President George W. Bush signs H.R. 7222, the Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The bill will extend the Generalized Systems of Preferences (GSP), designed to help developing countries expand their market presence and strengthen their economies, and the Andean Trade Pact, which waives duties on imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in accordance with a 1991 law. Looking on are Ambassador Susan Schwab, the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. White House photo by Eric Draper
President George W. Bush addresses the United States Chamber of Commerce Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The President spoke on the state of the economy and thanked the Chamber and its members for "efforts to support the spirit of free enterprise, and to advance the interests of business, large and small, across our great country." White House photo by Eric Draper
Joined on stage by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Director Michael Chertoff of the Department of Homeland Security, left, and ambassadors of countries joining the Visa Waiver program, President George W. Bush delivers a statement on the program Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, in the Rose Garden of the White House. Said the President, "I'm pleased to stand with the representatives of seven countries -- the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and South Korea -- that have met the requirements to be admitted to the United States Visa Waiver Program. Soon the citizens of these nations will be able to travel to the United States for business or tourism without a visa. I congratulate these close friends and allies on this achievement, and I thank you for joining us here." White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian