[silent_jonny]

Quote of the Day:

President Bush: This bill will help our intelligence professionals learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning. It will ensure that those companies whose assistance is necessary to protect the country will, themselves, be protected from lawsuits for past or future cooperation with the government. It will uphold our most solemn obligation as officials of the federal government to protect the American people.

Photos of the Day:

President George W. Bush walks out of the Oval Office to make a statement on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on July 9, 2008. The Senate just passed a bill expanding legal authority for electronic wiretaps by spy agencies, handing another victory to President George W. Bush after a standoff over anti-terror strategy.

Mrs. Laura Bush participates in a discussion with Junior 8 (J8) members during her visit to the Lake Toya Visitors Center Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in Hokkaido, Japan. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

God bless our First Lady

.

[silent_jonny]

Mrs. Bush participates in a discussion with Junior 8 (J8) members and other G-8 spouses during her visit to the Toyako Town Visitors Center Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in Hokkaido, Japan. Mrs. Bush is joined by from left, Mrs. Sarah Brown, spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mrs. Svetlana Medvedev, spouse of the President of Russia, Mrs. Kiyoko Fukuda, spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan, and Mrs. Laureen Harper, spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

Mrs. Laura Bush participates in a discussion with Junior 8 (J8) members during her visit to the Lake Toya Visitors Center Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in Hokkaido, Japan. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

[silent_jonny]

Bulgaria

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with Bulgarian medics Nasya Nenova (2nd L), Snezhana Dimitrova (R) and Palestinian doctor Ashraf Alhajouj at the US Embassy in Sofia on July 9, 2008. The medics were freed last year after spending over eight years in Libyan jails on charges of infecting Libyan children with the HIV virus.

[silent_jonny]

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, left, is welcomed by Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev in the capital Sofia, Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (L) awards Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with the highest Bulgarian distinction, the Stara Planina Order, in Sofia on July 09, 2008. Rice came to the Bulgarian capital to receive a medal for her role in obtaining the release a year ago of Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor jailed in Libya.

[silent_jonny]

Georgia

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives at Tbilisi airport in Georgia, July 9, 2008.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice listens to Georgia's Foreign Minister Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili (R) after arriving at Tbilisi airport July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in the Georgian capital Tbilisi for diplomatic talks on July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili (L) talks to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during their meeting in Tbilisi July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

Pentagon

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates awaits the arrival of Panama's Minister of Government and Justice Daniel Delgado, Wednesday, July 9, 2008, at the Pentagon.

Panama's Minister of Government and Justice Daniel Delgado arrives at the Pentagon, Wednesday, July 9, 2008, for a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

[silent_jonny]

Back Home

President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush step off Marine One upon their return to the White House in Washington from the G8 summit in Tokyo on July 9, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush waves upon his return to the White House in Washington from the G8 summit in Tokyo on July 9, 2008.

Walking to the Oval Office.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush speaks with aides in the Oval Office before making a statement on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on July 9, 2008. The US Senate earlier passed a bill expanding legal authority for electronic wiretaps by spy agencies, handing another victory to President George W. Bush after a standoff over anti-terror strategy.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush arrives to make a statement on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on July 9, 2008 upon his return from the G8 in Japan.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush makes a statement on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on July 9, 2008 upon his return from the G8 in Japan.

President Bush: Today the United States Congress passed a vital piece of legislation that will make it easier for this administration and future administrations to protect the American people. This vital intelligence bill will allow our national security professionals to quickly and effectively monitor the plans of terrorists outside the United States, while respecting the liberties of the American people.

This legislation is critical to America's safety; it is long overdue. Months ago my administration set out key criteria that this intelligence legislation would have to have before I would sign it into law. The Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence report that the bill Congress passed today meets these criteria, and therefore, I will soon sign the bill into law.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush addresses reporters Wednesday, July 9, 2007 in the Rose Garden at the White House, to thank Democratic and Republican members of Congress, and administration members, for their hard work in gaining passage of the FISA Reform legislation. White House photo by Luke Sharrett

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush makes a statement about Congress passing the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in the Rose Garden at the White House July 9, 2008 in Washington, DC.

President Bush: This bill will help our intelligence professionals learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning. It will ensure that those companies whose assistance is necessary to protect the country will, themselves, be protected from lawsuits for past or future cooperation with the government. It will uphold our most solemn obligation as officials of the federal government to protect the American people.

I want to thank the members of my administration who worked hard to get this legislation passed. I thank the Democratic and Republican leadership in the Congress for their efforts, particularly House Majority Leader Hoyer, House Republican Whip Blunt, Senators Bond and Rockefeller, Congressmen Hoekstra, Reyes and Smith.

This legislation shows that even in an election year we can come together and get important pieces of legislation passed.

Thank you.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush walks back to the Oval Office after making a statement about Congress passing the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in the Rose Garden at the White House July 9, 2008 in Washington, DC.

[silent_jonny]

ALL CLEAR!

Feel free to post or repost any photos that are related to this thread.

[AmericanMade1776]

Thanks silent_jonny, especially enjoyed the pics of Condi tonight, what a picture of Grace she has been for the last seven and half years. Thanks again.

[luvie]

Ahhhhh...our handsome/beautiful first couple! Great Photos
of the Day, Jonny!

Thank you for all your hard work. We need sanity island more
every day...especially after listening to each days’ news.