The following is a timeline of the presidency of George H. W. Bush from his inauguration as the 41st president of the United States on January 20, 1989, to December 31, 1989. January January 20 – George H. W. Bush's presidency begins with his inauguration at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.; the oath of office is administered by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. January 21 – President Bush greets White House visitors at the Executive Entrance, speaks to reporters in the Oval Office, and delivers a speech to members of his campaign for the presidency and supporters in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the State Department during the morning hours. January 23 – President Bush calls Mikhail Gorbachev and "other foreign leaders" to thank them for their positive sentiments. In the East Room, Bush attends the swearing in of staff members. Bush meets with United States National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and White House Chief of Staff John Sununu and afterward phones an anti-abortion rally. January 25 – President Bush announces his nominations of W. Henson Moore for United States Deputy Secretary of Energy, and Susan S. Engeleiter for Administrator of the Small Business Administration. President Bush signs an executive order creating the President's Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform. January 27 – President Bush holds his first news conference in the Briefing Room of the White House during the morning. President Bush answers questions from reporters on the federal pay raise, relations with Congress, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, American foreign policy initiatives, minimum wage, the Strategic Defense Initiative, federal pay raise, his first days in office, monetary policy, the saving and loan crisis abortion, tax increases, relations between the United States and Iran, affirmative action, hostages in the Middle East, the War on Drugs, and his agenda. James Baker is sworn in as the 61st United States Secretary of State in the East Room of the White House during the afternoon. January 27 – Jack Kemp, while appearing at hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee, denounces homelessness and the cuts to housing programs implemented under the Reagan administration. January 30 – Elizabeth Dole is sworn in as the 20th United States Secretary of Labor in the Great Hall at the Department of Labor during the morning. February February 1 – President Bush sends Congress a report on the functions