Laura Bush is actively involved in issues of national and global concern, with a
particular emphasis on education, health care, and human rights. In March 2005,
Mrs. Bush made an historic trip to Afghanistan, witnessing firsthand the
inspirational progress achieved by the Afghan people after the fall of the
Taliban regime. She visited the Women's Teacher Training Institute in Kabul,
which is training women to lead classrooms that girls were once forbidden to
enter. She also met with President Hamid Karzai and expressed America's
continued support for Afghanistan's new democracy, which ensures equal rights
for women and men. Mrs. Bush's involvement in Afghanistan began in 2001, when
she became the first wife of a president ever to deliver the president's weekly
radio address. She used the opportunity to call attention to the plight of women
suffering under the Taliban.

Mrs. Bush is Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Literacy Decade,
serving as an international spokesperson for efforts to educate people
throughout the world, especially women and girls.

As the leader of President Bush's Helping America's Youth initiative, Mrs. Bush
is listening to the concerns of young people, parents, and community leaders
throughout the country and drawing attention to programs that help children
avoid risky behaviors like drug and alcohol use, early sexual activity, and
violence. She's highlighting the need of every child to have a caring adult
role model in his or her life - whether that adult is a parent, grandparent,
teacher, coach, or mentor.

One of Mrs. Bush's first priorities in the White House was to convene the
Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development. Prominent scholars and
educators shared research on the best ways for parents and caregivers to
prepare children for lifelong learning. Because children also need excellent
teachers, Mrs. Bush works with teacher recruitment programs like Teach For
America, The New Teacher Project, and Troops to Teachers.

Laura Bush is passionate about the importance and pleasures of reading, and she
joined with the Library of Congress to launch the first National Book Festival
in Washington, D.C., in September 2001. The 2007 National Book Festival drew
over 120,000 book-lovers from across the nation.

In honor of her mother, a breast cancer survivor, Mrs. Bush supports education
campaigns for breast cancer and heart disease. She is a partner with the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in publicizing The Heart Truth, which
is that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in America. Mrs.
Bush educates women about their risks and emphasizes the importance of healthy
eating, exercise, and preventive screenings.

A hiking and camping enthusiast, Mrs. Bush helped to start Preserve America, a
national initiative to protect our cultural and natural heritage. She
highlights preservation efforts across the country and encourages Americans to
get involved in preserving main streets, parks, and community heritage
treasures.

Laura Bush was born on November 4, 1946, in Midland, Texas, to Harold and Jenna
Welch. Inspired by her second grade teacher, she earned a bachelor of science
degree in education from Southern Methodist University in 1968. She taught in
public schools in Dallas and Houston. In 1973, she earned a master of library
science degree from the University of Texas and worked as a public school
librarian. In 1977, she met and married George Walker Bush. They are the
parents of twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, who are named for their
grandmothers.