing negotiations with 14 countries to dramatically reduce trade barriers, to set important precedents for future trade negotiations, and to grow a critical mass of countries that recognize the immense benefits that come from more open international commerce. Here, holding our trading partners accountable through enforcement of existing trade laws and agreements will continue to be a critical component of our trade agenda.

Again, Mr. President, I thank you for providing this fantastic opportunity for me to serve you and our nation in advancing U.S. interests to a sensible and energetic trade agenda.

Q Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Hold on for a second, please. I'll take a couple of questions. Nedra, Patsy and Kelly, in that order.

Q Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: A little louder, I'm getting older.

Q Sir, when you talk about Iran, and you talk about how you have diplomatic efforts, you also say all options are on the table. Does that include the possibility of a nuclear strike? Is that something that your administration will plan for?

THE PRESIDENT: All options are on the table. We want to solve this issue diplomatically and we're working hard to do so. The best way to do so is, therefore, to be a united effort with countries who recognize the danger of Iran having a nuclear weapon. And that's why we're working very closely with countries like France and Germany and Great Britain. I intend, of course, to bring the subject of Iranian ambitions to have a nuclear weapon with Hu Jintao this Thursday. And we'll continue to work diplomatically to get this problem solved.

Patsy.

Q Sir, are you encouraging Israel to show restraint in reaction to yesterday's Palestinian bombing? Or would a measured military response be appropriate?

THE PRESIDENT: I have consistently reminded all parties that they must be mindful of whatever actions they take and mindful of the consequences. Our goal is to have two states living side-by-side in peace. I strongly deplore the loss of innocent life in the attack on the folks in Israel yesterday. It is unjustified and it is unnecessary. And for those who love peace in the Palestinian territories, they must stand up and reject this kind of violence.

Kelly.

Q Morning, Mr. President. Do you expect that there will be some changes that were not voluntary? Today, you've highlighted openings in your administration, but will Mr. Bolten ask some people to leave? And would you accept his counsel for Cabinet changes, as well as White House staffers?

THE PRESIDENT: I understand this is -- you know, this is a matter of high speculation here in Washington. It's the game of musical chairs, I guess you'd say, that people love to follow. My instructions to Josh Bolten was that I expect him to design a White House structure so that it will function so that he can do his job, function in a way so he's more likely to be able to do his job. And of course, he will bring different recommendations to me as to who should be here and who should not be here.

And I'm the person who believes in aligning authority and responsibility. I've given him enormous responsibility and authority, and expect the White House to work well. And it did under Andy Card, by the way. I'm most proud of his tenure as the Chief of Staff. But with a new man will come some changes. And Josh has got all the rights to make those recommendations to me. And of course I listen to advice as to my Cabinet, as well. I must tell you that I'm -- I've got strong confidence in my Cabinet officials, all of them, and I appreciate the service they've rendered.

But I also understand what happens in Washington. You know, a little flicker of gossip starts moving hard, and people jump all over it. The thing the American people have got to know is we'll structure this White House so it continues to function to deal with major problems. And we're dealing with major problems. We're dealing with a war on terror, we're dealing with high gasoline prices.

And let me remind people that these high gasoline prices are caused by primarily three reasons: One, the increase in the price of crude oil. It's one of the reasons I stood up in front of the Congress and said, we've got to have strong and active research and development to get us to diversify away from crude oil. It's tight supply worldwide, and we've got increasing demand from countries like India and China, which means that any disruption of supply or perceived disruption of supply is going to cause the price of crude to go up. And that affects the price of gasoline.

Secondly, there's increasing demand. At this time of year people are beginning to drive more, getting out on the highways, taking a little time off, and they're moving around. And that increasing demand is also part of the reason the price of gasoline is going up.

And, thirdly, we're switching fuel mixes. The summer fuel mix is different from state to state, and is different from what is being used in the winter. And, therefore, the combination of these creates higher gasoline prices. And I'm concerned about higher gasoline prices. I'm concerned what it means to the working families and small businesses, and I'm also mindful that the government has the responsibility to make sure that we watch very carefully, and to investigate possible price gouging. And we'll do just that.

Q Is there going to be rationing, do you think?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I don't -- that's your word.

Q Mr. President, you've made it a practice of not commenting on potential personnel moves --

THE PRESIDENT: Of course I did.

Q -- of calling it speculation --

THE PRESIDENT: You can understand why, because we've got people's reputations at stake. And on Friday I stood up and said, I don't appreciate the speculation about Don Rumsfeld; he's doing a fine job, I strongly support him.

Q But what do you say to critics who believe that you're ignoring the advice of retired generals, military commanders, who say that there needs to be a change?

THE PRESIDENT: I say, I listen to all voices, but mine is the final decision. And Don Rumsfeld is doing a fine job. He's not only transforming the military, he's fighting a war on terror. He's helping us fight a war on terror. I have strong confidence in Don Rumsfeld. I hear the voices, and I read the front page, and I know the speculation. But I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the Secretary of Defense.

I want to thank you all very much.

END 9:47 A.M. EDT, For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 18, 2006

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Statement Condemning Terrorist Attack in Tel Aviv

Statement Condemning Terrorist Attack in Tel Aviv

We condemn the terrorist attack today in Tel Aviv in the strongest possible terms. It is a despicable act of terrorism, for which no excuse or justification is possible. We express our condolences to those who were injured, to the families of those who were killed, and to the people and Government of Israel.

The burden of responsibility for preventing terrorist attacks such as this one rests with the Palestinian Authority (PA). We have noted reactions by several Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas, that defend or even applaud the barbaric act of terror committed in Tel Aviv today, as we have noted President Abbas's quick denunciation of it. Defense or sponsorship of terrorist acts by officials of the Palestinian Cabinet will have the gravest effects on relations between the PA and all states seeking peace in the Middle East. A Palestinian government that encourages or tolerates terrorism against innocent men, women, and children not only increases the level of violence against Israelis, but can as well only do great harm to the interests of the Palestinian people and ensure its own further isolation. We reiterate that the United States will have no contact with such a government, and we call upon all states to demand that it abandon its support for terror.

# # # For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 17, 2006

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Vice President Cheney and Mrs. Cheney Release 2005 Income Tax Return

Vice President Cheney and Mrs. Cheney Release 2005 Income Tax Return

Vice President and Mrs. Cheney released their 2005 federal income tax return today. The return shows that the Cheneys owe federal taxes for 2005 of $529,636 on taxable income of $1,961,157. The Cheneys' adjusted gross income in 2005 was $8,819,006 which was largely the result of the exercise by an independent gift administrator of stock options that had been irrevocably set aside in 2001 for charity. The Cheneys donated $6,869,655 to charity in 2005 from the exercise of these stock options under the terms of the Gift Administration Agreement and from Mrs. Cheney's book royalties from Simon & Schuster on her books America: A Patriotic Primer, A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Woman, and When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots. As provided in the Gift Administration Agreement, gifts were made to three designated charities named in that Agreement. The Cheneys' return was filed on March 20, 2006.

During the course of 2005 the Cheneys paid $2,468,566 in taxes through withholding and estimated tax payments. Taxes were withheld from their salaries and from the net proceeds of stock options that were exercised under the Gift Administration Agreement. Given that the option proceeds were dedicated to charity, there was a substantial over withholding in 2005 from the income attributable to the exercise of the stock options, which reduced the amount available for charity in 2005.

To enable the gift administrator to maximize the charitable gifts in 2005, the year in which the options were exercised, the Cheneys wrote a personal check in December 2005 to the gift administrator in the amount of $2,331,400. That amount, combined with the net proceeds from the stock options, was given to the three designated charities by the gift administrator. As a consequence, the Cheneys are entitled to a refund of $1,938,930. This refund returns the Cheneys to a neutral position of no personal financial benefit or financial detriment resulting from the transactions under the Gift Administration Agreement. Thus, the Cheneys received no financial benefit from the stock options. The transactions were tax neutral to the Cheneys. The amount of taxes paid by the Cheneys from their income, other than the income from the exercise of the stock options, was the equivalent of what they would have paid if the options had not been exercised.

In a press release of March 5, 2001, the Cheneys reported that they had established the Gift Administration Agreement on January 18, 2001 to donate all net after tax proceeds from various stock options that the Vice President had earned at Halliburton and for their service on the boards of directors of other companies to three designated charities--George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, Inc. for the benefit of the Cardiothoracic Institute, the University of Wyoming for the benefit of the University of Wyoming Foundation, and Capital Partners for Education for the benefit of low-income high school students in the Washington, D.C. area. By entering into the Gift Administration Agreement the Cheneys divested themselves of the economic benefit of the options and granted the gift administrator full discretion, power and control over the options. The Agreement directed the gift administrator to maximize the gifts to the three charities while avoiding financial or after tax benefit or detriment to the Cheneys.

The wage and salary income reported on the tax return includes the Vice President's $205,031 government salary. In addition, the tax return reports the payment of deferred compensation from income earned in 1999 from Halliburton Company in the amount of $211,465. In December 1998, the Vice President elected to defer compensation earned in calendar year 1999 for his services as chief executive officer of Halliburton. This amount was required to be paid in fixed annual installments (with interest) in the five years after the Vice President's retirement from Halliburton and thus could not be paid in a lump sum prior to his taking office. That election to defer income became final and unalterable before Mr. Cheney left Halliburton. The amount of deferred compensation received by the Vice President is fixed and is not affected in any way by Halliburton's current economic performance or earnings. This 2005 payment closes out the payments under the deferred compensation plan. The tax return also reports Mrs. Cheney's royalty income from her book A Time for Freedom: What Happened When in America, salary income from the American Enterprise Institute, and a director's retirement benefit from Reader's Digest, on whose board of directors she served until 2003.

### For Immediate Release, Office of the Vice President, April 14, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Terrence O'Donnell, Williams & Connolly LLP, (202) 434-5678

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or 2005 federal income tax return and Vice President ot Mrs. Cheney and taxable income or Dick Cheney and book royalties or Halliburton Company

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President and Mrs. Bush Release 2005 Tax Return

President and Mrs. Bush Release 2005 Tax Return

President and Mrs. George W. Bush reported taxable income of $618,694 for the tax year 2005. This resulted in a total of $187,768 in federal income taxes paid by President and Mrs. Bush.

The President's 2005 income included salary earned as President and investment income from the trusts in which their assets are held.

President and Mrs. Bush contributed $75,560 to churches and charitable organizations, including the American Red Cross - Hurricane 2005 Relief, the Salvation Army - Hurricane 2005 Relief, the Salvation Army - Pakistan Earthquake Relief, Martha's Table, the Archdiocese of New Orleans Catholic Charities, the Mississippi Food Network, and the Federal Government's Combined Federal Campaign.

### For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, April 14, 2006

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Self-Powered Nanoscale Devices

Nanogenerators: Researchers Convert Mechanical Energy to Electrical Energy for Self-Powered Nanoscale Devices.

Researchers have developed a new technique for powering nanometer-scale devices without the need for bulky energy sources such as batteries.

Georgia Tech Professor Zhong Lin Wang poses in his laboratory. Georgia Tech Photo: Gary Meek, Dowload 300 dpi image.

By converting mechanical energy from body movement, muscle stretching or water flow into electricity, these “nanogenerators” could make possible a new class of self-powered implantable medical devices, sensors and portable electronics.

Described in the April 14 issue of the journal Science, the nanogenerators produce current by bending and then releasing zinc oxide nanowires – which are both piezoelectric and semiconducting. The research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the NASA Vehicle Systems Program and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“There is a lot of mechanical energy available in our environment,” said Zhong Lin Wang, a Regents Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “Our nanogenerators can convert this mechanical energy to electrical energy. This could potentially open up a lot of possibilities for the future of nanotechnology.”

A scanning electron microscope image (top) shows an array of zinc oxide nanowires. Middle image shows a schematic of how an AFM tip was used to bend nanowires to produce current. Bottom image depicts output voltages produce by the array as it is scanned by the probe. Image courtesy of Zhong Lin Wang Dowload 300 dpi image.

Nanotechnology researchers have proposed and developed a broad range of nanoscale devices, but their use has been limited by the sources of energy available to power them. Conventional batteries make the nanoscale systems too large, and the toxic contents of batteries limit their use in the body. Other potential power sources also suffer from significant drawbacks.

“We can build nanodevices that are very small, but if the complete integrated system must include a large power source, that defeats the purpose,” added Wang, who also holds affiliated faculty positions at Peking University and the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China.

The nanogenerators developed by Wang and graduate student Jinhui Song use the very small piezoelectric discharges created when zinc oxide nanowires are bent and then released. By building interconnected arrays containing millions of such wires, Wang believes he can produce enough current to power nanoscale devices.

To study the effect, the researchers grew arrays of zinc oxide nanowires, then used an atomic-force microscope tip to deflect individual wires. As a wire was contacted and deflected by the tip, stretching on one side of the structure and compression on the other side created a charge separation – positive on the stretched side and negative on the compressed side – due to the piezoelectric effect.

The charges were preserved in the nanowire because a Schottky barrier was formed between the AFM tip and the nanowire. The coupling between semiconducting and piezoelectric properties resulted in the charging and discharging process when the tip scanned across the nanowire, Wang explained.

When the tip lost contact with the wire, the strain was released – and the researchers measured an electrical current. After the strain release, the nanowire vibrated through many cycles, but the electrical discharge was measured only at the instant when the strain was released.

To rule out other potential sources of the current, the researchers conducted similar tests using structures that were not piezoelectric or semiconducting. “After a variety of tests, we are confident that what we are seeing is a piezoelectric-induced discharge process,” Wang said.

The researchers grew the nanowire arrays using a standard vapor-liquid-solid process in a small tube furnace. First, gold nanoparticles were deposited onto a sapphire substrate placed in one end of the furnace. An argon carrier gas was then flowed into the furnace as zinc oxide powder was heated. The nanowires grew beneath the gold nanoparticles, which serve as catalysts.

The resulting arrays contained vertically-aligned nanowires that ranged from 200 to 500 nanometers in length and 20 to 40 nanometers in diameter. The wires grew approximately 100 nanometers apart, as determined by the placement of the gold nanoparticles.

A film of zinc oxide also grew between the wires on the substrate surface, creating an electrical connection between the wires. To that conductive substrate, the researchers attached an electrode for measuring current flow.

Though attractive for use inside the body because zinc oxide is non-toxic, the nanogenerators could also be used wherever mechanical energy – hydraulic motion of seawater, wind or the motion of a foot inside a shoe – is available. The nanowires can be grown not only on crystal substrates, but also on polymer-based films. Use of flexible polymer substrates could one day allow portable devices to be powered by the movement of their users.

“You could envision having these nanogenerators in your shoes to produce electricity as you walk,” Wang said. “This could be beneficial to soldiers in the field, who now depend on batteries to power their electrical equipment. As long as the soldiers were moving, they could generate electricity.”

Current could also be produced by placing the nanowire arrays into fields of acoustic or ultrasonic energy. Though they are ceramic materials, the nanowires can bend as much as 50 degrees without breaking.

The next step in the research will be to maximize the power produced by an array of the new nanogenerators. Wang estimates that they can convert as much as 30 percent of the input mechanical energy into electrical energy for a single cycle of vibration. That could allow a nanowire array just 10 microns square to power a single nanoscale device – if all the power generated by the nanowire array can be successfully collected.

“Our bodies are good at converting chemical energy from glucose into the mechanical energy of our muscles,” Wang noted. “These nanogenerators can take that mechanical energy and convert it to electrical energy for powering devices inside the body. This could open up tremendous possibilities for self-powered implantable medical devices.”

RESEARCH NEWS & PUBLICATIONS OFFICE Georgia Institute of Technology 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100 Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA , MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACTS: John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Jane Sanders (404-894-2214); E-mail: (mailto:kirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu). TECHNICAL CONTACT: Zhong Lin Wang (404-894-8008); E-mail: (zhong.wang@mse.gatech.edu). WRITER: John Toon

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