Laura Bush

About Laura Bush

Laura Lane Welch Bush (born Laura Lane Welch on November 4, 1946, in Midland, Texas) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States George W. Bush and is the current First Lady of the United States.

Laura Bush has held a love for books and reading since childhood, and her life and education have reflected that interest. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1968 with a Bachelor's degree in education, and soon took a job as a second grade school teacher. After attaining her Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Texas at Austin, she was employed as a librarian. She met George Walker Bush in 1977 and they were married later that year; the couple had twin daughters.

Bush's political involvement began with her marriage. She campaigned in his unsuccessful 1978 run for the United States Congress and later his successful Texas gubernatorial campaign. As First Lady of Texas, Bush implemented many intiatives focused on health, education, and literacy. In 1999, she aided her husband in campaigning for the presidency of the United States in a number of ways, most notably delivering a keynote address at the 2000 Republican National Convention; this gained her national attention. George Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in a closely contested election, making Laura first lady.