President Bush welcomed Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to the White House today.

At the welcoming ceremony, Bush took a moment to acknowledge Columbus Day, which is in honor of the famous Italian explorer.

Christopher Columbus earned his place in history by introducing the old world to the new.

"And in the story of his life, Americans see qualities that are so much a part of our nation -- the vision to take a risk and to explore the unknown, the courage to persevere through difficulty and the optimism to greet every new day with confidence and joy."

On another topic, Bush says the U.S. and its allies are taking responsible, decisive action to fix the traumatized global economy and promote economic growth.