For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 11, 2002
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer Aboard Air Force One
En Route Kansas City, Missouri
1:47 P.M. EDT
MR. FLEISCHER: All right, Increase in nation's debt limit
let me fill you in on the President's
day. The President had his usual round of briefings. You know about
the meeting he had with members of Congress on homeland security. Then
he did the video feed, which you have a text of, to the Southern
Baptist Convention.
And upon arrival, the President will tour the Kansas City Water
Treatment Plant. Following that, he'll give remarks about the Office
of Homeland Security -- the Department of Homeland Security. And then
he'll do the fundraiser tonight for Congressman Talent.
I'll give you a couple other items today. The fundraiser is
scheduled to -- expected to raise $500,000, consisting of $400,000 hard
money, for Mr. Talent's campaign; and $100,000 in soft money, to
benefit the Missouri Victory Fund -- 2002 Victory Fund.
I want to fill you in on several other items. The President this
morning spoke to Mrs. Burnham, and expressed his condolences at the
loss of her husband's life in the Philippines. The President said
afterwards that she is a pillar of strength.
The President also spoke with Governor Owens of Colorado this
morning, to get an update on where the situation stands with the fires
in Colorado. The President noted to Governor Owens that FEMA
Administrator Allbaugh is in Colorado to assist. The two are scheduled
to take a tour this morning. And Secretary Norton is also on her way
to Colorado. And the federal government is making the resources
available to help. The President said, if there's anything you need,
let us know.
The President also this morning spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi
Arabia, Crown Prince Abdullah, to discuss the ongoing efforts to bring
peace to the region. The President will meet with the Saudi Foreign
Minister on Thursday, in Washington, as part of the ongoing efforts to
move forward with peace in the Middle East.
And, finally, en route here, the Senate just passed by a vote of
68-29, a clean increase in the nation's debt limit.
Q What?
MR. FLEISCHER: The Senate passed, 68-29, a clean increase in the
debt limit. The President praises the Senate's action. The debt limit
is a very important issue. This is not the time to play any -- this is
not the time to engage in any activities that could in any way raise
questions about the full faith and credit of the United States. And
the President urges the House to follow the Senate's action on this
matter.
I'm happy to take your questions.
Q Ari, if the homeland security initiative is so crucial to the
administration, why did the Chief of Staff tell the staff members of
the House and Senate that you aren't going to fund it for two years?
MR. FLEISCHER: He didn't. It's funded at $37 billion.
Q At a transition cost.
MR. FLEISCHER: First of all, the costs are handled in a manner
that's called a transfer. And it's a routine part of appropriations.
Q A transfer?
MR. FLEISCHER: A transfer. The funds that would be appropriated
are transferred to the new department. So the full funding of the INS,
for example, is by virtue of the word "transfer" made part of the new
department. It's not a complicated procedure, it happens often in
appropriations process.
The transition costs are something that, one, we don't see as
significant, in terms of size -- dollar amount significant. And, two,
is as a result of the redundancies that would be eliminated as a result
of the establishment of the new department, the efficiencies and the
lack of duplication we believe that that can help -- makes this done in
a manner that is as close to budget neutral as possible.
Q As close as possible. You said the day this was announced it
would be --
MR. FLEISCHER: We've always said there may be some transition
costs, and depending on the exact manner that Congress decides to
proceed, the dollar amount will become increasingly clear. It's
premature to say what that is, other than there's no reason that it
should be significant.
Q Why did you say the day it was announced that it would be
revenue neutral? And what has changed the administration's mind?
MR. FLEISCHER: The cost of the department would be revenue
neutral. I said that there would be some transition costs, depending on
the decisions that are made by the Congress.
Q Why isn't the administration going to send up now the actual
bill language for, what, weeks?
MR. FLEISCHER: We are. It's right on schedule. It's what we've
always indicated. And I'm not sure why anybody is suggesting it's
being delayed -- delayed from what -- showing you the administration's
statement that gave an original date. The administration has been
crystal clear from the word go. We always said it will take a couple
of weeks to prepare the actual statutory legislation -- which is a big
deal, preparing the statutory legislation.
We're also working with leaders on the Hill on the exact statutory
legislation we sent up, to make it a smoother process collaboratively
with the Congress. So it's moving exactly at the pace we indicated it
would move among our internal deliberations.
Q Is the fact that you haven't done this legislation reflective
of the fact that you moved up the announcement in order to get it out
there earlier?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. One, it's the nature of preparing
legislation. That specific statutory legislation always takes longer
than an overview of an announcement, even as detailed as this one. But
the reason the announcement was made, as we said earlier, the work on
the announcement was done. To wait it any longer would have, one, not
been an efficient use of time and we want Congress to have a chance to
have hearings and evaluate this, even without statutory legislation,
which the Congress will do.
And, two, the obvious risk of it would have leaked if we had waited
for the statutory legislation to be prepared.
Q Can you flesh out what the President discussed with Crown
Prince Abdullah this morning? Discussion, timetables --
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes. The two touched on the consultations that the
President has been having. And then they talked about the visit the
Foreign Minister will have. And they talked in general terms about the
hope to make progress, the importance of additional consultation and
dialogue. And that's why the Foreign Minister will be here.
Q How long was the conversation?
MR. FLEISCHER: Probably about five to 10 minutes.
Q And that was from the White House?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry?
Q That was at the White House, it wasn't on the plane?
MR. FLEISCHER: Correct, the President was in the Oval.
Q Any sense -- can you rule out a Middle East speech from him
this week?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I, one, haven't acknowledged the President is
giving a speech. As you know, the President, himself, said he may have
something to say in some form or another. My only advice to you is,
enjoy your week.
Q Thank you.
Q On Mr. Padilla, as the story comes out, it seems that he was
not on the verge of doing this. Did the administration over-state how
serious a threat Padilla represented to the United States?
MR. FLEISCHER: Terry, I think it's exactly as described. Attorney
General Ashcroft used the word "exploring." Secretary Wolfowitz said,
"initial planning stages." Which is what I said. So I think it was
described accurately. And there's always a tendency at times like
this, the initial reports immediately lurch to the worst case
scenario. But those are the words administration officials actually
did use verbatim.
It's of serious concern, and that's why the President said, he's a
dangerous man, it's a good thing he's off the street.
Q Is the President at all concerned that they acted too quickly
to arrest him, since we wasn't anywhere near close in performing this
deed, that we might have been able to -- "we," the United States
government might have been able to track him to other al Qaeda members,
track him to places where he might have obtained radioactive
materials? Instead we just have this guy and nothing, no materials at
all.
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, it's the judgment of law enforcement
officials about how to handle each case based on the merits presented.
When somebody is on a watch list and they come into the country, law
enforcement takes the action they think is the most appropriate. I
haven't heard any suggestions to the contrary.
Anything else? All right.
END 1:56 P.M. EDT
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