A Vision for the Future: Introducing the George W. Bush Presidential Center
Remarks by Former President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
November 12, 2009
THE HONORABLE DONALD L. EVANS: Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon everybody. My name is Don Evans. I'm Chairman of the George W. Bush Foundation Board. It is indeed my pleasure to welcome you here this afternoon. Today we celebrate the continuation of a journey - a journey that began in 1993, when two people decided to dedicate their lives full time to public service. I am delighted that after a great amount of planning, careful thought, and hard work by so many of you in this room, President Bush and Mrs. Bush will have the opportunity to personally introduce to you their vision for the George W. Bush Presidential Center. So without further ado, it is my great honor to introduce to you your great friends, my great friends, the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Thank you. Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you for the warm welcome, and I am touched to see so many friends here. I'm also pleased to be sharing the stage with Laura. She has been an awesome partner for the past 32 years and seven days. (Applause.)
I think she's the best former first lady in the Nation's history. Although I better be a little careful – there is some competition in the family. (Laughter.)
I'm glad to be with our daughter Jenna, and we're looking forward to having our daughter Barbara come to Dallas tonight. You know one of the joys of my time in public service has been watching our girls grow into professional women who are making a contribution to our society. Barbara has started a health NGO, and Jenna is a teacher. As you may have heard, she's also a correspondent for the Today Show, thus continuing the Bush family tradition of warm relations with the press.
I am grateful to the members of my Administration. I appreciate my dear friend Don Evans for taking the lead in this important project. I want to thank the members of the Presidential Center board, including brother Marvin. I appreciate the leadership of our outstanding President of the Bush Foundation, Ambassador Mark Langdale. I am thrilled that this Center is going to be at Southern Methodist University. I thank President Gerald Turner, SMU's distinguished faculty and staff, and the student body for sharing their campus. It is pretty exciting for a 63-year-old to be back on a college campus. I enjoy popping in on class from time to time. Come to think of it, that was my strategy when I was a student. (Laughter.)
One year from now we're going to break ground on our new building here at SMU, so this is a fitting time to give you an update on what I have been doing and to share our vision for the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
First, I'm pleased to report there is life after the White House. Laura and I are happy, healthy, and home. Right here in the Promised Land. (Applause.) I've had some interesting days after my retirement from politics. I actually got a job offer when I first came back to be a greeter at Elliott's Hardware. (Laughter.)
As I tell Laura, we may be retired, but I'm not tired. I've given speeches in eight states, six countries, and five Canadian provinces. I'm writing a book that gives readers my perspective on my toughest decisions, which will hit the shelves next fall. Most importantly, Laura and I are working to build the Presidential Center here at SMU. The Center will provide a platform for us to continue our public service for the rest of our lives. Which I hope is a long time. The Center will be housed in an elegant building designed by a first class architect, Robert Stern. It will be landscaped by an innovative genius, Michael Van Valkenburgh. Inside, visitors will find three components: an archive, a museum, and a policy institute.
First, the Archive will preserve the documents and records of my Presidency. There will be about four million photos, thousands of boxes of documents, and hundreds of millions of e-mails – not one of them mine. (Laughter.) The Archive will be a priceless resource for historians. I know firsthand because I'm using the materials to write my memoirs. I appreciate the hard work of the professionals from the National Archives and Records Administration, led by its superb director, Alan Lowe.
Second, the museum will tell the story of my Presidency through the most consequential decisions. We'll use technology and innovative design to make the exhibits interactive, educational, and relevant to the future. Visitors will see the bullhorn I used on my first visit to Ground Zero … the Oval Office … they will be able to romp in a Texas rose garden.
Finally, the Center will include a vibrant hub of principled thought and practical action. I ran for public office because I saw society drifting away from the values at the heart of the American Dream. I pledged to govern based on principles that empower people to improve their lives. I believe that free markets open the path to opportunity, that a successful society requires personal responsibility, that freedom is universal and transformative, and that every human life has dignity and value. I followed those principles throughout my time in public service, but they're not mine alone. They are timeless ideals that inspired our Nation's founders. And they will guide all of the work of the Bush Institute.
The Institute's mission is to advance policy initiatives that expand freedom, opportunity, responsibility, and compassion. The Institute will be independent. The Institute will be non-partisan. Every project the Institute undertakes will be designed to make an impact in the real world. Like any successful organization, the Institute will set priorities and measure results.
We have selected four initial areas of focus: education, global health, human freedom, and economic growth. Programming will start this spring under the leadership of the Institute's first Executive Director, an innovative journalist, scholar, and ambassador, Jim Glassman. The Institute's first area of focus is going to be education. That's a fitting place to start. Education was my top priority as Governor and top domestic priority as President. Obviously it's a top priority of Southern Methodist University as well. I believe every child can learn, every school should be accountable for results, and measuring progress is the best way to ensure children master the basics. This was the philosophy behind the non-partisan No Child Left Behind Act, which helped lift student performance and narrow the achievement gap across our country. The Bush Institute will build on this hopeful progress.
In partnership with SMU's outstanding Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, we will bring together scholars and practitioners to pursue the next steps in education reform. We will develop research to help prepare more effective teachers, advance the principle of accountability, and enable schools to make better use of the data collected and tools provided by No Child Left Behind.
To lead these efforts, I'm pleased to introduce the Bush Institute's first two education fellows. Our Director of Education Policy Studies will be Dr. Jim Guthrie. Jim is currently a professor of educational leadership and policy at Vanderbilt University, where he helped lift the education school to the nation's top ranking. Over his distinguished career he has authored or co-authored 20 books and more than 200 scholarly articles. On January 1st, he will become our first concurrent fellow with joint appointments as a Senior Fellow at the Bush Institute and a full professor of Southern Methodist University. I want to thank President Turner, Provost Paul Ludden, and Education School Dean David Chard for their partnership in bringing this world-class scholar to SMU. And Laura and I thank Jim and his wife Olivia for taking on this new venture.
I first met our second education fellow nearly two decades ago when I supported his campaign for the Dallas School Board. What made that decision interesting is Sandy Kress happened to have served as the Democratic Party Chairman for Dallas County. But we shared a conviction that high standards and accountability are essential to improving schools. Sandy won his election and he went on to ably lead the board of trustees. And I am pleased that he will share his talents and expertise as the Institute's Director of Education Policy Development and Outreach.
Jim and Sandy will conduct an innovative project on education leadership. Many studies have concluded that the quality of schools is directly related to the quality of their leaders: the principals and administrators. Yet there has been little research on how to effectively recruit, prepare, evaluate, and reward these leaders. So the Bush Institute will fill that gap, and we will start with a National Conference on Education Leadership at SMU next March.
The Institute's second area of focus will be global health. I believe in the timeless call, "to whom much is given, much is required." It should affect the conscience of our country when a child goes hungry or dies needlessly from a mosquito bite. I also believe America has a strategic interest in alleviating suffering, and healing disease, and lifting societies out of despair. Hopeful, healthy, productive societies are less likely to be sources of violence and instability, and more likely to be partners in trade and prosperity and peace. This was the conviction behind the emergency plan for AIDS Relief, the Malaria Initiative, and the Millennium Challenge Account. These programs represent a new approach to development based on partnership, not paternalism. America provides funding and support, and in return partner nations develop their own strategies and are held accountable for results. These principles of accountability and country ownership will guide the Bush Institute's global health initiative, which will search for new effective ways to deliver health services to people in desperate need, especially on the continent of Africa.
Our first Global Health Fellow will be one of the world's foremost experts on development and disease, Ambassador Mark Dybul. Mark is a humble, decent, effective man. As the coordinator of the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, he led our effort to expand the number of patients receiving anti-retroviral treatment from 50,000 in 2003, to over two million in 2008. He's in Africa today. He's beginning work on a project focused on mothers and newborn children. This is an area where research is urgently needed. Infant and paternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high in the developing world. As part of his fellowship with the Bush Institute, Mark will develop a strategy to provide timely, effective, and comprehensive health services to new mothers and babies. And here is how he defined his goal: "Saving as many lives as quickly as possible." And the Bush Institute will support that goal.
The Institute's third area of focus will be human freedom. As I said in my Second Inaugural Address, extending the reach of freedom "is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time." History shows that free societies are peaceful societies. Governments that respect the rights of their people are more likely to respect the rights of their neighbors. Young people with a voice in their future will not search for meaning in extremism. We have seen the transformative power of freedom in our lifetime - especially if you're a Baby Boomer – and a Japan transformed from a brutal enemy to a democratic and peaceful ally … and a South Korea that rose from the rubble of war to a dynamic democracy … and 20 years ago this week in Berlin, where people denied liberty for decades defied their oppressors and tore down the Wall.
There were many reasons for America's victory in the Cold War, including the resolute vision of our 40th president, and the steady hand of our 41st president. One crucial factor was America's support for dissidents. At the time critics dismissed this policy as simplistic and naive. Then came the stories from prisoners in the gulags, who tapped out the words of President Reagan's speeches, and learned that America saw their oppressors as they did: destined for defeat. Today, the forces of freedom and tolerance face new challenges. And once again people on the frontlines are looking to the United States. From labor camps in North Korea, to political prisons in Cuba and Burma, to university halls in Iran, coffee houses in Venezuela, and other places. Dissidents and reformers are looking for support and strength. When America stands for liberty, they take heart. When we do not, the dictators tighten their grip.
Throughout my Presidency, Laura and I met with democratic activists, defenders of religious freedom, and families of political prisoners. The Bush Institute will continue this cause by supporting advocates of freedom around the globe. As a first step we will assemble a Freedom Collection, a repository of video histories and memoirs and documents from democratic activists. The Freedom Collection will be online for the world to see. Among the leaders who have agreed to participate are former President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic; President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; Mohsen Sazegara, the founder of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, who became an advocate for democratic change; Kang Chol Wan, who spent ten years in a North Korean gulag and authored the book, Aquariums of Pyongyang.
With the Freedom Collection, the Bush Institute will send a message to dissidents and underground preachers and political prisoners around the world: we hear your voice, and as you stand for your freedom, free people will stand with you. I am also pleased to announce the Bush Institute's first Fellow in Human Freedom, Oscar Morales Guevara. For decades Oscar and his fellow Columbians suffered under the FARC, a brutal narco-terrorist network. As a young engineer Oscar used Facebook to launch a movement called "one million voices against the FARC." A month later more than 12 million people in 40 countries turned out for rallies to proclaim, "No Mas FARC." Thanks to enterprising citizens like Oscar and the steady, strong leadership of Columbian President, President Alvaro Uribe, the FARC is in retreat and the Columbian people are better off. As part of his fellowship, Oscar will organize a conference that brings together cyber-dissidents from around the world to share lessons on using the internet to promote democratic change.
The Institute's fourth area of focus will be economic growth. I believe the role of government is not to create wealth, but to create the conditions that allow entrepreneurs and innovators to thrive. I believe in the power of free enterprise, which made the decision I faced last fall one of the most difficult of my Presidency. I went against my free market instincts and approved a temporary government intervention to unfreeze the credit markets so that we could avoid a major global depression. As the world recovers we're going to face the temptation to replace the risk and reward model of the private sector with the blunt instruments of government spending and control. History shows that the greater threat to prosperity is not too little government involvement, but too much. The Bush Institute will devote itself to promoting economic growth at home and abroad.
One of our first projects will be to convene a task force of leading economists to promote free trade. Trade has been one of the world's most powerful engines for economic growth, and one of the most effective ways to lift people out of poverty. Yet a 60-year movement toward trade liberalization is under threat from creeping protectionism and isolationism. The Bush Institute task force will analyze the benefits of trade that trade has delivered in the past, and the opportunities it can create for American workers and developing nations in the future.
Another key ingredient for economic growth is a clean, affordable, reliable energy supply. Thanks to recent advances in drilling technology, America's natural gas reserves have expanded by about 35 percent thus far. America now has enough natural gas to last us an estimated 90 years. This is a hugely important development. Natural gas is a clean burning fuel that can generate electricity, power machinery, and run vehicles – and all of it will be domestically produced.
Next April the Bush Institute will collaborate with the Maguire Energy Institute of SMU's Cox Business School to host a conference titled "Natural Gas Nation." Experts from around the country will explore the economic, environmental, and national security consequences of the boom in natural gas. The conference will help educate Americans on these dramatic new discoveries and point the way toward stronger, cleaner economic growth for America and the world.
Within all four areas of focus – education, global health, human freedom, and economic growth – the Bush Institute will prioritize involvement from two important groups: social entrepreneurs and women. Just as business entrepreneurs pioneer new ideas to create jobs, social entrepreneurs find innovative ways to turn around lives. The Bush Institute will promote social entrepreneurship by conducting research on best practices and shining the spotlight on successful agents of change, including faith based organizations. Next year the Institute will host a conference on social entrepreneurship and we will present an award honoring an organization that has achieved outstanding results in areas such as mentoring the children of prisoners, assisting addicts in recovery, or combating sex trafficking.
Laura and I believe that women are powerful catalysts for social change. So the Bush Institute will include an ongoing Women's Initiative to encourage and empower women in many different fields, from saving the lives of new mother's in Africa, to supporting women entrepreneurs here in America and around the world, to encouraging women reformers. I strongly believe women will lead the democracy movement in the Middle East, and they will have an ally in the Bush Institute. I'm excited about our Women's Initiative, in part because we have a dynamic person to lead it. Ladies and gentlemen, Laura Bush. (Applause.)
MRS. LAURA BUSH: Thank you all. Thank you so very much. Thank you everyone. Thank you all. Thanks everybody. George and I are very enthusiastic about every part of the Institute, but I'm especially excited about the Women's Initiative. The Women's Initiative will focus on advancing social and economic opportunities for women and girls around the world. And it will be integrated into every part of the Institute's focus: education and literacy, global health, human freedom, and economic empowerment.
George and I believe that women play a vital role in effecting peace, health, education, and prosperity and we know that women are leading advocates for issues that concern us all, particularly health and education. Mothers everywhere want their children to be educated, to grow up healthy and safe and to have better opportunities as adults. Research shows that when you educate and empower women you improve nearly every other aspect of society. And as the great Egyptian poet Hafez Ibrahim said, "When you educate a woman, you create a nation."
I look forward to working with Ambassador Dybul on women's health issues, particularly maternal health. Educating women during pregnancy and at childbirth is an opportunity to discuss newborn care, nutrition, and the importance of hand-washing to prevent disease. And it's also a chance to offer screenings such as HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. Each year more than a million people worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer. Many live in countries where the disease carries stigma and shame. But thanks to global partnerships for breast cancer awareness and research in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, there are some great signs of progress.
One woman I met in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, is living proof of a survivor's power to speak out and save lives. In a culture where many women were ashamed to say the word "breast," Dr. Samia is one of the first Saudi women to talk about her experience with the disease. She uses her weekly radio address and column to discuss her struggle with breast cancer, and she continues to share her story in books and television interviews. When women have access to education and health care, they not only improve the well-being of their own families, but they improve the well-being of their communities and their countries as well. As one woman in Saudi Arabia told me, "I'm only one woman, but together we're a force to be reckoned with."
Women have played a critical role in the revitalization of Rwanda in the 15 years since the genocide. Women there have become leaders in every field and more than half the members of Rwanda's parliament are women. Recently in the World Bank's Doing Business 2010 report, Rwanda was ranked the leader for developing economies as a place to do business. In September, I met with a group of Rwandan business-women who were here in Dallas participating in the leadership forum. Their businesses ranged from a hardware store, to a travel agency, to a fitness center, to a book distributor, but the impact of their commitment to progress and prosperity in their communities is the same. And they're furthering the stability and the economic growth of their country.
In many parts of the world today, women are lifting their voices and asking to be heard. In 2006, a Kuwaiti woman named Roula al-Dashti spoke out with a compelling measure, "Half a democracy is not democracy." Later that year women gained the right to vote and run for office in Kuwait. I met with women who had run for office in the very first round of elections since suffrage; none had been elected. But in the second round of elections since suffrage, just last May, four women were elected to serve in the Kuwaiti Parliament.
Mothers in Africa are making great strides to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria. Afghan girls are back in school, and women are leading the dissident movements in Burma and Iran. These are the signs of change brought about by women. I'm proud to stand with these women. And we look forward to supporting them and many others through the Women's Initiative at the Bush Institute.
The institute will form partnerships with women educators, political leaders, health professionals, and entrepreneurs all over the world, and especially with women in the Middle East. Earlier this year George and I met with a group of Iraqi women who traveled to Dallas as part of the State Department’s international visitors program. They included a lawyer, journalist, and political leaders from provinces throughout Iraq. They shared their stories of struggle, and one Iraqi woman told us that her one regret was that her parents had not lived to see the end of tyranny in her country. We invited women SMU professors of law, history, women's studies and anthropology to attend the meeting. We believe that this type of partnership with SMU will be both beneficial to the university and to the Bush Institute.
The women of Afghanistan are tasting freedom for the first time since the fall of the Taliban. Last year I visited Bamiyan Province, which happens to have a female governor, and I met women police officers who are patrolling areas all over their state, that once was controlled by the Taliban. Their courage is replicated by countless other Afghan women who are determined to help their country succeed. The stark contrast between their lives and our lives horrified many Americans, and it's given birth to strong friendship between American women and our Afghan sisters 8,000 miles away. That's why I'm happy to announce that the Bush Institute will host the US-Afghan Women's Council at SMU next March. Our meeting will focus on the vital role of women in reaching the goal of global literacy. And I hope this meeting will remind the world of the stakes in Afghanistan. As one Afghan woman parliamentarian told me, "This is our only chance," she said, "and if we don't make it this time, there won't be another." Life changing projects like these are the reason George and I will be personally engaged in every aspect of the Presidential Center. Thanks to everyone who is here today. Thank you for your support of the Bush Institute and we look forward to our work ahead. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Thank you. I hope you can tell that Laura and I have worked hard to design a unique and active Presidential Center. The Center will be the focus of our attention, the place where we pursue our passions, and the forum for our public service for as long as we live.
Bringing our vision to life will require the generosity of friends throughout the country, and we are very grateful to all who've contributed so far. Thanks to your support, we're ahead of schedule to meet our fundraising goal. The truth is, we have a ways to go. We hope all who believe in the principles that I've outlined today will contribute what you can, and if you're interested, please visit our website, georgewbushcenter.com, and become a Charter Member.
Nearly a century ago, a visionary church and community group of leaders founded this university to be a place of learning, debate, and innovation – and today their dream is a reality, and we're really proud to call SMU home. You know the Bush Center will be a dynamic partner in helping SMU continue to achieve its rightful status as a national university of excellence. We'll be a constructive member of a vibrant Dallas community, and we will contribute to the national dialogue in a positive way for years to come.
Now over the past months, I've had a little time to reflect on my years in office. Now there were some good days, and there were some tough days, but every day I was honored to represent a nation I love. I gave the job my all, I always did what I believed was in the best interest of our country, and I came home to Texas with my values intact. (Applause.)
Laura and I will be forever thankful for the support and prayers that sustained us on this journey. We look forward to the important work ahead. We thank you for coming today. May God continue to bless the United States of America. (Applause).