President Meets with Bipartisan House Members to Discuss Medicare
President George W. Bush meets with bipartisan members of the House of Representatives on Medicare
The Cabinet Room
9:53 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. I'll take some
questions at the end of the EU Summit. I'm so honored that members of
both political parties from the House of Representatives have come to
discuss our mutual desire to get a Medicare reform package passed.
Members of both parties have made up their minds that we can do a good
job on behalf of seniors, by making sure that Medicare is a modern
system.
We are making great progress on this issue. We have an
historic opportunity to seize the moment and get a good bill done.
There's good momentum on the side of those of us who believe that we
have an obligation to serve something greater than ourselves or our
political parties. And I want to thank, again, members of both parties
who are working hard to reach a consensus on behalf of our country's
seniors.
We've got Nancy Johnson and Congressman Israel here, who are
very competent spokesmen for what is necessary to achieve a common
objective. And I want to thank the members. I look forward to
working with you. Whatever amount of energy and effort is required
from the White House, we will provide it, to get a bill done this
summer, one that I can sign and then we can all go back to our
districts -- in my case, tour the country -- and say we have
accomplished a major objective. Together we work together.
Thank you all for coming. Now you're supposed to yell a question
so I know what you're going to ask later on. (Laughter.)
Q What are you going to tell the undecided Republicans
this afternoon?
THE PRESIDENT: Wrong question. (Laughter.)
Q The economy?
THE PRESIDENT: The economy? Okay, good. We know about that,
that's good. (Laughter.)