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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress, prodded by the deadliest shooting rampage in modern American history, passed legislation on Wednesday designed to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. Without objection, the Senate and House of Representatives approved the measure, which would bolster background checks for gun buyers, and sent it to President George W. Bush to sign.

WASHINGTON - President Bush signed into law Wednesday legislation that will bring more fuel-efficient vehicles into auto showrooms and require wider use of ethanol, calling it "a major step" toward energy independence and easing global warming. The legislation signed by Bush at a ceremony at the Energy Department requires automakers to increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average 35 miles per gallon by 2020. It also ramps up production of ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022.

This morning President Bush called newly elected Republican congressmen Rob Wittman of Virginia and Bob Latta of Ohio to congratulate them on their strong victories in yesterday’s special elections. This afternoon, the president awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Honor to three police officers and a firefighter in the Oval Office. “They will tell you they were just doing their job; I'm telling you they did their job with extraordinary courage” (Transcript) And signed the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007" into law. (Transcript) Later, the president attended a farewell ceremony for Undersecretary of State Karen...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- President Bush on Wednesday signed into law a five-year renewal of Head Start, the federal preschool program for poor children. The latest update to Head Start, which began in 1965, aims to open the program to more children and ensure that teachers are better-qualified. Congress overwhelmingly approved the legislation last month, and Bush signed it despite misgivings about aspects of the bill. Bush praised the bill's push to increase competition among Head Start providers, raise learning standards and coordinate early childhood education.

(AP) WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Saturday signed a bill to prevent a government shutdown, but not without complaint. Bush lambasted the Democrats who control Congress for sending him the stopgap measure while they continue to work on more than a dozen spending bills funding the day-to-day operations of 15 Cabinet departments. "Congress failed in its most basic responsibility," the president said in his weekly radio address. The bills are tied up because Democrats want to add $23 billion for domestic programs to Bush's $933 billion request for the approximately one-third of the federal budget funded by the yearly spending...

President Bush signed legislation Thursday aimed at making a college education more affordable to students by slashing $20 billion in subsidies to student lenders, threatening what could be the largest private equity takeover of a U.S. financial services company. Coming after months of scandals involving kickback schemes and conflicts of interest among lenders and college officials, the legislation was expected to shake up the $85-billion student loan industry, with some turmoil already evident.

Today the President met with 2007 National Big Brother of the Year in the Oval Office The President also signed H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building The President also met with Acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell, and Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters in the Oval Office. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura at the State Department Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also spoke at the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change at the State Department Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to...

Today I signed into law S. 1, the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007." This bill represents some progress towards ethics, lobbying, and earmark reform, all of which I strongly support. Strengthening the ethical standards that govern lobbying activities and beginning to address meaningful earmark reform are necessary steps to provide the public with a more transparent lawmaking process. The essence of successful ethics reform is not laws and restrictions, but full disclosure. The legislation includes minimal improvements in the area of disclosure, both for lobbying and earmarks. But there is still more to be done -- and...

SUGAR LAND — Student Natasha Gualy was all smiles Tuesday knowing that when she shares her Christian faith at school, she will not be reprimanded or humiliated. Gov. Rick Perry conducted a ceremonial signing of House Bill 3678 aimed at reaffirming students' rights to express religious viewpoints. Perry officially signed the bill, also known as the Religious Viewpoints Anti-Discrimination Act, in June. Surrounded by schoolchildren at the Clements High School library, Perry signed the bill sponsored by state Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land. The bill does not create a new law but rather provides a model policy that school districts...

The President held a press conference in the Press Briefing Room today then signed H.R. 2272, The America Competes Act Bill after which he departed to Maine where he will spend the week at the family home attending a wedding and meeting with the French President. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Lebanon's Charge d'Affaires Antoine Chedi at the State Department. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

CAMP DAVID, Md. - President Bush on Sunday signed into law an expansion of the government's power to eavesdrop on foreign terror suspects without the need for warrants. The law, approved by the Senate and the House just before Congress adjourned for its summer break, was deemed a priority by Bush and his chief intelligence officials. Bush signed the bill into law on Sunday afternoon at his retreat at Camp David, Md. "When our intelligence professionals have the legal tools to gather information about the intentions of our enemies, America is safer," Bush said. "And when these same legal tools...

President Bush signed the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 in the Oval Office this morning. The president, along with Vice President Cheney and other members of his administration, then met with the counter-terrorism team at the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington. Afterwards, the president made a statement to the press, saying he wants the Democrats in Congress to stop playing politics with our national defense and send him an intelligence bill that he can sign, forcing Congress to stay in session through the August break if necessary. The president does have that authority. (Transcript) First Lady Laura Bush...

President Bush signed legislation Friday that intensifies the anti-terrorism effort at home, shifting money to high-risk states and cities and expanding scrutiny of air and sea cargo. The bill elevates the importance of risk factors in determining which states and cities get federal security funds. That would mean more money for such cities as New York and Washington. It also puts money into a new program to ensure that security officials at every level can communicate with each other. It requires screening of all cargo on passenger planes within three years and sets a five-year goal of scanning all container...

SACRAMENTO — A tax-exempt group set up to create jobs is being used by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to bankroll a pair of splashy bill-signing events designed to attract publicity as he runs for reelection. Unlike contributions to Schwarzenegger's campaign account, donations to the nonprofit are not subject to caps or disclosure requirements. Schwarzenegger this week staged carefully choreographed ceremonies against the picturesque backdrops of Malibu and San Francisco Bay's Treasure Island, signing legislation to curb emissions that contribute to global warming. The events were meant to showcase the governor's environmental credentials at a time when he wants to maximize his...

Governor signs SB 1441. A great Victory for the Gay Lobby. by Mike Spence - Los Angeles County (print) 8-28-2006 5:16 pm The Governor signed AB 1441 minutes ago. SB 1441 extends so called anti-discrimination laws concerning sex, sexual orientation and one's perceptions about their sexual oreintation to ANY entity that receives any amount of state funding. Translation: Does your Christian school take any money for disabled kids? Does your Religious College takes students on Cal-Grants? Any relgious instituition that provides CALWORKS childcare or any service now must protect the jobs of any kind of sexual choice you can think...

President Bush Approves Over the Counter Early Abortion Pill, Pro-Life Base Decries MoveBy John-Henry Westen WASHINGTON, August 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - For his pro-life supporter base, President George W. Bush stepped into one of the biggest political landmines of his Presidential career today with his approval of over the counter status for the abortion-causing morning after pill Plan B. A press release by Human Life International underscored the seriousness of the move as it was titled, "President Bush Files for Divorce with Catholic Base." Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International commented, "President Bush's implied support for the...

The President signed a Pension Reform Bill today and then he and the First Lady left the White House for Camp David for the weekend where the President will meet with members of his economic team Yesterday the Vice President attended 2 fund raisers and Mrs Cheney spoke at the Aspen Institute Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

The President returned to White House (along with the dogs) on Sunday after 10 days based in Crawford. Today he and the Vice President had meetings at the Department of Defense and the State Department. The First Lady attended a GOP Fund Raiser for Congressional candidate state Sen. Peter Roskam in in Addison, Ill The President also signed H.R. 5683, to preserve the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, Calif Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

U.S. govt gets giant cross in San Diego By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer 7 minutes ago A giant cross in San Diego that's been contested for 17 years by an atheist became the property of the federal government Monday with President Bush's signature. Supporters hope the legislation transferring the 29-foot cross and war memorial it's a part of to the federal government will protect it for good. A series of court decisions have deemed the cross unconstitutional because it stands on public property. "Just because something may have a religious connotation doesn't mean you destroy it and tear it...

WASHINGTON – President Bush on Monday approved a plan to transfer San Diego's Mount Soledad cross to federal control in an effort to avoid its court-ordered removal. In an Oval office ceremony, the Republican president signed a bill by three San Diego-area congressmen that immediately transfers the memorial land to the U.S. Defense Department in an effort to avoid a court-ordered removal of the cross that has towered over La Jolla on-and-off for nearly a century. ....